Why does God ask those who have wealth to be rich in good works, ready to give and share? While God doesn’t tempt us, He will definitely TEST US especially on things that have become very close to our hearts.
Do you remember God asking Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on the altar on Mount Moriah? Well, of course Abraham’s willingness also paved the way for God to send forth His Son as the Messiah to be offered at Golgotha. The reason was to TEST Abraham to see if he was willing to give up Isaac who was a son of his old age with Sarah. Abraham had to be willing to place Isaac on the altar so that God would be able to return Isaac to him after he showed his willingness. He did so and God returned Isaac to Abraham.
God will test our hearts especially in the area of finances or money. It is more of a revelation regarding what is still a stronghold in our lives! This is especially true for the wealthy and the poor when money is a stronghold in their lives. In fact, God challenges us to give 10% tithes to TEST HIM whether He will bless us in return. Tithing is also a revelation to see if we are able to part with our 10%! If we cannot part with RMB1000 when we earn RMB10 000, then it will very difficult for us to part with RMB10 000 when we earn RMB100 000 monthly. Then your god is still money!
The only way to be able to pass the test is through GIVING! It will keep us in check to ensure that we will not find it challenging to part with the money that God has given us or that money has slowly become an idol in our lives.
Proverbs 19:17 (NKJV) He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, And He will pay back what he has given.
Truly we are lending to the Lord when we give to the poor because God’s heart is for them.
We need to be able to see that we are stewards of God’s money and Good Samaritans whom God has placed on this earth. He would want us to do what He would have done if Jesus was still walking on earth today.
It would be wrong for ICS to be self-serving with the money that God has provided for us as a church without looking after the poor. Praise the Lord that this is not the case because we give more than 25% to Good Works and Good News. Recently, giving to the church has decreased because we haven’t been able to congregate physically at Marriott hotel, but it hasn’t stopped ICS from giving a total of RMB 772K to help the poor and needy in China and the humanitarian aid to those in Israel this year. One of the reasons why many churches are not giving more than 10% to missions is due to the lack of finances. And some of the reasons why churches are lacking finances are the fear of man and the lack of teaching on tithing and free will offering.
Do you know that it is never God’s will for anyone to be in lack including the poor?
Sermon Series – Balancing Godliness and Riches (Part 2)
通过考验
当我们信靠活神时，会是怎样的呢?
提摩太前书6:18-19又要嘱咐他们行善，在好事上富足，甘心施舍，乐意供给人，为自己积成美好的根基，预备将来，叫他们持定那真正的生命。
为什么神要那些有财富的人在善事上富足，甘心给予和分享?虽然神不会试探我们，但祂一定会试炼我们，特别是在那些日益成为我们心之所系的事上。
你还记得神让亚伯拉罕把以撒献在摩利亚山上的祭坛上吗?当然，亚伯拉罕的甘心乐意也为神把祂儿子作为弥赛亚献在各各他铺了道路。这是要考验亚伯拉罕、看他肯不肯将他和撒拉年迈时所生的以撒舍弃。亚伯拉罕必须愿意把以撒献在祭坛上，这样神才能在他表现出他愿意之后将以撒交还给他。他既这样做了，神就把以撒还给了亚伯拉罕。
神会测试我们的心，特别是在财务或金钱方面。它更多的是揭示了什么仍然是我们生命中的营垒! 对于富人和穷人来说，当金钱是他们生命的营垒时尤其如此。事实上，神挑战我们献出十分之一来试试祂是否会以祝福我们作为回报。什一奉献也是一个启示，看我们是否能放弃我们的10%! 如果我们在赚1万元的时候不能拿出1000元，那么月赚10万元时，我们也很难拿出1万元。那么你依然是以金钱为神（偶像）!
要想通过测试的唯一方法就是给予!这使我们可以随时检讨自己：确保自己在拿出神所赐的钱财时不会感到为难，或者我们已经渐渐地使金钱成为了生命中的偶像。
箴言19:17 怜悯贫穷的，就是借给耶和华;他的善行，耶和华必偿还。
我们施舍给穷人，其实是借给耶和华，因为神的心顾念他们。
我们需要能够看到我们是神钱财的管家，是神安置在这个世界的好撒马利亚人。如果耶稣今天还在地上行走，祂会希望我们做祂会做的事。
作为教会，如果ICS用神供应给我们的钱财仅仅为自己服务而不照顾穷人的话，这将是错误的。感谢主，实际情况并非如此，因为我们用于善行和福音的部分超过25%。最近，由于无法在万豪酒店聚会，教会奉献有所减少，但ICS今年仍捐出总计77.2万元的人民币，帮助中国的穷人和有需要的人，并为以色列提供人道主义援助。许多教会对宣教活动的支出不超过10%的原因之一是资金短缺。教会缺乏资金的原因一部分是出于惧怕别人怎么想，以及缺乏有关十一奉献和自由奉献的教导。
你可知道，让任何人–包括穷人–陷于匮乏，这从来都不是神的心意吗?
讲章系列：平衡敬虔与富足 (第二部分)