GATHERING (SAVING)
Saving for many people is a complex subject, not because people have a hard time understanding it, but because many people have a hard time doing it. Saving is a good ideal, and better than that, it is a God ideal. The savings of some is so off balanced that they accumulate goods and money to the place where they will never be able to spend it all, nor will they pass it on to their children. Gathering money or goods without a purpose to give to others is not good. Anything not done for the proper motive can turn out to be a problem for people on the earth. Therefore we will seek to understanding savings from a biblical perspective, with that being said the Holy Bible (generally the King James Version) speaks of saving by the word "gathering". The words gathering and saving will be used interchangeably throughout this article so be prepared to translate the word gathering in the various scriptures into savings. As we generally like to do as our (Eric and Angela's) custom is to start with Genesis as a foundation and build from there. We notice in Genesis 6:17-22 that gathering did not start with money, but rather assets.
17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.
18 But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee.
19 And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female.
20 Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.
21 And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.
22 Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he. KJV
In these verses money was not the important issue but surviving was. Notice the principle of gathering; first God gathered Noah and his family (the most precious assets-souls) into the ark. Next God and Noah brought (gathered) all the animals, two of each kind, unto the ark. After that, God told Noah to gather (save) all food that is eaten. In other words gathering people (Noah's family) saved mankind, and gathering the animals (male and female) saved animal kind. Gathering the food was for the sustenance for the men, women and animals. We can see that saving is very important because it involves the life of God’s people. We can see that gathering and saving work hand-in-hand together. Let us look at this in a simplistic understanding by noting that saving (gathering) is generally done for future provision. The purpose for saving as noted in the example we just read was for the preservation of life. We know that man does not live by bread alone according to Matthew 4:4 because man has a spirit, but the natural man does live by bread. This is shown in the next example recorded in Genesis 41:33-37
33 Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.
34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.
35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.
36 And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.
37 And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. KJV
The person who saves must be a person of discretion and wisdom because many can not handle saving abundantly for a future time without restraints on the temptation to squander the savings before the time of need. This gathering was for the purpose of preserving the nation of Egypt but as we know it preserved more people than the Egyptians it was used to help many ethics even the Children of Israel. We can glean from verse 34 that in times of plenty we should set a goal to save (gather) around 20 percent (one fifth - 1 divided by 5 equals .20 or 20%). In this example we notice that there is a big difference between need and desire. The fact that people were living off 80 percent of the food during the years of plenty when they actually only needed 20 percent to live off during the years of famine is interesting. The principle of saving 20 percent in the years of plenty is a good sound target but if you are living in the years of plenty and you can not afford to save 20 percent do not be discouraged. If we examine our lifestyle and make the adjustments necessary to simplify our life we can achieve this goal in due season. Saving (gathering) always requires temperance in habits, discretion of lifestyle and financial wisdom to know what you need to prepare for in the future. We can see that Joseph had enough foresight from God to see out into the future for the next fourteen years. It is amazing to me that God gave the plenty first for adequate provision but the years of lack were comparatively equal. This lets us see that balance will come to everything, we should base our lifestyle and budget on the norm not unusual highs or extreme lows.
Ecclesiastes 7:14
In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yea, God hath made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything (that shall be) after him. ASV
We can see from Exodus 9:18-20 that gathering was done for the preservation of life for the cattle before a judgment of God was brought forth.
18 Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now.
19 Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.
20 He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses: KJV
The gathering of precious animal (assets) for the saving of their soul is because God loves and cares for all His creation. God always has a purpose for saving He is not just telling us to set aside things for the sake of teaching us a good lesson He is literally trying to help us understand that what you set a side today will be needed tomorrow. This is exactly what happened to the children of Israel in the wilderness. The Israelites needed to learn the principle of saving (gathering) to properly prepare for their future with God. We wish that our future only included sunny days in the land of plenty but inevitably we will experience some rain in the land of lack. If we are faithful to store up during our times of plenty we can go through the days of lack with no problem. In Exodus 16:4-6 God establishes a good habit with the Children of Israel to let them know that He will provide for them. The Israelites must be wise and do their part to save for the future, especially when they know the provision will be needed later.
4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.
5 And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.
6 And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from the land of Egypt: KJV
The Lord told Moses that the people should gather a certain rate everyday this principle still applies to us today. We do well to save a little money everyday at a small rate to accumulate a sizable saving account over the long haul. Is this not what they teach at the financial seminars, start saving just a little while your children are young so that by the time they reach college you will have enough money to send them to college comfortably. Then the Lord tells them specifically that He will give them more the sixth day so they need to know exactly what they are gathering normally (daily) and double it. This tells us that we need to be good stewards over what the Lord provides to us.
1 Corinthians 4:2
Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. KJV
The only way people can accurately measure how faithful they are in their spending habits is to establish a budget. If you plan to save a certain amount (a certain percentage) to budget verses the actual spending is an accurate measurement of how well you are doing before God and for your self and your family. We know this takes extra time and effort but as a steward of God it is worth the effort to keep a clear conscience before God concerning your financial portfolio.
Ecclesiastes 7:27
Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account: KJV
We need to know exactly what is necessary for us to live off, so that when times of plenty come we don't change the formula we are living by we only double the savings. This gives us a clue to our normal savings plan and it also shows us that God will provide consistently but we must save consistently too. Since the Lord instituted the Law of the Sabbath, which means six days shall men work and the seventh day is a day of rest according to Exodus 20:8-11
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. KJV
This meant that the children of Israel were not to go out and gather manna (bread from Heaven) on the seventh day. Notice that saving (gathering) requires additional work and for that reason many people fail to do it. All the Children of Israel knew this law, so the gracious Lord told Moses that I will give them more on the sixth day. The six day was the Israelites day of extra, this reminds us of how we celebrate our last day of work with a pay check, thus a day of plenty. Now from that plenty we should set aside enough money so that not working on the Sabbath day does not cause us any problems of lack. Now follow us closely on this next point, we concluded earlier that one fifth (20%) should be gathered during times of plenty to offset the times of lack. Now, we are told in this passage of scripture that the Lord would give the Children of Israel double (plenty, extra) on the six day to carry them over for the day that they did not gather (the Sabbath). If the children of Israel put away twenty percent (20%) on the six day of work because they had to gather enough for two days this would make the daily savings about ten percent (10%). Therefore a goal to strive for in savings would be 10% of your net income, or we could say ten percent of your increase. It might sound like a lot at first but really it is obtainable if one purposes to do it. Notice in Exodus 16:15-18 what happened with the Children of Israel and the manna.
15 And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.
16 This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.
17 And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less.
18 And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating. KJV
According to verse 16 we can see that each family was suppose to gather (save) according to their family's need. Depending upon your desire (appetite) you could gather more or less until you (and your family) were satisfied. It is good to know that the Lord typically does limit us on our supply, this also means He generally will not limit you on your amount of saving as long as you heart your heart right with Him. We can see in verse 17 that the children of Israel gathered (saved) different amounts and because the system of God is flawless if applied correctly no one had too little and no one had too much. When you set a side money or resources for a time of need (a future event) it is not extra money, it is planned budgeting. God started the Children of Israel with saving (gathering) enough for two days but the Lord further developed the Children of Israel for much larger saving programs that would last a complete years according to Exodus 23:10-12
10 And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof:
11 But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.
12 Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed. KJV
And Leviticus 25:19-22
19 And the land shall yield her fruit, and he shall eat your fill, and dwell therein in safety.
20 And if ye shall say, What shall we eat the seventh year? behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase:
21 Then I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years.
22 And ye shall sow the eighth year, and eat yet of old fruit until the ninth year; until her fruits come in ye shall eat of the old store. KJV
This may sound a little frightening to those who do not desire to walk by faith, but to those who choose to walk by faith and not by sight, this proposal is not a problem. Why?, because God said He would provide for the year of rest. The year of rest gave rest on two accounts; rest for the land and rest in the labor of the farmers. Notice the poor would still be working to get daily provision but at least they could gather as much as they needed to store up for the whole year after the harvest season was over. Here again we see that God will bring (manifest) times of plenty but it is up to you what you do with the plenty. The wise and discrete and temperate person will gather decisively with purpose (a goal) to measure out exactly what they will need for the next two years, then they will put aside more than their basic necessities to insure enough provision. God will do His part to furnish times of plenty (extra) but we must do our part to save, gather, set a side or store up for the day of need. This is consistent with what we were presenting earlier when we stated that God will supply us His Sunshine but He will also allow us the full experience of a hard rain. We can expect that when lean times come, and they will, the Lord is always there to help, hopefully we have set a side some money to help ourselves. Now I know someone will get an epiphany and say, "Why don't I start saving for the 7th year of rest before the 6th year to make it easier on myself and my family during the sixth year. While this sounds like wisdom be caution about altering the specific plan of God. This may have some wisdom to it but it is the world's wisdom, not God's. Anytime we begin thinking that we will get God's blessing for doing things our own way we are wrong. Since the Lord was very clear in His instructions to the Children of Israel it is not permitted for us to deviate from His Way. This could open up the door to current and future problems because we are outside His Commandments, outside of His Word, away from the Holy Bible. Satan will usually try to substitute his plan in place of God’s Plan just like he did in the Garden of Eden to Adam and Eve.-Refer to Genesis 3:1-19 We all know that did not turn out to good for Adam, Eve or us as mankind. So avoid any compromises to the clearly defined Word of God because we all know there will be consequences. This also relates to us in the sense of what you are hearing in many financial seminars. Many financial advisors recommend saving enough money to last you for around six (6) to eight (8) months in case you become unemployed. According to what we just read in Exodus 23:10-12 and Leviticus 25:19-22 the proper amount you should have set a side is for one or two years. One year at a lesser time frame and two years at a greater time frame. Why is this important? Some will say because you just never know what could happen to you? That attitude is unscriptural, we have a good God who not only sees into the future but He Is Our Future. Jesus Christ is our all-in-all. Many times Angela and I have known that we needed to change jobs because either we were suppose to do something else or they no longer needed our services. When that happens we simply thank God for ordering our steps and for showing us what we should do next. This is why setting a side money for a couple years is so important because the Lord may need you to do something different. If you are financially tight it will be harder for you to joyfully obey the plan of God to step out into His next assignment. The faith walk already has enough opposition to it without financial pressure, which hinders many people from following God's Perfect Will. For example, when we (Angela and I) left Michigan to follow God's will to reside in Oklahoma having two years of salary set aside would have greatly blessed us. The whole experience would have been a lot better for me and our family. I can not express to you how much the Lord helped us to overcome all challenges and obstacles but I will openly confess to you that it did not have to be so hard. If I would have understood the principles we are teaching you now our walk of faith would have been better planned out. Saving is just as important as giving, and in fact the more proficient you become in your savings the more you will be able to give in quantity and consistency. Purposing to be an expert saver (gatherer) puts you in the blessed position of leaving some blessing for the poor. This is the attitude that says I could of gotten more profit out of that harvest, yes more saving, but I decided before God that I would leave some leftovers for others. Notice this teaching by God in Leviticus 19:9-10
9 "When you harvest your crops, do not harvest the grain along the edges of your fields, and do not pick up what the harvesters drop. 10 It is the same with your grape crop — do not strip every last bunch of grapes from the vines, and do not pick up the grapes that fall to the ground. Leave them for the poor and the foreigners who live among you, for I, the LORD, am your God. NLT
And Leviticus 23:22
"When you harvest the crops of your land, do not harvest the grain along the edges of your fields, and do not pick up what the harvesters drop. Leave it for the poor and the foreigners living among you. I, the LORD, am your God." NLT
God was teaching the Children of Israel and us that it is more important to consider the poor and needy when developing your business plan than it is to only concentrate on financial gain. This is because when you consider the less fortunate God has another channel to help the poor. Which means He will bring added increase to your business. The principle is a principle no matter how small so this will work in your household too. With that being said we should consider our tithe and offerings and alms when determining our monthly budget. I am hoping that many readers of this article do have a monthly budget that they use as a target for spending every month because they are good planners who have developed good spending habits of being temperate. The Lord makes this bold statement of faith by saying in His Word, “If you will help My People whom I Love I will help you establish your estate for years to come”. Although the Lord does not say it in exactly those words His intentions are clear throughout the whole Holy Bible that those who practice doing God's Will (His Word) He promises to bless them. Notice the following scriptures
Genesis 22:14-19
14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, "In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided."
15 Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, 16 and said:"By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son — 17 blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice." NKJV
And Deuteronomy 11:12-15
12 A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.
13 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,
14 That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.
15 And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full. KJV
And Luke 18:28-30
28 Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed You."
29 So He said to them,"Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,30who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."NKJV
And James 1:25
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. KJV
Saving (gathering) is a part of God's Will we have already shown that saving is the chosen way of providing provision for the future according to biblical principles. We believe that you are smarter than the ant but the ant, even though very small, has a portion of God’s Wisdom according to Proverbs 6:6-8
6 Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and be wise! 7 Even though they have no prince, governor, or ruler to make them work, 8 they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter. NLT
If the ant is commended for his wisdom because he puts his hands to works and saves (gathers) for future provision we to can do the same thing to considered wise by God. We notice this in Proverbs 10:5
He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame. KJV
As children of God we are the example to the world of God’s Wisdom, we gather our wisdom from God’s Word to share with those people who are in darkness. Since we live in the New Testament it is good to examine several verses of scripture found in our dispensation to prove that these truths are timeless. Now we will look at some saving principles taught in the New Testament; who better to start with than Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Notice in the book of John chapter 6 verses 11-13 it is recorded that giving (distributing) and saving (gathering) need to work together for proper balance.
11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples,Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. KJV
We, as Children of God, all know that Jesus was, is and forever shall be the ultimate giver. Many preachers emphasize the fact that Jesus gave to all the people present with only a little food to work with by a miracle of God. However, the gathering was no miracle it was simply extra work. Just like when you save your money it will probably not seem spectacular or supernatural but it still will be God's Will. We need to learn that doing God's Will consistently over the process of time of saving will alleviate a lot of situations of lack. If we have the money on hand or in the bank it is not a desperate circumstance of high stress but rather just an inconvenience, because we know we have the money to take care of the problem. We may feel some disappointment temporarily but we can rest assured that we don't need to ask someone else for money because we have enough in our saving to cover the need. Once we pay the unexpected expense we immediately start saving again to replenish our savings account. This is the cycle of life that will continue throughout our lifetime because just as the sun is shining today some rain will come in the future. We should not be afraid of the rain we only need to be prepared to handle it. We suggest a large umbrella of savings to help you weather the financial storms of this life. Adversity comes to us all; the question is how we will handle it? Let us look at some principles of God taught by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 25:26-30
26"But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.27So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.28So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
29'For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.30And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'NKJV
Jesus teaches us that we should not take lightly the resources He personally has placed in our hands. Many bible teachers, including Angela and I, believe that the talents given in this parable are equivalent to the gifts given to us here on the earth. The Lord monitors what we are doing with the graces and abilities He has already given to us to determine our future rewards and/or any added abilities. Some people will be given more abilities while they are here on the earth and some will be given more when they get to Heaven, either way the Lord is faithful to reward those who are faithful with the talents given to them. Notice in verse 26 that Jesus said specifically that, "you ought to have deposited my money in the bank so that I would receive the money back with interest". This is an open invitation to invest in a saving account. We do not need to give you some deep profound spiritual revelation about how to interpret this verse; it is much easier to obey God's Word literally. In verse 29 we understand that increase comes at a faster rate with proper exchange. The statement by Jesus that those who have more will be given more and they will have abundance must be taken in context of the two faithful servants spoken of in Matthew 25:19-23
19"After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money.20The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of gold said, 'Sir, you gave me five bags of gold to invest, and I have doubled the amount.'21The master was full of praise. 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let's celebrate together!'
22"Next came the servant who had received the two bags of gold, with the report, 'Sir, you gave me two bags of gold to invest, and I have doubled the amount.'23The master said, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let's celebrate together!'NLT
In this context the Lord is stating that He will reward those who are faithful over His resource with more resources. We can understand by all the verses shared earlier about when we invest in God's Plan, which includes His People, He will give us more for our family and benefit. This is a prime example of just such a thing. In verse 19 it is stated that after a long time the Lord came to each steward and examined their stewardship. This means financial reconciliation might not happen right away which is better for us because the Lord is allowing us some time to understand what is required and how to make good investments. When we made the statement that a higher rate of return comes from proper investing it is because we could spend a lot of time and money investing into dead works and produce only a little after a very long time. Some have also chosen to invest their time and money into things that produced nothing, even worst other investments have cost people money with no return. We could also choose to invest in the lives and welfare of people according to God's Word. We can choose to influence many for godliness, which will produce financial and material blessing just as well as spiritual blessings too. In both examples shown in this parable the key word is "doubled", both faithful servants doubled there initial investment because these faithful servants invested in the lives of people in a godly way. All we have to do as Children of God is use our talents (gifts, abilities) to glorify God before our fellow man and we two will at least double our initial investment. For example, many people after working 20 years in the same profession have doubled their income. Many people after just living for 20 years have doubled their friends. Some people after 20 years of loving people one by one have doubled their influence. My wife has doubled her children from 20 years ago. This is quite common if we will only stay with a goal for over 20 years. Some will ask, “Brother Eric and Sister Angela where did you come up with the 20 year principle?” This is because 20 years takes a baby to an adult, most people will agree. It also is the exact number of years Jacob served Laban in Genesis 31:38-41 to learn how to prosper in another land. It is the age of offering for every one to start giving unto the Lord for themselves according to Exodus 30:14. It is the age for warriors to placed in the army of Israel according to Numbers 1:3. Thus it is the age of maturity, if one is old enough to die for the welfare of a country one is old enough to live for his fellow brethren as an adult. If you can just stay with anything for twenty years you should become mature at it, and thus reap a double benefit from when you started. If you are not experiencing that or circumstances have taken you backwards your situation (or outcome) is not God's Will, but it is never too late to start a fresh twenty year cycle today to double your future in Jesus Name. Amen!
Up to now we will have covered the topic of saving from the perspective that it is good and right. We have also discussed a few general guidelines about the frequency of saving and a couple of percentages to work towards. If you are already saving 10% for general saving and 20% for saving during times of plenty you probably are doing just fine in your financial endeavors. These rates may be increased or decreased depending upon your goals and the time allotted for you to save. For example, if you are saving for a new house that you want to purchase in five years, depending on the cost of house you are interested in the down payment of 20% will vary. Saving for a house is a difference strategy than saving for college for your children. The point is there is always flexibility with God and we believe you have the wisdom of God to know when and how to apply the various strategies. Our purpose of this article is to convince you that saving (gathering) money is God's Will just as much as giving into an offering is God's Will. Proper balance should be placed on both because even with saving if that is all you focus on you could be in a position where you have a lot assets and money but still lack God's peace because you glorify your savings account over giving your required portion to the things of God. People can actually develop into expert savers through the accumulation of goods but lack compassion to help others by giving from their abundance to those less fortunate. Notice a certain rich man in Luke 12:16-21
16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying,The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
17And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
21So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.KJV
Notice in verse 16 that the ground of the man brought forth plenty. This means this individual was developed in heart (spirit and soul) for producing effectively. He knew what to do to make money and how to do it. This knowledge of how to prosper is a gift from God. Remember in Deuteronomy 8:18 it is written by Moses that, "He (God) will give us the power to get wealth that He may establish His covenant upon the earth". This power, or we could say, “ability” is the Lord's wisdom and grace upon your heart and mind to help you fulfil God's perfect will for your life. Now because the heart of the rich man brought forth abundantly he had an ability to specialize in saving. It is acceptable to save a lot, however you must still remember to give unto God (and His people) for the establishment of His Covenant. If you purpose to consistently produce more goods to increase your estate without regard for the things of God or your fellow man in need you are in trouble. This was the dilemma presented in this story. The rich man had more than enough to meet his needs with extra because the Lord helped him obtain a lot of assets (money, material possessions, food, clothing, etc...). Since the Lord helped this man to be rich the Lord also expected this man to give of his surplus to the things of God and the poor. When the thoughts of the rich man's heart were examined by the Lord, he was found guilty of greediness. This sentence of guilty before God may lead to several consequences but in this example it led to his death. We all know once a person passes on from the earth the goods they possessed before they left this earth will be redistributed to other people. Therefore, no one should be saving for the sole purpose of blessing himself or herself anyway. In verse 20 the Lord Jesus referred to this man as being foolish, which is why we stated earlier that the good savers will be wise, discrete and temperate. These traits help save properly and distribute (give) correctly to establish God's Will on the earth. Verse 21 gives us all a warning that all those who practice savings habits of greed will be judged according to God's Will. This principle is also exposed in Luke 18:18-24 with the story of the rich ruler.
18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
19 And Jesus said unto him,Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.
20Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.
21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.
22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him,Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
24 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said,How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!KJV
These two examples show us first hand why it is so important to save with purpose. Saving money for the sake of being rich is not the right motive. If you are saving money to meet a future need or provide for those who are less fortunate that is a good motive. We can see that this ruler was a religious man verse 21 states that he keep God's commandments. This is probably why he had God's wisdom to prosper. However, even though he was proficient in saving (storing, gathering) he lacked the temperance to follow God's Commandment to give to the poor and to come join the ministry. So even though this individual was outwardly blessed he still lacked the inward approval of doing God's perfect will. He looked good on paper but lacked the real substance of the presence of Jesus working in his daily life. Notice that in verse 22 the Lord Jesus, yes God Himself, said, “You only lack one thing”. That statement is so powerful because that meant he was doing everything else to God's satisfaction. He only had one hurdle to jump, one mountain to climb, one valley to cross and the fact is he still came up short. This is a disappointment for Jesus Christ, the Father God and many Christians because to choose self over God's Will is the wrong choice. We hope that you develop your saving habits to place where all your personal needs are met (including your family) with plenty of money leftover for those people you know personally for alms and the work of the Lord. You could even be rich as long as you have an open heart to share your resources according to 1 Timothy 6:17-19
17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. NIV
These verses give simple guidance on giving after someone has accumulated enough savings to be considered rich. Saving on a regular basis over a long period of time can develop into a biblical status of rich, which is based on having all your needs met and your wants provided for with extra. In the worlds system a person has to make a lot of money (millions of dollars) to even be considered rich. In the Kingdom of God we are already considered rich in Christ Jesus because our wealth is based on His riches not our own. This concept is sound and scriptural because the thought of being rich in Christ Jesus helps us guard against personal greed and covetousness. We will prosper in our business affairs when we follow God's principles but we must recognize the importance of saving (even small amounts) to increase our future. We can see in 1 Corinthians 16:1-3 that some percentage of increase could come every week.
1 Now about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 3 Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. NIV
This relates to us in the receiving of our pay check. Whether you receive a check every week, every other week or once a month, we must budget our money to the place where we can always place something in savings. This example is saving with purpose, the purpose in this example was for an offering. This purpose might only be for a couple of weeks but we know it was not continuous because in the latter part of the verse Paul stated that there be no collections when he came. So when we plan on giving an offering the decision on how much to give and when to give is ours. Notice in this case the amount of the individual contribution was established before the offering was given. Do not believe any teaching that speaks against a predetermined offering according to your heart and your means. We just noticed Paul endorsed this type of offering in 1 Corinthians 16:2, so what new revelation from man should supercede Paul scriptural guidance? Biblically, the offering can be determined in the privacy of your own home with your spouse prior to the actual giving of the gift at church. If you save for various things just use a percentage for each purpose. It is not uncommon to save money for college, a new house, retirement, etc.... all at the same time. The tendency with people in general is to concentrate on the big items and neglect the small ones, but if we purpose to save by percentages across the board we will not neglect the day-to-day assets we need to use in our everyday lives. Remember God sent Jesus for us to enjoy life more abundantly we just need to learn how to do it correctly according to God's Plan.
John 10:10b
........I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.KJV
All the good things we receive in this life ultimately come from our Heavenly Father. Saving up to get some of those good things is all a part of God's Will for men and women upon the earth. We love God and we choose to honor His system of giving, receiving and saving. All three are right and all three are godly, the problem comes when we think one is more godly than the other. The statement, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” found in Acts 20:36 is only recorded once in the Holy Bible therefore it should not be used as established doctrine according to Deuteronomy 19:15 and 2 Corinthians 13:1. What we are sharing with you has been shown through many biblical references to insure that this information is sound biblically in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Saving (gathering) was God’s Will for men of yesterday and saving is God's Will for all mankind upon the earth today the key is will we gather in Jesus Name for the Glory of God. Following these principles will put you into a position to receive all the good and perfect gifts God has prepared for you since the foundation of the earth in Jesus Name.
James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect ( free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light, in [the shining of] Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [as in an eclipse]. AMP
So be wise Child of God save (gather) with purpose and save faithfully unto the Lord so that you can fulfill God's Will to pass on an inheritance to your children natural and even some of God's children spiritual according to Proverbs 13:22
A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. KJV
Always remember if you are looking in a mirror the reflection is always about you, but when you focus on the big picture from Heaven’s vantage point you only blend in with the multitudes of people upon the earth. We do our part to receive a check and save a portion of that check to give to ourselves, our family, our brethren and to people less fortunate in their time of need. This attitude keeps us in line with God's Will for us personally and the Body of Christ corporately because it always comes back to loving others as much as you love yourself. If we focus on loving God first and foremost by practicing His Word we will come to understand our Heavenly Father through the heart of Jesus, then we will be able to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.
Matthew 22:36-39
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him,Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38This is the first and great commandment.
39And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.KJV
It always come back to receiving God’s Love, saving the Love of God to give to the people whom God loves in Jesus Name. Amen!
In His Love, Eric & Angela Foster