Jordan is a community of faith that desires to constantly give back to the community. God has not asked us to store up treasure on earth. In fact, you and I don’t own the money in our wallets, stock portfolios, or bank accounts. It is God’s money, and He has entrusted it to us to manage (Matt 25:14-30). Understanding the ownership principle, the next question is, “What does the owner want me to do with His money?”

God asks four things: worship God (Leviticus 27:30), meet our own needs (Phil 4:19), meet the needs of others (Acts 2:45), and enjoy its fruits (1 Tim 6:17). Since giving is big on God’s heart, it’s not surprising that two of the four “Do this” areas involve giving: worshiping God and meeting the needs of others. When you give to your local church, you’re accomplishing both of these, because through the local church, people receive spiritual and physical care. When you give an offering, you’re actually giving it twice: to God and to His people in need. Remember, we don’t own the money. God does. So we need to follow His lead on what to do with it.