Beyond in our Giving

Today I am passing along some of my notes from Sunday evening’s service.
I often read and enjoy the stories told of the church in days gone by. I enjoy hearing an elde talk about the power of God in a service and the events that took place.
The stories are told over and over of the great things that God has done in the days gone by. The church of the living God in the early 1900’s saw and were part of miracles and moves of the Lord that were simply astounding. They saw miracles, healing, dead raised to life again, blind eyes opened and cripples restored. They saw many receive the Holy Ghost and baptisms often took all of Sunday afternoon and turned into its own service on the side of a river or pond bank.
They prayed and God answered. They preached and God confirmed His Word.
At the same time such a rich history causes me to look at my day and ask, why are we missing so much of the anointing. I look at our day, all our blessings. Never in her history has this church’s members been in a better position from a material and financial stand point. In the United States, just one third to one half of all church members give any financial support to their churches. Any! And of the people who do give something, only 3 to 5 percent give at the very least a tenth of their income. Meanwhile the wealth accumulated by churchgoing people has reached record levels. And despite the greatest opportunity ever to give in the greatest fashion ever, the American Christians today give proportionately less to their church than church members did during the Great Depression. (Taken from the book, Fields of Gold by Andy Stanley)
That is a very sad fact. I have to believe we are putting our seed in the wrong place.
We are hiding too much of what God has blessed us with in this old world.
We often ask the question why we don’t see the miracles and moves of God in our lives and churches like they did in the early 1900’s and Bible times, the answer is very simply. Today, we are praying and asking for a harvest over fields that have never been sown. We are asking for a miracle, a move of God over a place where no seeds have been planted, a place we have not invested our Time, Talents and Treasures.
What would we think of a farmer who prayed for a harvest, even a small harvest, but we knew he had never sown any seeds in his fields? He was only praying over empty soil. What do we think God will produce in the fields of our life when we have never bothered to sow for a harvest.
The Apostle Paul gives us these thought in writing to the church at Corinth.

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.  2 Corinthians 9:6-11 NIV
There are three things that stand out about this scripture. (Fields of Gold by Andy Stanley)

Insight 1 – The law of the harvest applies to your finances
Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
What rational farmer would say, “I’m afraid to sow my seed because then I won’t have any seed anymore? Or what happens if I need this seed for next year?” Any farmer knows that if he wants a crop he has to put the seed in the ground. Neither does it do any good for him to pray, “Oh God, please give me a crop, give me a harvest. I’m not sure I’m ready to sow any of my seeds, but I am trusting you to get involved and give me a harvest. But I’ll hold my seed just in case.” No, the law of the harvest is in full affect in the giving of our Time Talents and Treasures.

Insight 2 – Financial giving aligns your life with God’s agenda
"He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."
Why did Paul say it like that? Why does he quote the 112 Psalm? Paul is reminding the church of God’s commitment to the poor and the needs of people and touching the lives of these people. In other words, God is up to something in this world. God has a plan that He is working. Paul is telling us that when we give we are aligning ourselves with God’s plan and what He is up to. When we do this we are taking our place in a plan that is much bigger than our life and our little bucket of seed. Like Vesta Mangun says, “When you make God’s business your business, God will make your business His business”.

 Insight 3 – Good service results in repeat business
You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion,
We understand that one seed planted produces several times over its self. Paul is telling us that when we sow, God will increase us not so we can get more things. That’s burying the Lords gifts back into this world. But He blessed us so we can be generous on every occasion. We must remember why God is blessing us. Our prayers are often hindered because we are asking self-centered prayers. James in the New Testament said, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss (badly, grievously), that you may spend it on your pleasures.” James 4:3 NKJV God has blessed you and me so that we can give more generously.


In the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7, Jesus said, “When you pray”, “When you fast”, and “When you give”. Jesus didn’t say if we pray, if we fast or if we give. No, Jesus expects us to do each of these. Not one or the other. It is possible I believe for us to pray and fast but never give or sow seeds. If we do this I feel we will reap very little. The author of the book Fasting, says that these three form a three strand cord which Ecclesiastes says is not easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12). If you and I want a strong powerful help in our life that is not easily broken we will need to braid together, prayer, fasting and giving.

In 2001 I am attempting to lead us here at FPB to go Beyond in what we are doing for God. This will have to start with our personal living. I challenge you to go Beyond in your prayer, your love for people and in your giving. Go ahead, let’s go beyond.