Christian Giving:

Some Biblical Principles

“May the Holy Spirit open your hearts wide with generosity for the sake of the Gospel, for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, and for the pleasure of our loving heavenly Father.”

Very often, people ask or wonder “what are the basic Biblical principles for Christian giving?” As we seek God’s answer to that question and as we contemplate our own giving to the Lord’s Church in response to the clear teaching of His Word, perhaps it would be wise and helpful to review those principles here. First, let us read the Word of God itself, without comment:

Matthew 6:1-4 Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

1 Corinthians 16:1-2 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.

2 Corinthians 8:9-15 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. I give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it. But now finish doing it also, so that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability. For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality -- at this present time your abundance being a supply for their need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for your need, that there may be equality; as it is written, “HE WHO gathered MUCH DID NOT HAVE TOO MUCH, AND HE WHO gathered LITTLE HAD NO LACK.”

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

In our review of these four New Testament passages, we find at least ten principles for Christian giving.

1. The Lord Jesus expects and requires us to give. Jesus said to His disciples, “when you give” not “if you give” (Matthew 6:2)! Hence, Christian giving is not optional, but rather essential. We often hear folks say: “in the Old Testament they had to give, but not in the New -- now we only give if we want to.” This is clearly not Jesus’ teaching. He expected all His followers to be givers. Christians will give. Are you giving?

2. The Lord Jesus wants us to give for the right reasons. Jesus warned His disciples not to give for the sake of being admired by men. “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them,” He said (Matthew 6:1). When we give, we must be careful to examine our motives. We ought to give for the glory of God and the good of His people. We must desire His approval of our giving, rather than the praise and admiration of people. Are you giving for God’s praise or man’s?

3. The Lord Jesus wants us to practice benevolent or charitable giving. Jesus said “When you give to the poor . . . .” (Matthew 6:2,3). Jesus is specifically teaching about “alms” in this passage: aid, charity, or benevolent offerings for the needy. Do you give amply enough to the Church that she can be generous in benevolent giving?

4. The Lord Jesus reminds us that our giving is ultimately to the all-seeing heavenly Father. Jesus said “When you give  . . . ; your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:3-4). When we give, we are not simply adding to the Church budget, we are giving up a thank offering to the Father Himself. Thus, we must all give “as unto the Lord.” Our ultimate goal in giving is to please Him. Are you conscious of the fact that your giving is to the Lord and seen by the Lord?

5. The Bible teaches that Christian giving is an act of worship. In connection with the previous point, we see this truth stressed in another way in Paul’s word’s “On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save” (1 Corinthians 16:2). Paul here teaches the Corinthians that their taking up of the collection is an act of worship which is to be a part of their regular Lord’s Day worship. When we put our money in the plate, we are worshiping Almighty God in accordance with His Word. Note well, Paul is speaking here of a “collection for the saints” –  this is giving by the Church to the Church for the Church. Did you realize that giving is a part of worship? Is your worship in this area abundant or inhibited? Is giving to the Church a priority with you?

6. The Bible teaches that Christian giving should be done in light of the incarnation. Many Christians argue about whether the tithe (10% of our income) is still the standard for our giving to the Church (disputants usually want to show that less than 10% is fine). Paul scuttles the whole debate in one verse. He says: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). Christ’s self-giving is now the standard for our giving! We begin from the base of the tithe and aim for emulation of His self-sacrifice. Our giving is to be inspired and instructed by Christ’s inexpressible gift. In light of such a challenge, who could possibly satisfy himself with asking “how little a percentage is acceptable for me to give?” Do you try to get by with giving as little as possible to the Lord, or do you give in view of the Lord’s costly sacrifice?

7. The Bible teaches that Christian giving should be done in accordance with our means. Paul is quite clear on this: “For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have” (2 Corinthians 8:12). Put another way Paul is saying that you should give in proportion to what God has given you. He said it this way in 1 Corinthians 16:2, “each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper.” This means at least two things: (1) since we are all supposed to give proportionately, those who have more money are expected to give more [we who are particularly blessed materially must remember this], and (2) the Lord never asks us to give what we do not have, or contribute beyond our means. Are you really giving in proportion to the material blessings that the Lord has given you?

8. The Bible teaches that the liberality of God’s blessings to us is connected to the liberality of our Christian giving. Though it may seem strange, both Jesus and Paul emphasize that there is a relation between our giving to the Lord and the Lord’s giving to us. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9:6 “Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” About this matter J.A. Beet once said: “They who in giving think, not how little they can give, as they would if self-enrichment were the aim, but of benefits to be conferred, will receive back on the same principle. As they do to others, so God will act to them.” Jesus reminds us of this in Matthew 6:4, where He teaches that our reward in giving comes from our heavenly Father. As someone once said: “The desire to be generous and the means to be generous both come from God.” Do you realize that the Lord has given you much, so that you can give much?

9. The Bible teaches that Christian giving must be willing giving, free giving. We learn this in 2 Corinthians 9:7 “Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion.” But doesn't this contradict what we learned under the first principle, that Christian giving is not optional? The answer is, of course, no. True Christian giving is both mandatory and voluntary. It is required by God, but always willingly given by the believer. Is your giving to the Church something you do wholeheartedly, or indifferently, or grudgingly?

10. The Bible teaches that Christian giving ought to be cheerful  giving. As Paul says “God loves a cheerful giver.” This is a truly amazing assertion. Paul assures us here that the Lord takes a special delight in those who are joyful, energetic, merry givers. Is there joy in your heart as you give? Can you truly be characterized as a “cheerful giver?”

We have not come close to reaching our potential for giving. Won’t you pray that we will give as we ought? That we will give for the right motives? That we will give joyously? And that we will give extravagantly?

Ligon Duncan

First Presbyterian Church

1390 North State Street

Jackson, MS 39202

The Principle of Dedication: Commit Your Body to God

“Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.” Romans 12:1 (NIV)

We all want to improve our lives. Every year Americans spend billions of dollars on products, books and seminars that we think will make our lives better. Sadly, most of them don’t work or they only produce short-term results.

The only thing that can guarantee true transformation in your life is found in God’s Word. Romans 12 teaches us six foundational principles for what it takes to change anything in your life. This week we’ll look at those principles.

"The way you contaminate your body is by what you eat or drink, and the way you contaminate your spirit is by what your see or hear."

The first principle is the Principle of Dedication: Commit your body to God. Any change in any area of your life begins with your physical body. Why? Because your body affects your behavior, and every change in your life requires energy. The reason most people never change is that they are too tired to change.

If you want to change, you have to make the choice. That is why the Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 12:1 to “offer your bodies.” It has to be your choice. If you don’t choose to change, you are not going to change.

Paul then says we need to offer our bodies as a “spiritual act of worship.” Here are three practical ways to offer your body to God as an act of worship:

Cleanse your body. I’m not talking about taking a bath. I’m talking about detoxing it. “Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates the body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God” (2 Corinthians 7:1 NIV).

The way you contaminate your body is by what you eat or drink, and the way you contaminate your spirit is by what your see or hear.

Care for your body. “No one hates his own body, but lovingly cares for it just as Christ cares for his body, which is the church” (Ephesians 5:29 LB). God expects you to take care of your body by keeping it in good shape, getting enough rest, and eating the right foods for good nutrition.

Control your body. “Each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable” (1 Thessalonians 4:4 NIV). This means you tell your body what to do; it doesn’t tell you what to do. Controlling your body also means keeping it in good shape: “I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should do” (1 Corinthians 9:27).

BY RICK WARREN

http://rickwarren.org/devotional/english/the-principle-of-dedication-commit-your-body-to-god

What does it mean to “deny yourself”?

How is the new life that we live with Christ different from the life we lived before the gate? How is the path different?

The path is different because it is the path of discipleship, of following Jesus. As we follow Jesus, we start to “look” more and more like him; and as we look more like him, we look less like the world.

There are many descriptions in the Bible of the path of discipleship and why it is so different from the world, but my favorite is in the book called “Mark,” chapter 8, verse 34. This is the pivotal verse in my life when it comes to how I think about life as a follower. It changed the way I think, and actually led me to write this blog.

We are at a turning point of Jesus’ story. Jesus has been conducting a public ministry, speaking to large crowds, teaching about the kingdom of God, and doing miracles to prove his authority. At Mark 8:27, it is like Jesus has finally come to the point where he is willing to ask the disciples to make a commitment. Who do they think that he is? Peter, probably speaking for all twelve of them, says, “We believe you are the Christ, the Messiah, God’s king who was to come into the world.” Jesus accepts Peter’ confession as true.

But then everything in the gospel story changes. Jesus’ ministry becomes mostly private, not doing as many miracles, and primarily teaching the twelve disciples what it is like to live as disciples in God’s kingdom. In verse 34 Jesus says, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

If anyone, man or woman, wants to follow Jesus, to be his disciple (be a “Christian” we tend to say), then he must do two things. He must “deny himself” and “take up his cross.” When Luke tells this same story, he clarifies that we are to take up our cross “daily” (Luke 9:23). What does this mean? The answer to this question shows why the path is so different form the world.

To “deny” yourself means to say “No” to yourself and “Yes” to God. Paul is not talking about asceticism — forgoing earthly possessions, not eating certain foods, ignoring the world, etc. To say it differently, the process of denial is “to humbly submit my will to God.” It is to go through life repeating the words that Jesus said the night before he died. When he was praying in the garden, he said to God his Father, “Not my will but yours be done.” It is what millions of Christians have prayed for centuries when they repeat what we call the “Lord’s Prayer.” “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”( Matthew 6:10).

What does it look like to live out this prayer? Someone hurts you. Your natural reaction is to lash back, to get angry. But the path of discipleship is “not my will but yours.” It is humbly submitting my will to God’s will. Instead of getting angry, we realize that God is calling us to forgive even our enemies. A verse that is becoming more and more important to me is Paul’s instructions to the church in Ephesus. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (4:32). When I am hurt, I am called to submit my will to God’s will and follow his example. This is what it means to “deny” yourself. Now, I don’t always do it. Sometimes I like to reword Jesus prayer: “not your will but mine be done.” But that’s not what Jesus said.

What does it mean to “daily take up your cross”? The cross was a horrid symbol of pain, shame, and death. A person hung on it, naked, until his skeletal structure collapsed and he suffocated to death, without air and with his body drowning itself in its own fluids. Every day we are to live in such a way that it is apparent to everyone that we have died to ourselves, to our selfish ways and ambitions, and live for God. Another translation words the verse: “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me” (NLT).

Something unfair happens and instinctively we want to get even. But we have died to that “right,” we have prayed “not my will but yours be done.“ Hopefully we humbly submit our will to God’s will, and we respond in kindness and humility. Will you always do this right the first time? Of course not, and that is, in a sense, okay. Life is a journey. God understands that over the years we have created habits of our heart that are not easily broken, and he is patient with us as we learn to walk the new path. Nevertheless, we are called daily to humbly submit our will to his.

To get back to the original question, why is the new path of discipleship different? It’s because we have been changed. We now follow Jesus, and the new longings in our heart are to do his will, not our own.

Don’t be frightened. God is not standing there with a scowl on his face, arms folded, with a whole new list of things we can do and things we can’t do. Remember the theme verse of this blog. “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11, ESV). The path of discipleship is the path of joy, but it is also a path that is different.

Because Jesus is different.

By Bill Mounce |

Goodness of God

 

Goodness of God - What It Means
The goodness of God is one of the attributes of God, as well as a description of His very essence. God, by nature, is inherently good, as Psalm 34:8 tells us: "Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” He is the foundation of goodness and of everything good—He did not obtain it from another source. People can have good traits or do good deeds, but goodness is not in our character. Our goodness comes from God.

Goodness of God - What It Does
The Goodness of God is evident in all His creations and accomplishments. Genesis 1:31 says, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good..." We cannot earn and do not merit His goodness. It is available to us regardless of our station in life, and even though we are not worthy of it. Matthew 5:45 says: “...He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." And we read in Psalm 145:9 that “The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made."

God’s goodness is personal. The lyrics of an old chorus say “God is so good; He’s so good to me.” We can all sing this song because He is good to each of us personally, in ways that meet our individual needs. His goodness provides us with benefits such as:

• It gives us the perfect model of goodness. By knowing God and learning about His goodness, we can come to recognize true goodness and strive to do good things. We should pray as the Psalmist did, “You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees” (Psalm 119:68). We can look to God as the perfect role model to teach us about goodness and how to do good things.
• It assures us that God’s purpose for us is good. Just as parents want good for their children, our Heavenly Father wants only good for us. James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” We should remember, however, that good things may not always show up as happy experiences. Sometimes good can come disguised as adversity or hardship, but God can use difficulties for good, as we learn in Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
• It offers us security and encouragement. We can depend on the unchanging goodness of God. Psalm 52:1 says, “The goodness of God endureth continually” (KJV). God will always be good. His character does not change. He will continue to be the creator of all things good and we can be confident He will provide good things for us according to His perfect plan.
• It draws us to God. The purpose of God’s goodness is to draw us to Him. This was manifested in the highest degree when God sacrificed His Son, Jesus, for our salvation. Because of His goodness we have been given opportunities to hear His word and to claim eternal life by accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior.

Goodness of God - Conclusion
The Goodness of God is the core of our Christian faith. It is because of His desire for our good that He provided salvation through His son. Everything God does is for our good. We can see proof of the goodness of God all around us in the life-sustaining provisions He supplies—from crops that provide our food, to the very air we breathe. We can have goodness in us, and even desire to do good, but true goodness comes from the One who is perfectly good and wants good things for all people. Our goal should be to show the goodness of God to others every day.

http://www.allaboutgod.com/goodness-of-god.htm

The Benefit of Dwelling in God's Presence

Throughout the Bible we have read about those Men and women who benefited as a result of dwelling in the presence of God. When we talk of dwelling in His presence it’s not a house that you get in, as far as God is omnipresent His presence moves with you wherever you go.
This is what God told Moses: “My presence shall go with thee, and I will give the rest”.
Exodus 33:14.
Listen what, the Lord say “My presence shall go with you” means the presence shall go with you wherever you go, at your work place even when going to the supermarket. Its power and peace shall go with you everywhere you go. Anyone who goes with this presence has benefited from it
It’s not anyone who goes with the presence of God, some even denied His presence and got penalties from running it. Still those who went with the Presence of God are known by their lifestyle praise. They praise God in difficult times they don’t allow their problems to exemplify their Praise,
What is Praise by the way? Praise is honouring God for what He is, Praise differ from thanksgiving as it honours God for what He has done.
Now when you honour God for what He is (Praise) as you go with His presence everywhere despite your situation, your praise brings God into your situation immediately?

………..And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. Acts 16:26 (KJV)
When Paul and Silas was put in prison the Bible says at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God. The moment they began praising God their deliverance come immediately why because their praise brought God into their situation .
What praise does, Praise brings God into your Situation immediately, and Praise brings deliverance .
You may be imprisoned right now by Debt, Poverty, Fear or Sickness, just begin a lifestyle of Praise and the presences of God shall strongly manifest upon your life and your deliverance shall come immediately- Amen

On Being God’s Instrument

A plain ball-point pen in the hands of an average human being can make some cute doodles, but a pen in Rembrandt’s hands can create a masterpiece. It is not the pen – the instrument – that matters. Rather, it is the Author and Creator who can wield a glorious work of art from simple tools.

 When I was younger – a child, a teenager, a new college grad – I had big dreams and goals for my life. I observed grown-ups and thought to myself that few of them seemed to be very goal-oriented or intentional about personal growth. Most of them just seemed to live to get through each day. I have known a small handful of individuals who have admitted to keeping a list of goals for their lives, often arranged in categories, like physical, mental, spiritual, etc., and this has impressed me. I have often thought to myself through the years that I did not want to lose that sense of purposeful learning, growing, and striving.

 Periodically, maybe a couple of times a year, I pause to glance back through the recent past and imagine the future, and I am inspired to work towards a particular goal. Sometimes these goals are personal and internal, like training for a new goal in my workouts or learning how to create a new crafty project. Increasingly, the goals are spiritual, and I sense they are promptings from God, who is always growing and changing me (Phil 1:6: “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”).

 The theme of my thoughts and prayers lately has centered around being an instrument of God. Over the past few years as my relationship with God has developed, I have been intentional about Him working *in* me; I have taken classes and read books to learn more about God, to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to die to myself and to live for Christ. While God has worked *through* me to some extent, I have not been as intentional about allowing Him to truly and deeply use my life.

 Providentially, as I have been praying through these thoughts over the past month or so, our pastor’s sermon this weekend focused on this very issue. He quoted 1 Thessalonians 2: “We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.” I do not wish to just learn about God and allow Him to change me, though I do want to continue to be intentional in that way, and I do not desire for God to use only my skills, but I want Him to use my life. This year, I want to focus on intentionally becoming God’s instrument.

 As I have begun thinking this way, God has revealed to me several occasions where to say “yes” would be to serve another person, yet because of my selfishness and desire to avoid discomfort, I am tempted to say “no.” What kind of ambassador for Christ am I if I am praying that God would use me, yet the moment it infringes on my personal comfort, I shy away? I am thankful God is revealing these occasions to me.

 I have been reading the book “Instruments in the Redeemers Hands,” and Paul David Tripp, the author, writes that “everybody ministers and everybody needs ministry. . . I need to wake up in the morning and say, ‘God, I am a person in desperate need of help. Please send helpers my way and give me the humility to receive the help you have provided.’ And I need to pray further, ‘Lord, make me willing to help someone else see himself as you see him today.’” That passage is powerful to me. I want to be God’s instrument to help others see themselves as God sees them

God’s Love

There isn’t a heart too cold,

that God can’t melt

there isn’t one too stony

where He can’t be felt.

There isn’t a heart too cynical,

that God can’t shake

there isn’t one too hardened

that He can’t break.

There isn’t a heart too rigid,

that God can’t move

there isn’t a heart too rough

that He can’t smooth.

There isn’t a heart too lost,

that God can’t find

there isn’t a heart too far off

that He’d leave behind.

There isn’t a heart too broken,

that God can’t love

there isn’t a heart in the world

that He would ~ let go of.

~~~~~~~~~~~

John 3:16

King James Version

“For God so loved the world,

that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have everlasting life.”

Copyright 2014

Deborah Ann Belka