Articles From Our Bulletins
How Should I Give?
Having learned that the early church practiced giving as a part of their first day of the week worship, how should I give today?
Weekly
Paul penned, “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store...” (1 Corinthians 16:2). Every week has a first day, right?
As Prospered
Paul continues, “...as God hath prospered him...” (1 Corinthians 16:2). How much I give is determined by how much I prosper. The more I prosper, the more I should give.
Bountifully
Paul used agricultural terms to teach us how to give: “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountiful-ly” (2 Corinthians 9:6). My attitude should be how much can I give and not how little can I give!
As Purposed
2 Corinthians 9:7 records, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give...” My giving is to be planned; not a reaching into the wallet as the bas-ket is being passed around to see what, if anything, is there!
Cheerfully
“...not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). If my giving reflects reluctance or unwillingness, I might as well not give. Consider the good things God has done for us. Don’t you feel indebted to God?
Willingly
The Lord has always expected His people to give of a willing heart. When giving for the tabernacle, the Lord required, “...that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering” (Exodus 25:2). 2 Co-rinthians 8:12 says, “For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.”
Sacrificially
I like the attitude of David. When presented with an opportunity to offer to God that which did not cost him anything personally, he said, “...I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing” (2 Samuel 24:24). That which I give ought to cost me something. Remember the giving of the “poor widow” in Luke 12:1-4?
Read Luke 6:38 and Acts 20:35.
