BY Argie Simonis
The Word of God has more to say about finances than about heaven and hell combined. Jesus said that trusting Him with our money is the least faith we can apply:
"He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?" Luke 16:10-11
How do we do the greatest things if we can not do the least first?
In the previous message (part 2) we dealt with the application of God's Word for finances on two categories of people: The sowers and the eaters.
Here we will deal with when and where we should give. Before I get into the main topic I would like to mention something important. The reason many Christians are reluctant to offer financial assistance to Christian churches or ministries is the fact that they have often been manipulated or deceived through fundraisers by so-called "Christian" churches or ministries. My main concern is not so much the distortion of the truth and the misrepresentation of God by these ministries. This is something that has happened and will continue to happen.
What really worries me is that these tactics work and many are the ones who are deceived. There are organizations that receive hundreds of millions a year through fraud and manipulation and it is something that clearly shows the immaturity and ignorance that exists on this area from the Body of Christ today.
I hope this course will bring revelation and help you to manage your finances with God's wisdom.
First I would like to point out that the motivation behind the gift is more important than the gift itself. This is exactly what Paul tells us here:
"And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profits me nothing." 1Cor. 13:3
The reason you give is always more important than what or how much you give.
The salvation of a loved one, healing or any other blessing of God is not bought with money and if someone tries to convince you otherwise, keep away:
"But Peter said to him, Your money perish with you, because you have thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money." Acts 8:20
Let's take a look at the example of the prophet Elijah and the widow:
"Arise, get you to Zarephath, which belongs to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain you." 1kings 17:9
It is true that the widow gave Elijah everything she had and that her needs were met supernaturally for many days. But the above verse says: "I commanded a widow there to sustain you." The Lord had commanded her to support Elijah. This widow gave everything she had to help the man of God but by obeying the command of God her own needs were met as well.
In the book of Acts we read about Cornelius, the Roman centurion who was "A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always." Acts 10:2
His offering was just a manifestation of his faith and trust in the Lord.
It is true that when we give, the Lord will return us a hundredfold in this life:
"And Jesus answered and said, Truly I say to you, There is no man that has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,
But he shall receive an hundred times now in this time, houses, and brothers, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life." Mark 10:29-30
Giving only to receive is the wrong motive. As
I commented in the previous 2 messages on finances, God blesses us so that we can establish His kingdom (Deut. 8:18), give to those in need (Eph. 4:28) and abound in every good work (2Cor. 9:8). The Lord promises us to expect to receive when we give, but we must do so with the right attitude of heart, meaning that we expect to receive so that we can give more and become a greater blessing to those in need. It is purely a matter of priorities and that is why it is a greater blessing to give than to receive. When you receive you get your hands full, but when you give your soul gets full!
There has also been a misunderstanding about when to give. Many Christians give only after all their needs have been met. But the Bible teaches that our gifts should be among the first fruits we receive. This means that the first thing we do when we receive money is to honor the Lord by giving a portion of it to His work. There also is His promise:
"Honor the LORD with your substance, and with the first fruits of all your increase:
So shall your barns be filled with plenty, and your presses shall burst out with new wine." Prov. 3:9-10
There are also doctrines out there teaching that that we give only after a specific command of the Lord. Of course it is very important to listen to the voice of the Lord when He guides us to do this too, but that is not the only way.
The Word of God tells us:
"But this I say, He which sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which sows bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver." 2Cor. 9:6-7
How would parents feel if their children said they loved them only when they were told to say so? Parents definitely need to teach their children to say "Thank you" and "I love you" and guide them in this, but all parents long for the day when these answers will come out of their children's hearts spontaneously. Likewise, the Lord wants us to give joyfully and not under pressure.
So when we are forced to give or you are made to feel guilty if you do not give, this is the wrong time to give. Every time we give to someone who is manipulating us (whether it is a church or a ministry) we are actually rewarding this negative behavior and giving a vote of confidence to do it again.
As for now where to give, this is the easiest of all. Let's see what God's Word tells us:
"Who goes a warfare any time at his own charges? who plants a vineyard, and eats not of the fruit thereof? or who feeds a flock, and eats not of the milk of the flock?
Say I these things as a man? or said not the law the same also?
For it is written in the law of Moses, You shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treads out the corn. Does God take care for oxen?
Or said he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that plows should plow in hope; and that he that threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.
If we have sown to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?" 1Cor. 9:7-11
"Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teaches in all good things." Gal. 6:6
When you go to Goody's to eat, for example, you are not going to pay the bill at Mac Donald's. You pay where you eat. Likewise, you give where you are spiritually fed.
"Bring you all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house, and prove me now herewith, said the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." Μalachi 3:10
Many people use this verse to say that we should tithe in our local church and then any other offering we want to make may go to other ministries or charities. I totally agree with that as long as your church is a real storehouse, a place where you keep your food or go to get food.
The local church is the backbone of God's work here on earth. A local church can feed you in a way that no other ministry can. Your shepherd can take care of you personally and even pick up the phone one night when you are in need . That's the place you will go to marry your children, there you will send them for help and advice. We need the fellowship of other believers and this is something that the local church can offer.
All these things of course would be true in a perfect world, but we all know that we do not live in a perfect world and not all local churches respond to their call. There are people who go to church every week and never get fed. They starve. So if you are in a dead church that does not nourish you spiritually, it is time to go and seek a living church where there is proper teaching, the Word of God is preached and the Spirit of God confirms the Word with revelation, healings and miracles, with people who become born again and filled with the Holy Spirit. You should support such churches and ministries with your financial offerings (tithes, offerings, donations).
Let's look at it from another point of view. By contributing our money to the establishment of the Kingdom of Heaven, we are making the best investment of our lives. We turn something temporary that will eventually cease to exist (money) into something eternal that we will enjoy eternally in the presence of the Lord (eternal life).
The great comission the Lord leaves to His disciples is to make disciples in all nations "teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you..." Μatt. 28:20
The Gospel must be preached throughout the world but it has a cost, both in personal struggle and in money. Let us pray that the Lord will give wisdom and discernment to all of us in how to manage our finances, and when and where to give.
I hope you were blessed with this message. To be continued with the fourth and last part ...
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