A Generous Person Will Prosper; Whoever Refreshes Others Will Be Refreshed
Be A Cheerful, Not Foolish Giver
PROVERBS 11:24-25
“There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty. The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself.
”Proverbs 11:24-25 NKJV
https://www.bible.com/114/pro.11.24-25.nkj
v
These two verses go against our natural inclinations; they present a paradox that we become more wealthy by being generous.
Our natural inclination is to hold on to as much as one can, but the truth is, God blesses those who freely give of their time, money, and possessions.
When we give regularly in God’s wisdom, He will give us even more so we can give even more.
Like a snow ball, it will grow bigger and bigger. Furthermore, giving helps us to gain a right perspective on our possessions; we come to realise that they were never really ours to begin with, for all we have is of God’s grace, and much has been given to us to help others.
By giving, we gain freedom from enslavement to our possessions and the joy of helping others in need.
But when we give, we must do so by the leading of the Spirit without expectation of something in return. Therefore, when you are led to give, do it in secret. Jesus said, ““Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.”
Matthew 6:1-4 NKJV
To give carelessly is foolish and may drag one into poverty.
Sadly, many deceivers are very good at pouring out emotional blackmail, even using Scripture or false Prophecy and promises to twist one’s hand into giving.
That can include some Pastors and church leaders preaching a false prosperity Jesus.
Some are lazy to work and earn an honest living.
We are not called to the lazy, but rather the needy. “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat (2 THESSALONIANS 3:10).
Therefore, while being ready to give even your last penny at the instruction of God, don’t be foolish.
Ask God for His approval before emptying your pockets.
It is God’s choice who gives to who, even when someone is genuinely pleading for help out of desperation.
To give outside of the leading of the Holy Spirit can undermine God’s work and break your own finances.
Jesus is the head, and we are the body. It is the head that instructs all the members of the body.
The eye does not instruct the foot, but rather, every message goes to and from the head.
For we are one body in Christ, who is the head (COLOSSIANS 1:18-20).
“For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many.”
I Corinthians 12:12-14 NKJV
Since we are all one body of the same Spirit, we would not expect to hear conflicting messages.
When someone tells you that God said, “you must give,” or “do,” or “go,” whether that is your pastor, prophet, or any other person, respond by telling him or her, “when God tells me” I will do it.”
You are not called according to the flesh, but rather by the Spirit (ROMANS 8:9-17).
If you are called to give, you shall know it as a gut feeling, Spirit to spirit (ROMANS 8:16), to then, by obedience, shall manifest good works through the flesh, that is dead to its own lust, but alive in Christ.
The Holy Spirit is not in influenced by emotion blackmail, but rather by what is right, nor does He take away one free will, so the decision to give whether foolishly or not is yours. It is wise to remember that a fool and his money is quickly parted.
“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”
II Corinthians 9:6-8 NKJV
If God cannot trust you with small, He will not trust you with more.
My beloved, give out of love with no expectation of something in return.
There is no promise of earthly blessings to the generous, even when the pastor said “there is”.
But truly I tell you, that to the genuine giver, he who has no hidden agendas or expectations, blessings are piling up in heaven for you.
Therefore my beloved, ““Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.
