Texts: Malachi 3:6-18, Mark 12:41-44
We welcome everyone to our Sunday worship, we trust that you are all keeping well in the Lord. One of the areas many people desire to see enlargement is the area of finances. This month we continue to focus on the relationship between Faith and Finances. Fortunately, the bible has so much to say about this topic, in fact, two thirds of the parables that Christ used in teaching deal specifically with finances. The financial principles given throughout God’s word are not there to see if we are strong enough to live by them. On the contrary, they are given because God’s principles of finances are not an arbitrary set of rules by which to govern us, they are a loving father’s wisdom to those who will listen and trust him.
Financial freedom means different things to different people; for some it means having enough financial resources to meet all their needs, to others it means having so much so as to be able to share with others. What does financial freedom mean to you? From the gospel text above, we are able to establish that freedom always begins with our attitude. To achieve freedom in any area of life, we must always have the right attitude, like the poor widow in our text. According to Jesus observation, the widow gave all she had, ‘but she, has given everything she had to live on’’ (Mark 12:44). What was her attitude? She believed that everything she had, including the two small coins, is a blessing from God. She knew that everything comes from and belongs to God. This attitude made it easy for her to give as such.
Giving to God is key in our journey to financial freedom. When God asks us to give our money in form of tithing, offerings, thanksgiving or any other contributions, He’s not trying to take something away from us. He is simply giving us the opportunity to be part of what He is doing to meet the needs of His church and people. That’s part of His purpose and the calling on our lives. Whatever you give towards God’s work will come back to you one –hundred fold in your lifetime (Mark 10:29-30). As we look to God to increase us financially, we must have the right attitude,that all we have is not ours but the Lord’s. St. Francis of Assisi once taught that, “it is in giving that we will receive”. May you experience financial freedom as you purpose to give your tithes, offerings, first fruits, thanksgiving not forgetting your generous giving towards the new sanctuary. Amen!