Generosity Wins | Making Change
Making Change
Generosity Wins
Week 1 Soul Tattoo: If I want to walk in the freedom that God desires for me to experience in my finances, the foundation is the tithe.
Week 2 Soul Tattoo: Tithing + Responsible Stewardship = Financial Freedom…Tithe, Budget, Save and Give.
2 Corinthians 9:6-11 (NLT) 6 Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 9 As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” 10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. 11 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous.
2 Corinthians 9:6-11 (MSG) 6Remember: A stingy planter gets a stingy crop; a lavish planter gets a lavish crop. 7I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your own mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob stories and arm-twisting. 8God loves it when the giver delights in the giving God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. 9As one psalmist puts it, He throws caution to the winds, giving to the needy in reckless abandon. His right-living, right-giving ways never run out, never wear out. 10This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. 11He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.
Soul Tattoo: True generosity is determined by the condition of the heart.
We need to remember that we are blessed to be a blessing.
Generosity = Giving My Time + My Talent + My Treasure.
Generous: Willing to give and share.
Spirit: The activating or essential principle influencing a person.
Generous + Spirit = When one of our deepest motivators in life is a willingness to give and share.
Generosity begins with choosing to live openhanded rather than tightfisted with our finances.
John 3:16 (ESV) 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.‘ (Acts 20:35)
Acts 20:35 (NLT) 35 And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’
2 Corinthians 9:11 (NIV) 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
Soul Tattoo: True generosity is determined by the condition of the heart.
3 Reasons we don’t give more often:
- We are struggling.
- We have seen this message abused.
- We have a scarcity mindset.
Proverbs 11:24-25 (MSG) 24 The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller. 25 The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.
Giving is Good! Giving is Good! Giving is Good!
Soul Tattoo: True generosity is determined by the condition of the heart.
3 Ways to grow in generosity:
1.) Trust God with the tithe.
Leviticus 27:30 (ESV) 30 “Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord.
Malachi 3:10 (NIV) 10Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.
- Tithing Teaches: Prioritize your life around God.
- Generosity Teaches: Abundance not a scarcity mindset.
I think wise people will always believe that living off 90% with God’s blessing is always going to be better than living off of 100% for themselves.
2.) Plan your generosity.
Isaiah 32:8 (NLT) 8 But generous people plan to do what is generous, and they stand firm in their generosity.
3.) Start by being generous today.
Philemon 1:6 (NLT) 6 And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ.
Soul Tattoo: True generosity is determined by the condition of the heart.