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A Fully Devoted Follower Gives Sacrificially
Becoming A Fully Devoted Follower: #5 of 6 (taken from the Treepost Newletter) | View the Entire Devotional Series
If you’ve ever stumbled across some of the weird programming on “Christian” TV, then chances are when you just read “A Fully Devoted Follower Gives Sacrificially” it made you a little nervous. You know what I’m talking about, you’re thinking right now of that show where some guy in a cheap suit tells you to put your hands on the TV while he prays for you and subsequently reveals that God told him you should send your next five paychecks to him. You’ve seen that guy, or one just like him, and he makes you want to throw up. These guys usually have their wife along side them wearing so much make-up she looks like she lost a paintball war. — Well by God’s grace, I promise you that man will never be a pastor in our church!
People get nervous when you start talking about giving, because immediately they think of money. I’m not going to mislead you, God’s desire would be that you’d learn to give financially to help spread the Gospel, but he desires you give a lot more than just your money. We’re going to look at the idea of giving in three areas: Time, Talent, and Treasure.
Before we go on, though, you might be asking yourself, “What does giving have to do with living out the Great Commandment, loving God and loving others?” That’s a great question. Let me try to answer it by asking you a few true/false questions. Let’s be continual learners, though, and look at what God’s Word has to say about each question not just what you feel or think. So before you answer True or False, look up the Scripture passages accompanying it and then answer the question.
1. True or False: God created everything. (Genesis 1:1, Colossians 1:16)
2. True or False: Since God created everything, he owns everything. (Deuteronomy 10:14)
3. True or False: Everything that was created (which would include the stuff I have, even myself) belongs to God and was created for God. (Colossians 1:16, Romans 11:36, 1 Corinthians 8:6)
Do you get the point? Everything is God’s, he owns it all, so I should use my time, talent, and treasure to worship him and serve others—to love God and love others.
GIVE YOUR TIME
What does it mean to give my time? Well, it means scheduling out time during my day or week where I intently focus on loving God and loving others. It could include scheduling time alone with God each morning to pray and study his word. It could mean not scheduling any activities on a Wednesday night so I could participate in a 1:10 Group or serve in a mid-week ministry. God has given the same amount of time each day to everyone: 24 hours. How much of your time are you willing to sacrificially give so that you can love God, love others, and grow to be like Jesus?
GIVE YOUR TALENT
God has blessed you with talent, some things you’re good at. It could be a skill with your hands like carpentry. It might be a skill with your mind like accounting and working with numbers. Maybe you’re an artist or a musician. Maybe you’re just really good with people. It could be any number of different talents, but you do have some. You need to realize that God is the one who has blessed you with those talents. He designed and created you to be who you are, and that includes your interests, your personality, and the things you’re good at. His desire is that you would use those gifts and abilities to glorify him and bless others. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says that “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
GIVE YOUR TREASURE
What treasure has God given you? Think of your money, but don’t think only of your money… Do you have a home? A car? A giant flat screen TV? A huge back yard? What treasure do you have? Don’t forget, they all belong to God. He’s just loaned them to you for a while. So how could you use those treasures to love God and love others? Maybe you could host a meal at your home. Maybe the student ministry would be able to use your mini-van to take kids on a retreat. What treasure do you have to give? And are you willing to give it?
When you’re finished here, go read Mark 1:14-39. In this passage Mark follows Jesus through a busy stretch of ministry. As you read, look for ways that Jesus and/or his followers gave up their time, talent, or treasure to love God and/or love others. Are you willing to do the same and Give Sacrificially?
You Are Loved!
Pastor Josh