Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples, give to the LORD glory and strength. Give to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering, and come into His courts. Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth.
(Psalm 96:7-9)
Every Wednesday the men of our church get together for a weekly men’s breakfast and Bible study. It starts at about 7 a.m. with breakfast and we try to get our Bible study completed in a timely manner so the men can go to their various jobs in the community.
This morning when I woke up, it was about 20 degrees below freezing. Needless to say, it was tempting to be one of the “frozen chosen” and stay home. However, going to church is a choice and I had chosen to go.
At the men’s breakfast there is always a coffee can sitting beside the table with a homemade sign on the front that says, “Food money.” As I leave for the men’s breakfast, I always make sure that I have a few dollars in my pocket so that I can “pay God for my meal.” But today was different. As I reached to put a few dollars in my pocket, I heard the Spirit of God speak to my heart and heard these words: “My house is not a restaurant. I am not a waiter. And you don’t give Me a tip.”
My heart sank and leaped with joy all at the same time. The rebuke felt wonderful and I went to the men’s breakfast with a whole new frame of mind. At the breakfast I told the men that we were no longer going to pass a coffee can and toss in some change to repay God for the biscuits and gravy. And today, something changed.
All through God’s Word we are told to worship Him. We were created to worship. But we should worship Him in everything that we do, including our giving.
Have you ever thought about the word “giving”? Giving is not the same as payment. We don’t worship Him with our payment. We worship Him with our giving. He freely gave to us and we must freely give to Him. The thought of paying God for breakfast does not bring joy, but the act of eating in His house and giving Him an offering brings great joy.
Leave a tip at the restaurant, but take an offering to the Lord.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Dr. Larry Ollison is founder and Senior Pastor of Walk on the Water Faith Church and founder of Larry Ollison Ministries. With over forty years in the ministry, he is a very popular speaker nationally and internationally and ministers the Word of Faith through radio, television, Internet, and daily e-mail devotionals. As the author of eight books (including The Power of Grace, The Practical Handbook for Christian Living, Breaking the Cycle of Offense, Life is in the Blood, and recently released The Paradise of God), he is in frequent demand for radio/TV interviews, book signings, and magazine publications.
Dr. Ollison was raised a Southern Baptist. While majoring in theology at Southwest Baptist University, he received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. For many years he traveled extensively speaking at Full Gospel Business Men's meetings and conventions. He later earned an M.A. in Theology and a Ph.D. and Th.D. from Life Christian University.
Currently President of International Convention of Faith Ministries (ICFM), Dr. Ollison is also Vice-President of Spirit FM Christian Radio Network, Missouri State Director of Christians United for Israel (CUFI), and a Trustee on the boards of several international ministries. He is also the host of The Cutting Edge Radio Broadcast and authors The Cutting Edge Daily Devotional.
As the owner of a marine dealership, his extensive business background brings a unique flavor to his teaching. He founded and served as chairman of the Missouri State Marine Board, President of the Marine Dealers’ Association, Vice-President of a bank holding company, along with holding several directorships in various corporations.
Dr. Ollison's strongest areas of teaching are the blood of Jesus, faith, relationships, the Hebrew language, the Holy Spirit, the end times, and heaven. During ministry, he operates freely in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. His use of humor and his ability to make a theological concept simple makes it enjoyable and easy for everyone to understand. Countless testimonies have been received from people who say their lives have been changed after experiencing Dr. Ollison's unique ministry.
Dr. Ollison is a pastor, pilot, teacher, and author. His number one goal is to meet the needs of the people through the teaching of faith in God's Word. He and his wife, Loretta, have two children and six grandchildren.