This week we’re learning that our money, our time and our natural skills are  resources to be used in ways that will allow God’s purposes to be realized. Amazingly we are given total freedom in this. There are no set rules or specific suggestions, only the objective.  The challenge is to use our imagination and our creativity in thinking out how we will apply our money, for example, to this purpose.  As we learn more about God our awareness of the opportunities to use our money in this way will increase….charities, individuals, families and church ministries will all show us ways we can make a difference.

I have seen three steps many Christians move through as they grow in generosity.

It begins with casual giving.  This happens at the checkout counter in a store when they ask if you’d like to give a dollar to this fund or that.  It also happens in a church service when a plate is passed, and you look to see what you can give today.

But often we move from there to another type of giving: responsible giving.

I know of one person who’d grown up going to church, but as an adult, was asked to join the advisory board.  She accepted, and figured it would be a good idea to be at the annual meeting for the first time in her life, since she was on the board now.  Well, the next day, she reported that it was a huge eye-opener.  As she saw the budget, she looked at her own givings, and explaimed, “I just realized I’m the biggest cheapskate here!”

She had just become a “responsible giver”…someone who looks at the budget, and says I’ll do my part of the good work that’s happening here.  Looks at world, says I should help.

Finally, many Christians move from responsible giving to proportional giving.

This is where we don’t just do our part, but instead we looked at our budget, figured out a percentage we would give every month, signed up for pre-authorized giving, and stuck to it.  We have plans for our money…work on the house, new roof, etc. but we’ll have to save up for it, because we make sure our tithe comes out first.

What percent? There are several places in the Bible that talk about tithing—which literally means giving 10% to God’s work. It’s something from the Old Testament, when God’s people, the Israelites, were to give 10% of everything to God – crops, animals, everything.  Is that the rule or percent?

But we have to remember how Jesus treats many Old Testament laws – he steps them up and makes them more challenging to our hearts.

He says his disciples’ “Righteousness is to exceed that of scribes & pharisees. – Matt 5:20

For example: The Pharisees and scribes avoided murder (one of the 10 commandments)…so Jesus wants his followers to not only never murder, but to also avoid anger.  He shifts them from doing the bare minimum, to an actual change of attitude.

In the same way, if the Pharisees give 10% because they have to, what do we give if Jesus always calls us to have a change of attitude?

It’s to give, not until it hurts, but until it feels good again…until our attitude has changed from one of giving what we have to, to one of giving generously, because we love to give.

How do you choose your level of giving?  Only you can decide, but identify where you are today, and challenge yourself to the next level…today, not tomorrow.  Jesus always said those who were faithful with a little, are the ones he trusts to be faithful with a lot, so start where you are, no matter your income, no matter how little it may seem, because if you give generously out of love, it’s important to God.

Just to be clear – I’m not just saying this to boost Redeem the Commute’s income!  I am encouraging you to give generously to God’s work – whoever, wherever, however it is done.  So long as it is work consistent with God’s plans for this world – so long as it is kingdom work.

Giving to Redeem the Commute, helping us become a new kind of church is a great way to do that.  We need your financial help to keep helping marriages and families, and developing a community that can do that for the long term.  You can give at https://www.redeemthecommute.com/donate/

But God’s work is much bigger than any one ministry!

Please give to a variety of ministries.  Perhaps you can find balance by giving to Redeem the Commute as your church, and a Christian relief charity like World Vision, and a medical charity that’s consistent with God’s kingdom plans to heal the sick and hurting.  And of course you want to be ready to help people in your life in need when they ask.

In the final analysis, stewardship is about the overflowing of a grateful heart in response to all that Jesus has done for us…..and so determine how much to give by determining what God has given and done for you.  Then decide how you can say thanks.

Remember that we were made to be givers, but we have been socialized by a world that has lost its direction into believing that we are supposed to be keepers.

Challenge: Map out what you can give away every month, and the right blend for you.  One suggestion is to set up a monthly gift to RTC at https://www.redeemthecommute.com/donate and a monthly gift to your other charities, and a savings account so you are saving for the future needs of your family and others you know who may need your generosity.   Go to http://www.mygivingmoment.ca and register your moment there!

Reminder: Earlier in this series, we saw the importance of reading the Bible together in sync, so our new daily bible readings start today in our mobile app and web site.

Read the Bible in Sync Today

Ryan Sim - October 29, 2013

Tuesday - Study It - Growth - in Discipleship

Becoming Like Family

This is our new series on becoming like family. There are five main characteristics of the kind of community we’re forming. The first one: Discipleship – what we’re learning together as a community. Here’s our guidance from the Bible on this characteristic. Comes from Paul, one of the first to start new church communities in the cities around the Mediteranean., reflecting here on what it means to be a church made up of different kinds of leaders and people, all learning the same thing. The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ (Ephesians 4:11-15 Yesterday, I told you about having attended homecoming at the university where I studied engineering. Naturally enough, first year engineering students tend to think they will all end up in engineering careers. My experience, however, was that after graduating we end up in all sorts of professions. My own class includes actual engineers, but also those in business, consulting, full-time parenting, doctors, lawyers, rock climbing gym owners, urban planners, even running mobile apps for commuters. But some common threads emerge – we have learned to think analytically to solve complex and diverse problems that might not have been anticipated. We have a similar aim in discipleship. The point is not that all followers of Jesus will become automatons with no discernible differences. They are simply to have the same aim, purpose in mind, to learn to follower Jesus Christ and apply that to the many challenges of life. The idea is not to memorize rules, but learn maturity in Christ. We can see this diversity in the five types of work in the church listed here. There are other lists, as well, but we’ll just use this example. Teacher – Helps others study the Bible and learn to follow Jesus. Shepherd – Helps others live as a follower of Jesus, through close relationships. Evangelist – Tells the story of the good news of Jesus Christ in compelling ways. Apostle – Develops and leads new church communities that reach new people and places. Prophet – Tells it like it is, speaks for God’s interests when there is injustice and sin. Question: Which of these five do you understand the least? Why might it be necessary? Coffee Hours this Week: Have questions about the challenges, do you want to meet others exploring the same content, or connect with Ryan? Join us for our coffee shop drop-in tomorrow night, Wednesay, October 30th from 7:30pm-9:00pm at the Starbucks in the Ajax Chapters. Look for Ryan Sim in the drink line, or a Redeem the Commute postcard on a table. If you know in advance that you’re coming, please RSVP here http://bit.ly/1aHVTy2

Related Topics: Discipleship, Gifts, Growth, Learning | More Messages from Ryan Sim | Download Audio

From Series: "Becoming Like Family"

This series looks at becoming “like family” with others learning to follow Jesus. We're exploring how the church is not a building, institution or event, but a community of people. It's important that explore what church means as we prepare to launch a new church in Ajax in 2014.

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