As your pastor, I want you to receive the blessings God has for you.  Let me share with you a story. Let’s say I have to go on an extended journey, and I choose three members at CROSSROADS for a special responsibility. I say to those three persons, "I am going to be gone for a while and I want you to check in on my wife Deb. Can you spend TIME with her to pray with her and time worshipping with her. She may also need some tasks done. Would you be willing to use your ABILITIES to encourage her and help her? I’m also going to send each of you some MONEY - $10,000 every month. You may keep $9,000 of the money and spend it as you please. But I want you to give $1,000 each month to my wife Deb to meet her needs." 

As promised, I send each of these CROSSROADS family members $10,000 monthly. I leave them a long letter reminding them that I love them and I’m counting on them to care for my wife. After a few months, I call Deb and ask her if she’s receiving the support I arranged. She replies, "Well, the first one you chose to help me stopped by weekly to check on me. He mowed the lawn and gave me $1,000 each month, just as you instructed. The second person checked in with me daily, helped me clean the house and actually gave me $2,000 a month. She says she enjoys time with me and feels it’s a privilege to be entrusted by Pastor Paul. But the third person never stopped by and only sent $800 the first month, $300 the second month and nothing the third month."

Now, as a husband who loves his wife with all his heart, what do you think I’m going to do? How do you think I feel towards these people I entrusted to care for my wife? I was clear with my letter to them to spend Time with my wife and serve her. I am the one providing the money to these friends from church. I’ve told them they can keep $9,000 for themselves. All I wanted them to do was give a mere 10 percent so that my wife could be cared for. Well, with the two being faithful to follow my instructions, I am going to continue sending them $10,000. But for the third person—the one who wasn’t satisfied with the 90 percent I graciously gave him—I am going to quit sending him $10,000 a month and send it to the most generous person instead. Why?  Because I can trust the second person. That person has demonstrated that she cares about what I care about- My bride, the love of my life  - Deb.  

Think about this. Jesus has gone away for a season of time. He left us a letter that tells us to  take care of His Bride,  (the Church) while He is away. Those who obey will be blessed. Those who go above and beyond will be blessed even more. The rewards of good stewardship of our Time, Talents and Treasure are great. A commitment to God remains an extraordinary opportunity for blessing and abundance for those with the faith to trust God. The blessed life awaits you. However, it begins with a heart commitment to honor, obey, and bless the Lord with your Time, Evangelism, Abilities and Money.

PRAYER

God, thank You for Your love for your bride - the Church. Help me to be a good steward of the Time, Talent and Treasures You’ve put in my possession. Thank You that through generous giving, Your kingdom can advance and I can be blessed. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

CROSSROADS would like to celebrate all the commitments on Celebration Sunday, Nov. 5th fill out the form below to make a commitment to CROSSROADS CHURCH and don’t forget to register for a meal.

In Christ’s Love and Service,

Rev. Dr. Paul J. Marzahn