Thursday March 5, 2015

Read 2 Corinthians 9:6-11

I’m cautious of the health, wealth and prosperity gospel that I see so often on TV and hear on the radio. The preacher urges us to give more, to give even more and promises that God will give back to you. He will bless you 1,000 fold if you give to the Lord’s work. I know of several people who have sent off their last meal ticket or rent cheque to such preachers, only to get back a photocopied standard “Thank-you” letter in the mail. I certainly pray that you have not heard or will not hear anyone in your church preach such unscriptural theology.

But there is a sense in which God blesses our giving. Verse 6 sums up the thought in agricultural terms.

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

When we give generously we can expect a bountiful harvest. We can expect to reap back in proportion to what we have sown. The problem with prosperity theology is that it always equates reaping with financial rewards - if you give generously God will give generously back to you in dollar terms. But God does NOT promise dollars back to us. He promises a bountiful harvest. I would rather a thousand souls enter the kingdom than a thousand dollars in my pocket. I would rather have ten believers grown in the faith than to see an extra $400 in my pay check each month! That’s why verse 8 talks about abounding in good works. That’s why verse 9 mentions enduring righteousness. That’s why verse 10 mentions an enlarged harvest of righteousness.  God gives back but not always in dollar terms.

In terms of giving, we must decide between ourselves and the Lord, what we will give. A tithe is a good biblical position to start but our giving should never be limited to a tithe. Sometimes the Lord will require more. And having decided what we are to give, we should give it cheerfully or graciously because the Lord has been gracious to us. It is not a religious duty or a gift given begrudgingly but a gift given with overflowing joy. If I am not giving with joy and if I am not giving graciously I am probably committing idolatry for I am loving money more than God. And we all know that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.

Perhaps the climax of giving generously comes in verse s 11:-

You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

God will allow us to be generous on every occasion and thanksgiving will flow out to the Lord from others. Is there any other greater joy than knowing that others are praising and thanking God because of your input into their lives? It all starts with being generous.

Prayer:

Use the day’s reading notes and Bible passage to pray meaningfully:

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

· Pray against the false teachers who preach health, wealth and prosperity, often for their own ends and desires.

· Pray that the teachers in your church at all levels would be wise and godly teachers who correctly handle the Word of God and teach it faithfully, as they should

· Pray that the children and youth of your church would be willing to be taught, that they would learn the great truths of the faith and that they would mature and grow in that faith and knowledge.

 Discussion & Reflection

1. Why should we give/tithe with a grateful heart?

2. If everyone in your church tithed faithfully, what promises would you expect to see fulfilled?

3. Jonty says to you that he doesn't tithe because he can’t afford to. What’s a biblical response to this?