Overflowing Life
According to Genesis 12:1-3; God’s blessing won’t be complete in our lives until we’re willing to be generous. God has called us to be a channel through which He passed His generosity to others. One of two things defines everyone's life - Greed or Generosity. The world says; "The more you get the more bless you are", but God says; "The more generous you are, the more blessing you enjoy."
“Give; and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38
Understanding generosity in God's way is an access to a life that overflows with God's blessing. God wants us to be generous. While on earth; Jesus Christ enjoyed a life that overflows with unlimited access to God’s blessing. Why? Because he was so generous with everything God has given him; his TIME, TALENTS and TRAESURES. He set the examples for us to follow. God wants us to emulate Christ and be;
1. Be generous with your TIME. Time is the greatest commodity God has given to everyone. God does not want us to be a time waster, but He wants us to be generous with our time. Our fast-paced life can make it difficult to live generously, which the Lord calls us to do. As life demands more of us at work and in the home, our time becomes increasingly valuable. With so much on our plate, it’s no wonder we can see other people’s needs as unwanted interruptions—something to protect ourselves from instead of welcomed opportunities to help. The Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37 was generous with his time. Never be too busy to notice a brother or sister in need of help. Sometimes, it might just be 5 minutes of your time to give them a listening ear.
2. Be generous with your TALENT.
According to Ephesians 2:10(Amp.); God’s plan and purpose for us is that we should do those good works He predestined for us, so that we may live a life that overflows with His blessings. Jesus Christ didn’t leave us here on earth simply to take care of our own concerns; He wants us to be about His business. Jesus summarized His role on earth in Luke 22:27, “I am among you as the one who serves.” Everything He did confirmed this mission—healing the sick, casting out demons, feeding the hungry, teaching the multitudes, training His disciples. But His ultimate act of service was giving His life as a ransom for many (Matt. 20:28). The Christian life was never meant to consist of just an hour or two spent in church on Sunday mornings. It’s supposed to be a continual lifestyle of service—at home, work, school, or wherever you are. God wants you to be generous with the talents He has deposited in you. 1 Peter 4:10-11, Romans 12:6-8, Galatians 6:9-10, 1 Corinthians 12:1-31.
3. Be generous with your TREASURE.
According to Luke 16:10-11; money is the least of all the treasure God has given us.
The Fears of what could happen in the future affects our willingness to give financially and prompt us to keep for ourselves any money or goods we have. The possibilities of what could go wrong in the future are enough to make you selfish, without realizing it. God wants you to be generous with your treasures. Be generous with your treasures; money, house, car... Somebody needs a ride to church, volunteer to give them a ride. When you are generous with your treasures, you are increasing and enlarging your capacity to have more (Proverbs 11:24-25)
God blesses us so that we can be a blessing to others. However, if our focus is only on receiving from the Lord, we’ll be like a stagnant pool instead of a flowing stream. Fight the natural tendency to focus on what you can get, instead, think about what you can give. Look beyond your own concerns to see the people around you who could use your help or encouragement. God wants us to be a channel through which He can meet the needs of others. We never have to fear that we’ll run dry, because givers always have enough—God delights in continually replenishing their supply. A generous life is a life that overflows with God’s blessings.