Outgive

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  It’s truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.  It’s where the rubber meets the road.  Have you ever thought of this?  Can you ever out give God?  Yep.  But I thought the Bible said “You can never out give God.”  That’s not in the Bible, someone just said that.   How can you out give God?  Anytime you give when He didn’t say to, you out give God.  The Pharisees gave a lot… they used small coins – that made a lot of clinking sound – so people would hear and be impressed.  They just out gave God.  They gave to be recognized by man.  Jesus said “They have received their reward in full.” (Matthew 6:2).  God said don’t give gifts to the rich. (Proverbs 22:16)  So if you do, you’re outgiving God.  He didn’t tell you to do that.  Some people give, but it’s not really giving. It’s buying, swapping, bartering or bribing.  That’s not God, you’re out giving God.  Give when God says to give.  Not grudgingly, or pressured by others, but cheerfully, whatever God told you, that you choose to do beforehand, for God loves a cheerful giver. (I Cor 9:7)  Let your giving be done in secret, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. What you do in secret, God will reward you openly. (Matthew 6:3-4)  But don’t give in secret when He tells you otherwise.  Isn’t that a contradiction?  No, it’s discernment.  David gave an enormous amount.  His whole 401k… It’s recorded in the Bible.  ( I Chronicles 29:3)  David said in front of all the people that He gave His own personal treasury.  God used his transparency to call the whole nation to faithfulness.  Zacchaeus said, “Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone I will pay back four times what I stole.” (Luke 19:8  That’s not bragging, that’s the fruit of repentance.  Sometimes God wants you to give in secret, sometimes God wants you to give as a testimony to others, to call them higher.  God decides, not you.  If God doesn’t say to, you’re out giving God.  He doesn’t need your money – He can take it from anywhere He chooses – it's all His.  He needs your obedience.  He doesn’t even need that – you need it!  Praying that you will test all quotes to see if they hold fully true.  Just because a quote isn’t 100% applicable all the time, doesn’t mean it’s a bad quote… just recognize it for what it is.  Not the Word of God, just a cute saying that reminds you of good intent.  And praying that you will never out give God.  Just give as He directs.  That you will always ask Him what He wants you to give, and give willingly.  Not generously, just obediently.  You’re not generous - He is. The owner is generous, not the bookkeeper.  Praying that you will give willingly, joyfully, but most importantly – out of obedience.  It’s God’s money – He directs it.  So God gets the glory – and you get the blessing, and others get the testimony so you both can overcome!  
 
Love you all,
dad