Here’s an overview of certain Bible verses that have led up to and shaped Jesus’ collective birthday gift, being part of my spiritual journey:
At the end of 2016, the thought came to me to use all my books as a fundraiser for the “work of ministry” (Eph. 4:12). As a result, I set up The Cause of Christ and started to offer my books as a means to raise funds.
The verses that defined The Cause of Christ were: “He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God” (2 Cor. 9:10-12).
The concept is simple: when you buy a book, 75% royalty goes to the featured ministry. Consequently, when you buy a book, you’re also “supplying the needs of the saints,” “increase the harvest of your righteousness,” and, “produce thanksgiving to God.”
You’re blessed by a Christ-centered book and participate in the spread of the gospel through the featured ministry.
A win-win!
As I set up the website and raised some money for a few ministries, it didn’t produce the amounts that I had hoped and prayed for. One day, as I was setting up a landing page for a family with Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), I believe the Holy Spirit brought this verse to my mind: “For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward” (Mark 9:41).
That verse produced amazing encouragement. Whether or not I raised a lot of money or just a few dollars, I realized that each “cup of water” had eternal significance. Even setting up the landing page gained such significance because I did it for someone who belongs to Jesus.
In November of 2017, I decided to write out a short business plan for what I wanted to do with Christian Copywriting and, especially, The Cause of Christ. My main goal was to continue to write Christ-centered books and offer them as a fundraiser for ministries.
The verse that governed my business plan is found in First Samuel: “Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, ‘Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the LORD will work for us, for nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few’” (1 Sam. 14:6). It depends on God’s work!
Two other related verses that gave me great encouragement are found in the Psalms and in Proverbs. In the Psalms, we read: “Commit your way to the LORD, trust in him, and he will act” (Ps. 37:5). That truth made me feel much more dependent on Him versus pursuing all the latest copywriting and marketing techniques. In Proverbs, we read the same: “Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established” (Pr. 16:3).
By the way, I’m not against copywriting and marketing techniques or any other legitimate means. God works through means. However, we must never forget that it’s ultimately His will that determines the results: “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD” (Pr. 21:31).
James made that unmistakably clear: “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’–yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.’ As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil” (James 4:13-16). All success and profit are utterly dependent on God’s will.
Jonathan’s statement has been the fuel of Jesus’ collective birthday gift: “It may be that the LORD will work for us.” He didn’t know what would happen, but He entrusted himself to God’s sovereign will.
I also don’t know how Jesus’ collective birthday gift will work out. However, I’m learning to continually entrust myself to Him. He can certainly work through It’s All about Jesus if He so wills. It’s wholly dependent on Him. The only thing that I can do is prepare all the possible means to the best of my ability.
One verse that has tremendously helped me with the launch of this fundraiser is found in Romans: “I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints” (Rom. 15:30-31).
Paul believed that the acceptance of his service for the Jerusalem saints by God’s people was dependent on God. Will you pray the same for this fundraiser?
- That the ministries will accept this fundraiser on their behalf.
- That God’s people will be willing to join Jesus’ collective birthday gift.
- That we’ll raise funds for the spread of God’s gospel through these ministries.
To Him will be all the glory!
Here’s a link to a short promo video.
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