Spiritual Topics, Part 4

Servants Preparation Curriculum

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Spiritual Topics, Part 4 – Criteria of Christian Giving

Objectives:

1. To define of giving
2. To see the blessings of giving
3. To learn the criteria of giving
4. To understand the types of giving
5. To witness generous giving

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Definition of Giving

• God is now your partner
• You split your money with God’s Church
• You split your money with God’s people – the poor
• Giving to others mean you not a selfish person
• Giving to others indicates you have a kind heart
• Giving to others shows that you understand other people’s needs

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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What Was His Fault?

• Which parable is this?
• Luke 16

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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His End

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The Rich Fool, Luke 12

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The Conclusion

• Abstaining from giving others may prevent you from going to Heaven

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• Not sharing with Jesus’ brothers may hinder your entrance into Heaven

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Spiritual Topics, Part 4 – Criteria of Christian Giving

Objectives:

1. To define of giving
2. To see the blessings of giving
3. To learn the criteria of giving
4. To understand the types of giving
5. To witness generous giving

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Blessings of Giving

• God is your partner and God is also always successful and prosperous!
• God will bless you and give abundance to you
• Money
• Health
• Time
• Studies
• Work
• Family

“It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35)

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Blessings of Giving Cont.

• Peace
• Satisfaction
• Happiness

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The Blessings of Giving Cont.

• Offer to God and God will reward
• Preaching about their good deeds across the world
• When do we read her story?

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The Blessings of Giving Cont.

• David’s blessings extended down to 19 kings
• David planned to build a God a Temple, so God gave him, and his grandsons, a kingdom!

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Blessing and Spiritual Warfare

• If someone can not overcome his bad habits/sins (anger, cursing, lying, addiction, etc.) the only solution is to show mercy to the poor so that God will show mercy towards you

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• Many times your father of confession/spiritual mentor will ask you to take care poor, orphan, widow, etc. to liven up the diabolic temptations in your life

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Spiritual Topics, Part 4 – Criteria of Christian Giving

Objectives:

1. To define of giving
2. To see the blessings of giving
3. To learn the criteria of giving
4. To understand the types of giving
5. To witness generous giving

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Criteria of Giving

• Hidden / In Secret

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“But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly” (Mathew 6:3-4)

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Criteria of Giving Cont.

• Without Pride

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“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,” (Mathew 6:1-3)

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Criteria of Giving Cont.

• Without Pride
• David praised God after collecting everything to build the Temple

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“But who am I, and who are my people, That we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, And of Your own we have given You” (1 Chronicles 29:14)

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Criteria of Giving Cont.

• Your Best
• Being Generous
• Abraham’s Offering

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The Criteria of Giving Cont.

• Abraham offered his son, so God blessed him with a huge nation
• Abraham had 2 sons, but Moses led around 2 million Jews out of Egypt

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“and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son—blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies” (Genesis 22:16-17)

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Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Criteria of Giving Cont.

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The Criteria of Giving Cont.

• Be Generous

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“‘Take from among you an offering to the Lord. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the Lord: gold, silver, and bronze; blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats’ hair” (Exodus 35:5-6)

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“and they spoke to Moses, saying, “The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which the Lord commanded us to do” (Exodus 36:5)

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Criteria of Giving Cont.

• Abel’s Offering

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“And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering” (Genesis 4:4-5)

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Criteria of Giving Cont.

• Without Request

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• You feel the people’s needs before they ask
• Some are shy or embarrassed to ask for help
• You should be concerned about other people’s needs such as money, clothes, time, advice, rides, council, jobs, etc.
• Orphanages, family deaths, guest and visiting clergy, etc.

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Criteria of Giving Cont.

• Without Request

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Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Spiritual Topics, Part 4 – Criteria of Christian Giving

Objectives:

1. To define of giving
2. To see the blessings of giving
3. To learn the criteria of giving
4. To understand the types of giving
5. To witness generous giving

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Types of Giving

• Materialistic
• The 1^st
• The 10^th
• Vows and Promises
• Miscellaneous

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• Non-Materialistic
• Feelings and Emotions
• Physical Strength
• Thoughts
• Time
• Energy

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Materialistic

• Materialistic
• The 1^st
• Abel

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“Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering” (Genesis 4:4)

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Materialistic Cont.

• Materialistic
• God told Moses:

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“Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine” (Exodus 13:2)

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• Later, God replaced the firstborn with the Tribe of Levi

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Materialistic Cont.

• Materialistic
• Your time
• First job
• First bonus
• First promotion

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Materialistic Cont.

• Materialistic
• The 10^th
• Of every income you get - every paycheck

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“Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God. And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You” (Genesis 28:20-22)

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Materialistic Cont.

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Materialistic Cont.

• Materialistic
• Vows and Promises
• Promise something to God and if it is fulfilled, keep up your end of the deal!
• Getting a job
• Having a baby

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“When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed” (Ecclesiastes. 5:4)

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Materialistic Cont.

• Miscellaneous
• Extra things that you do NOT need, but are in good condition
• Clothing
• Shoes
• School Supplies
• Furniture
• Home Appliances

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Spiritual Topics, Part 4 – Criteria of Christian Giving

Objectives:

1. To define of giving
2. To see the blessings of giving
3. To learn the criteria of giving
4. To understand the types of giving
5. To witness generous giving

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Examples of Generous Giving Cont.

• Bishop Abram, The Bishop of Fayoum and Giza
• Story –
• One time, during a cold winter night, a poor widow came to him asking for a blanket and he gave her the only one he had - his own. A half-hour later, a truck, stopped at the monastery’s gate and dropped off many new blankets (~100)

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Examples of Generous Giving Cont.

• Bishop Sarabamon of Menophyia
• Story –
• The poor people came to him in the morning with list of their needs, which included clothes, medicine, food money, etc. He would buy them and go at night covering his head with his shawl and leave the items at the peoples homes without declaring his identity

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• Both of these Bishops, were gifted by making wonderful miracles

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Examples of Generous Giving Cont.

• It run in families
• Jesse, the grandfather, gave David 10 pieces of cheese to give to the Commander of the Army

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Examples of Generous Giving Cont.

• David
• Prepared gold, silver, and timber to build The Temple beyond the needed measure!

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Examples of Generous Giving Cont.

• King Solomon
• Offered 1000 sacrifices on The Altar on The Consecration Ceremony

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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How Do You Feel While Giving?

• After David prepared all the required items for building The Temple, he thanked God saying:

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“But who am I, and who are my people, That we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, And of Your own we have given You” (1 Chronicles 29:14)

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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God’s Challenge For Us

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Practical Experience

• A man who was laid off man came to Fr. Boutros Gayed asking for help. Abouna asked him to donate a 10^th of his last paycheck, which was around 40 pounds. He did.

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• Two weeks later, this man got a new job (60 pounds) with a compensation package of 120 of his old work.

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Final Advice

• Take the blessings of giving as much as you can!
• Give a weekly donation to the church
• Donate one personal item during Lent
• Set aside some money for certain occasions like fundraisers, visiting clergy, homeless preparations, etc.
• Adopt a child/family through a monthly donation

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Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

43

Spiritual Topics, Part 4 – Criteria of Christian Giving

Objectives:

1. To define of giving
2. To see the blessings of giving
3. To learn the criteria of giving
4. To understand the types of giving
5. To witness generous giving

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Review Questions

1. List four blessing of giving
2. List four items you should offer to God
3. List two generous givers

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Memorization Verses

1. “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35)

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• “For all things come from You, And of Your own we have given You” (1 Chronicles 29:14)

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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