“Then He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” Matthew 22:21

It comes around once each year…. TAX DAY. April 15 is the day our government has set as the day we file our tax return for the previous year. We don’t like the complexity of the return. We think taxes are too high and we don’t like the spend our money, but pay we must.

Jesus actually validated paying our taxes when he said we should render unto Caesar that which belongs to Caesar, so we often hear tax day referred to as render to Caesar day. But there was more to what Jesus said.

Remember the context. The Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus into blaspheming, and asked if it was lawful for Jews to pay taxes to Rome. Jesus held up a coin and asked whose picture was on it, and the Pharisees replied that it was Caesar’s picture. So, Jesus told them to give to Caesar (secular authority) that which was his (taxes) and give to God what belonged to Him (praise and worship).

There is but one tax return filing date each year, but for the Christian there should be 365 praise and worship days. Every day should be God’s day. Are you giving to God the praise and worship he deserves? Are you giving to Him the tithes and offerings that are rightfully His?

I recently heard a great message where the pastor quoted Psalm 150, verse 6: “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” Praise the Lord. He then asked a poignant question. If that verse said “Let everything that praises the Lord have breath, how many of us would be breathing today?”

What are you rendering to God? Do you render the praise and worship He deserves? Do you praise and thank Him every time you draw a breath? Interestingly, when you look through publications and even Bible commentaries for the “rendering” verse, more emphasis is placed on the rendering to Caesar part that to the rendering to God part,

Remember to pay your taxes on time, but remember to give God praise and worship all the time. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.
(a thought on life from John Grant )

by John Grant
used by permission

John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

FURTHER READING

Joyful Generosity

Tithing – The Generosity Habit

Money Matters

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“Always remember that it is the Lord your God who gives you power to become rich, and He does it to fulfill His promise to your ancestors” (Deuteronomy 8:18)

A Christian woman whom I knew, worth many millions of dollars, panicked when the stock market dropped and she lost almost one million dollars. Even though she had tens of millions in reserve, she was filled with apprehension and fear that she would die a pauper. She had never discovered the adventure and freedom of “giving and receiving” in a trust relationship with God.

Conversely, a businessman called me long distance a short time later to tell me how excited he was over the way God was blessing his new business venture. He had decided to give all the profits – potentially millions – toward helping to reach the world for Christ.

“I am sending $50,000 for Here’s Life in Asia,” he said. “And there will be much more later. I don’t want to invest in buildings. I want to invest this money where it will be used immediately to win and disciple people for Christ.”

The principle is the same, whether you have $100 or $1 million. Ask God to tell you what to do toward helping to fulfill the Great Commission. Second, look for a worthy, proven project that you can support monthly, if only modestly, in addition to your commitment to your local church.

As your faith in God’s love and trustworthiness grows, prayerfully make a faith promise pledge that is greater than you are capable of fulfilling with your present income.

Bible Reading: Malachi 3:7-12

Today’s Action Point:

I will ask God today to help me trust Him to give – by faith – more than I can possibly afford to give toward his work, with the certainty that He will supply all my needs and enable me to meet my faith promise pledge supernaturally.

By Dr. Bill Bright
used by permission

RELATED READING

The Generosity Habit
Try Tithing
Joyful Generosity

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Do you feel led to give?

“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
2 Corinthians 9:7-8

Christmas is over; those shoe boxes full of toys and school supplies for needy children got sent out months ago. The receipts for your tithing at church, and the donations you made to the local charity have been filed. The season of giving has finally come to an end.

Or has it?

The Apostle Paul challenged the first century Church to give financially as they felt led to give, and his words challenge the Church today as well.

Do you struggle with giving?

God does not want you to give as if you were simply following a rule book, or checking something off of a list. God desires that you give as an act of worship, responding to receiving the grace that he has given you through his son, Jesus Christ.

Do you feel led to give?

Give generously, as you feel led! Whether you have an abundance or are living paycheck to paycheck, you can give joyfully and generously. And Paul’s words are an assurance that God can provide for all of your needs, as you continue to do the works he calls you to do.

Most importantly, remember that Jesus gave up his glory and “became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). As you give of your finances, remember what Jesus gave up for you. Rejoice that God can use your giving to help others come to know Jesus as their savior as well.

Father, thank you for providing us with all that we have. Thank you for sending your son, Jesus Christ, to be our savior. Help us to have generous hearts; and help us to trust that you will provide for our needs as we give of our finances. Amen.

Thought: Where is your heart when you think about giving of your finances? If you struggle to give of your money, confess this to the Lord, and ask him to give you a generous, giving heart. Pray that God will give you an opportunity to give, and that he will give you joy as you give to him.

By Caran Jantzen
Used by Permission

Further Reading

• Try Tithing

•  The Generosity Habit

•  Salvation Explained

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When it comes to giving, Marvin Kehler, a businessman and Christian leader, doesn’t think it is complicated.

“It all starts with God putting a desire in your heart. Once that happens, God begins to supply the means to fulfill it.”

Marvin and his wife Katherine have applied this simple philosophy throughout their personal and professional lives. God has honored their unconditional willingness to give of their time, talents, and resources by providing them with more opportunities to give than they ever could have imagined. Looking back on Marvin’s early years it’s easy to see why giving has become such a natural part of his and Katherine’s lives.

Planting the Desire
There was not a lot of money around when Marvin was born in the small town of Altona, Manitoba in 1938. Like most Canadians, Marvin’s parents were still struggling through the midst of the Great Depression. Marvin’s father ran his own business but the family was still very poor.

Despite their poverty, Marvin began to note how other family members always seemed to depend on his parents for help. This included some of his parents’ siblings as well as Marvin’s grandfather, who was a teacher and lay pastor.

“When things fell apart for other family members, it was interesting how many of them ended up at our place,” Marvin says. “Strangely, there always seemed to be enough ‘extra’ to go around for those in need.”

When Marvin was in his teen years, his parents bought his grandparents’ chicken and raspberry farm and moved to Abbotsford, British Columbia. It was a tough go with little profit to be made, but Marvin’s parents stuck it out, even taking jobs off the farm to keep things going. Although Marvin didn’t realize it at the time, he later learned that his parents were giving 50 percent of the farm profits to Christian causes.

“That had a phenomenal impact on my life. I thought that was definitely the way to do it.”

Responding to the Call
When Marvin and Katherine got married and started a new life on their own, they were determined to continue practicing the habits of generosity Marvin had picked up from his parents.

They told God they were willing to go anywhere, do anything, and give whatever he asked. They got very involved sharing the gospel with as many people as possible.

One of Marvin’s responsibilities was helping to raise money for a Christian ministry. But he found the task so difficult and time consuming that he decided to get into business for himself so he would have more of his own resources to give.

“At first, my goal was to make a lot of money. Then I realized that was relatively easy. It was also meaningless. But giving a lot of money, that’s a different story that helps our faith to increase.”

God rewarded Marvin and Katherine’s willingness to obey him by blessing his business with tremendous success. After reaching his financial goals at the young age of 32, Marvin went on to get involved in many more ministries and businesses, further increasing his wealth and his ability to give.

Multiplying the Means
It was around this time that Marvin started to look at various Christian organizations in light of his business experience. What he discovered alarmed him and provided Marvin with an opportunity to put his ideas to the test by becoming involved in the Canadian branch of Campus Crusade for Christ. Marvin willingly took on the task of serving as president, and vowed to help create an organization that leveraged every dollar they raised to its maximum potential. He looked at an investment in Campus Crusade – or any Christian organization for that matter – just like any other type of investment; the goal being to get the maximum return on your dollar.

With God’s guidance, over Marvin’s 28-year tenure as president, he and the rest of the Crusade staff were able to help share with millions of people how they can personally have a relationship with Jesus. And God has rewarded their faithfulness by entrusting them with even greater resources, just as He promises in the Bible. (Matthew 25:14-30)

In 1976, Crusade’s budget was only $189,000 and it was costing them well over a dollar for every person with whom they shared the gospel.  When he resigned from his presidency of CCC 28 years later, Canada, Crusade’s annual budget was upwards of $20 million, and, thanks to new strategies, new technology and strategic partnerships, sharing the gospel costs only pennies per person.

Lessons Learned

Along the way, Marvin and Katherine have learned some important principles about life and giving. Here are a few:

God Owns Everything – We Are Only Managers

“It’s okay to earn money,” Marvin says, “but you shouldn’t try to hold onto it. God has made us like a flow-through system, not a reservoir. Money is a lot like water – the tighter you hold onto it, the more it leaks out of your hands. The temptation to hold on is always there. But you are more blessed to allow the money you make to flow through to others.”

You Can Give Much More Than Your Money
In addition to their financial resources, Marvin believes it’s just as important that people share their time, talents and influence.

He notes that many people respond to this by saying, “But I don’t have anything to give:” however, Marvin strongly disagrees.

“God gives us all twenty-four hours a day. We need to ask ourselves, ‘How am I using it? How am I using it to affect my sphere of influence? Am I truly being salt and light to my friends and associates? Is Jesus being lifted up? I believe we are going to be as accountable for our time, talents and influence as we are for our possessions.”

The Time to Give is Now
Years back, a friend of Marvin’s who had lost a huge fortune told him, “You can only give it when you’ve got it.” That made a deep impression upon Marvin.

“I realized that you can only give your time when you have your health. The same goes for talent, money and influence. As the saying goes, ‘If you don’t use it, you lose it.'”

You Can Only Give What You Have
Many times Marvin has heard people say something to the effect of, “Well, if I had money like that guy, I’d give it too!” But Marvin encourages people not to look to those who are wealthy but rather to look to their own situation.

“What are you doing with what you have now? Are you being faithful with what God has already given you? As you are faithful, he will bless you.”

On the flip side, if you feel God calling you to give but you don’t have the necessary resources right now, Marvin encourages you to keep the vision of the call anyway and believe that God will supply the means at the appropriate time.

Always Seek the Best Return on Your Giving Investment

“Choosing where to give is as critical as any other investment I’ve ever made,”Marvin says.

He recommends that you seek out organizations whose goal is to share God’s message of salvation with the greatest number of people possible so that none should perish (John 3:16) and who have the ability to do this as effectively and as efficiently as possible.

Written by Kevin Miller
Used by permission

If you, like Marvin, are looking for the abundant, deeply satisfying relationship with God, I encourage you to pray by faith and ask the Holy Spirit to fill you. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, God has given you His Holy Spirit to help you live life according to His perfect plan. Why not pray this simple prayer and by faith invite Him to fill you with His Spirit:

Dear Father, I need you. I acknowledge that I have sinned against you by directing my own life. I thank You that You have forgiven my sins through Christ’s death on the cross for me. I now invite Christ to again take His place on the throne of my life. Fill me with the Holy Spirit as You commanded me to be filled, and as You promised in Your Word that You would do if I asked in faith. I pray this in the name of Jesus. As an expression of my faith, I thank You for directing my life and for filling me with the Holy Spirit. Amen.

To learn more about our Helper, the Holy Spirit, follow this link. https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/biblestudies_/spiritfilledlife

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FURTHER READING

• Joyful Generosity

•  A Blessing So Great – Tithing

• You Cannot Outgive God 

The post Tithing – The Generosity Habit appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“For God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7

I will never forget the day when God asked me to give away something that meant a great deal to me. In our early years of marriage, my husband bought me a beautiful gold pendant cross necklace. He was in the military at the time, and through seven deployments over a 10-year period, I never once took it off. It was a constant reminder of God’s faithfulness to me in difficult times.

Yet one day, while going for a walk, I sensed God was asking me to give this necklace to someone else. I didn’t hesitate; I can remember walking over to him, taking it off, and sharing God’s love for him. As he proceeded to cry, I put it around his neck and gave him a hug.

When our hearts and hands are open to giving, they are also open to receiving. When God asks us to give, whatever that may look like, He often has something to give back to us in return that is just as meaningful and special.

A cheerful giver reveals a life of someone who has put full trust in God, believing He is a good Father who loves to bless His children and enjoys watching His children bless one another in return. This is the life God has called us to.

A while later while opening up Christmas gifts, my five-year-old son handed me a little box. Within it lay a beautiful cross necklace made of bone that he had bought with his small amount of chore money. He didn’t know that I had given away my special necklace, but God knew, and used my little boy to bless me more than I could have even imagined.

You are a good Father: kind, caring, gracious, loving, and eager to bless Your children. May I always be willing to give where You ask me to, and may my heart always be joyous in doing so. Use me to love others the way You love them. Amen.

By Brigitte Straub
used by permission

FURTHER READING

•  The Generosity Habit

•  Try Tithing

•  Salvation Explained

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“Bring all the tithes…so there will be food enough…if you do, I will open up the windows of heaven for you and pour out a blessing so great you won’t have room enough to take it in! Try it! Let me prove it to you!” Malachi 3:10

An email with an interesting challenge came to me today. The email read, “I need your help. I am behind on a lot of bills. I am a waitress and each day I try to put back my tithes that I have made that day. But the bill collectors are calling and it seems that I need money to make ends meet. What do I do? I need spiritual help.”

Seems like she isn’t the only person struggling with tithing when she can hardly pay her bills. Let me give you the answer I gave her:

In the natural way of thinking, tithing doesn’t make sense if you are in debt; however, let me give you a promise from God:

“Bring all your tithes…if you do, I will open up the windows of heaven for you and pour out a blessing so great you won’t have room enough to take it in. Try it! Let me prove it to you” (Malachi 3:10).

God promises that if we give Him the first tenth of our income, He will pour out a great blessing on us.

This has been our way of life (Marvin’s and mine) for all of the years we have been married and we certainly have been blessed. When we were very poor and when we had much.

But let me tell you a story about another waitress that illustrates this point. I used to lead a Bible study for businesswomen in Vancouver BC. Our waitress would linger and listen to our discussions. One week, we were discussing tithing and the waitress was very cynical. But the next Sunday, she decided to put a tenth of her weekly tips into the offering plate at church.

You can imagine her surprise when at the bus stop the next morning she found a significant amount of money lying on the ground. God has a sense of humor and He does keep his promises. I would encourage you to try it. He does keep His promises.

Dear Father, You have given us so many gifts we never open. Today, I ask that each woman and man that reads this devotion would give their tithe as soon as they get their pay check and let them be surprised by what You will do in response. Amen.

By Katherine Kehler
Used by Permission

Further Reading

•   The Generosity Habit
•  Heart Fully Committed to Him
•  Salvation Explained

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“For if you give, you will get! Your gift will return to you in full and overflowing measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use to give – large or small – will be used to measure what is given back to you” Luke 6:38

R.G. Le Tourneau was one of God’s great businessmen. He wrote a book, entitled, God Runs My Business. Though he had little formal training, he became one of America’s leading industrialists, developing and securing patents for many major improvements in earth-moving equipment. He gave away millions of dollars, and he founded a wonderful Christian college which bears his name. I had known and admired him for many years, but one of my most memorable experiences with him was at his plant in Longview, Texas. As we chatted, I was captivated by this exuberant, joyful layman who was overflowing with the love of God, still creative in his later years, and always proclaiming the truth that you cannot outgive God – the more you give away the more you receive. He had discovered a law of the universe.

The giving of the tithe (ten percent of our increase) is an Old Testament principle. The New Testament principle of giving is expressed in this passage: “The more you give, the more you will receive.” I personally do not believe that that involves indiscriminate giving, but rather that we should prayerfully evaluate all the various opportunities that are available to further the cause of Christ and His kingdom.

New Testament concept makes clear that everything belongs to God. We are custodians, stewards, of that which is entrusted to us for only a brief moment of time. Three-score and ten years (or possibly a little more), and then all that we possess will pass on to another. We are not to hoard, nor are we to pass on large estates to our heirs. That which is entrusted to God’s children is given to them to be used while they are still alive. We are to care for our own, and make provision for their needs, but all that is entrusted to us beyond that amount should be spent while we are still alive, while we can guarantee proper stewardship.

Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 8:1-6

Mindful of this spiritual principle, that everything belongs to God and He has entrusted me with the privilege and responsibility of being a good steward, I will seek every opportunity to invest all the time, talent and treasure available to me while I am still alive, for the enhancement of the kingdom of God.

by Dr. Bill Bright
Used by Permission

Further Reading

•  God is Thinking about You
•  The Only Totally Fair Judge
•  Salvation Explained

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“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so that there will be food enough in my Temple; if you do, I will open up the windows of heaven for you and pour out a blessing so great you won’t have room enough to take it in.“ Malachi 3:10

Tom and Marti were newlyweds. They were just getting started in business and had all the expense of setting up housekeeping. So they found their budget severely strained. In fact, the bills were piling up. Then they were challenged to tithe their gross income. Their first response was, “Impossible! We can’t even pay our present bills, let alone take 10 percent off the top.”

As they prayed together, however, they felt definitely led that this was God’s will. Since they wanted to please Him by obeying His command, they began systematically and faithfully to give priority to their tithe. At first, it was nip and tuck, and some of the other obligations had to wait. But after a few months they were amazed to see how they were able to accomplish more with the nine-tenths than they had previously been able to accomplish with the total amount.

Now they are enthusiastic over the privilege of laying up treasures in heaven, seeking first the kingdom of God. Tithing was only the beginning. Now they are giving 40 percent off the top because God has prospered them so abundantly.

I began to tithe as a new Christian when I was made aware of the scriptural principle that everything belongs to God and we are only stewards during our brief time here on earth. Actually a tithe is the Old Testament concept and according to the New Testament concept every believer has the privilege of laying up treasures in heaven far beyond the amount of the tithe. There is a law of sowing and reaping: The more you sow, the more you reap.

To the Christian, it is not how much we give to God; it is how much we have left after we have given to Him – and to His kingdom.

Bible Reading: Malachi 3:5-9

Today’s Action Point:

Today I will take inventory of my giving to the Lord. I will begin at least to tithe, expecting that God, as He promised Malachi, “will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing so great that I won’t have room enough to take it in.

by Dr. Bill Bright

Used by Permission

MORE:

The Generosity Habit
Try Tithing
Joyful Generosity

As the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, along with his wife, Vonette, Dr. Bright established one of the most successful evangelistic movements in the world – resulting in more than 4 billion exposures to the Gospel of Jesus Christ since 1951.

On July 19th, 2003 at the age of 81, Dr. Bill Bright went home to be with the Lord.

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“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
2 Corinthians 9:7

In this mega world of big box stores and shopping malls, somehow we have lost a lot of the small business establishments that have for years been the economic backbone of our communities.

The one perhaps missed most is the neighborhood drug store. But I am very fortunate to still have one right around the corner. My druggist knows me by name and I have his home phone number. I suspect that if I needed something in the middle of the night, he would bring it to me.

Last week I went in to pick up several prescriptions, but as I paid the bill, I noticed that I had not been charged for two of them, so I brought it to the attention of the cashier, who promptly, with appreciation, corrected the bill.

As I walked to my car, I thought about how many people would have taken advantage of the situation thinking that the drugstore could take the loss and never miss it. But that’s not the point. Stealing is stealing.

The Book of Malachi talks about shortchanging God, as people were not honoring their duty to tithe and were bringing the refuse of their animals for sacrifice. Imagine that, giving God the worst, not the best.

The country’s largest card company has for years had the slogan, “When you care enough to send the very best” God sent His very best, His Son, that we might have life eternal. Should we do anything less?

Should we be foolish enough to think that God would not miss it when we shortchange him or fail to give him our very best? The issue is not that He needs to receive it. The issue is that we need to give it.

God calls us to be generous givers and to leave a legacy. So take inventory of what you are giving – time, talents and treasure – to God and if it is not your very best, then ask yourself why not.

by John Grant
used by permission (a thought on life from John Grant )

John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

About Tithing

The Generosity Habit
Try Tithing
Joyful Generosity
A Blessing So Great
You Cannot Outgive God

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