2. Most people view giving in a negative way
Acts 20:35
The more you give the
happier you will be!
3. One Thing You Lack
Mark 10:17-22
1. A person can have everything
else in his life completely in line
with God’s word, but if his attitude
toward money is wrong, he can
still be lost.
2. Improper giving is on the same
level as murder and every other
sin!
4. God Says Much about Money
The most frequently discussed subjects in
all of the Scriptures
There are 89 chapters in gospels and
the subject of giving is discussed 123
times.
The Bible talks more about money than it
does about faith, repentance,
confession, baptism, church
organization and qualifications of elders
and deacons all combined.
5. God Says Much about Money
One out of every six verses in the
New Testament deals with money,
and half of Jesus’ parables discuss
the subject.
10. Do Not Forget the Lord
Deuteronomy
8:7-18
We think that we have money because we
work hard, invest wisely or are frugal.
Do not misunderstand: You will have
more money if you work hard, invest
wisely and are frugal than you would if
you did not do those things. But you
must understand that those are not the
reasons you have money.
11. Do Not Forget the Lord
Here is how you can know:
Are there people in other countries right
now who work harder than you do?
Yet you will earn five times more in one
year than they will earn in a lifetime.
Why do you earn more? Is it because you
work harder?
No it is because God has blessed you by
placing you in a position where labor is
more financially prosperous.
12. Don’t Be a Rich Fool
Luke 12:16-21
Malachi 3:8
Suppose you went to the bank and deposited
$5000. Two weeks later you returned to the
bank (after they had been using your money
and asked to withdraw $500. The teller smiles
at you, explains that the bank used all but $25
of it, and offers to give that to you.
Would you be happy with that kind of
stewardship?
Yet that is how we treat God’s money!
14. Once we determine that all the
money we possess is God’s, the
next practical question to ask is
how much of His money does
God want back?
15. Willing To Give It All
He wants you to be willing to
give it all.
It is that simple.
If you are not willing to give
every penny to the Lord right
now, then you love money
more than you love God.
16. Willing To Give It All
Mark 10:17-22 teaches this
principle very clearly.
The man was rich, just like us.
He was very religious, just like us.
He worshipped God and wanted to do right, just
like us.
The only thing keeping him from heaven was his
unwillingness to give God all of God’s money.
IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO GIVE GOD
EVERYTHING, YOU ARE JUST LIKE THAT
YOUNG MAN!
17. Willing To Give It All
Very few people who read the story of the rich
young ruler ever think that Jesus’
instructions apply to them personally.
“Surely such instructions only apply to those who
love money and are greedy.”
Notice, however, that nothing indicates this
man ever did anything unlawful to get his
money; there is no indication that he stole
or “spent too much time at the office.”
His one fault was that he wasn’t willing to give
God all of God’s money.
18. Different Requirements for Different
People
We know, however, that God has not
asked every person for all of His
money back
Luke 19:1-10 (emphasis on verse 8
and 9)
There is no command in the New
Testament as to how much a
Christian is suppose to give.
So what percentage is a good place
to start giving?
19. 10 Percent?
There is no record in the Bible where God
ever accepted less than 10 percent from
any of His followers.
Abraham (Gen. 14:20)
Jacob (Gen. 28:22)
Israel
Num. 18:24 (10 percent);
Ex. 13:11-12 (first born of livestock);
Lev. 19:9-10 (corners of their fields);
Deut. 16:10 (freewill gifts)
33 percent???
20. 10 Percent?
So how much does God ask of New
Testament Christians?
No command…
so God will accept anything
Do you really believe that?
Do you really want to face the Lord on the
judgment day with that type of reasoning?
Do we use it an excuse to give less or an
opportunity to give more?
21. 10 Percent?
The entire book of Hebrews was written to
explain that the New Law is better than
the Old Law.
Better High Priest (4:15)
Better Hope (7:19)
Better Promises (8:6)
Better Atonement (9:12)
22. 10 Percent?
Something about which we should think
hard and long…
If the Old Testament Israelites were giving
almost 33 percent of their income, how
could anyone under the New Law (which
is better in every way) reason that it
would be acceptable to give just
whatever we had left over?
23. 10 Percent?
Let this sink in your heart and live there…
Can you imagine a faithful Old Testament Jew
who had just been converted to Christ
thinking that now since he was a Christian,
he could start giving less to God?
What did the Jews do when they began to be
converted to Christ?
Acts 2:45
Acts 4:34-35
Even the Gentiles gave to God out of their “deep
poverty” (II Cor. 8:2)
25. Why no command?
How much does He want?
10 percent?
The problem with these
questions is that it can lend
itself to pride and works by
salvation.
26. If there was a verse that said give exactly
10 percent or 15 percent, some people
would give that much – and only that
much – and feel they had paid their
dues.
But giving to God is not a tax.
The proper attitude toward giving is “to
give cheerfully, not grudgingly or of
NECESSITY” (I Cor. 9:7)
What if, instead of asking how much God
wants, we ask how much has God
blessed us and how much do we want
Him to bless us even more?
By the way… I Cor. 16:2
