From: Francis Harper
wbfrmsup@iowatelecom.net
Francis Harper Message for 2/28/2020
“It is More Blessed to Give . . .”
The Apostle Paul said to the saints at Ephesus: “I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:33-35).
We are born selfish. This natural born trait of selfishness is difficult to overcome. My brother’s first word was “mine.” He quite likely learned this word from his older brother or sister! “God so loved the world that He gave . . .” (John 3:16). It is a struggle to become God-like but this should be our ultimate goal. The Holy Spirit stands by to help us.
It was on a cold and windy day in the late fall of 1956, that I stopped by to visit a neighbor. This was the first year of my farming career. It had not been a good year for farmers in western Iowa. Most of us had borrowed money to plant our crop, and the drought-shortened harvest was barely enough to keep us in business for another season. I had borrowed money to purchase machinery and livestock, in addition to the necessary crop expenses. Times were tough.
The weather that day seemed to be in harmony with the cold, cruel world I was experiencing. I was wearing my old US Army field jacket without a liner. The neighbor immediately noticed I was shivering from the cold. He went to a closet and returned with a liner for my jacket, insisting I take it to keep me warm. He explained that it was not a loan, but a gift.
At the close of our visit, as I was preparing to leave, he asked, “Do you have any laying hens?” I replied that we did not, and he said, “We have more eggs than we can eat. Will you take some?” I was almost overwhelmed by his generosity.
As I drove home that day, I was much warmer, in body and soul. I had been taught a valuable lesson on giving by my good neighbor. He was like the Good Samaritan. He quickly noticed my need and did not hesitate to give me what I needed. His example of giving on that day so long ago, has helped me in my efforts to be a good neighbor through the years.
I recall a statement made in a sermon years ago: “If we are not giving right, we are not living right!” Our giving should begin with the tithing of our increase; i.e., giving 10% of that which remains after our needs have been adequately met. We should not be satisfied with earning barely enough to supply our needs. Earning more than we need allows us to give to others less fortunate than ourselves. Out of surplus funds churches are built, supported and missions are established.
Giving is extremely important because it does a work on our hearts. It delivers us from selfishness and greed. Are we giving enough? We should give as the Lord directs. Let us pray that our giving will be “Spirit-led giving.”
A certain ruler asked him saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him . . . Thou knowest the commandments . . . And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, yet thou lackest one thing; sell all that thou hast, and distribute to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful; for he was very rich” (Luke 18:18-23).
Are we willing to give all we have in time, talent, and money to assist the Lord in the accomplishment of His work?
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Dear Ones,
God asked the citizens of Judah and Jerusalem: “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. but ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings . . . Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” (Malachi 3:8-10).
The Lord challenged Judah and ourselves when he said, “Prove me . . .”, and witness the rewards I will give you when you practice good stewardship and give freely and willingly to those in need.
My sister Hattie and her husband, Burton Moores, scrupulously kept records of their income and expenses throughout their married life. They always paid the full amount of the tithing due. In addition to paying the tithe, they were always willing to help those less fortunate within the church or community.
On one occasion the Moores learned that a certain family within the Woodbine Branch would not be able to attend Reunion that year because they could not afford the extra expense. Hattie and Burton offered to supply the needed funds, enabling this family to receive the blessings of Reunion with the Saints.
Burton was a lineman for the Harrison County Electric Coop for many years. Shortly after the Reunion just mentioned, a severe storm, left many without electrical power in another area of Iowa. The Harrison County Coop was asked to send linemen to assist in the work. Burton volunteered to go and was paid over-time wages in an amount precisely ten times more than they had given to the family they had enabled to attend Reunion!
Some time later, the same family had a damaging fire in their home. Certain items of their household furnishings had to be replaced. Once again Hattie and Burton helped them in their time of need. And once again, it was the same scenario with Burton being asked to assist with down power lines and being paid over-time wages in an amount precisely ten times more, to the penny, than they had given to help the family purchase the replacement furnishings destroyed by the fire! Some may call these experiences coincidence, but we who believe, call it like it was, a miracle of God.
Jesus said: “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your Father who is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do, in the synagogues and in the streets, that may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let it be unto thee as thy left hand not knowing what thy right hand doeth; That thine alms may be in secret; and thy Father who seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly” (Matthew 6:1-4).
Our neighbors have many needs; visible and invisible, seen and unseen. Lord, help us become the profitable servants mentioned in Matthew 25:31-41. Help us become more proficient in seeing the unseen needs of our fellowman.
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“Always Ready to Help”
“Two days after we moved to Kansas, a blizzard struck. Frenzied snowflakes hurtled through the air, coming to rest in huge drifts that blocked the roads and locked our car in a prison of ice. We were eight miles from town, so there was no chance anyone would see us and help us dig out. Alone and cut off from everything familiar – from everyone I knew and loved – I sat down on a packing box to cry.
“Then, unexpectedly, the telephone rang. ‘I’m your nearest neighbor’ a cheery voice announced. ‘You can’t see my house in this storm, but I’m just a ways east of you. If you need anything, all you have to do is call.’
Her call reminded me of other times I had been lonely or troubled and thought I was friendless. I realized that Jesus was there all the time. I couldn’t actually see Him, but like my neighbor, He was ready to help. All I had to do was call.
Penney V. Schwab
My Love to All,
High Priest Francis Harper
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