God's Promise To The Generous

A good definition for generous is showing a readiness to give more money or time than is strictly necessary or expected. Generosity is a grace of God in the life of genuine believers (2 Cor. 8:1-12). In a self-centered world, we could use a few more generous souls among the Lord's people. God the Father is generous giving His Son. The Lord Jesus is generous giving Himself. The Holy Spirit is generous giving His graces and power. It stands to reason that anyone truly influenced by God will be a generous believer giving of themselves, their time, and substance to address real needs. It is so good for us to become more generous and giving, and God holds out a special promise for such believers. Note the words of the Apostle Paul to the Philippian Church,

"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Philip. 4:19) 

The wisdom of God’s Word encourages us to LOOK TO CHRIST TO MEET ALL OUR NEEDS.  Notice the phrase, “by Christ Jesus” in Philippians 4:19. The New Testament writers were very clear in their understanding that Jesus Christ would meet all of our needs, regardless of the nature of the needs. It is always correct to look to God when we are grappling with a deficiency or need. Paul confidently promised the Philippian believers that God will indeed supply every facet of every need they had in accordance with His enormous supply! But, I remind you this is a promise for the generous believer and not the stingy self-centered greedy person!

The Promise Involves Great Clarity (Philip. 4:19)

The apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians, “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19). Paul did not place any qualifications upon the kind of supply made available to us through Christ Jesus. There is ABSOLUTELY no human need that God is unable to meet -- in fact, He meets the needs far better than anything or anyone in this world.

A Promise to Supply Real Needs

Paul was once assured by Christ that Christ's grace was sufficient for every need (2 Cor 12:9). Yet God often sends "vertical" help through people helping one another on the "horizontal" level. God had met Paul's need through the generosity of the Philippian church. This assurance of the divine supply of the Philippians' needs implies that they had given so liberally that they actually left themselves with a real “need.” 

Sacrificial giving with a right attitude is possible only for those Christians submitted to God. In the United States, giving sacrificially is almost unknown.  Worldly attitudes have clouded our thinking and dulled our sensitivity to others.As I said before, God will not allow His work to tarry for lack of funds; He will simply redistribute the necessary funds to Christians who have the correct attitudes—primarily those who are seeking His will and are willing to sacrifice their luxuries for the needs of others. ” — Larry Burkett 

A Promise Based on Generosity

Yet it is true that those who share generously with others, especially to advance the work of the Lord, are promised a divine supply of anything they might lack because of their generosity (Prov. 11:25; 19:17; Matt 5:7). God would more than repay that generosity by supplying the “need” of the Philippian church. This is just as true for us today! Note what the Lord says in His Word.

Proverbs 11:25, The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

Proverbs 19:17, He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

Matthew 5:7, Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Yes, the Lord repeatedly states the generous individual will be compensated according to their liberality to others. This is especially true of the sacrificial giver. This is not the individual giving out of their ‘extra,’ but the person who lives rather frugally in order to be generous in the Lord’s work. They even sacrifice or ignore their own needs to give more to the Lord. Such merciful believers will receive mercy from the Lord in return. He will honor their hearts of kindness towards others. Mr. Burkett, a trusted authority on financial management and godly stewardship, notes how we cannot ‘out give’ God in his book, The Complete Guide for Financial Management for Young Couples saying,

The budget helped to establish a surplus and a plan for the surplus. The surplus is our abundance. It is easy to fall trap to feelings of contentment, slipping away from God in our abundance. Many do so because they fear having to share with others. To share from this surplus requires great love; it really means a greater love for God than for money.
Giving out of love makes sharing our abundance possible. Scripture defines at least two levels of love. One is phileo and another is agape. Phileo is a brotherly love. It is based on mutual compatibility or the sharing of common interests. In other words, it is primarily a love of emotion. When love is given, it is returned; but when one withholds love, no love is returned. Agape allows one to give love regardless of the response. What the other person does will not really affect me if I am in true agape with God.
Therefore, when we give out of abundance, we cannot give phileo, expecting that God will return it. We must give out of agape, simply because we love God and expect no reward. To share out of abundance means you have much and want to share with others who need much. Although God has no obligation to return what is given, He wants to do so. Once you have shared out of your abundance, you will find that you cannot out give God. The more you give, the more He multiplies. (Larry Burkett, 1989)

When you give, give out of what you have. At times the Lord will impress you deeply with the need to act on a need He has made you aware of. Just follow through obediently to honor Him and satisfy the need. Do not worry about what somebody else has to give, or what they are not giving. Give out of the abundance that God has supplied you. Some will even have the grace to live extremely frugal lives in order to give more to the Lord’s work. Be assured the Lord Jesus is pleased with such sacrifices and will honor our generosity accordingly (See also 1 John 3:17-18; James 2:14-16; 2 Corinthians 8:11-12).

A Promise Based on Divine Wealth (Philip. 4:19)

Not only would God supply all our needs, but he will do it “according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (or his glorious spiritual riches). Whether the Scriptures have God’s resources in Heaven in mind or the wealth of His infinite glorious character has been debated in other places. I understand the phrase to be a reference to God’s extraordinary character and glorious Person. God is infinitely wealthy in glories, perfections, and majesty! There is no calculating how prosperous the Lord God is in and of Himself. Beloved, this is your heavenly Father…. It is a magnanimous God who makes this incredible promise to compensate the generous. There is zero fear of being let down or disappointed with what He provides.   

Note carefully that His supply is not merely out of His wealth! The phrase “according to” conveys the idea that God’s supply of the need will not be merely from or out of  his wealth but in some sense appropriate to or commensurate with it. To supply from out of  His wealth implies depleting storage and resources, but to supply in a way fitting to His wealth means infinite storage and supply. 

Yes, it is “according to” His grand infinite wealth that He supplies all our needs! There is no threat at all of God ever running out of supplies and resources from which to meet our needs.  As believers we cannot even begin to comprehend the vastness of God’s wealth in glory—His riches are limitless, comprehensively infinite. Since it is “according to” the Lord’s wealth in “glory” that believers' needs are met, we could rest assured that God would indeed meet every need, no matter how large, desperate, or hopeless it seems. The Lord will remember the faithful generous giver.

To further ponder God’s ability to compensate the giver, think about a multi-millionaire giving ten cent to the church for his weekly offering. He would be giving out of his wealth.  But if he gave five thousand dollars on a weekly bases he would be giving according to his wealth! Likewise God supplies according to His wealth!

Beloved, sacrifice is an essential attitude for every Christian to adopt. Begin to sacrifice a small portion from your wants or desires for the needs of others. Ask God to lay their needs on your heart. Strive to be generous towards real needs; may our expression equal the commitment in our heart.  We must share and work into a pattern of living that characterizes the generous life of Jesus Christ. If we, who are so mightily blessed, are not willing to sacrifice any of our desires for others’ needs, God will simply reallocate the supply to those who are. (See Luke 3:11; Mark 10:29; Luke 21:1-4).

The Promise Involves A Complete Provision (Philip. 4:19)

This could only happen “by Christ Jesus.” That is, because of believer's faith-relationship with Christ, we have access to God and can come boldly and freely to His throne of grace and there consistently obtain mercy and grace to help in our times of need (see Heb. 4:16). In other words, Paul did not say that Christ Jesus would only meet spiritual needs, or physical needs, or financial and material needs. God provides most comprehensively for any and all needs we may have in full accordance with His will and timing. He achieves this "by Christ Jesus," the Lord of glory. We are assured in the most profound way of complete provisions. 

Christ Meets All Needs

Paul wrote that Christ Jesus meets all manner and types of needs.  Some of the needs that we have today are physical, emotional, relational, financial, material, and spiritual. You and I never make a mistake by turning to the Lord Jesus first concerning needs. He will supply us directly, direct us to a resource, or give us the grace to live without it. In such instances He affords peace and contentment. We are changed deep within as a result of realizing His great sufficient grace in new areas of our lives.

Even Intangible Needs

If we are truly honest with ourselves, we will admit the things we desire most in life are the intangibles that cannot be purchased and are not man-made: health, loving relationships, joy, peace, contentment, security, fulfillment and meaning in life. Think about this for a second…. Only God can satisfy such powerful deep yearnings of our never dying souls. These needs are absolutely welded to who and what we are as human beings. We crave these essentials automatically and unconsciously in most instances. Other times we are keenly aware of our need in these areas and unrelentingly seek satisfaction. Nothing and no one else can even come remotely close to Christ’s ability to satisfy the deepest longings of our hearts.

Clearly Every Conceivable Need

Ephes. 1:15-18,  Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, [16] Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; [17] That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: [18] The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

Ephes. 2:7, That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Jesus Christ is ultimately the number one Source for all things that matter the most to us:

• ·     Wisdom and understanding into the things of God
• ·     Comprehensive health—spirit, mind, and body
• ·     Healthy sense of belonging and loving relationships with others
• ·     Fulfilling and meaningful ministry to others
• ·     Blessings that are material, emotional, and spiritual in nature
• ·     Hope, peace, joy, contentment, and unconditional love
• ·     Deepening spiritual insights and precious intimacy our heavenly Father
• ·     An accurate perception of ourselves and a sense of full acceptance because we are the beloved children of God
• ·     Deliverance from the power of sin and evil
• ·     Forgiveness of sin and restoration
• ·     Freedom from guilt and shame
• ·     A future of promise, power, and purpose

There is no reason to be reluctant or skeptical about God’s clear promise to resource and provide for the generous saints of God. Our part is to be generous indeed unto the Lord, and He will see to it that our needs are met adequately. This is not a promise that will automatically result in personal wealth or great financial prosperity, but it is a promise that God will supply the needs of the generous. Whatever the need, the Lord Jesus is our all sufficient Source always. We never make a mistake when we look to Him as our all sufficient Lord. Never!

A merchant of St. Petersburg at his own cost supported several native missionaries in India, and gave liberally to the cause of Christ at home. On being asked how he could afford to do it, he replied:
“Before my conversion, when I served the world and self, I did it on a grand scale and at the most lavish expense. And when God, by His grace, called me out of darkness, I resolved that Christ and His cause should have more than I had ever spent for the world. And as to giving so much, it is God who enables me to do it; for at my conversion I solemnly promised that I would give to His cause a fixed proportion of all that my business brought in to me, and every year since I made that promise it has brought me in about double what it did the year before, so that I easily can, as I do, double my gifts for His service.” And John Bunyan tells us,
A man there was, some called him mad, the more he gave, the more he had.
And there are truth and instruction in the inscription on the Italian tombstone, “What I gave away I saved, what I spent I used, what I kept I lost.” “Giving to the Lord,” says another, “is but transporting our goods to a higher floor.” And, says Dr. Barrow, “In defiance of all the torture and malice and might of the world, the liberal man will ever be rich, for God's providence is his estate, God’s wisdom and power his defense, God’s love and favor his reward, and God’s word his security. (Stories for Preachers and Teachers)

One more thought will suffice before I close this post. Recall the words of Paul concerning the Macedonian Churches inexplicable generosity, “And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God" (2 Cor. 8:5).

David Livingstone, before he had thought of being a missionary himself, devoted to foreign missions all his wages except so much as was required for his frugal needs. Many businessmen today turn over the major portions of their profits to the Lord's work. And have you ever noticed--those that give the most are often those that do the most for Christ. It is not as though they permit their money to do the work while they sit idly by. No, no. These are those who first give of themselves to the Lord, and then of their substance.” (Stories for Preachers and Teachers)

Beloved, take God’s promise to the generous to heart and give of yourself, your substance, and your time in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. He will ensure that you are properly cared for and compensated in accordance with His glorious and magnanimous Person! Remember, it is not possible to ‘out give’ God, and you never make a mistake by looking to Jesus first as your Source. 

For Goodness Sake!!

Is fighting the Ebola virus on the continent of Africa a good idea? Should we spend more American tax dollars to provide supplies and medicines to refugees affected by the religious persecutions and wars in Iraq and Syria? Is it wise to help US veterans who are disabled and or struggling with PTSD regain their balance to make a fresh start? Should the Veteran Administration Hospitals provide higher quality service and care to those who have hazarded their lives serving our country? These are legitimate considerations facing our country collectively and each of us as Americans. As a prospering nation it is incumbent upon us to show forth goodness to others around the world while diligently addressing the swelling needs here at home. Furthermore Christians are responsible for demonstrating the goodness of God on a daily basis through acts of kindness and generosity. This brings us to another aspect of the fruit of the Spirit called “goodness.” Once more the great Apostle Paul says to us, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Gal 5:22-23). What is goodness according to the Bible?

GOODNESS

In Romans 15:14, Paul says, “And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.” Christians are to be “full of goodness” and this fits them for meaningful ministries of encouragement, exhortation, and warning to others. We should reserve zero room for evil expressions. Again in Ephesians 5:8-10, he says, “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9, (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)10, Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.” “All goodness” is consistent with living according to God’s light and Word; goodness is the fruit of the Spirit, and all genuine goodness is acceptable to the Lord Jesus. Of supreme importance is the fact that God, not society, defines goodness and all types thereof. Once more Paul says in Second Thessalonians 1:11-12, “Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: 12, That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” There is a goodness that belongs to God; a kind of goodness He delights to show and work out in and through Believers for Christ’s glory. Goodness actually demonstrates the grace of God as it influence our lives. Grace marks and controls the expression of goodness. Thus goodness is not merely a passive quality in Believers; it is a deliberate preference to what is right, and a decided rejection of moral evil. Goodness utterly insists upon opposing evil while persisting to follow and choose all forms of moral good (Easton’s Bible Dictionary).

So then the sixth quality the Holy Spirit produces in Believers is “goodness” (Gal. 5:22) toward all including those who have been intentionally insensitive or have sought to do harm to others. Goodness may not only be thought of as uprightness of soul, but also as outward-reaching actions toward others to help or benefit them even when it is not deserved. Goodness is virtue in both disposition and deportment. It is morality within and usefulness demonstrated. Christians must perform that which is beneficial toward others regardless of who they are while pursuing what is good for society. A person’s failed past does not automatically forfeit all expressions of goodness towards them from individuals or society. 

A defining question should be entertained at this point, “Is all ‘goodness’ God’s goodness?” It is imperative that we remember that ‘good’ is to be defined by God and not society at large. Modern secularized values persistently call good evil and evil good. The new morality is actually the same old evil of a past generation. Society influenced by a warp and twisted media will sanction sinful, evil, and outrageous practices in the name of doing ‘good.’ To the biblically illiterate alternative lifestyles are good, drug usage is good, recreational sex is good, consuming alcohol is good, cheating on your marriage is good, aborting babies is good, killing the elderly is good, and corrupt business and government is good. Our society is utterly inept at deciding or executing authentic goodness!

Biblically speaking good encompasses right motives, moral endeavors, and godly outcomes. So, to be considered “good” requires virtuous purposes, a wholesome undertaking or task that actually pleases God, and the end product is honoring to God and truly beneficial to humanity. Biblical goodness does not accommodate the relativistic and situational ethic kind of ‘good’ so common today. There is no conception of using morally evil means to secure ‘good’ ends. Nor is there toleration for wicked endeavors that brought about ‘good’ developments. No leniency is afforded for a net ‘good’ merely because the motives were right. This is because God’s standards for goodness are absolute. He requires wholesome tasks performed with spiritual motives and righteous outcomes. Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Youngblood, and Bruce 1995) says:

Goodness—the quality of being good; praiseworthy character; moral excellence. The Bible speaks often of the goodness of God (Ex. 33:19; Rom. 2:4). God’s goodness consists of righteousness, holiness, justice, kindness, grace, mercy, and love. Goodness is also one of the fruits of the Spirit that should characterize Christian believers (Gal. 5:22). Christians are called to goodness, even as God the Father is perfect and good (Matt. 5:48).

Therefore, a believer branded by spiritual “goodness” will manifest righteousness, holiness, justice, kindness, grace, mercy, and love in action. Though these qualities are perfect in our heavenly Father, they are quite imperfect in us His children. Nevertheless He is the standard of genuine goodness. The Spirit of God will communicate these same qualities into the yielded believer’s experience. That is, we will do right because it is indeed right, be set apart unto God’s will and pleasure, fair/honest in our dealings, kind towards the deserving and undeserving alike, graceful toward all, show mercy to those admitting their failures while affording opportunities for redemption, and give love to friends and foes unconditionally. The glory of God is upon such a life; Christ is greatly honored through such expressions. The more mature we are in Christ, the more prominently “goodness” will pervade our personalities.

Goodness can also be described as “generosity of self and possessions.”  It includes hospitality and a multiplicity of acts of benevolence, charitableness, generosity, philanthropy, and thoughtfulness that flow from an unselfish heart. It portrays a kind soul who is far more interested in investing in the lives of others than receiving.  God’s desire for all believers is that we continue actively engaging in multiplied good works. This is precisely what Paul prescribed in Titus 3:8, “This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.” God plans for His people to be intentionally plugged into activities, ventures, venues, and opportunities that express goodness—organizations that are profitable to humanity. Bible believing churches always need more bus workers, evangelism ministries always need more participants, homeless ministries constantly need volunteers, discipleship ministries need workers, and jail ministries could use a great deal more help. The person who is often given to melancholy moods, gloom and depression because of an over indulgence in self-centered thinking needs this quality.  There is something restorative about serving others that lifts a person out of the rut of self-thoughts. 

To see goodness in action consider the life of the Lord Jesus who ceaselessly “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38; Matt. 9:35; 12:15; 15:21-31). Consider the record of Matthew,

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. ²⁴ And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. ²⁵ And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan (Matthew 4:23-25).

No one would argue that these were not genuinely good actions performed by the Lord Jesus. He filled up His life with such helpful exercises of service to God and mankind. He recruited and trained others to serve alongside Himself and to continue such spiritual and benevolent acts/deeds. Likewise it is still good to preach the Gospel of salvation, teach the truth of God’s Word to transform lives, and labor to heal people’s bodies and minds. According to our Lord Jesus’ example, it is good to help folks overcome the forces of evil and darkness in their individual struggles, deal with the mistakes and failures of their past, and fight the spread of violent diseases. These are good endeavors before God and for the good of humanity. The Lord Jesus made these the focus of His ministry to others. The kind of help He afforded empowered, lifted, and transformed the present situation posturing people for a better future. He did NOT perpetuate a victim mentality! His incredible works demonstrated that He is indeed the Messiah, the Son of God, and what was truly important to God. The Lord Jesus helped people with their most pressing spiritual needs, and He ministered to their temporal needs as well. He gave them bread to eat that He may offer them the Bread of Life (John 6). He freed people from sin and it’s power that they may experience all their potential in the plan of God for them. The dysfunctional become functional and the disenfranchised are invested with fresh opportunities because of Christ’s goodness to us all.

One could also read Luke 10:30–35, where the Good Samaritan showed himself a good neighbor.  Though there was hostility and religious animosity between the Samaritans and the Jews, still he did everything in his power to aid this fallen Jewish traveler. He not only overcame cultural prejudices, but he defined what it means to be a real neighbor. The Samaritan took the time, altered his schedule, possibly endangered himself, invested his money, valued commonalities more than their differences, took the necessary pains to be of help, generously used his resources, sought to alleviate a real need, and made whatever arrangements were necessary to help this wounded man. He did good because he fundamentally valued another human life. The power of goodness is still just as potent in this modern age of injustice and prejudices. It can still transform individuals and societies through the Gospel of Jesus Christ and submissive believers. Too many Christians fear the fact that showing goodness will cost them. It will cost time, energy, and resources. It is almost never convenient, and yes, we will have times when we feel used and unappreciated. Yes, we will be challenged repeatedly to reevaluate our priorities—what is truly or most important?

But what about the risks involved with helping troubled people? Yes, people will try to take advantage of our goodness. Yes, there are serious inherent dangers to fighting viruses and diseases like Ebola. Yes, our nice and neat schedules will be altered, interrupted, and changed again…again…and again…. Yes, it will cost you and me personally and it will cost the churches or organizations we serve with. Yes, we must take serious precautions/considerations before bringing a homeless stranger into our home for the winter. Yes, there will be occasions when we feel like we are not making any progress. Yes, there will be times when we question whether all this is worthwhile. Yes, there will be setbacks, frustrations, unanticipated roadblocks, regulatory issues, misunderstandings, opposition from those who question our motives, and legal hurdles to clear, but we must remember what we are doing. Yes, we may have to give up a certain higher quality of life…perhaps less personal luxuries in order to address the raw needs of others. Yes, there will be people trying to take advantage of our services or help perpetually. Yes, we will have to make some difficult decisions concerning those who do not want Christ and the Gospel; they really only want a meal or yet another handout. Still…still…still difficulties in worthwhile endeavors are worth the headaches! With proper consideration for biblical guidance, laws, regulations, protocols, and risk management, we continue to maintain good works that are pleasing to God and good for people. There will be “Christian” groups who will criticize us for being too temporal, too social, or too liberal. Let them say what they will; model your efforts after those of the Lord Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry. Remember our Lord had many critics who did NOTHING to address people’s spiritual, physical, or otherwise real needs! Like the religious leaders in our Lord’s time, these are far too concern with their personal interests to really be of help to anyone.

There will be times when the Holy Spirit will prompt us Christians to perform a kind act of service. We need to be sensitive and follow these divine impulses. D. L. Moody once stated that it was his custom, after presenting himself to the Holy Spirit’s leadership, to act upon the impulses which came to mind, provided they did not involve violating any known principle of the Word. Is this not a healthy practice to personally adopt? God will transform the inner life as we experience the joy of giving into the lives of others refusing to be selfish and stingy. God is looking for the opportunity to make a greater impact in our world, but He desires to work through people who practice divine goodness by the power of the Holy Ghost. Each submissive believer represents an opportunity to do good right now. The needs are all around us! If you are like me, there are needs in your family and home that you can address in the name of our Lord. There is a hand you can hold, a Bible story you can read at bedtime, a tear you can wipe away, a hand you can give, a prayer ministry you can execute, and a sounding board you can provide. You can be an ear to listen, someone to pray with, and a shoulder to cry on. You can provide these incredible gifts by the grace of God at work in you. You do not need the wealth of a Bill Gates to do good in people’s lives, but you do need the power of God’s Spirit. Look to Him regularly for guidance, strength, power, and all spiritual resources. Understand that you cannot do it all, but you can make a difference in someone’s life. God will supply the grace and wisdom we need as we are careful to maintain good works that glorify Him and help our fellow man. Beloved, it is right to do good for goodness sake!