The Giving Story

 
During the service we shall give an offering.  Some of you are now giving online, so we want to thank you for that. Church offering  is a time during our service where people from all walks of life can financially support the mission of the church.  To help prepare for the service and to give an offering later, let us reflect on this story.  It’s from Genesis 12 and it’s about  Abraham and Sarah.  Abraham is pretty old and has no child, and has lived in this particular town all his life together with his wife and extended family.  He’s got a nice life, nice family and he knows everyone in town.  He’s comfortable! So God comes to him and says, “Abraham, I want you to leave your hometown, and I want you to travel to this land that I’m going to show you.”  God didn’t even reveal the end destination – He just told Abraham to get moving.  The Bible says that THE NEXT DAY, Abraham loaded up and moved.   I want to teach you a principle that I see in this story, in fact, I see it all throughout the Bible. The blessings of God always follow obedience.  Let me say that one more time…the blessings of God always follow obedience.  In other words, we obey first, then we’re blessed. I know you’re thinking…”If God would give me a raise, then I would be generous.”  But it doesn’t work that way.  I know you’re thinking, “If God would give me some financial blessings, then I would obey the Bible.”  That’s not how it happens. We obey God, even when it’s tough, even when it’s hard, even when it makes us uncomfortable.  That’s how Christianity and faith work. Abraham went on to become the father of a great nation – the Jewish people.  He was famous, blessed and important.  God blessed him with a family.  In fact, the Bible says that all the people on the earth would be blessed through Abraham.  But none of that happened until after Abraham obeyed. One of the big reasons we give is to obey God.  We give generously because that’s what the Bible teaches.  Even if it makes us uncomfortable, we want to be obedient to God.  The blessings of God will follow our obedience of God. So let’s pray and ask God to bless the offering  we will give this morning. I’m going to pray that God would bless everyone who obediently gives to His purposes.
 
 
 
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