1. Give thoughtfully. Don’t give impulsively. The most spiritual kind of giving is when you think about it and pray about it and make up your mind about it. Why? Because we plan anything that’s important in our lives. God wants your giving to be important and meaningful in your life.
2. Give enthusiastically. Don’t just say, “I have to give! If I don’t give, God’s going to hit me with lightning or something.” Give because you know God’s going to do something big in your heart when you become a generous person.
3. Give voluntarily. Anytime you’re pressured by a person to give, don’t give. God’s not going to bless it anyway. But every time you feel challenged by God to give, you’d better give.
4. Give cheerfully. Give with joy! One of the Greek words for offering is the word “hilarious.” God wants you to enjoy giving to him and to others.

Sometimes it’s a challenge to be cheerful when God’s challenging you to give. Whenever you feel that way, just remind yourself of the benefits of what God wants to do in your heart: It creates community. It defeats materialism. It strengthens your faith. It’s an investment for eternity. It blesses you in return. And it makes you more like God.

God says that’s being responsible.

There is a question you can ask yourself that will help you save more money. It’s very simple. When you get ready to buy something, ask yourself, “Do I really need this?” And then be honest with yourself.

For instance, do I really need a new car? Well, I know I’d like it. But do I really need it? Do I really need this upgrade? I know I’d like it, but do I really need it?

A fundamental financial principle is this: When you spend your money, it’s gone. But when you save your money, your money works for you. If you’ll do things God’s way, you can get out of debt and invest in the future by saving.

This week, keep asking yourself, “Do I really need this?”

4. The fourth of God’s investment funds is the Global Fund.

This is when you use your money to share the Good News and bring people to Jesus. Luke 16:9 says, “Use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings” (NIV).

A lot of people have no idea what this verse means. Is it saying that you can buy friends? Not at all. It means that God wants you to invest in things that help get people into heaven so that when you get to heaven, they will welcome you there.

It’s the greatest investment of your life. Is anybody going to be in heaven because of you?

5. The last investment fund is God’s Treasury Fund.

When you give money to God as an act of worship, that’s called the Treasury Fund.

God makes a promise in Proverbs 3:9-10: “Honor the Lord by giving him the first part of all your income, and he will fill your barns with wheat and barley and overflow your wine vats with the finest wines” (TLB). A tithe is when you give the first 10 percent of your income to God. Anything given above a tithe is called an offering.

You can’t really give God anything, because he already owns it all. But think about the allowance you got as a child. If you went out and bought a birthday present for your mom, you’re really using her money. Does that mean she would like the gift any less? No! Because she cares more about the thought and the love behind the gift. God feels the same way about your giving.

The Bible says that wherever our treasure is, our heart will also be there. If what’s most important to you are the things of this earth, then every day you are moving further and further away from your treasure. Because every day you are here on Earth, you’ve got one fewer day here on Earth. You’re moving further and further away from the things you’re going to leave behind.

But if you’re investing in God’s funds and using your money to serve God’s purposes, then you’re storing up treasure in heaven every day. You’re getting closer and closer to your treasure instead of further and further away.

Missionary Jim Elliot once said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”

Pray this aloud or in your heart today: “Dear God, forgive me for all that I’ve spent on things that aren’t going to last. I want to start investing in heaven. I want to invest in these godly funds. I want to use my money the way you want me to use it. Today I commit to using my money to grow my character and grow in spiritual strength, wisdom, and knowledge and become all that you want me to be. Help me to see ways that I can use what you have given to me to strengthen relationships and show love to my brothers and sisters in Christ. I want to invest in eternity by using my money to serve others. I want to learn to be generous. I want to be a blessing to others. And I want to use my money to bring people to you. I want people to be in heaven because I gave. I want to spread the Gospel through my acts of service. And Father, I want to show where my treasure is by investing in eternity through my gifts and offerings to you. I want to honor you by giving you the first part of all my income. I want to give up any lust for money so that you, God Almighty, will become my treasure. Help me to remember that I’m not a fool to give up what I cannot keep to gain what I cannot lose. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.”