Giving is an act of faith

Hebrews 11:4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Anyone who engages in giving to God is expressing a powerful act of faith towards Him. Prayer too is an act of faith. We pray to the one we cannot see but we are confident that He's hearing us and right there with us. 

For that matter giving has to be out of revelation and not by coercion. People who are in faith are not attached to money or the things which money can buy but on God. And they are confident of his provision at their points of need. That's why they are cheerful when giving. They are cheerful in getting the money and they are also cheerful in giving it away. 

Andrew Wommack shares a powerful story of how their house was about to get burnt in the woods where they stay. In their area forest fires are common. So on one particular instance, when fire started gutting up the forest, they had to vacate the house immediately otherwise it was a risk to them to stay there and lose their lives and property. In such a moment they couldn't carry everything except the bare minimum of important documents, closed their house and left. What they share amazed me because they say they weren't worried about them losing all they had acquired at that point because since they were having fun in getting them, they will have fun getting them back, after all it's just staff. What does that mean, it means staff is nothing, and doesn't matter, only God does. So I shouldn't be worried an inch about anything. Now that is out of this world thinking. Who would think and talk like that in such a scenario? Would such a one lose sleep or fail to eat because their house is about to get burnt and lose whatever they have gained all their lives? Not at all. 

Likewise this should be your attitude towards money and staff. You see someone losing a job and they get a heart attack, they lose a fiancee and they run away from church, they lose a parent or guardian or a scholarship which seemed to be their source of provision and they crumble as if the whole world is coming to an end. This should not be so to a believer! But does that mean we shouldn't do due diligence to get these things or endeavour to keep them well? Yes we should because that too is pleasing to God but never at one point should we put our entire hope and trust in them. Bible says cursed is a man who trusts in fellow man. Another reason why people are so attached to their money and property because they attach their identity and value to them. They feel they want a certain place and name in society so they are in competition to get more and more. No wonder their prayers are full of God give me this and that instead of engaging in deep communion with the Father.

Back to Andrew's story, all they did was to surrender themselves to God and God did a miracle, all other houses and places got burnt down except theirs. What a blessing! That's how God works exceedingly, abundantly far above what we think of or imagine when our trust is in Him. 

Your heart has to be on one master and Lord otherwise if it's on money, you cannot give to Him anything. Do not be like those who have lip service, "I trust in God" but cannot even give a tithe or an offering. Their faith has no substance to it. Do you know that even when you are working everyday and you have never had anyone give you anything per se which you attribute as a miraculous provision, still it's God giving you the ability to make wealth and meet your needs? So giving tithe and offering is acknowledging that it's God who gave you that job, life, and the wisdom to make the money, and buy the possessions you have. Giving him a 10% is the starting point. Giving Him offerings which are over and above the tithe is the next level of faith to engage in as a way of saying God I want to be part of what you are doing in this world. When you do so you are placing God in the centre of your work and business as your number one partner who should have a share of your earning.

One thing that is typical of carnality is when someone says, "if you say that God gave you that job where does that put the boss who gave you the actual appointment letter? I thought you should thank me who wrote you the letter and not God?" This is typical atheistic kind of thinking. They don't believe in God's existence and therefore everything is natural to them. It's either man or some phenomenon at work but not a superior intelligent being out there involved in man's affairs. Simple answer to such a one is God uses an man as instruments to provide our needs. So ultimately it's God that has provided. God is our true source, not that job, father, mother, relative, scholarship etc.

That belief that God is your source will take you a step further in your giving and being good stewards of the money and possessions we have.