Give of Thine Substance

GREEK WORD WITH ENGLISH TRANSLITERATION: ύπαρχοντα (huparconta)

PRONUNCIATION:  hoop-AR-khon-tah

STRONG’S CONCORDANCE #: 5224

MEANING: goods; substance; possessions

BACKGROUND OF WORD (ETYMOLOGY): from two words that literally mean "to own from the beginning"

HOW TRANSLATED IN KJV, NASB AND/OR ESV:  substance; means; private means;

# OF TIMES USED IN THE GREEK NEW TESTAMENT: 14

KEY VERSE IN THE BIBLE WHERE GREEK WORD USED:

Luke 8:2-3 - "Some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means (ύπαρχοντα)."

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

    

Luke uses this word to picture the attitude of the women who served Jesus by financially giving to Jesus' ministry. These women believed it was their God-given assignment to painstakingly attend to the needs, wishes, and desires of Jesus. Their supreme task was to provide what He and His disciples needed to fulfill their ministry without hindrance. Furthermore, the tense used in the original Greek indisputably means that these women did this task consistently and regularly; in other words, they habitually donated money to Jesus' ministry. They were faithful partners on whom Jesus could rely.

Luke 8:3 says that these women ministered unto Him of their “substance.” The word “substance” is the Greek word ‎huparchontos‎, which is the word for goods, possessions, or property. The word ‎huparchontos ‎would only be used to describe individuals of great wealth who possessed large fortunes or enormous assets. This lets us know that these were wealthy women.

The King James Version says these women “...ministered unto him of their substance.” But in Greek, it actually says out of their substance. This implies that these very wealthy women may have donated funds out of the income they earned on properties they owned.

We rightly focus on Jesus and the great works He did while on earth. But think of the reward that is laid up in Heaven for Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and all the others who gave of their substance so that those life-changing meetings could take place! Today these individuals are experiencing rich rewards because they gave of their personal income to help advance the ministry of Jesus. They were His ministry partners — and in Heaven, they share in the rewards for the results reaped by Jesus' ministry.

CHALLENGE FOR THE DAY:

If your life has been touched and changed by a specific ministry, it is right for you to desire to give to that ministry to show your gratefulness and to make sure others receive the same touch you received. So when God calls you to be a ministry partner, never forget that what you do is vitally important. The gifts you give from your personal income and assets can make an eternal difference in other people's lives.  However, always remember that your tithe (the first 10%) first belongs to your local church.  Then from your abundance be sure to bless others.

Please don't let it bother you if your name is never put on a building or if people never know that you were a big giver to a ministry. Instead, rejoice that you are among the “many others” who gave to Jesus' ministry but were not mentioned by name. Most importantly, never forget that Jesus knows who you are and what you have done and that an eternal reward is awaiting you!

PRAYER FOR THE DAY:

    

Lord, I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve You with my income and assets. I desire to give more and more with each passing year. Please cause me to be more faithful in my giving to my local church.  And as you bless me Lord, cause me to have the desire to give even more towards the work of Your Kingdom.  It isn't important to me that other people know what I've done, for I know that You see the seed I've sown and will reward me for what I have done. Help me to never use funds designated for Your work on anything else, Lord, but rather to make the advancement of Your Kingdom the highest priority in my life.  I pray this in Jesus' name!  Amen.