What about Entitlements? ( Pt. 2)  By James Lantz

       We are examining how God sees what we call entitlements. Early on in our country entitlements were something that citizens could receive because they had either paid into the system or earned through some form of service to our country. Today, many believe that entitlements are for all who have a need, regardless if they have paid into the system or served in some manner. You may know a teenager who thinks he is entitled to a cell phone, computer, and allowed to watch all the TV he wants but thinks you are totally unreasonable if you ask him to mow the lawn. A few days ago there was a family dispute that made national headlines in the news. An eighteen year old girl was suing her parents in civil court trying to force them to pay for her college tuition and twelve thousand dollars for her legal fees. As the news was reported she left home two days before she was eighteen saying she was forced out of the house. Her parents said she left on her own because she did not want to obey the rules. I am certainly not aware of all the facts, but this family dispute puts the spotlight on the mentality of how some people believe that others owe them a living regardless of their actions. 

God’s blessings are not deserved or earned but are given with conditions!

      So many young people are growing up without the fear of the Lord.  Ps. 34:11  Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.  The fifth commandment tells us that honoring our father and mother will cause things to go well for us and give us a long life.  Job 5:26  Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season.  This promise that God gives comes with the condition of honoring our parents. You could say that this is one of God’s entitlements because it is granted to everyone who keeps the condition. For us believers, the conditions would include obeying the Father of spirits. The rebellious who refuse to yield to correction will cut their life short.  Pro. 29:1  He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.  Parents, teach your children the ways of God every day.  Deut. 6:7  And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way  and when thou liest down, and when thou riseth up.  The Lord is telling us that it is so important to learn the ways of God, that we teach them to our children at the breakfast table, as we sit together, as we walk (or ride) together, and even before we go to sleep at night. If we are grown, it’s not to late to learn the word of God, and the fear of the Lord! What many fail to realize is that when we disobey the authorities that God has put in our life, we disobey God. As believers in the God of the Bible, we are interested in what is right in God’s eyes. One very important characteristic of God is that he only accepts gifts (service, tithes, offerings, praises, etc.) that are brought to him in faith from a willing heart.

God does not force anyone to give and only accepts gifts given willingly in faith!

     Abel brought his first and best to God and the Lord received Abel’s offering. This is representative of the first tenth that is now called the tithe. Cain brought God an offering after the passing of time. In other words he kept the first and the best for himself and after he was sure he had his, he brought God some seconds. There is no faith in this and there is no honor in this.  Gen. 4:5-7  But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.   .   .   .   The Lord was letting Cain know that if he would bring what belonged to Him (God) with the proper attitude he would be blessed. What we need to understand is that without God we would not have our next breath, let alone the food and water that we need to live. When we give God our first tenth and also bring him nice offerings, we are sending God the message that we believe that he will provide for us and that he deserves our best!  Ex. 25:2  Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.  God is still the same in the new covenant.  2 Cor. 9:6&7  .   .   .   He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart,, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.  God will not make anyone serve him but it is our loss on judgement day if we refuse to give him our love and service in this life.

God does not consider eating someone else’s bread an entitlement!

     Work is a godly attribute. Many sins would have been avoided if people were just going about doing what God said to do. God lists a few reasons to work in the following scriptures.  Eph. 4:28  Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.   Those who are building God’s house have need of finances and things to do the Lord’s work. Jesus told his disciples, if anyone asks you why you are taking the colt, tell him the Lord has need of him.  1 Thess. 4:11&12  And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you: that ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.  By not working we will give the ungodly a reason to reject God and it will cause lack in our own life. 2 Thess. 3:10-12  .   .   .   this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly (getting in trouble), working not at all, but are busybodies (getting in other people’s business). Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.   I realize there are those who work to much and those who are working on the wrong thing but this message is from God to those who can work but don’t.  God instructed his covenant people, Israel, to allow the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow the opportunity to glean over the fields after they were harvested. 

The Apostle Paul claimed his citizenship rights!

     There is a time to use what we are entitled to as we see the Apostle Paul did when he was about to be unlawfully beaten by the Roman soldiers.  Acts 22:25   And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?   Jesus had the right, as a righteous man, to be delivered from suffering but gave up his right, so you and I could be forgiven and receive eternal life. Bartimaeus threw off his beggars coat in faith, breaking his identification with blindness, because he knew he was not going to need it anymore! There are times that we are to refuse certain rights at the leading of the Lord. Be led by the Spirit of God. Remember, just throwing away your medicine does not mean that you are in faith. God wants us to believe him for all of our needs and not to be dependent on this worlds system. Start believing God in the small things and your faith will grow. 

What God has given us through his grace must be taken by faith!

     After hearing their cries for deliverance, God told Moses and the children of Israel that he would deliver them out of Egypt and give them a land flowing with milk and honey. After the first generation refused to enter into their inheritance, a new generation, trained by Moses and Joshua began to take the promised land. After some of the tribes were dwelling in their portion of the promised land the children of Joseph came to Joshua complaining that they didn’t have enough land. They said, why have you only given us one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing how great a people the Lord has blessed us to become. Joshua responded, if you be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country, and cut down for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants if mount Ephraim be to narrow for you. They said, the hill is not enough for us and all Canaanites that live in the valley have iron chariots.  Joshua 17:17&18  .   .   .   Thou art a great people, and hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only: But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.  Go ahead and claim what is yours in Christ! If God said it is yours just go get it. When people came to Jesus wanting healing he said things like, go your way, get up and go, go show yourselves to the priest, take up your bed and go home, and stretch out your hand. Paul said to the paralytic, stand up on your feet. When you believe, its time to act and then you will receive the promised blessing. If you don’t believe, then you need to hear the anointed word of what God has already granted you through the Lord Jesus Christ.