April 29th, 2020 -Devotion With Pastor Dan
This past week I was talking with brothers on God’s expectation when it comes to giving to Him from our wages. It was a great time, and I was thrilled to see other mens heart the same as mine. I am grateful to be surrounded by men and women of like faith, and solid in the doctrines of the word.
I’ve never thought much of some of the false teachers or hustler’s that fleece the flock of God in order to have the multi-million dollar homes, private jets, lavish wealth, all while the gospel is never even a part of their ministry. Where the name of Jesus is only invoked as a means to gain earthly wealth, and in doing so, many of those false teachers have soured people towards Jesus, and their need for Him. How sad that is. These men and women have done great damage to the testimony of Christianity that in many circles it has become difficult to even talk about giving. Think about the topic of giving and how it is the elephant in the room that nobody wants to address because we don’t want to be labled as one who is all about prosperity. However, these false teachers have been right in one thing, our giving is important, and how we give has a serious outcome on how we recieve from God. So, what does the Bible tell us about giving of our resources (money).
(2 Corinthians 9:6-8)…..But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
God is love. Love gives and helps others. God wants you to be like Him — to be a giver. But not just a giver, but a “cheerful giver.” Are you a cheerful giver? Or you a taker? Do you look forward to the moments where you can give out of generosity? Or do you dread giving so much that when you do do it you end up doing it out of “grudging obligation?”
God, knowing human nature, gave incentives to encourage us to be givers. Not only does giving make us feel good, but God promises whatever we give will be multiplied back to us — the same way seed planted by a farmer produces a larger harvest.
(Luke 6:38)….. “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
God’s plan is to develop you into a loving, giving person who trusts God. Faith and love — the two primary attributes God is working to develop in us — are both exercised by giving. It takes faith to give. It seems safer and more prudent to hold on to everything we have, just in case we might need it. But God encourages us to be generous and give to others — trusting Him to multiply our giving back to us.
Can we see that many of life’s difficulties concerning our finances are brought on by ourselves and not God. The Scriptures don’t lie. If we sow sparingly should we expect a great windfall? No! The opposite is true. If we sow sparingly I should expect a small return. This isn’t a get rich quick formula. It’s God teaching us to trust Him, even with the finances that He gave to us in the first place. Let’s be cheerful givers……in Everything.
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