A Continued Call to Prayer

The Lord continues to stir my heart to look for ways to give more money back to His work.  Everything I own is already His… with that said the question is how much of it do I need to keep in order to live the life He has called me to?

As a husband, father, pastor and friend, I’m challenged to make all the money I can, save all the money I can and give away all the money I can.  Recently, I met with a couple who are extremely successful in the building industry.  They have a company that makes millions of dollars and yet for the past twenty years they have lived on just over 100 thousand dollars a year. In 2009 their company gave away forty-five million dollars to a variety of charities doing the Lord’s work.

With hearts and lives that overflow with such blessings, what if we determined we could live on a specific amount of money and then gave away the extra to the work of the Church?  It could put a substantial dent in the mountain of needs from Franklin to the Nations of the World!  As you pray this week ask Jesus how much money you actually need to live on and then commit to staying within that amount.  Any extra that comes in, give to the Lord’s work.  The couple says they are interested in making a huge profit because it has the purpose of building the Kingdom.  Profit with a Purpose.  Brother’s Pizza and Thrift Smart are two local companies that run on that same principle.

As you spend your hour in prayer this week begin by meditating on this idea.  Jesus loves you and has a plan for you and your family.  Ask Him what it looks like?  Then let your mind wander and use your imagination to dream and contemplate the ministry and calling He has for you.  Talk about the results with friends and family and begin today to give from the excess of your heart.  God is so generous to us how can we be anything but generous to all those in need?  Use Philippians C2 V5-11, the Hymn to Christ, as a picture of how trusting in Jesus is our lifestyle…  He had to die to bring us to Himself and because the Gospel is true we are united to the Lord and belong to Him.  He was glad to die because of His enormous love for us.  He is our life.  His transforming power is making us like He is!

So, I pray Jesus, empower us today to Worship, Care and Serve, just like you!

Scott