100 Verses - Week 26: Time & Money

How a person spends his time, and how a person spends his money says a lot about them. Open their datebook or their checkbook and you will quickly have a good idea of where their priorities lie. Both of our verses this week relate directly to God's instruction about these matters, time and money. It interests me how touchy people can get about these topics when it comes to church and religion. But this week's memory verses make t very clear that God really does have something to say about how we spend our time and money. But then again, why wouldn't He? They have so much to say about who we are.

Each person should do as he has decided in his heart-- not out of regret or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:7

I've heard this verse quoted before with the intention of making the principle of tithing obsolete. "...as he has decided in his own heart" is NOT license for ourselves to determine how we ought to obey and serve God. And truthfully, if it's your first thought to "go there," I would already take it as a sign that you are not in fact a "cheerful giver" if you are already looking for an out about how you ought to give. It's a sharp edge, don't get cut on it. Everything we have is God's to begin with, and He asks for it "back" not of His need, but out of our own.

It's for the good od our heart that God keeps us open handed with our goods, for the more tightly we grip things, the harder our heart has to work to beat the rhythm of God.

Likewise our time is not our own. And God intends that we spend it wisely, and with one another. So many people claim to be commando Christians, working alone, walking out our faith walks solo, and that was just never God's plan. There is strength in fellowship, and that's why God tells us to make it a priority.

Not staying away from meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:25

"As the day approaches" refers to Christ's return, and if you do your homework, you know more and more people will fall away from the faith in the last days. It's called apostasy, and it's the reason why believers belong in a good Bible teaching fellowship, for growth, strength and accountability. We need to be together, worship, word and breaking bread for the good of our faith. And because God says so. So if you are not a part of a healthy congregation and actively attending and participating, I highly recommend you make some changes.

So as you are meditating and memrizing these verses this week, take sometime to consider, if someone got a look at your checkbook and your datebook, what would it tell them about you?


The 100 Verse Challenge is based on Robert J. Morgan's book "100 Verses Everyone Should Know by Heart."