Giving & Receiving

 

What you make happen for others, God will make happen for you!

Do you find it hard to believe that you should expect to receive from giving? I want to share a principle in the Word of God to confirm the fact that we have the right to receive from our giving, especially if our giving is from the heart. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each person should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver….” In other words, if you are a stingy giver, you’ll receive a stingy harvest; if you give generously, you’ll receive generously. But the main point of the principle of giving and receiving is to give what you purpose in your heart to give. This will protect you against giving sob stories. When we give from a pure place in our heart’s blessings come in astonishing ways so that we’re ready to move forward in every good work.

 

Real love is demonstrated from the heart through giving from the heart with purpose

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God is our role model for giving and receiving. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” So, let’s understand that God’s motivation for giving was His love for people demonstrated in the act or action of giving with the expectation of receiving more sons and daughters because He gave His very best. Watch this, God gave for specific reason and that reason was to get us back in relationship with Himself. Jesus demonstrates the same principle when He gave Himself totally for our needs to be met when He died on the cross to complete His work on earth in our eternal interest. We must do the same as God did and give our very best from the heart and for the right reasons.

 

The principle of giving and receiving

 

Luke 6:38 says, “Give and it will be given to you…” How will it be given to you? “Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”  In other words, when we give, we are in position to receive more than we gave out…. “Good measure” means more than we gave, pressed down and shaken together is an illustration of making room to add more to the bag or container, and running over confirms the fact that He would make all grace abound toward you and provide for you sufficiently in all things. Our giving is multiplied back to us in abundance so we can take care of our needs and share with others. We can expect to receive a harvest from our giving.

Understand this, when we give to others, whether it’s giving to a person, a church, or some charitable organization, we should give to them as though we are giving to God, and not looking for anything in return, that’s how we will receive from God according to the portion and the motivation of the heart. However, we must also understand that we may receive in different ways from our giving. Our receiving may come back to us as an idea, an invention, an opportunity, a previously known or unidentified association, relationships, healing, or a loved one’s life turned around for better. Giving and receiving is the universal law of divine reciprocity. You give and it will be given back to you. When you plant an apple seed in the ground, the ground will produce an apple tree. If you put money in a savings account, the return on your money from the bank is with interest. If you give your time, talent, or treasure to someone or to some organization, you can expect to receive a return on your giving. That’s the reciprocal relationship between giving and receiving. The ground will only produce what you plant. So, if you want friends, then you must first be a friend; If you honor and respect your parents, you will receive long life and full days as well as honor and respect. Whatever you give it should be your very best, motivated by love from the heart, and for a specific reason. Your giving is an act of your deepest love and strongest desire to benefit others. It’s the key to having your needs met.

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If you have been giving for the wrong reason and without expecting to receive, this would be a good time to examine your motive for giving as well as your expectation of receiving. Or maybe your receiving is coming back to you in ways you feel you should be better; this would be a good time to examine the type of seeds you have been sowing. Here’s another principle, “Whatever you sow, you shall reap in return” (Galatians 6:7).

 

As we enter the winter season this would be a great opportunity to redirect your giving. You can start by giving a smile, giving a hug, being nice to somebody, helping others who are less fortunate than you are or giving to someone or to a family that may be in a crisis. There are so many ways to begin to condition the soil for giving with the expectation of receiving a bountiful harvest. Giving is God’s way of not only meeting our needs, but it helps to pave the way for others.

 

Now, He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God (2 Corinthians 9:10-11).

 

Pastor Melvin L Taylor Jr

New Life World Harvest

Restoration Center

410 East St., Buffalo NY 14207