FIRSTFRUITS FINDINGS NEWSLETTER VOL. 10 NO. 6 DECEMBER 2005 A LITTLE BIT MORE “Dear Lord, bless the labor of our hands, because you know, Lord, if we had just a little bit more, we could give more to those in need.” And when God answers that prayer, time and again He is disappointed. Polls suggest that as the income of Christians goes up, the percent of giving goes down. The dreams of society collide with the vision of God’s kingdom. Sometimes we get caught up in the idea of a little bit more. “If I just had a little bit more, I could afford to be more generous.” However, true generosity is rooted in habits of the heart, not in the bank balance. But God remains undeterred. Again and again He floods us with blessings, hoping to trigger a hearty, generous and exuberant response to His love. It is such a joy for Him to give that He wants us to experience that same sense of joy and fulfillment – the excitement of living in His image. You see, He really doesn’t need our money. It is all His anyway. If He needs a program funded, a hungry mouth fed or a home for the homeless, He can just as easily make it happen without us. But when that happens, we are the losers. We have lost the opportunity to experience the joy and fulfillment of helping one of His children, the kind of experience He finds so thrilling. We have carelessly thrown away an opportunity to become more like Him. There is much work to be done that will be accomplished with our generous giving. During this time of the year, as we recognize that He has given us “a little bit more,” keep in mind the kind of joy He hopes that little bit more will bring to us. ? WHAT DOES SCRIPTURE SAY? “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” Malachi 3:10 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7 THANKSGIVING! The end of the year is a very busy time for many of us at Barnabas Foundation. We have the privilege of assisting Christians across the country in expressing their thanksgiving to God by giving generously to hundreds of Christian organizations. You may ask, “Why does Barnabas Foundation get involved in helping Christians make gifts at the end of the year? I thought Barnabas Foundation worked with people on their estate plans?” The answer is that we do help people with their estate plans, but we also help an increasing number of Christians make tax efficient gifts to their favorite charities. The most tax efficient gifts are gifts made with assets that have risen in value, often called “appreciated assets”. When these types of assets are given to charity, the donor generally receives an income-tax deduction for the fair market value of the gift and the capital gain on the asset that is given to charity is not taxed. It’s a win-win situation for both the donor and the charity. In recent years, Barnabas Foundation has received gifts of publicly-traded stock, closely-held businesses, real estate, farm equipment, farm commodities, mutual funds and a few other unique items. We help individuals determine which of their assets make the most tax-efficient charitable gift. If we can help you express your thanksgiving to God with how He has blessed you, please give us a call. Barnabas Foundation works with members of the Christian Reformed Church in the U.S. and with supporters of our nearly 200 member organizations on a confidential basis and at no cost to the individual. Please call us at (888) 448-3040 to arrange a meeting. Clever cost-cutting ideas to use at home Tips for inexpensive, thoughtful Holiday Gift Giving Homemade food goodies. Who can resist home-baked treats? A gift like this to someone who doesn’t have time to bake or doesn’t enjoy baking is a real treat. Gifts in a jar. By layering dry ingredients in a jar and attaching baking instructions, this provides a creative gift someone can use and bake at their convenience. For great mix ideas check out frugalhomemaker.com/giftsinajar.htm. Personal gift certificate. Create your own version of a store bought certificate that will give the gift of a service you will provide such as free baby sitting, an afternoon of housecleaning, washing the car, reading a story, etc. Letter of appreciation. Words are powerful, especially words of praise and appreciation. Letting someone know what they mean to you or what they have done for you may end up being the recipient’s all-time favorite gift. Recommended Resource “Pocket Change Series” By Larry Burkett Parents and grandparents looking for a gift idea for toddlers (1-3 yr)? The “Pocket Change Series” will teach young ones about sharing, giving to God, thankfulness and learning about coins? Book titles are Let’s Share, Let’s Go to the Store and Let’s Count. These sturdy board books can be purchased in a set ($20) or individually ($8). Order from Crown Ministries at www.crown.org or 800-722-1976