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.
2. Jesus is teaching that “Give” is an imperative command that is continuous. He expects obedience, submission and trust toward the greatest Giver of all time. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. (John 3:16) God has bestowed upon us a spiritual nature as a giver. To not give is to be disobedient and inconsistent to our new Christ like nature. Just because we gave last Christmas does not mean that we can sit back and wait until December rolls around again. Agape love keeps on giving even when it knows that a certain person probably will not return the favor. If we love God then when will give. Let your giving grow out of the overflow of the love that Christ has put in your heart.
3. Jesus knew that our life is a series of choices to give or to withhold what we should give away. Essentially, Jesus is saying, “If you do not use what I have given you, you will lose it.” Jesus taught that the person who had one talent and buried it had it taken from him because he refused to give it away.
4. Jesus knew that when people are hurt they do not feel like giving, but this is often the most important time. One set of parents hated a man who caused the death of their only daughter. Instead of becoming bitter they started a program to reach out to help teenagers avoid being involved in such drunken driving tragedies. It changed their entire perspective as they found that by giving out of their tragedy the Lord made them richer than they ever imagined. When they invested time, energy and resources into others they focused on preventing other accidents that might cause hurt. The Lord is always able to use the worse tragedies in our lives to bring about greater triumphs if we will only let Him.
5. Jesus knew that we need to give more than money as life does not consist merely of our possessions. The Lord Jesus wants us to some of the following to enrich our lives:
A. Give FRIENDSHIP. Solomon wrote, “If you want to have a friend, show yourself to be a friend.” Friendly people never lack supporting friends. As we give acceptance, a sense of belonging and genuine concern for others’ interests, we can be assured of never having to lack companionship. Friendly people are loving people who do not merely look out for their own interests but also for the interests of others. They have the same attitude that was found in Christ Jesus.
B. Give intercessory PRAYER SUPPORT.
Quote: C. H. Spurgeon said, “I would much rather teach ten people to pray than to instruct one individual to preach.”
There is no human defense so great that it cannot be influenced by prayer. When we pray for people we are ministering to their great need – spiritual concerns. Bring to bear the power of God on to the person’s situation and you will see the person change as well as your attitude toward them.
C. Give LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, GENTLENESS, FAITHFULNESS, AND SELF-CONTROL TO EVERY SITUATION. (Gal. 5:22,23) The fruits of the spirit never spoil or grow stale. These fruits contain the essential spiritual nutrients that supply people with the appetite to taste and see that the Lord is good. People who give positive fruits can expect to yield a harvest of righteousness, love and fruitful relationships.
Illustration: "Regardless of its true character and intent, the Christian community is not known for love, or for a life transforming faith," explained the researcher. "Outdated means of outreach, inappropriate assumptions about people’s faith, and a lack of passion for helping non-believers to receive God’s love and acceptance are hindering the Church from fulfilling its mandate. America remains one of the largest mission fields in the world, and the American Church remains the most richly endowed body of believers on the planet. There is no lack of potential."
D. Give APPRECIATION, COMPLIMENTS AND ENCOURAGEMENT. Too often we take others for granted, but people need affirming.
E. Give HANDOUTS. I have learned, after teaching for many years in seminary and in a Christian college that students are much more apt to be transformed by truth when they are given it in a one or two page handout that helps them remember, meditate and transfer that information to their lives as well as to other’s lives. It is not enough to simply give out truth orally, but it is best to give it out in written form where they have something to take with them.
This is obviously a lot more work and requires a greater monetary investment and takes more time and effort to write the notes down, but it is an invaluable investment if you want to aid your students in their ability to give to others. Give so you can help others learn how to give, teach, and multiply essential truths to multiply more disciples for Jesus Christ and His purposes.
F. Give a HELPING HAND to someone in need.
Show someone you love them by doing something extra.
Baby-sit a poor exhausted mother’s children for a few
hours.
Take an elderly person for a ride. Go to a rest home and give someone a visit and some cookies. Give someone a note of encouragement.
G. Give people ROOM TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITIES. Let family and friends have some alone time. Jesus knew he had to come a part from the crowd, or he would come a part.
H. Give VISION.
Illustration: "Pastoring is a difficult job," he acknowledged, "and it’s important not to become discouraged by the magnitude of the spiritual battle in which we are engaged - after all, we know that we are aligned with the winning camp. However, it’s a bit troubling to see pastors feel they’re doing a great job when the research reveals that few congregants have a biblical worldview, half the people they minister to are not spiritually secure or developed, kids are fleeing from the church in record numbers, most of the people who attend worship services admit they did not connect with God, the divorce rate among Christians is no different than that of non-Christians, only 2% of the pastors themselves can identify God’s vision for their ministry they are trying to lead, and the average congregant spends more time watching television in one day than he spends in all spiritual pursuits combined for an entire week.
"Pastors, alone, cannot be held accountable for the spiritual disrepair of America. But it’s worrisome when there is a strong correlation between church size and self-satisfaction, because that suggests that attendance and budget figures have become our mark of success. It’s troubling when our spiritual leaders cannot articulate where we’re headed and how the Church will fulfill its role as the restorative agent of our society. Maybe the comfort afforded by our buildings and other material possessions has seduced us into thinking we’re farther down the road than we really are."
I. Give RESPECT and we will often receive caring consideration. Many husbands are discontented because they fail to get respect in their households. The Bible makes it clear that the man is the head of the household who deserves the respect afforded to him.
Many women do not feel they are respected or given deferential esteem since they are often overlooked or disregarded. Every person deserves respect since they are person created by God. Respect is regard for another individuals’ importance, position or status. By showing proper respect to people we are politely giving them a sense of importance that helps us refrain from offending people. Give respect to peoples’ concerns and they will often reciprocate in kind.
Quote: You can give and not love, but you can never love without giving!
Giving and forgiving are good team members.
Giving means to share, to bear, to yield to another,
change possessions, to commit to another’s trust,
enter wholeheartedly into an activity.
Wade Hughes
Be assured that with the measure you give will be the measure that you will receive. If you give much then you will receive much from the hand of God in a way and in the time frame that He deems proper. He who sows generously, will also reap generously.
Luke 6:38 Give and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over shall men give unto your bosom. For with the same measure that you mete, it shall be measured to you again.
We are not bribing God, but are giving out of obedience to His command and as a response to His overflowing generosity to us.
J. Give GENEROUSLY without thought of what you might get in return. Jesus said, “Love your enemies and give expecting nothing in return and your reward in heaven will be great.” (Luke 6;35,36) We cannot expect God to have to give back exactly what we have given while we are on earth. The assures us that a greater reward is awaiting us in heaven.
Quote: He who gives what he would as readily throw away, gives without generosity; for the essence of generosity is in self-sacrifice.
Sir Henry Taylor, quoted in New Beginnings
K. Give FREELY without thought of feeling that others are obligated to give back to you. Let us remember the words of the Lord Jesus who said, “Freely you have received, freely give.”
Solomon wrote in Proverbs 11:24,25
There is one who scatters, yet increases all the more. And there is one who withholds what is justly due, but it results only in want. The generous man will be prosperous and he who waters will himself be watered. He who withholds grain, the people will curse him, But blessings will be on the head of him who sells it… He who trusts in riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.” (Prov. 11:25-28)
Illustration: CAIRO, EGYPT (ANS) -- WHY SHE WAS CHOSEN -- Founder of Stephen’s Ministry, Maggie Gobran, affectionately dubbed “Momma Maggie,” still wonders how she ended up as an angel of hope to the thousands who live on Cairo’s garbage dumps and in the city’s slum areas. She gave and now she is continually given a sense of fulfillment and the assurance that God will give her an eternal reward.
L. Give ACCORDING TO A PLAN. It is imperative to plan out your giving so that you can give consistently, most effectively and to the places that will help complete Christ’s great commission of Matthew 28:18-20. Paul told us
“On the first day of each week let each one of you (personally) put aside something and save it up as he has prospered (In proportion to what he is given) so that no collections will need to be taken after I come.” (I Cor. 16:2) Let us give as we have been given, but do it as a habitually plan course in our lives just as we plan out all aspects of our lives and ministries.
M. Give CHEERFULLY as God loves a cheerful giver. Do not give grudgingly or out of necessity because the motive with which we give is just as important to God as the gift itself.
Illustration: A mother wanted to teach her daughter a moral lesson. She gave the little girl a quarter and a dollar for church "Put whichever one you want in the collection plate and keep the other for yourself," she told the girl. When they were coming out of church, the mother asked her daughter which amount she had given. "Well," said the little girl, "I was going to give the dollar, but just before the collection the man in the pulpit said that we should all be cheerful givers. I knew I’d be a lot more cheerful if I gave the quarter, so I did." Bits and Pieces, Feb 4, p. 23
Quote: I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare.
C.S. Lewis
N. Give people a LISTENING EAR. Let us learn how to be swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to become angry. (James 1:19) People everywhere are longing to have someone listen to their problems. Love is patient and kind. The greatest ways to show love is to give time, patience and a listening ear as it shows respect, care and loving concern.
O. Give ENCOURAGEMENT that is in Christ, CONSOLATION OF LOVE, FELLOWSHIP OF THE SPIRIT, AFFECTION AND COMPASSION. (Phil. 2:1,2) Learn how to be more expressive in your concern for one another as Americans are increasingly becoming more cold, skeptical and hesitant to show outward displays of affection.
P. Give LAUGHTER with those who laugh and give tears with those who are in mourning.
Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart does good like a medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.
Q. Give your TIME AND ENERGY to someone. This may mean playing a game with them or sharing an article that you read on the internet. Give them an email of encouragement. Give someone a hearty hand-shake.
You have a friend that would love to play golf,
game of cards, or some game.
Friendships need some just playing time,
life is serious, learn to play and have a hobby.
R. Give someone a SMILE OF APPROVAL or a greeting. Many people do not even greet people that they meet anymore for fear of being misunderstood. We are becoming an increasingly cold, indifferent and distant society. Learn that body language often speaks volumes about our attitude and disposition in more effective ways than even the words we may speak.
It takes less muscles to smile than to frown.
S. Give INSTRUCTION TO YOUR DISCIPLES. To best multiply your giving, Jesus expects us to give to faithful people who will be able to teach others also. Ask the Lord to give you faithful disciples who will be able to reproduce what it is that you give them for the qualitative and quantitative expansion of Christ’s kingdom and righteousness. Jesus said, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt 6:33)
When we give to advance His kingdom and righteousness, we are assured that God will supply all of life’s necessities to us. This alleviates worry of being in want. Giving is an antidote for anxiety of all sorts. We simply give what He has given to us today and then we do not have to worry about what we will need for tomorrow.
Concluding Illustration: "In Other Words," a publication of the Wycliffe Bible Translators, recently told a story about Sadie Sieker, who served for many years as a house-parent for missionaries’ children in the Philippines. Sadie loved books. Though she gladly loaned out some, others she treasured in a footlocker under her bed. Once, in the quiet of the night, Sadie heard a faint gnawing sound. After searching all around her room, she discovered that the noise was coming from her footlocker. When she opened it, she found nothing but an enormous pile of dust. All the books she had kept to herself had been lost to termites. What we give away, we keep. What we hoard, we lose.
Larry Pennings
God judges what we give by what we keep.
George Mueller
When God’s work is done in God’s way for God’s glory, it will never lack God’s supply.
Hudson Taylor
