STE:How God taught me to Give  by Oswald J. Smith 

   Oswald J. Smith, founder and pastor of the world-famous People's 
Church of Toronto, known for its support to missionaries, relates 
how God taught him to give. He also explains the "faith promise" 
and how anyone can make this agreement with God. [a reprint from 
MOODY MONTHLY MAGAZINE, n.d.]

   I shall never forget how God taught me to give. I had been a pastor
of a large church in the city of Toronto, but one day I resigned and on
the first Sunday of January became pastor of a church which knew how to
give in a way I had never known. I commenced this pastorate at a time
when the church was holding its annual missionary convention.

   Now I knew nothing about a missionary convention. I had never seen
one in all my life. I didn't know the first thing to do. So I just sat
there on the platform, watching.

   The ushers went up and down the aisles giving out envelopes. To my
amazement, one had the audacity to walk right up and hand me--the
pastor!--an envelope. I sat there holding it in my hand. I can still
remember that moment as though it were yesterday.

   As I held the envelope I read, "In dependence upon God I will
endeavor to give toward the missionary work of the church $_____ during
the coming year." I had never read such a statement before. I did not
know that God was going to deal with me that morning, and teach me a
lesson that I was never to forget--a lesson that I was to teach to
hundreds of others all over the country in the years to come.

   I started to pray. I said, "Lord God, I can't do anything. You know
I have nothing. I haven't a cent in the bank. I haven't anything in my
pocket. This church only pays me $25.oo a week. I have a wife and child
to keep. We are trying to buy our home, and everything is sky high in
price." All that was true. The first World War was on.

   "I know that, " the Lord seemed to answer me. "I know you are only
getting $25.oo a week. I know you have nothing in your pocket and
nothing in the bank."

   "Well, then," I said, relieved, "that settles it. I have nothing to
give and cannot give anything."

   It was then the Lord spoke to my heart. I shall never forget it.

   "I am not asking you for what you have, " He said. "You are not
asking me for what I have, Lord?" I replied. "Then what are You
asking?" "I am asking you for a faith offering. How much can you trust
Me for?" "Oh, Lord," I exclaimed, "that's different. How much CAN I
trust Thee for?"

   Now, of course, I knew nothing at all about a faith offering. I had
never given such an offering. But I knew the Lord was speaking. I
thought He might say $5.oo, or perhaps even $10.oo. Once, as minister
of another church, I had given $5.oo for missions. Once in my life I
had given $3.oo. Also, once I had given $2.oo. But never at any time
had I given more than $5.oo. I almost trembled as I awaited the answer.

   Presently it came. Now I am not going to ask you to believe that God
spoke to me in an audible voice, but He might just as well have. I was
scarcely conscious of the congregation as I sat there with my eyes
closed, listening to the voice of God.

   "How much can I give?" I asked.

   "Fifty dollars."

   "Fifty dollars!" I exclaimed. "Why, Lord, that's two weeks' salary!
How can I ever get $50.oo?"

   But again the Lord spoke and it was still the same amount. It was
just as clear to me as though He had spoken out loud.

   My hand trembled as I signed my name and address and wrote in the
amount--$50.oo.

   How I ever paid that amount, I don't know to this day. All I know is
that every month I had to pray for $4.oo. And every month God sent it
to me in some miraculous way. At the end of the year I had paid $50.oo.

   But this is what I want to make clear. There came to my heart such a
fullness of the Spirit, that as I paid the final amount I realized I
had received the greatest blessing that had ever come into my life!

   I had trusted God for a certain amount and He had met it. So great
was the spiritual blessing that the next year at the convention I
doubled the amount and gave $100.oo. Then, at another convention I
doubled the amount again and gave $200.oo. At still another convention
I doubled it once more and gave $400.oo. Then later I doubled it again
and made it $800.oo. From that day to this I have been increasing the
amount and sending it to the Bank of Heaven year by year. If I had
waited until I had it, I never would have given it, because I never
would have received it. But I gave it when I didn't have it. I gave a
faith offering and God honored it.

   That was the first time, I say, that I had ever given what I call a
scriptural offering, a Pauline offering. Paul, as you remember, often
took up "faith promise offerings." He would get the church to promise a
certain amount and then he would give the church a year to pay it.
Then, you remember, as the year drew to a close, he would send someone
to remind the church of the promise that had been made so he would not
be ashamed when he arrived (see II Cor.9). He wanted to be sure it
would be paid. A faith promise offering is a scriptural offering, it is
a Pauline offering, and God blesses it.

   Have you only given cash offerings? It doesn't require any faith to
give a cash offering. If I have a dollar in my pocket, all I have to do
is to tell my hand to go into my pocket, find the dollar, take it out
and put it on the plate. I don't have to pray about it. I don't have to
ask God for it. I don't have to trust Him for any definite amount. I
just have it and give it.

   But it is entirely different with a faith promise offering. I have
to pray and ask God how much He would have me give, then trust Him for
it. Month by month I must go to Him in prayer and ask Him for the
amount promised. I must wait upon Him until it comes in. That is the
offering that brings blessing.

   For well over a quarter of a century now, that is the kind of
offering I have taken for missions. In our annual missionary convention
we never get more than six or seven thousand dollars in cash, but we
get a quarter of a million or more in faith promises! And it always
comes in! More comes in than the amount promised!

   It is customary in many churches to simply divide between various
missionary societies whatever cash offering is given. If it comes in,
they give it. But since there is no need to exercise faith, there is no
burden, no responsibility. I have no use for that kind of giving. I
believe that every individual church should obligate itself in faith
before God for a certain definite amount, and pray until that amount
has been received.

   Now I am not talking about pledges. I have never taken up a pledge
offering. There is all the difference in the world between a pledge
offering and a faith promise offering. A pledge offering is between you
and a church, between you and a missionary society. Some day the
deacons may come along and try to collect it, or you may receive a
letter reminding you of it. You can be held responsible for a pledge
offering.

   A faith promise offering is between you and God. No one will ever
ask you for it. No official will ever call on you to collect it. No one
will ever send you a letter about it. It is a promise made by you to
God, and to God alone. If you are unable to pay it, all you have to do
is to tell God about it. Give Him your reason. If He accepts it, you
are free.

   This, my friend, is the greatest investment you can make. You should
be in business for God. You should make money for Him, use what you
need to live on and give as much as you can for the work of
evangelization. Put your money where it will accomplish the most for
God. Put it into the getting out of the Gospel. Put it into the souls
of men. Use it for those who never yet have heard the message.

   Perhaps God would have you support a missionary of your own--and
then another, and another. Make a faith promise offering unto Him, then
trust Him to help you meet it. Unmeasurable blessing will be yours.
