Give And It Will Be Given To You

Give and It Will Be Given To You (Luke 6:38)

We cannot expect our situations to improve unless we learn how to improve our attitude about giving. Giving involves far more than money. Giving is an attitude that allows us to give all that we are, have and possess in the Holy Spirit to provide greater glory for God.

Illustration: Bernice Kanner states in her book, "Are you Normal About Money," "What surprised me most was the incredible lengths that some people will go to for money. For example, 21% said they would wolf down a worm for $300, while 26% said they wouldn’t touch it for less than $1000. Meanwhile, 59% would eagerly shave their heads for $10,000. Your approach to money says more about you than probably any aspect of your personality. Jesus said, Where your treasure is there will your heart be also. Do not lay up for yourself treasures on earth but treasures in heaven. (Matt 5:24)

Giving begins with the realization that “From Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.” (Rom. 11:35,36)

In other words, He is the source, the means and the goal of all of life.

Quote: Where your pleasure is, there is your treasure; where your treasure is, there is your heart; where your heart is, there is your happiness.

Augustine

Quote: I have tried to keep things in my hands and lost them all, but what I have given into God’s hands I still possess.

Martin Luther

Let us realize that many Americans are confused about success. Most of us think that if we give then we will have less chance of being considered successful in the eyes of others.

Illustration: The Success Paradox

In one national study Barna discovered that people’s views of success had little to do with their faith and spiritual wholeness. People focused on personal accomplishments, family solidarity and emotional fulfillment.

Barna.org notes that only 7% identified spiritual wholeness and development as the factor that will produce a successful life. "The Christian faith commends sacrifice, servant hood and sharing as the means to significance," he noted. "How is it possible to have more than 120 million adults attending Christian churches on a regular basis, but only 15 million who grasp the message that success is not about personal accomplishment or material possessions?"

Sadly, Barna.org reports that most Americans say that family and personal accomplishments lead people’s list of success determinants, instead of godliness with contentment as great gain. (I Tim. 6:6-8)

Luke 6:38 – “Give and gifts will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will they pour into the pouch form by the bosom of your robe and use as a bag. For with the measure you deal out with the measure you use when you confer benefits on others, it will be measured back to you.” (Amplified Bible)

The basic principle that Jesus is teaching is that if you want to change what you are getting then we must begin by giving love, goods, services, resources, time, energy, commitment, teaching, intercessory prayer support and whatever it is that we believe would give God the greatest glory.

The Lord assures that with the biblically based promise, “Whatever man sows that will he also reap. (Gal. 6:6,7) Whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully, but if we sow sparingly, then we can expect to reap sparingly. (2 Cor. 8,9,10)

Illustration: In Matthew, Mark, and Luke 1 out of every 6 verses deals with money. Of the 29 parables Christ told, 16 deal with a person and his money. Give of your monetary resources or they may end up controlling you and your heart.

Many of us do not give because we are afraid of losing the little resources we have. However, Jesus assures us that whatever we have belongs to Him anyway and if we give it away He will replace it with everything that we according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Perhaps one of the most comprehensive promises in the Bible comes from 2 Cor. 9:8 that says, “God is able to make all grace abound to you so that having all things, at all times, you will have all that you need so you can abound in every good work.” That covers all areas of life so we should not hesitate to give unreservedly with such a complete underwriting guarantee.

Quote: If you give what you do not need, it isn’t giving.

Mother Theresa

1. Jesus is teaching us that if we want to be forgiven we first need to give forgiveness. By trying to play the victim or insisting that we have been wrong is the worldly way of clamoring for our own justice. The Lord Jesus knew better. He taught that love covers a multitude of sins. People who are gracious, forgiving and tend to overlook others faults are apt to be forgiven by others. Being less judgmental means realizing that we need to forgive just as God in Christ has forgiven us for the glory of God so therefore, we should initiate forgiveness in all aspects of our relationships, situation and work environment.