Most everybody is familiar with the scripture for being thankful, but there are other scriptures that breakdown God’s theory of giving.
My belief is that God wants us to be thankful. Deuteronomy 8: 18 says, “But you shall remember the LORD your God: for it is he that gives the power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he gave to your fathers, as it is this day.”
God wants us to have the good things in life so that both God and we can be thankful. You have them, if you don’t think so, look in Philippians 4: 19, “And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Proverbs 11:24, “One person gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what they should give, and only suffers want.” To look at this with natural eyes might make a person say it makes no sense, how can you give but gain more. But look with spiritual vision and you can see that verse 24 is explanation. A person that gives freely (according to the word of God) understands the Kingdom principles. By giving to God and the people of God, God will in turn will pour out blessings on everyone.
If we seek God, we will be given the things that we need. I have heard the saying, “The sales are for the Saints” and “The Bargains are for the Believers” and it true! I remember a testimony a friend gave that he needed a job that paid well to support his family. He said that he obeyed God and trusted in His Word about tithing, and gave even when there was little. So one day, he was he saw a billboard ad that said that Roadway Freight was hiring drivers, so he called the number and set up an interview. Needless to say, he got the job, but he saw the same billboard the next day and the ad was gone. God has a reserve on your blessings; you just have to be in the right place (with God) to get it.
My family dinners on Sunday consisted of the pastor and wife if there happen to be one. And my father was never very easy with words especially if he believed his own truth. Sitting around the dinner table following church one Sunday, my father, a good man and maybe even a Christian said boldly, “the sermon was boring today.” My mother who was of a kinder nature and tone of words said, “you might say there were a few words that didn’t come out well.” The choir was okay but nothing to perfection either. Needless to say the pastor has remained quiet and only said, “Aren’t we thankful that God was there to hear it all.”
It is not about a business deal between God and us and we don’t always get it perfect. It’s about a true and trusting relationship between us and God who ¡s the owner and we have been entrusted with our gifts and God expects us to work with them to make the very best or what we have been given.
The person of pseudo faith will fight for his verbal creed but refuses flatly to allow himself to get into a predicament where his future must depend upon that creed being true. He also interprets each promise is preceded with a command and that the nature of developing trust we can build walls of self-sufficiency; where no on e can hurt us, but no one can help us.
It doesn’t matter what God could do for us, we don’t choose to trust God. He doesn’t want to play God or Parent; He wants to be your God and Parent; and that demands our giving him opportunity to bless us. And with those blessings come our opportunities to be thankful and giving.
Remember this: Whoever gives sparingly will also receive sparingly, and whoever gives generously will also receive generously. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, having all that you need; you will abound in every good work. 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. (Luke 6:38)
Each person should give what they has decided in they can give, not reluctantly or under any pressure with the presence of God’s grace and love for the gift. It is the story of the cheerful giver.
Ordained in August 2006, Rev. Suzie Chamness served as Senior Pastor of Spirit of Life MCC of New Port Richey, Fla., beginning in 2009, having served as volunteer clergy for the congregational care ministry at King of Peace MCC and as chaplain at Bon Secours Maria Manor senior care facility, both in St. Petersburg, Fla. In June 2006 she earned a masters of divinity degree from the Florida Center for Theological Studies in Miami, followed by a doctorate in ministry from Andersonville Theological Seminary.