Giving Like God

And it all comes down to this one simple fact. You have to predetermine what you're gonna do with your money, because if you don't predetermine what you're gonna do with your money, your money will determine what you're gonna do with it. It's really that simple. You have to predetermine what am I gonna do with this paycheck before that paycheck ever shows up. Because if you don't, you know, you're smart enough. I even saw some people smile at me when I made that statement. Your money will tell you what to do with it, And that means your money is gonna be in control. So how do you predetermine what you're gonna do with your money? Well, you have to decide. God, I'm gonna honor you with this portion of my paycheck. Now I'm recommending to you because the Bible is the one that teaches it, that we put the first 10%, and we give it to the Lord. [00:28:24] (51 seconds)  #DecideBeforePayday

God modeled generosity for us, but we also see that God is the source of generosity. We're only generous towards one another because God gave first. And when God lives in us, then we can actually become generous. If God doesn't live in you, you're not generous. It's like a car. A car with an engine, four wheels, the box, the doors, the whole works, the windshield. It can go anywhere, but it can't go anywhere unless it has what? Fuel on the inside of it. [00:16:13] (36 seconds)  #GodIsTheSourceOfGenerosity

But now this leads us really to our second principle. The second principle that we see in scripture is that generosity is an act of worship. Generosity is an act of worship. And when we're generous when we're generous and when we give, here's what happens. It honors God, and it recognizes him as Lord over all that we have. Did you realize that? [00:18:22] (27 seconds)  #GenerosityIsWorship

But when people truly know Jesus, now generosity can be true. It can be authentic. It can be honestly to to bless God, to be obedient to God, and to bless others, which is exactly what Jesus left us on this earth to do. Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as you love yourself. That is the expression of generosity, and it can only be expressed when Jesus himself lives inside of us. [00:17:28] (30 seconds)  #AuthenticGenerosityThroughChrist

This is why this is why I believe that biblical generosity isn't about wealth, and it's not about getting rich. Biblical generosity is about reflecting and mirroring to the world the generosity that the father, God, showed to us through his son, Jesus Christ. This is our mission. [00:17:58] (24 seconds)  #ReflectGodsGenerosity

But here's what I've discovered. Man, the more I've let Jesus get a hold of my finances, the more my worship of Jesus has gone deeper. The more the more I've worshiped God with my finances, the more my worship has gone deeper. Worship has something way beyond singing songs and raising hands. But when Jesus gets a hold of your money, your worship becomes more personal. Your worship becomes deeper. There's something about it that Jesus has more of you. Why is that? It's because you're invested. [00:23:00] (33 seconds)  #WorshipThroughFinances

That's what I've been I've been trained to do that out of God's word since I was a child. And those principles have paid off in my life of that cycle of giving and blessing and faith. And God has just done things, guys, that have blown my mind away blown my mind away. But that's a biblical principle. [00:29:15] (19 seconds)  #FaithfulGivingPaysOff

I don't trust in my provisions. I trust in the provider. The provider is God. I don't trust in my provisions. I trust in the provider. When you start worshiping God with your money, you're saying, I trust in the provider. When when you worship money, I trust in my provisions. So let's start worshiping God with our money, and let God get ahold of our heart, and let him change us from the inside out. I pray that happens for you. [00:34:55] (30 seconds)  #TrustTheProvider