Giving That Pleases God

By Rod K. Rogers

This devotional will show you how to transform your life with giving that pleases God.

 

The Bible promises four kinds of rewards for Christians who give to please God: 1) Financial, 2) Emotional, 3) Spiritual, and 4) Eternal. The first three rewards are enjoyed in this life. And they are huge. Are you enjoying these blessings? Would you like to? 

 

Would you like to enjoy the financial rewards of always having all the money you need (but not necessarily all you want), without worrying? Would you like to experience the happiness God promises to those who have learned that it is more blessed to give than to receive? Would you like to feel the greater sense of spiritual closeness to God that He gives to the cheerful giver? And, someday, would you like to enjoy the eternal rewards in the new earth promised to those who lay up treasure in heaven? The Bible-based devotions in this book will tell you how to give to receive these wonderful rewards.

 

The Bible teaches that we are stewards, not owners, of God-given resources. That's why Christians speak of money management and giving as stewardship. But sadly, year after year, statistics show that most church members do not give biblically. They aren't good stewards of God's money. Their giving doesn't please God. As a result, they are missing out on the many blessings He promises to faithful stewards.

 

Learning to give biblically is vital because when Christians get their giving in order wonderful things happen:

1) Their stress diminishes. 2) Their financial condition improves. 3) Their faith grows. 4) Their spiritual lives deepen. 5) Their marriages improve.

 

Giving That Pleases God is designed for daily use, Monday through Saturday, by families or individuals, for six weeks. Each short, daily devotional includes a key passage of Scripture, a brief explanation and application of the passage, a pungent quote, and Scripture references for further study. 

 

The book covers six themes:

Week 1: Days 1-6 - Where It All Comes From

Week 2: Days 7-12 - The Meaning of Stewardship

Week 3: Days 13-18 - Rewards for Faithful Givers

Week 4: Days 19-24 - Honoring God through Giving

Week 5: Days 25-30 - Spiritual Preparation for Giving

Week 6: Days 31-36 - Giving to Please God

• Language: English
• Publisher: Leaderskills International, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 20, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201511005

Rod K. Rogers

Dr. Rod K. Rogers is the Owner and Principal consultant for AMI Church Consulting, a church capital fundraising company (www.AbundantGiving.com). He is also the creator of The Dynamic Giving System™—a church annual giving program—and author of the book Pastor Driven Stewardship: 10 Steps to Lead Your Church to Biblical Giving. Rod K. Rogers has served as a youth minister in the USA and Portugal, as the founding and senior pastor of churches in Denver, Colorado, and Costa Rica, as Bible Teacher on the radio program The Nourishing Word, and as Visiting Lecturer of Pastoral Theology at New Geneva Theological Seminary, Colorado Springs, Colorado. In forty years of Bible teaching and pastoral ministry, Rod’s goal has always been to bring the fruit of biblical and theological scholarship to the person in the “pew.” Much of what he teaches is at the Bible College and seminary level. That doesn’t mean “dry.” It means interesting, thought provoking, and life-changing! Rod has a diploma from Moody Bible Institute, a Bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies from John Brown University, a Master of Theology degree in Old Testament and Semitic Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from New Geneva Theological Seminary.  

Book preview

Introduction

It used to be considered bad form in some churches to have a collection taken in church during the worship, for fear it might disturb the spiritual emotions of those in church (A. T. Robertson, 19th century biblical scholar and preacher). I smile every time I read that. Heaven forbid that we should disturb church members by asking them to give God’s money back to Him in church!

As we will see, the Bible teaches that we are stewards, not owners, of God-given resources. That’s why Christians speak of money management and giving as stewardship.

In forty years of ministry as a pastor and church stewardship consultant, I have learned that the majority of church members do not give biblically. Their giving doesn’t please God. As a result, they are missing out on the many blessings He promises to faithful stewards, one of which is spiritual growth.

Teaching stewardship is much more than raising money; it is God’s way of raising people. My church members told me repeatedly that the most life-transforming truths I ever taught them were biblical principles of giving and money management. And they respected me deeply for loving them enough to talk about it.

Teaching people to give is an act of love by a pastor because when church members get their giving in order, wonderful things happen:

Their marriages improve.

Their spiritual lives deepen.

Their faith grows.

Their financial condition improves.

I wrote this devotional to help you experience the many blessings that come from generous stewardship. It is designed for daily use, Monday through Saturday, by families or individuals, for six weeks.

If you are reading this as part of an Abundant Giving Capital Campaign (www.AbundantGiving.com) in your church, each week’s theme corresponds to the suggested preaching themes for the six-week public phase of the program.

Schedule and Theme

Week 1: Days 1-6 - Where It All Comes From

Week 2: Days 7-12 - The Meaning of Stewardship

Week 3: Days 13-18 - Rewards for Faithful Givers

Week 4: Days 19-24 - Honoring God through Giving

Week 5: Days 25-30 - Spiritual Preparation for Giving

Week 6: Days 31-36 - Giving to Please God

May God use His word to transform you into a faithful steward who pleases God with your giving. Rod K. Rogers, D.Min.

––––––––

Week 1

Days 1-6

Where It All

Comes From

Day 1 - God Owns Everything

The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains The world, and those who dwell in it. 2 For He has founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the rivers. —Psalm 24:1, 2

These verses provide the basic starting point for any discussion about money and giving, because they remind us that God owns everything. God owns planet earth. God owns everything on the earth. And God owns everybody who lives in it. Verse 2 tells why—because He founded and established it. God owns everything because He is the Creator of everything.

The first question we must ask when talking about giving is, Whose money is it? The biblical answer is, "It’s all God’s." So, as you read these studies, remember we’re not talking about your possessions, because you don’t own anything. It all belongs to God. (Now don’t you feel better?)

If you made a suggestion at work that increased production, you would be offended if someone else took the credit. If you invented the world’s best chocolate chip cookie,