How God Funds His Works

2 Corinthians 9:6-11

Awesome!

What Do You Think?

Reflective thoughts on Exodus Chapters 35 and 36

• Chapters 35 and 36- Sabbath regulations and materials for the tabernacle

• Exodus 35:29 “All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the Lord freewill offerings for all the work

• Exodus 36:2 “Then Moses summoned Bazalel and Ohaliab and every skilled person to whom the Lord had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work

Reflective thoughts on Exodus 36• Verses 3-6 “ They received from Moses all the offerings the

Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work and said to Moses, “the people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done.” Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: “No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” And so the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they already had was more than enough to do the work.

What is Giving is All about?

• In this modern world…“The generation that believed in the principle of tithing is in three places: retirement homes, nursing homes, or cemeteries.” James williams• In other words most baby boomers and baby

busters haven’t embraced tithing

Reflections

• Do you know why you give?• Are you a good steward?• Do you handle you hard earned money in a God-exalting, biblical way?• Do you tithe?

Toward the Tithe and Beyond

Seven Biblical Reasons to Give/Tithe1. Honouring an Old Testament Principle

(Numbers 18:20-21)– How about in the New Testament? (Matthew

23:23, 1Corinthians 9:13-14)2. Honouring the Creator as Owner of All (Psalm

24:1)– Your lifestyle says something about your view of

God and what he means to you

Toward the Tithe and Beyond

3. The Antidote of Covetousness (Luke 12 :15, Colossians 3:5, Hebrews 13:5)“Every time you give a tithe, you must deal with the desire for what you might have bought for yourself”4. Governing Ever-Expanding Spending• There is an almost infallible human rule:

spending expands to fill the income.

Toward the Tithe and Beyond

• John Wesley- one of the great evangelist of the 18th Century.

Income:30 pounds=Tithe:2 pounds (1st year)Income:60 pounds=Tithe:32 pounds (2nd year)Income 90 pounds=tithe:62 pounds (3rd year)

Toward the Tithe and Beyond

• John Wesley“In his long life, His income advanced to as high as 1,400 pounds in a year. But he rarely let his expenses rise above 30 pounds. He said that he seldom had more than 100 pounds in his possession at a time.”“I will put a control on my spending myself, and I will go beyond the tithe for the sake of Christ and hid kingdom.”

Toward the Tithe and Beyond

2 Corinthians 9:6-8 “Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have abundance for every good deed.”5. God’s Way of Bringing Good Deeds6. God’s Way of Providing for You7. Proving and Strengthening our Faith

5. God’s Way of Bringing Good Deeds

• 2 Corinthians 9:6-14• Titus 2:14“These are the things that make your light shine and cause people to give glory to your Father in heaven. If you lay up treasures on earth, people have no reason to think your Father in heaven is glorious. You look like you love what everyone else loves.”

6. God’s Way of Providing for You

• Malachi 3:10• Luke 6:36“Giving is a way of having what you need. Giving in a regular, disciplined, generous way-up to and beyond the tithe-is simply a good sense in view of the promises of God.”This is not a guarantee of getting rich. It’s a

guarantee of “an abundance for every good work” and sufficiency for yourself.

7. Proving and Strengthening our Faith

• Hebrews 13:5“There is an absolute correlation between faith in the promises of God and peace of mind in giving away what we may think we need but don’t.”• Philippians 4:19“Every time you doubt that you can live on 90% of your income, let the glorious promise of God strengthen your faith.”

Meditation/Reflection

Romans Chapter 12-Living Sacrifices