Giving Cheerfully

 

Each one should give what that one has decided to give …

—from 2 Corinthians 9:7

At this time of year, in many Protestant churches in the United States, the governing board seeks to carefully plan a budget for the coming year. In order to have some idea of the financial commitment that members and friends of the church intend to make during the year ahead, some churches use a system of pledging.

It is understood that no one will pursue you if you are unable to give your pledged amount. It is a decision between you and God. In fact, in order to make certain that members and friends of the church understand this is a commitment between the individual and God, most churches include the following phrase on their Pledge Cards:

“As God provides and enables me, I promise to give …”

Your particular church may not use the Pledge System. In fact, you may have some sound theological reasons for not doing so. But, the church where I worship, an Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC), does use the Pledge System because it has worked well for us for many years.

The Pledge Card is usually accompanied by a letter. Nine years ago, as one of the three Ruling Elders and as the elected President of the church, it fell to me to write the annual Stewardship Letter. Here’s what I wrote:

To our Members and Friends:

In the fall of each year, the Session of Redeemer Presbyterian Church must look back at what we have accomplished as a church and also look forward to the coming year in order to set a course toward those things we hope to accomplish. A part of this process involves reviewing our Budget for 2017 and formulating a Budget for 2018.

We depend on the generosity of those of you who continue to support the mission and endeavors of Redeemer. It is important that you know how much we appreciate your faithfulness in supporting our ministry. For a church of our size, we have an enviable record of sacrificial giving on the part of our members and friends.

Because of your generosity and faithfulness, we have not only maintained our current local programs, we have also had the opportunity to contribute significantly to local, national, and global mission projects, such as the Erie City Mission, and the work in Fintonia, Sierra Leone, to name just two. In addition, we have continued to have a vital partnership with the Coalition for Christian Outreach and its ministries to college campuses, including at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

Looking ahead to 2018, we anticipate calling a full-time pastor. This is a real act of faith on our part because our current level of giving, while significant and generous, cannot by itself support a full-time pastor. We are trusting that God will use the person we call to expand our ministry and grow our numbers of committed believers.

In sincere humility, we ask that you examine your planned giving for 2018 and consider if you might increase your giving to help us expand our work in the Erie community. If you are not yet tithing 10% of your gross income, we ask you to prayerfully consider doing so. If you are already giving your tithe and beyond, we ask you to consider whether you might give even more generously.

Enclosed with this letter, you will find a Pledge Card for 2018. We respectfully ask you to fill out this card and return it to church on Sunday, November 19, 2017. If you will not be able to attend that Sunday, please give your Pledge Card to our Treasurer.

Let me close by once again thanking you for your past generosity and also to thank you, in advance, for your continued faithfulness in giving to the work of God in Erie through Redeemer Presbyterian Church. You are a vital part of our ministry. Your gifts, and even more so, your time and talent, are all used by God in a significant way.

Whether your church uses the Pledge System or not, it still depends on the loving, faithful gifts of God’s people in order to do the ministry for which God has called it in your community. It is instructive to read what the Apostle Paul wrote about this subject, found in 2 Corinthians 9:7:

Each man (or woman) should give what he (or she) has decided in his (or her) heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Think about it. God gave His one and only Son, Jesus, to die in our place and pay the penalty for our sins. Can we out-give God? No! But, if we accept the fact that all that we are and all that we have has come to us as a precious gift from God, then we should willingly give to His church—the one we attend and that ministers to us—a reasonable portion of what He has given us. Many believe that 10% of one’s gross income is a good starting place. Some can give much more. Others, due to individual circumstances, may have to give less.

The new iPhone costs around $1,400. When faced with such an expenditure, I believe Christians should ask themselves whether they really need to spend that much money on something that, if they looked around, they could find another model at a greatly reduced price. Yes, there may be someone who actually needs that new iPhone for business. That’s a different story. But, to spend large amounts of money for things that have little or no eternal value should at the very least cause us to pause and consider if our money could be better used by the church.

Okay. That’s my Stewardship Blog Post for this year. As we begin another day, let’s remember that God does indeed love a cheerful giver. And, perhaps this year we will determine to be such a one.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

No Reason to Fear

 

So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper …

—from Hebrews 13:6

If we enter a very dark and foreboding place, one that might normally scare us, but find ourselves protected by armed guards, we will likely not hesitate to move forward. The difference comes with an awareness of the protection that surrounds us.

One of the safest places, quite oddly enough, is inside one of the casinos that seem to have popped up everywhere these days. Make no mistake, I am totally against gambling. I believe it has significantly ruined the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. But, having inspected casinos in my role as a fire protection engineer, I understand how truly effective the video surveillance in such places provides heightened security.

In fact, in one casino I inspected, over 1,100 video cameras watched the premises. In addition, an armed guard could reach the location of a fire alarm signal or security alarm signal anywhere in the large, sprawling complex within 15 seconds of the sounding of the alarm. That’s extraordinarily fast. It gives a guest confidence to know that the watchful eye of the video surveillance, and prompt response of armed guards, will keep guests safe.

Even better than such security measures is the watchful eye of our God and His willingness to spring into action to help us. The writer to the Hebrew Christians sums up this matter in the words found in Hebrews 13:6:

So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

No matter what evil intent someone may have for one of God’s dearly loved children, such evil simply cannot stand in the presence of God’s holiness. He will come to our aid and to fight against any evil that may wish to destroy us.

As we begin another new day, let’s remember that God is our helper and our strength. He stands ready to give us exactly the help we need whenever we need it.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

One With Jesus

 

If we have been united with him in his death …

—from Romans 6:5-6

Have you ever worked closely with someone in such harmony that together you could accomplish a great deal more than you could have ever accomplished alone? We talk about a man and woman becoming one flesh in marriage. That kind of oneness is critically important for creating solid family life. But, as most married people can testify, in even the very best marriage the two partners retain much of their personalities and preferences. As a result, most marriages, while highly effective, are not really totally harmonious. There is a lot of compromise necessary to maintain harmony.

But sometimes, in working relationships where the wide range of dynamics present in a marriage do not interfere, two colleagues can form a relationship that is so much in synchronization that their work output is almost unbelievable. In our relationship with our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, we have a very unique union that mirrors a marriage, but retains the synchronization of those unique working relationships that can accomplish so much. Notice what the Apostle Paul writes in Romans 6:5-6:

If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin…

The bonding we have with Jesus is an amazing component of the Christian life. As we begin another new day, we need to pause for a moment and consider how magnificent this gift from God is in our lives. We are joined inseparably with our Savior, Lord, and King. And, that is simply wonderful.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Falling Asleep in Him

 

We believe that Jesus died and rose again …

—from 1 Thessalonians 4:14

Death is one of the mysteries of life that we will all experience. Yes, it’s possible that the Lord Jesus Christ might return before some of us die. But, like many believers, it just seems as if at my advanced age, I am so relatively close to death that I will likely die before Jesus returns.

Death is also one of the events of life that will remain a great mystery to us until we close our eyes and our life on this earth ends. We don’t know for certain, absolute certain, what happens next. Jesus told the repentant thief on the cross:

“Today you will be with me in paradise.”

In various Pauline letters we get the idea that we will sleep in death until Christ returns and then will be gathered to meet Him in the air. These are not so much contradictory accounts of what happens at the time of our death as they are different expressions of a process that remains a great mystery until one is actually passing through it. I am one who happens to choose to believe that, as Paul states in 2 Corinthians 5:8:

“Absent from the body is present with the Lord.”

I sincerely believe that when a follower of Jesus dies, that one passes from this life to the next. Jesus waits to welcome that one to his or her eternal home. Thus, the first face one will see upon death is the face of our blessed Savior.

Speaking of Christ’s second coming—His return to earth at the time of judgment—the Apostle Paul pens these words that, I believe, support the idea that once we die, we go immediately to be with our Lord. Notice what Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 4:14:

We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

No matter what you may believe about death, there is no way for you to know until that moment takes hold in your own life. But, we can have confidence that the very God, who loves us enough to send His one and only Son to die in our place, will not leave us unaccompanied. At the beginning of a new day that is very good news, indeed.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Our Sin Offering

 

For what the law was powerless to do …

—from Romans 8:3

One night in New Orleans, I had the privilege of eating dinner at the original Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. If you’re not familiar with this national restaurant chain, let me simply say it provides some of the best food known to humankind. The prices are not outrageous, but this is no fast food joint.

One part of this special night was the fact that the original owner and founder, the now late Ruth Fertel, was present in the restaurant and went table-to-table greeting each person eating in her restaurant. She was a somewhat diminutive woman, full of life with glorious white hair, and with a definite sparkle in her eyes. She asked us if the food we had ordered had been prepared to our liking. And, she asked if we had any suggestions to make our dining experience better.

When the bill arrived at the table, I instinctively reached for it. I was shocked at how expensive the meals were for the four of us and realized I did not have enough cash, or enough residual credit on my credit card, to cover the bill. My concern must have shown on my face because one of my fellow diners, a relatively wealthy older man, reached over and snatched the bill out of my hand. Without any comment whatsoever, he gave the waiter his American Express Centurion Card—sometimes referred to as the “Black Card,” which was reserved for only the very wealthiest members of the American Express cardholders—and acted like he had always intended to pay.

Later, when we were alone, I thanked him for his kindness.

“I knew you were in trouble,” he replied. “It was obviously a price you could not pay. I was only too glad to pay the bill in your behalf.”

So it is for those of us who call ourselves “Christ’s-ones” or Christians. The bill for our sins comes due and we simply cannot pay the price. There is absolutely nothing we can do on our own to pay the price for our sins. We have no resources to pay the penalty we owe for having inherited the sin nature of Adam and having compounded that inheritance by constantly sinning of our own accord.

In writing to the Christians meeting in house churches in Rome, the Apostle Paul expressed this realty using these words found in Romans 8:3-4:

For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

As we begin a new day, let’s rejoice that Christ has paid the price for our sins. Let’s praise and thank Him for this great gift of salvation. And, let’s joyfully and tenderly and gently share with others what this great gift means to us and how it has affected our lives.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

What Do We Say?

 

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge …”

—from Psalm 91:2

Has anyone ever asked you for a recommendation? You know what I mean. Someone on social media asks his or her “friends” what those individuals think is the best city in the United States. Soon, a wide range of answers floods the original poster’s social media feed.

Or maybe, someone asks you how you like your new car or truck. Why did you choose that brand? What motivated you to choose that particular model? You answer honestly and offer a recommendation for the choice that you made.

When it comes to our spiritual lives, I wonder how quickly we offer our recommendations regarding our faith in God, the redeeming power of His Son, Jesus, and the guiding hand of the Holy Spirit. When asked about why we’re Christians, how quickly and how thoroughly do we answer? What do we tell those who wonder why we believe what we believe?

The Psalmist knows exactly how he intends to answer such a question about his faith. In fact, he has written a song about, the first part of which is found in Psalm 91:2:

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Indeed, I ask:

“What do you say about the Lord, Psalmist?”

The Psalmist answers: “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

As we begin another new day, we ought to spend a few moments thinking about how we would respond if someone asks us about our faith in God. What would we say? What qualities has God revealed to us of Himself that bring us joy and excitement? What qualities promote peace and wonder in our hearts?

It is a good thing to know why we believe the way we do. Just as we know what city we like best, or what car we prefer to drive, we should know why we have responded as we have to the choosing that God has made of us, when He drew us irresistibly to Himself.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Tomorrow

 

Do not boast about tomorrow …

—from Proverbs 27:1

In our lives, “tomorrows” play a significant role. I can remember as a child always looking forward to something that would happen in the future. My dad used to tell me:

“Son, don’t wish your life away.”

In other words, don’t focus so much on what will happen in the future that you miss what’s happening right now in the present. That was actually good advice then, and it’s still good advice.

Nevertheless, we all spend time thinking about tomorrow and what might happen in the future. During certain times of the year, we look forward to celebrating holidays. I still can hardly get my mind around the fact that, in our culture of today, Christmas decorations, even visits from Santa Claus, now come in late October, or even earlier. It’s as if we can’t wait even a few weeks anymore. We have to begin focusing on what’s coming as early as possible. “Tomorrow” plays such an important part in most of our lives.

Do you know the song “Tomorrow” from the musical Annie? It’s actually quite a delightful song, with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin. Here are a part of the lyrics: ¹

The sun will come outTomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar
That tomorrow
There’ll be sun!

Just thinkin’ about
Tomorrow
Clears away the cobwebs,
And the sorrow
’Til there’s none!

When I’m stuck with a day
That’s grey,
And lonely,
I just stick out my chin
And Grin,
And Say,
Oh

The sun will come out
Tomorrow
So ya gotta hang on
’Til tomorrow
Come what may

Tomorrow!
Tomorrow!
I love ya
Tomorrow!

You’re always
A day
Away!

Tomorrow!
Tomorrow!
I love ya
Tomorrow!

You’re always
A day
Away!

In contrast with our natural human interest in “tomorrow,” King Solomon offers these wise words, found in Proverbs 27:1:

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.

As we begin another new day, let’s stay focused on today. Tomorrow will eventually come. But, until it does, we need to stay in the here and now. For right now is when we have the most opportunity to impact someone else’s life. We should not squander that opportunity because we’re focusing too much on tomorrow.

 

______________________

1 Strouse, Charles (music) and Charnin, Martin (lyrics). “Tomorrow” from the musical Annie (1977). New York: Edwin H. Morris and Company (c/o Kobalt Music Pub America Inc.) and Charles Strouse Publishing (c/o Wc Music Corp), 1977. Please note that, in each case, whenever citation of any Copyrighted material is made within a post on this blog, such citation is made strictly for Educational Fair Use illustration purposes only. All Rights Reserved by the original Copyright Holder.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}