If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather, be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: "The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near," so that you do not show ill will toward your needy brother and give him nothing. He may them appeal to the LORD against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.
- Deut. 15:7-11
Living in consumerism America, it can be so easy to get caught up in the things of this world. Everyday, we are attacked with messages from the media that encourage us to spend more and focus more on ourselves. We feed our addictions, holding on to what's "rightfully ours" with a clenched fist. All the while, we seem to forget that what's "rightfully ours," is not even ours to begin with. "For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it" (1 Tim. 6:7). Jesus Christ is the Father of all good things. It is Jesus that gives us any good that we experience on this earth. And it is Jesus that chooses to bless us, under a certain stipulation: we are to be a generous people.
An article recently came through my inbox titled "Generosity is the New Evangelism." Written by Chris Willard and Jim Sheppard, the article talks about creating a culture of giving in your church. I believe that what they said transcends the church. Here's a snippet:
The truth is that God doesn't need our money, but He knows that our orientation toward money reflects our obedience to the Lordship of Christ and how well we grasp that he is the source of all we have. As followers of Christ, our goal in life is not gaining power, possession, or prestige for ourselves. We exist, along with the entire body of Christ, to fulfill the Great Commission until Christ's return. Generosity offers one of the most powerful ways for us to leverage the blessings of God for the advancement of the Kingdom. Best of all, when the church acts with generosity to serve others, it is a clear picture of Christ, who generously gave his life and all He had on the cross that we might find life forever.
I would encourage you to read the rest of the article, which can be found
here. If the book this article is based from interests you, head over
here. Fall is the perfect season to start planning ahead for next year's mission trip. If it's been awhile since your group has participated with Christ For the City, let me remind you of some of our offerings.
Urban Plunge: Urban Plunge trips happen year-round in Omaha and Lincoln, NE, Sioux Falls, SD, Des Moines, IA, Kansas City, MO, and Dallas, TX. We offer customized trips from one-day to week long. While Urban Plunge is for youth and adults of all ages, it is a great introduction to missions for the younger generation. We still have openings for this fall and winter, so contact julie@cfci.org for more information.
Mission Teams: CFCI offers 7-10 day mission trips that are perfect for your church or group. We'd love to have you serve in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Columbia, or Peru. What grabs your attention? Contact shawn@cfci.org to get details.
Short-term Missionary: Perhaps, you are an individual with a call to serve. We can meet your needs, too! Go to Argentina, Bolivia, Columbia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Mali, Spain, or the U.S. We coordinate trips for one-month to a year. To discuss your options for ministering, contact dick@cfci.org.
Be blessed,
Julie
