The Blessings Promised To Cheerful Givers!

The joy of giving is known to those who give cheerfully. Just ask a cheerful giver. You can see a cheerful giver a mile away. They usually wear a big grin. Cheerful givers have joy in their hearts. They have joy in their hearts because the thing that brings them joy is giving; and because they give they have joy. Cheerful givers are not occasional givers. Cheerful givers always give. They give their time, their talent and their treasure. Often they give money.

Cheerful givers do not give grudgingly or out of necessity. If they did, they would not be cheerful givers; they would be pressured or coerced givers. Pressured or coerced givers are rarely joyous. Pressured or coerced givers are usually frustrated because; more often than not they have been guilted into giving. Pressured givers are usually victims to the extortion of others.

Many Christians have been pressured and coerced into giving by the exertion of a law that does not apply to them, and never has. The law that is applied incorrectly is Malachi 3:10 which is a very directed message from God to the prophet Malachi. Malachi asked God how the children of Israel could restore themselves to right standing with God.

God reminded Malachi, that the Levitical Priests, who were sworn to bring in the full tithe and offering, were not fulfilling their responsibility; the result is that they were robbing God. God promised Malachi that if the Priests stopped robbing Him, He in turn would bless them. That message is not directed to Christians.

Jesus fulfilled the old testament Law. These are fighting words to many Christian Ministers who have taught it. The implication of teaching this Hebrew Law to Christians is that it violates the Gospel of Jesus. Many Christians have been wrongly accused of robbing God because they do not give 10% or greater of their gross income to the church. The Biblical reference is to the 3rd chapter of Malachi.

It is impossible to be a Christian and a Jew. Either you accept the complete work of Jesus on the cross and in His resurrection or you do not. If you accept Jesus then you accept His work. If you reject Jesus, you are still not responsible for the Hebrew Law unless you were born Jewish. If you reject the work of Jesus and you are not Hebrew, you are a gentile and Malachi 3 still does not apply to you.

How then, is a Christian to view giving?

GIVING IS DEFINITELY A GODLY ACT! WE ARE CREATED IN GOD’S IMAGE! WE ARE TO BE A REFLECTION OF JESUS. JESUS GAVE EVERYTHING HE HAD!

“FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE……….HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON…THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVES ON HIM SHALL NEVER PERISH, BUT SHALL HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.” (John 3:16)

“FEAR NOT…LITTLE FLOCK…. FOR IT IS YOUR FATHERS…. PLEASURE…. TO GIVE YOU THE KINGDOM!” (Luke 12:32)

God is a cheerful giver. He gives out of love. He gives to everybody. He does not give grudgingly or out of necessity. He gets pleasure from giving. He gives without limits. The kingdom is infinite as is God’s giving.

The New Covenant, which is our new relationship with God based on our acceptance of Jesus; gives us absolute free will. If God had wanted us to be robots, we would be. When we behave well, as a result of the fact that we love God, we are operating at the highest level. But our behavior should be based on a decision that we make, not on the threat of punishment if we don’t. The love of God constrains man. God wants us to do well because we choose to. That is what Grace is all about.

There are promises guaranteed to cheerful givers. Read now the written words of Paul our teacher, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit:

“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly, shall reap sparingly; AND HE WHICH SOWETH BOUNTIFULLY SHALL REAP ALSO BOUNTIFULLY!”

“Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity; for GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER.”

“AND GOD IS ABLE TO MAKE ALL GRACE ABOUND TOWARD YOU; that you having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.”

(“As it is written He hath dispersed abroad; He hath given to the poor; His righteousness remains for ever. Now He that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply you r seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness.”)

“BEING ENRICHED IN EVERY THING TO ALL BOUNTIFULNESS, which causes through us thanksgiving to God.” (2Corinthians 9: 6-11)

These scriptures are known to me as the LAW OF ALL GRACE. God cannot alter the thing that came out of His mouth. He looks over His Word to perform it every jot and tittle. His Word will not return to him void, but it will accomplish that thing for which He purposed it.

I have never seen a cheerful giver who did not walk in ALL GRACE. I have never seen a cheerful giver who lived in lack or want.

The happiest and most prosperous people I know are cheerful and consistent givers. They give continually because they cannot give.

Why Christians Should Give:

Paul, our teacher, wrote the following explanation of salvation and how it comes to pass, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is direct and beautifully constructed, as only God could have built it:

“THAT IF YOU CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH THE LORD JESUS, AND SHALL BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART THAT GOD RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD, YOU SHALL BE SAVED. FOR WITH THE HEART MAN BELIEVES AND IS MADE RIGHTEOUS, AND WITH THE MOUTH CONFESSION IS MADE UNTO SALVATION”.

“FOR THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, WHOSOEVER BELIEVES ON HIM SHALL NOT BE ASHAMED. FOR THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE JEW AND THE GENTILE; FOR THE SAME LORD OVER ALL IS RICH TO ALL THAT CALL UPON HIM.”

“FOR WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED.”

“… HOW THEN SHALL THEY CALL ON HIM IN WHOM THEY HAVE NOT BELIEVED…?”

“… AND HOW SHALL THEY BELIEVE IN HIM OF WHOM THEY HAVE NOT HEARD…?”

“… AND HOW SHALL THEY HEAR WITHOUT A PREACHER…?”

“… AND HOW SHALL THEY PREACH EXCEPT THEY BE SENT…?”

“… AS IT IS WRITTEN, HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THEM THAT PREACH THE GOSPEL OF PEACE, AND BRING GLAD TIDINGS OF GOOD THINGS…” (Romans 10:9-15)

These are the New Covenant principles of giving.

This Ministry is a cheerful giver. We support many ministries with our time, talent and treasure. We give much more than were required of the Levitical priests. But we give under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We also have ALL GRACE ABOUNDING UNTO US.

We do not ask for offerings. We believe that God is our provider. We believe that the Holy Ghost is quite capable of communicating to whom He wishes; how when and if they should support us. We rely on God and no person.

I pray that you have been blessed by this teaching. If you have been blessed, please pass it to another who will be blessed.

If you are not a consistent and cheerful giver, I urge you to pray and ask God to speak to your heart and purpose what you should give and to whom; and to be obedient to His guidance. You will learn how blessed it is to walk in ALL GRACE.

Your brother in Jesus. Pastor Allen