Irrationally giving people live consistently generous lives as an expression of worship to the Lord releasing God’s Kingdom in the earth. When we are enriched by God and generous like Jesus, our world becomes a better place.
Normally when we get to this topic in these first five weeks of the year it becomes a teaching on tithing. Tithing is important to understand and I want to mention it but I also want us all to see God’s bigger plan of overall generosity.
Giving tithes & offerings to the storehouse where we are spiritually fed has always been a part of God’s plan for worship. Abraham gave a tithe to Melchizedek before the Law had been given. The Law came through Moses reiterating the tithe. Jesus came endorsing the tithe telling the Pharisees they shouldn’t neglect the tithe. Paul came after Jesus coaching the New Testament churches to give in keeping with the sum of their income. Clearly this is part of God’s plan for worship and it teaches us to always put God first.
Deuteronomy 14:23 The purpose of tithing is to teach you to always put God first in your lives (TLB)
It is important for you to know that God doesn’t want 10% of your stuff as if you were the owner of your stuff. God wants all of your stuff because he owns it and he loans it for about a century while we live this life. He is the owner of the stuff. We’re the stewards of the stuff and this is why we are told to give up all of our possessions in serving Jesus.
Luke 14:33 So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. NAS
Irrationally giving people live consistently generous lives as an expression of worship to the Lord releasing God’s Kingdom in the earth.
Generosity produces flourishing everywhere it shows up. If you learn to be generous in friendship you’ll reap many friends. If you learn to be generous in marriage you will reap a flourishing marriage and household. If you learn to be generous at work God’s blessing will become the atmosphere of your life there as well. This is why that whole “deny yourself in following Christ” thing is so important.
Imagine someone working beside you who is stressed out and you discover they’re struggling to meet their mortgage because of hard times that month. If you step up saying, “I got that this month and next month too while you get on your feet”, you don’t have to witness to them anymore. They will suddenly want to know what’s wrong with you which helps them see what’s right with you, which then reveals to them what’s wrong with them.
2 Corinthians 9:8-11 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. NIV
Generosity doesn’t begin the moment you have an urge to be kind. Denying yourself must become an ongoing practice or your “self” will keep putting you in a bind so you aren’t able to practice generosity the way God desires for you to be able to practice generosity. There are financial tools available to help you on our website. We have a spreadsheet you can download to help you with your personal finances. There are workshops available for free just by clicking on https://destinyokc.com/finances
Irrationally giving people live consistently generous lives as an expression of worship to the Lord releasing God’s Kingdom in the earth.
GP2RL Action Point:
Who will you express generosity to this week and how will you do that?
Irrationally Giving
DISCUSSION GUIDE
Click here for a downloadable PDF file of this guide.
Every year we devote the first 40 days to focusing on foundational truths that speak to our identity, as a church family. We are OUTRAGEOUSLY LOVING people who PASSIONATELY PURSUE the Lord with IRRATIONALLY GIVING lifestyles as we CONSISTENTLY SUBMIT to God’s desires and EFFECTIVELY DISCIPLE others to do the same.
Peter endorses the idea of rehearsing foundational things with the intention of leaving them firmly planted in the heart of the next generation.
2 Peter 1:12-15 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in (them), I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live…and I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things. NIV
Great encouragement comes from rehearsing God’s Word. It is God’s plan is for us to spend time drawing close to his heart and hearing his voice together as a family. This is why we start each meeting with this question first:
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God?
Ask each person in your group to answer the discussion questions below after reading the verses. Realize there is great power in just reading the Bible together and allowing the Holy Spirit to awaken his conversational nature in the group.
2 Corinthians 9:6-11 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. NIV
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
2. Have each person give a 60 second summary of what these verses are saying, in their own words.
3. What do these verses teach us about God?
4. What do these verses teach us about people?
5. What should you do this week in response to what we are reading and what God is revealing?
6. Who comes to mind when considering a person you might share this with this week?
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Who will you express generosity to this week and how will you do that?