Offering Time

2 CORINTHIANS 9:7 NIV 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.

Most people regard offering time as a necessary evil, at best.

As usual, our ideas are much different than what the Word of God teaches.

God does not encourage giving just to meet the needs of His work on earth. No, God does it for our good, so that we can be blessed. (Also, to combat selfishness.)

Every offering time is an opportunity for us to worship God and express our love to Him in a tangible way. But God, being so good, has designed it so that when we do give to Him it also functions like planting a seed, which will produce a harvest of blessing in our life.

God designed His creation to work in such a way that money and blessing will come back to us in even greater measure than we give out.

2 CORINTHIANS 9:6,8 NIV 6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 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.

One way the devil tries to suppress the spread of the Gospel is by making people believe that messages like this are just to get money, as if preachers dreamed up the Bible for their own benefit. No, God planned all this, and He is smart enough to know that without adequate funding, those whom He has called to teach and equip His people will be held back, unable to be as effective as they should be.

When we give to those proclaiming the Word of God on earth, God considers it giving to Him, and a seed sown.

A farmer does not hate planting his crops. Farmers don't whine about having to put their seed in the ground. No, they look forward with joy to the time of harvest they know is coming, because they understand how seeds work.

If we believe God's Word, then we know our giving works exactly as the seed the farmer plants in the ground.

You don't have to believe this (or anything God teaches us in His Word). But surely you can understand that refusing to believe God's Word is NOT a way to please Him.

SAY THIS: I will plant my financial seeds with joy and thanksgiving, as I worship God with my money.