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Stewardship, cf giving
Ten Biblical & Practical Reasons to Give to the Lord’s Work
In stewardship speaking engagements across America and on five continents, I have discovered two things:
First: Christians of all income levels have experienced spiritual joy, supernatural grace and divine help through the practice of making a specific commitment to GIVE 10% OR MORE of their resources to the Lord’s work.
Second: The vast majority of pastors are reluctant to teach their congregations about money matters and Christian giving.
This list of 10 reasons to GIVE 10% OR MORE to the Lord’s work was written to encourage laity and clergy that this subject can be biblically and practically taught and caught! When believers are taught to make it a priority to give to God first, it will ultimately bring greater financial freedom and blessing into their personal lives and to the ministries they support.
Why give 10% or more of your income to the Lord’s work?
1. It is a tried and proven pattern of giving by godly people throughout the ages (regardless of cultures and income levels). Genesis 14:17-20, 28:16-22; Leviticus 27:30; Proverbs 3:9, 10; Malachi 3:7-15; Matthew 23:23
2. It will help you revere God more in your life. Deuteronomy 14:23
3. It will bring God’s wisdom and order to your finances and will help you harness the dragon of materialism. Matthew 6:19-21, 24-34; Luke 12:16-21; 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19; Ecclesiastes 5:10
4. It will serve as a practical reminder that God is the Owner of everything you have. 1 Chronicles 29:11-18; Psalm 24; 1,2; Psalm 59:10-12; Haggai 2:8
5. It will allow you to experience God’s creative care and provisions in ways you would not otherwise experience. 1 Kings 17; Proverbs 3:9,10; Malachi 3:7-15; Haggai 1:4-11, 2:15-10; Luke 6:38; Deuteronomy 14:23; Proverbs 3:5,6; Malachi 3:8-10; Haggai 1:4-11, 2:15-19; 2 Corinthians 8:5
6. It will encourage your spiritual growth and trust in God. Deuteronomy 14:23; Proverbs 3:5,6; Malachi 3:8-10; Haggai 1:4-11, 2:15-19; 2 Corinthians 8:5
7. It will ensure you of treasure in heaven. 1 Timothy 6:18, 19; Matthew 6:19021; Hebrews 6:10; 3 John 8; 1 Samuel 30:22
8. It will strengthen the ministry, outreach, and stability of your local church. Acts 2:42-27, 4:32; 2 Corinthians 9:12,13
9. It will help provide the means to keep your pastor and missionaries in full-time Christian service. 1 Corinthians 9:9-11,14; 1 Timothy 5:17,18; 3 John 5-8; Philippians 4:15-19; Galatians 6:6; Luke 8:3; 2 Kings 4:8-10
10. It will help accomplish needed building projects and renovations. 2 Chronicles 24:4-14; Exodus 35, 36; 2 Kings 12:2-16; 1 Chronicles 29:2-10; Ezekiel 1:4-6
Brian Kluth, Dimensions, Vol. 20, Fall, 1997, pp. 1-2, reprint by permission: Christian Stewardship Magazine
When a Man Finds Jesus, It Costs Him Everything
“So when man finds Jesus, it costs him everything. Jesus has happiness, joy, peace, healing, security, eternity. Man marvels at such a pearl and says, ‘I want this pearl. How much does it cost?”
“The seller says, ‘it’s too dear, too costly.’
“But how much?’
“Well, it’s very expensive.’
“Do you think I could buy it?’
“It costs everything you have—no more, no less—so anybody can buy it.’
“I’ll buy it.’
“What do you have? Let’s write it down.’
“I have $10,000 in the bank.’
“Good, $10,000. What else?’
“I have nothing more. That’s all I have.’
“Have you nothing more?’
“Well, I have some dollars here in my pocket.’
“How many?’
“I’ll see: Thirty, forty, fifty, eighty, one hundred, one hundred twenty—one hundred twenty dollars.’
“That’s fine. What else do you have?’
“I have nothing else. That’s all.’
“Where do you live?”
“I live in my house.’
“The house, too.’
“Then you mean I must live in the garage?’
“Have you a garage, too? That, too. What else?’
“Do you mean that I must live in my car, then?’
“Have you a car?’
“I have two.’
“Both become mine. Both cars. What else?’
“Well, you have my house, the garage, the cars, the money, everything.’
“What else?’
“Are you alone in the world?’
“No, I have a wife, two children...’
“Your wife and children, too.’
“Too?’
“Yes, everything you have. What else?’
“I have nothing else, I am left alone now.”
“Oh, you too! Everything becomes mine—wife, children, house, money, cars—everything. And you too. Now you can use all those things here but don’t forget they are mine, as you are. When I need any of the things you are using, you must give them to me because now I am the owner.”
Juan Carlos Ortiz, Call to Discipleship, (Plainfield, NJ: Logos International, 1975), pp. 42,43.
Resource
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Sudan Interior Mission
Of the beginning of the Sudan Interior Mission: Long on vision but short on funds, the 1893 pioneer trio reached Nigeria without money to travel inland. The were reduced to selling their watches and surplus clothing. At the moment of their greatest need, as Bingham called it, a gift arrived. It came from a servant named Mary Jones who had been a live-in housekeeper to the same family for 25 years. All she owned was in her one little room. She died there, and was buried from there.
After the funeral, her relatives looked for her will. There was none...only a small account book in which she had entered her monthly wage and her personal expenses. “For native work in China, $50,” was one entry. “For native work in India, $50,” was another. Her relatives knew she had received a legacy. It too was entered. “Received legacy, $300” it read. And opposite it: “Paid out for the Soudan, $300.””Even her last month’s wages had been entered and dispensed,” Bingham wrote. “She needed no executor, no trust company. She had fulfilled her trust. Out of her gift, in a very real sense, came the great harvest which we are seeing today.”
Source unknown
God Is No Fool
Once, a man said, “If I had some extra money, I’d give it to God, but I have just enough to support myself and my family.” And the same man said, “If I had some extra time, I’d give it to God, but every minute is taken up with my job, my family, my clubs, and what have you—every single minute.” And the same man said, “If I had a talent I’d give it to God, but I have no lovely voice; I have no special skill; I’ve never been able to lead a group; I can’t think cleverly or quickly, the way I would like to.”
And God was touched, and although it was unlike him, God gave that man money, time, and a glorious talent. And then He waited, and waited, and waited.....And then after a while, He shrugged His shoulders, and He took all those things right back from the man, the money, the time and the glorious talent. After a while, the man sighed and said, “If I only had some of that money back, I’d give it to God. If I only had some of that time, I’d give it to God. If I could only rediscover that glorious talent, I’d give it to God.” And God said, “Oh, shut up . “And the man told some of his friends, “You know, I’m not so sure that I believe in God anymore.”
From “God is No Fool, by Lois Cheney, 1969, Abingdon Press
I Give All to God
I place no value on anything I have or may possess, except in relation to the kingdom of God. If anything will advance the interests of the kingdom, it shall be given away or kept, only as by giving or keeping it I shall most promote the glory of Him to whom I owe all my hopes in time or eternity.
David Livingstone
How We Respond to Losing Things
In his book of sermons “The Living Faith,” Lloyd C. Douglas tells the story of Thomas Hearne, who, in his journey to the mouth of the Coppermine River, wrote that a few days after they had started on their expedition, a party of Indians stole most of their supplies. His comment on the apparent misfortune was: ‘The weight of our baggage being so much lightened, our next day’s journey was more swift and pleasant.’
Hearne was in route to something very interesting and important; and the loss of a few sides of bacon and a couple of bags of flour meant nothing more than an easing of the load. Had Hearne been holed in somewhere, in a cabin, resolved to spend his last days eking out an existence, and living on capital previously collected, the loss of some of his stores by plunder would probably have worried him almost to death.
“How we respond to “losing” some of our resources for God’s work depends upon whether we are on the move or waiting for our last stand.
Eugene L. Feagin
We are Not Our Own
According to a January 15, 2989 article in the Lexington Herald-Leader, the family living in a home in West Palm Beach, Florida, told a film crew it was okay to use the front lawn as a set for an episode of “B. L. Stryker” television series. They knew cars would be crashing violently in front of the house. While the front yard was being blown up, the owner of the home was tipped off and called from New York demanding to know what was happening to his house. It seems the people who were living in the house were only tenants and had no right to allow the property to be destroyed as the cameras rolled. Many times we live our lives under the mistaken impression that they belong to us. Paul tells us we were “bought with a price.” We must live as those who know God will call us to account for the ways we have used this life entrusted to us.
Bruce S. Bidwell
It’s Not Supposed to Hurt
When you go to a doctor for your annual check-up, he or she will often begin to poke, prod, and press various places, all the while asking, “Does this hurt? How about this?” If you cry out in pain, one of two things has happened. Either the doctor has pushed too hard, without the right sensitivity. Or, more likely, there’s something wrong, and the doctor will say, “We’d better do some more tests. It’s not supposed to hurt there!” So it is when pastors preach on financial responsibility, and certain members cry out in discomfort, criticizing the message and the messenger. Either the pastor has pushed too hard. Or perhaps there’s something wrong. In that case, I say, “My friend, we’re in need of the Great Physician because it’s not supposed to hurt there.”
Ben Rogers
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