Generous Living by Ron Blue

Author:Ron Blue [Ron Blue with Jodie Berndt ]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780310877301
Publisher: Zondervan

Jack recognized the man’s offer for what it was: God’s way of providing for his material needs in order to free up more money for giving. He accepted the man’s proposition—and from that day on he took his worn out shoes to his friend whenever they needed repairing.

Over the years, Jack and Lisa’s willingness to receive God’s provision became a critical factor in their ability to live within the parameters of their chosen lifestyle. Once, when Lisa’s parents invited their family to visit them on the west coast, Jack and Lisa felt they had to decline. They were eager to make the trip, but the only way they could afford to fly all seven family members across the country would be to increase their lifestyle spending and cut into their giving budget. It was a difficult decision, but Jack hoped his in-laws would understand why they couldn’t accept the invitation.

Lisa’s parents understood perfectly. Even so, they were eager to see their grandchildren, so they sent Jack a check to help cover the cost of the trip. Again, Jack saw God’s hand at work, and gladly received his blessing.

Stories like these go on and on, as Jack and Lisa recount the times when God met their expenses in ways they had not imagined—from family vacations to the kids’ education (which Jack’s father unexpectedly offered to help fund). Had they been too proud or unwilling to receive from others, none of these blessings would have come to pass.

Jack and Lisa are real people, and their story is true. By maintaining their lifestyle boundaries, Jack and Lisa were able to steadily increase their giving over the years. Today—even with five children to feed, clothe, and educate—they manage to give away half of everything they earn. But the road has not always been easy. Many times, Jack says, they felt—and still feel—the pinch of sacrifice. Sometimes they battle self-pity or the temptation to increase their living expenses and upgrade their lifestyle. Even so, their commitment to giving has provided them with firsthand exposure to God’s promise in Luke 6 (The Message): “Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing.”

In effect, what Jack and Lisa did was to set a “finish line” on their lives. This concept is a biblical one: in Hebrews 12 (The Message), for example, Paul admonishes us to “Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way.”

If you choose to run life’s race with an eternal perspective, that decision will be evidenced by your lifestyle—specifically, how you choose to use the money you have.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.