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Just like with all of the parables that Jesus used to teach valuable lessons, there is some wisdom to be gained from the parable of the 10 virgins. As with most things in life, some were wise, some were foolish, and both reaped what they sowed. I have posted the whole parable below as a refresher…
The parable of the ten virgins
At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise.
The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. “Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’ “But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
Matt 25:1-13
Five wise virgins
There are a lot of lessons to be learned from this parable, but to me, the biggest lesson I have learned from it is to get prepared! I think this can be applied to all areas of life - including our finances. With things being as uncertain as they currently are in the U.S., I think now is as good of time as any to get ready for what’s ahead.
In my own life, I have noticed that since gas prices have dropped back down below $2 (after being at $4) I feel like I have more money to spend. Yes gas prices have dropped and have freed up some additional cash that has been tied up for a few of the previous months, but should I really be spending it? Wouldn’t the wise thing be to save a bit of it up in preparation for $5 gas? I honestly have no idea what is going to happen with gas prices, but I think this parable makes it very clear that the wise thing to do is to be prepared.
So what should you get prepared for?
I have noticed that most people drastically under-prepare for situations or they over-prepare. The key is to stay balanced. Preparation is not to be something that is guided by fear, but by wisdom. The Bible says that God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear (2 Tim 1:7) Therefore our decisions shouldn’t be made based on fear. So, if you are preparing for situations, first make sure that you are trusting god and not doing it because you are afraid.
These are just a few things that the parable of the virgins has helped inspire me to prepare for…
An emergency fund
This is one of the first things that Dave Ramsey recommends to do in the Total Money Makeover and I completely agree. In order to have a fighting chance of getting out of debt you should have an emergency fund started. The purpose, of course, is to allow you to handle car problems, a blown water heater, or any other urgent and unexpected expense.
Retirement savings
We shouldn’t be saving everything up for retirement, but we probably all should be saving something. The goal isn’t to hoard wealth for the last 30 years of our lives, but to share it! Whether you plan on staying in your current job until you die, preparation allows you to have options. When I am 70 I want to be getting paid for doing something I love, rather than being forced to go to work to pay the bills.
A disaster
After Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast a few years back, I decided to take some steps to prepare for a natural disaster. After the hurricane, some of our neighbors in the south had a few weeks of living in the “wild west.” They didn’t have water, power, an easy way to get food, or ATMs they could run to.
As we near the end times, we are going to be seeing more of these types of occurrences, and it would be wise of us to be prepared.
Obviously preparing a disaster kit is a good way to be prepared. We also have stashed some cash in case ATM networks would not be functioning.
The foolish virgins
The five foolish virgins missed out on a great opportunity. The reason they missed out was because they were not prepared! I think we should take heed to this warning and take action by preparing for the things we know we should.
Remember that Joseph prepared for the seven years of famine (Genesis 41), because he knew it was coming. What would have happened if He had decided not to prepare, saying to himself, “I don’t need to prepare. God will take care of me.”? I don’t know the answer, but it is interesting to think about…
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Let me start by saying that it was difficult to create this list. Think about it, I am trying to pick the best verses from the Bible about a particular topic. Are there really best verses, or are there just those that have impacted us more than others? I tend to think the latter.
So, this list is just that. These are the 5 verses that, even as I just scratch the surface of understanding them, have revolutionized my financial life. Each one of them has had a strong impact on many decisions in my life. I hope you allow them to impact you as well.
1. Philippians 4:19
And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
If you have lived much life at all, you are probably well aware that putting your trust in the economy, your employer, or your bank account is not a good idea. They are all fair-weather friends. They all can be helping you greatly one minute, and then the next everything has changed.
God, however is always faithful. That is why we should always be trusting Him as our supply! It doesn’t matter if there is a financial crisis, if you get laid off, or your 401k loses 37% - God will still supply your needs. Just like He promised.
2. Malachi 3:10
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”
It is a bold step of faith to start tithing. Cynics sometimes argue that tithing is not required in the New Testament. I actually agree, since our salvation is no longer based on works, but on faith in Jesus. But there is no escaping the truth that tithing opens the door for blessing that can not be opened without doing it. From my own personal tithing experience, I can attest that I am so overwhelmingly convinced beyond any shadow of a doubt that tithing increases blessing, that I will never live any other way.
3. 1 Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
This verse is so often misquoted that it is almost laughable. Money is not evil. The love of it is. Having a million in your bank account doesn’t mean that you love it. Having $5 in your account doesn’t prove that you don’t.
For example, Warren Buffett has billions in his accounts, but he is giving almost all of it away to benefit the lives of others. On the other hand I have heard stories of people getting killed over a matter of $20. It is a matter of the heart that only God can judge.
4. Acts 20:35
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’
Giving sets us free, while hoarding entraps us (James 5:2). Giving changes the lives of others (John 3:16). Giving brings blessing back to us (Luke 6:38). Giving allows us to store up treasures in Heaven rather than here on the earth (Matthew 19:21). Giving really is fun - we need to be in on it.
5. Proverbs 22:7
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
The freedom of being debt free has always been so incredibly enticing to me that I have been willing to give up a whole lot in exchange for it. The last 3+ years my wife and I have been diligently chopping away at it, passing up opportunities to spend as frivolously as some of our peers have done. Getting out of debt is not easy and often requires a fight, but the freedom that comes with it is so worth it.
All verses from the NIV
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This is a letter from Annette Capps, who I believe is the daughter of Charles. Since it is my personal mission to offset as much of the negativity currently in the news cycle as possible, I thought this letter would fit perfect.
Thanks Annette!
The WORD is Stable!
Unstable markets, unstable world economy…Let’s focus on something that is stable…the Word of God and not fixate on the fear that surrounds us.
My Dad tells the story of how during a dry year when he was farming, he prayed for rain for his cotton crop. One particular field had no means of irrigation. As he was driving and praying for rain, he noticed that one spot in the field looked greener than the rest. God spoke to him and said, “Would it be OK if I just caused the moisture to come up under your crop rather than rain from above?” Of course my Dad replied, “Whatever you want to do is fine with me!”
That year the cotton made 1 bale per acre on that field where other farmers only made ∏ bale or less.
Sometimes we become so fixated on the problem or what we believe the solution is that we are not open to alternatives. God is not limited to our ideas of how to fix things. The real issue for Charles Capps was not rain; it was a good cotton crop.
Our real issue today is not the stock market or the credit crisis. The real issue is how we can prosper and succeed in spite of world crisis. God’s Word has not changed. God’s laws have not changed. The same laws of giving and receiving, sowing and reaping, seedtime and harvest still work in October 2008 as well as October 2007.
The spiritual principles that enabled you to pay your house payment, buy your gas and feed your family still apply no matter what the economy. God’s Word drives your economy! Choose kingdom principles to dominate your finances!
I encourage you to continue in faith, not being moved by what you see, hear or feel but what you believe…God’s Word. You are the seed of Abraham through Jesus Christ and His blessing rests on you.
The immoveable, unchangeable Word will work for you as you speak it and stand fast in faith.
God Bless You Richly,
Annette Capps
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Prosperity in the Bible
I have read a few articles recently discussing biblical prosperity and I am just getting a little bit frustrated with the whole thing. On one side you have people who insist on being poor because they think that it is more righteous to do so and on the other I am finding some people so caught up in storing up treasures for themselves on earth, that they are missing God’s plan for their life.
As with a teeter-totter, or most things, it is difficult to stay balanced. It is easy to float to one extreme or the other. Maybe that is why there is so much division in the church over Biblical prosperity. Here are a few of my thoughts on the issue…
There is no denying that the Bible has a lot of verses about prospering.
People can debate all day long about it, but it is very clear in scripture that God took care of, blessed, prospered, his servants. You can pick just about anyone (servant of God) from the Bible and you will see examples of God’s blessing in their lives. Even Job ended up with twice as much as he started with!
Prosperity is not MONEY.
Prospering in a situation often has very little to do with money. It depends on what our need is at that moment. If my body is sick with a terrible disease, I can assure you my focus will not be on financial prosperity, but on my health prospering. Wouldn’t you?
Seek first the Kingdom.
Biblical prosperity is a result of seeking God - not stuff! It is futile, shortsighted, and foolish to try to store up treasures for ourselves on earth.
Matthew 6:19 (NASB)
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; “
Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
As a result of giving up all we have (our plans, our motives, our money) losing our lives, we find them like Jesus said…
Matthew 16:25
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
What I take from this verse is that, I can’t hold onto anything. I have to give it all to God. It is when we give up everything we have (not necessarily give it all away at that moment) but give up ownership of it and acknowledge that it all is for God’s purposes that we find our lives as Jesus mentioned.
It isn’t our money anyway
Once we give it all up and realize that we are merely stewards (see the Parable of the Talents)over what has been entrusted to us, it is easy to get our mind off our bank accounts. It is a lot easier to give someone else’s money away!. If God says to give, who are we to try to tell Him how to manage His money?
God did not put us down here to seek our own satisfaction.
If there is anything I have learned from walking with God is that He continues to teach me over and over to get my mind off of myself. When I am focused on ME, I am not as useful for HIM. We are all placed on this earth for a purpose. And I can assure you it is not to seek our own satisfaction. God takes care of all of his servants, but the thing to remember is that He is the only one we can trust to do it. If we put our trust in ourselves, we might as well be building a house on the sand.
The purpose for our financial prosperity is to bless others!
The Bible says that to whom much is given, much is required…
Luke 12:48
…From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.
I wholeheartedly believe that as our finances begin to increase, our giving should increase. As financial prospering takes place in our lives, it should be used to benefit the lives of others and not just build our own barns…
Luke 12:15-21
Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. “And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”‘ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ “So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
If we truly understand how God’s system works, we would want to spend every waking moment on this earth giving. We would not even think twice about giving our time, money, energy or anything else. God tells us to store up treasures in heaven - not on earth! He is saying this for OUR benefit because He knows that ultimately we will be far more blessed if we obey!
You can’t give what you don’t have
Personally, I want to give a whole lot of money away over the course of my lifetime. In order to do that, I think it is probably going to be sitting in a bank account of mine at some point. That doesn’t make it mine. It just means that at the moment, I am the steward who is responsible for it.
It really doesn’t matter whether we have a lot or a little. Our goal should be to give all we can, regardless of how much is in our bank accounts.
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Trusting God in the midst of bad circumstances
I had this realization that seems really obvious, but for some reason it took me a while to get it.
I should be just as confident that things are going to work out when they look crazy as when everything looks fine and dandy. The opposite is true as well. Even though things look peaceful and calm, that is not an indication of security. Our security comes
from God. It is not at all dependent on what is going on around us. Whether it is the economy, our finances, our children, our marriages, we can (and should) trust God with all of it.
Romans 8:28
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
It just dawned on me recently after going through a faith test that it really doesn’t matter whether it is easy or difficult to trust God. As my circumstances began to “look” better, I noticed myself trusting a bit less in God and a bit more in myself. After all my circumstances weren’t requiring as much faith. I kind of slapped myself a bit and realized that I am no less dependent on God when things are going good as I am when they are going terrible.
The good circumstances are only an illusion of security. When things look good, it is easy to understand how things will all work out. But isn’t it amazing how quick I can go running back to God with Faith when things look bad again. I quickly realize how insecure “good circumstances” really are.
The great news is that for believers, bad circumstances are only an illusion of a lack of security.
Trust God in the storm
It reminds me of Jesus sleeping on the boat during the middle of the storm. He said, “let us go to the other side.” But yet when things started looking bad enough, they started to doubt that would happen. The truth is, no matter how bad things looked, they really were no more insecure. They had God in the flesh on the boat with them! How could they really think that they wouldn’t make it?
Mark 4:35-41
On that day, when evening came, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”
When they finally were freaking out enough, they woke him up and frustrated with their lack of faith, he told the storm to calm down. They just didn’t get it. They didn’t realize who Jesus was. They didn’t realize that it didn’t matter how bad it got, He was there with them.
It is no different for us today. We have the promise of God that He will never leave us, nor forsake us. It doesn’t matter how bad things look, it is merely an illusion. Don’t be deceived, when your trust is in God, you could not be more secure.
More on Trusting God, not circumstances
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This is a guest post from Kevin over at 20smoney.com.
My Struggle To Pursue Financial Success While Obeying God At The Same Time
I decided earlier this year to create a blog aimed at providing financial advice for other 20-somethings since it seems that most people my age both struggle to manage their money and also are unaware of how challenging it will be to prepare financially for their futures. Spending a good amount of time writing about money has been interesting. As you would imagine, constantly writing about money has put ideas about pursuing wealth and managing money at the forefront of my life.
Another thing you should know about me is that I am a Christian. Knowing God and pursuing a relationship with Him is the top priority in my life. I failed to pray and consult God in this decision to make money such a large part of my life; therefore, I feel I was unprepared for the ways it would affect me. Since starting this blog, I have had some success in terms of growth of the blog and actually have made some money from the blog. Internally however, I began struggling more and more to define what this pursuit of financial success should look like in light of my relationship with Jesus Christ.
A few days ago, while reading Hard to Believe by John MacArthur, I decided to fully confront God about this money thing in my life. In fact, I couldn’t sleep, so I decided to pray and journal about it extensively. Thankfully, I reached a peaceful conclusion which I’d like to talk to you about.
The blog wasn’t the issue in my life. The blog just helped bring to attention my own ambitious pursuit of financial success that I needed to address. What I came to realize is that God doesn’t care about how much money is or isn’t in my bank account. He cares where my heart is. If my heart is set on the pursuit of money before Him, then I will be blind to the Holy Spirit’s leading in my life. An idol before God will set me up for serious disaster in all other areas of my life as it prevents intimacy between God and I. I must keep this this potential idol in check. I must retain an eternal perspective on money and God’s purpose for my life. I have realized that being responsible with the financial blessings God has given me is not a bad thing, rather it is essential that I am a responsible and disciplined steward of my money. In fact, only when I am being a responsible steward of God’s money do I stand of chance of fighting money as an idol in my life. So, what does this actually look like in our lives? I’d like to share three guidelines that I am striving to consistently live by:
1. I will be obedient to the tithe
First, every dollar I earn in my life whether from a career or from investments, I will be obedient to tithe 10%. This is about as unquestionable as it gets. God flat out tells us to do this. Obedience in this regard is absolutely imperative, but is not the only thing required. It is very easy to tithe 10% each week or month and still have a heart in the wrong place. In fact, this is what my life has looked like for a few months. I have been tithing, but the pursuit of financial success has still been my goal over my relationship with God. Because of this, the next part is just as important as this aspect of obedience.
2. I must pursue my relationship with Jesus every day
I must pursue my relationship with Jesus each day of my life so that I will be able to recognize the opportunities that God places in my life to be generous and to give in addition to the 10% regular tithing. If my relationship with God is my priority, then money is not my priority and I will be willing to give when called to do so.
3. I must keep myself from coveting
Coveting definitely leads to putting money and wealth ahead of God in my life. When it comes to a fancy car, a nicer and bigger house, or other things in life, it is easy to covet them. Guard against this by fleeing from covetous thoughts when they cross your mind and you will find yourself pursuing God more than pursuing money.
The combination of both obedience to God and relationship with God in my life is absolutely crucial for me to not fall into the worldly pursuit of money for the sake of self gain. It has definitely been a process for me to get this point with much prayer and thought. Before God gave me this conclusion, I felt a burden in my life. Even as I continued to make more money, the burden continued. Only living and walking according to God in my life prevents such a burden. The blessings that come with obedience and knowing God significantly outweigh anything that comes with reaching for every dollar in your life for selfish gain. In fact, when you seek God first, you are free to enjoy the blessings that He provides much more than if you were reaching for these blessings through your own selfish desires.
While I have reached a peaceful conclusion in my life regarding the pursuit of money in my life, I am not finished. It takes daily discipline as well as a focus on my relationship with Jesus in order to live a healthy life independent of how much money I have or make. My joy is real and consistent and has nothing to do with money. I encourage you to pray about this in your own life. I encourage you to trust God and obey what he says through Scripture in regards to tithing and coveting. Lastly, nothing is more rewarding than your relationship with Jesus. Let Him transform you and your desires and see what joy there is in this life. Pray for me to continue this pursuit in my life. I am praying the same for you. God bless.
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This is a reprint of an article I recently wrote for Gather Little by Little
Have you ever tried to squeeze a camel through the eye of a needle?
Ah, you know the verse. It’s the one that people love to quote when they are trying to prove that Christians should be poor because it appears to be more righteous. Well, is it really?
Luke 18:25
“For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
Let’s look at the definition of “rich,” and see who qualifies.
According to Webster’s Dictionary:
Rich = having abundant possessions and especially material wealth
Why doesn’t it tell me how much money I need to have to actually be rich?
In fact, I looked the definition up in 7 different dictionaries and not one gives a specific definition of rich. None of them offer a specific annual income to indicate if you are rich or not… Hmmm… so how can we know who is rich and who isn’t? Where is the line drawn?
Is it the top 10% wealthiest people? The top 5% or 1%?
Well, if you make $25,000 per year you are richer than 90% of the world. If you make $34,000 per year you are in the top 5%. And if you make $50,000 you are in the top 1% of the richest people in the world. (Find out for yourself here.)
So, how do you define rich? Are you wealthier than you realized?
The verse can really strike fear into the hearts of people causing them to run from money. But the truth is that money isn’t the issue. It is a matter of the heart. If we understand that the money isn’t ours, but that it is actually God’s and we are merely stewards of it, then it will be easier to not depend on it. Someone who realizes that he/she is a steward cannot be rich, because they know it isn’t their money.
Won’t I be safe if I never have a lot of money?
Many people have taken this verse to think that by not having much you are safe. By laying back and not really working hard you can rest assured that you will never have much money come into your hands, so therefore you can’t be rich like the verse mentions.
Personally, I think Jesus addressed this in the Parable of the talents. The steward to whom he gave one talent did nothing with it except bury it. The master called him a wicked and lazy. To me that rules out the possibility that just being lazy and not earning money will make you righteous.
So what do you do?
Stop serving money. The Bible says you cannot serve God and money (Matt 6:24). You have to pick. We will either make decisions based on our walk with God or based on how they will affect us financially. Should you take that job? “Of course, it pays more,” is not the correct response. Our decisions should not be made solely on their impact on our wallets.
Be content. It doesn’t matter whether we have a lot or a little. We are called to be content with what we have. The apostle Paul talked about how he learned how to be content whether he was in a dungeon or living in the king’s palace. He understood contentment.
Don’t be afraid of money. It is the LOVE of money that is the root of all evil. Not money itself. If that were the case, then nothing good could come out of it. But everyday God’s purposes and plans are coming to pass via the use of money.
Give. Giving is a tangible way to break any attachment to money. If you don’t want to give, that is probably a good indication that you need to give.
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As long as I have been a Christian I can remember people arguing and debating about tithing. Some say it was only an Old Testament Law that doesn’t need to be followed as believers under the New Covenant. And some say that it is just a relevant to New Testament Christians as it was in the Old Covenant.
I recently wrote about my tithing experience and I’d like to offer my thoughts on tithing in the New Testament…
It isn’t a means of salvation
You can’t earn your way to Heaven by giving and you won’t be excluded from Heaven by your lack of giving.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
Out of our Faith, our good works manifest. So, in my opinion, if someone truly understands how great of a gift they have been given, they will expend a lot of energy giving back.
Can you be blessed without tithing?
Some say you won’t be blessed if you don’t tithe. I kinda think this completely depends on the person and their maturity level as a Christian. You expect more from a 13 year old than a 5 year old - right? I don’t think God is any different, He knows where were are on our walk and will meet us where we are.
I was a Christian for a while before I started tithing and I think I was doing okay. I know some Christians who don’t tithe and seem to be very blessed. But, there is no getting around the fact that you will be MORE blessed if you tithe, than if you don’t. The Bible says that there will ALWAYS be seedtime and harvest (Gen 8:22). What we sow, we will reap. If we give, it will be given back to us in good measure.
Luke 6:38 (NIV)
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
God loves a cheerful giver
2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV)
Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
God loves a cheerful giver, not under compulsion, if you aren’t giving with the right attitude, don’t waste your time… If you have a bad attitude about it and want to change it, just ask God for help. He will, I promise.
Tithing verses in the New Testament
There are a ton of verses about tithing in the Old Testament and a lot fewer in the New Testament. Actually, it is true that tithing isn’t talked about nearly as much in the New Testament as the Old Testament. Personally, I don’t believe that in anyway takes away from the fact that tithing brings a blessing.
Under the New Covenant our salvation is not based upon our obedience to the 10 Commandments, but does that mean that we shouldn’t still follow them? Are they suddenly of no value? I think the same can be said of tithing. While you can debate all day long about whether or not it is a command for New Testament believers, it will still provide a blessing like it did in the Old Covenant.
FMF brings up two great points about New Testament tithing…
1. Jesus endorsed the tithe
In Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42 Jesus referred to tithing as something that should not be neglected…
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.”
2. As New Testament believers we are called to a higher calling
Like it or not, we are living under the New Covenant and as a result, we have increased responsibilities in certain areas.
Luke 12:48 (NIV)
…From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
From FMF…
“No longer are animal sacrifices necessary, but we are now to sacrifice our own lives and live for Christ, not ourselves. No longer is ‘an eye for an eye’ appropriate but we are to love our enemies and ‘turn the other cheek’. These are only two examples of heightened responsibilities Jesus taught His people. As such, I can only conclude that the same holds true with the tithe. While it used to be the requirement, it should now be the minimum.”
He said we could test Him
Do we have any better invitation that to actually test it out and see if it really works? Most of us who do tithe were probably in the same spot as the non-tithers and didn’t believe it ourselves, but we tried it out. Guess what, just like God promised, things are better after tithing! It really is like all the other areas of our walk with God - it requires FAITH. No it doesn’t make sense that when we give all this money away, things will actually be better - but I have found it to be true in my own life and others have as well.
Malachi 3:10 (NIV)
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.
It is so much bigger than us
The much bigger issue here is that God’s Kingdom needs to be advanced!
Who does He use to do that? Us, the believers! If we aren’t funding and financing Kingdom activities, then who will? How are the lost going to be reached if we don’t send those to preach? (Romans 10:15)
We shouldn’t be getting all caught up in percentages and what we “have to do” according to the Bible - what we (as God’s people) need to do is to forget about our ambitions, goals, and motives and pick up God’s plan. We have been saved from eternal separation from God by grace! With all that we have been given, how can we do anything else but give all we have?
What if we all got our minds off of our own earthly bank accounts and focused on sowing into things that will have eternal value.
“I judge all things only by the price they shall gain in eternity.”
- John Wesley
I know it is difficult to comprehend, but eternity is a LONG TIME! We can either be doing things with our time and money that may benefit us for a few years down here, or we can see ourselves as the eternal beings that we are, get our priorities lined up with God’s, and starting giving in a way that will actually last for eternity!
Matthew 6:20 (NIV)
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
When we give into our churches and into ministries that are reaching the world, we get to be included in their eternal reward. We are the BODY of Christ, we all have a part to play.
Ephesians 4:16
…from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
The amazing thing is that as we start getting our focus off of ourselves and on meeting the needs of others, we will have our needs taken care of. It is just the way God set it up. He is so good, isn’t He?
I would love to hear your comments - so please share them below. Disagreeing is absolutely okay, just please be civil. Deal?
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Breaking the habit of discontentment
I was recently asked what the most difficult habit to break was as I started getting my finances in order. I think for me, it was breaking the habit of discontentment. I used to see something I wanted and I would want it so bad that I would not be happy until I got it.
It has taken a while to break this bad habit and replace it with a good one, but I really believe it has been one of the most valuable moves I made as far as my finances go. Even though it is still something I fight like everyone else, the progress made so far has been tremendously valuable.
Discontentment is rampant in the U.S. culture and increasing in other parts of the world. The Bible says that they eyes of a man are never satisfied (Pro 27:20), so getting more stuff is not the cure, but actually the source of the problem.
As creatures of habit, if we are used to getting whatever we want, it will just make it that much harder to tell ourselves NO. But, if we are not programmed to get a new car every other year, a new wardrobe each season, or a bigger house to show our friends up, then it will much easier to be content with what we have.
My lack of contentment was also what was driving me to spend more than I earned. I was earning more than enough to live a nice life, but yet I wasn’t content with what I had. I wanted more.
It wasn’t until I started slapping myself around a bit and telling myself NO, that I began to actually be thankful for what I had. I was finally enjoying the things I had, rather than just chasing after the newest toy on the market.
Ok, so that was my bad habit, what was/is yours? What’s been your most difficult financial habit to break?
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I have a giving project that I am working on right now that I will hopefully be rolling out early next week. So, as I have been working on it I have come across quite a few great giving quotes. These are some of the favorites that I have found so far… If you have some of your own giving quotes please share them in the comments below…
Quotes about Giving
“No person was ever honored for what he received. He was honored for what he gave.”
– Calvin Coolidge
“The value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving.”
— Albert Einstein
“Make all you can, save all you can, give all you can.”
— John Wesley (1703 - 1791)
“It is possible to give without loving, but it is impossible to love without giving.”
— Richard Braunstein
“He who obtains has little. He who scatters has much.”
— Lao-Tzu
“You can’t have a perfect day without doing something for someone who’ll never be able to repay you.”
— John Wooden
“You can have everything in life that you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”
— Zig Ziglar
“If a person gets his attitude toward money straight, it will help straighten out almost every other area in his life.”
— Billy Graham
“Remember this—you can’t serve God and Money, but you can serve God with money.”
— Selwyn Hughes
“I judge all things only by the price they shall gain in eternity.”
— John Wesley (1703-91), English evangelist and founder of Methodism
“As base a thing as money often is, yet it can be transmuted into everlasting treasure. It can be converted into food for the hungry and clothing for the poor. It can keep a missionary actively winning lost men to the light of the gospel and thus transmute itself into heavenly values. Any temporal possession can be turned into everlasting wealth. Whatever is given to Christ is immediately touched with immortality.”
— A.W. Tozer (1897-1963), American pastor and writer
“It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
— Jesus, in Acts 20:35
Giving Bible Verses
These are some of my favorite Bible verses about giving. There really are a ton of verses about giving in the Bible and these are just a select few of my favs. Again, if you have any that you want to share, please do so in the comments below…
Deuteronomy 15:10
Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.
Proverbs 11:24-25
There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want. The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered.
Malachi 3:10
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.
Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.
Romans 12:8
…Or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
2 Corinthians 9:6-8
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. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.
Philippians 4:15-17
And you yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica you send a gift more than once for my needs. Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.
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