11 Characteristics for Giving that Counts

I. Giving God's Way - (11 principals for NT giving)

A. Worshipfully
1. Offerings at church is not God's way of raising money , its an act of worship that grows his people to be like him, generous and kingdom minded
2. to God himself as worship - he routes it to ministry through the elders of his church
3. Offerings have always from the beginning and through the Bible been about recognizing God as God, giving him back some of what he has entrusted to us as thanks and for his Kingdom purposes
a) God desires your heart- heart of the giver
b) Give to God himself as an offering of love trust and reverence: that worship
4. I ask me is my gift to Jesus done with a heart of worshipful thanks

B. Initially
1. Proverbs 3:9 Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops
a) from the first, not the worst not the left overs
b) from the best a principal throughout scripture
c) firstfruits = you have a crop , you get the first and best of it to God, same with offerings, best not lame
d) Giving is an act of trust , faith
e) From the first challenges us to live by faith that God will provide enough
2. Have you ever noticed there's always more month than money?
a) If you give from the last, there's little left
b) Giving is an act of faith from the first
3. I ask me is my gift to Jesus from the beginning or the left overs?

C. Regularly
1. 1 Cor 16:1 Now about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.
a) Paul taking up a collection of offerings for the poor in Jerusalem
b) " on Sunday set aside "
c) weekly daily, monthly doesn't matter
d) ongoing organized way, this helps churches plan well and not have poor and rich weeks
e) helps you keep track of giving or not
2. I ask me is my gift to Jesus regular or sporadic

D. Proportionally
1. "a sum of money in keeping with his income"
a) the idea : Prosper or what God has provided for you
b) a person with a lot of money can give a large amount but a small percent, with little proportion to their blessing or their heart
c) for those with a lot 10% may not be great giving, for those in a season of poor 10% may be too much
d) I ask me is my gift to Jesus proportional to how he's blessed me
2. See 2 Corinthians chapters 8 & 9! - 2 Cor 8:13

E. Sacrificially
1. 2 Corinthians 8:1 And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.
a) Giving in tight times
(1) Here's how the bible means something to us today, tight times, uncertainty
(2) The Macedonian churches--those in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea
(3) Poverty ...extreme = deep lit. their poverty which went down to the depths. -Vincent, M
2. Jesus on sacrificial giving
a) Mark 12:41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.
b) Mark 12:43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything--all she had to live on."
(1) Some feel my giving isn't enough to make a difference/ heart
c) I ask me is my gift to Jesus 'Sacrificial or superficial'

F. Faith-FULL-y
1. 2 Corinthians 8:3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.
a) "beyond their ability"
(1) Giving is an expression of our faith,
(2) Our trust in him that says I know you'll provide for me so I wont try to hold on to every red cent to protect myself
b) "urgently pleaded for the privilege"
(1) - giving is a heart thing
(2) they understood that they were being part of God's work and wanted it !
c) I ask me is my gift to Jesus as result of trusting his provison

G. Excellently
1. 2 Corinthians 8:7 But just as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us--see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
a) giving is a skill that improves as you practice it
b) Giving converts material things into eternal things
c) I ask me are my gifts to Jesus excellent am I growing in giving ?

H. Generously
1. 2 Corinthians 9:6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
(1) God is great, he is all about generosity to you and I
(2) Everything comes from generosity because none of what we have and experience is earned
(3) generosity is the cure for the malady called materialism
2. I ask me is my gift to Jesus generous or simply and easily "do-able"

I. Thoughtfully
1. 2 Corinthians 9:7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
a) "should give what he has decided in his heart to give"
(1) thought though
b) Intentional giving, thought through
c) I ask me is my gift to Jesus purposed or merely a pattern
J. Willingly
1. "Not reluctantly" -
2. "Not under compulsion"
3. I ask me is my gift to Jesus given freely

K. Joyfully
1. "God loves it when we give with joy!"
2. here's something that God loves, what give God on fathers day? A Cheerfilled joy drenched offering
3. I get excited when we give, I know God uses it for his work
4. inclines our heart toward Jesus and His work on earth
5. I ask me is my gift to Jesus filled with my joy at participating in His work

-----REVIEW

1. worshipfully
2. Initially
3. Regularly
4. Proportionally
5. Sacrificially
6. Faith-FULL-y
7. Excellently
8. Generously
9. Thoughtfully
10. Willingly
11. Joyfully