CCS Newsletter: Winter 2008

Is Your Giving Effective?

As believers, we all understand the responsibility that each one of us has to give. We give first to our local church and then to other ministries as the Lord directs. For all of us in Canada , we have been so blessed and have much for which to be thankful, that giving comes out of a heart filled with thanksgiving for all that the Lord has done for us!

There are numerous Biblical principles about giving that are taught in scripture. One of my favourite principles is found in Prov. 3:9 “ Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase :” This passage teaches us the principle of firstfruits giving. In Biblical times, the imagery used here is of the farmer who, as his crop was ripening, would go and collect the first part of the crop and offer it to the Lord. Why the first part? First, it represented all the rest. Second, it was a step of faith since he didn't know that the rest of the crop would ever develop. Third, the firstfruit of the crop was the best fruit.

Each of these principles needs to apply to our giving today. But let me add one more. It is the principle of “sameness”. What I mean is that the farmer would bring his offering in whatever form the Lord prospered him whether fruit, crop or animal. The same can be said today. Many believers in Canada have been blessed in material blessings such as property and investments. Have you ever considered giving one of these to the Lord's work directly?

Let me illustrate. Let's say, for example, you prospered in your investments. As a good steward you might consider selling some of these investments to give to the Lord's work. What a blessing!

But let's use the principle of sameness and suggest you consider donating your investments directly to your church or favourite ministry. Why? For one major reason: there can be great tax benefits. Let's say you wanted to sell $10,000 of an investment to give to your church. Generally, the investment would be sold and the $10,000 given. Then at tax time, the calculations are made. It is wonderful that we receive tax benefit from giving to the Lord! Here is an example:

It can go further. With the new tax laws in Canada , if you donate the investment without selling it first, the church would receive the investment and then could sell it or add it to other investments as appropriate. But from your point of view the taxes that otherwise would occur from selling the investments are eliminated if they are donated in kind to a charity. It could be a double benefit. It would result in the following:

So you can see you would be $2,088 ahead by simply giving your firstfruits! Why not consider being a good steward and maximizing your giving for God's honour and glory!

We give our lives to that which we give our time. I have learned that it is very difficult, if not impossible to unclutter one's life by starting at the top of the pile with the idea that the solution is to just get things sorted and better organized. It is nice to get better organized, but that is not enough. Much has to be discarded. We must actually get rid of it. To do this we need to develop a list of basics, a list of those things that are indispensable to our mortal welfare and happiness and our eternal salvation. This list must follow the gospel pattern and contain the elements needed for our sanctification and perfection. It must be the product of inspiration and prayerful judgment between the things we really need and thins we just want. It should separate need from greed. It must be our best understanding of those thins that are important as opposed to those things that are just interesting.
William R Bradford

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Without craftsmanship, inspiration is a mere reed shaken in the wind.
Jonannes Brahms