GENEROUS 2017_pt1: Generous God

2 Corinthians 9:7 NIV

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.

[STORY] – Saw friend at restaurant, connected, agreed to spend time in meeting, ended up doing father’s funeral

[STORY] – Parent’s gas card. Tithe on it. Business greater than ever imagined.

[STORY] – Now God has put something BIG on my heart – I cannot wait to see what it turns into now!

Not because of any return to myself, but because of what we will see next from God!

2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

“Able” – I want to focus on that word for the 1st part of the message today.

[ILLUST] - Bill Gates - wealthiest man on earth.

Our God is more than any man on this earth!

James 1:16–18 NIV

Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Generous God

[NOW] Let’s talk about our generous God.

2 Corinthians 9:10–11 NIV

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 enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

He gave His Son.

How generous is our God?

John 3:16 NIV

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

So generous that He gave His son.

We believe this, but many of us are deceived when it comes to other needs in our lives…

If he gave His son, then we must believe…

He supplies all needs.

Philippians 4:19 NIV

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Believing for healing? Family? House? Job?... HE SUPPLIES!

According to His riches??? Think about Mr. Gates… He blows him out of the water!!!

[NOW] We are further deceived by believing God is able to do, when we struggle to believe… (write it down…)

He can do it for me, too!

It’s more than believing he CAN do it, but he WILL do it for YOU!

Listen to these words from Jesus…

Matthew 6:26–27 NIV

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

Matthew 6:28–30 NIV

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?

Live generously

“So that” – Remember we were coming back to this.

God has poured out His generosity on us, because He loves us.. because He is that kind of God…

But also, according to 2 Corinthians, we can live generously!

2 Corinthians 9:6 NIV

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

1. Give Him everything!

Romans 12:1 NIV

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Hold on pastor… he must be talking about our bodies and how we live…

We’ll, I know there are times when I’d rather have just given some $$ instead of what it really cost…

[STORY] Planting the church (Misty)…

But if that isn’t enough, Paul clarifies in his letter to the Colossians…

Colossians 3:17 NIV

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

2. Seek Him above all things!

There is a motivation to give it all… and it’s not to get more back…

The motivation comes from Christ’s words…

Luke 12:29–32 NIV

And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.

Seek Him above all things!

There will be some of us who are struggling, or will struggle with all of this…

My cry to you this morning is…

3. Believe Him, it’s available!

Paul had the same pray for the church…

Ephesians 1:18 NIV

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,

Take Away

Can I be trusted with His generosity?

The take away is obvious that our God is a generous God…

But I want to challenge you even further… I want to leave you with a question to ponder all series long…

Ephesians 1:3–8 NIV

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,

There are things that money cannot buy.

And this one, salvation, is at the top of that list.

Riches beyond what this world can offer or even knows.

Luke 16:11 NIV

So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?

Can I be trusted with His generosity?