2 Cor 9:7 (NKJV) So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
The Scripture says that we should give cheerfully. The Greek word for cheerful equates to hilarious, therefore, we should be excited and hilarious about the opportunity to give. Giving helps us to experience God and His faithfulness. It is also an avenue that God has given us to partner with Him in ministry. We should also be thankful that He has chosen to entrust us with abundance so that we can excel in every good work and increase the fruit of our righteousness. It is an act of righteousness whenever we choose to give to a good cause regardless whether it is to bless the poor, support missionaries, or any other worthy causes that God has placed in our path.
We should also excel in the area of giving when we talk about being an imitator of Christ. Christ gave us His life in exchange for our souls. Giving is very much part of God’s nature. Therefore, we should be cheerful whenever we are given an opportunity to give because it helps us to express the nature of God in us. We can thank God for His faithfulness on keeping His promises. The more blessings God gives to us, the more we can outflow them to people in need. We are truly blessed to bless.
1 Cor 9:11-14 (NKJV) If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things? If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ. Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.
Matt 10:40-41(NKJV) He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.
Cheerful giving has many forms. One of them is also to bless the preachers of the gospel. We can open up our home to house the ministers of God regardless whether they are pastors, evangelists or missionaries. This is one way of being a steward of God’s resources. This is being a steward of everything that the Lord has blessed you with, that you give freely and share things. You will share in the prophet, pastor, evangelist rewards for what they have done for the Lord. That’s is the only way where God has indicated the sharing of rewards beside serving God.
It is good to have a breakthrough in the area of giving. Realizing the goodness of our God, we do not need struggle in paying tithe and giving free willed offering whenever the Lord impresses it upon our hearts. In fact, we can even make it a habit and support God’s ministers and missionaries with a cheerful heart. We do not need to be rich in order to give because we can give within our means. Jesus talked about it in the gospel when he taught us the difference between the widow and the rich man’s giving. It all comes down to the attitude of our heart if or how much we give.
Sermon Series: Free Will Offering
