Dear Brethren,
We praise and thank God for the encouraging outcome in the renewal of our Annual Stewardship and Faith Promise Missions Giving Commitment taken last Sunday. While we still await participation of other members who missed to give their commitment last Sunday, the substantial tally shows an improved Faith Promise Missions to Tithe ratio at 92%. The challenge and vision to have our Faith Promise Missions Giving to at least equal or match-up our Tithing is getting closer to reality
Our actual average weekly Faith Promise Mission Giving for the 52 weeks from March last year to end of February this year is at Php142K. While it is relatively still way below with the corresponding Tithes received, we thank God for the improving upward ratio, and the remarkable upward movement which is 35% increase from previous year ’s average at Php105K. We praise God as this is the biggest average in our 64 years as a Church. Retroactive to March 04, we thank God for the past two-week running average in our FPMG at around Php180K which is about 90% ratio to Tithe. What a relevant and tangible indicator that Bethany brethren CONTINUE to grasp the heartbeat of our Saviour in reaching the lost world. We are confident though that by God’s enabling grace, the best is yet to come!
My dear brethren, let us always be aware that while Tithing is indeed a matter of honouring God, obedience, and simple arithmetic, Faith Promise Missions Giving is certainly a matter of FAITH in who God is, and what God can do in us, through us, and even despite of us! It is essentially an exercise of sincere faith in what God has promised recognizing especially the exhortation in Hebrews 10:23, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised.)” Moreover, we are assured in II Corinthians 9:8, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.”
Let us then CONTINUE to humbly trust and obey the Lord. He surely will enable us to make good or even exceed our commitments that He laid upon our hearts.
All By God’s Grace and For God’s Glory!
Pastor Gerry Nable