GENEROSITY: Execution Time - Week 3

The financially generous give more, save more and consume less

Greatest obstacle to generosity: Thinking and behaving like a consumer

Consumption assumption: “If it comes to me, then it is for me.”

1 Timothy 6:17 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.

Luke 12: Generous people do not assume it is all theirs to consume

Fire yourself as an owner and become a manager of what God has given you

Do your possessions possess you?

Generosity: The premeditated, calculated, designated emancipation of financial assets

GENEROSITY REQUIRES A PLAN

“Non-planners" have a plan. (They just do not know what it is)

Everyone has a plan

We plan towards what is good but drift towards what is bad

We will not drift into financial generosity

The “non-planned” plan: Consume it, save it if possible, then give what is left over

If we do not pre-decide, God will get the leftovers

GENEROSITY IS CALCULATED

2 Corinthians 9:7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give.

Generous people give it before they consume

Give first, save second, live on the rest

“First line item in your budget is to be giving. Second line item is saving!” - Dave Ramsey

Generosity: Give first as a priority

Generosity: Giving will be progressive

How often to give? When paid (simplest, best, easiest plan)

1 Corinthians 16:2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money . . .

GENEROSITY IS DESIGNATED

Matthew 6:21 Your heart will be where your treasure is. GWT

To connect our money and our heart: Pre-decide where we are going to give

Malachi 3:10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse

Malachi 3:8 Robbing God

Malachi 3:9 Israelites cursed

Israelites tithes given to Levites so House of God would not be neglected (Nehemiah 13:10-13)

Malachi 3 not a law for Christians

Recognize the principle behind the passage

Great place to start: Give to God through the local church

Where to give? From a grateful heart and from a broken heart

Do you love the local church?

We will give the rest of our life

Will we be generous the rest of our life?

“Giving is possibly the most FUN you will ever have with money!” - Dave Ramey

Jesus said that those who order their lives around generosity we will be happy