Investing God's Way

Chuckle: "I'm not rich like Jack, don't have a mansion like Russell or a Porche like Martin, but I do love you and want to marry you." "I love you too, but what was that you said about Martin?"

Quote: "A man there was, though some did count him mad, The more he cast away, the more he had." --John Bunyan, "The Pilgrim's Progress"

"Honor the LORD with your wealth and the best part (firstfruits) of everything your land produces" (Proverbs 3:9 NLT). Jesus said, "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 the measure you use, it will be measured to you" (Luke 6:38 NIV).

One would have to be in the burrow with Punxsutawney Phil (tomorrow is groundhog day) not to be aware that many people are still struggling to make ends meet in these difficult economic times. The lackluster economic recovery continues to place a strain on many families even though the overall economic climate is slowly improving. Many hurting people have not yet experienced the benefits of the recovery. Maybe you can identify with this group 

As high prices put terrible strains on our budgets, many find their disposable income plateauing, going down, or vanishing entirely, forcing them to withdraw from savings and/or max out credit cards to meet their financial needs. Thousands of jobs have recently been lost in the oil industry alone due to declining oil prices.

Investments that people depend upon for retirement are growing ever so slowly, or not at all, due to low interest rates. How should Christians react when they find themselves in difficult financial situations? We should always turn to God's Word for wisdom in handling our financial resources both in good times and bad.

Our passage, written by Solomon, deals with the practice of giving to God the first and the best parts of our income and other resources. He reminds us that rich or poor we are to honor God by putting Him first in every area of our lives, and this includes the disbursement of our income. When we obey God with our tithes and offerings, we can depend upon His promises to be with us even through the worst of times (Hebrews 13:5). Please notice the promises made by Jesus in our Luke 6:38 passage. 

When things aren't going well for us, we honor God by trusting His perfect plan. God has a way of multiplying what we have left when we are faithful in giving to help meet the needs of others. If you are struggling financially, I pray God will bless you and give you wisdom both in your giving and management of the remaining resources He has entrusted to you.

Faith is giving even when I can't spare it. By obeying God in our giving, we are investing in the eternal and He will prepare us to receive His special blessings (Malachi 3:10). Whether God has blessed us with little or much, let's all be generous in helping those less fortunate and by supporting the ministries of your church. Also, let's be careful not to give God the leftovers but the firstfruits of our labor.

Love, Jerry & Dotse