God's Financial Playbook PT.3 - Giving Part 1

"EACH ONE MUST GIVE AS HE HAS DECIDED IN HIS HEART, NOT RELUCTANTLY OR UNDER COMPULSION, FOR GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER." - 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7

Generosity needs to be at the core of our finances. Giving should be prioritized, systematic, proportional to income, and done with the right attitude. We see these concepts in scripture.

Prioritized: Proverbs 3:9-10 - "Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine."

Systematic/Proportional To Income: 1 Corinthians 16:2 - "On the first day of the week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come "

The Right Attitude: 2 Corinthians 9:7 - "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

Prioritizing giving means it is the first expenditure to come out of your income before other household expenses, lest you start rationalizing and negotiating what else to do with your money.

Systematic giving could look like setting up a recurring or automated amount per month for your church and other non- profit institutions.

Proportional giving sets up the practice of increasing your giving as your income increases.

The right attitude towards giving is one that's motivated by love and gratitude, not by what reward you will get as a tax benefit.

Probably the most hotly debated Christian financial topic on giving is how much we should give. To answer that, we need to understand two things: 1) We are now under grace, not the law. When Jesus died on the cross and rose again, He fulfilled the law and everything that came with it (Matt 5:17). 2) The Law of the Tithe is different from The Principle of the Tithe.

First off, tithe literally means "a tenth." Any amount below or above ten percent is an offering. The Law of the Tithe is what Malachi 3:6-12 references. The Principle of Tithe was initiated by Abraham when he gave the King and High Priest Melchizedek ten percent of his wealth (Genesis 14:17-20). This is important because Abraham lived hundreds of years before God gave the law through Moses. Meaning, Abraham had no standard or rule to follow. He simply gave because he was thankful.

This has been an excerpt from my book, "Fortify: Being Rooted in God's Plan For Work And Business." Find the book HERE and the companion workbook/journal HERE.

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