Give And It Will Be Given

Give and It will be Given

Introduction: You know that I am no “Prosperity preacher” and I am certainly no “name it claim it” preacher either, in fact, if you have been here long enough you ought to know that I very seldom preach about money. I make the same whether you give a little or a lot, so don't think I'm trying to squeeze more out of you than you can afford so I can line my pockets, with your money. But lately I have seen God bless those who give and I want to give glory to God for his kindness.

In fact last Sunday, we were standing around the sound booth before the fifth Sunday night singing, discussing what it would take to buy a better CD player and Pedro mention he could probably get a good one for around 120.00 or 150.00 about that time an older woman came in the door and asked to speak to the pastor and I walked out thinking I am going to have to send this woman to the Gospel Rescue Mission (where we send a portion of your tithes and offering to) and some of what I had in my pocket. But to my surprise she turned and said something like “I want to pay my tithes to God and I want to give you this” and with that she handed me 5 folded 20 dollar bills. I was speechless. It was the first time the doors were open on Sunday night and she came in on that particular day at that particular time, with an amount near what we needed for a CD player. But more amazing is this past Wednesday night, the same woman came back and gave what else was needed and said “Oh ya, I forgot my offering” and gave an extra 20 dollars. God works in wonderful ways!

But for most people it is hard for them to give, Adrian Rogers once said: “The most sensitive nerve in the whole body is the nerve that runs from the heart to the pocket book.” We had a woman that walks in off the street to pay her tithes and then comes back to pay more than her tithes. All I can say is “God Bless her”

What does God need money for anyway? It's all His. - the one who owns the sheep owns the wool. The one who owns the pond owns the fish. He not only owns the hills but he owns all the cattle on a thousand hills. God made you and he owns all you have as well. He made the gold and He made the silver and God made the precious stones and every other precious thing on the earth. So why does he need me to give? He gives you money as a test to see what you believe in, to see what you trust in, to see what is it that you love?

“Bring the whole tithe (10%) into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this” says the LORD almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” -Malachi 3:10

Let's face it, anyone who would read and believe that verse would tithe. If someone says 'well that was old testament, we are living in the new testament now.' First off, its in Matthew 23:23, but statements like that tell me you are looking for a reason not to tithe. God bless those who look for a reason to give rather than to keep. God bless those who are looking for ways to bless someone rather than for ways to take away. Remember Lazarus went to heaven while the rich man went to hell, not because he was rich (there are lots of rich people who made it to heaven) but because he disregarded his fellow man; he refused to give. Proverbs 11:28 says “He who trusts in his riches shall fall...” Whats worse is that the opportunity to give presented itself daily, because Lazarus was at his gate begging every day. It wasn't as if he had to go through all the trouble of traveling a far away distance, Lazarus was as close to him as your driveway is to your house. He knew he was suffering and did nothing, the good Samaritan saw the same type of suffering and went far and above to give that man not only the help he needed but showed him love and kindness in doing so as well.

We are often afraid to give because of what we are losing. But what we learn through the Bible is that God rewards those who give. The theme for our message is found in Luke 6:38 “Give and it will be given unto you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”