Financing the Great Commission
ListenFROM THE AUTHOR
This book is dedicated and addressed to the student of the Word.
Not every Christian is a student of the Word, though each should be. I define a student of the Word as: a serious inquisitor into the ways of God by the study of the Bible for the purpose of embracing those ways into his or her life in a determined effort to obey the Lord Jesus Christ.
The student of the Word does not study that he might know, but that he might do. He not only says, “Your word have I hid in my heart”, but he says, “Your word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” He is not on a head trip. He is not a hearer only.
There are certain qualifications required to be a student of the Word. The student of the Word is free. Spiritual freedom is actually a rare commodity in the body of Christ. Paul was free and he said so: “I am free from all men.” If man is master, one is not free to follow after God. Prejudice, partisanship, fear of man – each of these disqualify the Christian from being a student of the Word. Such is merely a student of man.
The student of the Word loves God more than anyone or anything. “You shall have no other gods before me.” A person follows after the one he loves. The Holy Spirit is continually leading into truth, but only the one who loves God will follow. If man loves his church more than God, he will only follow the Spirit into truths having the endorsement of his first love, his church. No one will be able to say, “Excuse me, Lord, I didn’t know”, for He could well reply, “You didn’t know because you refused to be taught. You refused to be taught because you preferred deception. You preferred deception because you loved another more than Me.”
The student of the Word has a settled confidence in the Bible. He is convinced the Bible [the original manuscripts] is the pure, infallible Word of God. If there is a crack in one’s conviction, satan will surely find it. The student of the Word is a rare breed even though it is so easy to become one. Make this your prayer and you will become a student of the Word:
“Father, I come to You in Christ’s matchless and holy name. Forgive me for the times my mind and heart were closed to Your truths. I hereby declare before You that I choose in my heart of hearts to be a student of Your Word. I will obey the truths of Your Word as the Holy Spirit reveals them to me. I will study the Bible without fear or favor of man. If and when You unveil a misconception in my thinking, I will turn from that misconception and obey Your Word, even if in so doing it will cost me the approval and favor of others. I believe as I say this prayer, You are giving me the strength to be unwavering in this decision, and I receive that strength now, by faith, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
You are now a student of the Word. Congratulations! And this book is dedicated to you.
Many times you will be tempted to renege on your decision. It’s not easy to be a student of the Word. It’s not easy to stay free. It really isn’t. But God’s grace “is sufficient for you.” Should you ever stumble, simply get up and get going again.
This book deals with finances.
Your income costs the amount of time it took you to earn it. Spending income is spending life. Your money can buy so much or so little. Hopefully this book will help you spend with wisdom.
No, this book is not like many others you may have read on the subject of finances. It is quite different. You will [probably] be challenged as never before. Anyone less than a student of the Word will not finish it.
Now enter into this book. Come on in! I ask you to explore its logic with a free and open mind. Challenge. Sift. Weigh. You are responsible for you.
Note: The King James Version is used with some variance; thou and ye has been changed to you, hath to has, as he purposeth in his heart to as he purposes in his heart, etc.
To God be the glory [that is, may not one tiny fragment of recognition or praise fall upon any man, but rather may God almighty, the King of kings and Lord of lords, receive His full due, one hundred percent of the glory for any wisdom, knowledge and understanding the reader may derive from this book]!