What Gives?

MESSAGE SUMMARY

Offering is an act of worship; it is also a command that God has given us.
Our teaching in offering is regular percentage giving.

But why?
Why do we have to give an offering?

There may be many benefits and results of giving, but they hardly seem convincing, especially because it’s very difficult to give what is ours.
It’s our money, our possession, it’s difficult to give.
And it’s understandable, if it’s yours, you don’t really have to give an offering. You can give what you feel comfortable.

But the question is, is what you have yours?

Deuteronomy 26:1-11 teaches us the one main reason for giving:

• We give God the first because God gave us first.

What we have is not ours, it’s God-given.
And so we worship him by giving him the first portion of what we have. This tells him that everything that we have is his.
And when we see our possessions and our life in this way, giving is not so difficult anymore, it is a natural response of worship to God’s generosity.

And what’s amazing is that God generously gave us 7 promises when we give back to him what he gave us first.

• Bear fruit for the kingdom (2 Cor. 9:6)
• People will worship God (2 Cor. 9:13)
• God loves it (2 Cor. 9:7)
• Heavenly Treasure (Matthew 6:20)
• Experience God’s Providence (Matthew 6:33)
• Grow our faith
• Participate in the Kingdom (Matthew 6:33)

Our encouragement to you:

• Reflect on what God has given you, dedicate the first portion of those (possession, time, effort, skill, life) back to God in worship.

MUSIC CREDIT