From the Pastor's Desk:
I love to come to church every Sunday to worship God. Yes, I love to teach the Bible in the Adult Sunday Shcool class. Yes, I love to sing praises to the Lord. Yes, I love to preach God's Word. Yes, I love to fellowship with all of you ... my church family. But my greatest joy in coming to church is to worship God and His Son, Jesus, my personal Savior and Lord.
All the way back in the Old Testament, God specifically designed, not only the tabernacle (and later the temple) but He also designed the way we are to worship Him in church. He commanded that we come into His house on the Sabbath Day. He commanded that when we come, we are to bring our sacrifice with us. He commanded that we are to have an attitude of worship and prayer. He commanded that we sing praises to His name. he commanded that we read the Holy Scriptures. He commanded that the "priest" (pastor) lead the people in worship ... expounding and exhorting the Scriptures. And God commanded that when we come to His house to worship Him, we are to present our tithes and offerings. The giving of our tithes and offerings is a form of our worship of God. We give with thankful hearts ... grateful for all He has given us. God has given us so much more than our possessions and bank accounts ... He has freely given us forgiveness of our sins, and the promise of eternal life with Him in Heaven. Oh ... we can never out-give God; but we can certainly worship Him with gratitude with our tithes and offerings.
Let me encourage all of us to give to the Lord what is rightfully His. Let us never be accused of "robbing Him." Give cheerfully. Give joyfully. Give sacrificially. Give in obedience to His command.
Pastor Randy