Do you give? Are you giving to God’s kingdom the way He directs you to?
You have to start now. It’s so much easier when you are young and you have no bills and few expenses. Pray and ask God what He wants you to give.
God asked the children of Israel to give right after they left Egypt.
“The Lord spoke to Moses, ‘Tell the Israelites to take an offering for Me. You are to take an offering from everyone who is willing to give.” Exodus 25:1-2.
Are you willing to give? God will not force you. But He rewards givers so greatly, you would be foolish NOT to give. Remember, “God loves a cheerful giver” 2 Corinthians 9:7.
Giving can be very exciting! It should not be drudgery. In ancient Israel, giving meant you had a part in building a nation. Givers donated to build temples, royal palaces, and walls to protect cities. In the early U.S., givers built hospitals, universities, and more. Those who gave were proud of that. They knew they were a part of something great, a God-sized project larger than themselves.
In the New Testament, giving meant funding missionary journeys so apostles could take the gospel all over the known world. Giving also meant helping preachers feed their families, and helping persecuted Christians secure freedom and safety. These projects were huge and important and those who gave were excited about being a part of God’s adventure.
Today we give for the same reasons: your money helps share the gospel. It pays for a dynamic, engaging church, where families can find hope and healing through counseling, Sunday school and preaching, worship music—the money you give changes lives at your home church. But of course, some of your money pays for missionaries around the world. That money saves souls. PEOPLE WILL BE IN HEAVEN BECAUSE YOU GAVE. Like the song says, in heaven people will say to you, “Jesus took the gift you gave, and that’s why I’m here today.”
But God wants you to be willing. He told Moses to “take an offering from everyone who is WILLING to give.” And centuries later, Paul wrote “God loves a CHEERFUL giver.”
Are you willing? Are you able to give with a cheerful heart? Do you believe that God knows your needs and He will take care of you? If you do, then you should have no fear in giving.
“Jesus said, ‘Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, who will not receive a HUNDRED TIMES as much now in the present age—houses, and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions, and in the age to come, eternal life.’ Mark 10:28-31.
So you can give. You can give until it hurts. God will reward you, both in this life and in the life to come. And remember, this life is a tiny, tiny dot, compared to the never-ending line that is eternity. Giving is how you store up heavenly treasure—the only treasure that really matters. What you give on earth becomes a deposit in your bank account in heaven. Or another way to put it:
“You can’t take it with you, but you CAN send it on ahead.”
Dear God, give us the discipline and the courage to give to you. Help us to trust you with our lives—every moment, our hobbies, our jobs, our pay. We give our lives completely to you. Use them. Use them UP. We love you.
ΑΩ
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