Generosity

 This is Chuck Rapp with a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters. 

As I write and record this message, it is less than 2 weeks since we celebrated Christmas.  Though I no longer get excited for presents, my 9 and 6-year old grandsons certainly do!  These days I find enjoyment in watching them open gifts on Christmas Eve when we’re together. 

We’re reminded in John 3:16 that because God loved, He gave).  Further, 2 Peter 1:3a tells us that “His divine power has given us all things toward life and godliness.”  [emphasis added]

As His disciples we want to follow His example and instructions.  Galatians 6:10 reminds us “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” 

John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church from whom many of us, myself included, in OMS, have our spiritual roots, said nearly 300 years ago that we are to “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” 

The Lord wants us not only to be generous in our behavior; He wants us to have a generous spirit. 

On several occasions I’ve observed VCP leaders share money from their own wallet with church planters or coordinators who were in need.  I’m touched, encouraged, and challenged by their generosity.    

Paul wrote to the Philippian church in chapter 4 “Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. (14) ..  for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. (16) I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. (18-19)

Note that Paul describes the gifts from the Philippian church as “a fragrant offering and an acceptable sacrifice”.  It is in this context that Paul assures them that “God will meet all their needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” 

As we are generous, our motivation is key.  We are to be generous out of obedience to Christ, not so that we receive some blessing. Having said that, obedient generosity places us in God’s economy where we’re the recipients of His assurance that “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."   (Luke 6:38)

The Lord wants us not only to be generous in our behavior; He wants us to have a generous spirit. 

 

This has been a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.  

Give Part 2

 GIVE

Part 2

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “A Word of Encouragement

for Village Church Planters.”

God loves a cheerful giver. He delights when we his children give to him

joyfully and freely. But God does not twist our arm to make us give. He allows

us to make a choice. When we choose to give, we demonstrate love for him.

What father does not enjoy getting a good gift from his son or daughter? Our

heavenly Father rejoice when we honor him by giving to His work. The Bible

says, “ 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.”

Many Christians would like to be a cheerful giver, but they find it difficult to

give. They are fearful that if they give to God, they will not have enough to

take care of themselves. So giving is associated with fear. If they give, they

feel sad, because they know they won’t be able to buy something for

themselves which they wanted or needed. I know about this kind of fear and

this kind of sadness, because when I was first married, my giving to the Lord

was surrounded by fear and sadness.

Friend, this is not what God wants. The Bible is clear, God loves a cheerful

giver. So how can you as a Village Church Planter become a cheerful giver?

How can you teach your people to give cheerfully?

The steps are simple but the journey may be hard. Give by faith. Give because

God commands you to give. As you give, thank God for providing income so that

you can give. After you give, pray and exercise faith for God to meet your

needs. When God meets your needs by providing more income, or more work or

by helping you manage your resources well, don’t forget to thank him. Tell

trusted friends what God has done for you. And keep giving. Give by faith.

Plan your giving. Don’t wait for someone to ask you to give. Give to the Lord’s

work each week. Thank Him for meeting your needs and for providing for your

family. And keep giving. After a while, giving will become a joy and will no

longer be a burden. You will rejoice because you know that you are a co laborer with Christ. You

 will be cheerful because you know that what you have

given will be used by God to bless others.

Let me sum up what I’m trying to say. Give in obedience to Christ’s command.

Give even when it is difficult. Watch how God meets your needs. Thank Him

for his provision. Keep giving by faith. Keep trusting him. Soon you will become

a cheerful giver. Then you can teach others in your church to give by faith.

This has been a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

E2-16

#EncouragementforVillageChurchPlanters #GiveGenerously #GiveByFaith

Give Pt. 1

 

GIVE 

Part 1

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “A Word of Encouragement

for Village Church Planters.”

In the months and years after I gave my life to Christ, I had a hard time

understanding what means to have faith. When I was a young Christian, I

thought that faith was primarily demonstrated when people prayed for a

miracle and God answered their prayer. That, I thought was the most

important sign of faith. I think one reason I didn’t understand faith very well

was that I had a hard time understanding the Book of Hebrews. It is in chapter

11 of that book in which we learn about faith as we hear stories about men and

women who obeyed God. Once I started reading the book of Hebrews, I came

to understand that one of the greatest signs of faith is to obey God, even when

it is hard to obey Him.

This podcast is about Jesus’ command to give. He said, “Do not judge, and you

will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive,

and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure,

pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your

lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

That’s right, Jesus commands us to give. And not only are we supposed to give,

we are supposed to give generously, giving to the Lord ten percent or more of

what we earn. This is not easy. Just like every other point of obedience to

Christ, it takes faith to give. We ask ourselves, “If I give to God, how will I

live, how will I survive, how will I have enough money for food and clothing?

We wonder, “If I teach others to give, how will they survive? They are so

poor.” This kind of reasoning is the reasoning of a person who is not walking by

faith. The Scriptures are clear, “Give and it will be given to you.” When we

give, God gives us more. How do I know this? First of all the Bible teaches us

this truth and I trust the Bible. Secondly, I have known many followers of Jesus

who have testified that when they gave, God continued to meet their needs.

And thirdly, I have given to God for the past 41 years and I am still alive, I still

have clothes to wear and food to eat. God is good.

So here is my message to Village Church Planters today. Give. Give generously.

Give ten percent or more of your earning to God. Give in faith. Once you have

begun giving, teach others to give. Giving to God is a great joy and a great

privilege for those who trust their heavenly Father to meet their needs.

This has been a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

E2-15

#EncouragementforVillageChurchPlanters #GiveGenerously #Faith