By: Kevin Cauley

The opposite of following God’s pattern in His word is to neglect it. This removes God’s pattern from a person’s life. Additionally, adding things to God’s pattern does not produce what God desires. Will God be pleased?

Consider Cain and Abel. Cain was a tiller of the ground, and Abel was a shepherd. Cain offered the fruit of the ground in worship to God. Abel brought the firstlings of his flock. God respected Abel’s worship, but God was not pleased with Cain’s (Genesis 4:1-5). Why was God pleased with Abel’s but not Cain’s?

The book of Hebrews answers this question. Hebrews 11:4 states, “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he is being dead yet speaketh.” First John 3:12 also helps us to understand; this verse says that Cain’s works were evil, but Abel’s were righteous. How could Abels’s works be righteous? God instructed Abel in how to please Him. Abel heard God’s word and presented that offering by faith, for faith comes by hearing God’s word (Romans 10:17).

Abel had a pattern from God, and he followed it. Cain did not. Cain offered worship that he invented. It was an offering of his righteousness. It was not what God wanted. It was not pleasing to God. mankind needs a pattern to avoid presenting his righteousness to God. However, when we follow God’s pattern, God counts it as righteousness (Romans 4:3, James 2:23).

By: Mike Riley

A couple of years ago, I read a news story about a lady bartender in Kansas who had been waiting on one of her steady customers. He had always tipped her well, sometimes leaving as much as half the tab. But one day, he gave her a $10,000 tip for a $26 meal. Can we even imagine it? What a terrific display of abundant generosity from this customer!

Paul gave Timothy a charge to encourage the wealthier members of the Lord’s church in his area, to display an abundant generosity mindset as well (1 Timothy 6:17-18). It was obvious these members didn’t fully understand their responsibility to the kingdom of God regarding their money and possessions (2 Corinthians 8:1-5), so Paul challenged Timothy to remind them that along with great wealth comes great responsibility (cf. see spiritual principle in Luke 12:48).

This responsibility included being humble, finding their security in God — not in riches, and using their money to do good (1 Timothy 6:17-18; cf. Gal. 6:10).

They needed to know that “how” they handled their money and possessions, was a revealing factor in indicating the spiritual condition of their heart (cf. Acts 5:1-11).

Brethren, even if we’re not wealthy financially, God has still called us to have an abundant generosity mindset.

We can share what we have (i.e., time, talents, opportunity, etc.) and be rich in good deeds (1 Timothy 6:18; cf. Proverbs 3:27; Gal. 6:10).

If we have a generous attitude about our money, we are much more likely to be generous in other matters concerning the Lord’s people and His work.

Let’s think about it!

By: Mike Riley

The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates (469-399 BC) believed that if an individual was truly wise, he would not be obsessed with possessions. Practicing to an extreme what he preached, he even refused to wear shoes.

However, Socrates loved to visit the marketplace (see video) and gaze with admiration at the great abundance of products on display. When a friend asked why he was so allured, he replied, “I love to go there and discover how many things I am perfectly happy without.” That type of attitude runs exactly opposite to the commercial messages that continually bombard our eyes and ears. Advertisers spend millions to tell us about all the latest products that we can’t be happy without.

The apostle Paul advised his spiritual son Timothy, “Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content” (1 Timothy 6:6-8 NKJV). If we become enamored with things, Paul warned, we may wander from the faith and be pierced with the pangs of frustrated desire (1 Timothy 6:9-10 NKJV). Let’s ask ourselves, “What am I truly happy without?” The answer will reveal much about our relationship with the Lord and our contentment with Him.

Contentment comes not from great wealth, but from few wants (Philippians 4:11 NKJV).

By: Mike Riley

The Lord’s church is the most valuable institution ever established. In fact, so significant was the Lord’s church that it was in God’s “eternal purpose” (Eph. 3:11), it was spoken of by the prophets (Isa. 2:2-3) and was so precious that the Lamb of God purchased it with His blood (Acts 20:28). The church was wonderfully perfected by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:11ff) and it is in the church that a man is saved (Acts 2:47). The Lord’s church offers us peace (Rom. 5:1), prosperity (2 Cor. 8:9), pardon (Mt. 1:21), and power (Jn. 1:11-12). The Bible says we have received “a kingdom that cannot be shaken” (Heb. 12: 28). Daniel foretold that the church would never be destroyed (Dan. 2:44).