Freely - Part 2

Note: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1O3D9bS61LvnPpWPYeRhy5Cd7FnEov9kb/view?usp=sharing

FREELY – 2

 

WE GET TO GIVE

 

Philippians 2:13 (NIV) for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

 

Philippians 2:13 (NLT) 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

 

Exodus 35:21 (NKJV) Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the Lord’s offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments.

 

1 Chronicles 29:3, 5 (NKJV) Moreover, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house, my own special treasure of gold and silver:

 

5 the gold for things of gold and the silver for things of silver, and for all kinds of work to be done by the hands of craftsmen. Who then is willing to consecrate himself this day to the Lord?”

 

1 Chronicles 29:6-9 (NIV) Then the leaders of families, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king’s work gave willingly. 7 They gave toward the work on the temple of God five thousand talents[a] and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents[c] of silver, eighteen thousand talents[d] of bronze and a hundred thousand talents[e] of iron. 8 Anyone who had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the temple of the Lord in the custody of Jehiel the Gershonite. 9 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.

 

2 Corinthians 8:12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable…

 

 

·     When I lose my WHY, I will lose my WAY.

 

2 Corinthians 8:1-5 (ESV) We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints– and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.

We get to give because…

 

1.   God went FIRST.

2 Corinthians 8:1 (NIV) And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.

John 3:16 (NIV) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Matthew 10:8b (NIV) Freely you have received; freely give.

Matthew 10:8b (MSG) You have been treated generously, so live generously.

2.   We’ve been CREATED for it.

2 Corinthians 8:2 (NLT) They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.

Acts 20:35 (NLT) “You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

“Our research…revealed, donating money results in a greater return for our wellbeing than buying material goods for ourselves. Neuroscientists have discovered that the regions of the brain that are activated when we receive money (based on fMRI brain scans) glow even brighter when we give money. According to Jordan Grafman, a neuroscientist at the National Institutes of Health, these reactions in the brain ‘help us plan into the future, feel emotionally closer to others, and give us a sense of reward after a behavior — which reinforces that behavior, making it more likely we will do the same thing again.’”
-Gallup News

Hebrews 12:2 (NIV) Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3.   We are part of a FAMILY.

2 Corinthians 8:3-4 (NIV) For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people.

2 Corinthians 8:3a (NIV) For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.

2 Corinthians 8:3a (ESV) For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means…

Leviticus 27:30 (NLT) “One-tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain from the fields or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD and must be set apart to him as holy.”

Malachi 3:10 (NLT)
“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!”

2 Corinthians 8:4b (NIV) Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people.

4.    We know what LIFE IS ALL ABOUT.

2 Corinthians 8:5b (ESV) they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.

“If one first gives himself to the Lord, all other giving is easy.”
-John Bonnell

Matthew 25:23 (ESV) “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’”