At a number of family workshops and marriage seminars, I have reviewed questions that I have received and on a number of occasions the question was asked on how to keep giving as a priority. How can we consistently keep giving the proper percentage of our income, and how do we avoid the trap of giving God what's left or finding opportunity to put off giving until later. These are very important questions!
Most banks are very difficult to rob. If one tried to rob the Bank of America, he would find himself behind cameras, security and other obstacles . . . not to mention the fact that the FBI would be searching for you and that you would be facing prison. The easiest bank to rob is the Bank of God. God sees everything and is certainly able to video tape all of your actions. He also is a great security in that he has all power in heaven and earth to prevent us. Yet God has always searched for the depth of man's holiness. He wants so desperately for us to offer him sacrifices from the heart. There is no delight for God to prevent us from doing wrong. He simply wants to have our unadulterated loyalty and love, as he has certainly demonstrated for us in the death of His Son, Jesus Christ. He has promised in return that if he would give him such loyalty, such undefiled genuine commitment, that he would reward us and that we would always reap more than what we sowed. We will always be able to be blessed more than by what we have given. That is the way God does about rewarding those that love Him.
One question that I have received from a couple is: "As Christians we know that we are to give to our church, but on some Sundays doing so is a financial stretch. We either give less or not at all. Of course we feel guilty, and we try to do better. Within a few months, the cycle repeats itself. What is it that we are doing wrong when it comes to regular, consistent church giving?" That was a wonderful and intelligent question from an earnest heart. Most of us are sincere and good people, but when it comes down to money, we tend to be blind-sighted. We tend to think of it as our savior, our refuge, our hope, our blessing, our prosperity. We wonder about giving to God. But how would it deplete our gifts to ourselves and our toys we like so much to have in our lives.