Genesis 1:26 “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” 

The goal of politicians seems to be pleasing men.  Politicians try to figure out what they can say to win the vote?  We can expect that from corrupt people in political positions, but what of Christians?

Why do we want the church to grow?   Why do we want people to come to our church?

Matthew 23:14 “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.”

Mark 7:37 "And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well…”

Inside most of us is the desire to fit in, to be accepted, and to be liked.  Yet, truth will draw lines that not only threaten our “favorability rating,” but also can cause serious division. 

2 Chronicles 31:21 “And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.” 

We can learn a great deal about people by watching how they behave, whether it be toward the law, their parents, or a friend.

Psalm 11:3 “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” 

Here are the last of the sixteen kinds of givers.  These ought to teach us, not only, about giving, but also about self-examination.  It is sometimes wise to ask ourselves, “Why do we do what we do?”   

Isaiah 24 tells of the troubles that are headed toward Israel.  Consider the various lines of impending doom:

A horse that gets startled by a noise or snake and runs suddenly is said to "bolt."  Riders who use their horses for work cannot afford to work with a horse at risk of bolting.

I know a Christian couple, who lives in another state, and a comment was accidentally made.  It was the husband who said, “I love to watch your services on YouTube, when my wife is not around.”

Deuteronomy 33:27 “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.”

If you have not caught the first few points, these words are the outline I got from my friend Pastor Jose Ruiz.  He has built a large church in Negros, Philippines. They are located at the end of a dirt road, nowhere near any businesses, and within sight of only a few of homes. I did not want to mess up the outline Pastor Ruiz created, “Considering Sixteen Types of Givers,” but as you can see, the following outline was a lot of work to find all of these “C” words. I would have enjoyed hearing his messages on the subject, for he makes the listener smile.

In the prior lesson, I mentioned three types of givers: the cheater, the controlled, and the carnal giver. Today, I will add a few more of the types of givers in the church. 

Our dear friend Pastor Ruiz has been such a blessing to us over the years as we visited the Philippines.  On our last visit, he mentioned an outline of giving he used during his church anniversary and I asked for it.  The following are a few of the things he mentioned interlaced with my thoughts.

Proverbs 13:11 “Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.”

Many people constantly blame others for their internal struggles, their inability to function, and other similar issues.  Having never served in the military or faced the trauma of some, I cannot say what should or should not be going on in my heart. After nearly fifty years of reading my Bible and working with people, I have learned a few clear facts.