Page 96 - Personal Spiritual Life Syllabus w videos

Basic Principles for Giving from II Corinthians 9

If you want to read Paul’s most definitive passage in Scripture on giving, read II
Corinthians 8-9, with special emphasis on chapter 9. Let’s glean some very
important giving principles from this chapter….

1. You will reap what you sow…even in the area of giving. You may have heard the quote, “You cannot
outgive God!” What this means is that when God gets a hold of your heart and pocketbook, and begins
directing you toward giving, He will honor obedience with blessings. It may be a return on the gift. He
may give you more money to give away, and even give you a special bonus of something you need. But
this verse promises that your faithfulness will be rewarded by God in a tangible way. Our motive to give
is not to get, but to express our love for our Savior. Giving to get a return demonstrates a false motive
and does not apply to the promise of a blessing.

6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will
also reap generously.

8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you
will abound in every good work

10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of
seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.

2. Give as the Holy Spirit directs you in your heart to give with a cheerful attitude! As you walk with
God daily, empowered by the Holy Spirit, He will speak to you through a still small voice. He will clearly
reveal to you to whom you can direct your financial gifts and exactly how much. Quite often my wife
and I get the same “tug” from God. And when we ask how much, most of the time both of us have the
exact same number in our heads. The gift is not based on a percentage of net or gross income, but on
the leading of the Holy Spirit.

7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under
compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

3. God will provide for your sufficiency through His grace. In multiple verses in Scripture, we are told
that God loves us and promises to take care of us.

8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all
things, may abound to every good work:

4. Giving to God will increase our attitude of thankfulness for all He has done for us. In giving, we are
learning what real love is. God loved us and gave His son for us. God demonstrated His love for us in
that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Giving away our personal possessions and resources
helps us better understand what true love is. In giving, we are enriched.

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.

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