Generosity Is Contagious!
Scripture
1 Timothy 6
18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
Observation
Pastor Bruce has been preaching on tithing over these past several weeks and I am excited to hear that so many have taken the challenge to give tithing a try. In fact, this is the only subject where our Lord tells us to test Him and see if He will not bless us for giving back to Him. Pastor Bruce came to see me yesterday and as he told me story after story of how God was already blessing people that had taken the challenge it brought tremendous joy to my heart. I am so proud of those that are putting God to the test.
Kathy and I were taught about giving as a young married couple and our teacher was Dr. Waylon Moore, Bruce’s Dad. Ever since that time we have been giving our tithe and even above our tithe and I couldn’t begin to tell you how we have been blessed. There is not enough time in the day to share all the ways that God has showered blessings on us.
It is God who promises to bless us it is not Pastor Bruce. Just listen to these scriptures and ask yourself after reading them, “would God really do that for me?”
If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving—large or small—it will be used to measure what is given back to you." Luke 6:38 NLT
And…
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do," says the Lord Almighty, "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Let me prove it to you! Malachi 3:10 NLT
Pastor Bruce is not the one that is making the challenge to you. God is saying to you and I today that if we will give back to Him He will pour out a blessing on us so great you won’t even have to enough room to take it in.
One of the things that God has impressed on my heart since He brought me back from the dead is that I need to be way more generous. I need to be way more generous than I have ever been. Will my Kathy and I suffer if we are more generous with what God has provided us? Absolutely not! Luke 6:38 tells us that the more generous we are the more God is going to bless us.
When I was in Intensive Care people cared for my family and they were so generous to them. They brought food and kept an ice chest full of things to drink. They took time off work to be at the hospital to be with Kathy and my children. They spent hours and hours at the hospital right at Kathy’s side so she would not be alone. Since we have been home so many people have been so generous to us in so many different ways. I have so many cards and notes from so many people some of them I don’t even know. We have had so many phone calls and people have taken the time to come visit us. So many people have wanted to bring us meals, but because I am such a poor eater (almost everything taste bad to me) we had to tell people not to bring over more meals. How could I not be moved to be more generous after everything that everyone has done for the Williams!
When Pastor Bruce came over yesterday and shared with me all the unbelievable things that are happening at Christ Fellowship you can’t even begin to imagine the joy that swelled up in my heart. It was my dream that the church would grow and become the church to reach our city for Christ and it is happening right before my eyes. This past Sunday when I had the chance to make it to worship I saw so many new people who were already bringing their friends with them to CF so they could share in what God is doing. Lives are being transformed every week because of the generosity of our people.
Application
So I am going to be more generous. How about you? Would You take God’s challenge and begin to give more to Him?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I am so proud of Pastor Bruce and Heather in how they are leading our church. I pray that you bless them. I pray that You give them the desires of their hearts. I pray that you answer their prayers and I pray that You make their plans successful. You have brought them to our church at just the right time and I praise You for what You are doing and for what you are going to do through them.
Father, help me to be more generous. It is impossible for us to give away too much. So many people have been so generous to us and have taught us by their example how could we not be impacted by their love. God You are so good. I can trust You with my finances, my health, my career/calling, and my family because You have promised to take care of Your children. Now Father bless all of those that have been such a blessing to us. Pour out your blessings on our church. Pour out Your blessings on those who are beginning to tithe and those who are giving above their tithe to further Your kingdom. I believe You when You say that you will pour out a blessing so great they won't have enough room to take it in. Be glorified through us today. Amen.
1 comment:
We will testify that you don't even miss the money that you give to God. We are taking our giving up another notch this year.
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