Giving From The Heart
Southaven, Ms
By: Mike Upchurch
Well folks, it’s time for my semi-annual column on giving. Who knows, I might write three this year, but I would like to state emphatically once again that I believe in tithing! And I believe in giving!
I don’t take instruction from others on these matters, but rather give from my heart. As we’ve discussed before, tithing in the Old Testament was based on agricultural goods raised and livestock kept. The tithe was for the Levite priests that they might have sustenance. I don’t base my tithe on that, but rather what Jacob said to the Lord 430 years before tithing instructions in the Law were given to Moses…..
“This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”Genesis 28:22
That is a vow that must come from the heart rather than from a compulsory attitude, as Paul noted…..
“Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”2 Corinthians 9:7
As I’ve stated before, I tithe off my gross. I wouldn’t have a job were it not for the Lord. I wouldn’t be able to enjoy a tax refund. I wouldn’t have my health; I wouldn’t have my strength at 68 years old; I wouldn’t have ANY of the blessings I now enjoy. So yes, He gets the gross of my giving before deductions. Giving is a matter of the heart. And therein lies the litmus test for most of us. It’s the condition of our heart that will tell on us and reveal our motives!
If you have ever made a promise to the Lord that you will bless people if He will just let you win the Lottery, let me ask a question of you;
“What are you doing with the money you DO have?”
What you do with what you currently have is an indicator of where your heart really lies. If you can’t be trusted with what you do have, then how can you be trusted with more?
King Solomon said it best…..
“Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything.” Proverbs 11:24 NLT
Tithing is a beautiful practice to keep and recognizes who owns all the money anyway (the Lord of course). It gives the local Churches and Ministries support they need to pay bills, pay their staff, make repairs, advertise, and overall function, and it allows you to be a partner with the Lord in Kingdom building!
Yes, I believe you should support your local church. And I believe in tithing where you’re being fed! But if you’re not currently attending a Church, then here are just a few ministries that could use your support in 2019, and there are hundreds more…..
•Express Missions International is in Southaven, Ms. with good friend Ac Curtis at the helm as Founder/Director. This potent ministry focuses on rescuing children involved in human trafficking all over the world! Their ministry is also involved in humanitarian aid, helping orphans and widows, and in evangelical outreach as well. You won’t find a more compassionate man than Ac! He is infectious, armed with the Gospel, and dangerous! They’re on Facebook and on the web at expressmissions.com. Check them out and see what the Lord is doing worldwide with this ministry.
•Warrior Discipleship Ministries is located near Senatobia, Ms. in Tate County. Beloved brother John Edmonds founded this deliverance ministry a few years ago with a desire to rescue men bound with drug and alcohol addictions. John, a former Pastor, and his wife Kelli have seven children, yet stepped out in faith leaving their jobs behind in 2014 to birth this ministry. As many as seven men will live with them at a time in a one year program designed to set them free from addictions, as well as molding them into true disciples of the Lord! They are a very transparent and accountable ministry and would welcome any donations. I truly love this Couple and they impact everyone they meet. Spend a few minutes checking them out and they will impact you as well! They’re on the web at wdministry.org.
•TeamRFC®️is of course the ministry I’m currently affiliated with as a chaplain. RFC stands for Racers for Christ, and it’s a ministry I’ve been involved with since the mid eighties. They are a Motorsports based ministry that focuses on taking the gospel to racetracks and racing events all over North America as well as Internationally. RFC Chaplains conduct chapel services, offer invocations, assist where needed at the scene of racing accidents, and in general provide racers with a substitute raceday Pastor, as most of the racers are out of town so many weekends out of the year and are unable to attend their home church. Giving can be done online at Teamrfc.org.
•Another excellent place to park your giving dollars is House of Grace in Southaven, headed up by founder Lorine Cady, a dear friend with a golden heart! They help women who are victims of domestic violence by providing them shelter, counseling, legal help, and relocation where possible. They are offering a service that didn’t exist in this area before its founding, and the women are housed in protective shelters with locations undisclosed, giving them security from their abusive partners. Shop their House Of Grace Thrift Store on Highway 51 in Colonial Hills in Southaven, or give them a call at 662-253-0252 to see where your support can best be used.
There are so many more places to support with your giving. Space prevents me from mentioning other worthy ministries in this column, but if you’ll pray, the Lord will direct you in your giving! And if you DO win the lottery, don’t forget about this writer as well and empower me to support even more ministries!
Give till it hurts! If it doesn’t hurt, then it’s not enough!
And that’s the way I see it!
Pastor Mike
