Not forsaking the assembling of the saints, preaching the gospel to the lost, living pure and undefiled lives, and loving one another are all commandments given to us by God that we emphasize over and over again.  There is a command that I believe is underemphasized, at least by many churches of Christ.

The command that I am referring to is giving financially to the cause of Christ.  I know this is overemphasized in many denominational churches, but in churches of Christ, very few sermons are preached on the subject.  It is an important commandment, nevertheless.  Listen to Paul.

1 Corinthians 16:2 (ESV)
²  On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.

That this was a part of the worship service of the early church is made clear by the specific day on which the saints were commanded to give.  If they were just storing up money at home, why would it have to be on the first day of the week?  Giving to God is important.  It is a demonstration of our love for the Lord and our commitment to His cause.  Like any act of worship, it must come from the heart and should be done joyfully.

2 Corinthians 9:7 (ESV)
⁷  Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Paul tells us here that we MUST give.  Giving to the Lord should not be neglected, any more than any other act of worship in which we are commanded to engage.  Did you notice the scope of the command in 1 Corinthians 16:2?  It was not just part of the church at Corinth, but each member who had the means.  Paul said, “each of you is to put something aside and store it up.”  Would you ever think of saying, “I am going to stop praying,” or “I am not going to sing anymore?”  You would probably never even think of doing such a thing.

Not only must we give, but we must give with the proper attitude.  Reread 2 Corinthians 9:7.  Paul said that we should never give reluctantly.  To do so would demonstrate that we are not too interested in the cause of Christ.  We should never forget the value of our Lord’s cause, and how fortunate we are to be a part of it.  We should want to do all we can to advance the cause.  In fact, giving monetarily should be the least that we do for it.

Instead of giving reluctantly, Paul tells us that we should give cheerfully because that is what God loves.  Again, we must remember that giving is worship, and any time we are giving glory to God by worshipping Him, whether it is by singing, praying, giving, or in some other way, it is only genuine worship if it comes from a proper heart.

Praise God by giving Him back a portion of what He has given you.  As Moses reminded the Israelites, we should remember that it is God who has given us the power to gain our wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18).  Let’s act as if we know this to be true.  We have all been blessed by God.  We all prosper.  Now, let us act accordingly.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.