Quotes and summaries from Robert Morris's book 'The Blessed Life'
Introduction:
No one is a natural born giver, all of us are born takers. God however is generous and gave his even the gift of his Son. The devil on the other hand is a taker, a thief:
Remember it this way: God and generous both begin with the letters G. Satan and selfish both begin with S. That should help you keep it straight!
Chapter 1: The Unexpected Adventure
Amazing stories of God's provision to him as he began to trust him. Read this chapter in full if you read no other chapter - it is faith stirring!
When he was beginning to learn the secret of the Blessed life (definition follows in next chapter) he was a travelling evangelist, he and his wife lived off of special offerings taken by the churches he preached at. On one occasion he visited a church who gave him an offering large enough to cover his month's expenses. Challenged by God to 'give the money away' he did so to a missionary who'd shared in the service.
Afterwards at lunch with some members from the church a sitting across from him a well dressed man he barely knew asked him a question:
how much was the offering tonight? and another
Where's the check? Eventually the man said 'God told me that you gave the money away.' and he slid a check across the table that was (to the penny) 10x the amt. Morris had given away. The man then said to him:
'God is about to teach you about giving so that you can teach the Body of Christ.'
A while later Morris and his wife were speaking to a couple about to leave for a mission's trip but who didn't have the money to do so. After being told an amt. by the Lord to give he wrote a check for $800:
At that point in our lives, $800 sounded like a very large sum of money. But we had it, because of the amazing tenfold blessing we had received at the pizza place. That night, we were able to walk out to our car after the meeting and write a check. We caught them before they drove away and handed it to them. Of course, it was the precise amount they needed to be able to take the mission trip.
The chapter then tracks the journey of giving and receiving back from others that he and his wife went on. It culminates with an amazing story.
They felt the Lord tell them to give away both of their cars , all their money and even their house. After doing so (although still living in the house) Morris was praying and said to the Lord effectively 'I've out given you this time, I've given it all away!'. Then the phone rang and a man was on the other end of it saying:
'The Lord told me to buy you an airplane.' I was speechless.
He continued, 'As a matter of fact, I bought the plane today; and I've parked it at the airport; and I'm going to pay for the hanger; and I'm going to pay for the fuel; and I'm going to pay for the insurance and maintenance on the airplane; and I've hired a pilot. I'm going to pay his salary, so anytime you want to go somewhere, just call him and he'll fly you there. I'll take care of all the expenses!'
Definition of the Blessed Life:
Being 'blessed' means having supernatural power working for you. By contrast, being 'cursed' means having supernatural power working against you.
Chapter 2: God Must Be First
a great chapter on the significance of tithing, of giving God the firsts:
How you handle money reveals volumes about your priorities, loyalties and affections. In fact, it directly dictates many of the blessings you will (or won't) experience in life.
Sacrificed or redeemed:
Exodus 13:2 clearly says that the firstborn is his. God declares 16 times in scripture that the firstborn is 'his'.
If the firstborn animal was clean, it was to be sacrificed. But if the firstborn was unclean, it was to be redeemed with a clean animal.
An interesting insight into this principle of the firstborn belonging to God in the story of the Exodus:
Have you ever wondered how God could justify taking the lives of Egypt's firstborn in the final plague described in Exodus? It is because the firstborn belongs to God. God had a legal right to take every fristborn because every one of them in Egypt and in Israel belonged to him!
On giving:
I have heard it said that any first thing given is never lost, and any first thing not given is always lost. In other words, what we give to God, we don't lose because God redeems it for us. But what we withhold from God, we will lose.
The heart of tithing:
That's what tithing really is - giving our first to God. It's saying 'God, I'm going to give to you first and trust you to redeem the rest.'
And it's done in faith:
It means giving to God before you see if you're going to have enough. By tithing, it is as if we are saying to God, 'I recognise you first. I am putting you first in my life, and I trust you to take care of the rest of the things in my life.'
That's why tithing is so important. It is the primary way we acknowledge that God is first. The first portion is the redemptive portion. In other words, when the first portion is given to God, the rest is redeemed. In the same way, coming to church at the first of the week is a way of giving the Lord the first of your time.
In the book of Joshua Jericho was the first city they took and as such, all of the plunder belonged to God.
You'll also remember that one person among the Israelites disregarded God's clear instructions. The Israelites were told that the silver and gold were consecrated to the Lord, but a man named Achan took some for himself and became 'accursed'.
Think about that. When the spoils were given to God, they were 'consecrated' or set apart for God's house; but after a man took some for himself, it was actually cursing Israel's efforts to take the Promised Land.
Is tithing just an Old Covenant principle? Well, Malachi clearly says that those who don't give a tithe are 'robbing' God. Morris then makes the point:
The tithe, the firstborn and the firstfruits all belong to the Lord. This isn't a law! It's an unchanging principle established by an unchanging God.
...and he says: 'would you believe anyone who asserted that because adultery was forbidden under the law, it is not acceptable under grace?'
On his observation of tithers vs non-tithers:
Throughout my life as an evangelist and pastor, I have been amazed at the consistency of the testimonies I hear about tithing. In more than 20 years of ministry, every tither I have spoken with has given me a similar testimony; every nontither has also given me a similar testimony, but one that is different from those who tithe...
Without exception, tithers say, 'I'm blessed' or 'God has blessed me.' They all give the testimony that God is blessing them. In contrast, every nontither I have ever spoken with gives this testimony: 'I can't afford to tithe'
and from Forrest Gump:
I think Forrest Gump could discern the pattern on this one. He would probably say, 'I'm not a smart man, but I'm going to tithe. And that's all I have to say about that.'
Respect for Abel
The principles of tithing, the firstborn and firstfruits are biblical and eternal. Aligning your life and actions with them can't help bring God's blessing.
An illustration on tithing and the principle of 'God owns' the first:
Now if I had 10 one-dollar bills to give away and asked two specific questions about them, I suspect most Christians would get the first one right but would scratch their heads at the second one.
I imagine, I've given you 10 one-dollar bills and have laid them out on a table in front of you. Now, my first question is, 'How much is the tithe on this money?' I think everyone would get that one right. The tithe on ten dollars is, obviously, one dollar. But here's the more difficult question. Which one is the tithe? 'Obviously, the first one,' you might say. But which one is the first one? Is it the one on your left or is it on your right?
Let's say you get paid on Thursday and immediately pay all your bills, then buy groceries and then write your tithe check before going to church. Have you tithed the first of your increase? No. Is it possible to give a full 10 percent and still not be tithing in accordance with God's principle? Absolutely.
For understanding, let's go back to the one-dollar bills. Which dollar is the tithe? Let me tell you how to decide that. The tithe is the first one spent or given. The first money that you spend represents your firstfruits. In other words, when you get paid, the first check you write should be the tithe check.
Tithing is a key sign of whether or not we are really trusting God and willing to go his way:
Many people say they're putting God first, but true tithing is where the rubber meets the road. It is where we walk what we talk.
Chapter 3: Life, Not Law
Tithing is life, not law.
In this chapter Robert Morris walks through several sections of scripture showing us that tithing is a principle in scripture rather than a law from Moses. As such the principle transcends covenants and it is a timeless instruction for God's people. Here's a few quotes:
The principle of the tithe (or firstfruits or firstborn) was in operation as Abraham was asked to offer Isaac and when he gave a tenth of the spoils to Melchizedek - a representation of Jesus.
We can see the principle of the tithe in God's instructions to Adam & Eve about the trees in the Garden of Eden.
That principle is to do with exercising faithful stewardship. God said 'leave that one tree alone.' They were not to take that fruit for themselves and consume it. Being a faithful steward meant life to Adam & Eve. By choosing to eat the fruit of the tree, they were acting like owners rather than stewards.
On what
'tithe' is all about:
The word translated 'tithe' in the Bible literally means 'tenth' or 'a tenth part.' And do you know what the number 10 represents all through the Bible? It represents testing.
Let me give you a few example. How many plagues were there in Egypt? In other words, how many times did God test Pharaoh's heart? The answer is 10.
How many commandments are there? In other words, in how many ways is our obedience tested? The answer is 10.
How many times did God test Israel while they were wandering in the wilderness? And how many times did God test Jacob's heart (by allowing his wages to be changed) when he was working with Laban? Or how many days was Daniel tested in the first chapter of the book of Daniel? In each case, the answer is, of course, 10.
The pattern continues in the New Testament. In Matthew 25, 10 virgins had their preparedness tested. Ten days of testing are mentioned in Revelation 2:10. And of course, Jesus had 10 disciples. (Actually, he had 12, but U was just testing you!)
What is true is that the number 10 is associated with testing throughout the Bible. And the tithe represents the ultimate 'heart test' for the believer. But, more significantly, tithing is also the only area in which the Christian is invited to test God...
Although people sometimes say 'tithing' is Old Covenant, Jesus was always expanding the righteousness of the OT not decreasing it:
That's why I smile when someone says to me, 'I don't tithe because I'm not under the Law. I'm under grace.' I respond by saying, 'Oh, so you give according to grace?' 'Yes, that's right.' Then I say, 'Great! That means you give much more than 10%, because the righteousness of grace always exceeds the righteousness of the Law. It's a higher standard.
Then he quotes Jesus' words to prove that Jesus himself isn't intending for them to 'do away' with tithing. When Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for their lack of charity he says 'these meticulous tithes you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone:
In other words, he says to them, 'Yes, tithe of all your increase, but don't neglect the vitally important heart issues of justice, mercy and faith.'
Think about it. What we just read is, in my opinion, one of the most amazing scriptures on tithing. Jesus himself affirmed the tithe. I don't know how anyone with a soft heart toward God could get around this.
On the role of what a senior pastor ought to do:
As the senior pastor, I see my main responsibility as leading and feeding the congregation. As a result, I spend most of my time studying, praying and seeking the Lord.
Leading and feeding. I like that.
To close off the chapter he creates an illustration on stewardship to help:
I have to go on an extended journey, and I choose three men for a special responsibility. I say to those three men, 'I'm going to send you each $10,000 every month. You may keep $9k of the money and spend it as you please. But I want you to give $1k each month to my wife for the meeting of her needs.
As promised I send each of these men $10k monthly. After a few months, I call my wife and ask her is she is receiving the support I had arranged. Her reply is, 'Well, the first one is sending $1k each month, just as you instructed him. The second one is actually sending $2k a month. I don't know why, but he is. But the third one sent $800 the first month, $300 the second month and nothing the third month.'
Now, as a husband who loves his wife with all my heart, what do you think I'm going to do? I am the one providing the money to these men. I've told them they can keep $9k for themselves. All I wanted them to do was give a mere 10% so that there could be food in my house!
Well, with the first man who was being faithful to follow my instructions, I am going to continue sending him that $10k. But for the third man - the one who wasn't satisfied with the 90% I graciously gave him - I am going to quit sending him $10k a month and send it to the most generous man instead. Why? Because I can trust the second man. He has demonstrated that he cares about what I care about. He is a good steward.
Tithing:
Is also the foundation upon which all the other principles I'm about to share with you are built. The blessed life awaits you. However, it begins with a heart commitment to honour, obey and bless the Lord with your tithe.
Chapter 4: The Principle of Multiplication
The introduction to this chapter is around the feeding of the 5000. Using that as a guide Morris then draws out two keys for multiplication:
The first is this: Something must be blessed before it can multiply. What many Christians fail to understand is that before your money can multiply, it has to be blessed. In other words, it has to be given to the Lord first.
There is a second principle of multiplication: Only what is given away can multiply.
Commenting on the above he says this:
I have observed in those who have said to me, 'I've never seen my finances multiply.' Sometimes those who are tithing give little or nothing over and above the tithe. They don't realise that only that which is given away can multiply...
I believe there is a difference between tithing and giving. I believe that tithing is simply returning to God that which he has said is his. Giving our firstfruits, our first 10% to the Lord via a local church, is what causes that which is ours to be blessed.
You can't give that which doesn't really belong to you. The firstfruits are the Lord's. The rest is yours to keep or give as you choose. It is from this account that you give what the Bible often refers to as offerings.
Tithing isn't really giving - it's returning. It is bringing back to the Lord what is already his. Thus, the second principle of multiplication is that finances over and and above the tithe must be shared if they are to multiply.
That's a really interesting way of thinking. If what he's said about tithing being a timeless principle is true then it does follow that giving the tithe is really just giving back to God what is already his. It's hard for us but it isn't the same thing as giving over and above the tithe.
Chapter 5: Breaking the Spirit of Mammon
John Milton's epic poem
Paradise Lost contains a detailed portrait of hell. Milton showed Satan as a fallen commander in chief surrounded by his demon generals. Among them are Molech, Dagon, Astarte, Osiris & Belial.
Each of these was a the god of an idol-worshipping culture in ancient times and ie mentioned in the Bible. But Milton's poem depicts another demon standing at Satan's side. That demon's name is Mammon
Jesus makes a striking contrast between the Spirit of God and the spirit of Mammon.
What is Mammon?
Mammon is and Aramaic word that essentially means riches. And apparently, the Assyrians got the concept of a god of wealth from their neighbours the Babylonians.
Mammon is nothing more than the system of this fallen world that stands in sharp opposition to God and his ways. For example, mammon says to buy and sell; God says to sow and reap. Mammon says to cheat and steal; God says to give and receive. But more than anything, mammon wants to rule.
Mammon convinces us of things that are contrary to the truth. When we hit difficulty we dream of winning the lottery and of all our problems being solved by the accumulation of stuff. Mammon tells us 'money is the the answer' when it isn't - God is.
On the occasions I have attended [big business meetings to give motivational speeches] I have seen the spirit of mammon working in very subtle ways where Christians are concerned. Often, the pitch is this: If you were rich, just think of all the people you could help; or, your church or favourite ministry will have everything it needs after you become a millionaire!
My friend, God can help people without money. When we starts thinking that most of our problems can be solved by having more money, it's a sign we're under the influence of the spirit of mammon.
On explaining the concept of 'use unrighteous wealth to make friends for yourselves (Mt. 6:19-21) he says of the value of using money for the kingdom:
Hell is being plundered by our offerings, and Satan knows it! The devil hates Spirit-led giving because it simultaneously diminishes his kingdom and makes us more like our heavenly Father.
He then shares a great story about a time he and his wife put this idea into practise. They went out for dinner and instead of using the money they'd saved up to buy a big meal, the eat meagrely and were then able to tip generously, living behind a tract for the waitress as well. The following month they went back to the same restaurant and made sure they were served by the same waitress. Again they tipped generously and left a tract. The following month, they went back and the same waitress was on again:
When she saw us, she said, 'I read that little booklet you left last time you were here.' We tried not to show how excited we were to hear that. She continued, 'And I prayed that prayer to receive Christ at the end of it.' Of course, we were thrilled to hear that. But she wasn't finished. 'Then I called my husband on the phone and read the whole booklet to him, and he prayed that prayer, too.'
At that point, I said, 'That's wonderful! But what doe mean, you called your husband? Does he travel for a living?'
Looking embarrassed, shed said, 'No, my husband is in prison. He will get out in two to three years. We both want to thank you for leaving me that booklet and being so generous. Money has been pretty scarce since he went to prison.'
Over the next few years, my wife and I disciple this sweet waitress and saw great spiritual growth. We also began to mentor her husbnad in prison. When he was released, he joined the church with his wife, and they were baptised together. I had the privilege of knowing that the lives and eternal destinies of this couple had been changed because I gave.
He the describes their journey into being a generous giver:
They began on an annual income of $7,200 and started tithing and giving extravagantly. After a few months his wife got a different job and he began preaching and doing some 'revivals'. By the end of that first year there income went from $7,200 to $50,000. By the end of two years their income had risen from $7200 to $72000 - a tenfold increase.
Within three years our income had risen to more than $100000 and by God's grace we were giving 70% of it away (and having the time of our lives doing it!)
To clarify:
Please understand what I'm saying. The money is not the point. It's the joy that we receive from giving. It's the power that comes from obedience. I'm not presenting giving as a get-rich-quick scheme. On the contrary, I'm presenting it as a lay-down-your-life challenge.
But as we give, God blesses. And the greatest blessing of all is being able to see God's kingdom enlarge, to see ministries advance, to see churches grow and to see broken people become whole - all because of our obedience in giving.
Mammon Has Friends
Two in fact: The spirit of poverty and the spirit of pride.
A spirit of poverty will cause you to be ashamed of the blessings of God. If you are a faithful, generous steward, you will be blessed. There is no avoiding it.
...If you're not susceptible to the trap of a poverty mentality, the enemy will try the opposite approach - a spirit of pride.
These spirits work from opposite ends of the spectrum but have a common root - they get us to focus on 'stuff' rather than God.
The spirit of pride says 'wealth comes from hard works.' The spirit of poverty says, 'wealth comes from the devil.' The spirit of pride says, 'you should be proud of what you have.' The spirit of poverty says, 'you should be ashamed of what you have. They are both traps because they are things focused rather than God focused.
And on coveting he says this:
The Greek word translated 'covet' in the Bible is
epithumeo, and it means 'to set the heart upon.' It is very similar to the Greek word for 'lust', which is
epithumia.
Self-evaluation:
How can you know where your heart is? First, ask yourself these questions:
1- Am I looking to God or to people to meet my needs?
2- Do I get angry or resentful with people who don't help me as I want them to?
3- Do I blame others for my circumstances?
Pride wants people to think we paid more than we did. Poverty wants people to think we paid less.
The answer is...
Gratitude.
Gratitude doesn't care what people think; it only cares what God thinks!
Pride and poverty do have this in common - they both always get us to compare ourselves with others!
Chapter 6: It takes a heart transplant
Luke 6:38 is an often quoted, often misunderstood scripture. This chapter spends much of its time explaining this verse:
Give and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.
Morris then explains:
To capture the full meaning of this truth, you need to know a little more about what the terms, 'good measure,' 'pressed down,' 'shaken together' and 'running over' refer to. In reality, these were farming terms.
According to instructions in the Old Testament, farmers in Israel were to leave the grain in the corners of their fields for the poor. Thus, each year at harvest time, there were two sets of harvesters in the field: the primary harvesters in the middle of the field who were being paid to bring in the crop and the poor people in the corners who were harvesting the crop in order to feed themselves and their families.
Speaking about the method of filling their baskets with grain he explains that for contracted workers collecting crop for their employer they wouldn't have been as diligent about filling their baskets as fully as they could be filled. The poor harvesters however who were collecting for their family would do all they could to ensure that their baskets were 'running over' with grain:
It is one thing to receive a basket of free grain. It is a far better thing to receive a good-measure, pressed-down, shaken-together and running-over basket of free grain.
He goes on:
Think about it this way. When you give away an apple seed by planting it, you don't just get back an apple seed. In time, you actually get back a whole apple tree, and on that tree are many apples, and each apple has many seeds. You get back so much more than you actually give.
On Luke 6:38
The basic problem I have with most of the teaching I've heard on Luke 6:38 is that material gain is presented as the motive for giving. How do you think God feels when a preacher gets up and essentially says, 'Come on! Give to God, and you'll get back more! This is a great deal!'?
As I have pointed out, it is true that you can't out give God. The principle of reciprocity applies just as fully to money as it does to judgment and forgiveness. [demonstrated within the context of Luke 6:38] But there is nothing in Scripture that says we should make personal gain our motive for giving.
About the sermon of Jesus and context of the passage:
The message of Jesus' sermon is 'Give!' Give to those who ask of you. Give to those who can't pay you back. give to those who don't deserve it. Give mercy to those who wrong you. Give the kind of treatment you would hope to receive from others. Give, give, give! Oh, and by the way, when you do, your heavenly Father will make sure you get much more in return.
Do you see the subtle but important distinction in emphasis? When you give with what looks to the world like reckless abandon, you are following God's example.
But how do we become pure-hearted givers? Morris lists several things we need to deal with first:
The Selfish Heart.
The Grieving Heart.
People who see big-ticket items for a living know about something called buyer's remorse. the term refers to something that frequently happens to people who spend a lot of money on an item, such as a car or house. After the excitement of the moment wears off, they can experience a panicky what-have-I-done feeling. Many items purchased on impulse are returned the following day as a result o this phenomenon.
So, how do we combat grief in giving?
To illustrate this perspective, I once stopped right in the middle of a sermon and said, 'You know what? I need someone to give me $100.' Immediately, a man jumped up, came to the front and handed me a one-hundred-dollar bill. I stuck the bill in my pocket and continued right on with my sermon.
I am sure every person in the congregation was thinking, what was that all about? Why did he ask for $100? And why was that man so quick to get up and give him $100? (I suspect the person who was thinking it the most was the man's wife!)
After letting everyone stew on it for several minutes, I interrupted my message once again to explain. 'Let me tell you why that gentleman was so quick to bring me $100 without knowing why I needed it. Before the service, I gave him the one-hundred-dollar bill and told him I would ask for it during the service. I asked him to bring it up quickly when I asked for it.'
I went on to explain that I was trying to illustrate a point for them. The reason the man gave the money promptly when I asked for it was that it was mine in the first place. He experienced no grief, remorse or emotional conflict about giving me the money. Why? Because he knew it wasn't his.
We gain this perspective and battle grief and selfishness by being born again and getting a new heart from God:
Often I say, 'I was born selfish, but I was born again generous.'
Greed or gratitude?
We have encountered one of two attitudes. People respond to a blessing with either gratitude of greed.
receiving isn't our motive, giving is:
When God does a work in our hearts, we give simply to give, not to get. The resulting blessing we receive is the by-product, not the goal.
The chapter concludes with this:
When we come to the place where we give simply because we have an unselfish, liberal heart of gratitude toward God, we will be well on the road to the blessed life.
Chapter 7: Do the Right Thing
God instructed them about three things concerning there finances, those three things are the focus of this chapter:
1. Get out of debt.
2. Never manipulate others.
3. Give.
1. Get out of debt:
The truth is that if you're going to live the lifestyle of a giver, you're going to have to make the lifestyle adjustments that allow you to have something to give. One of the first ways to do that is to get out of debt.
The perspective that eld to this, and a helpful practical way of spending:
Debbie and I have come to understand that all of our money belongs to him. Thus, we need to ask him before we spend any of it. A valuable practise is to pray about every significant financial purchase and wait overnights before you commit.
A discovery on this:
I've discovered that about 80% of our purchases are made on impulse. A little prayer and a brief cooling-off period can keep us from making countless spending mistakes.
An amazing response to an alleged debt:
I once had a disgruntled former employee who accused me of cheating him our of $2500. Now I had the financial records to show that he was wrong. He was owed no money at all, and I could prove it! But I believe in the principle of going the extra mile, and I know God always blesses me for it.
So we sold a vehicle that we had at the time (we had paid cash, of course, so we owned it outright), bought a less expensive vehicle and took $2,500 of the proceeds and sent it to him.
We didn't owe him the money. But we just felt God saying 'God the extra mile.) The next week someone sent us a van that cost $25,000.
Frankly, I would much rather be cheated by men and blessed by God than to insist on fairness from men but forfeit God's blessing. Every time I've done the right thing, God has always blessed me.
He then says:
'Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's', means we shouldn't cheat on our taxes or scrimp on our giving.
2. Never manipulate others
When people being to invest their treasure in God through the local church, their hearts follow. It's the same dynamic you see when someone invests in the stock market for the first time. When you invest in a stock, you start keeping up with it. You begin checking on it in the newspaper or on the Internet every few days. You start listening for news about that company on television. why? Because wherever your treasure is, your heart's going to go there also.
If you want your heart to follow after the things that God's heart is after - the local church and reaching the lost - put your treasure there. Your heart will follow.
3. Give!
A great story on giving from the life of a member in his church. A family owed another family $1,200 and were praying about how they could afford to give it back:
STORY
That evening I preached on giving. I encouraged the people to give first to their church and then to wherever else the Holy Spirit prompted them to give. As I did, people began to spontaneously go to that family and put money in their pockets. when they got home, they pulled it out and put it on the kitchen table. they counted exactly $1200. The next night they were joyously able to pay the family back every cent they had borrowed.
and this one ends with an amazing healing!
STORY
On another occasion, I was preaching on giving in a church in which one of the members had been severely injured in a car wreck and was temporarily in a wheelchair. Because of his injured the doctors had told him he would be in the wheelchair for about three months and then on crutches for another three months.
At the time when I preached there, it had only been about two weeks since the accident. The old truck he had been driving in the accident had been completely destroyed and was uninsured.
The night that I preached, many people went to him and gave him money at the prompting of the Lord. When he got home, he counted $2000 - the exact amount of an old pickup he had found to replace the one that had been totaled.
As he prayed about it, however, the Lord showed him 20 people to whom he was supposed to give $100 each. God had done a work in his heart where giving was concerned too.
The next night, he went to each person and gave him or her the money, just as the Lord had told him to. A few days later, the Lord spoke to another man in the church to buy him a brand new pickup truck. the man was to take it over to the injured man and to pray for him to be healed.
The man prayed for him and God miraculously healed him on the spot. the next morning he drove his new truck to work!
Trust and obey: STORY
One night a couple who were seemlingly broken before the Lord came up to me. theyw ere weeping almost uncontrollably. They said that the Lord had spoken to them about giving away eveyr penny they had. I learned that they had written a check for all the money they had in the world. Now they were bringing me the check, saying 'we're supposed to give this to you. Do whatever you feel you're supposed to do with it.'
Immediately, I knew what the Lord wanted me to do. When they handed me the check, I asked them, 'Are you saying this is mine now, and I can do anything that I want with it?' Through their tears they nodded and answered yes. So I said, 'Well, I know exactly what the Lord would have me do with this check.' Then I tore it up in front of them.
Immediately, they fell to the floor and began to weep uncontrollably.
God did a wondrous work in their hearts that night - one that changed them for the rest of their lives. they were never the same. They had passed a major rest of obedience.
To this day I don't know how much money it was, nor do I care. I do know it was enormous in their eyes and precious in the eyes of God.
The I.O. Principle: Instant Obedience. Don't allow reflecting on something to rob you of action. If you feel a nudge from God - obey it.
Chapter 8: The Gift of Giving
This chapter points out that in the gift list in Romans 12 'giving' is presented as a spiritual gift. He then describes how churches have undervalued this gift and then lays out characteristics of people with the gift.
A Word to Pastors
Money was the subject of 30% of Jesus' parables. Don't shy away from speaking about it:
The only people who get offended when you preach on giving are the ones who't give - those who are in the grasp of the spirit of mammon. The people who have a revelation of giving will not get offended when you preach on it, and those in bondage to mammon can never taste freedom unless they hear the truth.
Straight talking about giving:
STORY
I remember one particular lunch meeting I had with a fairly new acquaintance. He was wealthy, and I could discern that he had the gift of giving - though at the time it was clearly undeveloped.
Soon after we sat down, he said, 'Let's get something straight right from the start. I will only give to your ministry if God tells me to.' A little startled at his bluntness, I said, 'Great! I'd like to get something straight right from the start as well. Like you, I function in the gift of giving and I didn't invite you to lunch to ask you for money. Frankly, God has blessed us tremendously, and we don't need any of your money. I'm here because God has given me some insights about the gift of giving. The Lord told me that you don't know these principles, even though you have this gift.'
At this point, he was the one who was startled. Now on a roll, I continued, 'The Lord showed me that there are five things you have been praying about doing. I can help you apply your gift of giving in these areas if you'll let me.
I outlined the five issues the Lord had shown me, and in addition to being amazed at the accuracy, he admitted that he did indeed need help in those areas.
The sin of partiality. Contrary to what we might think, the church by and large isn't guilty of favouring the rich over the poor, but rather we favour the poor and demonise the rich. The rich are 'baddies' in a lot of people's eyes.
How can we spot someone with the gift of giving? Here's a list that Morris lays out:
- People who have the gift of giving respond to strong vision with clear objectives.
- Givers can be men or women.
- People who have the gift of giving have discernment that allows them to determine genuine needs.
- People who have the gift of giving are very frugal but also very generous.
- A person who has the gift of giving desires to be appreciated but not recognised.
- People who have the gift of giving want to invest in a stable ship, not a sinking ship.
- Contrary to common belief, people who truly have the gift of giving don't want to control their money after they have given it.
- QUOTE: You can't minister to anyone with whom you are overly impressed or who intimidates you.
- People who have the gift of giving don't want to be a Band-Aid - they want to be a cure.
- People who have the gift of giving want to give more than money - they want to give their time, their talent and their wisdom.
- People who have the gift of giving are often gifted leaders.
- As I have already stated, people who have the gift of giving don't appreciate being put down or criticised for having a successful lifestyle.
- Successful people with the gift of giving don't want to talk about money all the time.
Chapter 9: God Rewards Good Stewardship
We must distinguish between belief and behaviour. Our belief determines where we will spend eternity, and our behaviour determines how we will spend eternity.
The reward for good stewardship:
In Acts 2, we find the first Spirit-filled Christians so in love with God that they actually sold their possessions and goods - distributing freely to everyone who had need! In response to their generosity and selflessness, God was generous with miracles! They abandoned themselves to God's plan and purpose, and God applauded from heaven by pouring out his power.
In Jesus' parable of the minas, why did the master take the one mina from the bad steward and give it to the one who had 10? Because Jesus is into rewarding stewardship! Poor stewards lose resources; good stewards receive more. It's a pretty simple concept!
On stewardship:
Some believers think they are exempt from having to think about stewardship because they don't make very much. They fail to comprehend that it is being faithful with the little that leads to being entrusted with more.
Jesus is asking the same question today as he did in the parable:
who then is a faithful and wise servant?
Questions that reveal if you're being a good steward:
Are you doing the best with what God has given you? Do you know where your money is going every month? Are you tithing, giving, witnessing and praying?
Where is your heart?
God actually uses money to test our hearts; money tests our stewardship and our trustworthiness. It's sobering to think about, but every day God sees the purchases we make and the money we give.
Pointing the finger of blame:
Sometimes we get upset with God because 'He's not coming through for us' financially. We say this even when we didn't pray abotu whether we were supposed to spend our money the way we did. I'm not trying to sound unkind or harsh, but we need to know that God is not responsible for bills he does not initiate.
We are the ones who are responsible for our finances. We are the stewards of our money. We should pray and get God's counsel before we spend money. The truth is that most of the stress, worry and anxiety in our lives is caused by a failure to exercise good stewardship.
Suppose you have $500 left until payday, and you impulsively choose to spend $300 on a new BBQ grill, leaving you short and in financial trouble. Friend, that's not the judgment of God. That's arithmetic!
Marriage and money:
Researchers say that the number one reason for divorce is communication, with money following a close second. When they begin to dig a little deeper they discover that the number one thing couples don't communicate about is finances. Money is the main source of conflict in marriage.
Morris began the chapter with the comment that the summer camps he'd go on as a kid often had rewards ceremonies at the end of the week. He'd be annoyed since he didn't know he was being assessed during the week preceding the awards ceremony:
Unlike my summer camp when I was a kid, God doesn't just wait until the end to have an awards ceremony. He's handing out rewards all the time. And now you know - God rewards good stewardship.
Chapter 10: Need, Greed or Seed
This chapter is concerned with expositing 2 Corinthians 9 and Paul's instructions there on sowing and reaping with our finances. Picking up on Paul's 'each one should decide in his heart...' Morris writes:
You are the only person on Earth who can decided what the right level of giving is for you. It's between you and the Spirit of God.
God is not looking for tithes, offerings and gifts that are given 'reluctantly or under compulsion.' The blessed life is an outgrowth of 'cheerful' giving.
God gives us what we need, but he won't provide for our greeds.
The Highest Level
Where using money is concerned there is a higher level beyond need and greed. The highest use of money is seed.
How do you view the money you control? Do you see it as being there to meet your need? Is it there to satisfy your greed? Or do you see it as seed?
I believe givers live more righteous lives than takers. why? Because God, as promised, is increasing the fruits of their righteousness.
Three fundamental principles relating to seed that we need to know:
1. You reap what you sow.
2. You reap after you sow.
3. You reap more than you sow.
You reap WHAT you sow.
Embrace this truth: If you sow corn, you're going to reap corn; if you sow wheat, you're going to reap wheat; and if as Paul suggests, you sow money, you are going to reap money. It's a law that was established at the creation of the world.
But before we can say 'woa there!' he adds:
Let me emphasise once again, this is not a holy get-rich-quick scheme. we don't sow for the purpose of getting more money; however, financial growth is a by-product of bountiful sowing. It is a principle.
You reap AFTER you sow:
I have heard many believers say pretty much the same thing as, If God will help me close this major business deal, I'm really going to start giving to the church.'
You reap MORE than what you sow:
In God's kingdom as in the natural creation, you reap more than you sow (one seed can produce a stalk with several ears of corn each containing hundreds of seeds.
STORY
I have a friend who years ago was making $37500. At the time, he was consistently giving 0% of his gross income. Then the Lord spoke to him and said, I want you to give 15% and if you do I'll double your income; and if you thevn give 20% I'll double your income again and if you give 25% I'll double it again. He felt very strongly in his heart that the Lord had spoken this to his heart.
He did not come back to God and say : How about this? You double my income and then I'll start giving 15%.
He took God at his word and seized the opportunity to stretch his faith and please God. Right away he started giving 15% of his income to the work of the Lord. That year, his income went from 37k to 75k. Taking the Lord at his word once again he started giving 20%. That following year, he made 150k. It was at this point that I met him for the first time. We became good friends and he related this testimony to me.
The next year he upped his giving to 25% and his income rose to 300k. I know it sounds incredible, but I know this testimony to be true. This man is a dear friend of mine.
The year after he upped his giving to 30% he made 600k. A year later he it to 35% and grossed 1.2m. Today he consistently gives 40% of his income to the work of God.
But I can tell you that the greatest thing about this testimony is not how much money my friend gives or makes; it's what God has done in his heart.
God is looking for people he can trust with his true wealth, the wealth of the kingdom.
Chapter 11: God Rewards Generosity
This chapter focuses around the example of Mary anointing Jesus' feet with oil and Judas' mean-spirited reaction to her extravagance. He describes generosity, pictured by Mary and selfishness demonstrated in Judas.
He says that money is a test from God and that the more we are faithful with God's money the more money he'll give us.
There are three levels of giving to the Lord in scripture:
1. Tithes
2. Offerings
3. Extravagant/Painful Offerings
Over the years I have observed that those who do get to the first level usually move on to the next one. Why? Because tithing removes the curse and opens the windows of heaven over us. So, if we ever start tithing, we're much more likely to start giving offerings as the Lord leads us.
Morris says that the reason God said to Solomon 'ask anything of me' was because of Solomon's extravagant offering of 1000 bulls on coronation day. Solomon showed that his heart was generous and not selfish.
Morris is keen to reinforce his point that giving and reward from God is a universal system:
If you give, God is going to bless you. No power on Earth can stop it. I'm sorry if that bothers you. You're just going to have to deal with it. I know you're just giving to give. I realise you're not giving to receive. Nonetheless, blessing is the by-product of giving. That's just the way it is. you can't get out of it!
He then tells the story of a friend of his who went to bed one night having counted all of his money. In the morning God told him to give it all away which he began to do. Within the year God had replenished all of his hard sacrificial giving by blessing his business. It took him 20 years to accumulate that wealth and God gave it back to him within 1 year.
Chapter 12: Guaranteed Financial Results
The final chapter. He recaps and reminds us what his central idea has been:
Giving is important because it does a supernatural work in our hearts, and that's what God is after - our hearts. God is not after our money. He doesn't need it. But our treasure is tied to our hearts.
Giving therefore produces:
guaranteed financial results
He then tells a remarkable story of his own giving when they as a church were going for a building.
He felt God tell him to give into the offering everything they owned
, checking accounts, savings, money market accounts, even our retirement account.
When he told his wife what he felt God say to them, her response was equally impressive:
I think that's the most exciting thing I've heard in a long time.
That Saturday evening we went to the offering pot with a check for every penny that we had. We had liquidated everything. We placed our check in the offering with great excitement. We have learned through the years that when God asks you to do something extraordinary, it's because he wants to do something extraordinary.
As I have tried to point our in every way I possibly can in this book, God does a work in our hearts when we give. Once again, that weekend, our extravagant gift had opened the door for God to do a deep deep work of gratitude in my heart, and I wouldn't trade that work for all the money in the world.
Less than 6 weeks from the day Debbie and I gave every penny we had, God, by his grace, restored it all and then some. think about it: Within 40 days, we found ourselves with more money than we had before giving it all away in that one offering.
Afterword:
Essentially this afterword is 'God loves Jewish people and so should we'
