So God woke me up in the middle of the night with a question. I had been working and studying the concept of giving, especially as it relates to our giving to God and His ministry. Most of my thinking up to this point had centered around how much I should give or with what type of attitude I should give. However, here is the question that God brought to mind that really rocked my world.
"What if it's not about you?"
What???? At first I was a little stumped. Of course it's not about me. However, I soon realized that while I agreed that it was not about "me" it was only "me" that I was thinking about. How do I give? How much should I give? What's the best way for ME to give?
I was dumbfounded by my own selfishness.
What if it's really about a Holy and Almighty God who is always giving and refuses to stop giving? What if He is the best at giving and pours out generously based on His love and not our efforts? What if He is simply inviting us to be open to Him so that He may not only pours in us but through us as well?
Then I began to read familiar passage of scripture in a new way as God's giving jumped off the pages.
Read Romans 8:28-39.
Read 2 Corinthians 5:17-21.
Notice how God gives. Notice what He gives. Notice who He gives. Notice and recognize the giving God.
When I realized that it is actually God who is the true giver and... when I recognized what a holy activity giving was and...when I admitted that my efforts were not adequate to be considered sufficient and...when I confessed and submitted to my Almighty God...He opened a whole new world of giving that I had not known before.
I'm not saying that I have this perfected today but I am saying that God is at work in me, molding me into His image...the image of a giving God.
Showing posts with label giving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label giving. Show all posts
Monday, October 12, 2009
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
The Journey of Giving-2/3
Many people take Malachi 3:10 to heart when it comes to their giving. They faithful give their 10% every week or every month or every year. They give it out of obligation, duty, fear, or maybe even worship and love. However, recently there has been a thread of teaching that sees giving a little differently.
People are beginning to point out that Malachi is actually in the Old Testament and we are living in a post-cross, post-resurrection world that is not bound strictly to the letter of the law and the 10% that Malachi speaks of.
At first this line of thinking made me nervous...until God took me a step further in my journey of giving.
In 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 the Apostle Paul is relaying what has been happening in the Macedonia churches. They have been giving what they can and then giving even more! They are so consumed with the idea of giving that they can not even stop themselves. Paul sees this and it is his desire to see that same passion flow through all the believers. In verse 8 he even tells them that he's not commanding them to give but wants to see the desire flow out of their hearts.
Don't give because you HAVE to. Give because you WANT to! Don't be so consumed with the idea of giving 10% to the point where if you don't have it you don't give anything. Give out of your love for Jesus Christ no matter the amount. Give what some would call a "love gift" to God.
Wow! That is so freeing in some ways. To not be consumed with the logistics and calculations figuring up 10% every week. That is awesome! That sounds so much easier to me.
Then in the middle of the night God asked me a question about my giving that rocked my world and I still can not shake. This question took me yet another step forward in my journey of giving...
People are beginning to point out that Malachi is actually in the Old Testament and we are living in a post-cross, post-resurrection world that is not bound strictly to the letter of the law and the 10% that Malachi speaks of.
At first this line of thinking made me nervous...until God took me a step further in my journey of giving.
In 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 the Apostle Paul is relaying what has been happening in the Macedonia churches. They have been giving what they can and then giving even more! They are so consumed with the idea of giving that they can not even stop themselves. Paul sees this and it is his desire to see that same passion flow through all the believers. In verse 8 he even tells them that he's not commanding them to give but wants to see the desire flow out of their hearts.
Don't give because you HAVE to. Give because you WANT to! Don't be so consumed with the idea of giving 10% to the point where if you don't have it you don't give anything. Give out of your love for Jesus Christ no matter the amount. Give what some would call a "love gift" to God.
Wow! That is so freeing in some ways. To not be consumed with the logistics and calculations figuring up 10% every week. That is awesome! That sounds so much easier to me.
Then in the middle of the night God asked me a question about my giving that rocked my world and I still can not shake. This question took me yet another step forward in my journey of giving...
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
The Journey of Giving-1/3
When it comes to giving, especially in the context of church, I believe my earliest understandings came from Malachi 3:10. God instructs his people to bring their tithe (or a tenth) into the storehouse. It's the only place that I have seen where God tells the people to test Him and see if He doesn't open up the very windows of heaven and pour out blessing.
Ever since I became serious about tithing I kind of took the approach of "why not". Why wouldn't I give a tenth of my money. After all if God really is almighty and can do anything then let's see what He can do with just 10%. What do I have to lose? I still have 90% to work with.
Even though God has always supplied for my needs I have to admit that I am tempted sometimes to give God less than a tithe. I start to think..."I could make more progress in paying off ______ bill." "I could make an extra car payment." "I could put that much more towards the house payment." The funny thing is that even while all of that is true God brings me back to the fact that He tells me to "test" Him with the tithe and He has never, ever failed any test before and never will. Do I really trust Him to do what He says? Do I really trust that God can do far more above and beyond all that I can imagine?
Sometimes I don't want to give to God. Sometimes I do it out of habit. Sometimes I do it out of obligation. Sometimes I just do it because I'm afraid not to. Sometimes it really is an act of trust and worship. But this is where I started the journey of giving.
Then God took me a step further...
Ever since I became serious about tithing I kind of took the approach of "why not". Why wouldn't I give a tenth of my money. After all if God really is almighty and can do anything then let's see what He can do with just 10%. What do I have to lose? I still have 90% to work with.
Even though God has always supplied for my needs I have to admit that I am tempted sometimes to give God less than a tithe. I start to think..."I could make more progress in paying off ______ bill." "I could make an extra car payment." "I could put that much more towards the house payment." The funny thing is that even while all of that is true God brings me back to the fact that He tells me to "test" Him with the tithe and He has never, ever failed any test before and never will. Do I really trust Him to do what He says? Do I really trust that God can do far more above and beyond all that I can imagine?
Sometimes I don't want to give to God. Sometimes I do it out of habit. Sometimes I do it out of obligation. Sometimes I just do it because I'm afraid not to. Sometimes it really is an act of trust and worship. But this is where I started the journey of giving.
Then God took me a step further...
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