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One pastor wrote, “God has more promises in the Bible about giving than anything else.” Whether that is true or not, what is true is Scripture has a lot to say about generosity and giving.
Why?
Because God is a giver. After all He gave His Son so by faith alone in Him, we can have eternal life. Therefore, He wants us to become like Him. Everything we have in life is because God is generous. Remember, we are never more like Christ than when we are forgiving and giving!
But giving is hard to do. It challenges our selfishness, so God rewards us when we do it.
One article can’t possibly list the hundreds of promises in the Bible about giving, but I’ve narrowed it down to nine.
Here are nine rewards God promises to those, and especially leaders since they set the example for others to follow, who live generous lives:
- God promises good things will happen to you. “…remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)
The Tony Evans Bible Commentary tells us “Indeed, in God’s economy you will be more blessed if you’re a spiritual conduit rather than a spiritual cul-de-sac. God wants to work through you so that you will be a blessing to others. If you have the capacity to address a need (with your money, your time, or your encouragement), be used by God to give to and meet that need. God will return the favor.”
Generosity unlocks the key to God’s blessing in your life.
- God promises your children will be blessed. “He is ever [generous], and…his descendants are blessed.” (Psalm 37:26 NKJV).
When you model the generosity of God, He not only blesses you, but He passes the blessing on to the next generation…even making them a blessing to others!
- God promises to bless your work and your business. “Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.” (Proverbs 3:9,10 NKJV).
Almost everyone was a farmer in biblical times. Barns and vats represented a person’s investments and livelihood, and God promised to bless the businesses of people who honored him with their wealth.
- God promises you’ll be happier. “You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35 NLT).
This is another way to understand Acts 20:35. As a young boy, I’d rather get a Christmas gift than give one. But maturity comes when you realize that there’s more happiness in giving than receiving.
- God promises your influence will increase. “There is one who scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty.” (Proverbs 11:24 NKJV).
Your world expands when you’re faithful with what God gives you. The opposite is also true—when you’re stingy, your world gets smaller.
- God promises you’ll end up with more. “Give, and it will be given to you” (Luke 6:38 NKJV).
God’s economy says we don’t give to get a blessing; we give to be a blessing. But the truth is, you can’t out give God.
- God promises to meet all your needs. “Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing” (Proverbs 28:27 NLT).
It sounds too good to be true, but God says it over and over in Scripture: “If you are generous with what I give you, I will meet all of your needs—financial, physical, and spiritual.”
- God promises to multiply what you give him. “For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you” (2 Corinthians 9:10 NLT).
When you plant a seed, you don’t get a single seed back. You get hundreds of thousands of seeds from just that one seed. It’s the principle of multiplication. God will take what you give Him and multiply it, so it goes even further. God does it with money, but He also does it with energy and time.
- God promises that your giving is stored up in heaven. “Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life” (1 Timothy 6:18-19 NLT).
God has set up a bank account for you in heaven. We know it’s true because Jesus mentioned it five times. It’s more important than your retirement account on earth. It’s going to last trillions and trillions of years. Every time you use “your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends,” you’re investing in this account (Luke 16:9 NLT).
Keep these nine promises in mind as you strive to be faithful in generosity and lead others to do likewise.
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