“If you cannot be trusted with this wicked wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? And if you cannot be trusted with what belongs to someone else, who will give you something that will be your own? You cannot be the slave of two masters. You will like one more than the other or be more loyal to one than to the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Luke 16:11-13, CEV)
Faithful people are generous, even when they don’t have anything to give. Anybody can be generous when they have a surplus. You can be generous with your time when you’ve got a lot of extra time. You can be generous with your money when you’ve got a lot of extra money. You can be generous with your energy when you’ve got extra energy to spend. It’s when you don’t have enough time for yourself, you don’t have enough energy for yourself, you don’t have enough money for yourself, you don’t have enough talent for yourself that God says, “This is a test. I’m watching you to see if you are generous. Will you be faithful, and will you trust me?”
Here are five principles in which God will test you and then bless you:
- God gives to generous people. God wants you to be generous, because He wants you to be like Him. And obeying Him will bring His blessing. The blessings may look different than you imagine.
- Obeying God’s vision will bring God’s provision. If you do what God tells you to do, then God will bring along the resources you need at the right time. What He’s given you the vision for He will give you the provision for.
- When you do all that God tells you to do, He does what you can’t do. God often asks you to do the impossible to stretch your faith. When you give what little you have, God multiples it and makes up for it.
- When you have a need, you sow a seed. Whatever you need in your life, sow that as a seed, and it will come back to you.
- There’s always a delay between sowing and reaping. There is a season between planting and harvesting. What’s going on in the delay? It’s a test of your faith.
Will you be faithful to give when you have little? Will you keep on doing the right thing? Will you do what God wants you to do, no matter the cost? When you are faithful in this, you will be amazed at how God will provide for you and work in you.
Prayer
Lord, lead me to be faithful in giving time, talent and treasure. Grant me Your peace to do those things with joy and gladness, knowing that I serve You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Stay encouraged!
Pastor Mike
