The Basics of Faith Series #7 – GIVING
2nd Corinthians 9:6-10 - Victory Fellowship
February 19, 2023 Rev. Roderick Grabski
Introduction: The Basics of Faith Series
In the first in this series I shared how important it is that we have a basic understanding of our Obedience to God. Remember that w/o a desire to obey God we can’t properly manage any aspect of our faith.
The next week I shared how important it is that we have a proper perspective of our FEAR – not only of what gives us anxiety, but also FEAR of God.
The third week I shared how important it is that we give our PRAISE to God.
The fourth week I shared how we can embrace the basics of FORGIVENESS
Then I talked about how we can embrace the basics of INTERCESSION. Praying for others.
Last week I hope I encouraged the basic faith practice of DISCIPLING. That is becoming a disciple and making disciples.
Today I want to share how we can embrace our faith through GIVING.
Jesus talked about money and possessions in 16 of His 38 parables. (nearly half)
One out of every 10 verses in the Gospels has to do with money or possessions (10%). The Bible contains 500 verses on PRAYER, 500 verses on FAITH, and over 2000 verses on MONEY & POSSESSIONS.
In addition to Obedience, Fear, Praise, Forgiveness, Intercession, Discipleship – GIVING is a basic faith issue.
John Maxwell on Stewardship: it is the proper management of my life in order to enhance God’s Kingdom.
Having a basic and faith-filled understanding in the area of Giving involves giving of our TIME, our TALENT, and our TITHE.
Faith-based Giving assumes these two things…
Assumption #1 God owns it all! Psalm 24:1 The earth is the LORD'S, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it.
Assumption #2: Good Giving produces growth
Guided by these assumptions, there are three principals of Giving…
Principal #1 God deserves the first and the best
Malachi 3:8-12: 8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, 'How have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings. 9 "You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you! 10 "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. 11 "Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes," says the LORD of hosts. 12 "All the nations will call you blessed, for you shall be a delightful land," says the LORD of hosts.
Proverbs 3:9 Honor the LORD from your wealth And from the first of all your produce
Principal #2 Proper approach begins with loving not giving
Principal #3 You can’t out give God
Luke 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure--pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return."
Until God is in control of our giving, we are out of control in our faith!
Embracing the basic concept of our giving is about the Person, not the purse
It involves giving of our TIME, our TALENT, and our TITHE.
PRAYER
SONG: What if I Gave Everything?
2 Corinthians 9:6-10 (NLT)
6 Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 9 As the Scriptures say,
“They share freely and give generously to the poor.
Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”
10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.
