As a Christian, what does giving mean? That is a great question which every Christian must answer for themselves. Fortunately for us, we have God’s Word, the Bible, that tells us exactly what giving is all about.
Giving takes faith, and below are a few key components of faith:
Faith is REAL.
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Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV) says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
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This can be a challenging verse to understand, so let’s make it simple. Evidence and Substance describe real, measurable, tangible things.
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Faith is not something strange or elusive.
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Simply put, faith is belief with actions.
Faith is CRITICAL.
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James 2:26 (NKJV) says, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”
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Just as our body and spirit cannot be separated, faith and actions cannot be separated.
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Faith PLEASES God.
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Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV) says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
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The goal of every Christian is to do the things that please our Heavenly Father.
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Giving also takes action — action to do what God has commanded us to do in His Word:
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Malachi 3:10a (NKJV) says, “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house.”
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The word “tithe” means one tenth, or 10 percent, of your increase.
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Each time we receive something of value that we didn’t have, like a paycheck, a monetary gift, or something else, the Lord asks that we give 10 percent to His storehouse which simply means the Church we attend or are members of.
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Proverbs 3:9 (NKJV) says, “Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase.”
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Honoring the Lord with what we own through giving is an action we take to demonstrate our faith in the Lord.
Don’t forget the joy!
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2 Cor 9:7 (NKJV) says, “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”
What’s in it for me? More than you can possibly imagine!
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Malachi 3:10b (NKJV) says, “`And try Me now in this,’ says the Lord of hosts, `If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.’”
Giving is both an act of worship and an act of faith. We worship the Lord by giving Him honor in our lives with something that’s very important to us, our money. And we’re operating in faith by taking action to joyfully give. Then, as a result, the Lord honors His Word by richly blessing us in return.
Bob Pettigrew is a staff member of Lord of Hosts Church.
