13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
- Luke 12:13-21
Proper perspective brings contentment.
Following proven principles leads to confidence and trust.
24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
- Matthew 7:24-25
Priorities lead to convictions.
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
- Matthew 6:19-21
31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. -
Matthew 6:31-33
Conviction leads to commitment and a lifetime of generosity.
7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
- 2 Corinthians 9:7
Next Steps to Grow in Generosity
Occasional Giver
You gave for the first time or maybe a few times
Still cautious or hesitant
You’re excited about your relationship with Jesus and the church
You’re learning to trust Him in everything including your finances
Allow God to change you from the inside out beginning with your heart
Consistent Giver
You have a plan to give/support God’s mission
You’re giving on a consistent basis
You find giving to be fulfilling
You are cheerfully allowing God to be first in all areas of your life
Intentional Giver
Your top financial priority is to bring the tithe to God
Your conviction is that the tithe is the standard (Genesis 14:18-20)
You understand God owns all things
You believe God owns 100% of all that you have but specifically set aside the tithe
You want to respond in worship and devotion but trusting him with your tithe
Generous Giver
You give above and beyond the tithe
You believe this type of giving is a reflection of Jesus sacrifice on the cross
What God wants is more important than your earthly possessions
Your commitment to generosity changes your lifestyle, priorities and budget
You purposefully make sacrifices in your life in order to give more and more often
You consistently look for ways to be a blessing to the body of Christ
Surrendered Giver
You honor God with 100% of everything God has given you
You hold everything with open hands freely and willingly giving to God in whatever ways he asks of you
You life reflects this in ways even beyond finances as God continues transforming you
You constantly think about eternity, the lost, and building God’s kingdom.