Archives:

Your Money: Good News in Bad Times

My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory. (Philippians 4:19)

Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6:21)

... Give and it shall be given unto you. (Luke 6:38)

Apocalyptic language is being used today regarding the economies of America and the world. Suddenly, we find ourselves in the gravest financial crisis in 80 years. Not since The Great Depression of 1929 have we faced such dire possibilities. It is clear that ahead there will be times of uncertainty and struggle.

Terms such as “The Great Depression of 2008” are commonplace globally.

The U.S. Stock Market has lost some 40 percent of its value in the past few weeks. $2 trillion has evaporated from U.S. 401(k) retirement accounts. It is a sobering time.

Bankers are scared
Politicians are scared.
Governments are scared.
Regular people are scared.

The economy is bad.
People’s outlooks are bad.
Times are bad.

That is why this is entitled “Your Money: Good News in Bad Times.”

Socrates said, “Know thyself.”
Freud said, “Be thyself.”
Jesus said, “Give thyself.”

• Of Jesus’ 38 Parables, 12 deal directly with the subject of money.
• God cares about our money; how we spend it, how we invest it, or waste it.
• God’s plan for us is simple and direct. It involves tithing and giving.
• The word tithe means “a tenth.”
• Tithing originated with Abraham who paid tithe to Melchizedek, King of Salem. Jacob promised God that if He would look out for him and give him favor in his journey to Laban’s house he would faithfully tithe.
• The tithing system was well established in the law of Moses. Often, prophets and priests reminded Israel of this responsibility; and Malachi wrote:
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse ... and prove me now ...
if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing
that there will not be room enough to receive it. (Malachi 3:10)

Here are five basic principles to real riches that you can prove on the living level of your own life.

Principle Number One: LET’S RETHINK OUR PHILOSOPHY

• Today it’s, “Get all you can, ‘can’ all you get, and watch that can!”
• John Wesley taught: “Make all you can, save all you can, and give all you can.”
• Charles Spurgeon: “Your hands cannot get ‘heaven high’ until they get pocket deep.”
• Jesus not only commended tithing, He commanded it.

The principles of giving and receiving are unfailing. If you put something in, you will get something out. When you put in your best, you always get something better out. Some tithe and give and never expect anything back in return. And when you expect nothing, that’s usually what you get – nothing.

But when you sow in God’s garden, you can always expect to harvest a crop.
You must plant to grow and you must give to receive (see Luke 6:38).

I hope this doesn’t sound trite to you, but I believe this statement:

GIVING TO GOD IS NOT A DEBT YOU OWE, BUT A SEED YOU SOW

Principle Number Two: LET’S RESET OUR PRIORITIES (Matthew 6:33)

I’m from the city and don’t know much of anything about farming, but every farmer knows that you must plant to grow.

• Take an ear of corn, for example. One ear. When you hold that ear of corn in your hand, you are holding a potential miracle. On each ear of corn there are sometimes up to a thousand individual kernels of corn.

• From one kernel of seed corn can come a whole stalk of corn upon which there are several other ears. The farmer saves the best as SEED CORN. He doesn’t eat it.

• This principle of planting your best seed – giving of your best – is described as “first-fruits giving.” It means giving off the top of your resources, of your best.

Let’s omit all the variables for the sake of time and get to the bottom line. Each of these 1,000 kernels of seed corn, when properly planted in good soil, will multiply exponentially through each kernel producing stalks of corn often more than 10 feet high. At a bare minimum, these 1,000 kernels of seed corn will multiply to 500 million kernels, or one-half a billion kernels!

And corn is dumb. Corn can’t think, can’t speak, can’t sing, can’t pray, can’t witness, can’t exercise faith. All it can do is die in the ground and yield to God’s resurrecting power! If God can do all that for corn, what will He do for YOU?

God loves us and wants us to honor His Name, His Word, and His plan. If we do, He gives us blessings beyond our wildest imaginings:

Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruit of all thine increase;
so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. (Proverbs 3:9-10)

Simply stated, it means that you’ve got to plant what you want.

If you want corn, don’t plant tomatoes.

Principle Number Three: LET’S RELY ON GOD’S PROMISES

The promises of God are true. And the principles of giving and receiving are also true. Sometimes we let this truth slide right by us.

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and
shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.
For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. (Luke 6:38)

Today throughout the Middle East many people still dress as they dressed during Bible days. Long, flowing robes have a special compartment for valuables in the bosom area. Money and other valuables were (and are) carried underneath their robes. Jesus said, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.”

Brother, Sister, when you are giving to God, you’d better wear your robe loose and your belt low!

If you sow sparingly, you will also reap sparingly. But if you sow bountifully, you will also reap bountifully (see II Corinthians 9:6). If you plant by the spoonful, you receive by the spoonful. If you plant by the bucket you receive by the bucket. If you plant by the truckload you receive by the truckload. If you plant by the boxcar load you receive by the boxcar load.

You set the limits. Not God.

You must plant what you want and in the quantity and quality you want it.

I rely on God’s promises.

• When you rely on the government, you receive what the government can do.
• When you rely on the church, you receive what the church can do.
• But when you rely on God, you get what almighty God can do!

Not only do we need to rethink our philosophy, reset our priorities, and rely on God’s promises, but:

Principle Number Four: LET’S RENOUNCE OUR PRIDE

When giving to God, the Bible teaches us not to crave credit. Jesus taught us that the secret of giving is giving in secret.

“Give in secret,” Jesus teaches, “and your Father who sees you
in secret will reward you openly.” (Matthew 6:1-4)

Although labeling and categorizing have their drawbacks, through the years I have observed various types or categories of givers.

First, there is the giver I call “the tipper.” John Wesley had a solemn warning for all tippers when he taught, “Give to God according to your income lest God make your income according to your giving.” 80% of all money given to God’s work is given by only 20% of the Christians, while the other 20% of the money is given by the remaining 80% of the Christians. You can be sure that the “tippers” are a part of this 80% who give only 20% of the money. God would have us stop tipping and start tithing. Just imagine what the church could do if this 80/20 formula were reversed.

Second is the emotional giver. Before he comes across you’ve got to tell some kind of sob story that touches his emotions or you’ve got to tell a joke. He only gives when he feels “something special” (and that’s not very often).

Third is the compulsive giver. This small minority of people gives indiscriminately to everything and everybody, even to a fault, sometimes to the neglect of their own family.

Fourth is the splash giver. Sometimes you see their picture in the paper handing a sizable check to the local pastor, or college president, or the United Appeals chairman. Jesus said that when gifts are given even to God in this manner that the reward is the publicity itself. The Father does NOT reward it.

Fifth is the proportionate giver. They give systematically, regularly, faithfully. They keep the doors open and the gospel going forth. They alone experience the special kind of joy that comes from being a “cheerful giver.” They also have experienced the truth of this Scripture:

“... prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open
you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there
shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer
for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither
shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.” (Malachi 3:10-11)

When we have rethought our philosophy, reset our priorities, relied on God’s promises, and renounced our pride, then we are ready to apply principle number five.

Principle Number Five: LET’S RECEIVE FROM HIS PLENTY

This view of the abundance of God is seen all through the Bible. God is plenteous in mercy, plenteous in His pardon, and plenteous in His provision for His people.

Do we really know who we are? Do we realize the authority that is at our fingertips as sons and daughters of God (see Galatians 4:1-7)?

My old praying grandma taught a secret to me that I’ve found to be simply profound, and profoundly simple: “In Christ, you can be greater than anything that can happen to you.” And, it’s true. You can.

To be all that I must be in Christ I must see God’s workmanship, God’s ownership of all that I am and all that I have and all that I shall ever be.

Shadrach Meshach Lockeridge says that when we call Him Lord, it simply means owner:

• He did not write His signature in the sunset, but He is still the owner.
• He did not carve His initials in the granite sides of the mountains, but He is still the owner.
• He did not place his mark on the meadows, but He is still the owner.
• He did not burn His brand upon the cattle on a thousand hills, but He is still the owner.
• He did not copyright the songs that the birds sing, but He is still the owner.
• He did not signal His name in a billion shimmering stars, but He is still the owner.

Some men have tried to discredit Him. Some have even tried to destroy Him.

• You can try to destroy Him by fire, but He will refuse to burn.
• You can try to destroy Him by water, but He will walk on the water.
• You can try to destroy Him by the whirlwind, but He will make the wind lie obediently at His feet.
• You can try to put Him in a grave, but He has already proven that He will rise from the grave.

He is Lord! He is owner!

• He is higher than the heavenly of heavens.
• He is holier than the holy of holies.
• He stands forth upon the highest pinnacle of heavenly glory,
proclaimed by God, acknowledged by angels, adored by saints,
feared by devils, revered by the redeemed.

Jesus is Lord. Jesus is owner. Not will be – IS. Not hopes to be – IS!

And, the Lord “hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servants.” (Psalm 35:37)

CONCLUSION:

Remember, a big harvest begins by planting one little seed.

So, my friend, give. Give God your successes and failures, your sorrows and joys, your laughter and tears. Give Him yourself. Give it all to Jesus.

God knows how it is to give.

He gave you and me the best He had when He gave us Jesus.

And God still gives to us today; freely, bountifully, lovingly, faithfully.

Can we afford to do any less?

Regardless of how bad these times are, you can rely on this sure Word of God:

My God shall supply ALL your need according to His riches in glory.
(Philippians 4:19)

God is ever mindful of your generous heart and will reward you openly.
(Matthew 6:4)

Feedback

Thank you so much, Carl, for this great encouragement. I can honestly say that I have had zero fear over the condition of Wall Street because I am in covenant with God through faithful tithing.

Bishop Rodney Mullins
Columbus, Ohio

Carl, I just placed your message in my “saved” file and then forwarded the message to family members asking them to do the same as this is one of the greatest truths they will ever learn. Thank you for sharing. God bless.

Dr. Robert and Kathy White
Tyler, Texas

Pastor Carl, thanks for such an inspiring message. I was really looking into weak spots in my life as I was reading this message. Your input is so precious to me that I will continue to read this message and will apply the five suggestions to my life impartially. Please subscribe me for each of your “Beyond Borders” messages at my personal email address.

Pastor Suresh Manchineni
Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India

Thank you, Brother Carl, excellent teaching (and a great corn illustration). May I have your permission to preach this message in my church? Thank you!

Pastor Steven Lester
Kennessaw, Georgia

You practically called my name in your powerful message “Your Money: Good News for Bad Times.” For the past couple of weeks, I have been really down. I have suffered a royal drubbing in the stock market and am ashamed to tell you how much I have lost. In a matter of days, I went from being independently wealthy, to feeling very, very poor. Someone forwarded your message to me via email and you may have saved my life.

I was contemplating some very dark options until your message came into my life. I have read it (and re-read it) so frequently that your words are becoming an important part of my life. I would like to subscribe to your blog on a regular basis. Please pray for me that God will have mercy upon me and help me. Thank you so much.

D.L. Jones
New York City

Carl, we are reworking “Covenant Resources” church-wide and are converting it into a journal to assist pastors in ministry. May we use this article on “Your Money: Good News in Bad Times?” Very good. You go to the core; this is your nature. We will give you full and “glorious” credit. (smile) Peace and joy!

Dr. Floyd D. Carey
Birmingham, Alabama

I’ve been each of these exampled givers at one point or other throughout my life, and at this moment, I’m content to be your last example. And contentment is at the heart of giving for my husband and me. We are fully content to let God have every bit of our lives, and content to take what comes from His outstretched hand. But being content took some lessons; being content took some pain – and some heartache on learning what giving really means. “God-in-a-Box” is not part of our lives any more. It left me personally when I watched my brother-in-law lay his head down on his dying brother’s chest (my husband) and sob: “Why don’t You heal him, Lord? I’ve given my tithes faithfully; why don’t You heal him?” He was calling on the God of the universe to come through on the “formula” he’d heartily ascribed to through his years of “giving.” I give now simply to obey and if God blesses me personally in return, He does it in order to fulfill His own plans and not mine.

Dee Yoder
Mansfield, Ohio

Someone blest me by forwarding your message to me! It is great! How can I get more?

Derrick Blassingame
Edinborough, Scotland

Excellent teaching, Carl, and just what we need in such troubled times as these. Our world system is on the brink of a catastrophy. Only a genius mind can come up with a solution – and that will be the Anti-Christ. It will only be a temporary solution, however. So glad the Lord is coming for the faithful!

Lillian Wolff
Kansas City, Missouri

Carl, once again your teachings have enhanced my thoughts and studies. In these bleak days of economic crisis we need a prophet to rise from among us and remind us that we are neither blessed or limited by the DOW JONES. Our Source and our Sufficiency is the Creator. It was in famine that God demonstrated to Isaac that trust and obedience to Him is rewarded. Thank you for allowing our Lord to use you and keep rising to the occasion.

Pastor John Watford
New Bern, NC

Great stuff!!! Thank you for your insight in light of the times that we live in today!!!

Waymon W. Thomas, C.P.A.
Clermont, Florida

Really enjoyed it, Carl! Would like to put this on our Stewardship Ministries web site. Okay?

Reverend Kenneth R. Davis
Cleveland, Tennessee

Carl, thank you so much for this excellent teaching and important reminder for us. With your permission, I plan to utilize many of your points as I assist others with this very relevant topic. God bless you!

Pastor Rick Whitter
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

Brother Richardson, thank you for yet another inspiring and encouraging article! The current financial decline in the stock market has been terrifying (to say the least) especially when I think about my mother. She has been the primary “bread winner” in my family for most of my life. My father, who does not know the Lord, has floated in and out of employment for as long as I can remember and my mother has taken on the responsibility of saving for retirement for both of them. When I was growing up, my mother would have to literally hide her tithe money from my father. He heavily disagreed with giving to the church and would actually withhold from our family finances if he caught her giving. But through it all, I watched as she remained faithful even if she had to be faithful in secret.

I recently spoke with my mother about her 401K account and her inevitable losses, and learned yet another giant lesson from a great woman of God. She said that her 401K had taken a great hit and that at times she was worried. But she reminded me that God has taken care of her and our family though rough times and He would always be there for us - especially when we are faithful. She said that the miracle in this situation was with my dad. He is a carpenter/construction worker and has struggled to find jobs throughout much of his life due to many variables. However, miraculously, he has jobs lined up through the next year which is a mystery to us all, because now is not the time for Americans to feel comfortable with building and remodeling, yet he is having to turn people away due to the sheer volume of offers he is getting. I feel certain that God is blessing my father on behalf of my mother’s faithfulness.

It is just as your scripture reference said, “God is ever mindful of your generous heart and will reward you openly. (Matthew 6:4). And in the process, he might even teach us children a lesson in faithfulness as well! :)

Mrs. B.J. Roberson
Cleveland, Tennessee

Comments:
Email:	(optional)
Name:	(optional)
City:	(optional)
State:	(optional)