Declaration: I am GENEROUS.
Luke 6:38
Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full — pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”
Key Bible Verses: 2 Corinthians 9:6-8; Luke 6:38
2 Corinthians 9:6-8
6 Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”[a] 8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.
Luke 6:38
38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.
Devotion
I read a story that so perfectly encapsulated giving, I figured I’d try my best to recite it for you.
One day, a man was lost in a desert without water, but he saw an old makeshift structure. He knew he couldn’t make it much longer, so he got to the covering as fast as his worn out legs could carry him. To his surprise, inside he found a jar of pure looking water. This jar was on the floor next to a pump.
Filled with relief, he walked over to the jar to quench his overbearing thirst. As he reached down to pick up the jar of water he noticed a sign. The sign read, “Use this water to prime the pump. When you’ve gotten as much water as you need, refill the jar, and leave it for the next person who will pass this way.”
This man suddenly found himself in the tensions of a dilemma because he was so thirsty that he was close to dehydration. What if he followed the directions on the sign and there was no water in the well? What if he poured out all the water he now held in his hand and got nothing in return? Was that worth the risk to even try? The man had to make a decision to either fill himself now, or pour out what he had and take the chance that deep down there was so much more.
The man made the choice to prime the pump. It was a good choice because the water flowed freely. He drank to his delight and collected enough water to take him on his journey. Before he left, he filled the jar and placed it next to the sign. Under the words of the sign, he wrote, “Trust me. It works!”
What a perfect story to capture the heart of generosity. God has blessed us far beyond what we deserve. He’s the source — it comes from Him. Giving is our Biblical calling to place Him first and honor Him with the first of what He’s so graciously given to us. Giving primes the pump to receive more of His blessings.
If you’ve been around church any number of years, I’m sure you’ve heard the word “tithe or tithing.” It means tenth and is the Biblical designation God gave His people for the amount they are to return to Him. It’s been debated whether “tithing” is purely Old Testament law or relevant for today. My response is simple: Does God give us more than the law or less than the law in the New Testament? The answer is clearly more, so if our giving is based on the New Testament precedent, I don’t know of a better Scripture than 2 Corinthians 9:6-8, Remember this — a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.
One thing is clear: God is a giver, and God loves a cheerful giver. Begin living a life of generosity and watch Him overflow you with more. Trust me. It works!
Discipline: Read everything the Bible says about giving. Google it. Let the Word of God speak to you. The clarity will happen quickly: God has called us to live generously. Begin priming the pump!
The giving story and tithing theology were inspired by the great Dr. Tony Evans and Dr. Mark Rutland