Tag Archives: Stewardship

Posted on

The Offering Police

Jesus Is Counting On Your Generosity

It was offering time in the Temple, and Jesus was watching – and offering running commentary on what people were giving. How would you like that next Sunday at your church when the ushers received the offering? What if your pastor came off the platform with the microphone and commented on each gift, announcing the amounts in the offering envelopes and revealing if they were proportionate to the giver’s income or not? Of course, that will never happen, I hope, but the point is, Jesus is watching how you handle his money, and hoping that you do it generously.

The Journey: Mark 12:41

Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money.

It was offering time in the Temple, and Jesus was watching! He was the “offering police” that day, and he didn’t just cast a brief glance and happen to notice what people were giving, he was watching them like a hawk. He saw the quantity and evaluated the quality of each gift. Jesus was providing a kind of a play-by-play commentary of offering time at the Temple on that particular day.

How would you like that next Sunday at your church when the ushers received the offering? What if your pastor came off the platform with the microphone and provided a running commentary on each gift, announcing the amounts in the offering envelopes and revealing if they were proportionate to the giver’s income or not?

Well, that won’t ever happen in most churches I know, certainly not in mine. But I’ll tell you what: It sure would spice up offering time! There would be no need for an offertory; the choir could take a break; the solo could be saved for another part of the service. The play-by-by would be more than enough, wouldn’t you say!

Of course, I am being facetious, but you get the point: Your giving is private, but God knows. He knows what is in your bank account, and he knows what is in your heart. He knows if you are giving joyfully, generously, sacrificially and worshipfully, or if you are giving grudgingly, stingily, selfishly and just for show.

The amount doesn’t count; it’s the heart that God wants in your giving. The poor widow gave only two mites—the modern equivalent of not even one penny. But she gave all she had. She gave out of her poverty, trusting that her meager generosity toward God would now turn into his lavish generosity toward her.

The others that gave in the offering that day gave out of their abundance, but they didn’t put their faith on the line in doing so. They still had plenty, so there was no sacrifice, no trust, no risky obedience involved.

God probably won’t require you to empty your bank account the next time you give, but for sure, he wants you to empty your heart. That is, he wants all of you when you give. He wants your ongoing stewardship to be characterized by love, generosity, sacrifice, risky faith, and expectant trust.

Before you give again, I hope you will give that some thought. And next Sunday, when it’s offering time, take a moment to thank God that there will be no play-by-play commentary. And at the very least, as Peter Marshall said,

Give according to your income, lest God make your income according to your giving.

Check your bank statement. Truly, this is one of the leading indicators of whether God has taken over your life…or not!

A Simple Prayer To Be More Like Jesus:

God, my flesh screams for me to satisfy me with material things. Forgive my self-centeredness, and give me the will and the power to sanctify my money for your kingdom’s advancement.
Posted on

God, Help Me to Get Off My Spiritual Duff

52 Simple Prayers for 2018

The writer of Proverbs used some pretty strong language in describing a lazy person. In the various Bible translations, he pictures a lazy-bones as someone who commits vandalism (The Message), a troublemaker (Contemporary English Version), one who commits suicide (Amplified), a destructive personality (Good News), and a great waster (21st Century King James). He is not simply someone who has a little issue with diligence, he’s got a major league problem with Creator God! The Bible says he is as bad as someone who destroys something valuable—perhaps because he is destroying the opportunities that God has placed before him to steward his talents, to produce beauty, to add value to this world, and to leverage his one and only life into something that glorifies the Creator.

A Simple Prayer for Getting Off My Spiritual Duff:

God, help me today to do everything in my power to take advantage of everything you’ve done in your power to make me a fully empowered child of the King!
Posted on

Since This Is True, Why Wouldn’t You Generously Give?

ThanksLiving: 365 Days of Gratitude

When we give back a portion to God of what is rightfully his, he entrusts us with even more to give back. The more we give to God, the more God gives us to give. And when we enter that cycle of generous giving, we become a conduit of God’s blessings—both material and immaterial. It is true: you cannot out-give God.

Going Deep // Focus: 1 Chronicles 29:13-14

O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us!

Are you a generous giver? I am not talking about the amount that you give, or could give, I am referring to your heart, or the attitude you have toward giving financially to God’s work. Truly, when you read the whole of scripture, you cannot be anything other than generous when you understand this one eternal principle:

Everything in your possession is not really yours; it all comes from God. Giving generously from it simply is giving back to God what is rightfully his.

Now here is a corollary truth that makes giving back to God the smartest thing you could ever do: When we give back a portion to God of what is rightfully his, he entrusts us with even more to give back. The more we give to God, the more God gives us to give. And when we enter that cycle of generous giving, we become a conduit of God’s blessings—both material and immaterial. It is true: you cannot out-give God.

King David understood this. In 1 Chronicles 29, he is appealing to the congregation of Israel to do what he has done. He has joyfully made a generous contribution to the construction of the temple. David is on the bell lap of his life’s journey, and he is diligently making preparations for something he always wanted to do: build a grand house to God. But God had told David he wasn’t to be the one to build it; Solomon would be that guy. However, David could certainly make preparation for it. And boy did he! Just read the chapter to see what David had left in the bank, so to speak, for his son’s project.

Notice the king’s plea that the people follow his example of generous giving. In today’s church language, he is taking an offering like none other. But it is the verse I have selected that is the key to what David was requesting, and it is the key to whether or not you are going to give from a mindset of generosity. That mindset comes from a prayer; it is actually from something he said to God about God that unlocks the extreme generosity of giving:

O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name, but who am I and who are my people that we should be permitted to give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we only give you what is yours already! (Living Bible)

Since it all comes from God anyway, giving the portion that he prompts you to give back to him is a fundamental issue of faith and trust and obedience on your part. When you get that right, your generosity gives God a shot, through your offerings, to not only replenish what you release to him, but to open up the spigot so that heaven’s abundance literally overflows in your life.

Again, your giving activates a circular law of generosity. That law says that when you are generous with what God has provided, he will give you more so that you can give away more, and as you give away more, he will give you more to give away. And thus you have entered the cycle of generosity.

God measures giving by generosity of heart. The amount debited from your account doesn’t count—it is your attitude that makes you a candidate for this cycle. It is not rote obedience to some law of tithing that God is looking for from you, it is the overflow of the spirit of grace that reflects God loving ownership of you and all that you have. When you settle the issue of generosity, then the law of tithing and questions about how much to give become moot.

I cannot determine giving for you; no one can—it’s a matter of your heart. But if you get it wrong, you are going to miss out on the thrill of generous giving. Get it right, and you will become a pipeline for the abundance of heaven.

And who in their right mind wouldn’t want that!

Going Deeper With God: Settle the matter of who owns what you have—you or God. If you go with God, then rejoice the next time you give: you are worshiping him. And then get ready for the goodness of heaven to flow to you and through you.

Posted on

Managing Creation: You’re Hired!

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 8
Focus: Psalm 8:4-6

“What are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority.”

In comparison to the overwhelming vastness, magnificence, complexity, wonder and beauty of the universe—that which we see through both the telescope as well the microscope—man seems so insignificant. Yet the Sovereign God created the human race and gave them co-rulership over his creation. He put us in charge!

The Works of Thy HandsImagine that! God has entrusted us with the work of his hands. We are to manage his resources, tend to his investment, and supervise the things he so lovingly and purposely crafted out of nothing. We are to guard, preserve and even increase what is so precious to him. We have been given stewardship of all creation.

Why did God do that? Only God knows. But when you think about it, it is both humbling and sobering that God has sovereignly placed this weight of glory upon my shoulders—and yours.

That, then, begs the question: How are you doing taking care of God’s universe? How are you tending his environment—Planet Earth? What is your attitude toward things created—stuff? And what about you, God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10), how are you caring for you—spirit, mind, soul and, yes, even your body?

Hopefully you are giving great care to all these things like a partner rather than a hireling. Hopefully you have an ownership mentality. Hopefully you take seriously this calling of stewardship God has given you. Perhaps a great companion chapter for you to consider would be Matthew 25:14-30 where Jesus teaches about the parable of the talents.

Yes, God has given you the keys to his shiny universe—the macro, the micro and the personal. Steward it well!

__________________

“Now if I believe in God’s Son and remember that He became man, all creatures will appear a hundred times more beautiful to me than before. Then I will properly appreciate the sun, the moon, the stars, trees, apples, as I reflect that he is Lord over all things. …God writes the Gospel, not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.” (Martin Luther)

 

Making Life Work:God has put you in charge of quite a bit—and he is counting on you to steward it wisely. So when it comes to the creation, don’t let the crazies and radicals hijack the environmental movement. Christians ought to lead the way with a common sense approach to loving the earth. When it comes to your body, treat it like the temple of the Holy Spirit—because it is. And when it comes to your inner being, tend to it often. Make sure you are doing regular soul work, because one day it will return to its Creator.

Posted on

Who Put You In Charge?

Read Psalm 8

Featured Verse: Psalm 8:4-6

“What are mere mortals that you should think about them,  human beings that you should care for them?  Yet you made them only a little lower than God  and crowned them with glory and honor.  You gave them charge of everything you made,  putting all things under their authority.”

In comparison to the overwhelming vastness, magnificence, complexity, wonder and beauty of the universe—that which we see through both the telescope as well the microscope—man seems so insignificant.  Yet the Sovereign God created the human race and gave them co-rulership over his creation.  He put us in charge!

Imagine that!  God has entrusted us with the work of his hands.  We are to manage his resources, tend to his investment, and supervise the things he so lovingly and purposely crafted out of nothing.  We are to guard, preserve and even increase what is so precious to him.  We have been given stewardship of all creation.

Why did God do that?  Only God knows.  But when you think about it, it is both humbling and sobering that God has sovereignly placed this weight of glory upon my shoulders—and yours.

That, then, begs the question:  How are you doing taking care of God’s universe?  How are you tending his environment—Planet Earth?  What is your attitude toward things created—stuff?  And what about you, God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10), how are you caring for you—spirit, mind, soul and, yes, even your body?

Hopefully you are giving great care to all these things like a partner rather than a hireling.  Hopefully you have an ownership mentality.  Hopefully you take seriously this calling of stewardship God has given you.  Perhaps a great companion chapter for you to consider would be Matthew 25:14-30 where Jesus teaches about the parable of the talents.

God has put you in charge of quite a bit—and he is counting on you to steward it wisely.  So when it comes to the creation, don’t let the crazies and radicals hijack the environmental movement.  Christians ought to lead the way with a common sense approach to loving the earth.  When it comes to your body, treat it like the temple of the Holy Spirit—because it is.  And when it comes to your inner being, tend to it often.  Make sure you are doing regular soul work, because one day it will return to its Creator.

Yes, God has given you the keys to his shiny universe—the macro, the micro and the personal.  Steward it well!

“Now if I believe in God’s Son and remember that He became man, all creatures will appear a hundred times more beautiful to me than before. Then I will properly appreciate the sun, the moon, the stars, trees, apples, as I reflect that he is Lord over all things. …God writes the Gospel, not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.”
— Martin Luther

Posted on

Psalm 8: Who Put You In Charge?

Read Psalm 8

Who Put You In Charge?

“What are mere mortals that you should think about them,
human beings that you should care for them?
Yet you made them only a little lower than God
and crowned them with glory and honor.
You gave them charge of everything you made,
putting all things under their authority.”
Psalm 8:4-6

In comparison to the overwhelming vastness, magnificence, complexity, wonder and beauty of the universe—that which we see through both the telescope as well the microscope—man seems so insignificant. Yet the Sovereign God created the human race and gave them co-rulership over his creation. He put us in charge!

Imagine that! God has entrusted us with the work of his hands. We are to manage his resources, tend to his investment, and supervise the things he so lovingly and purposely crafted out of nothing. We are to guard, preserve and even increase what is so precious to him. We have been given stewardship of all creation.

Why did God do that? Only God knows. But when you think about it, it is both humbling and sobering that God has sovereignly placed this weight of glory upon my shoulders—and yours.

That, then, begs the question: How are you doing taking care of God’s universe? How are you tending his environment—Planet Earth? What is your attitude toward things created—stuff? And what about you, God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10), how are you caring for you—spirit, mind, soul and, yes, even your body?

Hopefully you are giving great care to all these things like a partner rather than a hireling. Hopefully you have an ownership mentality. Hopefully you take seriously this calling of stewardship God has given you. Perhaps a great companion chapter for you to consider would be Matthew 25:14-30 where Jesus teaches about the parable of the talents.

God has put you in charge of quite a bit—and he is counting on you to steward it wisely. So when it comes to the creation, don’t let the crazies and radicals hijack the environmental movement. Christians ought to lead the way with a common sense approach to loving the earth. When it comes to your body, treat it like the temple of the Holy Spirit—because it is. And when it comes to your inner being, tend to it often. Make sure you are doing regular soul work, because one day it will return to its Creator.

Yes, God has given you the keys to his shiny universe—the macro, the micro and the personal. Steward it well!

“Now if I believe in God’s Son and remember that He became man, all creatures will appear a hundred times more beautiful to me than before. Then I will properly appreciate the sun, the moon, the stars, trees, apples, as I reflect that he is Lord over all things. …God writes the Gospel, not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.”
— Martin Luther

Posted on

A Touchy Subject

Read II Corinthians 8

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though
he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you
through his poverty might become rich.”
(II Corinthians 8:9)

Thoughts… Money is a touchy subject in most churches. Pastors have to tread lightly in this area these days or face being compared to money-grubbing televangelists, of which there seems to be an endless supply. Congregations get nervous about money too, sometimes feeling as if they exist only as a financial means to help the pastor achieve his ministry ends.

Periodically, I have a chance to watch religious services on television—which usually cures me from watching again for a long time—and it becomes apparent that some pastors have no fear of talking about money—or should I say, “asking” for it. These spiritual leaders take offerings with skill and passion that would make a door-to-door encyclopedia salesmen proud, and their congregations seem not to mind one little bit.

In most churches, however, this is not the case. Pastor and parishioner alike gets twitchy when it comes to offering time, and thus the subject that Jesus talked about more than anything else—money—is avoided like the plague.

But the Bible never backs off from the subject of money. William Allen has pointed out, “One verse in every six in the first three Gospels relates either directly or indirectly to money. Sixteen of our Lords forty-four parables deal with the use of misuse of money. A loving, joyful, liberal giving to the Lord’s work is an acid test of a spiritual heart, pleasing to God.”

The fact is, money is critical in the life of the believer and to the ministry of the church. God’s blessings are predicated upon his people being wise and faithful stewards of their resources, and the effectiveness of the church cannot be separated from the adequate resources it takes to carry out ministry. Every ministry I have encountered in my travels throughout the world, whether near or far, all face the same challenge: The resource challenge. Money is important!

That’s why Paul devotes two whole chapters to it here in II Corinthians 8 and 9. Paul wasn’t afraid to address this issue and challenge his people to have the right attitude toward giving. He knew that giving keyed both blessing to the giver and effectiveness for the ministry. And for that reason, Paul unashamedly promoted eager, generous, fair, joyful and expectant giving among God’s people.

And the basis for such an appeal was rooted in the eager, generous, fair, joyful and expectant giving of God revealed in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. That’s what the verse I began with is describing. In his generous grace, Jesus gave up the riches of heaven and took on the impoverished life of living as a human being in order that through his sacrificial giving we who were helplessly and hopelessly poor could partake in his eternal riches.

God is a giver. He set the example. He established the pattern. He did first what he now calls us to do. He gave his all, his very best, and he did so with eagerness and joy. He did it purposely and passionately. He did it you and for me. And now he calls you and me to do it as well.

“Just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” (II Corinthians 8:7)

Perhaps it’s time for us to re-examine our attitudes toward money and giving. May our faithful stewardship in giving enable our faith to pass the acid test of true and God-pleasing spirituality.

Prayer… Father, all that I have is yours. All that I possess is from you. Even my ability to make a living is a gift from you. You are the true owner and giver of everything I have. So I re-dedicate myself to honoring you with the first fruits of my wealth, such as it is. My giving is my worship, and as such, I pray that it will be acceptable and pleasing to you. Cause my stewardship to result in the growth of your kingdom, and may souls stand in eternity some day as a direct outcome of my faithfulness in giving.

One More Thing… “I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare.” —C.S. Lewis