Day 14: Sunday 31st March pray for wisdom and faith for giving

Throughout scripture God would seem to be, humanly speaking, an extremely irresponsible giver. From Creation to Revelation he seems to consistently keep giving to people who don’t appreciate it and don’t deserve it.

I was recently reading a book by Andrew Wilson with a chapter talking about how Gods giving is at the heart of his very character. God is Good 😊

If God is like that and Jesus is God, then as a follower of Jesus we’re called to be gracious givers.

Over the years, I personally have many, many stories of God amazing provision and I’m sure you will have many more than me. But my favorite one is this:

A few years ago, amazingly for Lisa and me, we had managed to accrue a small amount of personal savings. Independently through reading scripture and the leading of Holy Spirit, both of us felt that God was saying, we were putting our faith in these savings in an unhealthy way and it was stopping us relying on Gods provision in faith.
We also knew of a great need in the church, which could be resolved with this money.

As we were, young and wild in those days, we decided that it was right for us to give these savings away. To our surprise the person we tried to give it away too, initially refused to take it and they prophetically explained that we were being silly, as we would be able to buy a new second had car with it (which we needed) or it would pay for a family holiday in the UK. After a bit of thought and prayer we ignored them and gave it anyway 😊

There is a lot more to this story, but to summaries, within three months, out of the blue and through other random means, God provided us as a family a virtually brand-new car, far beyond what we ever would buy or be able to afford and an all-expenses paid family holiday, for a week, to Euro Disney! Which came in value to ten times what we had given away.

Now I’m not saying God has, or always will work in that way and I arbore the prosperity Gospel, however I know that God has a gracious nature and I have never been let down by His provision.

In my Christian life, I’ve come to love and rely on how God provides abundantly. Not just financially but in all things. I am confident that as his people we can never out give God.

Today just think through what your attitude to Gods provision is.
Do you trust God to provide for you?
Has God ever let you down around provision?
How does that relate to your finances or how you give now?
Who or what are you putting you trust in for provision?

Finally, I just want to say that the members of Community Church Blackburn are amazing faith filled givers and give an incredible amount in faith, to the work of the church which I would like to say thank you for.

However, I would also like to point out, just like my previous story, historically when the Community Church Blackburn has moved in faith financially, God has also moved abundantly, hence our incredible £100,000 provision, as a church penciled in for a building.

​I also know that when, as a church, we haven’t acted in faith and have honoured God with church finances they have been leaner times.

Please pray for wisdom and faith for us all as a church and the leadership team in this area.  

Helpful Bible Verses

Luke 6:38

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

2 Corinthians 9:7
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.

Proverbs 3:9
Honour the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce.

1 Chronicles 29:14
But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us!
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Matthew 6:19-21
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”