Faith, Generosity, and Mentorship: Keys to Blessing
Summary
Living by faith is essential for experiencing God's blessings in our lives. Faith is the foundation upon which God acts in and through us. The Bible emphasizes that without faith, it is impossible to please God, and whatever is not of faith is sin. However, the world often distracts us from living by faith. One way God tests our faith is through shortages, which challenge our generosity. True faithfulness is demonstrated when we give, even when we lack resources. The church in Macedonia exemplifies this by giving generously despite their poverty, showing that financial stewardship is a key test of faith.
Generosity is a principle that God rewards. The more we give, the more God blesses us. This principle is evident in the story of the feeding of the 5,000, where a small offering was multiplied to meet a great need. When we obey God's vision, He provides the necessary resources. This requires stepping out in faith, trusting that God will fulfill His promises. Additionally, when we have a need, we should sow a seed, giving away what we need more of, trusting that God will return it to us in abundance.
There is always a delay between sowing and reaping, which tests our faithfulness. During this time, we must remain steadfast, trusting that God will bring the harvest in due season. Faithful people also bring others to Jesus, as seen in the story of the friends who brought a paralyzed man to Christ. Our faith can lead others to salvation, and God blesses those who are faithful in sharing their faith.
Finally, faithful people build the faith of others through mentoring and discipleship. Everyone needs a mentor and someone to mentor. By investing in others, we fulfill God's call to make disciples, passing on the faith to future generations. This process of mentoring not only strengthens others but also brings blessings to our own lives.
Key Takeaways:
1. Faith as the Foundation: Living by faith is crucial for pleasing God and receiving His blessings. Faith is not just a belief but an active trust in God's promises, even when circumstances seem contrary. This trust is tested through life's challenges, such as shortages, which reveal our true reliance on God. [00:13]
2. Generosity in Scarcity: God uses our financial situations to test our faithfulness. True generosity is giving when we have little, trusting that God will provide. The Macedonian church exemplified this by giving out of their poverty, showing that financial stewardship is a profound test of faith. [02:12]
3. Sowing and Reaping: The principle of sowing and reaping teaches us that what we give will return to us. This requires faith, especially during the delay between planting and harvest. Trusting God during this waiting period is a test of our faithfulness and patience. [11:04]
4. Bringing Others to Jesus: Our faith can lead others to Christ, as demonstrated by the friends who brought a paralyzed man to Jesus. God blesses those who are faithful in sharing their faith, and our efforts to bring others to Jesus can result in their salvation and our own spiritual growth. [13:31]
5. Mentoring and Discipleship: Building the faith of others is a key aspect of faithfulness. By mentoring and discipling others, we pass on the faith to future generations. This investment in others not only strengthens them but also brings blessings to our own lives. [18:15]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:13] - Living by Faith
- [00:44] - Testing Generosity
- [01:56] - The Macedonian Example
- [03:12] - Finances as a Faith Test
- [04:56] - Principles for Tough Times
- [06:12] - The Generosity Game
- [07:23] - God's Vision and Provision
- [08:05] - Doing the Impossible
- [09:57] - Sowing Seeds of Faith
- [11:04] - Delay Between Sowing and Reaping
- [13:10] - Bringing Friends to Jesus
- [16:59] - Building Others' Faith
- [20:01] - Mentoring and Discipleship
- [21:35] - Prayer and Faithfulness
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Hebrews 11:6 - "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
2. 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 - The example of the Macedonian church's generosity.
3. Matthew 9:2 - The story of the friends who brought a paralyzed man to Jesus.
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Observation Questions:
1. What does Hebrews 11:6 say about the necessity of faith in our relationship with God? How does this align with the sermon's emphasis on faith as the foundation for experiencing God's blessings? [00:13]
2. How did the Macedonian church demonstrate their faith through generosity, according to 2 Corinthians 8:1-5? What circumstances were they facing at the time? [02:12]
3. In Matthew 9:2, what role did the faith of the paralyzed man's friends play in his healing? How does this story illustrate the sermon's point about bringing others to Jesus? [13:31]
4. According to the sermon, what is the principle of sowing and reaping, and how does it relate to the concept of faithfulness? [11:04]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How might the concept of living by faith, as described in Hebrews 11:6, challenge a person's current lifestyle or decisions? What does it mean to have an "active trust" in God's promises? [00:13]
2. Why is financial stewardship considered a profound test of faith, as demonstrated by the Macedonian church? How can this test reveal one's true reliance on God? [02:12]
3. What does the delay between sowing and reaping teach about patience and trust in God's timing? How can this delay be a test of faithfulness? [11:04]
4. How does the story of the friends bringing the paralyzed man to Jesus illustrate the impact of communal faith? What does this suggest about the role of community in one's spiritual journey? [13:31]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you faced a shortage. How did you respond, and what might it look like to demonstrate faith through generosity in similar situations? [01:56]
2. Consider your current financial habits. In what ways can you practice financial stewardship as a test of faith, similar to the Macedonian church? [03:12]
3. Identify an area in your life where you are waiting for a "harvest." How can you remain steadfast and faithful during this waiting period, trusting in God's timing? [11:04]
4. Think of someone in your life who is "paralyzed" by doubt, fear, or insecurity. How can you actively bring them to Jesus, as the friends did for the paralyzed man? [13:31]
5. Who is a potential "Timothy" in your life that you can mentor or disciple? What steps can you take to invest in their spiritual growth and pass on your faith? [18:15]
6. Reflect on a time when you felt God's provision after stepping out in faith. How can this experience encourage you to trust God in future challenges? [07:23]
7. What specific action can you take this week to sow a seed in an area of need in your life, trusting that God will return it to you in abundance? [10:16]
Devotional
Day 1: Faith as the Foundation of Divine Action
Living by faith is essential for experiencing God's blessings in our lives. Faith is the foundation upon which God acts in and through us. The Bible emphasizes that without faith, it is impossible to please God, and whatever is not of faith is sin. However, the world often distracts us from living by faith. One way God tests our faith is through shortages, which challenge our generosity. True faithfulness is demonstrated when we give, even when we lack resources. The church in Macedonia exemplifies this by giving generously despite their poverty, showing that financial stewardship is a key test of faith. [00:13]
Hebrews 11:6 (ESV): "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."
Reflection: In what area of your life are you struggling to trust God fully? How can you take a step of faith today to rely more on His promises?
Day 2: Generosity in Times of Scarcity
Generosity is a principle that God rewards. The more we give, the more God blesses us. This principle is evident in the story of the feeding of the 5,000, where a small offering was multiplied to meet a great need. When we obey God's vision, He provides the necessary resources. This requires stepping out in faith, trusting that God will fulfill His promises. Additionally, when we have a need, we should sow a seed, giving away what we need more of, trusting that God will return it to us in abundance. [02:12]
2 Corinthians 8:2-3 (ESV): "For in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord."
Reflection: Think of a time when you felt you had little to give. How can you practice generosity today, trusting that God will provide for your needs?
Day 3: The Principle of Sowing and Reaping
There is always a delay between sowing and reaping, which tests our faithfulness. During this time, we must remain steadfast, trusting that God will bring the harvest in due season. Faithful people also bring others to Jesus, as seen in the story of the friends who brought a paralyzed man to Christ. Our faith can lead others to salvation, and God blesses those who are faithful in sharing their faith. [11:04]
Galatians 6:9 (ESV): "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."
Reflection: What is one area where you are waiting for a harvest? How can you remain faithful and patient during this waiting period?
Day 4: Bringing Others to Jesus Through Faith
Faithful people bring others to Jesus, as seen in the story of the friends who brought a paralyzed man to Christ. Our faith can lead others to salvation, and God blesses those who are faithful in sharing their faith. This act of bringing others to Jesus not only impacts their lives but also strengthens our own faith and spiritual growth. [13:31]
Mark 2:3-5 (ESV): "And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven.'"
Reflection: Who in your life needs to be brought to Jesus? How can you take a step today to share your faith with them?
Day 5: Mentoring and Discipleship as Acts of Faith
Finally, faithful people build the faith of others through mentoring and discipleship. Everyone needs a mentor and someone to mentor. By investing in others, we fulfill God's call to make disciples, passing on the faith to future generations. This process of mentoring not only strengthens others but also brings blessings to our own lives. [18:15]
2 Timothy 2:2 (ESV): "And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also."
Reflection: Who is someone you can mentor or disciple in their faith journey? What steps can you take to begin investing in their spiritual growth today?
Quotes
"if you want God's blessing on your life you're going to have to learn to live by faith because everything God does in you through you for you and to you he does because you put your faith in his grace God always moves according to your faith the Bible says without faith it's impossible to please God the Bible says according to your faith it will be done unto you the Bible says without faith uh it is impossible to please God it says whatever is not a faith is sin the problem is everything in this world focuses against you to keep you from living by faith" [00:02:32]
"God uses shortages to test my generosity God uses shortages to test my generosity faithful people people are generous when they don't have it to give now now follow me on this anybody can be generous when you got a surplus I can be generous with my time when I got a lot of extra time I can be generous with my money when I got a lot of extra money I can be generous when with my energy when I got extra energy to spend I can be generous uh with help when I've got a lot of extra help to give it's when I don't have enough for me I don't have enough time for me I don't have enough energy for me I don't have enough money for me I don't have enough talent for me and I give it away to help others God goes this is a test and I'm watching you to see if you are faithful and will you be faithful and will you trust me" [00:52:28]
"those people over there in Macedonia they're going through this enormous recession he goes they have been going through severe trouble they've been going through very hard times and out of their extreme poverty these people are flat broke has flowed extreme generosity and overwhelming Joy what's he talking about he said those people over there they are hurting like crazy but they gave a huge offering to help the church down in Jerusalem that's starving right now he goes out of their poverty came generosity he said God's watching that they are being faithful they are being faithful did you know that the number one test the acid test of your faith in your life is your finances not anything else but it's your finances why because we spend most of our time thinking making worrying investing saving money it's the acid test of how much do I trust God my finances" [00:153:599]
"God gives to generous people God gives to generous people this is a principle in the Bible God says the more generous you are the more generous I'm going to be with you if you're generous with your time I'm going to give you more time if you're generous with your energy I'm going to give you more energy if you're generous with your talent I'm going to give you more Talent God says why does God want me to be generous obviously he doesn't need it he wants me to be like him everything I have in my life everything you have in your life is because of the generosity of God your heart is beating because of the generosity of God the blood in your veins and the air you breathe is all there because of the generosity of God God so loved that he gave and God wants us to grow up and be like him like father like son like father like daughter God wants me to learn to be generous and so he rewards it and there's a principle throughout the Bible where God says the more generous you are the more generous I will be with you you cannot outgive God" [00:301:28]
"obeying God's Vision will bring God's provision in other words if you do what God tells you to do and you don't have the money you don't have the energy you don't have the people you don't have it God will bring it along the resources you need at the right time because what he calls you to do he's going to fulfill what he's given you the vision for he will give you the provision for he'll give you the provision for and and so what you need to do is you step out in faith to do what you know God's called you to do" [00:448:319]
"when I do all God tells me to do he does what I can't do when I do all God tells me to do he does what I can't do now this story of the feeding of the 5,000 in the Bible is a perfect example of this do you remember this story the miracle of Jesus feeding 5,000 people they're all out in the desert Jesus been teaching all day it's the end of the day and everybody's hungry there's no McDonald's anywhere so the disciples come to Jesus said send them all away Lord so they can go home and eat Jesus looks at the disciples and he says you feed them now that was impossible here God often asks you to do the impossible to stretch your faith he looks says you feed him they said Lord we can't we we have any money we don't have any food there's no place to buy food we can't Jesus said you feed them so then he says anybody got a lunch and out of that entire 5,000 people one little kid has a little sack lunch and in that little sack lunch are five little tiny rolls of bread and two little fish like sardines and the little kid takes his measly little lunch and he gives it to Jesus he gives Jesus everything he's got it's not much but he gives to him jesus takes it he breaks it He blesses it and he multiplies it and he feeds 5,000 people with it and then at the end of they're all feeding they gather 12 baskets of left over there was so much left over what's the principle there when I give what little I've got God multiplies it and he makes up for it" [00:487:919]
"when I have a need I sow a seed when I have a need I sow a seed now here's the point whatever you need more of give it away if you need more energy give energy to helping other people and God will give you more energy if you need more time give some of your time away unselfishly and God will give you more time if you need more intelligence you give whatever you got away to help others if you need more money whatever you need you seow a seed can you imagine a farmer going well it's recession I think I'll just keep all the seed in the barn no you got to plant it in order to profit from it now you whatever you need in your life you seow that as a seed and it will be responsible to come back to you" [00:600:0]
"there's always a delay between sewing and reaping there is always a delay between sewing and reaping in other words if I go out and I plant a kernel of corn in the ground tomorrow I'm not going to see a full grown stock of corn with 20 ears on it ain't going to happen there is a season between planting and harvesting between the seed and the fruit there is always a time delay and what's going on in the time delay this is a test it's a test of your faith will I be faithful will I keep on doing the right thing will I do what God wants me to do and see what God does" [00:655:44]
"faithful people bring friends to Jesus God is watching you and faithful people faithful people share their faith faithful people share their faith faithful people bring others into the faith if I don't share my faith I am being unfaithful now a good example of this is is these four guys in the Bible had a friend who was paralyzed and they had the faith to think you know if we could just get our friend to Jesus Jesus would heal the guy and then our friend would be well and they had faith that if they could get their friend to Jesus he'd be healed the story is told here in uh uh there on your outline in in U Matthew chapter 9 it says some men brought to Jesus a paralytic paralyzed man a paralyzed friend lying on a mat he couldn't even get to Jesus he was paralyzed when Jesus saw their Faith Circle the phrase their faith when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralyzed man take heart son your sins are forgiven I didn't print the rest of the verse rest of verse says he said take up your mat and go home and the guy was instantly healed now Jesus heals the guy now according to that verse did Jesus heal the guy because of the sick man's Faith or because of the friend's Faith what yeah the friends it says when Jesus saw their faith you guys had enough faith that if you could get your paralyzed man to me I'd save him on the basis of their faith not the guy who was sick but their faith he healed the man" [00:792:56]
"faithful people build the faith of others faithful people build the faith of others and when God sees your faithfulness He blesses you now building the faith of others is called mentoring or discipling it's simply encouraging somebody in the faith who's younger in the faith than you everybody in life needs a Paul and everybody needs a Timothy what's a Paul that's somebody who's older than you who can kind of encourage you and encourage you and be a coach to you spiritually and just be there to pray for you everybody needs a Paul and everybody needs a Timothy that's somebody who's not been a Christian as long as you maybe you've only been a Christian one week longer but they can be your Timothy and you need to be mentoring somebody younger than you now you don't need to be a hundred steps ahead of that person CU they can't see you you only need to be one step ahead and if you start helping other people in their faith you're going to find God blessing your socks off faithful people build the faith of others God has called every Christian to do this" [00:1019:079]
"the things Paul is talking to Timothy Paul says the thing you've learned things you've learned from me Timothy in the presence of many witnesses you are to entrust to other faithful people there's that word faithful who will also be qualified to pass it on to others now notice in that verse there are four generations Paul says I help build up your faith now you're to find somebody who's faithful and help build up their faith who they will turn around and build up the faith of others four generations in one verse four generations this is called mentoring it's called discipling don't you wish when you were in your 20s and you're a young guy if you had had an older guy who was a Christian who said you know what I don't know a whole lot but let's just get together for coffee once a month and we'll just talk and I'll pray for you and you need some help in your business I don't know a whole lot but I can tell you what I know uh you need some help in your family your marriage I can tell you what not to do I can tell you what not to do that's that's mentor ing see it's wise to learn from experience it's wise to learn from experiences mistakes of others I don't have time to learn it all myself" [00:1097:4]
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