When I first started this series on giving to help me prepare my offering messages on Sunday, I thought there were only 5 principles. However as I continued to meditate on the messages the Holy Spirit laid upon my heart, I realized that the list expanded!
So I will no longer limit myself to 5 principles but will flow with the Holy Spirit as He gives me the teaching & the revelation.
The 5th principle of giving (and there is more to come) is that "Giving to God always leads to abundance".
Coming back to the famous phrase that Jesus remarked when asked by someone in the crowd "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me" - "One's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possess" this remark is so deep and rich in wisdom and meaning indeed!
This famous phrase in Luke 12:15 is quoted everywhere, even in non-Christian publications - "One's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses".
Pause for a moment and reflect.
Jesus did not actually answer the question as to what then should consist the "abundance" that we should possess. Jesus only answered in the negative. "Nay, you are wrong. Abundance is not in your physical possessions!"
Searching the word "abundance", I realized that it appears 77 times in the Bible. In the OT the reference is mostly to physical stuff - goats, herds, iron, money, bronze, gold, grain, wine, riches.
However there are verses in the OT and especially in the NT where abundance does not refer to physical things but to intangible things!
I found out that there are 7 of them that I really need:
1. Abundance of honor
2 Chron 17:5 - Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance. Now who does not want that? I certainly need "honor in abundance" in my job to clinch that promotion!
"Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah gave presents to Jehoshaphat, and he had riches and honor in abundance" 2 Chron 17: 5
2. Abundance of peace
Now I really need this especially when my work gets really tough and all I want is to throw in the towel! (Quit lah...)!
Ps 37:11 "The meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in abundance of peace"
3. Abundance of goodness
Ps 65: 11 "You the crown the year with Your goodness, Your paths drip with abundance"
We have to take God's paths in 2014 in order to enjoy this "dripping with abundance"! Imagine 365 days of the year....everyday dripping with abundance!
4. Abundance of truth
Jer 33:6 "...I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace & truth"
5. Abundance of grace
Romans 5:17 "For if by one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ"
Abundance of grace is needed for every good work.
2 Cor 9:8 "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have abundance for every good work"
6. Abundance of joy
2 Cor 8:2 "that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality"
Giving to God will give us abundance of joy!
7. Abundance of revelations
2 Cor 12:7 "And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me...."
To be continued.....
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