from Ron Rose
August 25, 2008

Preparation

God wants us to be givers… to give, not to get in return, but to give because it feels good. There is a secret here that God wants us to experience first hand… but we resist.

I know Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

He also taught, “It’s more blessed to give than receive.” God wants us to be givers, period! He doesn’t however, want us to give in order to get. He wants us to give so that HE can blesses us and free us from the fear that keeps believers from turning loose of treasure.

He wants us to experience the best in life.

God’s secret is a dare. He wants us to trust HIM. He longs for us to take him at his word. If you listen, you will hear him say, “Try it! Give!”

Give with reckless abandon, give when you hear the voice of God, give when you see the need, give with no hope of getting back, give first—that’s what God did. He took the ultimate risk…he gave his Son, first.

When we practice being generous, just because we want to be like God, HE shares the secret. Do you know it?

You’ve probably heard that little whisper saying, “take care of that.” I know you’ve felt the nudges and sensed urge to give “over and above.” Along the way, God is challenging you… “Bet you can’t surprise me with your gift. Go ahead and try, how about giving $$$$? Don’t just talk about it. Faith is more than words.”

This path runs much deeper than the tithe you place in the contribution plate at church. THIS IS LIFE: Giving without hesitation when God nudges, surprising people with the fingerprints of God before they know what’s happening, keeping the focus on HIM rather than on personal security and accumulation, being outrageously generous and allowing God to get HIS hands on our hearts.

The secret has to be experienced. It can’t be learned inside the huddle; we’ve got to break the huddle and get in the game.

I’ve missed this for too many years; I don’t intend to miss it any longer. I am repenting! I am praying for God to change my heart and open my checkbook. He is making me into a giver and I am learning the secret.

Inspiration

Robert was preaching at a Bible school in Costa Rica. It was a tradition at this school to turn each Friday into “Bless Another Today.” It was their day to give to others.

One student had no money at all, but God had his heart. He worked in a peanut field all week to pay his tuition. He felt the nudge… he knew what to do. He asked the owner of the field if he would hold one peanut out from his wage so that he could give that peanut to somebody on the “Bless Another” day. One peanut!

The farmer agreed and every Friday this poor student would bring one peanut to school and give it to a student in his class.

In a few months, God blessed this young giver and he was able to give money. And, by the end of the semester he was buying pencils and school supplies for the poorest students.

By the end of that year, God had blessed him so much that he was paying the tuition for another student. And by the time he graduated, he was paying the tuition for 10 students besides his own. Within a few years he bought the peanut farm where he used to work and was able to cover the costs of anyone who didn’t have the money for tuition.

It all started when God got his hands on that young man’s heart. He gave when all he could give was a peanut.

Motivation

Three questions:

- What’s holding you back?
- When is the last time you gave outrageously?
- Do you know the secret?