THIS PROMISE HAS A PREMISE
Philippians 4:14-16
-----God asks us to be generous people
----------my generosity encourages others(Php 4:14-16)
----------my generosity widens my ministry(Php. 1:5)
----------my generosity pleases God(Php. 4:18)
THIS PROMISE COMES WITH A REWARD
Philippians 4:17 Matthew 6:2-4 Matthew 6:19-20
-----"Our earthly giving affects our heavenly living’---Max Lucado
THIS PROMISE IS REPEATED
2Cor. 9:6-8 Luke 6:38 Matthew 6:19-36 Malachi 3:8-10 Prov. 11:25
This promise comes with a premise. If you meet the premise of 4:14-16 you can claim the promise of 4:19. This promise is not for all people. It is not even for all Christians. Its for those who are meeting the premise. God wants us all to be generous people and if we are meeting that premise we can stand on this promise.
This promise comes with a reward. Pauls says that he is after what will be credited to thier account. This is the heart of any true pastor. Encouraging people to be generousshould carry with it no other motive than the blessing that people can receive from their giving. In some way that no one understands, there is an account in heaven that keeps tabs on our generosity. "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where..."
It sounds crass but somehow our carthly giving affects our heavenly living.
This promise is repeated. This is not an isolated teaching in the bible. It is preated in all the verses that I have listed above. 2Cor. 9:6-8 is the exact same thing in different words. In the OT and NT God repeats this principle for us.
