-->
"Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down,
shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the
same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” - Luke 6:38
Did you know that Luke 6:38 has nothing to do with the
giving of our tithes?
Let that sink in for just a moment. . . .
Ok, I’ll say it again. Luke 6:38 has nothing to do with the
giving of our tithes.
Our tithes already belong to God. Returning them to Him
simply elicits His provision in meeting our daily need. I’ve always said that
10 percent of our income has the potential for either a curse or a promise of
provision. Try not giving your tithes. I guarantee you will have repair bills
or medical costs equaling or surpassing what you didn’t give in tithes.
We always seem to link tithes and offerings to God’s
blessing. I did, until one day I saw Luke 6:38 in a completely different light.
That’s when I realized that God wanted to bless my life through the incredible
principle of ‘generosity.’
My wife and I started secretly responding to need as it
became apparent to us through various opportunities.
At first, we did not
expect anything in return. We still don’t.
However, we discovered that God
rewards the generous spirit. Things started appearing in our life that did not
fit into the “need” category.
We actually began to experience a form of blessing that God
reserves for the generous individuals who are willing to be His answer to
prayer in someone’s life.
Generosity has added a whole new dimension to our
life.
Ways to practice “generosity:”
1. When in a restaurant, pray for an opportunity to
pay someone’s meal cost. Simply ask the waitress to “snag” their check, wait
till after you leave and then tell them their meal ticket has been paid. This
is a great way to bless police officers and first responders.
2. Listen to conversations in which someone shares
a financial or other need. Ask God to show you how He wants you to be His
answer to their prayer.
3.Tip your waitress/waiter or hotel maid well—even
if the service was not up to your approval. Perhaps they need someone to bless
them and help turn a bad day around.
4. Don't wait until you have extra. Be generous out of your need. That's the seed that God blesses!
5. Oh, and don't give to get. That takes all the fun out of the whole idea of being God's boots on the ground. Don't worry . . . He will bless you in ways you never imagined.
If you decide to trust God in this area, do so with no other
motive than to be His hand in someone’s life. Do it anonymously and do not look for an opportunity to be praised for
your generosity.
-->
After all, God keeps good books!
Dr. Jim
0 comments:
Post a Comment