Five Reasons to Give Generously

Today we continue Paul's instructions about the Jerusalem project offering benevolence offering directed to the poor and persecuted saints in Jerusalem money which is collected from the Gentile churches planted by the apostle Paul in Asia and in Greece the project, which was carefully planned and organized and executed the church at Corinth was one of the first to make a generous commitment to this project. Now they are lagging behind in their completion of that which they had promised. So Paul devotes to full chapter in his second epistle to the matter of the project offering for the Saints and we have made our way through chapter 18 we are now addressing chapter 9 today in taking up the first seven verses of chapter 9. I want us to look at five reasons for Corinth to complete this project.

All of these do not apply exactly and equally to us today as they did to Corinth in their day. But all of them apply to us in some way or another they constitute five of many reasons why we should give generously to the Lord.

Let us look at them one by one number one why should we give generously to the Lord to fulfill our intentions to fulfill our intentions. That's verses one to now concerning the ministering to the Saints.

It is appropriate superfluous for me to write to you, for I know your willingness about which I boast to you to the Macedonians that Acadia was ready. A year ago.

Your zeal has stirred up the majority to fulfill your intentions and in verse one, Paul is stating the obvious. In verse two he is remembering their intentions, which were previously stated, he states the obvious. In verse one concerning the ministering to the Saints that is the collection for the saints in Jerusalem. It is indeed ministry to them. It is superfluous. It is unnecessary for me to write to you, and yet he does he restates the purpose for this project offering declaring that this restatement is unnecessary. Or at least it probably ought to be unnecessary and superfluous, but he states it anyway. We do the something like that from time to time.

We say no.

I know I really don't need to tell you this again but we tell them again why we do that well because we have this inclination that maybe they haven't remembered it, or are not taking it as seriously as they should have.

Yes, you have stated before you discussed it previously. Yes, they are aware of it but they need to be reminded.

We all do that both in our conversation to others and in the words that we received from others because we know that we need reminding from time to time. That's exactly what Paul is saying here you say I know on the one hand, I really don't need to tell you about this again but I am the reason is because you're not coming through and I'm concerned that you may not. So after saying that he doesn't need to state again he does.

He plunges ahead and states it again because they are not following through on what they had previously committed and that brings us to verse two where he recalls there previously stated intention. I know your willingness is to give to this offer. I know your willingness how does he know their willingness because it is been publicly stated. Obviously that's the only way that he knew their willingness and fact, it was publicly stated in such a way that this enabled and encouraged Paul to tell others what Corinth intended to do.

Corinth is going to do such and such and this offering. Obviously there intentions to give were stated and the amount they intended to give was stated that it becomes very clear throughout this passage, and so Paul tells others he tells them in Macedonia churches in Macedonia what Corinth is going to do for this offering and that prompted Macedonian churches. The three that you know of to give very generously, partly in response to the commitment that had been made by Corinth.

The commitment we are told, which was made a year ago year prior to Paul writing the second epistle was in essence a one-year commitment. A year ago, Paul asked them for their commitment and asked other churches for their commitments as well, with the intention of letting time pass by for them to collect the amount of their commitment. What is that they had pledged some people don't like that word pledged with their ideas.

The concept is certainly here for them to get together over time. In fact, Paul tells us in first Corinthians 16 that he intended for them to collect it week by week. That's what chapter 16 verse one of first Corinthians is all about now concerning the collection for the saints. As I gave instructions to the churches of Galatia. Even so, do you on the first day of the week but every one of you lay buy in stores Lord is prospered that there'd be no gatherings. When I come. So the idea was for each person to take his commitment and basically break it down into about 50 different parts, and every week give something toward the fulfillment of that commitment, so that in the passing of the year it would all be there and Paul would just need to come with those who were traveling with him and pick up what is already been collected and taken along with to be collected from other churches and take it to Jerusalem. So there's this generous amount evidently was generous because Paul says your zeal has stirred up the many or the majority.

Your zeal has stirred up the majority of the Christians in Macedonia. What you said you were to give stirred up there zeal to give generously and they gave very generously and sacrificially as we learn to chapter 8 in the first several verses and so in order to fulfill the intentions which the Corinthians had previously stated they need to go ahead and give generously. That's reason number one because a specific amount had been publicly declared, which was to be fulfilled within the course of a year, but these are good intentions that now need to be completed.

All of these things are elements that some people think are unspiritual but here they are in the Bible are not on biblical or not unspiritual there is nothing, nothing, dishonoring to the Lord and going about this kind of a project. In fact, it's very clear that there's everything honoring to the Lord in conducting a project. In this way may be that this does have application to you course of the case of Paul in Corinth, it's clear the they were falling behind on what they have stated the money was not coming in, week by week as it should've been, but is very likely that some of you along the way have made at least in your own heart. Maybe not publicly stated but in your own heart have said you know I'm going to start giving.

I'm going to start typing I'm going to start giving the faith promise I'm going to start doing these things.

I know I should. You stated those intentions to the Lord in your own heart, but for some reason you haven't been fulfilling it very much like the Corinthians, and you like them, need to get on the ball to get going, may have failed to follow through.

But you need to do so now you need to ask God to help you to do it some reason number one to fulfill your intentions.

Reason number two. To avoid embarrassment verses three and four. Yet, I sent the brethren, unless our boasting of you should be in vain.

In this respect that. As I said, you may be ready last give some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared. We, not to mention you should be ashamed of this confident boasting Paul mentions a helping hand in verse three, and a helpful warning in verse four, helpful hand in verse three is I have said the brethren on ahead, we could say in our day.

I sent the fundraising committee on ahead. They got some work to do before I get there is fundraising committee and the was made up of three men that were introduced in chapter 8. There are Titus well known to us. Another preacher known to the church at Corinth, but not known to us because he's not named, and then 1/3 man who was known neither to Corinth nor to us. He's not named but he was a very committed behind the scenes. Lehman, as we would call him who was much involved in the work of the Lord.

Those three men made up the fundraising committee. The Paul said in advance of his intended arrival and he sent them there to prod and to help and maybe to make suggestions for how to get this thing moving again how to get a better organized, how to get the money better collected in order to prevent an embarrassing failure. Helping hand, followed by a helpful warning a heads up in verse four, because Paul says when I come there may very well may be some from the Macedonian churches traveling with me.

You know the ones that I told how much you are planning to give the ones to responded in generous and sacrificial giving on the basis of what I told you told them that you are planning to give you know those guys will some of them may be with me when I visit back learn from acts chapter 20 verses one through four with some of them didn't come with Paul when he did visit not too long after writing this and so members of churches, which gave sacrificially partly because of what Paul reported to them boasted to them as he says it here of their intentions to give may be traveling with Paul and if they arrive at Corinth and the monies not there.

It hasn't been collected and hasn't been given that which they said they were going to give that failure would be, says Paul terrible embarrassment to me. You don't want to embarrass your your church planting apostle. Do you not to mention the embarrassment will be to you. Reports that (been very tactful being very kind in the ways going about this, but he saying if you don't follow through.

This is going to be very embarrassing dog in this particular reason may not apply to us directly across the board in the same way, the plight in Corinth, but I can imagine some things that would that would promote similar embarrassment.

In our case, every year, on the basis of our faith promise missions commitments. We we propose on a budget.

How much were going to give to each missionary or to each mission organization, and we commit ourselves, we send a communication letter or an email to all of the missionaries to say is our intention to support you. This amount this year were going to do it applied to do it in so many dollars per month.

We get back there expressions of thanksgiving. Sometimes I say thank you for continuing to support us as you did last year the years before sometimes. If this is appropriate.

They say thank you for increasing the amount of support that you are going to direct our way this year and it would be embarrassing if along the way. He couldn't fulfill our commitment because the money wasn't coming.

Now if the reason for that was some obvious calamity over which we have no control.

We are in covert that could well be a an understandable event that would make it difficult, if perhaps impossible for us to completely fulfill our commitment to our great gratitude to the the commitments are coming in just about at the normal level, even in spite of eight months of covert. Now we are we are astounded we are amazed are giving praise to God for that. So at this point there is no cause for embarrassment in our church.

But I'm hearing for missionaries that they have supporting churches that have not been able to send their commitments, and it is putting a squeeze on the missionaries ability to serve in again depending upon the circumstances and the church that might be a cause for embarrassment might not be but it certainly would be if there were no external circumstance. It's just that they didn't do it not because they couldn't. It wasn't because that because of an economic downturn. It wasn't because of a famine wasn't because of the plague.

It wasn't because of any obvious reason is just because they didn't do what they said they were going to do another highest motive that you can think of but legitimate one.

Therefore, legitimate reason to give, to avoid embarrassment number three to suppress covetousness, and now we get into something that is very significant and fundamental.

Verse five. Therefore, I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time that fundraising committee again and prepare your generous gift before hand how the nose generous because it had been stipulated in we would say dollar amounts. Although they didn't use dollars. Of course, in the day. It's the only way Paul knew that they had committed a generous gift. So prepare your generous gift before hand which you had previously promised that it may be ready. As a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation says my new King James Bible. But that's not the best translations.

I'll show you in a minute Paul Turk talks first of all, in verse five about bountiful giving and then secondly about coverture's withholding bountiful giving talks about the generous amount previously promised a year ago not yet collected needs to be ready when Paul arrives a generous amount backed up by a generous spirit, not something that indicates an unwillingness a grudging spirit, but given not only the amount given, but the way it's given in such a way that it's clear delight in doing this bountiful giving bountiful in every way bountiful as to amount bountiful in your spirit and in your enthusiasm about giving because the opposite.

The, the, the lack of giving.

In this way is an indication of covetousness. Now we get to that better translation of that last phrase that may be ready. As a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation. The Greek is literally not as covetousness should be ready. As a matter of generosity and not as covetousness. The new American Standard Bible I think helpfully renders it not affected by covetousness your giving needs to be generous and not affected by covetousness that causes therefore forces us to talk about a sin that we probably don't talk about as often as perhaps we should sin of covetousness, which is a very serious sin in God's eyes.

You can find many warnings throughout the Bible in regard to the sin of covetousness listen to one that I could've selected this many similar ones. Listen to this one of first Corinthians chapter 6 verses nine and 10 do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Do not be deceived, either fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, normal, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites nor thieves nor competitions, nor drunkards, nor refiners, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. While covetousness is not in very good company. Those verses sin that I'm afraid we tend to view fairly lightly. God things very seriously look at the company it keeps and he says coverture's people will not inherit the kingdom of God. This is very serious right along with habitual fornicators. Eventually adulterers obviously people may commit those sins and and repent of them and seek God's forgiveness through Jesus Christ and they will be forgiven but those who live that lifestyle of any of these things that are mentioned fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals, sodomites, thieves, drunkards, revivals, extortioners that revile is by the way that this is not a bad time to mention that recent political events in our day. Be careful how you speak of other don't take up the language of reviling that goes all the way to the top on down president on down. It is ungodly to be a revile or but in all of that, choose covert's right in the midst of these things which, if it is a habitual part of your life that is not repented of and confessed and committed to the Lord and forgiven will land you in the lake of fire is a serious sin is one of the 10 Commandments again attended kind of forget about it's all it's at the tail end of the last one let us make it any less important.

The number seven. Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill her, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not covet, but because covetousness is more a matter of the heart that it is matter of our outward deeds. Although it certainly affects our outward deeds and that's with Paul is getting at here, but it's for it's easier to identify murder and lying and stealing and adultery because we recognize them by the deeds that represent those sins, but the sin of covetousness, at least at the beginning is a matter of our thoughts are part of our motive are secret things that are not seen by others. We sometimes wonder how do you identify covetousness.

The Bible tells us in one place that the church is not to keep company with the coverture's personal, how do you recognize and how do you identify that, particularly if only deal with the matter of the heart, and as long as it's only in the heart of course we cannot. It's only as it displays itself in obvious and in in the significant ways that we can be certain that is covetousness at work. The covetousness is the cause for that. But again, back to the question, how do you detect covetousness in your own life is that's where we need to be most concerned about it. How do you need tech covetousness in your own life.

Look at your giving may be just as simple as that. Look at your giving, if it is short way short and you know it's was short and what from what it ought to be that indicates covetousness. Look at your giving.

How do you suppress covetousness, cultivate generous giving.

That's it. A lack of giving is the indicator the covetousness is present. A practice of generous giving is the remedy to routed out of your life that's getting pretty practical. Isn't very easy for us to justify why we cannot give very difficult at times to detect covetousness within our own heart. Paul gives us a very helpful tool here. I think it's about as good as anything you could find anywhere in the Bible you want to know if you are coverture's done just Shrek your giving see if it's generous, if you want to.

If you know that you do have covetousness that needs to be addressed. How are you going to do that. How do you route out of feeling how to root out a settlement. How do you deal covetousness that you know rises up from time to time within you cultivate generous giving that will not get on the head else that you can probably do so. Talking about five reasons to give generously.

Number three to suppress covetousness number four to receive financial blessing. This is tricky to its here. We need to get it right to receive financial blessing for six but this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

This is tricky because we know there are dangers attendant with this idea and we know that there are plenty of people plenty of preachers plenty of Christian ministries and abuse. This idea, but here it is in the Bible and we gotta find out exactly how to understand and apply because it's here.

We can ignore it because we see some people abusing it. Paul states what is sometimes called the law of the harvest.

This I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. It's a general principle. That's understood by nearly everybody certainly does in the agrarian society that he's writing in in that day and it's a simple as this minimal sewing small harvest generous sewing large harvest. That's the general principle, are there any exceptions sure sometimes to schedule a seed you have drought. Sometimes it's got a lot of seed you have a flood washes it all away, there can be there can be exceptions to it in the in the natural world, but this is the general law of the harvest. Those who work hard, prepare the soil. Prepare a not a lot of soil.

Big big field of big, big guy farm with as much soil as it's possible for them to prepare and so the proper amount of generous amount of seed are the ones who are going to reap a great harvest of those don't work hard willing to prepare the soil or willing to invest in the seed are not going to reap much of the harvest, which was simple law that everybody understands and Paul in this section applies this to giving his general law.

This statement, he who sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly, he who sows bountifully shall reap also bountifully in Galatians chapter 6, Paul applies the law of the harvest Internet different direction. He says that he who sows to the flesh of the flesh reap corruption, he sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. It's the same general principle, but it could be apply different ways.

The principal is whatever is so your that's the principle if you so wicked deeds on sinful lifestyle you gonna reap the corruption that is the consequence of that market down. It's a law of sowing and reaping, but if you so godly living a righteous lifestyle. You're going to reap the consequences of that going to reap the rewards that come with that is the law of sowing and reaping you reap what you sow and the same thing is true here in the area of giving you're going to reap what you sow, if you so sparingly reap sparingly, if you so bountifully going to reap bountifully what is is telling us is Paul applies this general law to giving. He tells us, and I'm what I'm going to read these very carefully prepared them carefully, because you gotta get it all together you will get off the track, but he tells us number one the generous giving with right motives brings divine rewards. That's clear generous giving with right motives brings divine rewards.

Furthermore, by doing it this way, he tells us that it's a good thing to tell people that nothing wrong with telling people that you are going to reap financially in proportion to the way you give that's not something that we are embarrassed to talk about its part of Scripture and its declared here by the apostle Paul is telling us in the way you give God will in return give to you.

Jesus taught the same thing. What did Jesus tell us in Luke chapter 6 verse 68.

He said give and it will be given to you good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you same thing same thing. Give little be given to you.

Give a lot you receive a lot back in return. Don't give much, you won't give get much back in return. This is a law harvest. The Paul applies to giving and Jesus said this is the way God operates. This is a divine principle that relates to giving is telling us that your welfare will improve more by giving them by withholding natural thinking says if I give it away by welfare will be less. I have less left for myself. I can't. I can't give away much and prosper.

I've got to say love got to hoard. I got to keep if I'm going to increase and prosper and Jesus said notes the other way around. Your welfare will improve by your giving by your withholding.

That's a divine promise is based upon unseen multiplication yet produces on inexplicable results. That's a word that's easier probably to say that unexplainable but unexplainable. You understand better so we'll just put it that way. This produces unexplainable results. You can't always connect act a with result be, but in God's working.

It works this way and though you may not be able to trace the exact path by which that happened, you can be certain that in the unseen workings of God in your life, there are going to be results in the area of financial welfare well-being that will be unexplained, humanly speaking, but they're going to going to be produced by your obedient and cheerful, giving God's promise that he's going to bless that this verse is telling us that as we give to bless others. We reap blessing for ourselves. This verse is telling us that our blessings from God materially speaking are related to our giving to others. Now here's how you sort out the valid use of this Scripture with the improper usage put two by many in our day is a wrong motive to give in order to gain for yourself why because that's covetousness he's already dealt with that the right motive for giving is to please God and to show your love for God and for others, but there's a promised reward by God for those who do that. Let me expand upon that a bit. Those who misuse this principle appeal to people to give on the basis of covetousness.

God promises to give you send me $100 in God's can return a thousand.

Do you and so most people who respond to that are doing what the responding of the base of covetousness or that's a pretty good deal.

Like I could do that. Good at them at the racetrack. I couldn't do that. I probably could do that go to the lottery that's that's better than any other thing I knew I could do that. Well, the stock market. So yeah, I give you $100 if it's going to get me a thousand return. What's the motive for that that wasn't to give out of love for God and love for others and to please him and honor him and to be willing to give away regardless of what you get back in return.

That's the motive of covetousness that is a wrong motive.

God doesn't promise to bless that. But here's her where it works. This is a promised reward for those who want to give but they fear a shortfall L as a result there timid. They're fearful. They're not quite sure they can trust God. They really have a heart that wants to give want to give more. They really do that their heart desires. There was a heart that's been changed by the grace of God.

They want to give more. But as soon as they think about it. Satan jumps up and starts whispering in their ear and says, but what if some calamitous illness comes along you didn't expect what if some great financial wipeout occurs that you didn't expect what if this what if that do you do you are you sure you could really afford to do this you really think it's safe to do this now. That's what this promises for for people whose whose heart is right there motives are right little bit timid and fearful and Paul said this I say it's on its strong declaration. This I declare this I affirm this I proclaim this. I know to be absolutely true. This I say, he who sows sparingly shall reap also sparing sows bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

You have nothing to fear. You have nothing to fear. If you give with the right heart motive out of love for God that you don't need to worry about negative consequences in your life. Just the opposite. You can be assured that God is going to take care of you and take care of you more bountifully than he would have other, so start doing what Jesus told you to do. Stop taking thought for tomorrow.

Let God take care that you take care of today, including got on her response in your giving is one final reason to give generously. That's to enjoy God's love verse seven.

So let each one. Give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly, or of necessity for God loves a cheerful giver. This is the way to give how comprehensively let each one.

Give each one disliked first printing 61 let everyone of you lay buy in stores God has prospered each one poor as well as the rich young as well as the old layman as well as pastors full-time Christian workers, and so forth. On and on and on a ghost.

Let every one of you every one of you comprehensively. What's the way to give intentionally, as he purposes in his heart that work purposes has the idea of that which is predetermined that which is planned that which systematic God's not encouraging here this emotional knee-jerk kind of giving that only gives when you're overcome with emotion and somehow that rings it out of you. The whole Scripture indicates this is something that you think about praying about you commit to the Lord you play on you plan to do it systematically over period of time you trust God, week by week, to enable you to do that. But this is a purposeful act of giving this case, basically a one year commitment to give so much over the course of the year so that the final amount can be be received and what this tells us is that it's an exhilarating experience to give this way for those who give her the right motive. God loves a cheerful giver, not grudgingly, or of necessity for God loves a cheerful giver and some of you know that were cheerful is a Greek word where we get our work hi Larry is from God loves a hilarious giver, it's exhilarating. Those who give with the right motive in the in this way receive a special measure of God's love.

God loves a cheerful giver. So I thought God loved everybody. Not the same way. Well ease I thought God loved all of his children. Not all of the same way. How else could the apostle John B known as the disciple whom Jesus loved.

If he loved all of his disciples exactly the same way. There are different degrees of love different levels of love and one way to increase your relationship with God.

What one way to increase God's love to you and for you is to cultivate deliberately, intentionally, purposefully, and cheerfully hilariously generous giving those who do that are loved by God in a special way. That's reason number 52 enjoy a greater measure of God's love that one of the lessons we learn in this passage to wrap it up. Well, the first of all, we learn the importance of cultivating the grace of giving. That's what this is all about to learn to give the way we ought to give helps to shape our priorities in a God honoring way it forces us to live to think supply on to budget to spend with right priorities with eternities values in view. Furthermore, cultivating the grace of giving develops our trust in God we to God's promises, we wonder.

I don't know how this is going to work but this is what God's word says I'm going to take a step and see what happens in my going to step off the cliff and parish lot. If your trust in the promises of God doing this to please him develops trust in God.

Furthermore, it encourages sound financial practices. Why because it teaches you to do what you want to do anyway. Even if you were giving God, but it teaches you to live not above your means or even exactly according to your means, which is right on the edge all the time and you never know when you're going to be in trouble but it teaches you to live below your means, because that's the only way you could give generously to God. And when you start learning that lesson you're going to subdue consciousness you're going to subdue your need for all of these things, you know down your heart really needs anyway. You just told yourself that some things are, of course, so many things are not what you learn. I can't do that because I've committed myself to giving this to God. You're learning an important lesson that carries over pretty soon you'll find out first first year the average American.

I read lives at about 100 hundred three 206% of his annual income how to do that debt just keeps piling up that you keep juggling debt.

Some people wring that in the only live in 100% of their income. They spent every penny they get, but that is give anything to give. Well they put some by giving many put type into their budget. But then it after that. It's 100% of everything goes out the door soon as it comes in well that's not really wise either.

But if you start cultivating the grace of giving. I'm going to give more by the grace of God.

The only way you can do that is to spend less, and pretty soon now you're living not on hundred percent but on 90%. Now you're not living a 90% you living on 80%. Now you're not living on 80%. You living on 70% not living on 70% living on 60% and 50% say what's happening. We are given generously to God and you are saving appropriately.

You've learned the discipline of good money management you've learned that when you live on less than you make. Then you have money to invest, as well as money to give and it was cultivating the grace of giving.

That got you there. Though some of you wish you had learned that many, many years ago, long time ago whole lot more helpful if you do that yet.

Starting young way till your 60 to start doing this you not build a very big mistake. But there are some important financial disciplines that you could learn by cultivating generous giving it really works that way so you can and and God. In many many cases people have a 401(k) at work and their employer contributes to the amount so that's you get more than what you you save yourself what this is telling us is you do it God's way and God stick it into your 401(k). It's not actually your 401(k) don't know exactly where it's coming from and how it works. But amazingly, amazingly you're doing better after you've given that you were before. Amazingly, amazingly, this divine unseen operation of giving is going to work in your life. God is pumping up your your circumstances in a wonderful way. Finally, I just want to say this. In closing our faith promise program is designed to reflect many of these principles, it is very closely corresponds what we see in the project offering the Paul raised among the Gentile churches. It has to do with needs beyond the local church money. The people were giving to go to Jerusalem. What about the instructions requirements that they had to take care of the needs of their local church. What about the requirements to to care for the widows who are widows indeed you don't have family or others to help take care of them. What about their requirements. Choose financially support their pastors house. That, of course, that's just all understood that comes first. But this is beyond giving us a project giving beyond that it's an annual commitment like this one was.

It's a matter of tangible partnerships between multiple churches that come together to support individual missionaries and brings like this project in Corinthians, felt faith promise program if followed with the right heart attitude brings personal rewards to be a whole lot better off in every way.

Not just financial answers part of it, but it is part of it race that you're going to be in better emotional health, mental health, spiritual health, probably even in better physical health.

I can guarantee that most cases that will be the case is one of the ways that God will extend your your finances.

Some people are sick all the time spend all the doctors God can make you well so the same income that for them is drained away by their illnesses for you is available not. I'm not saying that people who are sick are not givers. I'm not saying that the misunderstanding what I say. Believe me, I've been very very sick times of my life very very sick so I'm not saying that I just think that has different ways of making you better off in every way.

Your to be off a whole person that is a whole lot better off because you've learned to give generously than if you are stingy person who won't let go nickel to the buffalo jumps off.

If you're the kind of person you knocking to be his you not to be as well. Often, anyway, including financially as the person who learns to give generously, the Lord shall we pray father, thank you for the practicality of your word. Help us to learn what you are teaching us in these verses we pray in Jesus name