arvest
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Jacksonville, Florida
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Biblical Stewardship: That Which is of True Value
Biblical stewardship is a giving out of devotion rather than duty. It's about the heart of the giver - the Christian willing to give out of poverty, not wealth.
At Harvest Ministries, we believe in Biblical Stewardship and teach our members the responsibility and the blessings of giving. We also believe that as a church we have a responsibility to be wise stewards of all that comes into the local storehouse. Because of this we choose not to participate in online giving because most of the companies we have researched charge a transaction fee to the local church. We feel that one hundred percent of what you contribute should go to the church. If you wish to contribute to this ministry, we invite you to send your tax deductible contribution directly to the church. You will receive a statement of your giving at the end of the calendar year.
Please make checks or money orders payable to : Harvest Ministries
Mail to:
Harvest Ministries
Harvest Ministries2550 Fouraker Road Jacksonville, FL 32210Thank you in advance for your financial contribution.
Principles of Stewardship:
Biblical stewardship does not require that a Christian despise money or to discontinue earning it. Money is a necessity for basic living. The Bible does warn, however, that the love of money creates evil (1 Timothy 6:10). It is important not to allow money to become the center of one's life. When money is not the object of one's love and devotion, one is free to focus on higher things.
Good stewardship encourages a Christian to find true value in life. If money does not offer much to life, what does? The Bible states, "Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf" (Proverbs 11:28). The righteous, not the rich, thrive. But how do the righteous thrive without riches? They thrive because they understand and possess what holds a higher value.
The righteous have character. Proverbs 22:1 states, "A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold." A pure reputation should be one's goal in life rather than the accumulation of wealth. Character lasts. Money cannot.
Believing in God offers the righteous a lifetime of wealth (Romans 11:33). Knowing God and understanding his love are the true eternal riches. The author of Hebrews writes, "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). Money does not love and it does not linger. It is God who stands by and blesses his children in immeasurable amounts-this promise, not money, truly satisfies. Biblical Stewardship: It's About Heart
There is a distinct difference between tithes and offerings. They are mentioned separately throughout the Bible, even though the Lord required both to be brought to Him.
The Tithe
The tithe is the tenth of all the increase that God gives to you. What does "increase" include? "Increase" is everything that increases the value of earthly possessions that God places into your trust, whether it be earned income or unearned gifts. A tenth of everything that is "increase" to you belongs to God in the form of tithes. The tithe of your increase is not yours to give to God; it is God’s for you to give to God, and it is a privilege for us to have it to give to Him.
Listen carefully to Jesus’ condemnation of the Pharisees, for it is very easily misunderstood: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin [names of spices], and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law: judgment, mercy, and faith." Those words of Jesus can be misconstrued to mean that Israel’s religious leaders were doing evil by being very careful to bring God tithes of all that entered as increase into their homes. But that is not the case, for Jesus goes on to state in the rest of that verse from Matthew 23:23, "these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." Those men were evil, not because they brought God tithes of everything that was increase to them, but because they neglected the love and truth of God.
Offerings
Offerings are gifts brought to God beyond the tithes. The tithe was always ten percent of one’s increase, but with certain offerings, God gave His people some discretion as to the amount or number of offerings to bring. Their financial situation in life and the depth of their zeal for God was shown by their choices concerning offerings.
The Tithe and Offering has more to do with one's heart during the act of giving then the actual amount given to God. The Bible offers this story: "As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 'I tell you the truth,' he said, 'this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out her poverty put in all she had to live on'" (Luke 21:1-4). The woman gave two copper coins-what amounted to a fraction of a penny. This seems a trivial amount. However, God viewed her trivial amount with more regard than the large offerings of the rich. Why? By giving all she had, the woman showed utter devotion to God. She was willing to offer everything she possessed to show love to God.
