Resetting My Generosity

My Friend Infatuation with Bitcoin

In the last couple of years, I have heard about the recent digital currency trend, such as Bitcoin. Many young entrepreneurs are flocking to it and investing their hard-earned money into the online world.

I have one friend in Missouri who is trying to persuade me into opening a cash app account and begin my adventure into the digital currency world. My friend's reason for jumping on the Bitcoin train is because there are many uncertainties about the American dollar.

The US government is printing it without any restrictions; it is controlled by a central banking system that has the possibility of going belly up, and it's continuing to lose value every year.

According to officaldate.org, one American dollar in 1800 has the same buying power, $20.67 today.

This legitimate concern pushes young Americans to dump all their assets and wealth into the next millennial's gold. All because they fear the future and the value of their dollar.

Self-Reliant Culture

But if we're honest with ourselves. Some of us are not afraid of the American dollar becoming worthless in our lifetime. Instead, we fear the collapse of the United States, which then translated to total unrest everywhere. We are fearful about the ever-increasing secularism of our modern culture and rejection of the gospel and God's church, and how our next generation will survive in this dysfunctional world. We fear losing what's truly important to us, like our marriages, friendships, and communities that seem to be disappearing before our eyes.

The danger is when our lives begin to be consumed by power of fear and uncertainty; then, we start cultivating a self-reliant culture. In which in fear of losing everything around us that is good. We begin to close off others from us and lose trust. Our attitude shifts from reliance on God and trust allies to disconnecting ourselves from everyone to control our world; this is the problem of fear and uncertainty. It makes us not trust each other and brings more division and chaos.

The first record of division and discord between humanity is found in the book of Genesis. The slithering serpent deceives Adam and Eve by enticing them to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. In doing so, he tricked them into believing in the lie that God was holding out on them. In fear, Eve and Adam partook of the forbidden fruit, so they could have more than what God already provided in the garden of Eden.

The same lie that fed Adam and Eve is out there in our world today. Which is you can never have enough. If you want to overcome the fear of loss or find control in an unstable world, you must have more so you can hold your ground no matter what gives way.

The world preaches that there are security and peace behind the power of money. In reality, fear is not controlled by possessing more wealth but knowing who is above all things. God speaks about how the hoarding and reliance on money and ourselves are dangerous and only leads us farther down the path of deception and falsehood.

Jesus challenges the notion that possession of more wealth solves anything. The only viable solution is by trusting in God's provision, and he promises to satisfy.

The Generosity of God

Christ teaches about the important of reliance on him for all thing in his sermon on the mount found in the gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 6:19–32 ESV

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

Trusting God is key to contentment and satisfaction, Matt 6:19-32. Christ promises to establish our treasures in heaven and rely on his provisions. God will supply your needs according to his word, and he knows when you need them.

That is how we know God himself to be a generous God because he wants and can take care of all our dire needs. On the other hand, the devil training us to consume more and be worried about carnal things. He would remind us of the lie; God is holding out on you.

But we know this isn't the truth. God is generous to us and has given everything to you and me. For this reason is why we can confidently come to God in prayer and ask him for our daily bread.

Matthew 6:11 ESV

11 Give us this day our daily bread,

A story of George Mueller and his faith and according to his words.

"The children are dressed and ready for school. But there is no food for them to eat," the housemother of the orphanage informed George Mueller. George asked her to take the 300 children into the dining room and have them sit at the tables. He thanked God for the food and waited. George knew God would provide food for the children as he always did. Within minutes, a baker knocked on the door. "Mr. Mueller," he said, "last night I could not sleep. Somehow I knew that you would need bread this morning. I got up and baked three batches for you. I will bring it in."

Soon, there was another knock at the door. It was the milkman. His cart had broken down in front of the orphanage. The milk would spoil by the time the wheel was fixed. He asked George if he could use some free milk. George smiled as the milkman brought in ten large cans of milk. It was just enough for the 300 thirsty children.

Mr. Mueller believed in the power God's provision and never doubted the generosity of God. Trust Jesus, and he will supply your daily needs.

Neither should we doubt, nor forget God’s ultimate provision which was his heavenly Son, Jesus Christ. In giving his Son, everyone who believes and obeys can receive the free give of salvation through Jesus.

John 3:16 ESV

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

We know who God is by what he did for us by sending Jesus. Christ left his throne in heaven and became poor so that we could become rich, not in wealth, but in faith. God wants you to be rich! Yet, not richness of the world’s standard, but of the kingdom of heaven. God's generosity makes us rich in the kingdom of heaven.

2 Corinthians 8:9 ESV

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.

The Lord’s will is not to fear and keep more stuff to combat the fear the of losing rather God is inviting us into his life to become generous and to share everything with everyone. God’s inviting us to experience the blessed life by being open handed and giving back. The blessed life comes when we become richly generous to all.

Acts 20:35 ESV

35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

Increase your generosity, so we bless and be blessed. Christians who are willing to give are the ones who find true satiation and contentment. Everyone should know in our community as the most extremely generous. Our treasure is not found in banks, homes, or wallets but stored up where it endures forever sealed in Christ's kingdom.

Resetting My Generosity

In light of knowing who God is and undoing the lie of needing more in our lives, my challenge for everyone is to live with less and to depend on God's provision freely.

God is calling you to a place of freedom from material goods. He desires you to fund the kingdom by providing for God's people and ministry. This is the time when you commit to being more generous with your time, money, and energy to Christ and his mission.

Truly, I pray you to trust Jesus for all your daily needs. Remember God's generosity of his Son has made you rich in the kingdom and that a blessed life is one that radical gives.