Tithing

In Leviticus we see the information from God to Israel concerning tithing.  So many people get upset at God's plan concerning tithing.  God desires His children to give to His work.  In the Old Testament, we have the Israelites giving to the Levites for the work of God.  The firstfruits and tithes were given by God's people.  In the New Testament we see that Jesus said in Matt. 23:23 "These ought ye to have done."  This He spoke concerning tithing.  I thank God that I was taught to tithe when a young boy and God has blessed me as a results of that.  I know there are others who are blind to this truth and others in the Scriptures, but I just feel sorry for them.  So many blessing are ours to enjoy IF we chose to do things God's way.  Hope you tithe to your local church.  God's work needs your sacrificial gifts to reach a lost world with the Gospel.  Have a blessed day! Pastor Mike Mutchler

Numbers

I'm in Numbers today, and there are so many things I've jotted down in the margin of my Bible, and I only have a little space.  Since I'm reading a large print Bible, it has little room around the edges for any kind of notes, but here are a few I jotted down. 1) PUTTING ON OF HANDS- Num. 8:10 says: "And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites:"  Now the Levites were to be God's tribe of people.  His priests.  vs. 14 says: "and the Levites shall be mine."  Ever since the Death Angel passed over Egypt and took the firstborn of man and animal, God said the firstborn belonged to Him.  The firstborn animal was killed in sacrifice and the firstborn male was to belong to God.  Instead of taking the first male child from every family, God took a tribe of men called the Levites.  vs. 18- "And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel."  Now having been separated to be a Levite, the children of Israel laid their hands upon them.  This is what I'm focusing in on.... they laid their hands upon them. NOW... let us look at other Scriptures:  Hebrews 6:2  "Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment."  1 Timothy 4:14  "Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery."   These verses are talking about laying on of hands of ordained ministers on the young men who are called to pastor.  They are ordaining others into the ministry of Jesus Christ!  James 5:14  "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:"  HERE we see the elders laying hands upon the sick and anointed the sick with oil.  NOW we see this verse:  1 John 1:1  "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;"  Here the apostles were saying that they put their hands upon the Lord Jesus Christ!  This was putting their hands upon the one and only High Priest!  Wow!  And to think that it all started back in the book of Numbers! Hey, I've spent all of my time on one subject, but it fascinated me.  Have a blessed day.   Pastor Mike Mutchler