Sunday, January 24, 1999 This Week's Lesson:
In this week's lesson, which came from Proverbs 3:9-10, we learned that a life of abundance begins with a life of giving and sharing. How ironic that the blessing of having it all is associated with the blessing of giving much of it away. Many would conclude that riches result from a life of financial prudence, wisdom, and thriftiness. However, Solomon wrote that we can have it all simply by being willing to give it all over to the Lord. He wrote that we should honor the Lord with our substance, and by that, he meant with ALL our substance. Current theological teaching sometimes maintains that Christians should commit ten percent of their income to the Lord, but this practice, known as tithing which was biblical during the times before Christ, has now been replaced by an even higher teaching. We are not to merely practice giving ten percent of our income to the Lord's work. We do much better when we commit ALL our substance to Him, and that means one hundred percent. We practice total commitment to Christ's work when we turn our children into little missionaries and disciples for Him. We practice total commitment to Christ when our hard-earned dollars are consumed in ways that further the Gospel. In Proverbs 3:10, Solomon wrote that living in this manner will ensure us a life of abundance.
In the opening verses of chapter three, Solomon had written about trusting and obeying. To that, he has added in this passage that of honoring the Lord with our substance. The victorious Christian life begins when we surrender our ALL to the Lord. We should honor Him by giving Him our best. In Old Testament times, the people sacrificed the first fruits of their animals. They gave their best. Numbers 28:3 says, "And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the LORD; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering." Jesus was God's best, and He became our first fruit. I Peter 1:18-19 says, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." Because God gave His best for us, we should give our best to Him. We should be willing to give ALL our substance to Him for the purpose of getting out His message and reaching others for Christ. When we trust the Lord with ALL our substance, He will provide for us bountifully. Solomon wrote that our barns would be filled. He said that our presses would burst out with new wine. The word used for wine in Proverbs 3:10 is the same as the word used in Genesis 27:28. In Genesis 27:26-28, Isaac had promised new wine to Esau as a blessing. Therefore, in Proverbs 3:10, Solomon has also said that trusting our substance to the Lord will provide us with a blessing. When we are faithful to Him, the Lord will be faithful to us.
Many people are sidetracked from a faithful walk because faithfulness sometimes has a high cost. However, as you go through the coming week, try to practice Solomon's teachings about trusting the Lord and honoring Him with ALL your substance.
Tom of Spotswood"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I John 5:12)
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)
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