Be A Strong Christian | Strong Christians Are Generous

Isaiah 55:8-9

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways.” This is the Lord’s declaration.

9 “For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

 

A growth point in our faith and trust in God is realizing that God doesn’t give commands for HIS good

  • But for OUR GOOD

 

God is not a boss DEMANDING OUR OBEDIENCE

Instead, a FATHER LEADING us to Blessings

 

To demonstrate this, let’s look at a story we all know…

 

We talk a lot about the garden of Eden and how that frames the world…

  • Defining good and bad for ourselves

 

SOMETHING IMPORTANT HAPPENED AFTER THE FALL

Genesis 3:17–19

17 And he said to the man, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘Do not eat from it’: The ground is cursed because of you. You will eat from it by means of painful labor  all the days of your life.  18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground, since you were taken from it. For you are dust, and you will return to dust.”

 

In the garden, there was PLENTY

OUT of the garden was SCARCITY
We all know what scarcity feels like

  • It’s never enough

Here’s the trick of scarcity thinking:

It doesn’t matter how much you do or don’t have; there will never be enough
This series is about being or becoming a Strong or stronger Christian believer

 

Talked about:

Strong feed themselves with God’s truth

Strong Christians Control their thoughts

 

Today is gonna be about another mind shift that it takes to be a truly strong Christian

 

Strong Christians are Generous Christians

 

The context of Generosity i talk about today is twofold

  • Generous with MONEY
  • Generous with TIME

Why is this important

  • Because some of us can write a Check and be generous with money, but what we really hold back is our time
  • Some of us have plenty of time and are willing to give it, but we don’t have money so we hold back

 

Let’s talk about moving from SCARCITY THINKING to GENEROUS THINKING

1: Generosity takes Trust

 

We can all admit that we have trust issues…
Dog eat dog world…

  • the only person I can trust is me

 

One thing we do in church is the power of money…

  • It promises us freedom, happiness, and pleasure

 

1 Timothy 6:17

17 Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy.

 

I know what you are thinking… But I’m not rich!

 

…to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth

 

That’s it right there…

 

I want you to answer the following question in your head as honestly as possible
What do you think has the most power to change your current circumstances right now?

  • Prayer
  • 1 Million dollars

 

I know what the “RIGHT” answer is, but I also know what the “HONEST” answer is

  • its the HOPE of wealth

We have bought into the idea that if we have more, it will fix our problems

  • We have a trust Issue

 

We trust wealth, even the idea of it, more than our Heavenly Father
But that is FALSE HOPE!

  • Wealth is uncertain
  • It can be lost
  • Taken
  • doesn’t fix your problems
  • often brings more

 

Paul understood this tension…
Philippians 4:11-13

12 I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. 13 I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.
What he is saying here is so important
Having an abundance is NOT bad

  • but putting your hope and trust in it is…

 

What does this mean for GENEROSITY?
When you don’t trust God, you will live with a scarcity mindset

  • You can’t give away what you will never have enough of

 

Being generous begins with trusting that God will take care of us

  • He is our hope
  • In plenty
  • or in need

Wealth does not mean that God loves more

  • Living in need does not mean you trust God less

 

We trust God is ALL THINGS
Philippians 4:19

19 And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

 

God our Father is our supply
Again:

GENEROSITY TAKES TRUST

3: Generosity Is A Heart Issue

 

Let’s look at a story…

 

Luke 21:1–4

1 He looked up and saw the rich dropping their offerings into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow dropping in two tiny coins.

 

This is what Jesus heard and saw

  • Some giving much
  • A widow giving little

Widows in this day were often very poor

  • Husband provided income
  • No life insurance policies
  • Had to depend on the generosity of others

 

3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all of them.

 

Apparently, Jesus does not understand math..
Two is very little

  • The others were giving much

But there is something else going on

 

Kingdom math is not like our math

  • God is not concerned with amounts

 

Why?

Because there is no gift we can give God that he doesn’t already have

 

4 For all these people have put in gifts out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”

 

This is what I mean about a heart issue

 

When we go to give our money/time

the surplus is what is easy to give

the extra

 

So what happens is we give what we have extra of

  • Some have TIME
  • Some have MONEY

But God is not after either of those things; HE IS AFTER YOUR HEART

  • That’s what He really wants

 

Remember: God does not give us commands for HIS good

  • Our giving DOES NOT help God
  • Giving HELPS US

 

Words are CHEAP

  • Actions are COSTLY

Generosity is Faith in Action

 

The poor widow DEMONSTRATED MORE FAITH

  • She gave in here little
  • where others just gave in their excess

So God’s command of GENEROSITY is literally FOR YOUR GOOD

  • It keeps your heart focused on God and not on what you have

 

Here is a litmus test of a generous heart:

Your generosity should change the way you live

  • Your generosity with MONEY makes you live at a lower standard of living
  • Your generosity with TIME changes the way you spend your time

 

Practical tips for Being Generous

 

Tithing

  • A good standard is 10%
  • The early church gave everything (Acts 2)
  • Like the widow, we give what we can
  • God is not after an amount but after your heart

 

Generous outside the church

  • Serve people
  • Ask God to show you opportunities
  • Have food/gas cards on hand to give out (not cash)

 

Time

  • To some, your time is worth a lot – can give money easily
  • Serving the church is as important as giving

 

Acts 2

45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house.
Not saying this because I’m a pastor

  • This is what the Bible commands us to do

Generosity is:

  • About Trust
  • A Heart Issue – God is after your heart, not your stuff

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