05/15/S – The Benefits of Faith-filled Giving

NT: “Now the one who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will also provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the proof provided by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedient confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone.” (‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭9:10-13‬ ‭CSB)

Many people view the world’s resources as finite – meaning that there is a set amount of money to be had in the world. If someone is rich, then it must mean that someone else must do without. If I give of what I have, then what I give is lost to me. That is not the way God’s economy works. God’s economy works on the principle of exponential multiplication of seed time and harvest. When an apple seed is planted and germinated into a seedling, that seedling grows into an apple tree that is able to produce thousands of apple seeds, season after season. So is giving by faith in the kingdom of God. When we sow the seed that we have through faith-filled giving, the same God that provided the seed that we sowed will cause that seed to multiply and return to us a rich harvest. That one step of faith and obedience creates the capacity to to give even more… which then multiplies, increasing our capacity exponentially yet again. You can’t out-give God.

Paul referred to faith-filled giving as a ministry service. The word translated as “service” actually refers to the priestly service of offering sacrifices. Our faith-filled giving is an act of sacrificial worship that not only ministers to those who receive the gift, but results in overflowing praise and thanksgiving to God as people’s needs are met. In addition to that, as we give sacrificially and God multiplies the affect of our giving, both in our lives and the lives of the recipients, the grace and blessing that is realized becomes proof of God’s faithfulness and evidence for the gospel. As we are obedient to give in faith, God is glorified, the gospel of Christ is confessed and the kingdom of God is expanded on the earth. All of that happens because we are willing to part with some of our resources and sow a seed in faith.

Prayer: Lord, it is so easy to see the resources that I have as limited and finite. However, You say time and time again in Your word that You are able to infinitely multiply the resources that I release and sow with faith. Help me to not view the resources that I have through addition and subtraction, but to understand, by faith, the multiplicative potential that is available when I give what I have obediently in service to You and Your purposes. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.