Spiritual Generosity: The Heart Behind Our Giving
Summary
It's a beautiful day to be in the house of the Lord, and we are grateful for the opportunity to gather in worship. Today, we are reminded of the importance of spiritual generosity and the true cost of a dollar in God's eyes. As we continue our series on giving, we delve into the book of Haggai, exploring the profound message that God values the heart behind our giving more than the material offerings themselves. Our spiritual generosity should flow from a life of holy obedience, not just a sense of obligation.
The story of Kendrick Lamar's song, "How Much a Dollar Cost," serves as a powerful illustration of this truth. In the song, Kendrick encounters a homeless man who turns out to be God in disguise, teaching him that the true value of a dollar is tied to the condition of one's heart. Similarly, Haggai's message to the people of God emphasizes that their offerings are only acceptable when their lives are aligned with God's will.
God desires our entire lives to be an offering, not just the money we give. Our giving should be an overflow of our worship and a reflection of our commitment to living righteously. When we prioritize God's standards and align our hearts with His will, we open ourselves to His blessings and favor. It's not just about the financial transaction; it's about the spiritual transformation that occurs when we give from a place of genuine love and devotion.
As we reflect on this message, let us strive to develop a generous heart by distancing ourselves from negative influences, taking God's standards seriously, and finding rest in the security of His creative provision. When we trust God with our lives, He blesses us beyond what we can imagine, turning our obedience into opportunities for growth and prosperity.
Key Takeaways:
- Spiritual generosity is more than a financial transaction; it is an expression of our worship and commitment to God. Our offerings are only acceptable when our lives are aligned with His will. [01:10:12]
- The true cost of a dollar in God's eyes is tied to the condition of our hearts. God values the heart behind our giving more than the material offerings themselves. [01:18:29]
- To develop a generous heart, we must distance ourselves from negative influences and align our lives with God's standards. This alignment allows our giving to be an overflow of our worship. [01:27:27]
- God's blessings are not just attached to our giving but also to our living. When we live righteously, we open ourselves to His favor and provision, experiencing His blessings in all areas of our lives. [01:33:47]
- Trusting God with our lives brings peace and security, knowing that He will provide for us creatively and abundantly. Our obedience leads to opportunities for growth and prosperity. [01:38:54]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:45] - Fellowship and Greetings
[02:30] - Announcements and Acknowledgments
[05:15] - Heart Health Awareness
[08:00] - Prayer Call and Bible Study
[10:30] - Wedding Anniversaries Celebration
[13:00] - Introduction of Guest Choir
[15:45] - Offering Time
[18:30] - Introduction to the Sermon
[21:00] - The Cost of a Dollar
[24:00] - Spiritual Generosity
[27:30] - Aligning with God's Standards
[30:00] - God's Creative Provision
[33:00] - Invitation to Give Your Life
[36:00] - Closing Prayer and Benediction
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Haggai 2:10-19
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Observation Questions:
1. What was the main message that Haggai delivered to the people of God regarding their offerings and their lives? [01:10:12]
2. How does the story of Kendrick Lamar's song "How Much a Dollar Cost" illustrate the sermon’s message about the true value of a dollar in God's eyes? [01:18:29]
3. What does the sermon suggest is more important to God than the material offerings we give? [01:24:08]
4. According to the sermon, what are the consequences of living a life that is not aligned with God's standards, even if one is giving offerings? [01:33:47]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the condition of one's heart affect the acceptability of their offerings to God, according to Haggai's message? [01:10:12]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that spiritual generosity is an expression of worship and commitment to God? [01:24:08]
3. How does the sermon explain the relationship between living righteously and experiencing God's blessings and favor? [01:33:47]
4. What does the sermon imply about the importance of distancing oneself from negative influences to develop a generous heart? [01:27:27]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current approach to giving. Is it more out of obligation or an overflow of worship? How can you shift your mindset to align more with the latter? [01:24:08]
2. Consider the influences in your life. Are there any negative influences you need to distance yourself from to align your life more closely with God's standards? [01:27:27]
3. Think about a time when you experienced God's creative provision in your life. How did that experience impact your trust in God’s ability to provide? [01:38:54]
4. How can you ensure that your life, not just your financial offerings, is a reflection of your commitment to God? What changes might you need to make? [01:10:12]
5. Identify one area of your life where you feel you are not living righteously. What steps can you take this week to align that area with God's will? [01:33:47]
6. How can you cultivate a heart of generosity that is not just about financial giving but also about giving your time, talents, and love to others? [01:24:08]
7. Reflect on the sermon’s message about the true cost of a dollar. How does this perspective challenge your current understanding of generosity and giving? [01:18:29]
Devotional
Day 1: Spiritual Generosity as Worship
Spiritual generosity transcends mere financial transactions; it is an expression of our worship and commitment to God. True offerings are only acceptable when our lives are aligned with His will. This alignment ensures that our giving is not just an act of obligation but a genuine reflection of our devotion. When we give from a place of spiritual generosity, it becomes an overflow of our worship, demonstrating our commitment to living according to God's standards. This kind of giving invites God's presence and favor into our lives, transforming our material offerings into spiritual blessings. [01:10:12]
"Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you align your life more closely with God's will to ensure your giving is an act of worship rather than obligation?
Day 2: The Heart Behind the Dollar
The true cost of a dollar in God's eyes is tied to the condition of our hearts. God values the heart behind our giving more than the material offerings themselves. This principle is illustrated in Kendrick Lamar's song, where a seemingly ordinary encounter reveals profound spiritual truths. Similarly, the book of Haggai emphasizes that offerings are only acceptable when they come from a heart aligned with God's will. Our financial contributions should reflect a heart that is generous, loving, and obedient to God, rather than one that gives out of duty or expectation. [01:18:29]
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21, ESV)
Reflection: Consider your recent acts of giving. What do they reveal about the condition of your heart, and how can you cultivate a heart that aligns with God's values?
Day 3: Distancing from Negative Influences
To develop a generous heart, we must distance ourselves from negative influences and align our lives with God's standards. This alignment allows our giving to be an overflow of our worship. By removing distractions and influences that pull us away from God's path, we create space for His love and generosity to flow through us. This process involves intentional choices to prioritize God's standards in our daily lives, ensuring that our actions and decisions reflect His will. As we distance ourselves from negativity, we open ourselves to the transformative power of spiritual generosity. [01:27:27]
"Do not be deceived: 'Bad company ruins good morals.' Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame." (1 Corinthians 15:33-34, ESV)
Reflection: Identify one negative influence in your life that hinders your spiritual generosity. What steps can you take today to distance yourself from it?
Day 4: Living Righteously for God's Favor
God's blessings are not just attached to our giving but also to our living. When we live righteously, we open ourselves to His favor and provision, experiencing His blessings in all areas of our lives. This principle emphasizes that our lifestyle and choices matter to God. By living in accordance with His standards, we position ourselves to receive His abundant blessings. Righteous living is not about perfection but about a sincere commitment to follow God's ways, trusting that His favor will follow our obedience. [01:33:47]
"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night." (Psalm 1:1-2, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on your daily habits and choices. How can you align them more closely with God's standards to invite His favor into your life?
Day 5: Trusting in God's Provision
Trusting God with our lives brings peace and security, knowing that He will provide for us creatively and abundantly. Our obedience leads to opportunities for growth and prosperity. This trust is rooted in the assurance that God is a faithful provider who meets our needs in ways we may not expect. By surrendering our worries and relying on His provision, we experience a peace that transcends circumstances. This trust is not passive but active, requiring us to step out in faith and obedience, confident that God will turn our obedience into opportunities for growth. [01:38:54]
"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to trust God's provision? How can you actively surrender this area to Him today?
Quotes
your offering to God costs more than money more than the dollar that's in your hand listen because God ain't after your money y 'all ain't listening to me God Church is not some divine becker standing in front of you week after week with outstretched hands trying to guilt you into giving God don't need your little money I promise you you don't want to play that game we use to play in Hood I grew up in you don't want to play big bank take little bank with God you gonna lose every time because as God told us last week All the silver is mine, all the gold is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills belong to me, the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. God does not need your money because all of it belongs to him anyway. God isn't after that, but the reason that God demands our obedience in bringing the offerings of our dollars and cents is because God is after what should be connected to our giving, and that is our righteousness. [01:21:05] (80 seconds)
God wants your entire life to be an offering, not just what's in your hand. That if it's really your desire to give in a way that honors God, you need to download that in your spirit because that's what God wants you to do. Because it will reshape your understanding of stewardship and impress upon you to see giving as something more than what happens at a specific time in a church service. Your offering doesn't begin with your money, but it begins with how you manage and maintain your life spiritually. [01:22:57] (42 seconds)
And it's only when we attend to the spiritual condition of our hearts that God will give us the opportunity to give. God will prosper the generosity that flows from our hands. In other words, it doesn't matter how grand or how genuine your offering is. Hear me, church. God's favor doesn't follow filthy living. [01:23:57] (25 seconds)
The tension in this text is around the purity of the offerings that we bring to God and the holy value we should ascribe to our offerings. Listen, when our lives, our lives are filthy and lack spiritual alignment, we defile our offerings. And defiled offerings can contaminate the holy work. we're trying to do in God's name. And so if you don't take anything else away from this message, take this. Giving in and of itself does not make you holy if you're not honoring God with your life. [01:25:32] (43 seconds)
You can pay your tithes, you can give above your tithes, but if you ain't living right, it's as if you're not giving anything to God at all. Because what God wants is a fully surrendered life. This is what hinders some of us from giving cheerfully and generously when it's time to give. And that's because the residue from our dirty and self -centered living is on our hearts and it makes us feel like giving is dirty and depleting us of something. [01:26:15] (38 seconds)
It's always an overflow of your worship to God. So then, here's the spiritual reset that somebody needs to activate and that is you need to align your heart with God's priorities so that spiritual generosity flows from a life of holy obedience rather than a half -hearted obligation. And here's the good news that's attached to that. Giving from a surrendered life hits differently when it comes to God supplying all of your needs. [01:27:00] (40 seconds)
So the question that becomes relevant for us is how do we develop a generous heart that views giving as an outflow of our worship life and not as just some weekly transaction that we have with God? I give you these things and I'm out of your way. One of the ways you can develop a heart for giving is you can put space between your life and contaminating influences. [01:27:45] (35 seconds)
Because the cost of a dollar is attached to the spiritual condition of your life, here's what that means. It means that you have to be more conscious. You have to be a more conscious steward of the social spaces you traffic in as well as the interactions that can desensitize you from walking in God's will. All right, let me say it this way. You got to watch how you move and you got to watch who you're moving with because too much contact with certain kinds of energy can corrupt the life that you're trying to lead that's acceptable to God. [01:28:17] (47 seconds)
And nothing obstructs your obedience from giving God your best dollar than getting too close to things and people with no higher purpose and allowing them to have influence in your life. Y 'all think I'm making it up. That's what those parable -like questions that Haggai was instructed to ask the priest in verses 11 through 14, that's what they speak to. That the priests in the community were the ones who interpreted the laws of God for the people. God told the prophet, ask the priest for a spiritual decision to be offered on these two scenarios. If a person harries consecrated meat, meat that was set apart to be holy because it was going to be offered as a sacrifice, sacrifice on the altar of God in the temple if they carried it around in the fold of their shirt and then their shirt touched some bread or some stew or some wine or some oil or any kind of food does the food that came in contact with that shirt does it make the food holy? [01:29:53] (78 seconds)
And while you still may be a believer and a giver, everything you offer to God will be dirty because your life is out of alignment with the word of God and with the will of God. All I came to tell somebody today was put some space between you and spiritually dead people. Put some space between you and dead people who have God's name on their lips but are not trying to have God's nature in their lifestyle. Put some distance between you and dead people who always have something to say, always have a criticism for you being faithful in your giving. They criticize you for paying your tithes and giving to campaigns and giving to scholarships when they know you are barely getting by. They think that all the money you give, you just give it to that preacher that's standing in the pulpit. Keep your space clear of those kind of people. Because too much contact with them will have you disobedient and you disqualified and living in unrepentant sin. They'll have your life and spirit dirty while they don't have nothing to lose. [01:31:48] (74 seconds)
That's why someone tells us that the best way to live a blessed and favored life, someone says blessed is the man or the woman who walks not in the counsel of ungodly people, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. In other words, you got to watch how you move and who you hanging around. Because if you start... If you start walking with them, eventually, you'll start standing with them. If you start standing with them, eventually, you'll start sitting with them. And they don't have anything to lose, but you have everything to gain if you trust God with your life. What are you talking about, preacher? If you delight yourself in the law of the Lord and meditate in that law day and night, here's the promise. You'll be like a tree planted by the rivers of water. That brings forth fruit in your season. Your leaves shall not wither and whatever you do will prosper. Is there anybody in this place who knows that when you trust God's word, when you stay close to God's word, when you guard your spirit so that you might not sin against God, God's favor will follow you and it will prosper you beyond what you ever thought imaginable. [01:33:44] (88 seconds)
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