The Joy of Discovering Hidden Treasure - 8

 The Joy of Discovering Hidden Treasure - 8

Subject – Some Things to Consider

By Rick Welborne

Matthew 13:44 (NKJV)
⁴⁴  "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 

--Maybe (hopefully) you are asking “How much is God asking me to give beyond my ten percent (tithe). Truthfully, only God can answer that question. That means we need to ask Him.

--God has not established one set amount for our voluntary giving. Here’s where the fun comes in about giving, we get to pray and ask Him what He wants us to do. He promises to give us guidance.

James 1:5-7 (NIV)
⁵  If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
⁶  But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
⁷  That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;

--Please do not think that obeying God in your giving or in anything else is burdensome. It definitely is not.

1 John 5:3 (NIV) ³ This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,

--Whenever we are obedient to God there is so much joy and peace.

Psalm 119:47 (NLT2) ⁴⁷ How I delight in your commands! How I love them! 

1. Where Our Giving Should Start

--Giving should always start with your local Bible believing Christ centered church, the spiritual community to which you are accountable. 

--I believe the Book of Malachi is pretty clear about where our tithe belongs. It tells us to bring the whole tithe into the storehouse which is a reference to the local church.

Malachi 3:8-10 (NIV)
⁸  "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings.
⁹  You are under a curse--the whole nation of you--because you are robbing me.
¹⁰  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 am constantly amazed how many people ask me if it is okay for them to give or send their tithes to other places or people rather than giving it to their local church.

--One man asked me if it was okay for him to send his entire tithe to a church in New York State while he attended Life Church. He said they need it more than you guys do. That’s not the point.

--I asked him did he believe it was okay for him to eat here in the Villages at Outback and enjoy a good meal but send his money to another Outback in another state. Probably won’t work. 

--Beyond your tithe, you can support your local churches mission’s program hopefully giving to the general missions so that present missionaries can be supported and others added. Support in-house ministries.

--Pastor, is it okay to support secular organizations? It may be good to ask the which is more important, the Human Society, or whatever is close to the heart of God when it comes to evangelism, church planting, or the poor?

--Many give to so called Christian Colleges who have moved far from biblical standards and are leading young people astray. Do your research and support truly Christian schools with beliefs in God’s Word and His Spirit.

2. Your Giving Commitment – A Review

A. I affirm God’s full ownership of me and everything I own.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV)
¹⁹  Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
²⁰  you were bought at a price. 

Psalm 24:1 (NIV) ¹ The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; 

--This is saying I recognize that “my” money and possessions are the Lord’s. I am His money manager and His delivery person. I will ask Him what He wants me to do with His money.

B. I will set aside the first fruits—starting with at least 10 percent of all I receive.

--I will be treating it as belonging exclusively to the Lord. I do this in obedience to the Lord, desiring His blessings. By faith I take God up on His challenge to test Him in this. 

Malachi 3:10 (NIV)
¹⁰  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.

C. Out of the remaining treasure God entrusts to me, I will prayerfully seek to make generous freewill gifts.

--I recognize and understand God has entrusted wealth to me so that I can be “generous on every occasion.”

 2 Corinthians 9:11-12 (NIV)
¹¹  You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
¹²  This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 

--Pastor, please give us an example of what being “generous on every occasion” could look like here at Life Church. We are so blessed to have missionaries every month here to share their hearts with us.

--What if, you prayed and asked God (on top of your tithe and general mission’s giving) what He would have you do for each of the missionaries who come. 

--At the time of our mission’s convention I ask God what He will have our family to do for each missionary who comes to speak to us. We get the joy of sharing in the ministry of these wonderful people.

--Another what if, what if God wants you to be here to support our missionaries in person and He wants you to be here to be “generous on every occasion?” Something to really consider.

--None of us want to be guilty of robbing God by not only withholding our tithe, but, also by whatever offerings He calls me to give. Obviously, we ask Him to make His will clear to us about what to give.

D. I ask God to teach me to give sacrificially to His purposes.

--This includes helping the poor in my community and around the world. This also includes reaching the lost here in America and around the world. Missions.

--Often people will try to make a major point about reaching the lost here in America instead of sending our money to other countries. Of our 205 missionaries, about 40 are US missionaries. About a fifth.

--To be able to give sacrificially I have to commit myself to avoiding getting myself into unmanageable debt. By doing so I do not tie up God’s money and can follow Holy Spirit leading me to give. 

--Maybe you know this or maybe you don’t, missionary candidates cannot even go on the mission field to minister if much of their funds given to reach the lost would be going toward irresponsible debt.

--If this is a qualification for those who are going, shouldn’t it be a requirement for those who are sending them. It will take a responsible church with a vision to make a difference in the world. God help us.

--There are many things that makes me sad or angry that my money goes toward but I never regret bringing to God my tithes or giving to missions. I apologize for using this verse so much but listen again:

2 Corinthians 9:12 (NIV)
¹²  This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.

--My giving is meeting the needs of God’s people (people in my church and missionaries) and it is overflowing with many expressions of thanks (worship) to God! Sacrificial giving brings me great joy!

 2 Corinthians 9:15 (NIV) ¹⁵ Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

E. Knowing, I cannot take earthly treasures with me, I determine to store up treasure in Heaven.

--I make a settled determination (resolution) to store up treasure in Heaven that is for the glory and honor of Jesus Christ and for the eternal good of others, and myself. 

--I understand that Heaven is my home not earth. I acknowledge Jesus as Lord of my life and that everything I have, yes everything, is His on demand for His purposes.

Psalm 24:1 (NLT2) ¹ The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. 

--Maybe this is a good question to start with if we really believe God owns us and everything we have:

“What am I hanging on to that you would want me to give away?”

Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)
¹⁹  "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
²⁰  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
²¹  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.