Speaker 1: Greetings.
Speaker 1: I thank God for the opportunity of bringing to us God's Word today and I'm excited to share under the general subject of giving.
Speaker 1: And today the word I bring to us is titled A Cheerful Giver.
Speaker 1: A Cheerful Giver, a cheerful giver.
Speaker 1: The Bible is given as a text on cheerful giving In 2 Corinthians 9, from verse 6 to 8,.
Speaker 1: I will read those scriptures and then just share three things about a cheerful giver.
Speaker 1: This is what the Bible says 2 Corinthians 9, from verse 6 to 8.
Speaker 1: Remember this.
Speaker 1: Corinthians, chapter 9, from verse 6 to 8.
Speaker 1: Remember this whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
Speaker 1: Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Speaker 1: And in verse 8, it goes on to say and God is able to bless you abundantly so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
Speaker 1: Hallelujah, that is God's word.
Speaker 1: Three things I want to share about a cheerful giver.
Speaker 1: Number one is that a cheerful giver gives from the heart.
Speaker 1: And number two is that a cheerful giver gives sacrificially.
Speaker 1: And number three, that a cheerful giver gives expectantly.
Speaker 1: Let me again just expound a little more on the first one.
Speaker 1: A cheerful giver gives from the heart and say and remind us, like Paul is saying, remember this in verse 6, he's reminding us.
Speaker 1: So I'm reminding us again that the headquarters of giving is a heart.
Speaker 1: Giving is from the heart and therefore giving becomes an act of worship.
Speaker 1: Giving is not a ritual, it's not a religious thing that you just do to tick a box.
Speaker 1: No, it's a relational issue with God and therefore it's a heart to heart.
Speaker 1: You see God's heart and my heart and because I'm very grateful and thankful for what God has done for me.
Speaker 1: Therefore, as I give, I'm not struggling.
Speaker 1: It's not a punishment, you know, it's not a to-do list.
Speaker 1: Giving is like a river that flows and it comes from the heart and therefore giving should be voluntary, not pushing, not forcing, and giving should be planned.
Speaker 1: Giving from the heart is like a river flowing from the heart and we are giving back to God because we are happy and we are grateful.
Speaker 1: It's an act of worship.
Speaker 1: But secondly, a cheerful giver gives sacrificially.
Speaker 1: You know, when you give from the heart, it becomes easy to give everything your time, your energy, your resources, your presence, your gifts and talents, it becomes easy.
Speaker 1: And so giving should flow.
Speaker 1: And that's why you find in 1 Chronicles 29, verse 9, it says the people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had generously and freely given and they also gave wholeheartedly to the Lord.
Speaker 1: Giving should be sacrificial and it should be that you give generously.
Speaker 1: Like Paul is saying here Whoever sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will reap generously.
Speaker 1: Give something that costs you.
Speaker 1: God gave us his son, he gave us his best, he gave us sacrificially.
Speaker 1: But finally, a cheerful giver gives expectantly.
Speaker 1: When you give, expect a harvest, expect a result.
Speaker 1: You know, in verse 8 it says and God is able to bless you abundantly.
Speaker 1: You give and you say God, I am expecting you to open the heavens and I'm expecting you to bless me abundantly.
Speaker 1: And let me pray that the Lord leads you to the place where you can give cheerfully.
Speaker 1: And I promise, when you give like this, you'll be surprised what God is able to give back to you.
Speaker 1: Give and it shall be given to you.
Speaker 1: Press down, shaken together, running over, the Lord will just put on your laps.
Speaker 1: And so God bless you as you grow in your giving.
Speaker 1: In Jesus' name, amen.