"Giving From The Heart"

Passage: II Corinthians 9:7

"Every man according as he hath purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver."

Attitude

Are you like the vast majority of people in the world, who try as they may, never seem to get past living from paycheck to paycheck? Do you struggle endlessly to get ahead, only to be discouraged time after time when at the end of the money, you have far too many days left in the month? If so - you are not alone - and it is likely that one of the first "casualties of war" is your attitude toward areas concerning finances.

I will be the first to admit that it is not "natural" for us to keep on smiling, when the bill collectors just won't leave you alone. It's hard to keep up a positive attitude when the balance in your checkbook is negative. But this situation is far from being hopeless, and the good news is: God has much to say as it relates to our financial health and well-being.

Ask - Seek - Knock

How convenient it seems when well-meaning Christians counsel those of us who are drowning in debt, pick up the Bible, and turn to Matthew 7:7, and start to read: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Sometimes the only thing I want to do is "ask" them to leave me alone, "seek" shelter from their pre-fab answers, and "knock" someone upside the head for expecting THAT to help me at all...

But the irony of it all - is that they (the well-meaning Christian trying to counsel us) are RIGHT! At least... partly right. You see, the Word of God is true, and the passage found in Matthew 7:7 is INDEED applicable for us today. However, unless it is coupled with a comprehensive understanding, and a practical APPLICATION of the other passages in the Word that deal with the Lord's provision of our needs - then perhaps we don't have enough information to make a huge difference.

One can "ask" until he/she is blue in the face... or "seek" until every stone has been turned over... or even "knock" upon every door... but unless we are actually DOERS of the Word in it's entirety, and we are obedient to all related Biblical principles found therein, we cannot expect to receive the fulness of God's promises.

The Principle of Giving

Surely there is much too much covered in the Bible on this topic for me to state it all here in the brevity of a devotional, but let's look at one of the principles of giving, as it is recorded in II Corinthians 9:6-7...

"But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he hath purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver."

PLEASE NOTE: This is a principle related to GIVING... and NOT TITHING! (Yes, there is a HUGE difference!) I am operating under the assumption that the reader of this devotion has a working knowledge of the difference between God's money (the first 10% of all that we earn) and sacrificial giving. (Perhaps that is an assumption that might prove the theory of assuming anything...)

Keeping in mind that after having returned unto God that which is His (the tithe), and then having paid unto Caesar that which is his (bills, taxes, etc.) - the element of Biblical giving is now where we find ourselves.

Time Out for a Reality Check

Hold everything... you say that you have no money left at the end of the month with which to "give"? In fact, you have no money at all? Okay... here's a frank question for you: Are you tithing? I'm not talking about giving a buck or two as the plates pass at church - but are you giving God the FIRST 10% of the GROSS (that is, BEFORE TAXES) amount of money that you make?

You see - there is only one place... ONLY ONE... in the entire Bible, that God challenges his people to TEST HIM... to PROVE HIM to be true, and faithful. And that one place is related to the area of our tithe! God promises that if we are faithful in the giving of our tithe, that He will open the floodgates of heaven, and pour out upon us blessings in such volume that we will not be able to handle it all. So the question is simple: are you tithing? If you earn a dollar, are you faithful in giving God back the .10 He is due? Remember... it's not YOURS... it's GOD'S! I suggest that the resolution of that one area of Biblical obedience will allow us to get back to the principle of giving!

Back on Track

All right. We are now able to look at this principle as it is drawn out in the Word. It says, in essence, that we will reap what we sow. That's nothing new - it applies in various aspects of our walk. As it relates to our giving, the Word promises that if we give in small amounts, we will reap a small harvest. Similarly, if we give until it hurts - if we give sacrificially... the we will reap a bountiful harvest of blessings and provision!

God will deliver grace... in abundance. And you may recall from yet another passage of the Bible, that God's grace is SUFFICIENT for us! Add to that the fact that if we are obedient in the giving of our tithes and bountiful in the giving of our offerings, then we are truly in a position to be "delighting" ourselves in the Lord, and I read in Psalm 37:4 that if we but delight ourselves in Him, we will then be given the DESIRES of our hearts! Can you see how it all starts to fan together? One verse doesn't work against the other - but they ALL support one another! And God is faithful and just - He will do what He says!

Fruit in Abundance

Here's the bottom line, friends... if you are in obdeience with the Word of God, and bountiful with your giving from a heart filled with thankgiving, and overflowing with good cheer, you will be living in unsurpassed victory as it relates to your every need. If this is not your testimony, then I suggest that you take the time and effort necessary to study the Word on the topic of tithing, giving, and God's provision for the needs of His people. And upon your completion of your study - be a DOER of the Word, as James suggests... God will do His part! He promised!!

Afterthought

Every time I teach or preach on the subject of God's provision, I am prompted to remind those receiving that we do not GIVE TO GET. That is a selfish motive, and altogether frowned upon by the Lord, who gives generously to all who ask of Him. Rather, we give of our tithes out of obedience (a vital part of the worship of a believer), and we give offerings from the depths of a cheerful heart. How do we find this "cheer"? Well, in light of all that God has given to us - the cornerstone of which is our very salvation - and the abundance of grace and mercy extended to us regardless of our total depravity and inability to deserve it... I'd say we have more than sufficient reason to be cheerful indeed! Go ahead, apply His Word to your life - TEST HIM and see! You simply cannot be let down by the One who makes unbreakable promises!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, how can we ever begin to thank you for your provision of each and every need we have? Lord, help us to be doers of your Word, and not just hearers. Help us to grasp the concepts of your principles, especially relating to the area of our finances, God... so that we might let our light so shine before men, that they will see our good works, and give glory to you, in heaven! Thank you for being ever-concerned with the well-being of your children. We glorify and magnify your name! And this we pray in that name... the name above all names... the name of Jesus. Amen.