Giving

that we should be cheerful givers. I figured I’d be a lot more cheerful if I gave the quarter and kept the dollar, so I did.”

ILL.- A mother wanted to teach her little girl a lesson about giving. She gave her a quarter and a dollar for church. She said, “Put one in the collection plate and keep the other for yourself.” As they were leaving the church, her mother asked her what she had put in the offering plate. “Well,” the little girl said, “I was going to give the dollar but just before the collection was taken the man said that we should be cheerful givers. I figured I’d be a lot more cheerful if I gave the quarter and kept the dollar, so I did.”

Family, I think that’s exactly the way a lot of us think and do sometimes. Lets look at what the word of God says about this

1.If we have have been waiting to test God, we have his permission

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”

This is the only situation given in the Bible in which God tells His people to “test” Him.

Interestingly, the Hebrew word used for “test” in this verse is bachan, which means “to examine, scrutinize, or prove. Just as gold is “tested” with fire to prove its quality, God invites Israel to test Him in tithes and offerings and see that He proves His faithfulness in response.

ILL.- Someone said, “It’s not what you do with the million if fortune should be your lot, but what are you doing at present with the dollar and quarter you got.” To give or not to give? The real question is: what are you doing with what God has already given you?

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. 8 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.

If you can’t live off 90% of your income, then you’re probably struggling to live off 100% anyway, and that means you have bigger financial problems you need to address.

Robin and I struggled with this early in our Christian walk. Tithe/Give testimony.

We decided we wanted honor the old testament principle and see what happens. Our thought was that if we can’t live off 90% of our income, then we were probably struggling to live off 100% anyway, and that meant we have bigger financial problems we need to address.

2. The why I give should be the driving force in what i give

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. 8 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.

that we should be cheerful givers. I figured I’d be a lot more cheerful if I gave the quarter and kept the dollar, so I did.”

Brethren, I think that’s exactly the way a lot of people think and do, but that’s not what the Scripture says nor is it the way giving works.

Tithing, being the 10% to God, is a stipulation of the Law. of the Old Testament. In the New Testament, however, we read that we are no longer under the Law but under grace, for Jesus Christ has come to fulfil the Law. In this new dispensation, should our generosity not be even greater, out of gratitude to the One who gave us everything? Hence the teaching from St Paul to the Corinthians:

Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” The greater blessing belongs to the person who gives

Family, I think that’s exactly the way a lot of people think and do, but that’s not what the Scripture says nor is it the way giving works.

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. 8 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.

Jesus said, In “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

The greater blessing belongs to the person who gives from a heart of compassion.

Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

3. A healthy body of Christ has balanced giving .

Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

I want you to know that having a focus of passion for ministry in BYO is as important as giving. If we are not passionate for ministry and work that` BYO is doing then then the money given cannot do the work needed because there is not enough people to do the work.

Giving

Enough is enough

Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”