Thoughts on Giving – Part 1

They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything — all she had to live on.” Mark 12:44

God doesn’t want your generosity to be restricted by fear. Either you’ll trust Him financially and experience the joy of participating in His purposes on earth, or trust your own earning ability and live with anxiety. The danger of not moving to a higher level of giving is that you can miss out on something great that God wants to do for you ¬– and through you. Count on it; at some point He’ll challenge you to give more than you’ve ever given before. And at that moment your faith will cause you to say yes, or your fear will cause you to dismiss it as impractical. That’s a pivotal point in your life, because your response to God’s challenge will determine your future. Some levels of giving are effortless, while others make us uneasy. Sooner or later we all hit a wall called fear, and unless you recognize it you’ll never be able to break through it. As a result you’ll live with less than God intends you to enjoy. What’s the solution? Change your concept of ownership! Adolphe Monod said, ‘There’s no portion of money that is our money and the rest God’s…It’s all His; He made it all, gives it all, and has entrusted it to us for His service.’ If you believe that, there’s no reason not to give. However, getting God involved in your finances means surrendering control of your money to Him. And that can be scary. Jesus’ model for generosity was a widow who gave her last penny, without having anything to fall back on except God’s promise to meet her needs. When you reach that point, you’re on the threshold of the miraculous.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, all that is in my possession is Yours! Always has been, I just didn’t realize it. Forgive me. Use me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen