A Two Bit from Tobit
Greetings in the Lord!
The past couple of days the Lord has been having me again read the Apocryphal books, especially the book of Tobit. In this book one of the main characters, Tobit, stresses several times to his son the importance of almsgiving.
"Set aside part of your goods for almsgiving. Never turn your face from any poor man and God will never turn His from you. Measure your alms by what you have; if you have much, give more; if you have little, give less, but do not be mean in giving alms. By doing so, you will lay up for yourself a great treasure for the day of necessity. For almsgiving delivers from death and saves men from passing down to darkness. Alms is a most effective offering for all those who give it in the presence of the Most High." Tobit 4:7-11.
For those of you who get bent out of shape that the Lord would have me study the Apocryphal books, the same principle Tobit teaches his son can also be found in Ecclesiastes 11:2)
"Give portions to seven, yes to eight, for you do not know what disaster may come upon the land."
Did you know that "revival" broke out in New Orleans and upon the whole southern coast that was affected by the Katrina Hurricane? Yes, it was an opportunity to be Christlike to masses of people who were wiped out by the hurricane....their generous giving touched the lives of thousands and probably lead some of the people back to a relationship with Jesus. That is revival. I know many Christians want the laughing, rolling, singing kind of healing revivals, but did you know that our nation will be touched even greater by "tragedy" revivals?
I've been sent twice now to California with the same word given to Jonah: "Go to the city of Nineveh and preach to it everything I tell you for its wickedness has come up before Me."
In the book of Tobit, the son, Tobias was told by his father to leave the city of Nineveh, as he believed the prophet Nahum who prophesied its destruction. Sure enough, Tobias in his lifetime saw the fall of Nineveh.
"Then Raphael took them both aside and said, Bless God, utter His praise before all the living for all the favors He has given you. Bless and extol His name. Proclaim before all men the deeds of God as they deserve, and never tire of giving Him thanks. It is right to keep the secret of a king, yet right to reveal and publish the works of God. Thank Him worthily. Do what is good, and no evil can befall you. Prayer and fasting and alms with right conduct are better than riches with iniquity. Better to practice almsgiving than to hoard up gold. Almsgiving saves from death and purges every kind of sin. Those who give alms have their fill of days; those who commit sin and do evil, bring harm on themselves." Tobit 12:6-10.
~Be blessed, and be a blessing.
The past couple of days the Lord has been having me again read the Apocryphal books, especially the book of Tobit. In this book one of the main characters, Tobit, stresses several times to his son the importance of almsgiving.
"Set aside part of your goods for almsgiving. Never turn your face from any poor man and God will never turn His from you. Measure your alms by what you have; if you have much, give more; if you have little, give less, but do not be mean in giving alms. By doing so, you will lay up for yourself a great treasure for the day of necessity. For almsgiving delivers from death and saves men from passing down to darkness. Alms is a most effective offering for all those who give it in the presence of the Most High." Tobit 4:7-11.
For those of you who get bent out of shape that the Lord would have me study the Apocryphal books, the same principle Tobit teaches his son can also be found in Ecclesiastes 11:2)
"Give portions to seven, yes to eight, for you do not know what disaster may come upon the land."
Did you know that "revival" broke out in New Orleans and upon the whole southern coast that was affected by the Katrina Hurricane? Yes, it was an opportunity to be Christlike to masses of people who were wiped out by the hurricane....their generous giving touched the lives of thousands and probably lead some of the people back to a relationship with Jesus. That is revival. I know many Christians want the laughing, rolling, singing kind of healing revivals, but did you know that our nation will be touched even greater by "tragedy" revivals?
I've been sent twice now to California with the same word given to Jonah: "Go to the city of Nineveh and preach to it everything I tell you for its wickedness has come up before Me."
In the book of Tobit, the son, Tobias was told by his father to leave the city of Nineveh, as he believed the prophet Nahum who prophesied its destruction. Sure enough, Tobias in his lifetime saw the fall of Nineveh.
"Then Raphael took them both aside and said, Bless God, utter His praise before all the living for all the favors He has given you. Bless and extol His name. Proclaim before all men the deeds of God as they deserve, and never tire of giving Him thanks. It is right to keep the secret of a king, yet right to reveal and publish the works of God. Thank Him worthily. Do what is good, and no evil can befall you. Prayer and fasting and alms with right conduct are better than riches with iniquity. Better to practice almsgiving than to hoard up gold. Almsgiving saves from death and purges every kind of sin. Those who give alms have their fill of days; those who commit sin and do evil, bring harm on themselves." Tobit 12:6-10.
~Be blessed, and be a blessing.
Comments