Friday, March 29 - 40 Days Luke

Friday, March 29, 2019 

Earn, Save, Give

After almost 29 years in ministry I have learned that one of the most sensitive topics that a pastor ever has to deal with is money. During my time in ministry I have witnessed Stewardship Sunday’s where the average attendance was cut in half, I have seen people leave a church over money, I have pastored a congregation where we discovered that our former Financial chair had taken thousands of dollars of the churches money! I have also seen an impoverished grandmother write a huge check to a missionary who was visiting because the Lord put it on her heart and I have witnessed a new Christian, who was in church for only their second week give an offering of $5,000 (and in that one offering become one of our top ten givers) because she had read that Christians are supposed to tithe and she had just received a payment for work completed. What I have really learned in all this time is that money reveals the condition of our heart. To Whom do we belong and what does that mean for our lives and our money are questions that have to be asked by serious followers of Christ. I hope that today this little parable of the man and his barns will help you reflect on these important questions. 

Read: Luke 12:1-34

Questions to Consider:

1.     In the parable of the rich farmer does Jesus give any critique of his good harvest?   

2.    What do we do with our financial resources today that is comparable with the man’s building of the new barns? What is the outcome of his work?

3.    Luke 12:15 sums up the lesson before the parable ever begins. How can we apply this parable to today’s world? 

4.   What does it mean to have a rich relationship with God and what does that mean for our wealth? How can we faithfully save for our retirement and save and work for eternity? 

Activity for the Day:  The founder of the Methodist movement, John Wesley, called for disciples to be diligent in their labor (to work hard) thus earning a good income. In that diligence then he called disciples to be frugal and to save, but he also called disciples to give generously and to serve the world in love. Examine your habits of spending. Ask for the Lord to guide you in being faithful to work towards using your resources as a reflection of our walk with Christ and then create a plan to earn, save and give in your journal.  

Blessings, 

Jim