How does God want us to give?
Pastor Troy Murphy offered a four-part answer to that question during his message on Sunday, Oct. 1 at Community Church:
1-Give with no limits
Generosity is not measured on numbers but on the gratefulness of your own heart. You could be giving 10% of your income and be considered greedy, or 1% and be considered overly generous.
In Luke 18 we read about a rich young ruler who asks Jesus, in essence, what he has to do to be spiritual. He liked rules rather than a heart conversation, because following rules is easier. You can check the box and you are done.
The rich young ruler was looking for the minimum amount required to satisfy his spiritual obligation. Jesus turns the tables and says we should give with no limits. Unfortunately, the man sees the treasure of Christ and decides his worldly wealth is more important.
2-Give as a discipline of freedom and faith
It’s easy to become stuck on money. The more you have, the more you put trust and hope in it. If we develop the discipline of giving, it frees us to proclaim that God is the giver of our money. It was never ours in the first place, so when we give it away, we are being stewards of someone else’s possessions.
3-Give as a response to what you treasure
In Luke 19 we read about a corrupt tax collector named Zacchaeus who was stealing and robbing from his own people. When Zacchaeus met Jesus he turned over a new leaf and gave much of his wealth away, including four times as much to those he cheated.
When Zacchaeus met Jesus his heart was transformed. Following Jesus was worth everything to Zacchaeus, so he started giving his money away. His mindset totally changed — he didn’t see it as his money anymore but God’s.
4-Give faithfully and generously
You cannot be generous without receiving the generosity of the Father through Jesus. You must realize your own brokenness and poverty, and that God is rich in grace and mercy. He gave you everything you have. We should be generous in the same way God has been generous to us.
God wants you to start giving. It’s a heart issue, not a money issue. God wants us to be better stewards of what he has given us. My prayer should be: God open my heart to be more generous.
