GivingSrs2-Heart of a Giver

The Heart of a Giver

Intro

Last week we focused on setting a missions goal for this year.  People will wind up giving for different reasons and in different ways towards their goals.  But we identified that missions giving is a mark of maturity for a Christian as well as a church or ministry.   It is the violent act of taking eyes off of SELF, and directing them to the needs of others around you and around the world.  It is within SELF that Satan finds his influence.

It is a mentality, a lifestyle.

Tonight we are going to talk about the heart of a giver.  A giving lifestyle isn’t simply an outward act, it has to start on the inside. 

*Prayer

Gratitude-the mark of a Christian

What is it that makes a person live a giving lifestyle?

What was it that made Mother Theresa move to the armpit of the world and live out her days loving and caring for children?

What is it that made the Roman Christians sing out praises to Jesus while lions were set upon them and tore them to pieces?

What is it that beats in the heart of a man like missionary Jim Elliot who proclaimed “he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose!” shortly before he was speared by headhunters?

What is it that would turn a murderer and hypocrite into sold out preacher who proclaimed

“everything happening to me in this jail only serves to make Christ more accurately known, regardless of whether I live or die.  They didn’t shut me up, they gave me a pulpit!  Alive I am Christ’s messenger; dead, I’m His bounty.  Life versus even more life!  I can’t lose!”

--The Apostle Paul (Phil. 1:20-21)??

A person so captured, so consumed by the love of the Lord that it is unthinkable to them not to sacrifice all that they are in His service. 

Not just talking about money, though that is certainly part of it!  It is about EVERYTHING you have, everything you are, everything you need or desire, everything that you will be.

2 Sam 24:24 David proclaims that

“I will not offer the Lord that which costs me nothing!”

Distracted

Sometimes Satan succeeds in distracting us from what is truly important. 

If a person constantly complains about things or mopes about then they are distracted.  The last thing that they would say they are feeling is “Grateful.”  

The fact that Jesus died for them and loves them completely and has a wonderful plan for their life has become insufficient to meet their needs.  It is old news to them.

Luke 10:38 (NKJV) Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.

39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word.

40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."

41 And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.

42 "But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

Not to say that service is bad…of course not.  But to be so distracted when the Lord is present, you are missing the most important thing.

Tonight during worship Jesus was here.  But there were people who were “worried and troubled about many things,” instead of enjoying the presence of Jesus.  Instead of taking an internal breather and focusing on the fact that

“God is here!” 

“Jesus Loves Me!” 

“I have relationship with the King of the Universe!”

Grateful for what?

If you are a Christian who has an attitude of gratitude then you have come face to face with the Spirit of God who convicts us of our sin. 

You can’t be grateful until you know what for, but conviction of sin can be a painful thing.  And we all run from painful experiences as fast as we can instead of learning from them. 

Allow the Lord to convict you of your sin instead of plugging your spiritual ears and running.  You’ll know the difference between the conviction of the Holy Spirit and the condemning lies of the enemy by the fact that when the HS does it there is complete love and acceptance in spite of the ugliness of your sin.