Friday: Further Thought ~ Offerings for Jesus

Further Thought:

The heavenly record book of remembrance also notes the financial faithfulness of God’s family members. “The recording angel makes a faithful record of every offering dedicated to God and put into the treasury, and also of the final result of the means thus bestowed.

Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com

The eye of God takes cognizance of every farthing devoted to His cause, and of the willingness or reluctance of the giver. The motive in giving is also chronicled. Those self-sacrificing, consecrated ones who render back to God the things that are His, as He requires of them, will be rewarded according to their works. Even though the means thus consecrated be misapplied, so that it does not accomplish the object which the donor had in view, — the glory of God and the salvation of souls, — those who made the sacrifice in sincerity of soul, with an eye single to the glory of God, will not lose their reward.” — Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, p. 518.

“God desires people to pray and to plan for the advancement of his work. But, like Cornelius, we are to unite praying with giving. Our prayers and our alms are to come up before God as a memorial. Faith without works is dead; and without a living faith it is impossible to please God. While we pray, we are to give all we possibly can, both of our labor and our means, for the fulfillment of our prayers. If we act out our faith, we shall not be forgotten by God. He marks every deed of love and self-denial. He will open ways whereby we may show our faith by our works.” — Ellen G. White, Atlantic Union Gleaner, June 17, 1903.

Discussion Questions:

How do praying and giving go together? That is, how might praying help you know what to give to, when, and how much to give?
A well-known magazine in the United States told about young professionals on Wall Street who were making so much money and yet were so miserable, so empty, so full of angst and worry. One of them, a portfolio manager, said: “What does it matter after I die if I had made an extra one percent gain in my portfolio?” What lessons can we take from this story about how giving, even sacrificial giving, can be so spiritually beneficial to the giver, in that it helps free us from the “deceitfulness of riches” (Matthew 13:22)?
In the Ellen G. White quote above, notice the part about funds being “misapplied.” Why is it important for those of us who give to keep her point in mind?

<–Thursday

Amen!