07/07/21 THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME

07/07/21 THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME
(in fact, this principle is so widespread it could be called PANDEMIC)

PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE
(this is not a re-post of one of my earlier articles)
Again, I invite you to SHARE THIS.
Christians need to know this.
Christians need to practice this.
Christians are in need of help.

SACRIFICIAL GIVING IS PART OF BEING A CHRISTIAN
Recently I wrote an article that dealt with this same subject. I want to revisit this subject because is is something that is very seldom addressed, even by me. Preachers may avoid this subject because they don't want to offend those who give to their church. Maybe your preacher has addressed it but you were not in church service that day.

GIVING TO NEEDY BELIEVERS IS A WITNESS TO OUR SALVATION
1 John 3:16-19
16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

YOU ARE GOD'S CHANNEL
See yourself as a channel of blessing and deliverance for others. God not only uses us to share the gospel with folks who are unsaved and He uses us to minister to the spiritual needs of believers, but God also uses us to serve and support ministries and other individual believers financially.

The New Testament makes it clear that God enriches, God blesses people so that they will help other individuals, ESPECIALLY other Christians, when they are in need. We should realize that God wants us to help others even if we do not see ourselves as "one of the rich." Let's face it: the "rich" are very seldom interested in the needs of Christian people, and in fact they don't even know the Christian people that we know. Most people use their money as a financial investment to reap a financial benefit. We as Christians should be ready and eager to invest our finances in the needs of believers, for their physical, family and spiritual well being.

Helping other Christians should start with those who are the closest to us, our family. People say, "charity starts at home." Here is the opportunity to prove it and be Biblical at the same time.

God does not expect us to financially support another person in their sin or in their foolishness or in their laziness. God expects us to be wise in our giving. Part of being wise involves helping believers with their needs. We may pray for them while they are under a heavy load or we may advise them on financial issues, but sometimes they also need financial help. Love, compassion moves us to give to others. We don't have to be rich. In fact, God expects us to give out of our own "poverty" or need.

Another aspect of Christian, compassionate, giving is that it is not used as a controlling device or to exalt one's self. Biblical giving is JOYFUL giving. The Greek word, which God uses to describe this giving is HILAROS, which is the root word for HILLARIOUS. The King James translates it, "CHEERFUL."

BE AN HILARIOUS GIVER
2 Corinthians 9:6-7
6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

Christians should not have to struggle, suffer, strain needlessly while parents, grandparents, other loved ones have the ability to help them.
"Do your giving while your living,
Then you're knowing where it's going."
Don't wait for a disaster and don't wait until it is too late to actually help.
I have much more to say, but maybe I will say it later.