I want to tell you a story.
It's called the parable of the pump. Lean back in your chair and I want you to visualize this in your mind. There is a man and he is a desert. He has been traveling for days and days. He is mouth is parched and there's nothing anywhere and he's wondering. Can I make it? Are you there with me? And he looks in a distance and he sees the oasis. There's a palm tree and he sees the oasis. And he goes, there are wind and the sand. And finally makes it to the oasis. As he's there, he looked around but it's different than he had ever seen. And instead of pool water or spring, there's a well. And next to the well there are two things. There are a jar and a piece of parchment. And he picked up the jar and he is ready to put it down because of its water.
But then he looks at the parchment and the parchment says, follow these instructions very carefully. And the parchment says there is just enough water in this to pour down the well. There is a leader gasket at the bottom of the well. This water poured down every single drop will soften it to the point that when you pump the well, you will have an unlimited supply of water. He thinks to himself, "Wow that is just enough water to maybe help me live for more hours or maybe a day but if this parchment is true, I pour away what I need the most, and I'll have all the water I need.
Then he thought to himself what am I going to do? Do I really believe this note? And then at the bottom, it says. "P.S Very Important: When you finish drinking all the water that you like, please refill this for the next traveler" Dilemma. Counterintuitive would you? If I give up this water I may die. But if I drink it, I may die anyway. But if this parchment is right and I pour it down, I'll get all the water I want.
We've come up with a plan and now you are looking at the top of it and it say's "Giving" as an act of worship. And the parable of the pump is really like about doing something that doesn't make sense on the front end. It's like pouring away something that most of you would say to yourself, "I don't have enough money as it is", and you're actually going to tell me that I ought to start giving it away anyway, and here is what I want you to do. The heart and the purpose of what God will teach you in this session on giving are for abundance. So that he can supply your needs and not just financial needs.
We are going to learn that when giving occurs, He is going to do something in you hear better and deeper than ever before. I am going to give you three specific facts that will give you intellectual specific fact, spiritual and emotional courage to take some of the water you have, money, and by faith give it away in a way that God has decreed in his words so that he could bless your life. Are you ready?
Three Facts about Biblical Generosity
Fact #1. God Blesses Generous People
Lord Jesus, how He Himself said, It is more blessed (makes one happier and more to be envied) to give than to receive.'
Acts 20:35
' Give, and [gifts] will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will they pour into [the pouch formed by] the bosom [of your robe and used as a bag]. For with the measure you deal out [with the measure you use when you confer benefits on others], it will be measured back to you.'
Luke 6:38
Solomon says, Proverbs 22:9 ' He who has a bountiful eye shall be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor. And finally Solomon again the wisest man on earth says, "he who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward him for what he does. God blesses generous people. I can give scores of the New Testament, Old Testament. The Apostle Paul, Jesus, Luke, Mathew, They all tell the same story. When you take a little bit of water, money, that you have and you begin to share it and give it to others. God wants to give you more. In fact, summarizing, here is what I want you to learn about these facts.
Generous giving produces:
- Emotional happiness.
- Spiritual holiness.
- Material prosperity.
Now think of that to be generous. Being generous, learning to give, since God owns it all. He's asking you to give part of what He owns. And since you're his money manager, he said that if you will obey me and give, here's what's going to happen. There's going to be emotional happiness. There's going to be holiness because greed won't have its grip in your heart. And as a general rule, material prosperity.
Now, please don't read this as a health and wealth Gospel. It's a general rule. If' you find a nation that is generous, you're going to find as a general rule there's a blessing, and there's prosperity. But there is never, I'm going to give to get. That is not prosperity; that's trying to turn God into a self-help genie. But you need to understand the unequivocally in the scripture. It may have been perverted here and there by some teaching that you have seen or heard. But God blesses.
Fact #2. God provides the pathway for generous people.
Now here's the question, what is his pathway for generous people. Let's just say hypothetically you say, you track him with me. You know I've got a jar of money. The idea of pouring any of it out is kind of tough. What would God tell me? What it looks like to pour a jar out? What specifically is the pathway where I can learn to become a generous person. There are 5 characteristics of a generous person according to the scripture of what makes a person generous in God's eyes. And therefore he blesses this kind of person.
5 Characteristics of a Biblical Generosity:
1. Biblical generosity gives the first and the best to God.
Proverbs 3:9-10
Honor the Lord, with your wealth and with the first fruit of your increase; so that your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will burst forth with new wine.
God said, the first mark of your generosity is to give the first and you give the best. That means that when my wife and I sat down to pay our bills, as we did last night, the first check I wrote was to our local church. And, well, you say how much? What do you, as you read in the Old Testament many people have done exhaustive studies but it's very clear. The first tenth belongs to God. Its called a tithe. Tithes and Offerings. And the tithe is the first and the best in the offering.
Now that you learn a bit that is a good starting point. But tithe is the first tenth of your income. it belongs to God. And then as he blesses your life. We learn about offering and giving addition to that, to encourage other people to love other people.
2. Biblical Generosity is regular and systematic.
The Apostle Paul speaking to the church
1 Corinthians 16:2
' On the first [day] of each week, let each one of you [personally] put aside something and save it up as he has prospered [in proportion to what he is given], so that no collections will need to be taken after I come.'
Many people would have a different take on this, but my suggestion is whenever you get paid, you give. The key is regularity. Giving is not just an emotional experience.
3. Biblical Generosity is proportional to our income.
... in keeping with your income.
1 Corinthians 16:2
Tithes is a great place to begin, but then again we give proportionally. That means if you have a little, you give a little. If you have a lot, you give a lot. I remember early on, I was learning about giving. I have certain over the top personality.
The more I give there is more opportunity to be generous. Being generous isn't just a percentage. He looks at the proportion.
4. Biblical Generosity involves sacrifice.
2 Corinthians 8:1-4
' WE WANT to tell you further, brethren, about the grace (the favor and spiritual blessing) of God which has been evident in the churches of Macedonia [arousing in them the desire to give alms]; For in the midst of an ordeal of severe tribulation, their abundance of joy and their depth of poverty [together] have overflowed in wealth of lavish generosity on their part. For, as I can bear witness, [they gave] according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability; and [they did it] voluntarily, Begging us most insistently for the favor and the fellowship of contributing in this ministration for [the relief and support of] the saints [in Jerusalem].'
When God looks at the heart, this is who I want to bless. Their are people who are giving proportionally, but there are also people who are giving sacrificially. There are people who would say, you know Lord, I am not sure that I am gonna make this with all these situations but I just want to be in your heart, so resonate with your kingdom. I want to give.
Let me ask you a question when was the last time you gave sacrificially?
I think its an important thing for us as believers, "in light of the needs of the world, when was the last time you made a real sacrifice". God always measures not the amount of money. Not the amount of percentage. But God always measures the generosity by the dept of sacrifice.
Remember what King David said, "I will not sacrifice to the Lord that doesn't cost me." God looks at generosity a bit different that we do. He wants to bless you. He wants to take that Jar and pour it out. But scary. And so it says that generosity is defined by what we looked at the first, the best, the proportional, the sacrificial.
5. Biblical generosity is thoughtful, voluntary and worshipful.
' That is why I thought it necessary to urge these brethren to go to you before I do and make arrangements in advance for this bountiful, promised gift of yours, so that it may be ready, not as an extortion [wrung out of you] but as a generous and willing gift. [Remember] this: he who sows sparingly and grudgingly will also reap sparingly and grudgingly, and he who sows generously [that blessings may come to someone] will also reap generously and with blessings. Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, "prompt to do it") giver [whose heart is in his giving]. [Prov. 22:9.]'
2 Corinthians 9:5-7
I want you to underline, 3 key phrases. First underline, what he has decided. Second underline, not reluctantly or under compulsion. Finally, underline, cheerful giver. You see the scripture is so clear. God wants us to be generous. He's provided the pathway of generosity. That involves that its thoughtful. This isn't coercion, this isn't about the rules, this isn't about legalism. Let each man give what he has decided out of your relationship. But its more than that. Don't get manipulated. It's not grudgingly, this is about obedience. Doing it from the heart because you love God. And it is doing heart of what is cheerful.
Here is what I need you to understand. That God loves you and He cares about you. You need to understand that Yes, there is acquiring money. Yes, you need to have a good plan for money. But the next thing about the priority is about giving. It's an act of worship. God blesses generous people. God provides a pathway to generous people. Its difficult to do but simple to understand.
Hi, my name is Jack Marbida, I am a financial coach for over 4 years now. My goal is to help thousands of Filipino people understand and embrace the biblical financial preparation through our program, "Financial Freedom". I know you need help but you just don't know where to start. Allow me to help you establish a brighter future. Click below for more information. Check what I have been doing here.
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