Page 100 - Ecclesiology revised short_Neat

5. Giving based on how much God has prospered you! So, if God has given you a bunch, give a
bunch. Give according to your ability to give, and on occasion, God may ask you
to give beyond your ability. Sometimes God asks us to give sacrificially. But the
general principle is, give as God has prospered you.

When God entrusts you with more money, instead of spending it on more
things for yourself (which will rust and be eaten by moths or stolen by thieves),
ask yourself, “Lord, how do you want this money used to expand your
Kingdom?” As God gives you more, you should increase the percentage you
give, not just the amount. Set a basic level for your livelihood, and then commit
to giving the rest to God. You will find that as you are faithful, God will channel more of his resources
through you.

Here is the catch. You cannot start giving someday in the future when you are rich. You start today with
the resources you presently manage. Jesus commended the poor widow who gave all she had to live
on, but he was not impressed with the large gifts of the rich, because they had much left over (Mark
12:41-44)

George Muller is remembered as a man who received millions of dollars to support
his orphanages, in response to secret prayer without making any needs known to
others. What many don’t know is that Muller gave away vast amounts to the Lord’s
work out of funds that were given for his personal support. From 1870 on, he
personally contributed the full support for about 20 missionaries with the China
Inland Mission. From 1831-1885, he gave away 86% of his personal income! As the
Lord prospered him, he could have lived in style. But he lived simply and gave away
the rest to advance God’s kingdom on earth and to see hundreds, if not thousands,
of souls saved for all eternity.

As Charles Wesley said in one of his famous sermons, “Get all you can!” “Save all you can!” “Give all
you can!”

George Muller

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pb4UHHmA6VU

Basic Principles for Giving from II Corinthians 9

Probably one of the key chapters in the Bible that provides us the instructions for New Testament giving
is found in II Corinthians 9. The background to this book is that the church in Jerusalem was
experiencing a desperate financial need and Paul was asking the churches in Macedonia to assist their
brothers and sisters in Christ. The church at Corinth has made a pledge to give, and Paul wanted to
make sure they were prepared to give once he arrived there so that he could personally take the gifts
back to Jerusalem. So, Paul shared with them how to give and what the consequences of their gifts
would be.

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