Day 1: Why We Give to God

• Giving to God from one’s material means is seen throughout the entire Bible
• We read about it being done by followers of God on a completely voluntary basis when they were motivated by a deep sense of gratitude for all God had done to bless their lives; we also read about it being done in response to specific commands from God
• Let’s consider five reasons why we should give of our financial means to God:

1. We give to obey God and live in imitation of Jesus—Deuteronomy 4:1-2, Deuteronomy 6:1-3, Deuteronomy 30:11-20, Psalm 19:7-11, John 13:12-17, John 14:15-24, 2 Corinthians 8:9, 1 John 2:3-6, 1 John 5:3 
2. Everything must begin with the conviction to simply obey any and all of God’s commandments; God obviously felt that giving of our financial means was a crucial part of our commitment to Him, so we must take that to heart and respond with obedience
   
   
3. God is the parent (Father) and we are the children—so we must trust and obey His directions in this area of giving
   
   
4. Every disciple made a commitment to be obedient to God’s word and live in imitation of Jesus; therefore no area of our spiritual lives can be compromised or ignored, including our giving
   
   
5. We give to honor God—Genesis 4:1-7, Deuteronomy 8:10-18, Deuteronomy 26:1-15, Proverbs 3:9-10, Proverbs 14:31, Malachi 1:6-14
   
   
6. Giving is one way of showing God how we truly understand that everything we possess comes from Him—our existence, our home, our job, our family, our clothing, our food, our many spiritual blessings and so much more (Psalm 103:1-12)
7. When we give to God, it is a constant reminder to us about where everything we possess comes from and who gave it to us in the first place
8. When we give, it is a way for us to express our trust in God’s commands and His amazing ability to provide for all of our needs—both physical and spiritual
9. In the Scripture’s first example of giving an offering to God (Genesis 4:2-7), Abel honored God with his gift, but Cain did not; one was accepted by God and the other was not (Hebrews 11:4)
   
   
10. We give to express our gratitude to God—Genesis 8:18-22, Genesis 12:4-9, Genesis 13:14-18, Genesis 26:23-25, Genesis 28:20-22, Genesis 33:18-20, Psalm 51:18-19, Psalm 116:17-19, 2 Corinthians 9:12-14, Colossians 3:12-17
    
    
11. In giving, we show God that we are grateful for all He has given to us
12. Giving keeps us from being self-focused and hoarding our wealth
13. Giving is a small way of saying thanks to God for taking care of us
    
    
14. We give to keep our hearts close to God—Proverbs 30:7-9, Matthew 6:19-24, Mark 4:13-20, Ephesians 5:3-6, 1 Timothy 6:3-10, Hebrews 13:5
    
    
15. God wants us to be free from selfishness, greed and materialism, and giving is a way of keeping our hearts centered on what is really important
16. Most of us who live in America have a lot more than we really need, even after giving our offerings to God
17. Giving can prevent us from being consumed with ourselves and our wants and needs
    
    
18. We give to promote the work and worship of God—Genesis 14:17-20, Exodus 36:1-7, Deuteronomy 26:12-15, 1 Chronicles 29:1-20, Ezra 1:1-11, Haggai 1:1-14, Mark 15:40-41, Acts 2:42-47, Acts 4:32-37, Philippians 4:14-19

1. The money we give provides leadership for the church
2. The money we give provides greater opportunities for the lost to be saved
3. The money we give brings blessings to fellow members of the church
4. The money we give can be used to meet the needs of the poor 
5. The money we give can be used to respond to emergencies and tragedies, both in the church and in the world
6. The money we give promotes the worship of God and provides greater opportunities to express our love for God

   Summary Points:

• There are many reasons (biblical and logical) why giving is a very important and useful part of our spiritual lives
• We give to obey God and live in imitation of Jesus, to honor God, to express gratitude to God, to keep our hearts close to God and to help promote the work and worship of God
• It’s been said, “Giving isn’t God’s way of raising money; it’s His way of raising children!”