“Time and money are two of God’s most valuable gifts. . . . But in both, God holds a designated reservation. There is holy time and there is holy money—the Sabbath and the tithe” (LeRoy E. Froom, Ministry, July 1960).

When Seventh-day Adventists think of time as a gift from God we, often refer to the Sabbath. And the Sabbath indeed is a wonderful gift from God. Each week, the Sabbath brings us blessings through rest, the opportunity for worship and fellowship, and a reminder that God is our Creator. On the other days, we also have time, and that is a gift from God.

In our society, money is part of our everyday lives. If properly used, money can be a blessing to others and us. Tithe is holy money, and God wants us to return it to Him. God does not force us to return tithe, but when we do, we enter into a wonderful partnership with Him.

Offerings also come from the money with which God has blessed us. How much we return in offering is a decision that we make. Today’s offering is for our local church so that we can conduct the ministries and programs that benefit our church and community. Thank you for returning the tithe and providing an offering to support our church budget.