I’ve Left For Some Vacation Time!        Next Post June 13!

-I’m Naturally Selfish!

I confess to you that I’m not naturally a very generous man. I mean, by that, that I’m prone to be selfish! It is almost never my 1st inclination to give financially to meet a need. I have to be prompted by God’s indwelling Holy Spirit. His Spirit prods me to commit a generous “act”; but, constant generosity just doesn’t flow instinctively from me. It’s not one of my gifts! So, I’ve had to ask the Lord to plant generous thoughts in my heart.

-Not The $100 Bill!

I remember one time, during a worship service, that I felt the Lord elbow me to give the bill in my wallet to whatever ministry was participating in our service. When I opened my wallet I saw that it contained a $100 bill—now, I want you to know that’s not a regular thing with me—but, that day I had a $100 bill; and, in front of it a $20 bill. “Lord, certainly you mean for me to give that $20 bill, right?” But, I felt a very distinct impression that He wanted me to give the $100 bill; so, reluctantly, I did!

-I’ve Never Missed What I Gave!

Through the years I’ve felt similarly pressed to give, sometimes more & sometimes less. But, here’s my testimony—I’ve never missed what I’ve given! It has always been absorbed by God’s abundant generosity; so, I’ve always had enough! Here’s what I hope to get across to you in this post—when you give, from a generous heart, it costs you nothing! In other words, you won’t lose what you give away! But, the person who hoards & selfishly holds onto his money, when the offering plate is passed, tends toward poverty! That person lives with the constant struggle to make ends meet. “One person gives freely, yet gains more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor. A generous person will be enriched, and the one who gives a drink of water will receive water” Proverbs 11:24-25. To paraphrase, using The Message, “The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.” God measures our generosity by our sacrifice! That doesn’t make sense to the unbelieving world. The world says, “If I want to have more, I have to KEEP more.” But, that’s not true in God’s economy—”If I want to have more, I have to give it away!”

-You Can’t Outgive God!

There’s a principle here that says you can’t out give God! Now be careful here! Don’t draw an unbiblical conclusion like those who twist Scripture & preach a “Health, Wealth, and Prosperity Gospel.” God is NOT an investment broker! Don’t expect to put a $100 bill in the offering plate & get $1000 back. Giving that way is not generosity, it’s GREED! The God who knows our heart also knows the motives behind our giving! He measure our generosity by what we sacrifice to give; and, it’s not a sacrifice when we expect to get something back! No, it’s the world of the generous that gets “larger” and “larger.” It might be extra cash in your pocket; but, probably not! Like God extending the life of the Israelites robes & sandals to last 40 years in the wilderness, He may bless us with the extended life of our appliances & vehicles & health!