Practical Christianity requires a selfless heart. To love others requires a selfless and giving heart. Giving is love in action, the opposite of selfishness. Because of sin, we don't have this heart, so God starts to give his people selfless and giving hearts when he rescues them from their selfish, self-seeking and lost ways.
God's ways work, fallen man's ways most often don't. God works his generosity to his people through having his people be generous to other people. The worldly will seek to gather by all means and then hoard. But what good does that do on the last day? Someone else just gets to enjoy it. Better to empty your silos while you live and bless others in doing so. God confirms this by filling his people's silos faster than they can empty them. His ways work.
God is wise and therefore his people should seek to be wise givers not foolish givers. This sometimes takes effort, but is required if your giving is not to perpetuate corrupt and futile practices, which may give you a warm feeling for a time but helps neither the intended poor recipient nor the corrupt wealthy interceptor of your giving.
MATTHEW 6:33 NIV "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
PSALM 122:5 NLV "Good will come to the man who is ready to give much, and is fair in what he does."
LUKE 6:38 NIV 38 "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
PROVERBS 3:9-10 NKJV 9 "Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase; 10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine."
MATTHEW 10:42 NIV 42 "And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward."
2 CORINTHIANS 9:6-8 NIV 6 "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 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."
HEBREWS 6:10 NIV 10 "God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them."
ACTS 20:35 NIV 35 "In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: `It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
God's ways work, fallen man's ways most often don't. God works his generosity to his people through having his people be generous to other people. The worldly will seek to gather by all means and then hoard. But what good does that do on the last day? Someone else just gets to enjoy it. Better to empty your silos while you live and bless others in doing so. God confirms this by filling his people's silos faster than they can empty them. His ways work.
God is wise and therefore his people should seek to be wise givers not foolish givers. This sometimes takes effort, but is required if your giving is not to perpetuate corrupt and futile practices, which may give you a warm feeling for a time but helps neither the intended poor recipient nor the corrupt wealthy interceptor of your giving.
MATTHEW 6:33 NIV "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
PSALM 122:5 NLV "Good will come to the man who is ready to give much, and is fair in what he does."
LUKE 6:38 NIV 38 "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
PROVERBS 3:9-10 NKJV 9 "Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase; 10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine."
MATTHEW 10:42 NIV 42 "And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward."
2 CORINTHIANS 9:6-8 NIV 6 "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 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."
HEBREWS 6:10 NIV 10 "God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them."
ACTS 20:35 NIV 35 "In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: `It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
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