Day 183 "You can never out give God, but it sure is fun to try!"

Day 183 Matthew 22:18-22 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the tax money.” So they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way. Every believer should, in my opinion, have this passage engrained somewhere in their memory banks or hanging on their wall, as the profoundness of this passage should calm fears, subside anger, and allow great peace to fall upon every believer. How is that, you ask? Do not let the simplicity with which Jesus answers this question be all that you see; look beyond to the incredible freedom allowed by such direction. When the Lord of Hosts says to you ‘give to Caesar what is Caesar's,’ He is giving you the incredible freedom and intense command to pay your taxes and to support your government. You may say things like, "I don't like the way they spend my money" or "They don't deserve my money," both of which, while they may be true for you, are not true under God's direction. Yes, it is OK to feel frustrated with your government, and, yes, you are obligated and allowed in our great land to freely voice your opinions; however, you are not allowed to withhold you taxes. The Roman government was as corrupt and immoral as any government ever has been, and if Jesus says to the people that they are to give according to what this corrupt government is requiring, then surely we are called likewise to give to ours. The second half of this statement should be even more important and of greater priority to all of us who believe: "…and to God the things that are God's." What are the things that are God's, you ask? How about, first of all, you? Yes, you are God's–He created you, redeemed you, and is caring constantly for you. How much do you give? Let me ask this, how much did He create or, even better yet, how much did He give? If we weigh our obligation to give against His giving to us, we will surely find that we can never equal His sacrifice and devotion, so again, how much do we give? The answer is truly simple: we simply hold back nothing, and by doing so, we become free, unbound, blessed, and joyous. We no longer will fall into the trap of selfish desires, for now we walk in the freedom of faithfulness, enjoying everything we have, and experiencing it to its fullest, fulfilled in Christ. Hallelujah! Daily Prayer: Father, I want to be satisfied in life, complete and whole in You. If I'm holding on to anger, frustration, or bitterness, please show me that I might allow You to free me and make me whole. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. "You can never out give God, but it sure is fun to try!" Gene Burroughs, Pastor