Below were my notes when I shared the offering message at the Filipino service today.
The Equation Of Giving
– Offering message, FP Service
“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
Tonight I’d like to talk about the equation of giving. Say with me, the equation of giving.
Mathematics is my least favorite subject (I’m not saying that I don’t like it, hard to say when Ps Jimmy whose very good in Maths is here). But there’s such a beauty in equations.
( – ) The world view sees giving as a deduction, a cost or an expense that one incurs. On a balance sheet it is a negative or a subtraction.
( + ) As Christians, we know that God’s economy works differently. Every good and perfect gift comes from above. The more you let God take over your giving, the more He adds to us. So that (-) becomes positive when we allow God to work through us.
And as we keep that lifestyle of giving… of our time, our energy, our money, our encouraging words, God begins to add some more. The Bible says when He seek His kingdom and righteousness first, all these things shall be added unto us.
( X ) Along the way, God is pleased with us and lets those things we scatter and give come back to us in multiplied form.
Suddenly our TIME is multiplied. We seem to accomplish so much more with the little time we have. We have more time with our loved ones though there are many tasks in hand. Suddenly we can afford to have the ENERGY to keep serving, keep on loving, keep on reaching out. Not too tired!
And oftentimes, when you feel that you don’t have much to give yet keep on giving, another ‘suddenly’ comes your way in your FINANCES – unexpected bonuses, pay increments, a more favorable job, blessings from people. In our recent CG meetings, we had people sponsoring our refreshments as thanksgiving for what God has done in their lives.
( / ) But it doesn’t stop there… The purpose of multiplication is division. Say with me… You may say, “GJ, I never learned that principle of Maths before.” Come to think of it, Jesus wouldn’t have fed the 5,000 if it weren’t for the bread and fish being divided among people.
You see friends, God is blessing us so we may continue to be a blessing. Say with me, “I’m blessed to be a blessing.”
Let me leave you with the NLT version of the same verses we read,
“Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.”
Proverbs 11:24-25 NLT
One more time say, “I’m blessed to be a blessing.”
Let us pray.
