E-Devotional-Week 20

PROPORTIONATE GIVING-WEEK 3        

PROPORTIONATE AND SYSTEMATIC GIVING

By: Barry G. Allen- President & CEO

Unfortunately, most churches approach the giving aspect of financial stewardship as an economic necessity versus a basic spiritual, and distinctively Christian, imperative.  Giving is at the heart of the Christian life.  Cecil Ray once said, “the Christian giver is one who has first found Jesus Christ as the real Lord of life and then has sought to make both his words and deeds bear witness to this lordship.”  Ask yourself the question, what does my giving say about my relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ?

What does the Bible say about proportionate giving? Proportionate giving was the basis of Old Testament tithing.  Although the New Testament focuses less on the legal basis, it retains the idea of giving as God has prospered you.  The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 8:12, “It doesn’t matter how much you have. What matters is how much you are willing to give from what you have.”

What does the Bible say about systematic giving? Giving should not be a hit and miss affair.  The Old Testament tithing system incorporated regular patterns that avoided sporadic giving.  Similarly the Apostle Paul instructed the Corinthians to put something aside every week.  1 Corinthians 16:2: “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.”

Prayer Focus: Pray for the motivation and discipline to be a proportionate giver.

Next Week: Earn more, Give More

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The information in this article is provided as general information and is not intended as legal or tax advice. For advice and assistance in specific cases, you should seek the advice of an attorney or other professional adviser.