Day 40 – God will show you other giving opportunities worthy of your support

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James 1:27 The Christian who is pure and without fault, from God the Father's point of view, is the one who takes care of orphans and widows, and who remains true to the Lord.

Job 29:12-13 I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist him. The man who was dying blessed me; I made the widow's heart sing.

Matt 10:42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.

Heb 13:2-3 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

Phil 4:14 (Paul said to the Christians in Phillipi) You have done right in helping me in my present difficulty.

Acts 28:10 They honored us in many ways and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.

Mt 10:41 Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward.

Luke 14:13-14 When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.

Matt 28:19-20 (Jesus said) “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”


FINAL PROJECT
FOCUSING ON YOUR THANKS

A PERSONAL LETTER TO THE LORD

Dear Sovereign LORD; Giver, Provider and Owner of all I have or ever will have:

I want to thank you for this 40 day journey and the following things you’ve have impressed upon my heart and life that I might live and give more joyfully
and generously than ever before:
A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE AUTHOR for providing premission to copy and blog. Please see all his resources below.

Signature: Date:

If you have been meeting and discussing this devotional booklet with your spouse, family, group, or class, take time to share highlights of what you wrote in your letter OR read your letter out loud. Pray together after everyone has shared.Helpful Resources To Assist You In Your Life,
Finances, and Generosity

Help to set up your own “Charitable Bank Account” or “Family Foundation Fund”…
National Christian Foundation
www.nationalchristian.com - 1-800-681-6223
The National Christian Foundation can greatly help you facilitate your Christian generosity. They help you make a greater impact on the Kingdom of God by enabling you to manage your generosity more effectively and efficiently.

· Then can help you set up a “Charitable Bank Account” or “Family Foundation Fund”, called a donor advised Stewardship Fund.
· Once your personal Stewardship Fund is established, you can transfer cash, assets, securities, etc. into this fund and immediately take 100% a tax deduction. Your resources then sit in the fund, until you determine which Christian, church and charitable interests you want to support. As you make choices of where you want funds to go, you contact the National Christian Foundation and ask them to send a check to the groups you want to support. The checks they send can include a letter saying these funds are from you OR they can send a letter and say that the gift is from an anonymous source.
· They can help you increase the value of your fund by liquidating (real estate, securities, pension plan funds, personal property, business interests) to maximize tax benefits for you. This will allow you to have more money in your Fund to increase your generous gifts to the causes you care about the most.

Help and resources to become more generous…

Generous Giving
http://www.assetstream.com/
1-423-294-1640
This organization offers valuable website resources, conferences, peer to peer networking, and other helpful resources to encourage people to become wiser and more generous givers to the Lord’s work.

Help with learning to manage your finances from a Biblical perspective…

Crown Financial Ministries
http://www.crown.org/ - 1-800-722-1976
This nonprofit ministry is a wonderful resource for those looking for Biblical principles of financial management. The organization offers radio programs, small group Bible studies, budgeting software, articles, seminars, books, website tools, and other resources on personal Biblical financial management.

Helpful internet website to give electronically to any church or ministry…
www.networkforgood.org
This nonprofit ministry has a database of every church and non-profit organization in America. From this site you can give one-time or monthly financial gifts to any church or ministry in America. This website can also provide leadership, financial, organizational, accomplishments, goals, and funding information for ministries.
Helpful Biblical and practical insights into generosity and finances…

MAXIMUM Generosity - www.MAXIMUMgenerosity.org
By Brian Kluth


This website has helpful articles and resources (including this 40 day generosity devotional booklet) that Brian Kluth has written for churches, Christian organizations and individuals on finances, generosity and fundraising.

Help with high net worth financial and estate planning…

Ron Blue & Company
http://www.ronblue.com/ 1-800-841-0362
State of the art professional fee-based services and counsel from a Christian perspective for high-net-worth individuals. Ron Blue & Company has offices in 13 cities that provide financial, investment, tax planning, estate, and charitable counsel.

Help with a Christian perspective to investing…

Sound Mind Investing
www.soundmindinvesting.com
Sound Mind Investing (SMI), a newsletter written for the beginner to intermediate investor, has won acclaim in the Christian community for its specific, easy-to-understand financial advice. SMI takes you out into the marketplace and helps you apply biblical principles of money management that are relevant to your personal situation.


Help with moving from success to significance…

Halftime - www.halftime.org
www.Halftime.org is an interactive, personalized coaching process providing ideas, stories and self-assessment tools to assist people in the transition from success to significance in managing their life, resources and future. They also have books, materials and conferences they offer to help people determine how to move from “success to significance” in the second half of their life.

Help with evaluating the financial records of non-profit organizations…

Guidestar - http://www.guidestar.org/
This website allows you to see the IRS required 990 financial reports of any non-profit organization. This is a helpful tool for evaluating Christian ministries or non-profit organizations (excluding churches).

Help evaluating Christian organizations…

ECFA – Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability
http://www.efca.org/ 1-800-3BE-WISE
This organization provides information on Christian ministries that meet certain financial and integrity standards.
Help for Christians who give more than $200,000 a year to the Lord’s work…

The Gathering
www.gatheringweb.com
The Gathering has a website, newsletter, resources, networking opportunities and a national conference each fall for individuals or foundations who are actively giving (or planning on giving) $200,000 or more each year to Christian and charitable causes.

Help for people needing financial counsel…

Christian Financial Professionals Network
www.cfpn.org 404-497-7680
CFPN trains and certifies CPA’s, professional financial planners, attorneys, tax planners, estate planners, insurance agents, and other financial professionals. In addition to having proven expertise in their vocation, these individuals are also trained in a Biblical perspective to advising/serving their clients. Referrals available.

Help with your personal finances…

The Dave Ramsey Show
www.daveramsey.com
Dave Ramsey has a nationwide radio talk show and call-in program, books, resources, articles, conferences, tapes, and a website of great resources to help people with questions about personal money management, lifestyle choices and investments.

Help for business owners and managers…

Christ@Work
www.fcci.org 1-405-917-1681
This national and international ministry is dedicated to helping business owners and leaders operate their businesses on Biblical principles. They do this through website resources, local chapters, conferences, newsletter, materials, on-line training, peer-to-peer networking and more.

About the Author

Brian Kluth is the Senior Pastor of the First Evangelical Free Church.

Prior to 2000, he was the national president of the Christian Stewardship Association (CSA). CSA is America’s largest stewardship ministry serving 10,000 Christian organizations and 50 denominations.

Brian has been a national and international speaker, writer and radio commentator on financial and generosity matters from a Biblical perspective. His written materials have been distributed to Christian leaders across America and in more than 100 countries.

In 2005, he founded the http://www.maximumgenerosity.org/ website, generosity products, and a free monthly email newsletter for pastors, church leaders, denomination leaders, and ministry leaders that is sent to 13,000 people each month.

He is the author of “A 40 Day Spiritual Journey to a More Generous Life” booklet that is being used by a growing number of churches around the country to advance Biblical financial teaching in their churches.


This booklet was written and designed by Brian Kluth unless otherwise noted. To purchase the Microsoft Word CD to self-produce this devotional booklet for use by your church or ministry, please visit: http://www.maximumgenerosity.org/
There is also a building campaign fund drive version of this booklet that can be customized for use by any church or ministry during a major capital campaign. For reprint permission and/or to purchase CD computer files that would allow a church, ministry or organization to customize this material for their own purposes, please contact Brian Kluth by calling 719-930-4000, emailing him at bk@kluth.org or visiting: http://www.kluth.org/.
©www.MAXIMUMgenerosity.org All rights reserved. The majority of Scriptures quoted in this booklet are taken from the NIV version. Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE®, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. NIV® COPYRIGHT© 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.