2. 1. Giving is the most frequently
discussed subject in the Bible.
2. The more you give the happier you will
be! (Acts 20:35)
3. Giving is essential to salvation. (Mk.
10:17-22)
4. Money can rule our lives. (I Tim. 6:910)
5. Everything belongs to God (Psa. 50:912)
6. There is no record in the Bible where
God ever accepted less than 10
percent from any of His followers.
4. Card first, present second
We are taught that it is polite to read the
card first, then turn to the giver and
acknowledge their kindness by saying
“Thank You.”
5. 1.
2.
The card serves two important purposes.
It identifies the name of the giver
It expresses the personal feelings of care,
friendship, and love the recipient has by showing he
cares more about the person who gave him the gift
than about the gift itself.
6. Israel and the Harvest
The most anticipated time of the
year!!!
Before the harvest could be enjoyed
the “first fruits” must be given.
Exodus 23:19 – land
Exodus 13:2 - livestock
Proverbs 3:9 – “Honor the Lord with your
possessions, and with the first fruits of all your
increase”
7. Israel and the Harvest
What was God’s purpose behind this?
By insisting that His people give back to Him first, God
was trying to help them see what was truly important.
The harvest (everything) were His gifts He gave the
Israelites as an expression of His love for them.
By stopping to acknowledge the Giver FIRST, the
Israelites were reminded of what was truly important.
Their relationship to the Giver was what truly mattered.
So What About Today?
Two principles and a warning
8. The “Better” Principle
If you had been given something better to
replace what you had before… how would
respond?
Job? Car? Home? Health?
The Book of Hebrews is all about how things are
better under the New Law of Christ than under
the Old Law.
Better Messenger (1)
Better Message (2)
Better than Moses (3)
Better Rest (4)
Better High Priest (5)
Better Covenant (8)
Better Sacrifice (9-10)
9. The “Better” Principle
We live under a new and better law than
the one people lived under before the
coming of Christ. How can we look at
the love of Christ and think that we do
not owe so much more than those
under the Old Testament Law?
If we have been given so many more
blessings under the New Law, what
logical argument could there be for
offering less to God or not offering to
God first?
10. The “Priority” Principle
Matthew 6:24-34
Luke 12:13-34
Lesson???
We are to seek His kingdom
first – before shelter, food
and clothing!
11. A Warning About Giving Leftovers
If we are to seek His kingdom first –
before shelter, food and clothing – what
better way can we demonstrate that
attitude than by how we manage our
personal budgets?
Does God come first in your budget or is
He last (planning and practicing)?
12. A Warning About Giving Leftovers
In almost every budget, the number one item is
the mortgage or rent.
Guess what is number two?
Food!
(Okay, it might fall to number three behind your
car payment)
Then there is utilities and other house comforts…
health spending
Clothing is usually next to the last (fire)
Then if there is any leftover we give to God.
But what did Jesus say? What are our priorities?
13. A Warning About Giving Leftovers
Malachi 1:6-14
What were the Jews doing?
Offering that which had no value to
them… leftovers… it wasn’t a sacrifice!
Do we not do the same thing when our gift
to God becomes the last thing in our
budget both in planning and practice?
16. Some give in and other don’t!
They had purposed in their hearts and nothing is
going to change their minds
17. Giving with Purpose
2 Corinthians 9:7
Every man according as he purposeth in
his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly,
or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful
giver.
When it comes to giving, we should
purpose in our hearts what we are going
to give before we have the money and
nothing is going to change our minds.
18. Giving with Purpose
This simply means deciding what
percent we are going to give
before we have the money.
The reason we determine a
percentage and not a specific
dollar amount is because we are to
give as we have prospered (I Cor.
16:2)
19. Simple Math
If a man purposes in his heart that he will
give 20 percent of his income to the
Lord and he receives a check for $1000,
then he will give $200 to the Lord.
No decision has to be made when the
money comes in – only a calculation.
If he receives check for $1 million, he will
give $200,000. It truly is as simple as
that.
20. Why “Purposing”?
The reason for “purposing” is so
persuasive emotional appeals will not
derail our giving.
People often fail to give scripturally
because something always “pops up”.
It might be that the car needs new tires
(unexpected expense) and since that
extra money “can’t” come from the rent,
utilities or retirement, it “must” come
from our money set aside for giving.
First Fruits and Purposing!!!
21. Why “Purposing”?
It might also be that we receive extra
money one month (bonus, etc.),
but giving some of that would be
giving too much of God’s money
back to Him???
The beauty and wisdom of God’s
instruction to purpose in our hearts
is that external factors will not
affect our giving.
22. Scared of Commitment
Some fear committing to give a
certain percentage because they
argue finances are too
unpredictable. What if I have a
decrease in income?
They can’t commit to a “giving
schedule”.
We already make financial
commitments on a regular basis.
23. Scared of Commitment
If you own your own home, you have
arranged to pay your lender a fixed
amount of money every month for
the next 15 or 30 years.
You have purposed in your heart to
make those payments.
24. Scared of Commitment
The difference between making those payments
and following God’s instruction is that if your
income drops, you may not be able to pay a
set dollar amount on your mortgage, but you
can always give back to God as you have been
prospered because the amount is a
predetermined percentage of your income.
The actual amount of your check to the Lord may
be less, but the percentage will be the same
and you will be obeying the Lord.
25. Daniel 1:8
Daniel simply decided what he would
and would not do before he was
ever confronted with the situation.
God applies that same reasoning to
our giving. He knew that money
would have the power to persuade,
and corrupt, so He instructed us to
decide our course of action before
we possess the money.
