Giving Generously
2nd Corinthians 9:6-10 Victory Fellowship
July 28, 2024 Rev. Roderick Grabski – Healing Service
Introduction: Today I want to talk about the JOY of GIVING.
Jesus talked about money and possessions in 16 of His 38 parables.
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.
Having JOY in the area of Giving involves giving of our TIME, our TALENT, and our TITHE.
Good Stewardship in the area of 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: Giving Generously will produce growth.
Paul continues to tell the Corinthian Church…
11 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. 12 So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God. 13 As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. 14 And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. 15 Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!
Guided by these assumptions, there are three principals of Giving Generously…
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 Giving Generously 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 attitude toward giving, we are out of control in our faith!
Giving Generously is all about the Person, not the purse
It involves giving of everything…our TIME, our TALENT, and our TITHE.
Do we need healing of our attitude toward giving to God’s Holy Church?
PRAYER and ANOINTING
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.