Overflow in Thanks through the Grace of Giving- Part 2
The Grace of Giving • Sermon • Submitted • 45:28
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· 197 viewsThe grace of giving is an outcome of our submission to the gospel. Giving to the ministry of the gospel overflows in thanksgiving of more and more people which results in the glory of God!
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The grace of giving overview:
Excel in the Grace of Giving (Week 1)
English Standard Version Chapter 8
see that you excel in this act of grace also.
Reasons why we should excel in the grace of giving (It is a gift from God, it results in joy and generosity, it causes us to invest our whole lives in areas that matter for eternity, it is a test of the sincerity of our love for Christ, and it guards us against possessing too much)
Grow in the Grace of Giving (Week 2)
English Standard Version Chapter 9
whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully
Principles of giving (Giving is for ministry, it requires preparation, it promotes generosity, it must be done cheerfully, God graces us to abound in all good works, and it secures for us an eternally valuable harvest)
Overflow in Thanks through the Grace of Giving (Week 3)
What are the results of the grace of giving? If we give, if we excel at it, and give in obedience to the principles laid our for us in the Bible- then what will be the results?
1. Participating in the grace of giving will result in a constant increase of generosity (v. 11 a)
1. Participating in the grace of giving will result in a constant increase of generosity (v. 11 a)
God, by His overabundant grace, causes us to be enriched in EVERY WAY, so that we will be GENEROUS in EVERY WAY.
11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.
This kind of generosity, that is being made spiritually rich by God’s grace so that we can live lives that in every way are full of simplicity or sincerity or uprightness, this kind of generosity is the key to an overabundance of thanksgiving to God.
What does it mean to be enriched in every way?
What does it mean to be enriched in every way?
11ἐν παντὶ πλουτιζόμενοι
In ALL/EVERY way you are being made rich
Does it mean prosperity gospel? Does it mean that money is coming your way if you give? That is a perverted destructive heresy known as the prosperity gospel and it is vile and repulsive to the true Christian faith!
5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge—
10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
God, by His overabundant grace, causes us to be enriched in EVERY WAY? He does not necessarily make us rich, but by his grace he causes us to use what we have to be generous to others.
11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.
What does being generous like that mean?
What does being generous like that mean?
It is the idea of generosity out of sincerity. In other words what you see is what you get. That is the idea of this word. It is simple goodness, which gives without reserve, without strings attached or without hidden agendas.
This is a person that has been so transformed by God’s grace that they are freed to live a life of simplicity so that they can be genuine givers. Without any hesitation or reluctance. It is someone who can give with enthusiasm and without grudging- and it is exactly what they want to do- it is the deepest desire of their heart. It is the thing that produces the fullness of joy in their life- they sincerely, simply, genuinely, generously want to give.
That is not natural in the human disposition. That is not instinctual. The human heart has been so perverted by sin, it is so desperately sick, that our natural disposition is exactly the opposite. Our hearts are diseased! They are infected with a plague. They are contaminated with selfish ambition and conceit.
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
That is not natural in us!
What is natural in us? What does the sickened, infected, plagued nature of our heart look like?
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices
29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
But then something miraculous happened! You used to be darkness, but now you have become light! And the difference is Christ. The light of the glorious gospel of Christ has shone into your hearts in the face of Jesus Christ.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,
When this change happens in us by the power of the grace of the gospel it is undeniable. It is obvious and evident and clearly known. How can we do anything but be different. I was one way and now I am completely different and what happened in the middle was Christ!
And now, every day we are being enriched by God’s grace for what purpose?
18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
We are being transformed! From one degree of glory to another! That is exactly what Paul is saying in v. 11
11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.
You will be enriched in EVERY WAY- by God’s grace you are being changed into something that you never were and the only way you get there is by His grace. God so completely changes you, that once you were selfish and full of conceit, and now because of his grace you are GENEROUS. And it is sincere generosity! What you see is what you get- you actual are generous because God’s grace has made you that way.
What if I am not a very generous person?
What if I am not a very generous person?
Some of you might be thinking- I don’t feel very generous pastor. The text says you are being enriched. It is a present passive verb- God is the one enriching you, and he is continuously doing so.
11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.
What does that mean? It means that every believer has at least some degree of generosity in their heart right now. You can’t be a Christian and not have at least some amount of generosity in you. How can we, who call ourselves Christians, who are the recipients of the generosity of our Savior Jesus Christ who shed his own blood for our sins, not have a longing to be generous to others? There is at least some amount of sincere generosity in every believer who has truly understood the gospel. If you don’t have any in you, then I would question your salvation.
Well you say- I have some, but I don’t have very much. That may be true now, but as you grow in grace, God will enrich you in every way to be generous in every way. The idea is we grow more and more generous as we grow more and more in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
5 years from now, if Jesus tarries, I should be more generous that I am right now! Why? Because, if I am growing in the knowledge and the grace of Jesus on a regular basis, I will have had 5 years of being continually enriched by the grace of God in every way to be generous in every way.
So wherever you are right now, by God’s grace- give according to the degree that you have been made rich to be sincerely generous.
English Standard Version Chapter 9
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
You don’t have to give the same way or the same amount that I do- and I won’t give the same way you do- each one of us must give according to how we have been enriched in every way by God’s grace to be generous in every way. And over the years as you grow in God’s grace so to will your sincere generosity.
What is the second result of the grace of giving?
2. Participating in the grace of giving will result in an abundance of thanksgiving to God (vv. 11b-12)
2. Participating in the grace of giving will result in an abundance of thanksgiving to God (vv. 11b-12)
This kind of generosity, that is being made spiritually rich by God’s grace so that we can live lives that in every way are full of simplicity or sincerity, this kind of generosity is the key to an overabundance of thanksgiving to God.
11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.
Why is sincere generosity so important?
Why is sincere generosity so important?
When you are sincere in your generosity- when what you see is what you get- and you are enthusiastic in your giving without grudging- that PRODUCES something.
It accomplishes something, or puts something in effect, or achieves something very important!
What does it accomplish or produce?
Sincere generosity in our giving produces many acts of thanksgiving to God.
When people see us give generously, not just in our giving, but in our whole lives- and the only explanation is- God’s grace did that- it results in, it produces many acts of thanksgiving to God.
We don’t get the praise, because left to ourselves we are full of selfish ambition, conceit, envy, jealously, covetousness… So God naturally is the one that receives thanksgiving because His grace is why we become so generous in the first place.
Sincere generosity results in many acts of thanksgiving to God. And He deserves nothing less right?
Examples:
Baldwin Church Letter
Tim Smith- “Praise God, River in Turkmenistan, reports souls are being saved on a weekly basis!!! He is extremely encouraged!
Do you think that your generous gift had a part in that encouragement? Do you think that the folks in Baldwin or the saints in Turkmenistan didn’t lift their hearts in thanksgiving to God when they received your generous gift?
12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.
It is not only about supplying the needs of the saints (although you could add that as another result of the grace of giving). It is important that the needs of the saints are met, but even greater is that your ministry of this service overflows or over-abounds in many acts of thanksgiving to God.
Examples-
Lasko Foundation, The Wishers, The CBM Builders, and all the other people that contributed to the supplying the needs for this building- how many of us have lifted up our hearts to God in thanksgiving because of their generosity? How many of us when we have the praise service on Wednesday will say thank you to the Lord for this building? This is only possible because of the grace of giving- and think about all the ways this building will be used so that there will be an abounding of many acts of thanksgiving to God!
What is the third result of the grace of giving?
3. Participating in the grace of giving will result in more people glorifying God (v. 13)
3. Participating in the grace of giving will result in more people glorifying God (v. 13)
Who will glorify God?
Who will glorify God?
13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others,
By THEIR approval of THIS service- Let’s identify some pronouns. Who is the THEIR? It is the poor saints in Jerusalem. What is THIS service? It is the collection of money given by Gentile churches for the Jewish believers. They will glorify God! Who is the they? It is the church in Jerusalem.
The Second Epistle to the Corinthians 2. The Offering of Prayer to God (9:12–15)
Paul anticipates that after the collection has been completed at Corinth and the whole collection delivered to Jerusalem, the believers there, along with others, would give glory to God
What is the reason that God will be glorified?
What is the reason that God will be glorified?
13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others,
By their approval of this service-
Or better translated- “Because of the evidence that this service provides- they will give glory to God.”
When Paul showed up in Jerusalem with money from the Corinthians- their gift of money was actually evidence to the saints in Jerusalem of genuine salvation of the Corinthians as demonstrated by their service of generous giving.
The Second Epistle to the Corinthians 2. The Offering of Prayer to God (9:12–15)
If some Jewish believers in Jerusalem needed proof or reassurance of the reality of Gentile faith (especially in light of reported irregularities in the Corinthian church), and of the success of the Pauline mission, here was evidence that should satisfy even the most skeptical.
The cool part of this text is that the gratitude for the money was secondary to the gratitude for the conversion of the Gentile Christians.
So when you give money to ministry that causes people to give God glory because your gift is an overwhelming evidence to the fact of the gospel has indeed worked in your life.
And as we read in Acts that is exactly what happened.
17 When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. 18 On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. 19 After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
20 And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all zealous for the law,
Don’t unsaved people give money to charity?
Don’t unsaved people give money to charity?
2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.
4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.
Not like this- this kind of giving- giving out our sincere generosity- giving your whole self to the Lord first and then by the will of God to us- this only happens because of grace. This kind of giving is an evidence of true conversion.
What is the content for giving glory to God?
What is the content for giving glory to God?
13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others,
Because of / or better: FOR your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel.
So the saints in Jerusalem will give glory to God for the Corinthians confession of faith in the gospel and for their consequent obedience to the gospel’s requirement that they contribute to the needs of others.
They glorified God not only because the Corinthians professed Christ, but also because after they professed Christ they submitted to or became obedient to the demands of the gospel.
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
So others will glorify God when you not only confess that you believe this truth, but that this truth so impacts your life that you submit to the necessity of it- if Jesus did that for me then I want to do that for others.
Only God’s grace can cause someone to submit to logical demands of the gospel upon their lives.
13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others,
The Jersualem saints will give God glory:
2. For the generosity of your contribution for them and for others
The saints in Jerusalem gave glory to God because the gospel has so powerfully worked in the lives of the Corinthians that they not only gave, but they gave generously in their contribution for them and for all others.
So Paul shows up in Jerusalem and he tells the church everything that God did among the Gentiles and he gives the church the collection of money and because of the grace of giving it cause many more people to give glory to God.
All glory be to God- He truly did save the Corinthians and his grace caused them to become obedient to the demands of the gospel and their joyful obedience is evidenced by their generosity in their giving! Glory be to God!
And that is the result of the grace of Giving- more people glorify God!
What is the forth result of the grace of giving?
4. Participating in the grace of giving will result in widespread reciprocal spiritual ministry (v. 14)
4. Participating in the grace of giving will result in widespread reciprocal spiritual ministry (v. 14)
14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you.
How does God’s grace upon me cause others to long for me and pray for me?
How does God’s grace upon me cause others to long for me and pray for me?
14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you.
14καὶ αὐτῶν
And they,
δεήσει ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν
in their prayers concerning you
ἐπιποθούντων ὑμᾶς
THEY LONG FOR YOU- are ones having deep affection for you
διὰ τὴν ὑπερβάλλουσαν χάριν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐφʼ ὑμῖν.
Through the surpassing grace of God upon you.
“They long for you”- to experience a yearning affection for someone—‘to have a great affection for, to have a yearning love for someone.”
This word is used 9x’s in the NT
3 x’s (Rom 1:11; Phil 1:8; 2 Tim 1:4) it is used to describe Paul’s affection for the people he was ministering to-
8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
3 x’s (2 Cor 9.14; Phil 2.26; I Thess 3.6) it is used of other believers and their longing for other people in connection with gospel ministry
6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you—
1 x it is used for the believers longing for the Word of God
2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—
1 x it is used for the believers longing for a glorified body
2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling,
1 x it is used for God’s longing for us
5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?
This is a very important word in our text- let’s look at it again!
14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you.
This is a shocking statement- this is an incredible truth- this one word gives testimony to what only the glorious grace of God can do in this broken, sin-cursed, and hateful world.
Think about what Paul just said- THEY LONG FOR YOU! They have a great affection for you, they have a yearning love for you. That is humanly speaking an impossibility. Why is this statement so impossible?
Who is the they? THEY LONG FOR YOU? The they is Jewish believers. The THEY are Jews. Who is the you? THEY LONG FOR YOU? The you is Gentile believers.
So what? Big deal right? Well, up until like 5 seconds ago what was the relationship like between these two groups of people? Did they like each other?
11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—
This verse is a small window into the Jew Gentile relationship of Paul’s day- The Gentiles were called the “uncircumcision” by the Jews. They used this word like an insult, like “stupid” or “moron” or “pig.” This term is actually a reference to the human anatomy. It is the term used to describe what gets removed during the process of circumcision. It is an incredible insult! That is what the relationship was like between Jews and Gentiles. They were about as night and day as you could get.
14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you.
And now Jews are LONGING for GENTILES and they are PRAYING for Gentiles?? What happened? Why are they doing this?
Because of the surpassing grace of God upon you!
What grace is Paul talking about? The grace of God that so transformed the lives of the Gentiles that now instead of being mortal enemies with Jewish people, they are instead sacrificially, graciously, generously, cheerfully GIVING THEM MONEY! Only God’s grace can do that.
And as we participate in the grace of giving- and we give to support people who are on completely opposite ends of the spectrum from us. When you graciously give to support the Smith family- you are giving to a ministry to reach Muslim people with the gospel. What does a devout Muslim person think about you a devout follower of Christ? He wants to kill you. But, the other day we gave 5,000 dollars to River and the other pastors, who at one time were Muslims who wanted to kill us, now I am sure when River received that give of money that you all graciously gave- he got down on his knees and there was a longing in his heart for you all (even if he doesn’t know you by name, God knows!) And this Muslim man who at one time wanted to end your life, instead he now has a yearning love in his heart for you and he prays for you!
That is the power of the gospel and that is the wonder of God’s grace and that is one of the result of participating in the grace of giving.
And we need lots and lots more of it! Let’s graciously give so more people can be utterly and completely changed by God’s grace and we can participate in widespread reciprocal spiritual ministry with all kinds of people.
Only God’s grace can do this by the way- only the gospel has this kind of power- nothing else on earth can do what God can do in our hearts.
What is the fifth result of the grace of giving?
5. Participating in the grace of giving will result in a deeper understanding of the indescribable gift of God (v. 15)
5. Participating in the grace of giving will result in a deeper understanding of the indescribable gift of God (v. 15)
15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!
Inexpressible- that which cannot be fully related or communicated- indescribable or beyond words-
Lit. “Let us thank God for his gift which cannot be described with words!”
If you had to sum up all of the principles of the grace of giving in one short statement- here it is. What is the essence of the heart of a person who has been graced to give. Their heart is bursting and overflowing and over-abounding with love and worship and praise and wonder and adoration and this is the wonder of their thanks- Let us thank God for his gift which cannot be described with words!
If that is what is in your heart every time you give then you will be well on your way to growing in the grace of giving.
And think about this- God’s does’t need our money. Many preachers will stand up here and tell you to give almost in an effort to bail God out of trouble. If you give then God’s good purpose will go forth and people will be saved and God won’t look foolish. Your money will be such a gift to God. But the Bible states the exact opposite. God is not some weak god who bit off more than He could chew. God doesn’t need you to accomplish his glorious purpose. He is greater than you or I. My money is not a gift God needs, rather God graces us to give our money and that is part of His gift to us.
Why is God’s gift beyond words?
Why is God’s gift beyond words?
33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
We may speak much of God; talk of Him, His ways, His works, His counsels, all day long; but the truth is, we know very little of Him. Our thoughts, our meditations, our expressions of Him are low, many of them unworthy of His glory and none of them reaching His perfections. (John Owen- The Mortification of Sin)
7 “Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty? 8 It is higher than heaven—what can you do? Deeper than Sheol—what can you know?
3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.
9 who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number:
5 God thunders wondrously with his voice; he does great things that we cannot comprehend.
1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.
In I Corinthians 2 Paul argues that the wonder of the gospel and the power of the gospel is not dependent upon the kind of wisdom that unsaved people normally employ.
2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
The wonderful gift of salvation has a power all of its own. All we need to do is present the clear and undiluted truth of Jesus Christ and him crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
God does not need the plausible or pervasive words of man’s wisdom! In fact the power of the gospel works even despite our own weakness and fear and trembling. Our own weakness is actually an advantage because it causes the faith of other to rest in the power of God rather than the feeble wisdom of men.
6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.
While the gospel does not rely upon human wisdom, it does include a spiritual wisdom that is hidden from unsaved intellectuals.
8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
The smartest unsaved minds of all history could never have comprehended the wisdom of the gospel. If the unsaved intellectuals had comprehended the gospel they never would have crucified the Lord of Glory!
9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—
The gospel is a thing that not even the cleverest unsaved mind could have invented! Most people when they read I Corinthians 2:9 how do they immediately apply its message? What do they think is so great that it has not even entered into the heart of man’s imagination? Heaven right? But Paul actually applies this verse to the gospel as a whole! It is not just heaven that is beyond all imagination in terms of what God has prepared for those who love him. Heaven is actually just a small part of the incomprehensibility of the good news of the gospel! It is so much more! And that is what Paul is saying in 2 Cor 9:15!
15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!
Now here is the amazing aspect of the grace of God that I think Paul is marveling over. Paul is offering up thanks to God for the gift of salvation that is beyond words- the moment we think we understand the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God is the moment we reveal our own smug arrogance and we stop marveling at the God of the Bible.
Salvation is so much more than the forgiveness of our sins- salvation is so much more that an escape from hell and a future of eternal life. It includes those things, but Paul says that the gift of God in salvation is so immense and so wonderful that it is beyond words- it is incomprehensible. Its wonders extend to areas of our life that we haven’t even begun to wrap our minds around.
Paul is marveling that the grace of God in salvation has caused Gentiles- the Corinthians- to sacrificially give money to the poor saints in Jerusalem. Gentiles caring and loving and sacrificing for Jews? How is that possible? And then in response the Jews in church of Jerusalem respond by glorying God and with prayer and deep affection for Gentile believers they have never even met face to face! How is that possible? Hundreds and hundreds of years of ethnic hatred and separation- they have a rich history of hating each other- all of that is gone by the incomprehensible gift of God in salvation- God’s grace did that. And Paul is meditating on this aspect of the grace of God and his heart overflows with joy and he shouts- O Thanks be to God for His gift that is beyond all words!
And think about this- Paul makes this statement being under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes we are tempted to think that God’s incomprehensibility flows out of our own sinfulness. In other words- once we are glorified and sin is removed then we will understand God fully. The truth is we will never be able to fully comprehend the infinite splendor that belongs to God. Certainly we will understand the gift of God in salvation more clearly once we are glorified, but we never be able to fully express or “figure out” the greatness of the gift of God- we will spend all eternity discovering God’s goodness, more and more and more.
But, the amazing privilege is we don’t have to wait for our glorification. One of the ways we can grow to understand God’s inexpressible gift in fuller way right here right now is by participating in the grace of giving.
Tim Smith- “Praise God, River in Turkmenistan, reports souls are being saved on a weekly basis!!! He is extremely encouraged!
You have a part in that Faith Baptist Church! You have a part in encouraging River in Turkmenistan. You have a part in seeing souls saved on a weekly basis. I would imagine that River gets down on his knees and gives glory to God and thanksgiving to God for your part in supporting Tim Smith and in support him. River in Turkmenistan, longs for you and prays for you- because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Can you imagine that! Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!
And the more you participate in the grace of giving the more fuller your understanding of God’s gracious gift becomes- and it never stops- unto all eternity- even forever- AMEN!
Conclusion:
What are the results of the grace of giving? If we give, if we excel at it, and give in obedience to the principles laid our for us in the Bible- then what will be the results?
a constant increase of generosity
an abundance of thanksgiving to God
more people glorifying God
widespread reciprocal spiritual ministry
a deeper understanding of the indescribable gift of God