01 May Puppies, Ice Cream, and Football (Part 5)

Posted at 08:00h in Joy Church by

puppies

Seventy five to one hundred dollars to fill up our gas tanks!  Many times when I have pumped gas into one of my vehicles, I will quote, “But my God shall supply all of my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19)!  However, as I have continually said, “God does not need a good economy to bless His kids!”  Once again your Bible tells you, “They shall not be ashamed in the evil time; and in the days of famine (or in modern terms, recession), they shall be satisfied” (Ps. 37:19).

Over the last number of weeks we have shared with you “How to Do Adversity Correctly”:

  1. Adversity
  2. Insecurity
  3. Discovery
  4. Opportunity
  5. Victory
  6. Demise of your enemy

We then began our “Six Opportunities to turn Adversity into Victory”:

1)     Prepare for victory (Prov. 21:31)

2)     Pray for victory (I Tim. 2:1-4)

3)     Produce for victory (Mat. 25:14-30)

Within this section we discussed “Eight Production Points”:

  1. Work for Jesus, not your boss (Col. 3:22-24, Ps. 75:6-7)
  2. Leaders are learners (Prov. 9:9)
  3. Look to increase your responsibilities before you increase your benefits (Gal. 6:7)
  4. Take ownership of your company (Prov. 6:6-8)
  5. Anticipate the routine (John 2:7)
  6. Be a problem solver not a problem seer (I Sam. 17)
  7. Have an “I can do it” attitude (Phil. 4:13)
  8. Pay attention to the details (Dan. 6:3)

Then we picked back up with our main points:

4)     Plan for victory.

Within this section we gave “Two Powerful Points to Plan for Prosperity”:

  1. Don’t belittle the little (Prov. 13:11 NIV, Zech 4:10)
  2. Plug up the holes in your life (Haggai 1:2-7)

5)     Prepare for victory (Deut. 8:18)

This week let’s continue and let’s talk about “The why, when, where and how to give”.

       1.     Why you give (I Cor. 13:3)

Here the Bible tells us, “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”  I see some pretty ungodly and emotionally manipulative pulls for giving.  Unfortunately you can hire people to bring a guilt-based financial presentation to donors and studies show this to be more effective in bringing in money.

In other words, people give more out of manipulation than Godly inspiration.  This is a very sad commentary on some parts of the Body of Christ.  According to the aforementioned verse, our true motive for giving should be a love for God and a love for people…period!  If not, it profits you nothing.  The motive behind the gift is more important than the gift itself.

Now please allow me to give some biblical balance.  The Bible does tell us in Luke 6:38, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.  For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”  This verse tells us not to give to get, but to give and expect to get.  There is no farmer who loves God and loves people who doesn’t plant and expect a harvest…you should too (see II Cor. 9:6-10)!

       2.     When you give (Ps. 37:25)

Here the Bible says, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”  Recently they did a study  in Colorado Springs, Colorado and they discovered the average panhandler on the street makes about $350 a day.  They secretly followed some home and discovered they went home to fairly nice houses with fairly nice cars.

Here in Nashville homeless can get three hot meals at various locations around the city.  They have so many places to choose from they can be selective in their food choices.  Recently, an advocate for the homeless has been retained so the homeless can have better and healthier food!

“Pastor Jim, surely you’re not saying we shouldn’t help the poor!?”  Of course not.  The Bible tells us, “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again” (Prov. 19:17).  However the Bible also tells us, “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat” (II Thes. 3:10).

Therefore, we need not be cynical but we should also not be gullible.  It is the well-intentioned but unwise who subsidize panhandlers.  Give to organizations set up to help the poor in wise, effective, and biblical fashion.  Don’t give to those who manipulate and beg.  When we do, we aren’t being a good steward of gospel funds!

       3.     Where to give (Mal. 3:10)

Here the Bible says, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith 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.”

The “storehouse” was a local place where grain and meats were kept.  It is where the community would come for food.  It is a type and shadow of the local church.  Therefore, you should give where you are being fed and if you are not being fed at the local church, find one where you will be!

“Well you’re just saying this because you are a pastor!”  Oh contraire!  When we solely had World Changers Bible Institute we did not accept the tithe…only offerings.  We believe the tithe belongs in the local church and always have.  It doesn’t make sense to get fed at McDonald’s and pay Wendy’s…that’s “McStupid”!

      4.     What to give (Prov. 3:9-10)

These verses tell us, “Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase;  So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.”   Now I’ve heard many preachers approach the tithe from a very legalistic standpoint.  They represent God like they would the mafia…if you don’t tithe, God will put you in the hospital and get His 10% one way or another.  As if you weren’t going to your Father God, but to the Godfather!

You tithe to honor God and God loves a cheerful giver, not a fearful giver (II Cor. 9:7).  God will certainly love you if you don’t tithe, but you’ll miss out on so many of His benefits!  In other words, God is saying, “Let’s make a deal”:

1)     Keep the 100% and you’ll have God’s love, just not His benefits.

2)     Trust God with the 10% and He will become your Financial Advisor for the remaining 90%.

3)     He will take responsibility for our needs, when we prioritize His kingdom!

Sounds like a pretty good deal to me!