Generosity That Changes Your Life

At The Journey Church, we must foster generous hearts.
Generous hearts are more blessed.
Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. Proverbs 3:9-10 NIV

God gives us peace, purpose, joy, and a closeness that leaves us OVERFLOWING.
Question: Assuming that you believe that God is, do you find it difficult to trust God? Why or Why not? 

Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house. Test me in this way,” says the Lord of Armies. “See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure. Malachi 3:10

This command is all about learning to be generous.

We are taking about emotions.

Question: What emotions well up in you when it comes to being generous? Are you cheerful to give, or do you feel apprehensive?

 What Generosity brings.
Peace
Test me in this way,” says the Lord of Armies. “See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure. Malachi 3:10. 
3 You will keep the mind that is dependent on you in perfect peace, for it is trusting in you. 4 Trust in the Lord forever, because in the Lord, the Lord himself, is an everlasting rock! Isaiah 26:3-4

Purpose and Joy
Fierce troubles came down on the people of those churches, pushing them to the very limit. The trial exposed their true colors: They were incredibly happy, though desperately poor. 2 Corinthians 8:2 The Message
The pressure triggered something totally unexpected: an outpouring of pure and generous gifts. I was there and saw it for myself. They gave offerings of whatever they could—far more than they could afford!—pleading for the privilege of helping out in the relief of poor Christians. 
2 Corinthians 8:3-4 The Message

Closeness with God.
Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work 
2 Corinthians 9:7

God gives us peace, purpose, joy, and a closeness that leaves us… overflowing.
Reflection
What keeps me from trusting God?
Can I bring this issue to God?
What risk do I need to face to be generous?