11月18日
按力奉献
“各人要按自己的力量，照耶和华—你上帝所赐的福分，奉献礼物。」”
申命记 16:17
人们不会仅仅因为把钱放进教会的奉献箱，就可以直接进天国。教会从来没有规定一定要奉献，奉献也不是取得教会会员资格的代价。而向教会的奉献体现的总是内心的态度。圣经里提到十一奉献，就是将上帝所赐福给我们的再以十分之一献给上帝。圣经里还谈到我们生命的奉献，因为主耶稣已经为我们全然奉献了自己。
在以色列人每年的一些重大节日里，他们都要纪念上帝这一年赐给他们的恩典。为了对上帝所有的祝福表示感恩，人们要向上帝献上礼物。这样的奉献体现了个人与上帝的关系。我们记得祂的祝福，就按所得的祝福奉献给祂。在上帝面前如果没有感恩之心，是目光短浅，也是对上帝的不敬。我们奉献，是因为一切来自上帝，是祂先赐予了我们。
今日祷告：
主耶稣，求祢帮助我思想祢的恩典，让我记得祢为我做的一切。阿们。
November 18
Give
All must give as they are able, according to the blessings given to them by the Lord your God.
DEUTERONOMY 16 : 17
No one goes to heaven because he or she puts money in the offering plate at church. Giving to church was never about being a “rule” or a price of membership; rather, giving to the assembly of God’s people has always been about the attitude of the heart. The Bible talks about tithing, where a person gives back to the Lord a tenth of what the Lord has blessed them with. The Bible also talks about laying down one’s whole life for God and for others as a result of all that Jesus has done on our behalf.
At Israel’s major annual festivals, the people of God were encouraged to remember the ways that God had blessed them throughout the year. As a sign of gratitude for all of God’s blessing, people were to offer a “gift” to the Lord. The gift was to be personal and related to the blessings the Lord had given them. To appear before God without a heart of thanksgiving showed a lack of forethought and respect. We give because he first has given to us.
Pray for the Day:
Lord Jesus, help me to pause long enough today to recognize all you have done for me this year. Amen.
Leave a Reply