“Still, you did well by sharing with me in my hardship.” Philippians 4:14 HCSB

It is a good think to help with a financial needs of those who are serving God in a manner that has been a blessing to you. Either the church you attend, the ministry that feed you the most in previous years, or the mentor who helped you in growth in your younger years. If they are trusting God in their resources to accomplish His work than it would be a good opportunity to help them out.  The only other group I would consider to help would be your parents. If you tie up all your money helping the church and you have nothing left to help your parents then you might be falling into a trap to not honor your parents. 


“Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”

Exodus 20:12 HCSB

https://www.bible.com/72/exo.20.12.hcsb


“He answered them, “And why do you break God’s commandment because of your tradition? For God said: Honor your father and your mother; and, The one who speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death. But you say, ‘Whoever tells his father or mother, “Whatever benefit you might have received from me is a gift committed to the temple” — he does not have to honor his father.’ In this way, you have revoked God’s word because of your tradition.”

Matthew 15:3-6 HCSB

https://www.bible.com/72/mat.15.3-6.hcsb


“He also said to them, “You completely invalidate God’s command in order to maintain your tradition! For Moses said: Honor your father and your mother; and Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death. But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or mother: Whatever benefit you might have received from me is Corban’ ” (that is, a gift committed to the temple), “you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. You revoke God’s word by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many other similar things.””

Mark 7:9-13 HCSB

https://www.bible.com/72/mrk.7.9-13.hcsb


The take away I get from Matthew 15:3-6 and Mark 7:9-13 is that your parents need is greater than the need of the church, or missionary for you. 


For your kid’s need, you have the desire to help them, but if they are making poor decisions in the way of their money and they always have a need of more, then your best help for them is show them their poor decisions and not give them money to get them out it. If they are serving God and have a job but a surprise major expense comes up and you can help then consider helping but then employ them to help you with house work to pay off their debt. 


“A sensible person sees danger and takes cover, but the inexperienced keep going and are punished. The result of humility is fear of the Lord, along with wealth, honor, and life. There are thorns and snares on the path of the crooked; the one who guards himself stays far from them. Teach a youth about the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is a slave to the lender. The one who sows injustice will reap disaster, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed. A generous person will be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.”

Proverbs 22:3-9 HCSB

https://www.bible.com/72/pro.22.3-9.hcsb


The kids greater need is to train them the right way to work for and manage their money. 


Giving to God’s work is our responsibility when we are not doing the work. 


““Since the days of your fathers, you have turned from My statutes; you have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Hosts. But you ask: “How can we return? ” “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! ” You ask: “How do we rob You? ” “By not making the payments of the tenth and the contributions. You are suffering under a curse, yet you — the whole nation — are still robbing Me. Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this way,” says the Lord of Hosts. “See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not ruin the produce of your land and your vine in your field will not fail to produce fruit,” says the Lord of Hosts. “Then all the nations will consider you fortunate, for you will be a delightful land,” says the Lord of Hosts.”

Malachi 3:7-12 HCSB

https://www.bible.com/72/mal.3.7-12.hcsb


“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths. Don’t consider yourself to be wise; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. This will be healing for your body and strengthening for your bones. Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest; then your barns will be completely filled, and your vats will overflow with new wine. Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son, and do not loathe His discipline; for the Lord disciplines the one He loves, just as a father, the son he delights in.”

Proverbs 3:5-12 HCSB

https://www.bible.com/72/pro.3.5-12.hcsb


“Therefore I considered it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance the generous gift you promised, so that it will be ready as a gift and not as an extortion. Remember this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. Each person should do as he has decided in his heart — not reluctantly or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work. As it is written: He scattered; He gave to the poor; His righteousness endures forever. Now the One who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many acts of thanksgiving to God. They will glorify God for your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with others through the proof provided by this service. And they will have deep affection for you in their prayers on your behalf because of the surpassing grace of God in you.”

2 Corinthians 9:5-14 HCSB

https://www.bible.com/72/2co.9.5-14.hcsb


Don’t rob God by keeping for yourself the 10% that he is asking you for. Do not be hateful about it serve and give thankfully. The amount of the gift in sacrifice is not what matters it is the amount of sacrifice in the gift is what matters to God.


“Sitting across from the temple treasury, He watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury. Many rich people were putting in large sums. And a poor widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little. Summoning His disciples, He said to them, “I assure you: This poor widow has put in more than all those giving to the temple treasury. For they all gave out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she possessed — all she had to live on.””

Mark 12:41-44 HCSB

https://www.bible.com/72/mrk.12.41-44.hcsb


“He looked up and saw the rich dropping their offerings into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow dropping in two tiny coins. “I tell you the truth,” He said. “This poor widow has put in more than all of them. For all these people have put in gifts out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.””

Luke 21:1-4 HCSB

https://www.bible.com/72/luk.21.1-4.hcsb


“So Elijah got up and went to Zarephath. When he arrived at the city gate, there was a widow woman gathering wood. Elijah called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup and let me drink.” As she went to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand.” But she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I don’t have anything baked — only a handful of flour in the jar and a bit of oil in the jug. Just now, I am gathering a couple of sticks in order to go prepare it for myself and my son so we can eat it and die.” Then Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid; go and do as you have said. But first make me a small loaf from it and bring it out to me. Afterward, you may make some for yourself and your son, for this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘The flour jar will not become empty and the oil jug will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the surface of the land.” So she proceeded to do according to the word of Elijah. Then the woman, Elijah, and her household ate for many days. The flour jar did not become empty, and the oil jug did not run dry, according to the word of the Lord He had spoken through Elijah.”

1 Kings 17:10-16 HCSB

https://www.bible.com/72/1ki.17.10-16.hcsb

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