Don't forget that the most effective form of child abuse is giving a child everything they want. Randy Alcorn More Quotes by Randy Alcorn More Quotes From Randy Alcorn Give sacrificially. We don't like risky faith. We like to have our safety net below us. But we miss the adventure of seeing God provide when we've really stretched ourselves in giving. Randy Alcorn safety adventure giving Put your resources, your assets, your money and possessions, your time and talents and energies into the things of God. As surely as the compass needle follows north, your heart will follow your treasure. Money leads; hearts follow. Randy Alcorn talent energy heart Give deliberately. Giving is at its best when it's a conscious effort that's repeatedly made. Randy Alcorn effort conscious giving Give. Giving affirms Christ's lordship. It dethrones me and exalts Him. It breaks the chains of mammon that would enslave me and transfers my center of gravity to Heaven. Randy Alcorn break giving heaven Every kingdom work, whether publicly performed or privately endeavored, partakes of the kingdom's imperishable character. Every honest intention, every stumbling word of witness, every resistance of temptation, every motion of repentance, every gesture of concern, every routine engagement, every motion of worship, every struggle towards obedience, every mumbled prayer, everything, literally, which flows out of our faith-relationship with the Ever-Living One, will find its place in the ever-living heavenly order which will dawn at his coming. Randy Alcorn struggle prayer character Tithing isn't the ceiling of giving; it's the floor. It's not the finish line of giving; it's just the starting blocks. Tithes can be the training wheels to launch us into the mind-set, skills, and habits of grace giving. Randy Alcorn block grace giving But the reason we have this built-in desire for happiness is because we're created in God's image. He wired us to want to be happy. Unfortunately, we sometimes disassociate happiness from its true source, which is God Himself. Satan tempts us by offering us happiness, because he knows that's what we want. But he offers it in the wrong places, at the wrong times, and in the wrong things. Randy Alcorn satan desire sometimes If we get it wrong about Jesus, it doesn’t matter what else we get right. Randy Alcorn ifs matter jesus Tomorrow's character is made out of today's thoughts. Temptation may come suddenly, but sin does not. Randy Alcorn temptation doe character I believe the most dangerous misconception is the idea our money and possessions belong to us, not God. Many of our problems begin when we forget that God is the Boss of the universe. But in fact He is more than the boss; He is the owner. Randy Alcorn boss forget believe Materialism blinds us to our spiritual poverty. Jesus rebuked the Laodicean Christians because although they were materially wealthy, they were desperately poor in the things of God . Puritan Richard Baxter said, "When men prosper in the world, their minds are lifted up with their estates, and they can hardly believe that they are so ill, while they feel themselves so well." Randy Alcorn spiritual christian jesus Give generously. How much is generous? There's no one-size-fits-all answer. If you've never tithed, start there - then begin to stretch your generosity. Randy Alcorn generous generosity giving When Paul was taken in chains from his filthy Roman dungeon and beheaded at the order of the opulent madman Nero, two representatives of humanity faced off, one of the best and one of the worst. One lived for prosperity on earth, the other didn’t. One now lives in prosperity in heaven, the other doesn’t. We remember both men for what they truly were, which is why we name our sons Paul and our dogs Nero. Randy Alcorn taken dog son In the midst of prosperity, the challenge for believers is to handle wealth in such a way that it acts as a blessing, not a curse. Randy Alcorn blessing challenges way O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water" (Psalm 63:1). We may imagine we want a thousand different things, but God is the one we really long for. His presence brings satisfaction; his absence brings thirst and longing. Randy Alcorn land water long But isn't it wrong to be motivated by reward? No, it isn't. If it were wrong, Christ wouldn't offer it to us a motivation. Randy Alcorn rewards motivation christian God is the greatest giver in the universe, He won’t let you outgive Him. Randy Alcorn giver universe Given our abundance, the burden of proof should always be on keeping, not giving. Why would you not give? We err by beginning with the assumption that we should keep or spend the money God entrusts to us. Giving should be the default choice. Unless there is a compelling reason to spend it or keep it, we should give it. Randy Alcorn burden-of-proof compelling-reason giving I read secular fiction, but also enjoy novels with a Christian worldview. Randy Alcorn enjoy christian fiction The repentant man rightfully loses trust in himself. He recognizes his self-dependence as the source of his problems, not the solution. Randy Alcorn problem self men
