GEM'S GIFT GIVING CHALLENGE
The Global Empowerment for Ministry Team would like to make an additional challenge for your prayerful consideration concerning gift giving. This challenge opens up the opportunity to increase ones give-ability while allowing room for the Holy Spirit to expand the nature of His giving heart within us.
We would like for you to consider giving 50 percent of what comes to you in way of financial support for your ministry to others who are in need. This could be given to individuals who are less fortunate than yourself. It could be a missionary, a small house church fellowship, family members or perhaps paying someone's bills or buying groceries for them. Perhaps it will be an orphanage or food distribution center for the needy. I think you get the idea.
We also strongly encourage your gift giving to be in secret, that way it will be your heavenly Father who gets the credit. He sees your secret giving and He will reward you openly. Our Lord Jesus said it this way, "Be on your guard that you do not give your gifts to be seen before men, to be seen of them: otherwise you have no reward from your Father which is in heaven. When you do give your gifts to the poor, do not sound a trumpet, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be thought well of by men. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. But when you give to the poor, let not your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that your giving may be in secret and your Father which sees in secret will reward you openly." (Matt. 6:1-4)
Dear ones, we urge you to pray fervently, listen, worship Him and then listen some more. Afterwards, obey the voice of the Lord and give with great abandonment and great liberality. It may seem impossible at first to give away half of your personal support, but trust God to care for you as you become a extreme giver! Let the joy of giving reign in your heart! Yes, I know it will take faith but it is "faith working by love" that our life in Christ Jesus becomes a reality. His love compels us to be givers of His life in every area of our lives!
If you think it's just not possible to give 50 percent then ask the Lord to make it possible. You may have to start with 20 or 30 percent but as His nature of love grows so does your desire to be a giver just like Him. As the time you spend with Him increases ask the Holy Spirit to increase your ability to be an extreme giver and watch what happens. We know our God will both honor and bless you in many ways that you can not even begin to imagine. We will all do well to remember that the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking but is instead righteous, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. So let's have His righteous, peaceable, joyful Spirit empower us in a fuller measure as we dare to become outrageous givers of all that He gives to us and through us!
Pray, obey and give Him out freely to who are in need!
Always in His loving care,
GEM Support Team
