love offering

[Shmanu YAH]

shalom mishpacha, "All praises and glory continually to the Most High YHWH" our creator, our sustainer and from where all real blessings come.

I pray all is well with you and yours and if not, know assuredly it will be according to his will.

In this very brief attempt at communication I'd like to look at a term we often hear from those that are serious in doing the work of the most high as well as those that are out for personal mammon, the term "love offering". It is so common to hear but misunderstand what those with bible in hand popularly recite Luke 10:7 "And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire" or 1st Timothy 5:18 "For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward" in Luke it is plainly giving instruction which type houses to enter into and remain while YHWH's work is being done and NOT to run up in just any house. somehow this got turned into "I deserve money for my efforts and reading you the bible".

When I think of "love offering" I think mainly of mashiach being put on the stake and when I hear some speak about wages what comes to my mind is "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of ELOHYM is eternal life through YAHushua h'mashiach our Master!". I understand this doesn't accurately speak to the point the wage proponents are trying to make but it makes the most sincere point to me.

In the Churches and mega-Churches we all have graduated away from, the "love offering" theme still runs rampant with very little understanding, we know assuredly IF we are to do the will and work of the Father YHWH we need to understand selfishness has no place but charity a major position - 1st Corinthians 13:13 "And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity" (read all 1st Cor. chapter 13).

If somebody has to twist your arm to make you help others it's not a "love offering". I wonder how many people actually take the time to examine what is being submitted in that term "love offering", doesn't it indicate to offer love?... doesn't that make you want to question the hustlers If there is really love in this place why do you have you solicit for it? ... oh oh! In a higher state of understanding we should know to take care of each other as a true show of love without having to con folks into it because we understand that we don't have to give to get blessed but instead we give because >>> we are blessed!

 In centuries past (well over 2500 years) we saw the real prophet Mikah warn those at that time in chpt. 3:11 "The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Master, and say, Is not the Master among us? none evil can come upon us." obviously they started to believe their own slickness, also written in Yehezeqel / Ezekiel speak in 22:28-29"And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Master YHWH, when the Master hath not spoken. 29 The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully" ....- really sounds up to date don't it? 

If you have noticed, the catch phrase used lately to exploit many is "receive favor" from on high but I don't care how it's disguised "a hustle is a hustle" but a willing contribution is a blessing ... two different directives completely!

As many times as the most high has heard our petitions and pleas and answered us or saw our actions and rewarded us it would only be spiritually minded to translate that to helping others in deed not just in word. James 2:15-16 teaches us"If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?"so we see this is a call to action to reflect our faith. As we go on in our spiritual development lets take the time to examine what the world tries to set before us lest we stumble and fall.

I understand if you tell folks you love them it don't pay their bills but if you show them it may help. It certainly is the responsibility of the myshachym / messianic to be as benevolent as mashiach taught us through actions but not to be fools to every slick tongue hustler on the block or behind the pulpit, remember what mashiach said to his students before he sent them out: "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves"he wanted them to understand there will be a need for wisdom and craftiness (arumym) if they were to succeed, how about us?

... selah, shalom