ABUNDANT GIVING BRINGS ABUNDANT BLESSINGS There is the need for us to maintain the right motive for our Harvest Thanksgiving. All that we have, all that we possess are by the grace and gift of God. Everything belongs to Him. We give to please God and express our love to Him. We give out of obedience to our Lords command to lay up treasures in heaven. We give to help fulfill the Great Commission and, thus, help reach the world for Christ. When you give freely of yourself and of your possessions as a material expression of your spiritual obedience to Christ, God in turn meets your needs abundantly. Yes, God blesses generosity. Taking a look at the widow from Zarephath it seems unbelievable that Elijah during a time of famine would ask for her very last portion of food. She had a son to care for, and her supply was too little. Yet when we read in I Kings 17, we see that she willingly and generously gave to the prophet before she and her son were provided for. God’s promise to her was that she would be taken care of if she gave generously. I Kings 17:15 declares, “And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah; and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.” Her abundant giving brought abundant blessings. The young boy who gave his lunch to Jesus was actually giving his all. The generosity and abundance of his giving provided lunch not only for him but for the multitudes also. By giving abundantly, God blessed it abundantly and fed thousands. Every one of us can testify that we have been blessed beyond measure, and all the credit goes to God. When we realize that all we have belongs to Him, it should be easy to return it to Him when He requests. Why do we sometimes hesitate to give abundantly? Remembering that He gave His all by giving His life for us humbles us and helps us to better understand the spirit of giving. This year we are thinking about God’s abundant blessings. Let us plan to give abundantly! In so doing, your reward will be abundant blessings . . . good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over! God enjoys blessing his children and wants to bless you! “I will enjoy blessing them. With all my heart and soul I will faithfully plant them in this land.” Jeremiah 32:41 (GW) Very Rev. Dr. Emma Ekpunobi Provost Giving by faith is meant by God to be an exciting privilege. When you honor and praise God through your commitment and obedience to stewardship, He showers you with joy. He turns your giving into a thrilling adventure in Christian living. Would you like to enjoy such an experience? Let me share six steps you can take to appropriate Gods abundant blessings through your faithful stewardship. 1. Recognize That Everything You Own Actually Belongs to God All that we have, we possess by the grace and gift of God. Everything belongs to Him. The psalmist records, The earth is the Lords, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Gods ownership is eternal and unchanging. He never has given up this right -- and never will. As Christian stewards we must realize that in Christ we live and move and have our being. Jesus Christ created us. He bought us with His precious blood. And God anointed Him as our Lord. Thus, the whole of our life -- our personality, influence, material substance, everything -- is His, even our successes. God has placed in our trust a measure of time, a unique set of talents, and sufficient treasure to carry our His will for our lives. Our task as faithful stewards is to manage those blessings to bring the maximum glory to His name. 2. Realize It Is More Blessed to Give Than Receive The Book of Acts records the words of the Lord Jesus, It is more blessed to give than to receive. I first heard this as a growing boy, then as an agnostic and later as a young Christian. Then, I could not comprehend how giving could be better than receiving. Now that I have been a Christian for many years, I truly understand from my own experience and through observing many others why it is more blessed to give than receive. Giving produces abundance. When you give freely of yourself and of your possessions as a material expression of your spiritual obedience to Christ, God in turn meets your needs abundantly. This is true whether you are rich or poor, whether you serve God in a land that is blessed with great material wealth or in a poverty-stricken part of the world. The apostle Paul records: If you give little, you will get little. A farmer who plants just a few seeds will get only a small crop, but if he plants much, he will reap much. Everyone must make up his own mind as to how much he should give. Dont force anyone to give more than he really wants to, for cheerful givers are the ones God prizes. God is able to make it up to you by giving you everything you need and more, so that there will not only be enough for your own needs, but plenty left over to give joyfully to others. For God, who gives seed to the farmer to plant, and later on, good crops to harvest and eat, will give you more and more seed to plant and will make it grow so that you can give away more and more fruit from your harvest. Yes, God will give you much so that you can give away much, and when we take your gifts to those who need them they will break out into thanksgiving and praise to God for your help. Most Christians have not learned to give, either out of their abundance or out of their poverty, and therefore, are not experiencing the reality of that promise. As a result, they feel unfulfilled and dont understand why. You can never outgive God. It is a law of God that His blessings back to you always greatly exceed what you give to Him. The truths of Gods holy, inspired Word are universal. The principle of abundant blessing is not just for the rich and famous or for those who live in a land of wealth and opportunity; it is for everyone everywhere who obeys God and follows the principles of blessing given in His Word. I will share more on this later. Giving begins an endless circle of joy. God gives; you receive. You give; He receives, He then multiplies your gift back to you in the form of additional supply. It is important to remember that God is the one who initiates this process of blessing. The purpose of the return is not just to reward you for giving, thus completing the circle again and again. Although God owns all the wealth in the universe, few people are willing to share the portion of resources which He has entrusted to them. When someone does begin to give, God releases additional abundance to them so they can give even more. If we break this process on the receiving end of the circle, He is likely to look for someone else whom He can trust and through whom He can channel His blessings. The Book of Proverbs records: One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. Dons Story My good friend Don Preston considers himself an average person. At the age of twelve, he found his first job working in a small grocery store after school. From the beginning, he gave at least 10 percent of his income to the work of the Lord. Through the years, Don worked hard, and God blessed him abundantly. Don married young, and he and his wife raised their three children while Don grew in his career. At age 29, after eleven years of managing supermarket meat departments, he began his own wholesale/retail meat business. At that time, he and his wife and children made a family decision to give a t least 15 percent of their $6,000 yearly earnings to the Lord. God began to increase their income immediately from $6,000 to $21,000, then $37,000, $62,000, $85,000, $100,000 and more a year. Fifteen years later we sold the meat business to a larger company, wrapped up our assets in nice, neat investments and went into self-supported Christian ministry for two years, Don says. We later heard of the evangelistic work of Christian nationals in foreign countries. Their work is flourishing, and it takes little to maintain national families in full time ministry compared to our own -- less than $100 per month in some countries. A little fast meat-market math convinced me that I could go back into business, earn money to support these nationals, and multiply myself fifty to one hundred times. By giving $50,000 a year, I could contribute a million dollars to Gods work within just twenty years. With his familys enthusiastic support, Don put aside his plans to join the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ and began instead to pursue this twenty-year course of earning to give. This time around, he and his son started a machinery business in Greenville South Carolina, and true to his commitment, Don began giving away 50 percent of his income, paying 33 percent in taxes and living modestly on the rest. Things worked out much better than he expected. He fulfilled his million-dollar commitment in just ten years, channeling the bulk of his funds into New Life 2000, a comprehensive plan for world evangelism designed to help reach the millions who have not yet heard about Christ. Dons wife, Virginia, died in 1987. Now he and his second wife, Jeanne, have begun to work on a second million to give to the work of the Lord, and their goal is to find a hundred or more other men and women who will do the same. Gods promise in Proverbs 11:24,25 is for everyone. Whether rich or poor, you, too, can give to receive, to receive to give again. God knows your heart and whether He can trust you to end of the process, as Don Preston emphasizes, on the right word: give. Gods Blessings Permit me to give you a word of caution here. Do not be disappointed if God doesnt provide you with an immediate financial return as He did with Deborah or Don. The various possibilities of Gods blessings are endless. He may have a different plan for you. God knows your true needs, and you must give Him the freedom to do His very best work in your life. He may give you improved health and strength to do your work. He may lead you to a better job, help you decrease your expenses, or change your spending habits so you can live better on your present income. Or He may teach you to be content with what you have so you can enjoy a greater sense of fulfillment in life. Paul affirms this: I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Many Christians misunderstand the meaning of blessing. Like Paul, Job was a man who experienced both prosperity and deprivation. True prosperity is living and giving at the level to which God has called you with all your needs met by His supply. 3. Give By Faith Simply defined, giving by faith is taking God at His Word and giving generously in anticipation of His faithful provision. The premise of this concept is three-fold. First, God is the absolute source for your supply. Second, giving is based on His resources, not your own. Third, Christ is your link to Gods inexhaustible riches. The apostle Paul includes these precepts in his letter to the Christians at Philippi in which he says: My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Lets look at each for a moment. God shall supply. Living in a humanistic society, it is easy to believe that man is your source of wealth. When in need, its easy to look to people and institutions for help. Indeed, God uses them in His process of provision, but they are only the instruments -- not the source -- of your supply. According to His riches. Our heavenly Father holds the treasures for heaven and earth in His hands. Jesus Christ claimed all authority in heaven and on earth. Our Lords supply is not based on the size of your need, but on the enormity of His riches and His authority to disburse them. In good times and bad, His reserves remain stable and inexhaustible. By Christ Jesus. You claim Gods abundant blessings through Christ. Our Lord laid aside His riches in heaven to identify with you in every area of your human need, ultimately dying on the cross for your sins. When He returned to His Father, God reinvested Him with all that He had laid aside, including His inexhaustible riches. 4. Realize That What You Sow, You Will Reap On the third day of creation God commanded, Let the earth burst forth with every sort of grass and seed-bearing plant, and fruit trees with seeds inside the fruit, so that these seeds will produce the kinds of plants and fruits they came from. This principle applies spiritually as well as physically. Paul writes, A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. The apostle makes it clear that the law for sowing and reaping applies to the use of our material goods as well, as previously examined in 2 Corinthians 9. This law embraces four basic principles. Plant a Seed First, to reap anything, you must first plant a seed. Whether your gift is measured in cash or goods or any other medium of exchange, whatever you give will return to you because what you give is a seed that you sow. Sow Your Best Seed Second, to reap a bountiful harvest you must sow your best seed. Merely sowing for the sake of reaping is not enough. God asks for your finest because He uses what you give as the basis of His supply. There is no second best with God. His provision in response to your obedience is perpetually perfect and always abundant. Since He gave you His very best -- His only Son -- you grieve the Spirit of God when you do not give Him your best. This means that the best of your life -- the best of your time, the best of your talents, the best of your treasure, the best of everything you have -- should be on the altar of sacrifice to God. In some cultures, the seed may be the first and best of ones produce or other tangible foods. For example, Abraham willingly gave a tenth of all his spoils of war to Melchizedek, the king of Salem and high priest for the Most High God, as a testimony to Gods faithfulness in giving him the victory. No doubt these spoils included a wide variety of valuable treasures. On another occasion, after Moses sanctified the Tabernacle in the wilderness, the leaders of Israel brought covered wagons drawn by oxen as gifts to the Lord. Reaping and Sowing Third, whatever you give, you reap according to the amount you sow. This biblical principle is basic to life and it applies in every culture and economic custom, whether free enterprise, socialism, or a system where tangible foods are bartered. Fertile Soil Fourth, an abundant harvest springs from the most fertile soil. No intelligent farmer would think of planting inferior seed in poorly prepared soil using worn-out equipment. Rather, he would buy the choicest seed and prepare the soil thoroughly with the finest equipment and fertilizers he could afford. Like planting good seed in fertile ground, your task as a steward is to seek the greatest possible return for the sake of Gods kingdom. You cannot appraise good stewardship by the amount of your gifts, but by how wisely you invest your resources. Good stewardship of any gift is determined by how well it reflects the will of God. The Sound Mind Principle In making decisions, I believe in using the sound mind principle of Scripture recorded in 2 Timothy 1:7, God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. The sound mind referred to in this verse means a well-balanced mind, one that is under the control for the Holy Spirit, remade according to Romans 12:1,2: Therefore, my brother, I implore you by Gods mercies to offer your very selves to Him, a living sacrifice, dedicated and fit for His acceptance, the worship offered by mind and heart. Adapt yourselves no longer to the pattern for the present world, but let your minds be remade and your whole nature thus transformed. Then you will be able to discern the will of God and to know it is good, acceptable, and perfect. There is a vast difference between the inclination of the natural or carnal man to use common sense and that of the spiritual man to follow the sound mind principle. One depends upon the wisdom of man without benefit of Gods wisdom and power; the other, having the mind of Christ, receives wisdom and guidance from God moment by moment through faith. I encourage you to use the sound mind principle to help determine where to invest in Christs kingdom. Avoid emotional giving. Giving on impulse just for the sake of giving or contributing where your gifts are likely to be misused or wasted is not only poor stewardship, but is also contrary to the will of God and grieves the Spirit. Perhaps you have received requests from organizations inviting you to invest in their various projects. Carefully evaluate the worthiness of the ministry you choose and the sincerity of the people involved, and respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Dont be afraid to ask questions. Find out the conditions of the soil. Investigate the financial soundness and integrity of the organization soliciting your support; determine what percentage of your donation will actually go to the project and whether your gift will really be used for the glory of God. I also encourage you to evaluate -- in terms of discipleship and evangelism -- the fruitfulness of the church or other organizations which invite your contributions. 5. Give to Glorify God As a steward for Gods resources, you have but one purpose -- to glorify Him. It is easy to let the day-to-day demands on your finances turn your eyes from this aim unless you clearly define your priorities. Gods holy Word does this for you. Your number one priority is God. Your second priority is your family. Since the family was the first institution formed by our Creator, no conflict exists between the preeminence of God and the priority of family. Rather, meeting the needs of your family is a scriptural mandate and an evidence of faith. Helping nonbelievers see the life-changing power for Jesus Christ as a result of your caring for the poor, the orphans and the widows and your gifts of time, talent and treasure to agencies concerned for the welfare of the community glorify God as well. But your top priority is to love, obey and glorify God. Putting God and the fulfillment of our Lords Great Commission first in your time, talents and treasure must be the priority goal of your stewardship. This involves giving to the kingdom of God through your local church and mission organizations which faithfully exalt our Lord, proclaim His holy, inspired Word and actively work toward the fulfillment of the Great Commission. It is poor stewardship to invest resources which God has entrusted to you in any church or mission cause which is not directly related to discipleship, evangelism, and the fulfillment of our Lords commands, including the Great Commission. 6. Give From the Heart Good stewardship involves more than the mere knowledge and application of the principles and priorities for giving. Motives are an essential part of the picture as well, for they determine your reasons for giving. Godly motives stem from a cheerful, loving heart for God. We give to please God and express our love to Him. We give out of obedience to our Lords command to lay up treasures in heaven. We give to be a channel of Gods abundant resources to a desperately needy world. We give to help fulfill the Great Commission and, thus, help reach the world for Christ. Maintaining right motives through the power of the Holy Spirit is essential if we are to accomplish this objective to the glory of God. Why is it, then, that we so often fail in this goal? It is because we follow our deceitful hearts and live self-centered lives. Bowing to this materialistic world, we fail to use the keys which unlock Gods abundant blessings in our lives and, as a result, plunge into financial bondage. How can you avoid this? In the following pages I want to show you how to manage your finances and release your faith to experience the adventure in giving which God intended for every Christian. A list of God’s promises of blessing if you stay committed to his calling -- Blessings!!! 9 November 2010 at 10:40 By Rick Warren Here’s a list of God’s promises of blessing if you stay committed to his calling -- • We don’t deserve God’s blessings. “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.” John 1:16 (NIV) • But God enjoys blessing his children and wants to bless you! “I will enjoy blessing them. With all my heart and soul I will faithfully plant them in this land.” Jeremiah 32:41 (GW) • “My blessings are for Gentiles, too, when they accept the Lord; dont let them think that I will make them second-class citizens. They can be as much mine as anyone.” Isaiah 56:3 (LB) • God promises to bless you IF you follow his instructions. Every promise has a premise; there’s a condition attached. • “You will experience all these blessings IF you obey the Lord your God: You will be blessed in your towns and in the country. You will be blessed with many children and productive fields. You will be blessed with fertile herds and flocks. You will be blessed with baskets overflowing with fruit, and with kneading bowls filled with bread. You will be blessed wherever you go, both in coming and in going. The Lord will conquer your enemies when they attack you… And the Lord will bless everything you do and will fill your storehouses with grain.” Deuteronomy 28:2-8 (NLT) • God wants to bless you visibly in front of others as a testimony. “Lord, you have stored up great blessings for those who honor you. You do much for those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world.” Psalm 31:19 (NLT) • God blesses you so you can be a blessing to others! “I will cause my people and their homes around my holy hill to BE a blessing. And I will send showers, showers of blessings, which will come just when they are needed.” Ezekiel 34:26 (NLT) • God’s blessing can be passed on to generations. You can create a legacy. “After Abrahams death, God poured out rich blessings on Isaac.” Genesis 25:11 (NLT) • It’s never too late to start living a God-blessed life! “The Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the first half of his life.” Job 42:12 • God promises to bless my life IF I meet with him daily. “Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching DAILY at my doors, waiting at my doorway.” Proverbs 8:34 • God promises to bless my life IF I study and do his Word. “Blessed is the man… whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his word he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” Psalm 1:1-3 • “The man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:25 • God promises to bless my life IF I tithe my income. “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.” Malachi 3:10 • God promises to bless my life IF I help others in need, especially the poor. “God blesses those who are kind to the poor and helpless. He helps them out of their own troubles. He protects them and keeps them alive; he publicly honors them and destroys the power of their enemies.” Psalm 41:1-2 • “A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.” Proverbs 22:9 • God promises to bless my life IF I share the Good News. “I pray you will be active in sharing your faith, so that you will fully understand every blessing we have in Christ.” Philemon 1:6 • “The man who PLANTS and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.” 1 Corinthians 3:8 • “Good people bless and build up their city.” Proverbs 11:11 • God promises to bless my life IF I participate in fellowship with other believers. “Im eager to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. In this way, each of us will be a blessing to the other.” Romans 1:12 • “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed IF you DO them.” John 13:17 More of the many verses on blessing in the Bible – • “The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.” Proverbs 10:22 (NIV) • “For those who are always generous and lend freely, their children will be blessed.” Psalm 37:26 (NIV) • “If you return to the Almighty, you will be blessed again. So remove evil from your house.” Job 22:23 (NCV) • “Even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice. Luke 11:28 (NLT) • “(Help the unfortunate…) and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. Luke 14:14 (NIV) • “Give freely and spontaneously. Dont have a stingy heart. The way you handle matters like this triggers God, your Gods, blessing in everything you do, all your work and ventures.” Deuteronomy 15:10 (Msg) • “Worship the Lord your God and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you.” Exodus 23:25 (NIV) • “‘Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” 1 Peter 3:9 (NIV) • “Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.” Deuteronomy 15:10 (NIV) • “Happy are those who respect the Lord and obey him. You will enjoy what you work for, and you will be blessed with good things.” Psalm 128:1-2 (NCV) • “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12 (NIV) • If they listen and obey God, then they will be blessed with prosperity throughout their lives. All their years will be pleasant.” Job 36:11 (NLT) • Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.” Job 5:17 (NIV) • “Blessed is the person who does not follow the advice of wicked people, take the path of sinners, or join the company of mockers.” Psalm 1:1 (GW) • “Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.” Psalm 40:4 (NIV) • “Blessed are those who dwell in your house to worship; they are ever praising you.” Psalm 84:4 (NIV) • “Give freely to the poor person, and do not wish that you didnt have to give. The Lord your God will bless your work and everything you touch.” Deuteronomy 15:10 (NCV) • “Blessed is the man who trusts in you.” Psalm 84:12 (NIV) • “If the place of worship is too far from your home for you to carry there the tithe of the produce that the Lord has blessed you with, then do this: Sell your produce and take the money with you to the one place of worship.” Deuteronomy 14:24-25 (TEV) • “Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord.” Psalm 89:15 (NIV) • “Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right.” Psalm 106:3 (NIV) • “Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways.” Psalm 128:1 (NIV) • “Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the Lord delivers him in times of trouble. The Lord will protect him and preserve his life; he will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes.” Psalm 41:1-2 (NIV) • “Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands. His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.” Psalm 112:1-2 (NIV) • “Blessed are those who keep my ways.” Proverbs 8:32 (NIV) • “Each of these blessings depends on your not turning aside in any way from the laws I have given you; and you must never worship other gods.” Deuteronomy 28:14 (Living) • “Blessed is the man you discipline, O Lord, the man you teach from your law.” Psalm 94:12 (NIV) • “It is sin to despise ones neighbors; blessed are those who help the poor.” Proverbs 14:21 (NLT) • “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35 (NIV) • “A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.” Proverbs 22:9 (NIV) • “Good people will be generous to others and will be blessed for all they do.” Isaiah 32:8 (NLT) • “Blessed is the man who finds wisdom and gains understanding.” Proverbs 3:13 (NIV) • “A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.” Proverbs 28:20 (NIV) • “The Lords curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous.” Proverbs 3:33 (NIV) • “People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell.” Proverbs 11:26 (NIV) • “He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy.” Proverbs 14:21 (NIV) • “Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.” Proverbs 16:20 (NIV) • “An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning will not be blessed at the end.” Proverbs 20:21 (NIV) • “It will go well with those who convict the guilty and rich blessing will come upon them.” Proverbs 24:25 (NIV) • “Blessed is the man who always fears the Lord but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble.” Proverbs 28:14 (NIV) • “The Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice, blessed are all who wait for him!” Isaiah 30:18 (NIV) • “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.” Jeremiah 17:7 (NIV) • “The best of all the first fruits and of all your special gifts will belong to the priests. You are to give them the first portion of your ground meal so that a blessing may rest on your household.” Ezekiel 44:30 (NIV) • “Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you.” Deuteronomy 16:17 (NIV) • “Blessed is the man… whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and on is word he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” Psalm 1:1-3 (NIV) • “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.”’ Malachi 3:10 (NIV) • Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.” Matthew 5:3-11 (NIV) • “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it. Luke 11:28 (NIV) • “Jesus said, ‘Blessed are those who have not seen me and yet have believed.”’ John 20:29 (NIV) • “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35 (NIV) • “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Ephesians 1:3 (NIV) • “The man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:25 (NIV) • “Even if you should suffer for what is right, you will be blessed.” 1 Peter 3:14 • “If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” 1 Peter 4:14 (NIV) • “If you cant carry that ten percent of your harvest to the place where the Lord chooses to be worshiped; if you live too far away, or if the Lord gives you a big harvest, then sell this part and take the money there instead.” Deuteronomy 14:24-25 (CEV) • “You should be happy to give the poor what they need, because then the Lord will make you successful in everything you do.” Deuteronomy 15:10 (CEV) • “… Each man is to bring a gift as he is able, in proportion to the blessings that the Lord your God has given him.” Deuteronomy 16:16-17 (TEV) • “Obey the Lord your God so that all these blessings will come and stay with you: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. Your children will be blessed, as well as your crops; your herds will be blessed with calves and your flocks with lambs. Your basket and your kitchen will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and when you go out. The Lord will help you defeat the enemies that come to fight you. They will attack you from one direction, but they will run from you in seven directions. The Lord will bless you with full barns, and he will bless everything you do.” Deuteronomy 28:2-8 (NCV) • “I will also bless the Gentiles who commit themselves to the Lord and serve him and love his name, who worship him and do not desecrate the Sabbath day of rest, and who have accepted his covenant.” Isaiah 56:6 (NLT) • A beautiful palace does not make a great king! Why did your father, Josiah, reign so long? Because he was just and right in all his dealings. That is why God blessed him.” Jeremiah 22:15 (NLT) • “Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands. His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. Good will comes to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes. He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor, his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be lifted high in honor.” Psalm 112:1-9 (NIV) • “Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed.” Proverbs 3:13-18 (NIV) • “The memory of the righteous will be a blessing.” Proverbs 10:7 (NIV) • “Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.” Proverbs 16:20 (NIV) • “He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.” Proverbs 21:21 (NIV) • Jesus said to his host, When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. Luke 14:12-14 (NIV) • “You will be blessed in every way, and you will be able to keep on being generous. Then many people will thank God when we deliver your gift.” 2 Cor. 9:11 (CEV) • “The man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:25 (NIV) • “If the place of worship is too far from your home for you to carry there the tithe of the produce that the Lord has blessed you with, then do this: Sell your produce and take the money with you to the one place of worship.” Deuteronomy 14:24-25 (TEV) • “Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you.” Deuteronomy 16:17 (NIV) • “Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands. His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.” Psalm 112:1-2 (NIV) • “Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding.” Proverbs 3:13 (NIV) • “Blessed are those who keep my ways.” Proverbs 8:32 (NIV) • “They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed.” Psalm 37:26 (NIV) • “The best of all the first fruits will belong to the priests. You are to give them the first portion of your ground meal so that a blessing may rest on your household.” Ezekiel 44:30 (NIV) • “Give freely without begrudging it, and the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do. There will always be some among you who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share your resources freely with the poor and with others in need.” Deuteronomy 15:10-11 (NLT) • “Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the Lord delivers him in his times of trouble. The Lord will protect him and preserve his life; he will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes.” Psalm 41:1-2 (NIV) • “Good people will be generous to others and will be blessed for all they do.” Isaiah 32:8 (NLT) • “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it. Luke 11:28 (NIV) • “Im eager to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. In this way, each of us will be a blessing to the other.” Romans 1:12 (NLT) • “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.”’ Malachi 3:10 (NIV) • “The best of all the first fruits will belong to the priests. You are to give them the first portion of your ground meal so that a blessing may rest on your household.” Ezekiel 44:30 (NIV) • “You will be blessed in every way, and you will be able to keep on being generous. Then many people will thank God when we deliver your gift.” 2 Corinthians 9:11 (CEV) • “If the place of worship is too far from your home for you to carry there the tithe of the produce that the Lord has blessed you with, then do his: Sell your produce and take the money with you to the one place of worship.” Deuteronomy 14:24-25 (TEV) • “God blesses those who are kind to the poor and helpless. He helps them out of their own troubles. He protects them and keeps them alive; he publicly honors them and destroys the power of their enemies.” Psalm 41:1-2 (LB) • “Give freely without begrudging it, and the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do. There will always be some among you who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share your resources freely with the poor and with others in need.” Deuteronomy 15:10-11 (NLT) • “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed IF you DO them.” John 13:17 Giving gives Joy: Paul, in jail says that he rejoiced in the Lord because of the giving of Philippians believers. They revived their interest in him. The began to show concern again as they sent him support to meet his needs. When we remember to help others and continue to giving, we bring joy to their lives. Giving encourages those who are feeling down or depressed. As we share our resources with those in need, we pour joy into their hearts. It is divine quality to give freely and consistently. 2. Giving is caring: How do we care for others? By giving from our resources. Paul needed saints to care for him as he was about God’s kingdom work. It appears he had no family accompanying him on his travels. He depended on God’s people to care for him. Yes, God cares for His people through His own people. We must show interest in others to care for them as and when they need us. As we give for the Lord’s work, we care for His Kingdom as well as His servants. 3. Giving meets needs: The believers at Philippi often sent help to meet paul’s needs in the ministry. Even when others were not doing it, they willingly shared and Paul makes a note of it. Who willmeet the needs of His house if not the people of His house? Who will meet the needs of His servants, if not the saints? We must look for opportunities to meet needs in the Lord’s house. The success of His work is depending upon how much we are willing to meet the needs. 4. Giving gives confidence: Though God’s peole were giving ot meet Paul’s needs, there were times when he did not receive nay support from anyone. SO he had to go through severe trials and practical difficulties in surviving. But he was able to manage in all situations as he testifies, saying, he learnt how to live in poverty and also in plenty. As Christ we able to inject extra strength when he was weak, he had confidence that he could do all things and continue the work and fulfill the mission. As we devlop the habit of giving, it also develops confidence that we can live in whatever circumstances by hrist’s strength. 4:13 is a well-known positive statement of Confidence in God’s sustaining power. 5. Giving is sharing: In 4:14, Paul reminds the believers how they shared in his sufferings for the gospel. Though they had not actually suffered any prison or persecution like him, they became partakers of his afflictions when they upheld him in prayers and helped him practically financially. That’s how when we share from our resources in the gospel work with His servants, we become partners in the ministry and thus share in their sufferings too. We become comforters in the trials for the Lord’s sake. Giving is not just putting some coins in the offering box or sending a cheque for a ministry, it is actual sharing in the very life of the Lord’s servants. 6. Giving is sowing: Paul defends his talk about money by saying it was not for his own needs but that they should get fruits. To reap , one has to sow. So in 2 Corinthians 9, he explains so clearly saying, who sows sparingly will reap sparingly and who sows abundantly will also reap abundantly. The sowing is not throwing away seeds and thus wasting them. It is investing for higher yield. The farmer sows with the sole purpose of reaping. Similarly, giving to God and His work is like sowng seeds in the good field. 7. Giving brings fruit: The farmer is the first partaker of fruits, said Paul to Timothy in 2 Tom 2. SO, when a person gives, he is bearing fruit. Paul wants fruit to their account, as they willingly, generously give and share. In John 15:16, the Lord Jesus tells His disciples that He has chosen them to go and bear fruit and thus God is glorified. As we give of our time, talents, and resources to serve the Lord, we bear fruit that remain for eternity. 8. Giving is profitable: Again, Paul says in 4:17, that it may be credited to your account when you give for God’s work. It is somewhat strange! In accounting work, it is actually debited, when money is removed. But here, he says it is credited!? Why? Because, what is given is paid back by God Himself in so many ways, so your account balance increases! There is profit in giving to the Lord, not loss. SO each itme you give, you add some profit to your account, not necessarily monetarily. God has many ways to bless and enrich you. He is no man’s debtor! 9. Giving is worship: In 4:18, Paul says, the things they sent for him, were like sweet smelling savor to God, an acceptable sacrifice, as in OT temple offerings. So, its like offering pure and acceptable worship to God. As we give we worship Him out of our substance. For worship is giving and not getting. As we worship with sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving from our hearts and lips, we also need to offer the sacrifice of our possessions, time and talents. Giving God money is worship- a pleasing act of saints. 10. Giving assures supplies: Paul assures Pilippians that as they give to God’s work and to meet needs of His servants, God will supply to meet all their needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 4:19. This is a beautiful promise similar to the one in 2 cor.9:8. God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. Giving never depletes our supplies but bring more from heaven to fill our lives. Amen. Imagine, how much you might have missed God’s blessings by withholding your share in His work! Begin today to give and to experience the abundant blessings of His inexhaustible riches. First make sure, yu repented of you rsins and accepted the Lord Jesus as your own Savior and Lord and then you will able to respond in gratitude to all His goodness and grace. God bless you. Abundant Giving Brings Abundant Blessings By: Wanda Fielder Often through the years I have heard pastors comment that it was the people in their church who had the least who gave the most. Perhaps it was not the most in dollar amount, but it was the most generous offering in comparison with their earnings or material goods. God always rewards generosity. I always chuckle when I hear the statement, God loves a cheerful giver, but He will take it from any old grump. I recall a thought- provoking incident that happened over thirty years ago when my husband and I traveled as evangelists. When the offering was received at a youth rally we were attending, my husband reached in his wallet and pulled out a one-dollar bill. At least that is what he thought he had procured. He later discovered that it was his last ten-dollar bill. Money was scarce for us, and it seemed like a huge amount. Of course, the Lord supplied for us, but we acknowledged that we only received a one-dollar blessing for those ten dollars because that is all we intended to give. Although we found it humorous, there was a lesson to be learned. God blesses generosity, and you can never out give the Lord. Taking a look at the widow from Zarephath it seems preposterous that Elijah during a time of famine would ask for her very last portion of food. She had a son to care for, and her supply was meager. Yet when we read in I Kings 17, we see that she willingly and generously gave to the prophet before she and her son were provided for. God’s promise to her was that she would be taken care of if she gave generously. I Kings 17:15 declares, “And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah; and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.” Her abundant giving brought abundant blessings. The young lad who gave his lunch to Jesus was actually giving his all. He had no idea whether he would have lunch to eat when he offered his fish and bread. However, the generosity and abundance of his giving provided lunch not only for him but for the multitudes also. His paltry fare would have only been a couple of sandwiches for himself; but by giving abundantly, God blessed it abundantly and fed thousands. We have been blessed beyond measure, and all the credit goes to God. When we realize that all we have belongs to Him, it should be easy to return it to Him when He requests. Why do we sometimes hesitate to give abundantly? Remembering that He gave His all by giving His life for us humbles us and helps us to better understand the spirit of giving. Give abundantly, whether of your time, talent or finance. In so doing, your reward will be abundant blessings . . . good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over!
Posted on: Sun, 03 Nov 2013 04:42:13 +0000
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