For God so LOVED the world that He GAVE His ONLY begotten Son that WHOSOEVER believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life… John 3:16. What a powerful allusion to the attitude and methodology of giving that sets the tone for offering/tithe reform! So often, we mistakenly perceive giving as a preserve of those who have surplus or excess. In fact, we look to those whom we believe to have in excess to shoulder the burdens of the masses and expect the understanding of both God and man when we don’t give…after all, they all know that I have limited resources. However, the leading statement in John 3:16 dispels our notions of giving on the following bases:
Motive (For God so loved) – Love is the purest driving force behind giving. When our motives are not fuelled from a point of love, we then give conditionally i.e. with expectations of reciprocity or recognition. Such giving is reprehensible to God as it ascribes glory to the creature instead of the Creator.
Sacrifice (that He gave) – To give is to freely set aside/devote/transfer the possession of something to someone. In this context, there is an element of sacrificing/relinquishing. The actual action of giving sacrificially can only then be a response to the overflow of love in our hearts.
Totality (His only begotten Son) – God didn’t select one of many arrows in a full quiver but rather gave up ALL He had. When we, therefore, put limitations on what we give – often on the lowest possible scale – in an attempt at self-preservation, we miss the principle that God would have us embrace. When we fearfully cling to contingency by withholding from our Sustainer, we render Him powerless to work great and mighty deeds through us as a witness to nonbelievers.
Indiscriminate (that whosoever believes in Him) – while we are often predisposed to give to those who we like or classify of deserving or worthy, God does not discriminate. If we then are to uphold the kingdom method of giving, we will not qualify recipients or missionary projects based on man-made parameters that are usually laced with great biases but on the great commission to “go and make disciples of ALL nations” – Matt:28:19.
Now, when we zoom in to view the principle of returning, we can’t help but be further humbled. Whereas the word GIVE has the connotation of ownership, the word RETURN clearly denotes a trusteeship type of scenario as allowed or facilitated by the owner. It is a testament to the dependency on the lender and puts the person required to return in a position of indebtedness. When we are thus required to return to the Lord a part of what He has blessed us with as illustrated in Malachi 3:10, it’s a reminder that outside of His gracious provision we would have nothing. In fact, our perspective shifts from giving back leftover scraps when and as available to prioritizing our God-given responsibility in giving then living on what remains. Just as the rich master in Matthew 25:14-30 expected his servants to build up on what he entrusted them with and yield a profit, God expects us to masterfully utilize His gifts to secure a bountiful harvest for His kingdom.
We need to understand that God requires of us not just financial resources but all resources at our disposal. He has given us the resources of time, talents, strength, mental capabilities, influence and so much more. Isn’t it interesting how most of us can hang out with friends, family and colleagues an entire day without running out of content yet we are hard pressed to spend 5 meaningful minutes with God. We show up on time to work or school but find it difficult to keep appointments with God in a timely fashion or not at all. We expend all our energy at work, school, relationships, then offer God’s work minimalist and listless effort. We are known to be brilliant in diverse spheres but do not apply the same standard to God’s service. Some of us have far-reaching influence in society and use it to secure favours for ourselves and those around us but let God’s cause suffer in instances where our influence would have made a difference.
What then would God have us do as co-labourers in His vineyard? He would have us give of ourselves, our time, our material resources and our talents. Our outlook ought to shift to returning what we owe, giving our best to God’s cause and then depending on God to sustain us for His name’s sake. It’s time to stop short-changing mission work by allowing mediocrity to be the norm. For too long, missionary work has been plagued with associations of poverty and desperation yet our God owns the cattle on a thousand hills (and the thousand hills for those who identify more closely with the value of real estate than livestock) – Psalm 50:10. What a powerful testimony we would have if we were to give like the Israelites did when God commanded them to build a tabernacle and the people gave until they were asked to stop because the provisions were overflowing (Exodus 36:5). How much more would we experience God’s blessings if we took Him at His word when He asks us to test Him and see if He won’t shower us with blessings beyond measure (Malachi 3:10 paraphrase).
It is in this spirit that the Reforms 101 Ministry appeals to you to be co-labourers with us and support God’s vast mission work. It is our desire to provide a platform for a variety of holistic programs designed to call us back to God’s original plan in all aspects of our lives for free. However, we recognize that almost everything costs money and thus we invite you to join this gospel train by donating via the number provided as often as you’re convicted to do so. We have seen God’s hand in every single activity that we have undertaken and can testify that even when we didn’t have, as long as we stepped forth and started the journey, the “Red Sea” parted and God’s truth kept marching on.
Apart from financial donations, we welcome donations in time, especially during seminars. Are you a friend of the ministry gifted in children’s ministry? We would love your assistance in running children-oriented programs in order to integrate them in the reform journey. Are you in a position to assist with learning materials for kids or for adults during practical workshops? This would be highly appreciated. Do you have access to spacious and/or picturesque venues for seminars or retreats? This would be a big help.
May God richly bless you and may you, in turn, be a blessing to a soul thirsting for divine refreshment; that you may know the joy of giving.
DONATE HERE (I RECOMMEND THAT WE GET A PAYBILL NUMBER FOR THIS PURPOSE FOR LEGITIMACY)
HOW TO BE FINANCIALLY STABLE IN THESE END TIMES
If you’re like me, you’ve racked your brain to figure out how to attain financial freedom. You envision a point in your life when you can eat out without the price column determining what you order, travel on a whim without counting the cost, be a homeowner and so on. We dream of leaving behind wealth that would be able to sustain a generation or 2 after we’re gone. However, when we wake up each day, the reality is that most of us have to pull mindboggling maneuvers in order to make ends meet. Every cent counts, LITERALLY and if something occurs to disrupt the delicately balanced tight rope we’re walking, then our world shatters. Some of us live from paycheck to paycheck and the slightest delay in the arrival of the next payment leaves us paralyzed.
What was God’s design for us in terms of occupation? Would God have us so utterly dependent on any being other than Him? When God tells us not to worry about tomorrow (Matthew 6:25-32), it implies trust in His sure provision that is new every morning and is sufficient for each day’s issues (Matthew 6:34). The Israelites received manna daily without fail (Exodus 16), Elijah was fed by scavenging ravens (1Kings 17:2-6), the widow who took in Elijah didn’t run out of oil or flour for the duration that the prophet stayed in her house (1kings 17:8-16). God is able to provide for each day’s need even without our input (save for the input of faith). However, does this preclude us from working to secure an inheritance for our families?
The question of financial freedom especially in these last days is quite a pivotal issue with regard to our salvation. If we don’t prepare adequately to be free from secular authorities that control commodities, employment, services and trade in general, we will have difficulty surviving without compromising our faith. So, is there a godly formula for achieving financial freedom in order to cut the cord of dependency and hyper consumerism? Is it possible to change the tangent of our lives especially for those of us who believe that we lack the knack for entrepreneurship? Is it too late to change our default mode of occupation and adopt new skills in order to secure our future in the coming days?
These are some of the issues that we seek to demystify under financial reform so keep it Reforms 101 Ministry for forums on this pertinent subject.