FIVE GIFTS TO GIVE GOD

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.”

God commands us to give. We are to give to God and others. Our objective is to give, not receive. Yet, as we give unto the Lord and others with a right and cheerful heart, we will be blessed. Our blessings will be measured by our giving, blessing of every kind.

Today, I want to challenge you to give God.

The first gift that we need to give to God is repentance.

Matthew 4:17 - " From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Acts 17:30 - " In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent."

There is our initial repentance at the time of our salvation. Yet, there needs to be continual repentance in our lives. Don't confuse asking forgiveness with repentance. When we ask forgiveness, we ask the Lord to wipe the slate clean. When we repent, we turn away from our sinful ways.

The blessing of repentance is freedom. It brings freedom from condemnation and the destructive consequences of sin. It frees us to serve God with our whole heart and reap its rewards. It brings the rewards of joy, peace and assurance.

 The second gift is the gift of faith.

Romans 1:17 - " For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Hebrews 11:6 - " And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. 

Matthew 9:29 - "Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”;

The rewards of faith are: you are made righteous; God is pleased; you receive His favor, you are able to move mountains.

The third gift is the the gift of our mind and hearts.

Romans 12:2 - "  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Mark7 :21 - "For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder,"

 The reward of giving God our minds is that we will know His good and perfect will which will be of great benefit to us. It will keep us from all kinds of trouble. The reward of giving out mind and heart  are fruits of a righteous life.

The fourth gift is the gift of witness.

Acts 1:8 - " But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

James 5:20 - " Remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins."

The reward of witnessing is that many will come to salvation and live eternally together with us and it covers a multitude of sins. 

The fifth gift is the gift of your possessions. 

Malachi 3:8-10 - " “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it."

Matthew 19:21 - "Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

The reward of giving materially is that the flood gates of heaven are opened up and much blessing.