Using Your Heavenly Bank Account
We have learned that giving tithes and offerings
is an extremely important facet of Christian service. This financial plan funds
the Gospel work. Our own blessings are increased when we willingly and
cheerfully contribute to lighten others burdens. You may be thinking, "When
do I begin to tithe a tenth of my income? How should I make offerings? When will
I see a change in my life and in the lives of others after I follow God's
financial plan?"
The time to start is now! Every new phase of a
Christian's life should begin at the moment of awareness. Upon receiving your
next paycheck, allowance, or other form of income, immediately reserve a tenth
for the Lord. Give it thankfully in the very next service. This initiates
Heavenly blessings in your life. You may even notice immediate improvements!
A Christian woman facing financial difficulty
withheld her tithes and used the money to pay a debt. Over a three month period,
the situation worsened. No sooner was one bill paid than another took its place.
Then she realized that God required the "firstfruits" of her income
rather than the "last fruits". By resuming the payment of tithes, she
soon regained financial stability. Remember that offerings above God's tithe
will also return on the wings of blessing. By faith, one couple increased
their missions giving, without knowing from where the extra money would come.
The very next day the wife received a significant salary increase almost the
same amount they had committed!
You probably know of someone who was laid off
from their job but had consistently given to God's work. Then, an unexpected
visitor carried this message: "God told me to give you this money. Be sure
to thank Him for it." What had happened? A transaction was made through the
"Bank of Heaven". The needy person received a withdrawal from their
"savings" account while the donor was making a deposit into his.
Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where
neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through
nor steal" (Matthew 6:20).
Although we make numerous deposits in this
Heavenly account, we do not make complete withdrawals. To bring all our money
back on earth would return it to Satan's financial system where the
"rust" of inflation and depression can deplete it. But God provides
what we need_when we need it. He may also include a "dividend check"
giving us more than we ask!
Making Deposits
Here are four ways of making
deposits in our Heavenly Bank:
Tithing. Have you wondered what God does with His ten percent of your income? He
reinvests it into the Gospel work!
"And he gave some, apostles; and some,
prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the
perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying the
body Christ" (Ephesians 4:1 1_12). Tithing money repays the pastor and his
associates who feed. edify and help perfect us.
Support ministries that spread the Gospel.
Through giving to missions or other ministries involved in fulfilling the Great
Commission, we can become partners in evangelizing the world. Becoming a
financial partner with a soul_winner, one who prays for the sick, or teaches the
message of truth is a wise investment. Those who invest in them. When we heavily
invest in God's work on earth, the returns are enormous!
Giving to the poor. Notice
what happens when we unselfishly give to the needy:
"He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth
unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again"
(Proverbs 19:17).
How does this work? Helping the needy is like
making a loan to the Lord_and He always repays His debts! What if the poor just
want more and more? We must remember that Satan may have always dominated them
with poverty and suppression. Finding someone who really cares is astounding.
Why not obligate them to the Gospel while
furnishing them with material needs? Explain that Jesus is our Source of supply
and wants to be theirs, too. By becoming a member of His Covenant Kingdom, they
can receive His great benefits. Then they can become a channel of God's
blessings to someone else. Feed a beggar and you will have a beggar full of
food. But introduce him to the power of God, and he will be transformed for
life!
Christ was our perfect example for this type of
giving. Because He had so frequently given alms to the needy, His disciples
assumed at the Last Supper that he had sent Judas to give something to the poor
(John 13:29).For a real treat, try Jesus' method of giving alms: Iet not thy
left hand know what thy right hand doeth" (Matthew 6:3). Suppose you learn
of a special need of a member in your congregation. Maybe the husband is
temporarily out of work or the family needs food, clothing, or money. Why not
send an anonymous contribution through your pastor? Or place money in an
envelope addressed to the family and leave it in the pastor's office. Then watch
as they begin to praise God for His blessing.
Years ago, a minister was experiencing serious
financial problems. After service, a man gave him $25. With deep gratitude, he
thanked his friend and the Lord for answering his prayer. While walking home
from church, he met a hungry man who was also having difficult times. The
minister gave him five dollars. A short time later he also gave five dollars to
another destitute man. Then he bought a badly needed pair of shoes for another
person.
"Since that time," the preacher
reports, "whenever I've opened my cupboard or refrigerator, there's always
been something to eat. The Lord has never failed to supply my needs!"
Praise offerings.
Just as we make sacrificial offerings of praise with our lips, so our giving can
be an instrument of praise.
Have you ever experienced the ecstasy of giving
a special gift to one of God's children? You simply wanted to express your
gratitude for the Lord's marvelous benefits. Perhaps it was giving baskets of
fruit to the leaders of your church or to the elderly. It may have been a
sacrificial offering to build a church or Christian school. The one chosen to
receive the blessing may have been prosperous. But you felt compelled to express
your heart felt love and praise in some unique,
creative manner as unto the Lord.
When we make deposits in these four methods, we
are learning to lay up treasures in Heaven. And when we need help, it will be
readily available.
Making Withdrawals
How do we receive a blessing from our Heavenly
account? Just as a withdrawal slip is presented to an earthly bank, we present
our prayer petition to the Heavenly Banker. Perhaps we have a personal need or
even a secret wish. Bring it before God and allow Him to handle it.
This "receiving" principle is
illustrated in our New Covenant agreement of physical healing. It is something
claimed not begged or hoped for.
Find a promise in God's Word.
Perhaps a verse describes your exact need_food, clothing, shelter,
transportation. If the need is not specifically covered in the Bible, find a
related promise. Remember, God knows your need or desire before you ask. But He
wants you to come forward and state it. To include a Scripture with the petition
shows that you honor His Word. Always read the Covenant provisions! If it says
it's yours_it's yours!
Confess your faith.
To express thankfulness while waiting for an answer shows an unwavering faith.
Rather than asking for the same thing over and over, say, "Dear Lord, I
thank you for _______ ." If the Devil tries to put doubts in your mind,
dismiss them with a sincere prayer of appreciation.
Unite with someone in prayer.
if your faith needs more time to grow, find a prayer partner who will agree that
your need will be answered by God.
" . . . if two of you shall agree on earth
as touching any thing that they shall ask, it
shall be done for them for my Father which is in
heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in
the midst of them" (Matthew 18:19_20).
The goal of a faithful steward is to experience
true spiritual, mental, physical, social and financial prosperity. He wants his
finances to publish the message of salvation to the lost and help others to know
the love and generosity of Jesus Christ.
And so it goes . . . as we give to the needs of
others, we are in turn blessed as we receive from God and others. The rewards of
giving are great both in Heaven and on earth!
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