Now imagine that you are paid by coins in a bag. That was the way it was in 1 st century Judea for many. When we give, “it will be given to” us but in what ways? God will give back to us in “Good measure, pressed down, shaken together” and “running over be put into lap.” Imagine that you live day to day for your family and get paid only each day that you work. I love the picture Jesus gives us of giving. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. Have you ever seen a bird worry about their needs? Can they even consider tomorrow? Have you ever seen a bird depressed, with their head down, and stopped chirping? No, they don’t have to work and store up for tomorrow because God ensures that they are fed today and since we know that God values us above all other created things, why would He not do the same for us since we are “of more value than they?” Pouring into your Lap Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you. The Birds Don’t Worry Matthew 6:26 “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Everything else is secondary in nature to salvation, yet it is too easy to get wrapped up in our needs, even when God promises to supply every one of them. The key word here is “need” because He knows what we need today and will need tomorrow too so why don’t’ we trust Him and take Him at His word? The truest richest are already in our possession if we have repented and trusted in Christ. God supplies every one of our needs but not one of our greed’s. Since God owns everything there is, is it too hard to trust Him to supply the needs for you or your family? Of course not, but why do we, and why do I, still worry needlessly over things that God promises to provide for. Every Need Met Philippians 4:19 “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” That means that if we trust God enough to give offerings, He promises to pour our blessings that will, in a sense, overwhelm us to the point that we have “no more need.” Test God by being faithful and generous in supplying the needs for the work of the kingdom and He will pour out more than we could ever imagine. SCRIPTURES ON FINANCES WINDOWSGod tells us to bring in our tithes and put Him “to the test” to see if He won’t “open the windows of heaven” for us “and pour down a…blessing until there is no more need.” He even promises to “rebuke the devourer for” us. This is the only place in the Bible where we are allowed to test God. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts.” SCRIPTURES ON FINANCES FULLThat is why Jesus said that it’s a waste of time to worry about tomorrow because “sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Testing God Malachi 3:10-11 “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Today we tend to be anxious about tomorrow when God only promises enough grace for today. They had no guarantees about tomorrow’s work and wages, therefore it was much easier for them to be anxious about the next day ( tomorrow) than it is for us today but anxiety is not restricted to 1 st century Judea. That is, they worked and then got paid for that day. In 1 st century Judea, most people worked daily for their wages. Most just quote “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” but what is left out is “all these things” which include anxieties about what we will eat, wear, and drink. This is one of the most powerful verses that many have committed to memory.
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