Getting Ready for Gift Day

In light of our upcoming Gift Days (9/27 & 10/4), Rick Hein (a Jubilee elder and Wentzville Location Pastor), posted this blog recently and I found it personally helpful:

Once a year Jubilee Church St. Louis receives an offering above and beyond our normal contributions. Though established years ago, this Gift Day continues to be practiced, not because the church is in dire straits, because we're not. It's been an ongoing practice of Jubilee's because it reinforces in our minds and hearts that everything we have has been given to us by God. The realization of this truth affects every facet of our lives.

Every year when Gayle and I prayerfully consider what God would want us to give for theGift Day offering we keep coming back to the fact that all we have is from God (1 Chronicles 29:12) and belongs to God (Revelation 4:11). This gracious reminder solidifies so many things in our hearts, such as...

• Our very lives are not ours, but God's (1 Corinthians 6:20)
• Purpose in life is about glorifying God (1 Corinthians 10:31), not riches. Hording stuff glorifies our stuff. Generosity towards God glorifies God.
• It's a way to increase our own joy because "God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7)

If you're like Gayle and me you don't have much, if any "extra" money laying around. On a personal note in the past week and a half Gayle and I have been hit by our two largest car repair bills of the year. We are grateful for God's provision, though it put a sizable dent in our finances. Nonetheless, we will be doing what we do every year at this time, praying what God would want us to give on Gift Day.

Plans are to use Gift Day funds for future staff, building improvements at the City Location and freeing up resources for future locations of Jubilee Church. Ask God what He wants you to give and then give it with a joyful heart. The Gift Day offering will be received Sunday, September 27 and Sunday, October 4.