Wealth
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
At the planning meeting for the next year's program budget of the church, due to the country's economy, it was decided to reduce the estimate of giving from the congregation. This led me to think seriously about the giving for God's work needing to be done at home and around the world.
I offer this to consider: Tell me what a person thinks about money, and I will tell you what a person thinks about God. These two are closely related. A person's heart is closer to his wallet or purse than it is to anything else, unless God is in the heart.
In the past decade people have still spent 10 times more for luxuries and non-essentials than they have for all charitable and religious purposes. This is a commentary on shallow and superficial religious faith. While the Bible warns against greed and selfishness, it does encourage frugality and thrift. John Wesley gave a threefold statement concerning money: "Make all you can; Keep all you can; and Give all you can." Most of us get all we can; spend all we can; borrow all we can; and give meagerly to God.
The greatest blessing of giving to God's work is not on the financial side of the ledger, but on the spiritual side. It comes from returning to God a tenth of what He helps you earn in your labor. You receive a sense of being honest with Him. You become a partner, committed to have a part in sharing to all of His children everywhere, especially, to helping them to learn of Jesus, His crucified, dead, and resurrected Son for all to know and learn of Him.
How do you give? Is it liberally and cheerfully? If you have been giving sparingly and grudgingly you are missing the true joy and blessing of Christian giving and living. Think about it. God gives you life, all your faculties, for a lifetime. You cannot outgive God.
Become a full working partner with God.
The church program budget will then be met, with a surplus.
"For if you give, you will get. Your gift will return to you in full overflowing measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over." Luke 6::38
C.L. Hendrix
Winona Lake, via e-mail[[In-content Ad]]
Latest News
E-Editions
At the planning meeting for the next year's program budget of the church, due to the country's economy, it was decided to reduce the estimate of giving from the congregation. This led me to think seriously about the giving for God's work needing to be done at home and around the world.
I offer this to consider: Tell me what a person thinks about money, and I will tell you what a person thinks about God. These two are closely related. A person's heart is closer to his wallet or purse than it is to anything else, unless God is in the heart.
In the past decade people have still spent 10 times more for luxuries and non-essentials than they have for all charitable and religious purposes. This is a commentary on shallow and superficial religious faith. While the Bible warns against greed and selfishness, it does encourage frugality and thrift. John Wesley gave a threefold statement concerning money: "Make all you can; Keep all you can; and Give all you can." Most of us get all we can; spend all we can; borrow all we can; and give meagerly to God.
The greatest blessing of giving to God's work is not on the financial side of the ledger, but on the spiritual side. It comes from returning to God a tenth of what He helps you earn in your labor. You receive a sense of being honest with Him. You become a partner, committed to have a part in sharing to all of His children everywhere, especially, to helping them to learn of Jesus, His crucified, dead, and resurrected Son for all to know and learn of Him.
How do you give? Is it liberally and cheerfully? If you have been giving sparingly and grudgingly you are missing the true joy and blessing of Christian giving and living. Think about it. God gives you life, all your faculties, for a lifetime. You cannot outgive God.
Become a full working partner with God.
The church program budget will then be met, with a surplus.
"For if you give, you will get. Your gift will return to you in full overflowing measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over." Luke 6::38
C.L. Hendrix
Winona Lake, via e-mail[[In-content Ad]]
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092