It’s not "only money."

Everything we have is from God. But money can replace God. It can also inspire us to grow spiritually. Money has intense spiritual power.

That’s why the Bible warns us in 1 Tim. 6:9-10 that ... People who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil.

That's a description of a relationship isn't it? Love of money. The verse continues… And some people, craving money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

It's true. When a person has an affair with money, it can lead to financial, relational, even spiritual disaster.

• Giving channels God’s resources to accomplish His purposes. God is the owner of everything, which makes us temporary managers or trustees (not owners) of all God’s stuff. 1 Corinthians 10:26 says, "For the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it." As His trustees or managers, our most important function is to channel or funnel his financial resources toward His purposes in this world. That's why, right after Paul tells us to give cheerfully and not reluctantly or in response to pressure...

He writes: God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. He will give you many opportunities to do good, and He will produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched so that you can give even more generously.(2 Corinthians 9:8,10-11).

When we funnel God’s resources by giving to God’s work, His purposes get funded, our physical needs get met, and we get enriched spiritually. God promises this: when we provide the financial channel or funnel, He provides the resources. The key question for a Christ follower as God’s wealth manager is not "how much money can I make, spend, and save?" Rather it’s, "How big a funnel can I be to help get God’s purposes accomplished?"

Question: As a Christ-follower, do I have to give? The answer is "no…and yes." No, you don’t have to give because there is no one forcing you to give. I’m not going to twist your arm, guilt you, pressure you, or secretly draft your bank accounts.

But "yes", you do have to give if you want to be found faithful as God’s wealth manager. You must be a giver if you want God’s blessing and be a conduit of His resources. The church, as God’s ordained agency for accomplishing his mission, provides you the greatest opportunity to invest in God’s purposes in this world. Now, I’m not saying that the church is the only Christian cause we should fund—it’s just the greatest.

Question: Does it count when I give to secular organizations like the United Way, American Cancer Society, or to other non-church ministries? Of course it does. But do these organizations have the same purpose, mission and agenda as the local church and the same scope of ministry? Not always. So Jean and I choose not to make them the primary or majority recipient of our giving because it just doesn't seem to be good management of God’s funds. Now, you may disagree with me and come to a different conclusion, and that’s fair. At least think it through. Ask yourself, "Why am I giving where I’m giving?"

Then he concludes: "The financial issue in the church today is not tithing, but exorbitance of lifestyle. The question is not, "Can I afford to tithe?" It is, "Can I justify the lifestyle that consumes 90 percent of my income?" And behind that is the question, "Do I love to use God's money to spread justice and mercy and spiritual hope in the world, or do I prefer to embezzle his money to purchase more and more personal comfort?"

Ouch! I didn’t share this with you, to guilt you or point a judgmental finger at you. This quote has forced me to think differently this week. Rather than focusing on how much I should give, I need to focus on how much I should keep. Wherever you may be on the percentage giving scale, you need to ask yourself, "How much do I really need to live on?" Set aside a percentage or a proportion of your income and become an increasing resource funnel for God’ mission in this world.

Question: What if I’m in a financial crisis right now? Should I give? I think the answer is yes, give something. Maybe it’s $5 a week. Whatever it is, it will help you to keep your priorities in order and declare your faith in God and not money.

Question: Does my volunteer service count toward my giving? By now you’ve figured out that the answer is "No." Serving cannot address the issue of how much you should live on or give. And giving cannot address the issue of serving within the scope of your talents and giftedness. Serving and giving are two different issues.