Seasonal Giving

 Praise the LORD!!!

    This morning while going through my list of daily devotionals, one hit home hard. It was from the "upperroom.org" If not familar with them, maybe you should stop in and check them out. They provide me with many hours of deep inspiration and thought:) Anyway, this morning devotional hit on the fact of our giving, specifically, our giving during the holidays and the rest of the year.

   We all know the great increase in request for donations around the holidays, Thanksgiving and CHRISTmas especially, but the rest of the year seems to go unnoticed for the most part! Sure there will be other times that these request go out, usually upon the occurrence of a disaster of some sort, but for the most part, it seems as if those in need are forgotten. Only once in scripture were we, the disciples, told to focus on other things than them. That was in Matt. 26:11(and other GOSPELS), where the woman had just 'wasted'(as some thought) the expensive perfume to anoint JESUS prior to HIS crucifixion. They/we are not told to forget those in need, but that at this time there was a direct purpose in what she was doing and our attention must be drawn to it at the time only.

   This reveals that as Christians we're to always have the needs of the poor, both physically and spiritually, in our hearts. Not just for a season, but throughout the span of our lives as followers of CHRIST. Why is it then that it appears that our eyes tend to focus on them only around the holiday season? Could it be that our eyes are more focused on living a Christian lifestyle at these times, than in the rest of the year? I'm not saying that all Christians and or churches are this way, but that this is how it appears. Now think about this. I'm a Christian and run a helps ministry and I can see this happening. What do those outside of the faith see when they look at this? Do they see the hands of CHRIST reaching out, through our hands, to those in need continually(as it should be,) or do they see us forsaking them for the most part?

   With this question on heart, this is where I'm led to leave you. This is going to be posted at all the numerous sites I post at, because this is how I'm being led. There purpose of it, I fully don't know, but I do know it is that which the LORD laid upon my heart and it is that which I only seek to do:)))

 May GOD bless you and guide you,
 Rev. Marshall Barth
Vine of CHRIST Ministries