I was looking through the different bible plans I have on my phone through the You Version Bible app and found one called "Principles of Fundraising". I thought it might be interesting to get a take on fundraising through the bible, but what I didn't expect was for it to take me to Exodus.
The devotional starts out by saying that in every step of the process in the story God is there. That God told Moses who to ask, what to ask for and and how to use it. The story is the building of the Tabernacle in Ex. 25-36. It started like this:
"Yahweh said to Moses, "Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me." Ex.25:1-2
I realized that that is basically what I do everyday on Facebook. I tell y'all what I'm doing and ask for a contribution and for those whose "hearts moves him" send a contribution. Pretty cool!
The next set of scripture I read was in chapters 35 and 36 of Exodus. Ex. 35:4-35, talks about the different classes of people that gave to the Lord.
"Whoever is of generous heart, let him bring the Lord's contribution: gold, silver, and bronze;..." 35:5
So if you are of generous heart, than give. Even if "giving" is prayer or time. It doesn't have to be money.
"Let every skillful craftsman among you come and make all that the Lord has commanded..." 35:10
If you build, then come and build for God. Even if its simply repairing your neighbors fence.
I was telling a friend of mine last year about the Ireland mission trip, and her mom was sitting there listening also. She wanted to know more and wanted one of our letters, but her mom took out her check book right there and wrote me a check for the trip. I told her she should wait and pray and read my letter, but she said no. She then told me "If you can't go, then you should send!". I will always remember that.
Later on in Ex. 35 it talked about how the different people came and gave to the Lord.
"All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work that the Lord had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as a freewill offering to the Lord." Ex 35:29
What I figure is, if you want to be generous, but don't have the money to give, than give your time and prayer. It goes a lot farther than you might think. If you like to build then go and help repair someones house in some way :-)
The last thing I wanted to mention is this. As the children of Israel came to give their donations, they didn't just come once, they kept coming and coming. They brought so much that they didn't need to give any more. For previous mission trips, I have raised double what I needed because people gave SO much! I was truly blessed :-D
So I ask that you would pray and ask God what He would have you give. Whether that be, prayer, time, or money. I know you will be blessed in return.
Sarah
.JPG)
.JPG)
