Give And Be Blessed

Proverbs 3:9–10 KJV 1900

9 Honour the Lord with thy substance, And with the firstfruits of all thine increase: 10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, And thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

God never ask us for anything He has not given us.

King David understood that when he desired to build God a temple.

1 Chronicles 29:14–16 KJV 1900

14 But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. 15 For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding. 16 O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own.

God needs nothing but giving is required to do ministry.

The ministry of relief of the poor

Proverbs 28:27 KJV 1900

27 He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: But he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.

See also Le 25:25; Dt 15:7–8; Is 58:7; Mt 19:21; Lk 12:33; Ro 12:13; Ga 2:10

The support of God’s servants

1 Timothy 5:17–18 KJV 1900

17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. 18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.

See also Nu 3:48; Nu 5:9; 2 Ki 4:8–10; Mt 10:10; Ga 6:6; Php 4:15–18

The ministry of care of widows and orphans

James 1:27 KJV 1900

27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

See also Dt 26:12; Ru 2:5–12; 1 Ti 5:3–4

Biblical Motives for giving.

Obedience to God

2 Corinthians 9:7 KJV 1900

7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

See also Ex 30:11–16; Le 12:6–8; Dt 14:28; Mal 3:8–10; Mt 22:21; Ro 13:6–7

Gratitude for God’s generosity

Deuteronomy 26:9–10 KJV 1900

9 And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey. 10 And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O Lord, hast given me. And thou shalt set it before the Lord thy God, and worship before the Lord thy God:

1 Chronicles 29:14 KJV 1900

14 But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.

See also Ge 28:20–22; Dt 26:9–10; 1 Sa 1:27–28

Love for others

1 John 3:17 KJV 1900

17 But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

Matthew 25:40 KJV 1900

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

See also 2 Ch 28:15; Mt 7:9–11; Lk 10:33–35

How should we give?

Willingly and cheerfully

Matthew 10:8 KJV 1900

8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

2 Corinthians 8:11–12 KJV 1900

11 Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have. 12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

See also Ex 25:2; Ex 35:5; Ex 35:22; 2 Ki 12:4; 1 Ch 29:6; 1 Ch 29:9; 1 Ch 29:17; 2 Ch 24:10; 2 Ch 35:7–9; Ezr 8:28; 2 Co 8:11–12

Humbly

Matthew 6:1–4 KJV 1900

1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

Regularly

1 Corinthians 16:2 KJV 1900

2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

Generously

Exodus 36:5–7 KJV 1900

5 And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the Lord commanded to make. 6 And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing. 7 For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.

Ex 36:5; Nu 7:13; 1 Ch 29:3–4; Lk 6:38; 2 Co 8:2–3; 1 Ti 6:18

God measures his people’s giving

With a reckoning different from the world’s

Mark 12:41–44 KJV 1900

41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. 42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. 43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: 44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

2 Ch 6:8; Mk 12:41–44

With regard for people’s capacity to give

Deuteronomy 16:16–17 KJV 1900

16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty: 17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee.

2 Corinthians 8:12 KJV 1900

12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

Le 14:30; Le 27:8; Dt 16:17; Ezr 2:69; Ac 11:29; 2 Co 8:12

God rewards the giver appropriately

Philippians 4:18–19 KJV 1900

18 But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. 19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

See also 2 Ch 31:10; Pr 11:25; Pr 22:9; Pr 28:27; Ec 11:1 encouragement to be enterprising in giving; Is 58:10; Mt 10:42; Mt 25:34–36; Lk 16:9; Ac 20:35; 2 Co 9:6

God’s reward overwhelming the giver

Malachi 3:10 KJV 1900

10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be meat in mine house, And prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, If I will not open you the windows of heaven, And pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Luke 6:38 KJV 1900

38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Give And Be Blessed

Proverbs 3:9–10 KJV 1900

9 Honour the Lord with thy substance, And with the firstfruits of all thine increase: 10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, And thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

See also Mal 3:10; Lk 6:38