Generosity

Tithing – Not Abolished But Fulfilled

Jan 20 2016

Tithing – Not Abolished But Fulfilled

Jesus said “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5: 17)
To abolish something is to put an end to it. To fulfill something is to complete it, to bring it to reality, or to its destiny.
Let me explain by asking all parents with daughters a question. Why is your little girl pretty? As a parent (especially if you are a father) you may not want to face the answer. The reason your little girl is pretty is because when she grows up she needs to catch a man. Yup, that’s the reason. Her prettiness has a destiny, and one day it will be fulfilled. Her beauty will knock some guy off his feet.
Likewise, when Jesus said he had come to fulfill the Law, he meant that he was going to bring it to its destiny, or what it was ultimately meant for.
More

Eye for Eye

Dec 12 2014

Eye for Eye

“You have heard it said ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you …”

‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’ is one of the most quoted statements of the Bible. People usually quote it as justification to take personal revenge. But this was not the original purpose of the statement. It was originally a legal term know as the Law of Retaliation (Lex Talionis) which limited judges to passing sentences that did not exceed the crime. In other words the judge could only take an eye for an eye, he could not take a life for an eye.
Of course the law was metaphoric, not literal – no one actually had an eye or a tooth removed. More

The God of Mercy

Oct 16 2013

The God of Mercy

Mercy is really about generosity. When we say God is merciful we are not just saying that he is forgiving, we are saying he is generous in many different ways to those who are undeserving. God heals, delivers, restores, and loves people who are not always faithful to him.
John Wimber, the founder of the Vineyard movement, once had a vision of God’s mercy. While driving his car he saw an unusual cloud in the sky. He stopped to have a better look, and as he did so he realized it wasn’t a cloud but a honeycomb that was dripping with honey. Below it he saw people. Some were excited about the honey that rained down and they ran about collecting it and sharing it with each other. Others were irritated by the honey that dropped on them and they tried to get away from it.
When John asked God what it was, God said “That’s my mercy, for some people it’s a blessing and for some people it’s not … look at it, there’s plenty for everyone.”
The point I want to make from Wimber’s vision is this; God is saturated with mercy; he drips with it. So often we think God is a God of judgement, and of course he does judge. But there is another side to his nature, a stronger side; He is rich with mercy. More