“The Giving Pledge,” formed in 2009 by billionaire founders Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, is a campaign to encourage the world’s wealthiest people to give away most of their cash to help others. Buffett himself is taking the lead and plans to donate 99 percent of his wealth by the time he dies. This is an incredibly generous act! But it’s interesting to note that his present worth is $72.3 billion, meaning that if he gives away 99 percent of his wealth, he’ll still have $700 million remaining.
Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians in chapter 3 reveals that no matter how wealthy someone is, those who are in Christ have far greater riches. We have access to God’s “glorious, unlimited resources” which “empower [us] with inner strength through his Spirit” (Ephesians 3:16). These nonmonetary riches include a love that is so immense that we can scarcely know its dimensions (Ephesians 3:19). What’s more, Jesus is able to “accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think” for those who believe in Him (Ephesians 3:20).
This being the case, we should also realize that sacrifice isn’t really sacrifice for us—not for those who are relationally rich in Christ. So even though we hear repeated calls for sacrificial giving in Scripture, as in the story of the widow’s offering or the example of the Good Samaritan (a man who gave his own time and money to care for an enemy), we should always do the math (found in Mark 12:41-44; Luke 10:30-37).
As we do, we’ll find that we’re so abundantly rich in Jesus that sacrifice isn’t truly sacrifice for us. We remain the recipients of God’s “unlimited resources”—resources for us to freely extend to others (Ephesians 3:16)!
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: 2 Kings 2:1-12
More:
Read 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 and consider what prompted the Macedonians to be so generous.
Next:
Do you feel rich in Jesus? Why or why not? How can you better remind yourself of your great wealth in Christ?
Gary Shultz on April 23, 2016 at 6:27 am
Peter, I do feel rich in Christ; however it is a test of faith. I have always been cared for through my life, we’ve had our tight times and we have had times of blessing….Jesus does not do most of His banking here on this earth, why would He? We are asked once again to look through the eyes of eternity. We are asked to bank in His Kingdom. I think we still receive many blessings on earth, but only a shadow of what’s to come. How much of that do we believe? That is the question, will we see by faith what God has promised? Do we believe God? Therein lays the faith as strong as you want it, as Jim talks about. It is true that we have not because we ask not, it is also true we have not because we believe not. I don’t know that deep faith will always pay off here on earth, but it will keep us walking in the right direction, where our treasure and hearth are. Thanks Peter.
sdwise on April 23, 2016 at 8:23 am
I do feel rich in Jesus. The most precious treasures of Jesus’ gift of salvation is eternal. Philippians 4:19 assures us that “my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” We are also rich because Psalm 37:4 says “Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart”, which is more than we need. All these promises are within the perameters of what is best for us according to His will. James 4:2 says “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.” Then he goes on to say in verse 3 “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” Wow! That means I always have to examine my motices for my wants (desires). Better still I must examine my willingness to give out of what I have been blessed with while here on earth. That means sharing the gospel as well as material wealth. Thank you Peter for the lesson on giving and the question about our wealth in Christ. Be blessed!
sandy229 on April 23, 2016 at 10:48 am
Yes, I do feel rich in Jesus. I would rather have Jesus than anything. I am nothing without Him!! He brought me where I am today. For so many years I held on to a part of me I couldn’t let go of, then 3 years ago I decided to give it all to Him, not keeping any part for myself, that’s when I felt rich in Jesus as if nothing else mattered. I think of that song George Beverly Shea sang at all the Billy Graham crusades when I was growing up. I never thought anything about it at the time, but now it really speaks volumes to my heart and soul. I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold, I’d rather have Jesus than riches untold, His love is sweeter than honeycomb. and just like gagirl said, I have to exam my motives every single day to be sure I am on the right path, sharing the gospel as well as material wealth. Thank you Peter for this reminder today that our wealth in Jesus in far better than any material wealth we could ever have or want.