When God Lays Something On Your Heart...

...you just have to do something about it. I'm blogging as my first step; the next step will be to DO those things about which I am about to write.

Our purpose as Christians isn't to be happy, be blessed, get rich, have perfect health, or any of the other popular goals that many people seem to seek from God. If that were the case, then there certainly would have been more examples of those in the early church documented in the Word. Jesus Himself had no earthly home that we're told about, but His home was always heaven, and His time here was to accomplish a mission...the greatest mission known to mankind, in fact. While many were healed, some were not. While there were those who prospered financially there were also saints who had to trust God for every morsel.

The point of this writing isn't to debate whether we should expect riches while on earth, but what God's goal IS for us while we're here and how we can help accomplish them.

The Bible is very clear that our purpose is to be a vessel of God's love to the world, to shine His light, and to preach the gospel. He wants all to be saved and none to be lost, but that can't happen unless everyone hears the Word. It is also clear that not all are called to be missionaries. But we are all called to spread the kingdom.

In this world, that means there is a need for finances. In the early church, disciples of Christ traveled on foot, finding sustenance and shelter with those who had been blessed to provide it for them, and speaking of the Gospel wherever they went.

Have we been blessed to provide for those who are speaking the Gospel wherever they go? There comes a time where each of us has to ask ourselves whether we are called to go (whether across the world or across the street, in our own sphere of souls), or to provide for those who do. In addition, each one of us is obligated to provide for our local fellowship, that it may in turn provide the Gospel, as well as our own spiritual sustenance, in our local "world".

Yet so many of our local churches are struggling to make ends meet. Every Christian feels an obligation, or should feel an obligation, to support their local church, and assure that it not only remains debt-free, but that it is able to do its work in the community. It should also be a given that the members are giving each week the tenth of their income, but that's not always the case either.

So what can we do? How can our local churches fill in the financial gap?

First, members have to realize that they will be blessed for their support. While God isn't a mechanical one-armed bandit that spews out coin with every "deposit", He promised to meet the needs of His own as we work to fulfill His purpose. The reasons that this doesn't always "work" are probably numerous, but there are two that are the most common.

One is that Christians don't always reckon the difference between wants and needs. God meets our needs, but He may not always determine that eating out several times a week, or going on expensive vacations every year, or the newest style in clothes or manicures are "needs". Indeed, if we are splurging on such things while people are being lost or our churches are unable to meet their own bills, then shame on us! God isn't going to bless those of us who seek after worldly pleasure or comfort rather than His Kingdom, or whose heart is pleased with the purchase of designer labels more than rejoicing for every person who comes to know Jesus.

The other is that we are only doing lip service to the concept of "trusting God". Do we REALLY trust Him to meet our needs? Do we see that bank balance as being more reliable as the One who created us, died for us, and has promised to care for us? Do we hold onto what's in our wallets in case something happens that might cost us money? Do we hold onto the promises of God as being more tangible than the bills we clutch in our fists? If those bills are our comfort, than we are only deluding ourselves that we are indeed trusting God.

Some people I'm sure feel they are being judged by my words. But I don't point my finger at anyone, that's not my place. I'm in, or have been or will be, the same place as I'm writing about. What I can do is share what's in my heart for God to use these words to touch yours.

And now I'm going to write a separate post about some sacrificial but relatively painless ways for God's people to help their missionaries and churches to do their work.