The Joy of Christian Stewardship

Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribal families of Israel at Shiloh in Canaan and said to them, “The Lord commanded through Moses that you give us towns to live in, with pasture-lands for our livestock.”

So, as the Lord had commanded, the Israelites gave the Levites the following towns and pasture-lands out of their own inheritance.

Joshua 21:1-3

There is an apocryphal saying, “Lord, keep our pastor humble, and we will help you by keeping him poor.” This should not be true in God’s church! The work of the kingdom of God is financed by God through his people out of his abundant provision to them. This method of financing was true in both Old and New Testament times, and it is still true today. In the Old Testament, God appointed the Levites to serve as his ministers to the nation of Israel. Now pastors and teachers are to be supported by God’s people from the blessings which God has given them. From this passage in Joshua we can learn about the joy of Christian stewardship.

Old Testament Instructions on Giving

The Levites were God’s ministers in the Old Testament. Because of their faithful devotion to God in the golden calf incident, God set them apart to serve him exclusively in the tabernacle (Exodus 32:29).

Levi had three sons, from whom came the Gershonites, the Kohathites, and the Merarites. The Merarites were responsible for carrying the hardware of the tabernacle, especially the frames. The Gershonites were in charge of transporting the coverings, and the Kohathites were responsible for the furnishings of the tabernacle. The priests, who were descendants of Aaron, also were Kohathites. They had the peculiar responsibilities of carrying the ark of the covenant and offering sacrifices. So the priests were in charge of worship and they were assisted by their fellow Levites.

The priests and the Levites were not given any inheritance in the land of Canaan because the Lord was their portion. In Numbers 18 and 35 we find details of the provision the Lord made for the Levites.

1. God set apart the descendants of Levi to serve as priests and their support staff.
2. The Levites were not to receive any inheritance in the land.
3. The Lord was to be their portion and inheritance, and he would provide for their every need.
4. The priests who served at the altar were to receive those portions of the offerings that were not burned up in sacrifice.
5. To meet their needs, the Levites were to receive from all Israelites a tithe of the annual increase from their labor.
6. The Levites, in turn, were to give a tithe of their income to the priests, the descendants of Aaron.
7. The Lord commanded Israel to give forty-eight cities, with their pasturelands, to the priests and Levites as gifts (Numbers 35:1-5).

After Joshua conquered Canaan and apportioned the land to the various tribes, the Levites came forward to claim their cities. Joshua 21:1-3 says, “Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribal families of Israel at Shiloh in Canaan and said to them, ‘The Lord commanded through Moses that you give us towns to live in, with pasturelands for our livestock.’ So, as the Lord had commanded, the Israelites gave the Levites the following towns and pasturelands out of their own inheritance. . . .” And verse 8 says, “So the Israelites allotted to the Levites these towns and their pasturelands as the Lord had commanded through Moses.”

The Levites’ petition was based on the promise of Numbers 35. These “cities” were simply small hamlets. The tribes were to give them freely from their allotments, yet the decision of which cities to give was determined by lot, which means God directed the decision. So there was the command of the Lord, the decision of the Lord, and, finally, the freewill giving of the people of the Lord.

Tribes with a larger number of cities were to give more, so Judah gave nine cities, including Hebron, which generous Caleb donated after conquering it for himself. The other tribes generally gave four cities each, in accordance with the biblical principle of proportional giving.

All gave “as the Lord commanded” (21: 2, 3, 8). God finances the work of his kingdom through his people out of his abundant provision to them. So God’s ministers were provided for with cities to live in and enough land for their cattle, and the ongoing support of his kingdom was financed by the tithes and offerings of his people. The people gave freely, in obedience to divine command, from God’s gifts to them.

Notice, we cannot give anything to God out of nothing. God must first give to us, and then he trusts us to finance the work of his kingdom out of what he gave us. David spoke of this principle in 1 Chronicles 29:14: “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this?” Then he declares this truth: “Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.” So when we give, we are only giving back to God a portion of what he gives to us.

We find an illustration of such giving in 2 Chronicles 31. Because the people were in apostasy during the reign of Ahaz, the ministers suffered. But after Hezekiah came to the throne, there was a revival and Hezekiah began to enforce biblical law. Second Chronicles 31:4 says, “[Hezekiah] ordered the people living in Jerusalem to give the portion due the priests and Levites so they could devote themselves to the Law of the Lord.” Notice, God will provide for his ministers so they can engage in full time ministry. We find the same idea in Numbers 18:21, where the Lord declared, “I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the Tent of Meeting.”

Second Chronicles 31 continues, “As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits of their grain, new wine, oil and honey and all that the fields produced. They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything. The men of Israel and Judah who lived in the towns of Judah also brought a tithe of their herds and flocks and a tithe of the holy things dedicated to the Lord their God, and they piled them in heaps. They began doing this in the third month and finished in the seventh month. When Hezekiah and his officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the Lord and blessed his people Israel. Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the heaps; and Azariah the chief priest, from the family of Zadok, answered, ‘Since the people began to bring their contributions to the temple of the Lord, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare, because the Lord has blessed his people, and this great amount is left over'” (vv. 5-11). God provides abundantly for the work of his kingdom.

When we love God, we will obey his word delightfully and finance the work of his kingdom gladly. God’s work is supported by the tithes and offerings of God’s people in every age. Genesis 14:20 says that Abram gave a tithe of everything to Melchizedek, the priest of God, so this idea of giving tithes was known even before the law was given at Mount Sinai.

Stealing the Tithe from God

Though all things belong to the Lord, the tithe belongs to him especially. Leviticus 27:30 says, “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.” “Holy to the Lord” means something belongs to God, not to us. If we take for ourselves what belongs to the Lord, we may find ourselves in the same situation as Achan, who stole what belonged to the Lord and paid for it with his life (Joshua 7).

In postexilic times, Israel robbed God in this matter of tithes and offerings. In Malachi 3:8-12 God chastises his people: “‘Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, “How do we rob you?” In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse-the whole nation of you-because you are robbing me. 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. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,’ says the Lord Almighty.” God had closed the gates of heaven, sent pests, and withheld his blessing from his people because they were stealing from him.

What happens if God’s people refuse to give God what belongs to him? Does he have a collection agency? In fact, he does. God deals with his people based on covenant. When we keep his covenant, we are blessed; but when we refuse to obey, we are cursed. So Malachi 1:14 says, “‘Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and my name is to be feared among the nations.'” The curse comes to those who rob God and treat him with disrespect.

Haggai 1:6 also tells us how God deals with those who dishonor him by withholding their tithe: “You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” Those who steal what belongs to God never seem to have abundance.

Haggai 1:9-11 says, “‘You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands.'” And in Haggai 2:16-17 we read, “‘When anyone came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty. I struck all the work of your hands with blight, mildew and hail, yet you did not turn to me,’ declares the Lord.”

If we do not honor our Great King by giving him what is due him, he will deal with us. Deuteronomy 28 is the classic chapter that speaks about blessing and cursing. The first fourteen verses speak about blessings for obedience, and the remaining verses speak about the curse for disobedience. So beginning with verse 15 we read, “However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country. Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed. The fruit of your womb will be cursed, and the crops of your land, and the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks,” and so on to the end of the chapter.

But if we obey the Lord’s command to tithe, he will bless us. In Malachi 3:10 God promises he will “pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” We find the same idea in Luke 6:38: “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.”

Thus, the Old Testament teaches that the kingdom of God must be financed by God’s people giving to God what is due him.

New Testament Instructions on Giving

What does the New Testament teach about giving? First, it clearly states that a minister deserves to be supported. Consider the words of Jesus Christ to his disciples: “Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep” (Matthew 10:9-10). Notice, it says the worker is worth his keep. It is not referring to a lazy person. A worker is one who toils and labors. Only such a minister is worthy of his keep. In the Greek, the word is axios, which means one “deserves,” “merits,” or “is worthy” of provision. In Luke 10:7 Jesus said, “The worker deserves his wages,” a statement that Paul quotes in 1 Timothy 5:18. Supporting one’s minister is not charity or a matter of feeling sorry for someone. No! The hardworking minister deserves his pay.

This concept is further supported by the use of the word exousia, meaning “authority” or “right.” In 1 Corinthians 9 this word is used five times: once each in verse 4, 5, and 6, and twice in verse 12. Here we see that people should support their minister, not out of charity, but because it is his God-given right to be supported by them. All God’s ministers need to be supported. It is their right to be paid, and paid well.

Paul says that a minister has a right to food and drink, a right to have his dependents supported, and a right not to have to engage in secular tasks while preaching the gospel. When we analyze 1 Corinthians 9:4-14, we see that the method of financing God’s kingdom is the same now as it was in the Old Testament.

Paul uses two types of arguments to prove his point:

Arguments from Nature

1. “Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?” (v. 7) What is the expected answer? No one! A soldier is supported entirely by his government. Paul says that if soldiers are supported, so ministers should be supported by the Lord through his church.

1. “Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its grapes?” (v. 7) Suppose a farmer plants a vineyard, but when it comes time to harvest, he is told he cannot eat of it. That would not be right! The farmer who labors in hope of the harvest should enjoy the fruit of his labors.

1. “Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk?” (v. 7) The shepherd who cares for his sheep day and night is entitled to benefit from them. Likewise, the minister who labors as a shepherd on behalf of the Good Shepherd is to be provided for by his flock.

Arguments from Scripture

1. “Do I say this merely from a human point of view? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? For it is written in the Law of Moses: ‘Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain'” (v. 8-9) Paul argues from the Old Testament first, quoting Deuteronomy 25:4. Whether it is trampling sheaves or pulling a sledge over them, an ox needs to eat as it works. In fact, extrabiblical sources said that if a Jew muzzled a working ox, it was a crime for which he would be beaten in the synagogue.
   Paul is arguing from minor to major: If God cares for the ox who labors for man, how much more will he care for his ministers who labor on his behalf? It is similar to the argument found in Matthew 6: If God provides for the birds, how much more will he provide for his people?

1. “Is it about oxen that God is concerned? Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more? Don’t you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar?” (vv. 9-13) Paul is referring to the directions of Numbers 18 that the priests and the Levites should receive support because of their service in the temple.
2. “In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel” (v. 14). Here Paul argues from the New Testament, referring to the words of Jesus himself (Matthew 10:10 and Luke 10:7).

So we must acknowledge that the way of financing God’s kingdom in the New Testament is the same as it was in the Old. Paul says, “In the same way.” In other words, as it was true in Old Testament times, so it is true today. Then he says, “The Lord has commanded.” The word is diatassô, meaning the Lord “decreed,” “appointed,” “ordered,” “commanded,” “instituted,” “willed” that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from it. The Lord Jesus commands even now that God’s people finance God’s work with tithes and offerings.

Matthew Henry said,

The maintenance of ministers is not an arbitrary thing, left purely to the good-will of the people, who may let them starve if they please; no, as the God of Israel commanded that Levites should be well provided for, so has the Lord Jesus, the King of the Christian church, ordained, and a perpetual ordinance it is, that those who preach the gospel should live of the gospel (1 Cor. ix. 14), and should live comfortably (Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible, Volume 2 [Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell Company, n.d.] p. 97).

If we follow God’s plan of stewardship, there will be no need to beg, plead, or manipulate people for money. In this church we have lived by these principles all these years, and God has met our every need.

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13

Further New Testament teaching on Christian stewardship is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13: “Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you.” Notice, Paul uses three phrases to describe ministers of God:

1. “Those who work hard among you.” A true minister is one who labors in the preaching of the gospel.
2. “Who are over you in the Lord.” God has placed certain people over others. In one sense, the pastor is under God and under people, because he is one who ministers. But in another sense, he is under God and over people because God has called him to a position of authority.
3. “Who admonish you.” The word is noutheteô, meaning to put something into the mind. A true pastor is one who preaches, teaches, works hard, exercises leadership, and rebukes, when necessary. Paul may have mentioned this because the people in Thessalonica were walking in a disorderly way, specifically in the area of work. The word is ataktos, disorderly. These lazy people were mooching off others and needed to be rebuked.

But this passage also speaks about the duty of those under a minister. How are we to show respect to them? Verse 13 commands, “Hold them in the highest regard.” The word is huperekperissô. It is used only two other times in the New Testament-once in Ephesians 3:20, where Paul says, “God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or imagine,” and once in 1 Thessalonians 3:10, where Paul says, “Night and day we pray most earnestly.” There is no adverb more powerful in all of Scripture.

The idea is that we are to respect God’s ministers beyond measure. That does not mean we worship them, for we worship God alone, not any man or angel. But we must hold them in very high regard. This concept is foreign to our egalitarian American culture in which everyone is considered on the same level, and even children call their parents by their first names. (PGM) If we have been trained in such a manner, we must pay attention to Paul. We must never treat an elder or minister with contempt. Rather, we must “Hold them in the highest esteem.”

But suppose the minister rebukes us. Are we still to hold him in highest esteem? Yes, for God commands us to do so. In fact, God cares for us enough to send his servant to rebuke us so that we will turn from the wrong way and walk in the right way. That is why we have to hold him in highest esteem. Our natural tendency is to get angry and despise the one who tells us not to do certain things.

1 Timothy 5:17-18

The command to hold ministers “in the highest regard” may mean to give them respect as well as remuneration. After all, a pastor cannot eat respect. First Timothy 5:17-18 spells out this idea even more specifically: “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.” The word axios is used here also; the elders deserve “double honor.” What does double honor mean? Paul explains in verse 18: “For the Scripture says,” and then he cites the scripture from Deuteronomy 25:4, which says we should not muzzle an ox while it is threshing out the grain. Then he cites Jesus’ words: “The worker deserves his wages.” So we must pay God’s worker in money, or food, or whatever else we have.

In his commentary on 1 Timothy, Dr. John Stott also argues correctly that “double honor” here means respect and remuneration. Both are necessary. If we do not respect someone, then we will not respond to that person’s proclamation. Respect is essential for learning from a teacher, pastor, father, or mother. And remuneration is part of respect.

Galatians 6:6

Another teaching on Christian stewardship can be found in Galatians 6:6: “Anyone who receives instruction. . . .” Paul is speaking about instruction, not in neurosurgery or some other secular subject, but in spiritual things. Yes, a neurosurgeon is a highly talented, highly educated person to whom we pay a large amount of money and give great respect, even though what he does is profitable only in this age. But what a minister of the gospel does is profitable both now and in the age to come. When we receive the gospel by faith, it is for our everlasting profit.

So if we find a true preacher, what are we to do? “Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.” “All good things” means whatever material things that we have. We share because of the principle, “He who preaches the gospel must receive his living from the gospel.”

Luke 22:35

In Luke 22:35 Jesus asked his disciples, “‘When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?’ ‘Nothing,’ they answered.” These men were sent out as ministers by Jesus Christ himself. We are not to support every person who calls himself a minister, but only those called by God. So we must ask: Did Christ call, commission, and send this man? Is he a gift of Christ to the church, or did he or the church make a unilateral decision that he should be a minister? If Christ sends us, we will not lack anything because, ultimately, it is God’s responsibility to provide for his ministers.

God called Elijah to be a prophet, and sent him into the wilderness, promising, “I have ordered the ravens to feed you there” (1 Kings 17:4). The ravens did come, morning and evening, with meat and bread. Then God sent Elijah to a widow in Zarephath, where he received bread and water daily (1 Kings 17:9). Another time Elijah fled to the desert, where an angel came to him with freshly baked bread and water (1 Kings 19:6). If God calls us, he will provide. Jesus asked his disciples, “Did you lack anything?” “Nothing.” That is God’s assurance to all his ministers.

Principles of Christian Stewardship

What, then, are some principles of Christian stewardship?

1. The Lord’s financing program consists of our tithes and offerings. What are we supposed to give? The tithe is a fixed amount, and the offering can be any amount we decide.We find the idea of giving tithes and offerings in the New Testament as well as the Old. In Matthew 23:23 Jesus declared, “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.” In Matthew 5:20 Jesus said, “Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” It was a Pharisee who came into the temple and said, “I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get” (Luke 18:12). Pharisees were proud of their righteousness, but in view of the greater revelation in Jesus Christ, the Christian’s practical righteousness, including tithing, must exceed that of the Pharisees.
2. We must give regularly. To give only when we feel led to do so is not right. A minister has to live; he cannot depend solely on people’s generous feelings! Just as we get paid regularly for our secular jobs, even so, a minister’s pay should be regular and fixed. First Corinthians 16:2 says, “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income.” Deuteronomy 16:16-17 tells us, “Three times a year all your men must appear before the Lord your God at the place he will chose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles. No man should appear before the Lord empty-handed: Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you.” Now we meet weekly, and we should give accordingly.
3. Giving should be proportional to our income. We find this truth also in Deuteronomy 16:16-17 and 1 Corinthians 16:1-2. With the measure God has prospered us, we are to give.
4. Giving should be generous. Second Corinthians 9:6-8 says, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” If we understand what God did when he gave his own Son, we will be generous.
5. Giving should be governed by intelligence, not emotions. Our giving should not be based on whether or not the minister tells a sentimental story that tugs at our emotions. In 2 Corinthians 9:7 we are told, “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give.” That is intelligent, word-centered, biblically based giving. Think it through, make your calculations, and then give thoughtfully.
6. Giving should be sacrificial. Giving should cause us some pain and discomfort. In 2 Corinthians 8:2 Paul commends the churches of Macedonia for their sacrificial giving: “Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave us as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.” When we truly appreciate the cross and God’s condescension in saving us, we become generous.In Luke 21:1-4 we find a widow with two mites who gave sacrificially. She had three options of what to do with her money. First, she could not give anything and reason, “I am a poor person and I need these two mites for my own needs. God will understand.” Second, she could give one coin-fifty percent-which is a generous amount by anyone’s standards. Third, she could give both coins. This is what she did, and the Lord commended her.
7. We should give joyfully. Giving to God should be pure pleasure. Second Corinthians 9:7 says, “God loves a cheerful giver.” The adjective in Greek is hilaron, from which we get the word hilarious. If we do not get pleasure when we give, then we have not given in the right way. Ananias and Sapphira did not give hilariously, but grudgingly (Acts 5). But Jesus himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
8. We should give hopefully. Second Corinthians 9:8 says, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” This was written to encourage the Corinthian believers to give to the poor in Jerusalem. When we give, we should give in the confidence that God will provide for us.
9. We must give to our local church. Malachi 3:10 and Deuteronomy 12:4-8 speak about bringing the tithes to the temple, which today is the local church. We have no right to send our tithe to a televangelist or parachurch organization. If we are ministered to by a local church, we must bring our tithe to that church. God said, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.”

God Provides for His Ministers

If you are a minister, I encourage you to trust in God. Jesus asked his disciples, “When I sent you without a purse, did you lack anything?” “No, we lacked nothing,” they replied. Ultimately, the Lord Jesus Christ is responsible to take care of everyone who preaches the gospel. So he is responsible to give his ministers money for all their needs and for the work of his kingdom. So what God said to the Levites he says to all his ministers today: “You have no inheritance, but I am your share and your portion. I will take responsibility to provide for you.” This was true in the Old Testament and it is true today.

The Lord is my portion and inheritance. The Lord who called and commissioned me to preach the gospel is with me to provide, protect, and guide. God shall not let his servants beg bread, for it is a shame for a minister of the gospel, or any Christian, to beg bread. It reflects on the great God whose ministers we are.

Before I entered the ministry, I worked as a chemist. I did not want to become minister because I did not want to be dependent on others. But God’s sovereign will prevailed, and I entered into an agreement with God: God was to support me financially, and I would preach. I would not beg, plead, borrow, or manipulate people. And to this day, God has been my banker. He has supported me through his people.

I can give many examples of God’s provision from my own life. Once when I was in a graduate school I needed one hundred dollars. Someone brought that amount to the school office and asked, “Is there anyone from India here?” I was the only such student. The person said, “He needs one hundred dollars,” then left the money and went away. I never found out who this person was. He could have even been an angel, for the Bible says angels are ministering spirits to us!

Another time I needed five dollars. I opened a letter and there was five dollars, sent by a missionary from Africa. When I came to this city, the same thing happened. Over the years I have received many such provisions. I never asked for money yet have always had sufficiency. God has always provided for me exceedingly, abundantly above all that I can ask or imagine.

The Joy of Giving

There is great joy in Christian stewardship. But only true Christians will give for the glory of God. Others give for their own glory, parting with huge amounts of money so that their names may be memorialized. Such people are giving for their own immortality, not for the glory of God. Unbelievers worship money. But when Christ comes in, we worship him and money goes out.

If you have never experienced the joy of giving, I encourage you to start giving today. Do so especially if you are poor; you cannot afford not to. “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” (Luke 6:38). Not only will God bless your giving, but when you give in the name of the Lord, you are also storing up treasure in heaven.

Keep your eye on the generosity of Christ. “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” (2 Corinthians 8:9). The incarnation was a condescension for Christ, who became incarnate for our sakes that we might become rich in things that matter. Paul exclaims, “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15). Elsewhere he tells us, “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).

Have you received God’s greatest gift-the gift of his Son, Jesus Christ? Receive him as your Lord and Savior. If you have not committed your life to Jesus Christ, I urge you to do so today. He will provide for you generously and will make you a generous giver. Through him you will gladly give, even your own life, for the sake of the gospel. A true Christian follows Christ even to death, knowing that he has given us eternal life.

God’s kingdom work shall always be financed by God’s people from his abundant provision to them. Nothing has changed. It was true in the Old Testament and it is true today.