MORE MONSTER vs GENEROSITY

MINE or YOURS – Salvation and Stuff

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may

receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

“Look, the highest heavens and the earth and everything in it

all belong to the LORD your God.” Deuteronomy 10:14

Focusing on needs of others more than own DISCONTENT;  Embracing God graciously and generously GIVING IT TO US.

“Two hundred of them were too exhausted to cross the valley, but David and the other four hundred continued the pursuit. They found an Egyptian in a field and brought him to David. They gave him water to drink and food to eat…”  

1st Sam. 30:10-11

“But all the evil men and troublemakers among David’s followers said, ‘Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered…’

David replied, ‘No…you must not do that with what the LORD has given us.

He has protected us and delivered into our hands the raiding party that came against us… The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.’” 1st Samuel 30:22-24

Generous hearts LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES to give.

David: “…to buy your threshing floor, so I can build an altar to the LORD…”

Araunah: “Let my lord the king take whatever he wishes and offer it up…

Your Majesty, Araunah gives all this to the king.”

David: “‘No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.’ So David bought the threshing floor

and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them.” 2nd Sam. 24:21-24

         

Generous hearts increasingly EXPERIENCE JOY in giving.

1st Chronicles 29

Then King David said to the whole assembly…

With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God—

gold…silver… bronze…iron…wood…onyx, turquoise, stones of various colors,

and all kinds of fine stone and marble-- all of these in large quantities.  

Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything

I have provided for this holy temple: 3,000 talents of gold and 7,000

talents of refined silver, for the overlaying of the walls of the buildings…

Now, who is willing to consecrate themselves to the LORD today?"

Then the leaders of families, the officers … commanders of thousands…

and hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king's work gave willingly.

They gave toward the work on the temple of God 5,000 talents and 10,000 darics of gold, 10,000 talents of silver, 18,000 talents of bronze and 100,000 talents of iron…

The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the LORD.

David the king also rejoiced greatly.

David praised the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly, saying,

"Praise be to You, LORD, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and glory and majesty and splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is Yours.

Yours, LORD, is the kingdom; You are exalted as head over all.

Wealth and honor come from You; You are the ruler of all things.

In Your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.

Now, our God, we give You thanks, and praise Your glorious name.  

"But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give

as generously as this? Everything comes from You,

and we have given You only what comes from Your hand.