January 11th, 2024
by Ray Jones
by Ray Jones
Christina Darnell, in an article titled “Kirk Cousins Has View of the Endgame,” writes… “Kirk Cousins, starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, makes more in a year than many people make in a lifetime. But NFL careers have an expiration date. In fact, an old joke is that NFL stands for ‘not for long.’ So, Cousins is committed to giving and saving in a way that will enable his family to continue giving generously for the rest of his life.
Back in 2005, when he was in high school, Cousins heard about the ministry of International Justice and their work fighting human trafficking and slavery. Cousins was moved. Instead of traveling with the organization or joining the staff, he had in his mind that he wanted to support IJM financially. Cousins said. ‘I walked out of the service that night and prayed, God give me more to steward, give me an opportunity to help some day.’
That didn’t happen immediately. But after college, Cousins was drafted to the Washington Football Team in 2012 as a backup quarterback, signing a $2.5 million four-year rookie contract. In his fourth year, the team promoted him to starting quarterback and he signed a one-year $20 million deal. When his contract expired, the Team signed him for another year for $24 million. Going into his seventh year in the NFL, Cousins and the team weren’t able to agree on a long-term deal, and he signed a three-year fully guaranteed $84 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings in 2018.
He quipped, ‘There aren’t many starting quarterbacks who are 50 or 60 years old. At some point, unfortunately, what I’m doing ends—earlier than I’d like—and the income stream gets cut off.’ With that in mind, Cousins is learning to save so that even after he is no longer playing professional football, he can increase his giving percentage each year.”
Cousins and his wife are both devout Christians who understand and practice On Purpose stewardship. And you and I are called to do the same. It is the Biblical responsibility that each believer is commanded to practice as an act of obedience and dependance upon God. Now don’t misunderstand, stewardship is not just a money thing. It is about everything, your calendar, your talents, abilities, and spiritual gifts which are to be surrendered to God for His glory and use through our lives. But it is true that the area of money seems to be the place where more Christians struggle to obey than any other place. Why? Because it is easy in the world we live in to depend more on our bank account than God… even when we know and agree with God’s financial stewardship instructions. That is why God’s Word speaks so frequently about financial stewardship. Jesus said that no one can serve two masters. God wants us to depend upon Him more than anything else in our lives.
Each year at this time we have an annual emphasis on Biblical stewardship called “Prove the Tithe” Sunday. This year’s date is Sunday, February 4th. This is such a perfect way to begin the New Year given our new series about living intentionally for God in 2024, and to do that we must be On Purpose Stewards. So, on Sunday the 4th, I am once again asking our entire church family to tithe… it’s not an extra offering, it is simply practicing the Biblical mandate both to affirm the Word of God and its promise of blessing, and to demonstrate what happens in our lives and the Work of God when we obey. You will be receiving a letter from me that explains this special day more clearly. I pray that many who have never tithed before will begin that practice and then watch as God opens the floodgates of heaven to provide and bless your life just as He has promised.
I am so grateful to pastor a church that has grown so much in stewardship through the years, let us remain faithful to His Word in these things and continue to be On Purpose Stewards. Let the words of
1 Peter 4:10 be always true of us… “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” And remember, God is always trying to take us someplace new. I love being your Pastor!
For God’s Glory Alone, Pastor Ray
Photo by micheile henderson on Unsplash
Back in 2005, when he was in high school, Cousins heard about the ministry of International Justice and their work fighting human trafficking and slavery. Cousins was moved. Instead of traveling with the organization or joining the staff, he had in his mind that he wanted to support IJM financially. Cousins said. ‘I walked out of the service that night and prayed, God give me more to steward, give me an opportunity to help some day.’
That didn’t happen immediately. But after college, Cousins was drafted to the Washington Football Team in 2012 as a backup quarterback, signing a $2.5 million four-year rookie contract. In his fourth year, the team promoted him to starting quarterback and he signed a one-year $20 million deal. When his contract expired, the Team signed him for another year for $24 million. Going into his seventh year in the NFL, Cousins and the team weren’t able to agree on a long-term deal, and he signed a three-year fully guaranteed $84 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings in 2018.
He quipped, ‘There aren’t many starting quarterbacks who are 50 or 60 years old. At some point, unfortunately, what I’m doing ends—earlier than I’d like—and the income stream gets cut off.’ With that in mind, Cousins is learning to save so that even after he is no longer playing professional football, he can increase his giving percentage each year.”
Cousins and his wife are both devout Christians who understand and practice On Purpose stewardship. And you and I are called to do the same. It is the Biblical responsibility that each believer is commanded to practice as an act of obedience and dependance upon God. Now don’t misunderstand, stewardship is not just a money thing. It is about everything, your calendar, your talents, abilities, and spiritual gifts which are to be surrendered to God for His glory and use through our lives. But it is true that the area of money seems to be the place where more Christians struggle to obey than any other place. Why? Because it is easy in the world we live in to depend more on our bank account than God… even when we know and agree with God’s financial stewardship instructions. That is why God’s Word speaks so frequently about financial stewardship. Jesus said that no one can serve two masters. God wants us to depend upon Him more than anything else in our lives.
Each year at this time we have an annual emphasis on Biblical stewardship called “Prove the Tithe” Sunday. This year’s date is Sunday, February 4th. This is such a perfect way to begin the New Year given our new series about living intentionally for God in 2024, and to do that we must be On Purpose Stewards. So, on Sunday the 4th, I am once again asking our entire church family to tithe… it’s not an extra offering, it is simply practicing the Biblical mandate both to affirm the Word of God and its promise of blessing, and to demonstrate what happens in our lives and the Work of God when we obey. You will be receiving a letter from me that explains this special day more clearly. I pray that many who have never tithed before will begin that practice and then watch as God opens the floodgates of heaven to provide and bless your life just as He has promised.
I am so grateful to pastor a church that has grown so much in stewardship through the years, let us remain faithful to His Word in these things and continue to be On Purpose Stewards. Let the words of
1 Peter 4:10 be always true of us… “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” And remember, God is always trying to take us someplace new. I love being your Pastor!
For God’s Glory Alone, Pastor Ray
Photo by micheile henderson on Unsplash
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