QT 14 Sep 2020, Amos 1:3, Are we stealing from God in our giving?

Amos 1:3 (ESV) — 

3 Thus says the Lord: 

“For three transgressions of Damascus, 

and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, 

because they have threshed Gilead 

with threshing sledges of iron. 

NOTE: Verse 3 is about Syria or Aram, whatever you choose to call the nation. God is bringing judgment against the nation for their treatment of Israel. And in a theme of Amos, it is not for a one-time act, although one time does make a person guilty. God is patient, giving us time to repent and change. But after a time, God will judge the person for their sins. It is not that his patience is limited, but rather his justice demands attention. For a child of God, it is also out of love that God disciplines his children. The church is guilty of discipline, we have not lived differently from the world. We have failed our nation, not politically, but without the changed lifestyle that issues from the heart. People have not rejected us because of the message, but because they don't see anything behind the message.

One other thing caught my attention. In reading a commentary on the book of Amos, Constable made this statement, "The message of Amos is that God blesses people so they can be channels of blessing to others, not so they may simply squander His blessings selfishly." This is also our problem. We are so focused so much on the concept of Old Testament tithing that we have missed out on the real blessing of giving. My comments are focused on the rich. I think a tithe, as taught by the western church, is an entirely selfish response to the word of God. Giving ten percent is easy for people whose income is in the top 10 percent of the nation. They can give more, much more. For those of us who are wealthy, we need to rethink our giving. The New Testament concept is that each should give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion for God loves a cheerful giver. This means we need to have serious prayer about what our giving should be. To give 10 percent is simple for a wealthy person, but are we squandering the wealth God has given selfishly?

PRAYER: Lord, open the eyes of believers that we would not be blind to our own selfish actions. Help us to see how you want to use us and how you want to change us.