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God doesn’t need my money, does he?
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Can’t God take care of the church without my money? He made all things. Why does he need my money?
That poses an interesting question, doesn’t it? Why does God need our money? But maybe that’s the wrong question. Perhaps the question should be more like “Why do we need to give our money to God?”
The early Christians didn’t ask why God needed their money. They pleaded for the privilege to share their money. They gave themselves first to the Lord, then their offerings followed. They gave to God because he had given them so much. Not only did they have forgiveness, victory over death, and eternal life, but God had also given them their money and possessions. Giving was an expression of gratitude to God for all his gifts. The early Christians were generous because God was so generous.
God could fill collection plates like he filled the nets with fish on the Sea of Galilee. But God wants to give us opportunities to show how much we appreciate what he has done for us. “Put God First” is more than just an empty motto. It has real application when we take the checkbook and make our contribution.
God doesn’t want all our money. He simply asks for some of it—enough to show how much we love him. He gives us the freedom to set our own goals. Then he challenges us to do better, just as he stretches us to grow in other ways too. The apostle Paul wrote, “Just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness . . . see that you also excel in this grace of giving” (2 Corinthians 8:7).
It’s true, God doesn’t need our money. But we need to answer some important questions every time we bring our offerings to church. Do our offerings put God first? Do they show that we really appreciate all God has done for us? We answer the questions every time we put our offerings in the collection plate. When our hearts put God first, we joyfully give
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