Is Giving the way to financial increase for a Christian?

In a previous article ‘5 Principles of Financial Sufficiency In Christ’ I listed faith, generosity, stewardship, contentment, and work, as biblical principles for enjoying financial sufficiency.

In Luke 6:38, Jesus said….

“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 NKJV

According to Jesus, when we give we set in motion a process to also receive.

The scripture is very clear on the principle of giving/receiving, and God our Father is an embodiment of generosity; He gives liberally and generously (John 3:16, James 1:5-8).

Giving initiates the process of receiving and our giving must start with God. God must occupy first place in our giving (Proverb 3:9-10).

The Tithe is Holy and belongs to God (Leviticus 27:40).

Other avenues through which we set up ourselves to receive through giving according to scriptures include:

▪️Offerings (Malachi 3:8,10).
▪️Giving to our Parents (Mark 7:10‭-‬13).
▪️Giving to True ministers and ministries of the gospel (I Corinthians 9:14; Luke 10:8; I Timothy 5:17).
▪️Giving to God-ordained projects (Haggai 1:9; Haggai 1:4).
▪️Giving to The Poor & Needy (Luke 10:33‭-‬35; Psalms 112:9; Acts of the Apostles 9:36‭-‬41; Deuteronomy 15:7‭-‬8; Deuteronomy 15:10; Ephesians 4:28).
▪️Giving to Widows (Acts of the Apostles 9:36‭-‬4; I Timothy 5:3‭-‬4).
▪️Giving to the Brethren (I John 4:20; Galatians 6:10).
▪️Giving to Family and relatives (I Timothy 5:8).

Give and it shall be given to you.

It will not be right to approach giving as though it’s some financial scheme or as though God is a money vending machine. No.
God is the One who determines the form and manner of the increase that comes to us (1 Corinthians 15:38, Mark 4:27). What we do know however is that our harvest comes in similar proportion to what we give. If we sow sparingly, we reap sparingly and if we sow bountifully, we reap bountifully (2 Corinthians 9:6).

Sometimes we might be led to publish a giving act or testimony; as a build up to something bigger in the future or as a faith boost for another person. Otherwise, Jesus admonishes us to as much as possible, keep our giving ventures private (Matthew 6:1-4). We are also admonished to be cheerful givers whom God loves (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).

God is our Rewarder and the One we are primarily accountable to for our giving (Matthew 6:1-5).

I pray that we are sensitive to recognize and take advantage of the opportunities the Father sends our way to give so that we will experience the increase He intends for us to experience through giving (Ecclesiastes 11:1-6, 2 Corinthians 9:8).

Friends, Jesus said it is more BLESSED to GIVE than to receive, and He exemplified it by the gift of Himself. There is a Blessing in Giving. Let’s be sure to give to the right place, the right people, the right time and with the right motive.

Love was what motivated God to give His Son for mankind (John 3:16). Love should be the primary motivation for our giving.

And if there is any time to intensify our giving, I think it should be in the time of famine or scarcity. This way we set ourselves up to live above the difficulties and challenges associated with these times, and so we will always have more than enough.