He who takes but never gives, may last for years but never lives(Author Unknown)
The model for worship given to humanity is patterned and copied from that which continually takes place in heaven before the throne of God.When Moses was about to erect the tabernacle he was warned by God (Hebrews 8:5; 9:23 Amplified Bible), “See to it that you make it all exactly according to the copy (prototype) which was shown to you on the mountain....”It was necessary for the (earthly) copies of the heavenly things to be purified, but the actual heavenly things themselves required far better and nobler sacrifices than these.”The blueprint for the Tabernacle in the Wilderness and the worship practices outlined in the Law of Moses are a reflection of that which has always existed in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Giving, sacrifice and tithing did not originate on earth; they are part of God’s program for worship which He established before the creation of humanity.Heaven’s occupants give offerings to God; it’s their greatest joy and what they live for.Revelation 4:9-10 says, “Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne…the twenty four elders…cast their crowns before the throne ….”Every being in Heaven is passionately generous; lavish with praise and prolific in their worship.Giving is the way of eternal life for heaven’s occupants; supernatural joy is derived from the sacrifices of praise that one unselfishly gives to God.
You can give without offering yourself to the Lord, but you cannot offer yourself to the Lord without giving.No one shall appear before God empty handed (Exodus 23:15).Cain and Abel brought their offerings to God centuries before the Commandments were written (Genesis 4:3-7).Abraham gave tithes to the priest Melchizedek, the king of Salem, about five hundred years before Moses received God’s word on Mount Sinai (Genesis 14:18-20).Worship did not originate under the Law of Moses; it was practiced in heaven long before creation and passed down to earth.Giving and sacrifice is a part of the nature of all beings who share relationship with the Lord.We should give with the same attitude with which we receive, cheerfully and without hesitation; for there is no grace in a benefit that sticks to the fingers (Seneca).God’s nature caused Him to make the supreme sacrifice for humanity.The Holy Spirit abiding in our hearts compels us to offer our best: our time, our talents and our treasure to the Lord as a sacrifice of praise. Robert South said, “If there be any truer measure of a man than by what he does, it must be by what he gives.
Submitted 3/22/2008 7:17:54 PM | Author: Pastor Dan Turpin
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