Joy of Giving

Memory Verse: II Corinthians 9:6 “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”

Think for a minute what you would most like to have in the world. Would you like lots of money? More money to buy things? More money? Most people, if they are honest, will answer yes. If your answer was not money, does what you want cost money?

Most people want to have more money or lots of money. Money so they can buy more things, or money, just to have it. If you look at the world and those in it, most people are pursuing the acquisition of money. Most people work to get it, but some resort to stealing. Money is necessary to live in today’s society. You need it to buy food, shelter and clothing. There are very few people that can live without having to have money sometime in their lives. Even if you raise your own food, make your own clothing and cleaning supplies, and live in a house that you built and furnished from wood cut from your own trees, you still need money to pay property taxes on the land you own.

Money is important to us. The questions we must ask ourselves are: Does my money belong to me? How important is money to me? Why does God want me to give back to Him when He could create whatever He wants?

Who created you? Who created the wonderful talents and gifts that you have? Who created your ability to learn and process information? Who created everything we need to use or have to make money? God did. Genesis 1:1,3-27

God created everything. It all belongs to Him. He created us to take care of (be stewards) of His creation. All He asks is that we give back 10% (minimum) of our increase to Him. We show honor to God by acknowledging His ownership of us and everything we are and have by giving some of it back to Him.

God doesn’t NEED our money. He could create money out of thin air. Why does God want us to give back to Him part of the money we generate using the talents and materials that He has provided to us? Remember the first and second commandments? (Exodus 20:2-4) God wants to be first in our lives. Money can take that position. We have to be willing to give God back some of what He has given us. We can’t make something that we are sharing with God more important than He is.

Giving back to God keeps us humble because doing that acknowledges that everything belongs to Him anyway. We are trusting Him to provide for us.

Mark 12:41-44 “Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on." (Also Luke 21:1-4)

This woman trusted that God would provide for her what she needed. She loved God so much she gave everything she had.

God promises to bless us when we give tithes and offerings.

Mal 3:8-10 “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. 10 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.”

He even challenges us to test Him. He promises more blessings than we can take in when we obey Him.

In our lesson we read that the man who started the H.E. B. grocery store chain in South Texas started with one grocery store. The owner believed in tithing and gave back to God 10% of his profits. He also worked hard and put in long hours to make his business succeed. Today his chain of grocery stores cover most of South Texas. Did God bless his business? Is God still blessing his business?

Is money the only way we can give back to God? How about time? It seems we have less and less of it even though God gives everyone 24 hours every day to use. We might give God 10% of our day – about 2 ½ hours – in prayer, worship, study, and service to others. Do you think God would bless our time? He may even make it seem like we have more of it. He tells us to “test me in this” in Mal 3:10.

If someone gives you a nice present, don’t you usually want to give them something back just as nice? Why should our giving to God be any different? He has given us much more than a nice present. Since God has given us so very much – life, air, the earth and all that is in it, our talents, our abilities to make money to provide for ourselves, our families, and others, shouldn’ t we be happy to give something back to Him – just to show how grateful we are for what He has given us? Shouldn’t we give back to God cheerfully, happily, generously?

God loves a cheerful giver.

2Cor 9:6-8 “ 6 Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”[c] 8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 9 As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”

Many Christians give to God because they feel they have to. When you feel you HAVE to do something, usually you are NOT happy about doing it. You grumble and complain and take forever to do it.

God doesn’t need your money or anything else you have. He is God. He can create whatever He needs out of thin air or with just a word. He wants a RELATIONSHIP with you – a voluntary giving of yourself to Him in love. When we give back to God we help establish that loving relationship with Him and help to maintain it. We acknowledge to Him that He is the source of everything we are and have. He is the reason we exist. He is the reason we have money, food, clothing, shelter, things…. We look to Him to provide the things that we need. We are no longer the center of our universe – He is.

He gave us free will to choose His loving embrace, concern and care OR to choose the self-sufficient, cold, impersonal, selfish, self-centered, dog-eat-dog attitudes and lifestyles of the world. Giving back to God demonstrates that we are choosing Him – that we need Him in our lives – that He is important to us – that His work is important to us.

Giving back to God enables us to do His work on this earth (Matt 28:19-20) – preach the gospel to all nations, making disciples of all nations, freeing mankind from the chains of sin. It proclaims God first in our life, that He is our God and there is no other. It tells God that we depend on Him for our needs. It tells God we love Him and are willing to sacrifice something important to us– money, time, etc.—to Him to further His work here on the earth.

It teaches us how to be generous with our possessions. If our possessions don’t really belong to us, we will be more generous in sharing them with others who need them more than we do. We don’t get caught up in acquiring more and more things – maybe we even spend what we do have more wisely.

2 Cor 9:10-15 “10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. 11 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. 12 So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God. 13 As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. 14 And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. 15 Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!"

God gives to us so we can give to others. Their gratitude to God for providing for them will result in praises to God and prayers for us and for our ministries, and their giving to others less fortunate than themselves. Over and over again, it all results in praise to God and the furtherance of His work here on the earth.

Think of all the different ways that you can give back to God and then do it. He will bless you for it, but don’t do it for the blessings, which would be a selfish motive, do it because you love Him and want to show that love to others.

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