Readers’ Responses to The Treasure Principle
What the others are saying about The Treasure Principle:
”Supercharged with stunning, divine truth! Lightning struck over and over as I read it.”- John Piper, Senior Pastor, Bethlehem Baptist Church
The Treasure Principle will change your life! This book is destined to become a classic. - Howard Dayton, Co-CEO, Crown Financial Ministries
The Scripture passages and illustrations really ring true. It was just what I needed!” - Hugh Maclellan, President, The Maclellan Foundation
“I enthusiastically endorse The Treasure Principle. I hope millions will read and apply it.”- Ronald W. Blue, Founder and CEO, Ronald Blue & Company
Other responses to The Treasure Principle:
As my husband and I have been addressing unemployment, reduced income, family budgeting, etc. over the last year I have wondered if we have enough money for what we need. We have continued to tithe, but there have been times when I have thought that instead of tithing, we could use that money for something else.
I wish I considered giving a “privilege to share in this service to the saints.” Instead, I think of it as a bill, an obligation. I know that I am blessed that I can write a check to tithe. I know that I will be fine with 90% of my income. I know there are people all over the world who are truly needy and that I have unspeakable wealth in comparison. I know I am among the “privileged” of the world. I wish I felt joy in giving. I know God will change my attitude in His timing.
All this was inspired by the book The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn — V. B.
Money seems to be the number one thing on people’s minds right now. It’s not about spending money—because many people do not have any to spend. The only people spending money right now are those in charge of our government.
I’m hoping pastors will order a copy of The Treasure Principle for every family unit in their congregation and begin the New Year with everybody studying this important topic. I predict that if they do, it will change and bless their church and the cause of Christ in general. It is impossible to seriously study this book and not be changed.
My wife and I were applying these principles to our lives before we read Randy’s marvelous book. Our lives have been blessed beyond belief. Randy’s book would have reinforced this principle and strengthened our faith. We didn’t have these materials—but you do. Please don’t miss this opportunity for spiritual growth and blessing. I wish that every Christian could read Chapter 31: Radical, Liberating Questions To Ask God About Giving. It is powerful! — C. A., a retired pastor
I was reading a book called The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn and I came across a passage that was both equally encouraging and convicting. I thought I would share it since it blessed me tremendously and caused me to stop and think:
“Unbelievers have no second chance to relive their lives, this time choosing Christ. But Christians also get no second chance to live life over, this time doing more to help out the needy and invest in God’s kingdom. We have one brief opportunity—a lifetime on earth—to use our resources to make a difference.
John Wesley said, ‘I judge all things only by the price they shall gain in eternity.’ Missionary C.T. Studd said, ‘Only one life, ‘twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.’
Five minutes after we die, we’ll know exactly how we should have lived. But God has given us His Word so we don’t have to wait to die to find out. And He’s given us His Spirit to empower us to live that way now.
Ask yourself, Five minutes after I die, what will I wish I would have given away while I still had the chance? When you come up with an answer, why not give it away now? Why not spend the rest of our lives closing the gap between what we’ll wish we would have given and what we really are giving?”
Convicting. Alcorn is speaking primarily in this little book about giving of our financial resources. However, this passage could also be applied in a myriad of ways, such as adoption, missions, hospitality, evangelism, faithfulness in our job, and training and instructing our children in righteousness.
When I die, and look back on my life, what will I wish that I would have done? What risk, for the Lord, will I wish I had taken? It is different for everyone; God has gifted each of us in unique ways and each of our lives has been set on a course that has prepared us for differing good works.
Alcorn also has something to say about the “Health, Wealth, and Prosperity” gospel (which is really no gospel at all) that I thought worth sharing:
“Health and wealth gospel dishonors Christ, since any gospel that is more true in America than China is not the true gospel. Prosperity gospel is built on a half-truth. God often does prosper givers materially. But He won’t let us treat Him like a no-lose slot-machine or a cosmic genie who does our bidding. Giving is a sacrifice, and sometimes we will feel that sacrifice. God’s payoff is very real, but it comes at the “proper time,” which may not be today or tomorrow but in eternity (Galatians 6:9).
God has given you considerable material blessings. Have you ever asked yourself, Why has he provided so much? You don’t need to wonder. Paul tells us exactly why He provides us with more money than we need: “Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way. . .” (2 Corinthians 9:10-11)
So that what? How will he finish this sentence? Prosperity theology would finish it, ‘so that we might live in wealth, showing the world how much God blesses those who love Him.’
But that isn’t how Paul finishes it. He says, “You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion” (2 Corinthians 9:11).
I am encouraged by Alcorn’s words to give—give of my time, my money, my life to others, for the sake of the gospel. The gospel. That should be our motivation in all this. Christ should be our motivation for all of our good works. — L. M.
I enjoyed this short read. I found the principles to be biblical and practical. This does not mean they are easy to apply. I would recommend this book for those wanting to better understand how to give God’s way. This book might very well help to unlock the secret to joyful giving in your life. — J. Y.
The little book, The Treasure Principle, by Randy Alcorn is a useful book that helps and reminds me how to handle money. I trust the quotes below will challenge you to treat your money as God’s:
A steward manages assets for the owner’s benefit. The steward carries no sense of entitlement to the assets he manages. It’s his job to find out what the owner wants done with his assets, then carry out his will (p. 25).
Nothing makes a journey more difficult than a heavy backpack filled with nice but unnecessary things. Pilgrims travel light (p. 53). — T.
Nice discussion on joy, glorification, and a godly perspective on life, that comes from Jesus’ parable about finding the treasure in the field. There are many things I will revisit as I discuss stewardship in the future (e.g., section on Tyranny of Things and principle #5: Giving is the antidote to materialism). He’s right about so much: Giving can/should be joyful; giving jump starts our relationship with God; giving helps us store up heavenly rewards. — E. N.
There’s lots packed into this thin little book designed to help the reader think through financial priorities. — I. L.
I don’t normally link poverty with having generosity (maybe receiving generosity, but not having it). But, Paul writes of people who, despite apparently significant poverty, begged to be able to give:
Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 2 Corinthians 8:2-4 (New International Version)
Giving is a topic that many people including pastors tend to avoid. We think of it as a very personal thing and is not meant to be discussed openly within the hallowed walls of our churches. Randy Alcorn blows that idea away in his book The Treasure Principle. This easy-to-read book will transform the way you look at giving. And if you are anything like me, it will drive you to your knees before God. First, to thank Him for all He has given to us, including His very own Son. And then to repent for our wrong attitudes about giving.
Randy Alcorn does not condemn us for our wrong attitudes. His approach is to show us what we are missing out on from God’s abundant blessings because of our wrong attitudes. After reading this book I came away with a clearer picture of how giving fits in with God’s eternal plan to redeem fallen mankind back to Himself. I highly reccommend this book to anyone that wants to experience more of God in their lives. — R. L.
When I was browsing around the heavy aisles of books of MV Doulos (the floating bookstore), I found this small book by Randy Alcorn entitled The Treasure Principle. I really want to honor God with my money and so I got this book and got to reading it. I think I finished reading this entire book of less than 100 pages in just a couple of days—amazing, considering that I don’t get to read that much.
This book opened my eyes to a whole new world of handling and managing finances. For Christians, we believe that what we have comes from God. The book just emphasized that we are only God’s managers. The money that we have is not ours to have, spend and keep for our own purposes. God has entrusted our resources for us to manage well for the expansion of His Kingdom.
I was really mvoed by the principles touched by the author such as handing our finances with our eyes fixed on eternity and giving as much as we can (and this giving does not include tithing because tithing is a commandment, or at least that is how I treat it.).
For those who are wondering why their finances are awry, this is a good eye opening book. — College student from the Philippines
