GIVING

'...the single greatest deterrent to giving - and to living more simply - is the illusion that this world is our home.'

Randy Alcorn, Money, Possessions & Eternity, p.294.

GIVING

'Giving is the safety valve that releases the excess pressure of wealth.'

Randy Alcorn, Money, Possessions & Eternity, p.293.

CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP

'One of the great tests for Christian leaders is whether we can trust God to provide financially without courting or favoring big donors. And perhaps the greatest test for givers is whether we are able to give of ourselves and our resources without getting the credit, concerned only that God gets the glory.'

Randy Alcorn, Money, Posessions & Eternity, p.212.

TITHING

'Tithing gives perspective. It reminds us that all we are and all we have is from God. Tithing is not a tip thrown mindlessly down on a table after a meal, but a meaningful expression of dependence on God and gratitude to him. Tithing requires calculation. When we deal specifically with the amounts God has provided, we assess God's goodness to us. We literally count our blessings, thank him for his generosity. Tithing was, and can still be, a built in reminder at every juncture of the life of our unlimited debt to God.'

Randy Alcorn, Money, Possessions & Eternity, p.179.

POSSESSIONS

'I have held many things in my hands and I have lost them all. But whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess.'

Martin Luther in Randy Alcorn, Money, Posssessions & Eternity, p.93.

GIVING

'We, in many cases, may, by the rule of the gospel, be obliged to give to others when we can't without suffering ourselves...If our neighbor's difficulties and necessities are much greater than ours and we see that they are not like to be relieved, we should be willing to suffer with them and to take part of their burden upon ourselves. Or else how is that rule fulfilled of bearing one another's burdens? If we are never obliged to relieve others' burdens but only when we can do it without burdening ourselves, then how do we bear our neighbour's burdens, when we bear no burden at all?'

Jonathan Edwards in Timothy Keller, Generous Justice, p.70.

GIVING

'I do not believe that one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charitable expenditure excludes them.'

CS Lewis in Julain Hardyman, Idols, p.46.

GREED

'...I said greed is when we love money more than God. That's true, but here's another thing to add to it. Greed is when we love money more than God and do not love God with our money. Refusing to share our money is a sign that we have made money our God.'

Julian Hardyman, Idols, p.43.