Day 18 Generosity

Day 18

Generosity

“Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.”

(Matthew 5:42)

Generosity is the 10^th pillar

Believer’s generosity is the 10^th pillar that holds the temple of Truth!

“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”  (Luke 6:38)

This is a simple formula that works all the time.  If you continue to give God peanuts, you will continue to receive peanuts.  And when you change your attitude and start giving God your all, God is faithful to give you more than you can think or ask for.  This giving issue is so serious that it is part of the Judgment Day.  Remember the Lord Jesus’ words:

“For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’” (Matthew 25:35-36)

The truth is that it is more of a blessing to give than to receive.  Why?

“The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.”  (Proverbs 11:25)

“He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor.”  (Proverbs 22:9)

There are two ways of giving:

A)    Giving to God for His work to be accomplished.

B)    Giving to God by giving to the poor and needy.

A)    Giving to God for His work to be accomplished:

TITHES

“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say in what have we robbed You?  In tithes and offerings, you are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house.  And try me now in this’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.’”  (Malachi 3:8-10)          

 

Most people do not understand that God gave them the jobs and the businesses they have, and therefore they fail to give God 10% of the 100% they get, though the full 100% actually belongs to God.  But God only requires 10% from us.  What a wonderful God we serve.  Amen!  Failing to give 10% of your income or profit is robbing God.  That is why most people cannot be blessed, because we fail to be faithful and obedient to God.

If we are faithful with what God has blessed us with, God will bless us in a way that there will be no room for us to store it.  Remember that giving tithes and offerings is also an act of worshiping God, submitting to His kingdom, and accepting God as our King.  The same way we pay taxes to the governments of this earth, so too we must give to the Lord what is due Him.

OFFERINGS

Offerings were established by God so that His servants and His house (temple) would lack nothing; so that the people who serve God, who feed you with the Word of God and bless you, and who pray for you, may have bread for themselves; and so that the poor, the hungry, and the needy may find bread in the house of our Heavenly Father.  Amen!

God knows how abundantly He has blessed you, so give your offering with all your heart and with joy.   God loves a joyful giver.  And give according to the way God has blessed you.  No amount is too big; no amount is too small.  As God blesses you, so you give.

                                                                                                                            

“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have abundance for every good work.”  (2 Corinthians 9:7-8)

FIRSTFRUITS

“Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase.  So your barns will be filled with plenty, and you vats will overflow with new wine.”  (Proverbs 3:9-10)

First fruits are those things for which you have been trusting God, either for a business, a farm, a job, a shop, business contracts, or anything for which you have been praying and trusting God.  When God blesses you with whatever you have been asking of Him, the very, very first profit, wage, income out of the business or job, you must give to God as thanksgiving for the first fruits you have received from Him.

THE LORD JESUS’ COMMANDMENTS

The Commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ are that we do the will of the Father, just as He did, and by doing God’s will, we should love one another as He loved us.  And Christ commands that we should go and proclaim the kingdom of heaven.  Now dear beloved, as you receive the Word, so should you share with someone the good news: the Gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.   (Matthew 28:19-20)

AND THIS IS THE BEST GIFT THAT YOU CAN GIVE TO GOD!  Amen!

Let us therefore go and tell the world the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord.

SEEDS

“But this I say; ‘He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.’”   (2 Corinthians 9:6)

“Now may HE who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness.”  (2 Corinthians 9:10)

You reap what you sow!

B)    Give to God by giving to the poor and needy:

“He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, and He will pay back what he has given.”  (Proverbs 19:17)

This, my dear beloved, is my favorite scripture about giving generously.

Ever since I learned this secret, my finances have never been the same. Every time a poor person comes to me asking for something, I see it as an opportunity to lend God some money!  Now we all know that the LORD Himself commands us not to owe anyone, except to love them.  If we who are evil are commanded to pay all our debts, how much more God, Who alone is righteous, will pay those whom He owes.  God is faithful, and most of the times when He comes to you in the form of a poor and needy person asking you to lend Him something, He has already made provision for your repayment, for God cannot owe a man!  The LORD is faithful all the time. Amen!

Finally my beloved, give generously, and it shall be given to you generously.

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Philippians 4:19-20)

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen!

Meditation:  I must give to receive!

Prayer points:  LORD, please help me to give to You and others generously.  Please deliver me from this lack of faith that makes me stingy, and which is keeping me from receiving abundant blessings from above! Please teach me to trust You, oh my God!  I pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen!

Commitment:  I must learn to give generously to God and to others, especially those who cannot pay me back.  I must give and trust God in Jesus’ name.  Amen!