By the time you read this, we will have completed our three week fast to kick off what we have called “a year of giving.” It is my prayer that this was a time of growth for you, for your family, and for our church. I want to take a moment to thank you for participating; there is power in unity, and it is exciting to see this local church unite in prayer and fasting for direction from God for the new year.
I also want to encourage you, again, to observe with us the first Monday fast every month, and to consider joining us for Monday night prayer when you can. Prayer really is the heart of the church, and the key to successfully living out God’s plan for us as a church. Just as there is power in uniting in something like a church-wide fast, there is power when we assemble for the purpose of corporate prayer.
Meanwhile, we move into February, and as we wrap up this series on giving, we will resume our journey through the Bible, picking up where we left off in Acts. We will often return to the theme of giving, and I challenge you to continue to keep your hearts open to what the Spirit of the Lord would speak to you through the services and in prayer. I have often said we don’t get extra credit in heaven for knowing right doctrine. Believing in tongues does not edify us spiritually; praying in tongues does. Knowing the right thing is only good for us if we do the right thing.
Same with giving. Having right doctrine and beliefs is important only because then we know what to do. But those right ideas do not benefit us at all if we don’t do them. Giving is hard if you are not in the habit of giving. But once you are convinced of the truth of the word of God concerning giving, you must give. How much? Remember what we called the “gold standard” of giving under the new covenant: 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 says,
“But this I say; He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”
The command is clear and the promise is clear. If you sow bountifully and cheerfully, you will reap bountifully and abundantly. I think sometimes even those of us who are convinced of this – and I mean convinced to the point of obedience – still miss something important. We give willingly, not grudgingly, but still “out of necessity.” As if we are afraid of missing a tithe because we will be cursed or something. There remains an element of legalism. There certainly is a right and wrong involved here. It is right to give; it is wrong not to. But something is wrong with our hearts if we are not giving cheerfully.
And one of the things that will enable us to be cheerful in our giving is the honest anticipation of His promise coming to pass. We will always have enough, PLUS an overage; an abundance for every good work. That, my friends, is a great place to be.
Pastor Scott Millis
