On Being A Giver Pt. 2

I have never done a part 2 on anything but I felt that my testimony last week stopped short of all that God had laid on my heart. So, I decided to finish it this week. I was told a long, long time ago by a wise man of God that one of the very few ways that someone could prove to God that they were serious was in their giving. If someone was willing to give of their substance they usually weren't playing around. At any rate let me share some thoughts with you on the subject.

7  Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
Gal 6:6-7 (NASB)

You know for a long time I thought this verse was considering spiritual issues in our lives but that isn't the case here. The preceding verse(6) starts a new paragraph and with it a new line of thought. Look at verse 6, the context is material and the sharing of material blessings.

6  The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him.
Gal 6:6 (NASB)

That verse is self explanatory. Whomever is feeding us spiritually, our pastor or our church should be able to expect material support from us. This actually is part of the burden or load that we are expected to bear. We are responsible not only to our families but to those who feed us spiritually in the household of God. God places great importance on this. In verse 8 Paul likens this material support or lack thereof to sowing to the flesh or Spirit.

8  For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Gal 6:7-8 (NASB)

Notice the use of terms here. On the one hand we can withhold and sow to OUR flesh or we can give and sow to the SPIRIT. Not our spirit but the Spirit of God. But, as I said last week, it is to our(yours and mine) benefit to become givers. Let me give you another illustration that was given me years ago.

If you know anything about the Dead Sea you know that their is no life in that body of water in Israel. The reason for this I am told is because the Sea is fed by the Jordan River in the north but has no outlet. The water flows in but then is trapped with no channel to flow out and everything dies. You see we are all channels of God's blessings. Just like this blog. If God gives me stuff to write about and I don't write about it, eventually it will die on the inside of me because I didn't channel it on down the line to someone else. Same concept with giving. If God blesses us materially and we don't take a portion and send it on down the line, then it restricts the flow and eventually will block it altogether. That's just the way God works. But, God has given us many promises from His word on giving.

38 Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return."
Luke 6:38 (NASB)


Now this isn't just anyone talking here. It's the Lord Jesus Christ himself. You see the concept here. Ronnie, you give and I'll give back to you. You keep giving and I'll keep giving to you. It is a flow. You open the tap for more blessing by being a blessing. Look at that "your standard of measure". That's talking about our liberality in giving. How we measure it out to others is the exact same measure God will use to give to us. God's giving to us is based on how we give to others. It says as much later on in 2nd Corinthians. Looksee.

 6 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
2 Cor 9:6 (NASB)

Listen brothers and sisters God isn't interested in getting what is ours. HE OWNS IT ALL ANYWAY! No,no, He's just providing us a way to partake of His blessing and that way is by becoming a blessing to others. I'll close with this final verse.

12 Then the Lord said to me, "You have seen well, for I am watching over My word to perform it."
Jer 1:11-12 (NASB)

In this passage the Lord is telling Jeremiah that He will do what He says He will do. It was in connection with the prophesies that Jeremiah would be carrying to Judah. Well, God hasn't changed. He still watches over His Word to perform it.
"Ronnie, I'm good for My Word. You give and I'll give to you. You give bountifully and I'll pour it into your lap, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. There won't be enough room to receive it."

Like I said last week God is good for His word. He wants to bless you and me and make us a channel of blessing to others. Become a giver. Amen?!

 4  Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart. 5  Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
Psalms 37:4-5 (NASB)


God Bless