Bible Prophecy and Inspiration

I usually write on the concentration of living for the world and the warnings of chasing after wealth, materialism, and not being a good steward with one’s resources that have been entrusted to them.

That brings us to the other end of the spectrum.  One I have to watch more closely as I am a frugal person.

2  Corinthians 9:7 – ⁷ Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Tithing is an obedient act that we are told to do by the Lord.  This has never been a problem for my family and we have been blessed and our needs have always been met.  I only bring that up, because I just mentioned being frugal.  However, giving goes beyond tithing.

I have known people to have died and they were misers with everything they had.  The type which would stop the engine in their automobile on a big hill, just to save gas back when it was 25 cents a gallon.  The type to sit in a cold house to save on electricity.  The result of these people many a time is they end up leaving a nest egg to someone else after they die.  For these people it becomes an obsession.

What does that type of living do for the Lord? 

It is a selfish lifestyle still, even though it’s different from other lifestyles that focus on self.  Here is a proverb written by Solomon.

Proverbs 23:6- 8 – ⁶ Do not eat the food of a begrudging host,
   do not crave his delicacies;
⁷ for he is the kind of person
   who is always thinking about the cost.
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
   but his heart is not with you.
⁸ You will vomit up the little you have eaten
   and will have wasted your compliments.

I underlined the part that jumps out when I read it.  Our hearts is where the whole issue is.  Our heart is where we either grow closer to God and what He wants, or not at all. 

Here is a parable of someone who is stingy and unproductive.

Matthew 25:24:30 – ²⁴ “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵ So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

   ²⁶ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? ²⁷ Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

   ²⁸ “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. ²⁹ For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. ³⁰ And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

The Lord loves a cheerful giver.  We need to give our time and our resources toward the Kingdom of God.  This takes faith.  It also takes going against the flesh and trusting God.  One is supposed to be responsible, but when responsibly done one is more obedient to the Lord.