Receiving and Giving: Unleashing the Bless Challenge in Your Life

Paul and Carolyn gave because they knew they were making a difference that would make a difference in the lives of young Christians long after they were gone. They were providing for future generations of believers. In a world where the lack of a good solid early education can haunt a child for the rest of her life, I believe we are making a difference by the Kids Hope program. Each week children at University Terrace have a better shot at completing their education because individuals from this congregation mentor them.

Your contributions make that ministry possible. We make a difference by offering a pre-school and after-school program to our community. We make a difference to every child who feels loved and encouraged by the teachers here.

We make a difference to the parents who know their children will be safe and well cared for while they are on our property. In a world that tries to belittle faith, mock beliefs and derides the love of God, I believe we make a difference through the worship we offer each week — the prayers we lift for one another, the communion table we share each month, the music that lifts our hearts and fills our souls. Each week I hear someone sharing how they were inspired by the worship service.

In a world where university students are newly separated from the anchors of faith and family and church, I believe we make a difference by supporting the Wesley Foundation and the campus ministry it provides to over 55 LSU students every week. At a critical age of exploration and testing the waters of adulthood, these students are finding a firm foundation in their faith through the Wesley Foundation. We make a difference. University Methodist makes a difference to hundreds of children, youth and adults every day of every week.

Likewise, Timothy was making a difference in his ministry. He was reaching new believers and instructing them in the way they should live as followers of Christ. The challenges they faced were not unlike the challenges we face today.

What is a Generous Heart?

To guide and support Timothy in his ministry, Paul writes to Timothy to instruct him in the way that leads to true life. We also must keep our priorities straight. We need a healthier relationship with our possessions, and with the material world in which we live. We like making money, but we also recognize that we can be trapped by the temptation to place money, power, and prestige above all else.

When we keep our priorities straight we realize our contentment does not depend on what we save for a rainy day, but on what we build, not what we can buy but why we are buying it, less on the love me and more on the love of our family, on belonging to a community and having a sense of meaning. As we receive from God, so we give and the more we give the more generosity grows.

When we unleash the power of generosity, we… serve beyond ourselves. The United Methodist Church is in mission in places like: When we unleash the power of generosity we… delight in our generosity because we see the blessing that comes in being generous toward others. A friend of mine, in Denver, Co, began a ministry to the homeless some years back. Every day of the week, Jerry can be found on the mall in front of the state capital handing out sandwiches, an apple, a bottle of water — clean socks, and at this time of year — winter coats, and sleeping bags.

The gratitude and the joy he sees in the faces he serves brings him great joy.

Jerry delights in the generosity of giving to people who never ask but who need everything. When we unleash the power of generosity, we… live with a sense of thankfulness. We give thanks in all circumstances. We delight in the ordinary experiences of life. Thankful for what we have, we give not just in November and December, but throughout the year. In return, we share from our blessings. We bring cans of food and boxes of cereal for Hope Ministries once a month. We bring a monetary offering to the communion rail so that others will have electricity for their homes.

We buy backpacks for students at University Terrace and we fill them with school supplies. Thankful for all we have we look for opportunities to share the blessing we have received with others. When we unleash the power of generosity we… tithe. Having received so generously from God, we in turn respond in generosity toward others. Tithing is the Biblical standard. It is simple; the problem lies with our capacity. It is for this reason that verse 2 of our foundation scriptures enjoins us to 'enlarge the place of your tent'.

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Heaven will never run out of resources, but the capacity on earth always determines how much Heaven releases. Remember the widow woman and the jar of oil in 2 Kings 4? As soon as the capacity of the jars was filled, the oil ceased. Let me introduce a concept to you — It is simply called: For every capacity you present, there is always a corresponding flow. You can only expect to receive a flow commensurate with the capacity you have. Again, you will find this concept illustrated in Luke 6: For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you".

Also see Isaiah 1: God will measure back to you the proportion of the capacity that you present to Heaven. If you can change the capacity, you can determine the flow.

If what you are experiencing in your life right now is below your expectations, then you need to increase your capacity to receive more from God. What must you become, in order to receive all that you desire from God? Great men and women who lived before us, understood this principle, and they tapped into it. A closer look at Isaiah 54 reveals five specific instructions to take note of: Enlarge, stretch, lengthen, strengthen and do not hold back. In all these, God is simply saying 'Increase your capacity, because I'm about to pour out my blessings'.

Your capacity determines what you are capable of receiving. God will not release to you a blessing that you cannot handle. A good illustration from scriptures is the story of the Israelites, a generation of slaves, who travelled through the wilderness for forty years, a journey that could have taken 11 days or less, if they had the experience of fighting wars.

It took 40 years to develop their capacity — and sadly only 2 members of the original generation arrived at the Promised Land.

Bible Quotes About Generosity

Your capacity is the ability to receive or contain; it is the maximum amount or number that can be received or contained. Your capacity is a measure of what you can receive, hold or absorb. It reflects your potential, your resourcefulness and skilfulness. To increase your capacity, you must take it beyond the current ability to receive or contain, and augment your gift, your skilfulness and cutting edge. Let me share with you the story of a bible character who demonstrated a limited capacity for the opportunity that was brought his way, as recorded in Luke 5: After a speaking session, Jesus instructed Simon Peter to launch out his boat into the deep, with nets for a catch.

Simon's response is recorded in verse So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. It is obvious from this scripture that, firstly Simon had not given Jesus' instruction much thought — He obeyed half-heartedly. Secondly, after experiencing the breaking of nets, he should have signalled for a bigger vessel, but he simply called for a boat that wasn't big enough for the blessing. We must learn never to underestimate the blessings of God. He wants to do a great work in your life, would you give Him capacity for it?

In contrast, here is another story of another bible character who gave God a big capacity for the blessing prepared for him. In 1 Kings 3, God appeared to Solomon in a dream, and gave him a blank cheque: What shall I give you? For who is able to judge this great people of Yours? God granted Solomon's request as recorded in 1 Kings 4: There was nothing beyond him, nothing he couldn't handle. They were only required to govern, handle state affairs and go to war, but Solomon redefined kingship in his time by increasing his capacity. The scripture says, amongst many other things, Solomon was a horticulturist, a botanist, a poet, a marine engineer, an animal biologist, a creative artist and a dramatic artist.

In His time, he wrote proverbs and songs. The scripture says, he had largeness of heart — this talks about the heart that has reached new boundaries of achievement through God.