2 Corinthians 9:6, 7 (New International Version)
6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Father God hit me between the eyes this morning… (I love it when He does that!) Verse 7 says “… what he has decided in his heart to give…”
Look at how the Amplified and the Contemporary English Versions put it…
2 Cor 9:7
(AMP) Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, “prompt to do it”) giver [whose heart is in his giving]. [Prov. 22:9.]
(CEV) Each of you must make up your own mind about how much to give. But don’t feel sorry that you must give and don’t feel that you are forced to give. God loves people who love to give.
God asked me the following question: “Have you specifically budgeted for and budgeted what your Giving?”
Personally, I have a lump catagory of “Tithes and Giving”, but I think I may be missing something. I know that my giving is not the same as my tithe. But my giving, aside from a building committment, is virtually unplanned and unprayed. My tithe is GIVING BACK to God what is ALREADY HIS. He owns the tithe and I either return it to Him or steal it from Him… but that’s not today’s blog.
- Tithing is a discipline and expression of obedience. It’s a compulsory event (to use an Olympic metaphor). It’s a required element and I am either obedient or I’m not.
- Giving, on the other hand, is the freestyle event. It’s required (I’ll address that later) but how and what I give are expressions of my devotion to and faith in Father God.
In verses 7 through 14, Paul describes a cycle… a cause and effect of purposeful giving.
- PURPOSE (v7) leads to GRACE (v8)
- GRACE leads to PROVISION (v10)
- PROVISION leads to GENEROSITY (v11)
- GENEROSITY leads to SUPPLYING NEEDS OF OTHERS (v12)
- SUPPLYING NEEDS OF OTHERS leads to:
- THANKS TO GOD (v12)
- PRAISE TO GOD (v13)
- PRAYERS AND AFFECTION OF OTHERS (v12)
If I purpose my giving, I am not “guilted” into giving to some other purpose – however noble or good it might be. It might even be where others have been led to give. What I’m learning about Father is he is most concerned about my heart and my obedience to Him. I want to direct my giving to those places where Papa wants MY giving to be directed. It gives me the freedom to say “no” because we’ve already prayed through it.
Once I’ve purposed my giving, v8 says that God is able to make all grace abound.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written:
“He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”
I continually teach and reinforce my children the difference between Grace and Mercy. Grace is our getting a gift we do not deserve. Mercy is not getting a punishment we do deserve. Papa is able to give us what we don’t deserve so we might abound in what we do… our work (either vocationally or otherwise). Verse 10 says that God’s grace will supply all we need plus an increase in our “harvest” and v11 tells me that He does this so I will have plenty IN ORDER TO BE GENEROUS on every occasion.
10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
When I am generous, a few things happen:
- Those receiving are thankful to God. It is so important that as I give, I give all the glory to Father, my provider. I must give in humility and not succumb to pride. If I take all the glory, then how will others know to thank God? If they thank me, then I am stealing thanks from Father.
- The gift supplies the needs of God’s people. Verse 12 brings up an interesting question. What about gifts outside of ministry to God’s people – in other words, gifts to the performing arts, gifts to medical research, etc. These are all worthy and noble pursuits. It definitely requires Father’s leading.
12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.
- There is also praise to our Father when we give. Verse 13 says it is because of our obedience and generosity. Earlier I said that giving is required and this is were I draw that from. Nowhere in verse 7 does it say that giving is optional. It says we are to give and the option is how much and how to. Here is were obedience comes in. God calls us to give generously. We obey. Again… it’s all a heart issue. He doesn’t care about the amount. He wants us to give cheerfully. He already owns everything, so the amounts are not important to Him.
13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.
Now, follow me on this, our purposing before we give also reflects our faith in His ability to provide for that purpose. Paul says in verse 8 that Father is able “… in all things at all times, having all that you ne
ed…”. Three “alls” in one sentance…. what do you think he’s saying? When we purpose before hand… before we have the money, or time, or ______ (fill in the blank), we trust that God will provide whatever it is so that we might give generously. That is so cool!!!! - Finally, when we are obedient and generous, the recipients of those gifts respond with affection and prayers for us.
14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
I don’t know about you, but seeing people grateful for a gift and thanking God and praising God and praying for me (the conduit of the gift), encourages me and my faith grows. It makes me want to do it again and because my faith is bigger, I will purpose more gifts knowing my Father in Heaven will supply.
TAKE AWAYS:
- TITHE – this is the basic building block. I cannot give if I am not tithing. If I give before I tithe, then I am giving God’s money to something other than him – which is putting something before God – which is idolatry.
- PRAY & PURPOSE MY GIVING – I am going to create various designated giving catagories, and an undesignated catagory for special needs and donations that I do not yet know about.
- GENEROUSLY PLAN AND EXPECT GOD TO PROVIDE
- BE GENEROUS TO OTHERS IN OBEDIENCE
- HONOR GOD IN THE GIFT – I will not steal HIS due glory.
Running After Papa…