On Giving

​Love you all, praying for you,

​I just love God’s Word – it tells you secrets, it tells you what’s good, and what’s best.  And it gives reminders.  God knows what you need, when you need it.  That’s why PRISM is so important, it’s how God can tell you…  God reminding me recently about giving.  #1 – If you love, you’ll give.   For God so loved the world that He gave…  #2 If you give, you’ll get.  – good measure pressed down, shaken together and running over will be added to your lap.  With the measure you use, it will be measured to you.  There’s joy in giving.  Some people have joyless lives, because they aren’t givers, they’re keepers.  You can take a lot of things from me, and I’ll be OK, but don’t take my ability to give.  It’s where the joy comes, and the returns. #3 Give right, or that’s all you get.  Jesus told of the Pharisees in Matthew 6, who only gave to be seen by men.  “They have received their reward in full.”  Ouch.  That’s all they’re going to get.  #4 You simply direct God’s resources, you don’t really give.  You can’t give what’s not yours.  That’s stealing.  The most important aspect in giving is obedience.  If God’s not leading you, don’t do it.  The wicked servant started giving – away - his masters things – giving people discounts – so when he got fired, others would take care of him.  But that’s stealing.  Everything you have belongs to God.  You can’t give away what doesn’t belong to you.  Check with the owner first.  #5 Give cheerfully, not grudgingly.  Are you upset that God told you to give that much?  Why?  It’s His, He owns it all, there’s more where that came from.  Some people have said, if you’re not cheerful about it – don’t give.  I’d be careful with that one – an interesting perspective, but it doesn’t apply to tithe.  You need to give that whether you’re cheerful or not.  Don’t rob God of his tithes and offerings.  God said, Tithe off the top – it belongs to me, it’s not even yours to decide, your decisions start with the 90% - not the tithe, that’s mine.  Do it.  Don’t wait til you’re cheerful about it.  God even said test me in this, and see if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing you can’t contain.  Grudging givers – just have a misunderstanding, they think they’re giving what’s theirs – when they’re not.  They view giving as a loss, not a gain.  Man’s way isn’t God’s way.  You should rejoice every time God tells you to give something.  If you clutch what you have, God can’t give you more… your hands are full.  God doesn’t need your money, He knows it’s not really yours anyway.  What do you have that God didn’t give you, or give you the ability to acquire? If He says give, then do it with joy.  Giving when God prompts you – is just a test of the heart.  Check your motives – give when He tells you.  #6 Give praise – Giving isn’t only money.  God said give praise to the LORD.  It’s due Him.  #7 The best gift is obedience.  By far.  God said obedience is better than sacrifice.  He would rather you do what He told you, than give him something.  Obedience is the gift that brings the best returns.  #8 on Giving - There’s grace for it.  There’s a grace for giving that empowers you.  Paul said to excel in it.  #9 Don’t brag and not give.  Like clouds without rain is the man who brags of gifts He doesn’t give.  Don’t say anything – just do what God told you.  #10 Ask God how to give – not just how much…  God said don’t let your left hand, know what your right hand is doing.  Give in secret, and God will reward you openly.  But sometimes God wants them to know the person that God prompted.  Sometimes God wants your giving done in secret, but sometimes He may want others to know.  It’s an example to them.  Paul didn’t bring to Jerusalem “a gift from someone who wishes to remain anonymous – He let everyone know – it came from Macedonia – Philippi not Corinth.  It came from the other side of the tracks, not Rodeo Drive.  Everyone knew that was the poorest church in the body of Christ.  And if they could give so willingly – as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability – they gave willingly.  It was a testimony, an example for others.  If they gave so can we.  David didn’t keep his gift secret, he let people know what he gave out of His personal retirement – the whole 401k.  He set an example in giving, He led the way – he gave more than all the people did.  Give what God tells you, and as God tells you.  He’ll let you know – so He gets the greatest glory.  He’s not vain, He’s building something!  If He’s lifted up – He’ll draw all men unto himself.  #11 Be a Giver – Jesus was.  He gave his own life for you.  Give what’s due.  Give Praise to God, give honor to whom it is due, give respect to whom it is do.  Jesus when they tried to trick him, said “Give to Ceasar that which is Ceasars, but Give to God that which is God’s.  Give to others in need, give to the poor, and you’ll store up treasure in heaven, always give more than you receive – God said it’s more blessed to give than it is to receive.  Givers hang out with givers.  You become who you’re with, and you gravitate to people like you.  Givers are rivers, not ponds.  Never stagnant, they are always getting blessed, always getting and giving more, always joyful.  They don’t love money, they love God, they give willingly, and God always restocks them.  Praying that you will give what God tells you to give, cheerfully, joyfully, that you’ll give what’s due, that you’ll give your best, that you’ll give like God gives, so you can see what God will do! 
 
Love you all,
dad