Give Thanks Week 4

GIVE THANKS – WEEK 4

GIVING THANKS LEADS TO GENEROSITY

Thankfulness is a common theme all throughout the Bible.

Key verse:

18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. I Thessalonians 5:18

Week 1…Developing a Grateful Heart

YOU BECOME THANKFUL WHEN YOU HABITUALLY PRACTICE GRATITUDE!

Week 2…Give thanks to God for His character

34 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love endures forever. I Chronicles 16:34

Our thankfulness should come out of our understanding of God’s character.

Week 3

Barriers that steal our gratitude:

Pride

Critical spirit/Complaining

Carelessness

26 All day long he [the lazy and selfish] craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing. Proverbs 21:26

35 Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35

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

Giving comes from a right heart.

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:7

Jesus said…21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21

10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 

11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 2 Corinthians 9:10-11

24 The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller. 25 The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped. Proverbs 11:24-25

12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

2 Corinthians 9:10-15

GIVING:

1) MEETS A PHYSICAL NEED

12a “This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people” 2 Corinthians 9:12a

GIVING:

2) CAUSES OTHERS TO GIVE THANKS TO GOD –

12b “but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:12b

GIVING:

3) SHOWS OBEDIENCE TO THE GOSPEL –

13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 2 Corinthians 9:13

15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

2 Corinthians 9:10-15

17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Mark 10:17

21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.

22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” Mark 10:21-23

We often don’t see the blessing in giving until we take the first steps of obedience.

HOW DO WE GROW IN OUR GENEROSITY?

1) TRUST GOD WITH YOUR TITHE

30A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord. Leviticus 27:30

10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. Malachi 3:10

HOW DO WE GROW IN OUR GENEROSITY?

2) PLAN TO BE GENEROUS

But generous people plan to do what is generous, and they stand firm in their generosity. Isaiah 32:8 (NLT)

HOW DO WE GROW IN OUR GENEROSITY?

3) START NOW

And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ. Philemon 1:6