OFFERING - 2 CORINTHIANS 9:5-12
5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.
6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
9(As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.
10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)
11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.
12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; KJV
The verses we just read speak about how to give offerings unto God, of course these verses tell us some important principles about giving the right way. We notice from verse 5 that you can make up your offering amount before hand. This is a very good ideal because it allows you stay within your budget. That same verse tells us very clearly that we should not give out of a covetousness heart. That simply means we should not give money for the sole reason of getting more money for ourselves. That would put a selfish reason on a holy offering unto God. Remember, your offering represents your personal gift unto the Lord. Giving an offering unto God’s purpose is a form of worship unto God. We do not worship God for the sole purpose of receiving something from Him, we worship God because we love Him and He is worthy of all of our praise and honor. This takes us to the next few verses where God speaks of our heart. If we give from a pure heart of love and because we have it to give we will be cheerful. We should never give money out of our own necessity. That means we should give from our abundance not from our lack. This may sound different that some people teach, but the scriptures clearly state to not give from a place of need. If you need more money there are a lot of biblical ways to get more money, but giving from a current position of lack is not one of them. Tithing, saving and prudent spending are all biblical practices that can help you establish a sound financial portfolio. We must learn how to build financial stability through proper planning to keep our personal balance sheet always in the black (plus) rather than the red (negative). When you are doing “OK” financially you can sow sparingly and you will reap a harvest sparingly, which is fine because you are still reaping a harvest from God. If you keep practicing Godly principles you will reach a place where you can give bountifully and likewise you will reap bountifully because God is able to make all His Grace abound toward you. God’s grace will allow you to recognize great deals, see investments of profit and store in accounts to make maximum returns. These blessings are all apart of God’s Grace but they typically don’t happen over night but usually after a consistent process of faith and patience. The Lord has promised to multiply our good seeds sow for His glory and increase the fruits of our righteousness when we obey His Word. Therefore because we seek God’s Word (His Will) and obey the instructions of His Word faithfully with patience we understand the truths of God and reap the many blessing of prosperity on this earth. Realizing just how blessed we are to know and practice God’s Truth in Jesus Christ we give wholehearted thanksgiving unto God continuously. When we do this we help to further the Gospel of Jesus Christ by supplying the needs of His ministries and church while we receive God’s wisdom and grace to flow continuously in His Spirit all the days of our life. Thanks be unto God for allowing us the privilege to minister for Him to others, while He ministers to us for His good pleasure and glory in Jesus Name. Amen!
In His Love, Eric & Angela Foster