The Truth About

Giving

God’s Dare to Give Scripturally

The more you give the happier

you will be! (Acts 20:35)

One Thing You Lack

Mark 10:17-221. A life may be completely in line

with God’s word, but if his attitude toward money is wrong, he can still be lost.

2. Improper giving is on the same level as any other sin!

3. We must willing to give it all!

God Says Much about Money

The most frequently discussed subjects in all of the Scriptures

Money Makes a Miserable Master

Matthew 13:22

“riches are deceitful”

Matthew 6:24

“You cannot serve both God and money”

I Timothy 6:9-10

Whose MONEY is it?

The First Principle of Stewardship

EVERYTHING BELONGS TO GOD!

Psalms 50:9-12

Do Not Forget the Lord

Deuteronomy 8:7-18

Don’t Be a Rich Fool

Luke 12:16-21

Malachi 3:8

How Much DOES GOD

WANT?

Once we determine that all the money we possess is God’s, the next practical question to ask is how much of His money does

God want back?

Willing To Give It All

He wants you to be willing to give it all. If you are not willing to give every penny to the Lord right now, then you love money more than you love God.

Different Requirements for Different People

There is no command in the New Testament as to how much a Christian is suppose to give.

So what percentage is a good place to start giving?

10 Percent?

There is no record in the Bible where God ever accepted less than 10 percent from any of His followers.

10 Percent?

The entire book of Hebrews was written to explain that the New Law is better than the Old Law.

Better High Priest (4:15)

Better Hope (7:19)

Better Promises (8:6)

Better Atonement (9:12)

10 Percent?

Can you imagine a faithful Old Testament Jew who had just been converted to Christ thinking that now since he was a Christian, he could start giving less to God?

What did the Jews do when they began to be converted to Christ?

Acts 2:45 – sold their possessions

Acts 4:34-35 – sold house and landsEven the Gentiles gave to God out of their “deep

poverty” (II Cor. 8:2)

How Much DOES GOD

WANT?

Why no command?

How much does He want?

10 percent?

The problem with these questions is that it can lend itself to pride and works by salvation.

If there was a verse that said give exactly 10 percent or 15 percent, some people would give that much – and only that much – and feel they had paid their dues.

But giving to God is not a tax.The proper attitude toward giving is “to

give cheerfully, not grudgingly or of NECESSITY” (I Cor. 9:7)

What if, instead of asking how much God wants, we ask how much has God blessed us and how much do we want Him to bless us even more?

By the way… I Cor. 16:2

Giving to God First

Card first, present secondWe are taught that it is polite to read the

card first, then turn to the giver and acknowledge their kindness by saying

“Thank You.”

The card serves two important purposes.1. It identifies the name of the giver2. It expresses the personal feelings of care,

friendship, and love the recipient has by showing he cares more about the person who gave him the gift than about the gift itself.

Israel and the Harvest

The most anticipated time of the year!!!

Before the harvest could be enjoyed the “first fruits” must be given.

Exodus 23:19 – land

Exodus 13:2 - livestock

Proverbs 3:9 – “Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase”

Israel and the Harvest

What was God’s purpose behind this?By insisting that His people give back to Him first, God

was trying to help them see what was truly important.

The harvest (everything) were His gifts He gave the Israelites as an expression of His love for them.

By stopping to acknowledge the Giver FIRST, the Israelites were reminded of what was truly important. Their relationship to the Giver was what truly mattered.

So What About Today?Two principles and a warning

The “Better” Principle

If you had been given something better to replace what you had before… how would respond?

Job? Car? Home? Health?

The Book of Hebrews is all about how things are better under the New Law of Christ than under the Old Law.

Better Messenger (1)Better Message (2)

Better than Moses (3)Better Rest (4)

Better High Priest (5)Better Covenant (8)

Better Sacrifice (9-10)

The “Better” Principle

We live under a new and better law than the one people lived under before the coming of Christ. How can we look at the love of Christ and think that we do not owe so much more than those under the Old Testament Law?

If we have been given so many more blessings under the New Law, what logical argument could there be for offering less to God or not offering to God first?

The “Priority” Principle

Matthew 6:24-34Luke 12:13-34

Lesson???We are to seek His kingdom

first – before shelter, food and clothing!

A Warning About Giving Leftovers

If we are to seek His kingdom first – before shelter, food and clothing – what better way can we demonstrate that attitude than by how we manage our personal budgets?

Does God come first in your budget or is He last (planning and practicing)?

A Warning About Giving Leftovers

In almost every budget, the number one item is the mortgage or rent.

Guess what is number two?Food!

(Okay, it might fall to number three behind your car payment)

Then there is utilities and other house comforts…health spending

Clothing is usually next to the last (fire)Then if there is any leftover we give to God.But what did Jesus say? What are our priorities?

A Warning About Giving Leftovers

Malachi 1:6-14

What were the Jews doing?

Offering that which had no value to them… leftovers… it wasn’t a sacrifice!

Do we not do the same thing when our gift to God becomes the last thing in our budget both in planning and practice?