The Bible says “God loves a cheerful giver”, thereforE I will present a number of scriptures that demonstrate this point. Don’t worry, I am not going to ask for a donation at the end of this message.
1 Chronicles 29:14 – “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.
These words remind us that we have nothing if God does not give it. Some may say “no, I worked for this”, but in reality, it is God who gave you your health fit for working. And furthermore, there are many healthy people without the opportunities to earn. All that we have comes from God, or is allowed by God, and God asks for us to be a good steward of those gifts.
Proverbs 3: 9-10 – Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.
It is easy to forget to give back to God when times are tough financially. But if we put God first in our giving, before our spending, then God promises to bless this act of faith. God wants us to give from the bottom of our hearts, not the top of our pocket books.
Proverbs 11: 24-25 – One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. 25 A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
That does not mean that we will get $100 back for every $10 we give, but we may be put in charge of more resources to be a steward of if we can be trusted with the little that we are in charge of now. God will certainly not put us in charge of more, if we can not show Him and ourselves that we can be trusted with a little.
Luke 6:38 – Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
We are given blessings from God in the measure in which we are a blessing to others by. And our blessings may or may not be in material wealth, but they will always be of eternal significance.
2 Corinthians 9: 6-7 – Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
We will be blessed, not on the monetary value of the giving, but on the heart of the giving. If a preacher convinces somebody to give with charismatic sales tactics, and that person gives reluctantly, no eternal investment has been made. One should not have to be shaken down for their money. But if God has a persons whole heart, God will have everything about that person too. Money is just one example. So we are called to give what God has put on our hearts. If that be 10%, then so be it. If that be $1, then so be it. But our giving is between us and God, and not for a person or an organization to dictate.
Acts 20:35 – In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
AMEN!
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