HOW TO GIVE TO GOD

TEXT- ACTS 20:28-35

INTRODUCTION

RECENTLY I CAME ACROSS AN ARTICLE WHICH I CUT OUT OF THE SEPTEMBER 88 EDITION OF THE MOODY MONTHLY MAGAZINE ON THE TOPIC OF GIVING TO CHURCHES.

IT READS, AND I QUOTE, "PROTESTANT CHURCH GOERS ARE EARNING MORE MONEY BUT GIVING LESS OF IT TO THEIR CHURCHES, ACCORDING TO A NATIONWIDE STUDY OF 31 DENOMINATIONS. FROM 1968 TO 1985, WHILE AMERICAN'S DISPOSABLE INCOME INCREASED 31 PERCENT, THE PERCENTAGE OF INCOME GIVEN PER MEMBER TO THEIR CHURCH DECREASED 8.5 PERCENT, THE STUDY CONCLUDED. FURTHER, THE STUDY DETERMINED THAT THE AVERAGE MEMBER GAVE 3.05 PERCENT OF DISPOSABLE INCOME TO THE CHURCH IN 1968, BUT ONLY 2.79 PERCENT IN 1985. `WHAT WE FOUND ESSENTIALLY IS THAT PEOPLE ARE PLACING A HIGHER VALUE ON THEIR LIFE-STYLES THAN ON THEIR CHURCH,' SAID RESEARCHER SYLVIA RONSVALLE. `PEOPLE HAVE MORE DISPOSABLE INCOME TO SPEND, BUT THEY ARE FINDING PLACES OTHER THAN CHURCH TO SPEND IT."

I REALIZE THAT THE TOPIC OF GIVING IS ONE THAT MANY PEOPLE WOULD RATHER NOT HEAR.

THAT REMINDS ME OF A STORY ABOUT TWO MEN WHO WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW HARD IT WAS TO MAKE ENDS MEET. ONE MAN SAID TO THE OTHER, "ISN'T IT AMAZING HOW EXPENSIVE WOMEN ARE TODAY. MY WIFE ONE DAY ASKS FOR FIVE DOLLARS AND SOON SHE'S ASKING FOR TEN AND THEN TWENTY." "WELL," REPLIED THE OTHER MAN, "WHAT DOES SHE DO WITH ALL THE MONEY?" "I DON'T KNOW," SAID THE FIRST MAN, "I HAVEN'T GIVEN HER ANY YET."

USUALLY THE PERSON WHO IS ALWAYS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE PREACHER ASKING FOR MORE MONEY IS THE SAME PERSON THAT ISN'T GIVING ANY TO BEGIN WITH.

THIS MORNING THE TITLE OF MY MESSAGE IS, "HOW TO GIVE TO GOD" AND OUR TEXT IS FOUND IN ACTS 20:28-35.

AS WE LOOK AT THESE VERSES I WOULD LIKE US TO NOTICE THREE KEYS FOR GIVING.