Hear What Is God Calling me to Give? (Windows Media Player) Hear Other Messages Home
Hear What Is God Calling me to Give? (Real Player)
Requires either Windows Media Player or Real Player
(How to Get Back Full Screen After Audio Starts)
What Is God Calling me to Give?
Christmas Day is coming and there is so much to get done. There are gifts to purchase, ceremonies to arrange, families to entertain, courtesies to care for, and protocol to move through.
The good news is that Matthew reminded the 1st Century Christians to not forget in their hast, that Christ had promised them that He would return. Today, the wonderful season of Advent sets the stage, and helps us to remember this promise that Christ made.
How will post modern Christians know the day and hour Christ will return? Matthew says, “The arrival of the Son of Man will take place in times like Noah’s. Everyone was carrying on as usual right up to the day Noah boarded the ark. They knew nothing, until the flood hit and swept everything away.” Surely it will not be that way for us.
Matthew says, “The Son of Man’s arrival will be like that.” He says, “You have no idea what day your Master will show up. But you do know this: you know that if the homeowner had known what time of night the burglar would arrive, he would have been there with his dogs to prevent the break in. Be vigilant just like that. You have no idea when the Son of Man is going to show up.” We are to live lives that transform us.
Its Coming! I am sure you have noticed signs up all over our church, and you have received letters acknowledging the coming of Every Member Commitment Sunday or Consecration Sunday. There is a challenge offer to all of Highlands’ members to answer the question: What is God calling me to give? What percentage of our income will we give to the support of the ministry of Highlands, mission, and the world.
The question: What is God calling me to give has to be answered by each of us in a personal way. This question has to be answered spiritually and through fervent prayer. This question will be answered differently, by each of us.
- You see, their may be some of us who feels that God is leading us to commit 10 percent of our income to His work.
- Others of us might respond to the question like this: Eventually, I hope to begin giving 10 percent of my income, but I know that I am not ready to do it this year. Yet, I know that God is calling me to start somewhere. Maybe at 5 percent or 6 percent or even 4 percent. I believe God will bless my decision and level of commitment by helping me to increase my giving in coming years.
- Or you might be like the couple when they were just getting started, “We’ll give 10 percent now; later we’ll do more.” The years rolled by and now they say “Wow! Do we ever have more that we can not fathom how we arrived at such a high annual income that 10 percent does not even come close to the sacrifice for us. Why, we feel God calling us to give 15 or 20 percent or our income to the Lord’s work.”
Whatever we’re going to do with God’s call to us, Matthew is our text; remind us that Jesus said, “Stay awake and alert.” Committing ourselves in the pains and hopes of others, losing ourselves in order to find ourselves.
Let us each allow God’s call on our lives to shape our faith for the future. A future without hate, greed, war, racism, sexism, or any barriers that will keep us from being fully able to move from anticipation to transfiguration.
Our commitment to give will determine the level of ministry Highlands will be able to provide in the coming year.
|
Windows Media Player should already be on your computer. A browser such as Microsoft Internet Explorer that supports Windows Media Player is also required. Windows Media Player is used on many sites in addition to this one. If you do not have Windows Media Player or you would like to update to a later version, click Windows Media Player. Windows Media Player 10 Series for use with Microsoft Internet Explorer and Windows XP operating system has a total file size of 11.638 MB and downloading it over a 56.6 K modem takes about 28 minutes. Versions of the Windows Media Player for other operating systems and browsers are available at Windows Media Player. |
How to Get Back Full Screen After Audio Starts:
If no instructions, click refresh icon in bar at top of screen.
