The Citizen, 2005-10-27, Page 23THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2005. PAGE 23.
From the Minister's Study
A different kind of strategic investment
By Pastor Kuperus
Blyth Christian Reformed
Church
Many of us receive solicitations
for donations. We receive requests
from the Cancer Society, the
Diabetes Society and the Canadian
National Institute for the Blind to
name only a few.
Now. why ought we to give to
these causes? If we have had a loved
one struggle with cancer or diabetes
or blindness, we have seen the
destructive power of those diseases
and we want to have a cure. We
know firsthand of the struggle these
individuals go through and that they
need our support. We want to
support research as well as help
those with the ailment. We long for
wholeness and health for others and
ourselves.
Helping people in need is what
God expects of us. God calls us to
help the sick, the poor, the orphans,
the widows and the refugees. This
pleases God. The question that we
wrestle with is, how much ought we
to give? God is clear about this too.
God asks you and me to give a
tithe. A tithe is 10 per cent. Leviticus
27: 30 says, “A tithe of everything
from the land, whether grain from
the soil or fruit from the trees,
belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the
Lord."
God wants us to give him of our
time, talent and treasures. All of us
have 24 hours in a day, seven days in
a week and 365 days in a year.
When it comes to talents, we all
have different talents. Some of us are
good with our hands and can fix
things. Some of us are creative and
are good with art and building
things. Others have minds that
comprehend difficult principles.
Some of us love to work on the land,
‘■ while others love to work with
people.
When it comes to our treasures,
each of us has a different treasure.
This has to do with our money. Some
have greater earning power than
Singing
priest in
Lucknow
Wingham/Lucknow Special
Olympics is presenting a concert
performance with The Rev. Mark
Curtis, known as Canada’s Singing
Priest and special guests The Almost
Famous Players.
The concert will be held on
Sunday, Nov. 13 at Lucknow
Presbyterian Church, 578 Havelock
St.. Lucknow. 7:30 p.m. Tickets are
$12 in advance or $15 at the door,
family tickets are $20 in advance or
$23 at the door, and can be
purchased through the Walton Inn;
Wingham and District Community
Living; Kathy Clark (519) 335-3386
or Shirley Clark (519) 335-3291.
Rev. Curtis performs a variety of
contemporary, gospel, show tunes
and classic favourites such as and
classic favourites such as
Somewhere Over The Rainbow,
Danny Boy, What a Wonderful
World and many more! He will also
include musical selections such as
Bring Him Home from Les
Miserable and Any Dream Will Do
from Joseph and the Amazing
Teclinicolour Dream Coat. He will
also bring to life hymns such as
Bringing in the Sheaves. Just A
Closer Walk With Thee, What A
Friend We Have In Jesus as well as
modern day classics such as On
Eagle's Wing.
others. What God is saying is he
wants his people to give 10 per cent
of their time, talent and treasures.
In addition to God asking for 10
per cent, he wants us to give to him
first. Exodus 13: 1-2 says. "The Lord
said to Moses, ‘Consecrate to me
every firstborn male. The first
offspring of every womb among the
Israelites belongs to me, whether
man or animal.” In Exodus 23: 19a,
it says, “Bring the best of the first
fruits of your soil to the house of the
Lord your God.”
I do not want farmers to dump the
first corn they harvest on our church
parking lot. The principle is that God
wants to be first in our lives.
Here is an example. At the
beginning of the month when you
are writing out cheques, God wants
to be first. You have your mortgage
and car payments, hydro and credit
card bills. Which one is paid first?
Where does God fit in?
If God is at the end, then the
message is we fear the bank with the
mortgage, GMAC, the hydro
company and the credit card
companies more than we fear God.
We fear that they can take our house
or car or they can ruin our credit
rating.
What will God do to us if we do
not give to him? We might have
never thought of that. God says he
will withhold his blessing from us.
God says he wants to be first in our
lives.
Why does God want our money
when he owns the cattle on the
thousand hills? Psalm 24 says, ‘The
earth is the Lord’s and everything in
it, the world and all who live in it.”
This means that everything
belongs to the Lord. You and I
belong to Him and all our
possessions. There cannot be two
owners, either He owns it or we own
it. If He owns it, then we are
stewards. If we arc stewards, then
we have to answer to the owner. The
owner asks you and me for a return
on his investment of 10 per cent.
Robert Morris, a pastor who
counsels people in their finances,
and from whom I gleaned many
ideas to write this article, says that
everyone he counsels who tithes
says they have been blessed. Those
who do not tithe all say they cannot
afford to tithe.
In Malachi 3, God speaks very
strongly to His people and says
when His people do not tithe, they
rob Him. How are we doing? Are we
robbing God?
Friends, how are your finances?
Are you being blessed or not? The
economic conditions in Huron
County are tough; the crop prices are
down, energy prices are up. Are you
able to keep ahead of the bill
collector? Is the bank calling you
because you are overdrawn? Are you
just paying the minimum balance on
your credit cards? Does your
situation feel hopeless? If we want to
get on the road to recovery, then we
have to address our relationship with
God.
As Pastor Robert Morris says, we
can live with 90 per cent of our
income and be blessed by God, or
100 per cent of our income and not
be blessed by God. We have a choice
to be blessed or cursed, what are we
going to choose?
Where is God in your life? Where
your treasure is there will be your
heart also.
If you invested in Google, you will
suddenly be checking to see the
value of its stock. When you invest
in God. your heart will follow.
Friends, you and I cannot afford to
not invest in God. In business the
goal of marketing is to separate
consumers from their money. God
does not want to separate you from
your money. God wants your heart
fully committed to Him.
My heart’s desire is for you to live
a life blessed by God. Listen to his
principles of giving to Him 10 per
cent and giving it first.
Malachi 3 says, “Test me in this,”
says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I
will not throw open the floodgates of
heaven and pour out so much
blessing that you will not have room
enough for it. 1 will prevent pests
from devouring your crops, and the
vines in your fields will not cast their
fruit.”
God makes a promise to us to
bless us. while the enemy, Satan,
says you cannot tithe. Yo will not
have enough for you and your
family. Do you listen to God’s voice
or to the voice of the enemy?
Friends, invest with God, and
experience His blessings.
Oct. 30: Micah 6:1-8
Micah's Challenge
to be Just & Kind
Relief & Development
Sundpy
10:30 a.m. - Blyth Public School
SATURDAYS, 9:30 am
VIDEO SERIES for PARENTS
"Essentials of Discipline"
Focus on the Family ■ CALL FOR INFO
Mon. 6:45 pm Junior Girls Gr. 4-6
Fri. 7 pm Youth Group Gr. 6+
Pastor: Ernest Dow - 523-4848
http://getlivingwater.org
Donation-based
PASTORAL COUNSELLING]
• Marriage
• Family
\ • Budgeting
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
‘iVelccMted epte to CMte
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30
"TT Trinity, Blyth St. John’s, Brussels0*1 9:30 a.m.11:15 a.m.
The Rev. Tom Wilson, B.A., MDiv. 887-9273
HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL
MISSIONARY CHURCH
SING A SON^i OF Auburn - 526-1131
PASTOR DAVE WOOD
Sunday 9:30 a.m.Family Bible Hour
Tuesday
Wednesday
10:30 a.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:15 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
Morning Worship Service
Evening Worship Service
Jr. & Sr. Youth Bible Study
Olympians
Adult Bible Study
'PCeaae foot
Sunday, October 30
Morning Worship Service - 10 a.m.
Evening Worship Service - 7:30 p.m.
BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH
Pastor John Kuperus
Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233
Wheelchair accessible
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Sunday, Cictafiet 30
11:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
9:30 am - Sunday Belgrave Service
Wheelchair accessible
Nursery care available
Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 887-9831
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca
Sunday, October 30
Ethel United Church
9:30 a.m.
Brussels United Church
11:00 a.m.
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
S Blyth United Church
\ Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
/ Sunday, October 30
Worship Service, Sunday School & Nursery
11:00 a.m.
Minister: Rev. Robin McGauley
TUdtotw.
Office: 523-4224
Blyth United Church is a welcoming community of faith.
We celebrate God's presence through worship and study, and through
responding to the needs and gifts of each other.
Sanctuary
Sunday 9:45
Church
'The Church is not a
Building,
It is People Touching
People"
a.m.- Power Hour Circus
(Ring of Relationships)
- Worship Service11:00 a.m.
Mid-week Bible Studies
Phone: 440-8379 ~ 308 Blyth Rd. E. ~ Pastor Les Cook 523-4590