You may recall two key takeaways from the preached Word of Oct. 12th & Oct. 19th:

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• His Righteous are generous, even in tough times, for the Lord directs their giving!

• God-honoring stewardship reflects intentional, generous, joyful giving!

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“Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who

plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to

give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives

cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything

you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say, “They share freely

and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”  For God is the

one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will

provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. 

Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous.”
(II Corinthians 9:6-11)

 

We engaged Scriptures in both Old Testament and New Testament, learning that our Heavenly Father expects His born-again children to learn and practice stewardship that lines up with His merciful, generosity toward us in Christ, even as we also value human, professional wisdom.

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No human will ever understand nor beat God’s giving! God’s favor will be upon stewardship that includes sharing money willingly, generously, and cheerfully, not grudgingly/pressured!
God knows each of our financial pictures. We are entrusted to mediate what we have. Whether cushy or tight budgets, we all can express gratitude and trust toward God for meeting our desperate need in Christ, the cleansing of our sin, forgiveness, and Divine peace!   

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“God showed how much he loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” (I John 4:9-10)

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Consider this story about sacrificial giving, shared anonymously in the Christian Clippings publication from Jan-March 2025. (Thank you, Folsom’s Funeral!)

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“As her mother was scanning the pantry shelves, she suggested, “You can take these cans of sardines that none of us like.”

 

The little girl’s face fell in disappointment. “But that means the poor people are helping us.”

 

The story has helped me re-evaluate my benevolence. There is nothing wrong with giving what we no longer use. In fact, I gave a suit to our clothes bank this week. However, I do not want closet cleaning to be my total expression of compassion. If I do, then the poor people are helping me and I am not getting the spiritual benefit of helping others. David realized this principle. He wanted to offer a sacrifice to the Lord. A man offered to give him animals for the sacrifice and wood for the fire. However, David refused by saying, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price, nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which cost me nothing” (II Samuel 24:24). 

Not only do people need to be helped! I need to help—and if it does not cost, it does not count!”

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Deuteronomy 16:17 ‘All must give [to the Lord] as they are able, according to the blessings given to them by the Lord your God.’

 

II Corinthians 8:12-15 12 For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. 13 For I do not mean that there should be relief for others and hardship for you, but it is a question of equality between 14 your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may also supply your need, in order that there may be equality. 15 As it is written, “The one who had much did not have too much, and the one who had little did not have too little.”

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Isaiah 53:10 ‘Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.’

 

May God direct your financial giving to FBC in 2026! Continue to support the advancement of The Gospel! Continue helping disenfranchised, vulnerable, hopeless people! Continue to help with FBC’s operating expenses as we follow Christ’s mission! God is blessing our efforts and obedience!

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Peace to you and thank you!
Pastor Catherine

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