Day 22 - Above and Beyond

Key #6 – Giving is the Antidote to Materialism


2 Corinthians 8:7
• What do you think it means to excel in the grace of giving?
• Have you ever thought of giving as a skill?
• A skill is something that you can improve in with practice, thus, giving is a skill
• We can definitely learn to give more often and more strategically
• We pursue excellence in our jobs, sports, etc.
• Why not pursue excellence and improvement in our giving?
• Why not make giving something we study, discuss, and sharpen, striving for improvement and excellence?

2 Corinthians 8:3
• What does it mean to give beyond your ability?
• It doesn’t mean giving yourself into debt or giving foolishly
• It means pushing your giving past the point where the figures add up and having faith that God will provide

• Do you desire to excel in the skill of giving?
• Do you strive to constantly improve your giving and your creativity and ability to give?
• Do you desire, like the Macedonians, to give beyond your apparent ability?


• To excel in giving and give beyond your means is the act of constantly seeking to go further in your giving that it seems like you could
• For instance:
• A man named Scott Lewis was at a conference where people were challenged to give 1 million dollars for the cause of the great commission
• He only made $50,000 a year, although he had given 35% ($17,000) in tithes and offerings
• He made it his goal to give $50,000 the next year
• He decided to trust God to do the impossible
• God provided in many ways and with an incredible December provision, Scott and his wife were able to give $50,000 that year
• The next year they set a goal of $100,000 and God provided again
• Within a few years they were giving a million dollars per year and have continued to increase
• We don’t all have to achieve such an incredible amount to excel in giving but is there any reason that we shouldn’t have the same heart and the same type of faith?
• That is what excelling in the grace of giving means

Luke 19:5-15
• Someone might ask, “When should we begin giving like this?”
• How soon do you want to experience God’s blessing?
• How soon do you want to contribute as generously as you can to his Kingdom?
• How soon should we start obeying God?
• What better investment could there be than God’s Kingdom?
• When did Zaccheus start giving according to the principles of God’s Kingdom?
• When we procrastinate we run the very real risk of allowing our hearts to get even more invested in earthly things rather than Kingdom things

• Do you have specific goals and a specific plan to excel in the act of giving?


Convictions
• Do you believe it is important to have a specific goal and plans to excel in giving?
• Are you willing to take immediate steps to make a goal and plan (if you haven’t already done so)?

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