A Joyful Giver?
In the world's way of thinking these two things do not go together: "Joy and Giving". The reason for this is because we naturally look at giving as "losing" something. God, however, says the exact opposite. King Solomon said in Proverbs 11:24-25, that one gives away, and still grows the richer: another keeps what he should give, and is the poorer. A liberal soul will be enriched, and he who waters will himself be watered (Moffat Translation) .
God loves, (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is not willing to abandon or do without) a cheerful, (joyous, "prompt to do it") giver (whose heart is in his giving.) 2 Corinthians 9:7 (Amp).
Many Christians just give enough to irritate themselves! They give with a consciousness of their giving rather than a consciousness of God's generosity! Some give "with a grudge" against God. 2 Corinthians 9:7 in the KJV says not to give "grudgingly". God said it to me this way once: "you don't have to give, you GET to give!" If I give with a consciousness of God's generosity I won't be the one trying to "figure" my tithe down to the penny because I don't want to give God anything more than I "have to".
Personally, that is the kind of attitude I have when it comes to paying a bill or paying my taxes! When I pay the electric bill I don't send an extra $100 to the company just because I think they've done such a good job. No, I pay what is owed...to the penny! With God, I should be so overwhelmed with His grace, His mercy, His provision, His everything in my life, that I desire to sow and give into His kingdom in a cheerful way!
Jesus said in Matt. 6:19-21 to realize that what you give in this life into God's Kingdom of your time, talent and treasure is actually being "stored up" in eternity! When I go get some fast food, the money I spend is enjoyed by my flesh for a couple hours but that money has left my hands to never return! If I go and purchase a new T.V. I can enjoy it for a few years, but eventually it is going to end up in the trash. This life is temporary and the "things" of this life are as well!
We should enjoy this life and the things in this life. Jesus even said he would give us the "stuff" of this life (Matt. 6:32-33); but, in order to truly have the attitude of joy in our giving we must have the proper perspective. If my perspective on giving is that it is leaving my hands to never return, then I will be a "grudging" giver because I see it as God "taking" something from me! If, however, I understand that what I give into God's kingdom is actually going into my future and producing a great harvest in His kingdom and in my own life, then there won't be a "grudge" to my giving, but a great JOY in my giving!
The Lord loves a JOY-FILLED GIVER! Keep the proper perspective in your giving and you'll find that you have plenty to "sow" and plenty to "eat" because it is the nature of any seed to multiply itself! (2 Corinthians 9:10)
God loves, (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is not willing to abandon or do without) a cheerful, (joyous, "prompt to do it") giver (whose heart is in his giving.) 2 Corinthians 9:7 (Amp).
Many Christians just give enough to irritate themselves! They give with a consciousness of their giving rather than a consciousness of God's generosity! Some give "with a grudge" against God. 2 Corinthians 9:7 in the KJV says not to give "grudgingly". God said it to me this way once: "you don't have to give, you GET to give!" If I give with a consciousness of God's generosity I won't be the one trying to "figure" my tithe down to the penny because I don't want to give God anything more than I "have to".
Personally, that is the kind of attitude I have when it comes to paying a bill or paying my taxes! When I pay the electric bill I don't send an extra $100 to the company just because I think they've done such a good job. No, I pay what is owed...to the penny! With God, I should be so overwhelmed with His grace, His mercy, His provision, His everything in my life, that I desire to sow and give into His kingdom in a cheerful way!
Jesus said in Matt. 6:19-21 to realize that what you give in this life into God's Kingdom of your time, talent and treasure is actually being "stored up" in eternity! When I go get some fast food, the money I spend is enjoyed by my flesh for a couple hours but that money has left my hands to never return! If I go and purchase a new T.V. I can enjoy it for a few years, but eventually it is going to end up in the trash. This life is temporary and the "things" of this life are as well!
We should enjoy this life and the things in this life. Jesus even said he would give us the "stuff" of this life (Matt. 6:32-33); but, in order to truly have the attitude of joy in our giving we must have the proper perspective. If my perspective on giving is that it is leaving my hands to never return, then I will be a "grudging" giver because I see it as God "taking" something from me! If, however, I understand that what I give into God's kingdom is actually going into my future and producing a great harvest in His kingdom and in my own life, then there won't be a "grudge" to my giving, but a great JOY in my giving!
The Lord loves a JOY-FILLED GIVER! Keep the proper perspective in your giving and you'll find that you have plenty to "sow" and plenty to "eat" because it is the nature of any seed to multiply itself! (2 Corinthians 9:10)
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