"Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
Ephesians 5:1-2
Why Give?
Being Generous Is Being like Jesus
God is love (1 John 4:8) and we know that generosity is the mark of who God is in John 3:16. "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son..." We are told in Colossians 2:9, "In Him (Jesus) dwells the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form." So we can look at Jesus and see all the more what God is like because all of what God is like is found in Jesus. Jesus selflessly and joyfully gave of Himself everywhere He went. We are told in Ephesians 5:1 to be imitators of God and in 1 John 2:6 to live like Jesus lived. So being generous is being like Jesus.
What is the Deal with Money?
Not many things in our world grab the human heart like money. God wants us to trust and rely upon Him because only He saves, but our nature is to be self sufficient and rely on ourselves. The problem is that we aren't enough and there isn't enough money to save, satisfy, and fulfill our hearts. It's only found in Christ. The scripture says in Matthew 6:19-24 that we need to store up our treasures in Heaven and those things last forever. It also says that where we place our treasure shows where our hearts are as well as we cannot serve two masters. We will either depend on and therefore serve God or depend on and serve ourselves.
The amazing thing is that God can be perfectly trusted! He has our best interest in mind. He wants to bless us beyond measure and allow us to participate in the glorious unfolding of His Kingdom!
All throughout scripture we see the principle of honoring God with the first of what you produce. We see giving ten percent as an example of taking God at His word in worship and generosity. Scripture also teaches us that we will be blessed when we obey God by being generous. God doesn't need your money. We need to give because it teaches us to be generous and then we get to see the miracle of how God blesses us and others through our obedience.
where do I start?
The first step is obedience. Make the decision today that if you have given your life to Christ, then all you are and have belongs to Him. Then you can see the resources entrusted to you differently. God provides for you and you get to manage His money and resources.
The second step is to start where you are. Be a good steward of what you have and then choose to be generous. Ten percent is the example given to us, but if you are in financial difficulty or don't know how to begin, we can help! We offer financial coaching and resources to help you step into the joys of financial freedom and generosity.
The third is to begin! Make the commitment and take the step of faith to trust God with your finances and resources.