Nov 2007

Giving..... some thoughts

 
 

There seems to be found no greater contradiction than a mean or niggardly Christian - such a person is a� "foreigner living inside a native's body"

For God so loved the world� that He gave..........� John 3 : 16

so says probably the Bibles greatest and most well known verse�����

Everywhere around us is the evidence of God's boundless gifts - creation in all its aspects shows the bountiful hand of a loving and thoughtful Creator� God.

The Ocean teems with marine life.

The insect world - swarms of countless varieties;� bird life and its flocks that can even darken the sky.

And the earth itself� - mountains ablaze with� endless carpets of flowers, plant-life, forests, fruit trees, vegetables� -� a myriad� of� provision surrounds us.���

Plants and fruit for food,� herbs for health,� all needs anticipated and provided for by our Creator / God

And under the microscope,� an ordinary drop of water reveals� a miniature Universe of microbes and organisms essential for our existence.

Someone has estimated that there are 3 million types of living creatures on this planet,�� such variety,� abundance,� fullness,� bounty .....

It has been said that there is no problem with the food supply on this wonderful planet� -� only in its distribution to hungry� mouths��

(Man's management is the problem here !)

Every good and perfect Gift has come� down from the Father of Lights��� James 1 :17

And the Universe - as many planets and stars as there are grains of sands on all the� beaches of all the world -� limitless,� infinite�� -� the latest estimate of known space is

100� Billion Galaxies� each with 100 Billion stars�

Our God is revealed throughout all creation as a bountiful loving God of supply and provision.

And personally� -� ask any mature Christian about his provision and sustaining power.

But back to Christians��� and�� Giving� ..............

One Man of God said that he would never baptize anyone except their wallet went in with them !

A� Christian's� attitude� towards� Money �reveals� and� displays� their� inward� motivation.�������������������������������������������������������������������������������

GIVING� is a grace that every Born-again Christian should display,� constantly,

(but within their means of course)

But wisdom is needed, and there are pitfalls - otherwise man's need is a morass that will drain all you have and are, plus your very self also !

From experience ….. some TIPS ............

Give according to Need�� -�� not� deserts

If God didn't deal with us like this,�� where would each one of us� be !!

All of us are basically undeserving,�� but with needs.

The well-known Parable of the Good Samaritan������������ Luke 10 : 34

He��� p o u r e d��� in the oil

and left sufficient for� his needs�� and also promised� to meet any� extra costs !

Give� SIMPLY�� -��� Give with simplicity�� �the Word says�� Romans 12 : 8

This basically means� -� without strings attached,�� without obligation

The "world"� when it gives,� usually does so for recognition,�� or to incur an obligation that one day will be remembered and require some repayment

But� God's giving is never like that

We should never give to cause an obligation to the receiver.

If we do that,� God invariably will not add His blessing to it.

Our�� MOTIVE�� for the act of giving is� Vital� and the Key.

We should give without expectation of response or reward.

GIVE� andit shall be given unto You,� good measure,� pressed down and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom ....... � ���������������������������� ����������������������������������������������� Luke 6 : 38

But this cannot become our motive either ........

God doesn't function on the barter system !

We can't manoeuvre Him into our obligation,� or get Him obliged or indebted� to us.

To give in order to receive in return later,�� or� as an investment into� some sort of� "spiritual bank account"� is not valid with God.

He gives from Love only,�� and requires the same from us.

We receive everything from God by Faith .............� we can't earn anything.

But there is a� Spiritual Law� that comes into operation when we give

The�� Law of� Sowing� and� Reaping .....�� as real�� as the Law of Gravity

It is more Blessed to Give than to receive������������������������ Acts 20 : 35

Countless Christian folk through History will testify to this.

Giving not only produces a� good feeling within us,�� but God repays us in� His own way and time .............. it attracts Blessing in our lives.

�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

But again,� our motives must be right.

Gods measure of Giving is different from ours .......

He judges it from what we have left after we have given,�� not by the size of the gift !

The widow's mite was judged greater than the gifts of the rich�� ������������������������� ����������������������������������������������� ��������� Luke 21 : 1 -4

She gave���� all her Living�� and God saw it,���� and approved.

And this covers the� interminable question� -�� how can I� give when I� haven't much to start� with .........� when I� have big problems� of my� own, and such limited resources ?

Well, I have found that it is in these very times that God� seems to test us.���� He is the God of endless provision, and these are just times of testing to strike at our materialistic natures, and to wean us from covetousness� and greed.

If we can give at such times, our giving is a sacrifice,� and He delights� in it.

Remember the widow's cruse� of oil and barrel of meal�����

1 Kings 17 : 8 - 16

Giving to God's Man first� unlocked God's bottomless provision for her.

Sacrificial Giving is special to God� and� He responds� in His own miraculous way -�� just ask any of� God's choicest� servants, the Missionaries� who tithe,� the beneficiaries who are still able to give of their means,� etc

Giving from little,� honours God above our circumstances.

Let us give� not grudgingly,�� nor of necessity,�� for God� loves a�� CHEERFUL giver������������� ������������������������������������� 2 Corinthians 9 : 6 - 11

Cheerfully� …�� has also been translated� ….� Hilariously

If we have trouble getting our wallets out of out pockets ........ forget it !

God will meet his peoples needs elsewhere, and we will miss the Blessing !

So�� give���� freely,���� willingly,���� joyously,���� blessedly

Remember ..............

��������� The Water of Life is Free���� but the pipe-work costs Money� !

An observation� ..............

���� There are� basically only 2 types of People� in this old World

���� GIVERS��������������� and�������� TAKERS

���� The Generous in Spirit� and deed������������� and� the others !

This in no way is against those deservedly on benefits,� but those whose attitude in life is to grab� and� with-hold where it is due,� who only� know how to� Take� and� Receive.

This is the broad but basic distinction between true Born-Again Christians� and the world, they are (or should be) the Givers,� the others the Takers ....� that's how it always has been and always will be� I would guess !

Concerning��� WILLS�� and���� ESTATES :

Someone has said :

��������� Do� your� Giving������� ������ ��������� while� you're� Living

���� ���� Then� You'll� be� Knowing������� �� where� its� Going !!

There's probably no greater occasion for disputes� and bitterness� amongst families than squabbles over wills and estates - some that go on for lifetimes and cause great rifts and divisions in families.

So -� I would suggest� …�

to make your Will�� CLEAR� and� FAIR,�� and� EQUAL� if at all possible.

Or - it could be the cause of much trouble for the family and relatives later on����� ������������������������������������� Luke 12 : 13, 14

Jesus refused to be drawn into such squabbles over Estates

Covetousness and greed� are the underlying motives in such disputes

Some one has calculated that .........

��������� One sixth��� ��of Jesus words���� �were about� Money

���� ���� One fourth��� of Jesus parables ��were concerning Money

Our attitude to God� and His� people can basically be judged from our� attitude towards� MONEY� and how we spend our discretionary funds ....... our Giving !

And God is�� Watching ........... !

Finally ........

��������� " What,��� Giving� again,"��� I asked in dismay,

���� ���� " And� must I� keep� Giving and� Giving away� ?"

��������� " Oh� No !"� said the angel,�� looking me through,

��������� " Just Give,�� till the Master stops� Giving to you !"

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