Giving is not something that comes naturally for us. We like to have complete control over our resources. After all, they are ours. We are the ones who got up and went to work for them. They sit in our bank account. We have a right to hold on to them as tightly as we’ like and to do with them as we please. Right?

Well, not exactly.

God gives us all the financial resources that come into our lives. James 1:17 tells us, “Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.” Everything good in our lives comes from God.

First Timothy 6:17 echoes James’s words and takes things a little further: “Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.” God gives us all we need. You may have worked hard for the money that has come into your life, but God have you the breath, health, strength, and intelligence to do your job. He gave you every ounce of your ability to earn your living.

God richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. God wants us to live blessed lives. He wants us to take pleasure in our days. Let me be clear: nothing is wrong with enjoying the fruits of our labor. We have a responsibility to provide comfortability for our family and to save for the future. God simply wants us to use our money wisely so that we have the opportunity to live well and do good for others.

–Nelson Searcy and Jennifer Dykes Henson

The above excerpt is from pgs. 24-27 of The Generosity Ladder: Your Next Step to Financial Peace.

Help your people find financial peace with my best-selling book, The Generosity Ladder. Imagine a life in which you don’t struggle to make ends meet each month–a life with no debt, a healthy savings account, and solid plans for retirement. Imagine being able to help people in need and give to causes much bigger than your own concerns. This is how God wants everyone to live. And it is attainable. With the help of this practical and insightful book, your people will uncover their true level of financial health and discover a step-by-step plan to save, spend, and invest money in a responsible, godly way. Click here for more information on ordering in bulk for your church.

Your partner in ministry,

Nelson

© Nelson Searcy. All Rights Reserved.

About Nelson Searcy

Nelson Searcy is an experienced church growth strategist, pastor, church planter and coach, consulting with churches around the world. As founder of Church Leader Insights and the Renegade Pastors Network, he has personally trained more than 3,500 church leaders in over 45 denominations through live events, seminars and monthly coaching. Nelson is also the Founding and Lead Pastor of The Journey Church, with locations across New York City and in Boca Raton, FL. Nelson and his church routinely appear on lists such as “The 50 Most Influential Churches” and “The 25 Most Innovative Leaders.” He is the author of over 100 church growth resources and 18+ books, including The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life, Ministry and The Difference Maker: Using Your Everyday Life for Eternal Impact, and At the Cross with the People Who Were There. He and his wife, Kelley, have one son, Alexander.