Why support the Body of Christ?

If talk is cheap then action must be expensive?

As Christians we often speak about the things we would do for Christ. Out of all the things we would do for Christ we seldom think about supporting missionaries. In some of our cases this subject tends to slip our minds.  One would think that if God wants every aspect of our life, money would be considered. I agree with the saying “talk is cheap”, but I also feel that action is expensive. When we put our money where our mouth is, it tends to be an expensive venture. God calls us to put full faith into him by surrendering all we have to Him. We are to trust him with every aspect of our life. With him at the head of our lives, we live in success not ruin. If we put faith in God by giving him control of our finances let that this is an expensive venture? God has asked for a large sum of our lives, namely ALL of it. Now we know that in loving God we are to follow his instruction and the results of this are blessings beyond compare.  When speaking of giving God our finances and following his instructions on what to do with them, we must know that we receive the same promise of blessings.

“Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” Malachi 3:10

The above verse is God’s words about giving to the body of Christ. This verse is the ONLY verse we can clearly see that God is asking us to Test him. With God being who he is, and in the fact that he is asking us to test him, finances must be a big deal to him.

So when Gods asks us to make an expensive venture by putting our money where are mouths are, shouldn’t we jump to supporting the Body of Christ?

Supporting Missionaries -A Closer Look-

We know from scripture how God feels about the “Church”, the body of Christ. Jesus refers to his relationship with the body as the relationship between a husband and bride.  He loves the Church as a Husband loves a wife! Are we not called to love the things that God loves? Are we not called to support the things that God Supports? Shouldn’t we jump to action when ask to support the body of Christ?

Scripture shows us that God supports the Church for it is his bride where he is the head. One thing we must realize is that the money we have been given is a gift that God has blessed us with so we may bless others, especially the body of Christ. It is through this blessing that God provides for his bride through us! Even Jesus, whom was given the world and the heavens, our savior  was supported by believers.

“ Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples.” Luke 8:3

Jesus is the example of how we as the body should act from day to day. In his example the Apostles and Disciples acted accordingly as well. Let us then think of Paul who was one of the greatest Teachers/Evangelists of the Gospel who built tents for support raising and then instructed the churches and believers to give God the first fruits of their finances. In addition to this we can further see in 3 John that we are called to support our traveling teachers.

“Dear friend, you are being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God.” 3 John 5-6

In loving God by following his instruction and placing full faith in him through the surrendering of all aspects of our life to him, we participate in the inheritance God has promised us. We step into a personal relationship with God and we are given life and blessings beyond our imagination. When looking at the scripture it is easy to see that God is an expensive venture for we have to put our money where our mouths are. It is plain to see that in this expense we are actually losing nothing but gaining everything.

___________________

Verses on Finances

Proverbs 3:9-10
Honor the Lord from your wealth and from the first of all your produce; So your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine.

Deuteronomy 15:10
Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.

Luke 6:30
Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.

Matthew 5:42
Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.

Proverbs 3:27-28
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, and tomorrow I will give it,” when you have it with you.

Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.