“Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple” – 1 Chronicles 29:3
In their book “Contagious Generosity,” Chris Willard & Jim Sheppard state that Americans give out of “discretionary obligation,” meaning they give generously to the kingdom, yet at the same time feel free to give at their discretion, giving only what they can, when they can, and never feeling burdened by a compulsion to give.
They write: “If “discretionary obligation” defines our understanding of generosity, we will never experience true abundance in our churches. Though many Americans have faced significant financial setbacks in recent years, we have observed that wealth in America has increased at a record pace over the last sixty years, even after taking into account the economic retraction of 2008. However, the percentage of income Americans give to churches has been decreasing over the same period of time. This just doesn’t make sense. We have more than ever, but we give less than ever. The American church can no longer turn its back on this issue. It is time to take a look at ways we can reverse this disturbing trend of more wealth and less giving to the church.”
Let your giving be out of your love for Jesus Christ. Today, in prayer, praise the Lord that you can give so He may be glorified.
“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill
God’s Word: “One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.” – Proverbs 11:24
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