Give Giving a Serious Thought
by Gary Colley
Have you given giving a serious thought
lately? Many give thought to the mundane needs of life and what they
cost but fail to give giving to the work of the Lord a serious thought!
We do give thought to the increase in salaries, living expenses, and
taxes each year, but what about consideration of an increase in giving
to our God who has supplied all of our abilities, talents, and support?
Paul teaches us that as we have abounded in faith, utterance, and
knowledge, we are to “abound in this grace [of giving] also” (II Cor.
8:7).
Cost of the
Lord’s Work Increases
Just as our living expenses and salaries increase each year, so does the
cost of the Lord’s work. We enjoy many works at Getwell. In addition
to our radio work and bulletin work, etc., we publish THE SPIRITUAL
SWORD journal, which goes around the world, and also the Spiritual
Lectureship books published in conjunction with our annual lectureship.
Class materials, utilities, and general maintenance have all increased.
There are always many needs which our elders must consider – and they
all call for money in order to carry out these good works. The
membership at Getwell is very generous in their giving on the first day
of the week, or none of these needed works could be done! It is not the
intent of this exhortation to impoverish anyone but to remind each of us
to examine our giving and see if we should give thought to an increase
for the Lord. Perhaps we need to give giving a serious thought!
Giving – Specific
Act of Worship
We know giving is one of the five specific acts of worship commanded by
God for those who walk by faith (I Cor. 16:1-2). Also, by this and
other passages, we know that it is to be done on the first day of every
week, proportionate to what God has given to us, and that it is to be
done cheerfully, thoughtfully, purposefully, and bountifully. Have you
read and considered lately the passages that tell us when and the
conditions by which our giving shall be blessed of God? They are
important to all who want to please God and go to Heaven. Why not take
a few moments to read the following: I Corinthians 6:20; II
Corinthians 9:2-12; 8:9-15; Ephesians 3:14-15, 21; Acts
20:35.
Worship – An
Expression of Devotion
The Bible makes it clear that our giving is acceptable according to the
width of our hearts, not the narrowness of our fortune! Let us be sure
that it is not the cause of our eternal downfall! Let us give giving
a serious thought!
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In Our Prayers
Updates:
Gunter Hoagland, friend of Martha Dowdy, is now at his
daughter’s home in Pinson. Billy Smith, Kevin’s dad, has
melanoma cancer and is not doing well.
Alice
Williams, Kim Gott’s
mother, is in St. Vincent’s East Medical Center in room 667
following surgery last week. Lawrence Williams, Kim’s
step-father, is in Mitchell Hollingsworth Rehab in Florence.
Virginia Gowens, grandmother of Blu Gowens, is at Heflin Rehab
Center.
Judy Welch,
grandmother of Blu, is at home recovering from surgery.
Shut- In:
At Home-Mattie Peace (in Oxford),
William Brown, Kevin Edmondson and Katie Pendley
Meadowood
–Walter Thompson – room
107
Mountain Cove – Dot Miller
– room 12
Altoona Health Care –
Elizabeth Nelson
Piedmont Health Care –
Martha Kirby
McGuffey’s Rehab – Brenda Fugatt
Prayer
Requests: Lois Corfman;
Tom’s sister, Wendy Burns and family; Regan Widrig; Nell & Don
McElroy; Mary Chesnut, sister of Malcolm Edge; Alfred Shaw, lung
cancer; Louise Garner; Bob McCarver; Joseph Broughton; Jan Ragsdale
has a critical heart condition; James Freeman, Bob’s brother, has
bone cancer; James and Clifford Wright; Isabelle Simmons-2 yr old
with leukemia; Bethany Hiett; Dennis Kirkland-lung cancer; Brenda
and Charlie Fugatt; Cheryl Lambert’s niece, Nicole Smith; Gail
Sanders, step-mother of Gary Sanders, is having severe back
problems; Marcus, grandson of Gail Clough is having health problems;
Cena Lewis, mother of DeAnn Hayes & aunt of Kip Jones, is undergoing
chemotherapy; LeAnna Ray, 6 yr old with lymphoma in Florence;
Gunter Hoagland, friend of Martha Dowdy; Virginia Gowens,
grandmother of Blu Gowens; Judy Welch, Blue Gowen’s grandmother;
Steve Conner requests prayers for his health problems and that he
might be able to buy a house soon; Billy Smith, Kevin’s dad, has
melanoma cancer and is under Hospice care; Deborah and Cristy
Chumney; Anna and Jake Sanders as Gary is in Afghanistan; Reshelle
Griffith, cousin of Steve Conner, has cancer; Alice Williams;
Heather Cummings and family; for all of our young people and their
families as they are back at school or away at college; Ruby
Cornelius, mother-in-law of Joan, is in Rehab from a fall; James
Kirkpatrick has health problems; Susan Jackson has cancer
In the
Military:
Brad Adcock, Jeff Brewster, Gary Brown, Robert Stigers, Kevin Adams,
Zach Marker, Jen Marie Brewster, Aaron Nixon, Wendell Thompson,
Jason Freeman, David Morris, Jim Selden and Barry Freeman. Gary
Sanders is in Afghanistan.
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Happy Birthday
Sept. 9 – Gail Clough
Sept. 11 – Brailen Densmore
Happy Anniversary
Sept. 8 – Anthony & DeAnn Hayes
Sept. 9 – Kip & Kelly Jones
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God’s Word
Luke 18:9-14
9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in
themselves that they were righteous, and despised
others:
10 Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a
Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself,
'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners,
unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.
12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I
possess.'
13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would
not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat
his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a
sinner!'
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house
justified rather than the other; for everyone who
exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles
himself will be exalted."
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