Thursday, July 10, 2008

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.

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Day 39 – Building projects are worthy of your support

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Exod 35:29 All the men and women who were willing brought to the LORD freewill offerings for all the work the LORD through Moses had commanded them to do (for the Tabernacle).


1 Chron 29:14-16 (David’s prayer after people gave generously to a building project) “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. We are aliens and strangers in your sight, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. O LORD our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you.”


II Kings 12:7-12 King Joash summoned Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and asked them, "Why aren't you repairing the damage done to the temple?…Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid. He placed it beside the altar, on the right side as one enters the temple of the LORD. The priests who guarded the entrance put into the chest all the money that was brought to the temple. Whenever they saw that there was a large amount of money in the chest, the royal secretary and priest came, counted the money that had been brought into the temple of the LORD and put it into bags. When the amount had been determined, they gave the money to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. With it they paid those who worked on the temple of the LORD-- the carpenters and builders, the masons and stonecutters. They purchased timber and dressed stone for the repair of the temple of the LORD, and met all the other expenses of restoring the temple.



“The only investment I ever made which has paid consistently increasing dividends is the money I have given to the Lord.” James Kraft, Founder of Kraft Foods

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Day 38 – A main focus for your giving should be your local church & ministry staff

1 Cor 9:11-14 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?…Don't you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.



1 Tim 5:17,18 Pastors who do their work well should be paid well and should be highly appreciated, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, "Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain," and "The worker deserves his wages."



1 Cor 9:10 Christian workers should be paid by those they help. Those who do the plowing and threshing should expect some share of the harvest.



Gal 6:6 Those who are taught the Word of God should help their teachers by paying them.





2 Chr 31:6-13 They brought a tithe of their herds and flocks and a tithe of the holy things dedicated to the LORD their God, and they piled them in heaps…When Hezekiah and his officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the LORD and blessed his people…Hezekiah asked the priests about the heaps; the chief priest, answered, "Since the people began to bring their contributions to the temple of the LORD, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare, because the LORD has blessed his people, and this great amount is left over." Hezekiah gave orders to prepare storerooms in the temple of the LORD, and this was done. Then they faithfully brought in the contributions, tithes and dedicated gifts.





Deut 12:19 Be careful not to neglect the Levites (ministers) as long as you live in your land.

Monday, July 7, 2008

Day 37 - Even your smallest acts of kindness will be remembered and rewarded.

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Matt 10:42 Jesus said…“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."


Prov 19:17 When you help the poor you are lending to the Lord-- and he pays wonderful interest on your loan!


Matt 25:37-40 The righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'


Mark 12:41-44 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything-- all she had to live on."
“I shovel money out, and God shovels it back...
but God has a bigger shovel!” Industrialist R.G. LeTourneau

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Martyred Missionary Jim Elliot

Day 36 - When you help the poor and needy, you should not do it for public recognition

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Matt 6:2-4 (Jesus said) "When you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”


Matt 23:5-6 (Jesus said) "Everything they do is done for show…they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the reserved pews in the synagogue!”


Luke 16:15 (Jesus said) “You wear a noble, pious expression in public, but God knows your evil hearts. Your pretense brings you honor from the people, but it is an abomination in the sight of God.”


John 5:44 You gladly honor each other, but you don't care about the honor that comes from the only God!


John 12:43 They loved praise from men more than praise from God.



“He who bestows his goods upon the poor shall have as much again, and ten times more.” John Bunyan

“Prosperity inebriates men, so that they take delights in their own merits.” John Calvin