When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, 'If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.' Jesus answered him, 'Simon, I have something to tell you.' 'Tell me, teacher,' he said. 'Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?' Simon replied, 'I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.' 'You have judged correctly,' Jesus said. Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, 'Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.'

-Luke 7:36-47

Whoever has been forgiven much, loves much.

Fear is simply not a very good motivator for doing what is right and honorable, over the long haul. Love however, inspires and motivates us to do things we would not normally do.

All your life in this world and all your adventures were only the cover and the title page: now at last you are beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.

-C.S. Lewis

What does our relationship to money look like after conversion?

1) Creation shows us why we give: Stewards not Owners.

 

2) The Fall shows us why we don’t give: Money can have an enslaving power over us. Money can become our Master and steal away our allegiance.

 

3) The lens of grace shows us that we do not merely give, but we give generously and cheerfully.

 

Theologically: Generosity is a way to change people's lives because it is a model of God’s grace to us.

Motivationally: The more we see the grace of God to us the more passionate we become in our giving.

Practically: Our giving requires Sacrifice.

I do not believe that one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid that the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do but cannot do because our charities expenditure excludes them.

-C.S. Lewis

ONE&ALL is going to change this valley and this world.

Therefore, the one whose heart has been changed operates accordingly.

1. Give 10% of all that comes into your hand.

2. Give God the First Fruits.

3. Invest in the things that please the heart of God and makes the heavens rejoice. 

4. Resist giving God the leftovers.

 

Honor God and see if He will not open the windows of heaven. He knows your needs!

What is Jeff’s suggestion for those who are in debt and feel there is no way out and no hope of investing in what matters most to them?

If you would like more information about the budget coaching ONE&ALL provides, please contact Nancy at [email protected].

GIVE