Intro: Carlos is a Mexican Christian who has been financially blessed beyond many of his Latin friends. When he decided to sell several of his homes, they sold at a profit, and Carlos was pleased with the large profit he made. Not trusting the banks, Carlos stuffed all the profit under his mattress. His bedroom was on the second floor of his house with a small balcony that overlooked the street below. One day his four-year-old son discovered the mattress with the hidden treasure. Of course the boy had no concept of the value of what equaled thousands of dollars. He walked over to the balcony and happily blessed everyone who walked by, tossing the bills to the street. His son just joyfully gave everything away that really belonged to his father.

When you read this story in 1 Chronicles 29 you see that same kind of joy of giving in action. King David had been blessed incredibly with much wealth and he used that wealth to collect large quantities of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, onyx, turquoise, various stones, and marble. As if that wasn't enough, David pulled out all the stops. He said in addition to all of this, he was also going to give his personal treasures of 112 tons of gold and 262 tons of refined silver. I imagine that was all his profit collected over the years. There was nothing more that David wanted to do than give this wealth to build a temple for God. And he wasn't the only one. As he gave the challenge to others asking "Who will follow my example and give your offerings to the Lord today?" the people gave willingly, freely, and wholeheartedly so that the work could be completed.
The giving brought great rejoicing from all the people (v. 9).

How did David and the people give so joyfully and freely - especially such large sums of weath? The answer simply lies in David's prayer of praise that he lifts. He proclaims, "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand….all of it belongs to you." David and the people understood that they didn't own anything…they were giving back to God what God had given to them. They realized that it had been given to them for this specific purpose - to enable them to give.

This is where the giving of God leads those who have received from God's generosity. It leads us to give joyfully and generously just like God. This is the only kind of giving that pleases God. God doesn't just call us to give, but to give willingly just as David did with cheerfulness. Listen to 2 Corinthians 7b: "God loves a cheerful giver."

Are you a willing and cheerful giver? Perhaps you're having a hard time giving cheerfully because you don't trust God completely with your finances. If so, it's time to start asking God for direction and wisdom concerning your giving. Perhaps you should consider everything that God has given to you. Paul talked about the Macedonian churches who had gone through such a great trial yet were overflowing with joy in their giving. He urged the other churches to give with eager willingness. He ways, "For if their willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has , not according to what he does not have". You can only give out of what you have. God's doesn't expect you to give beyond your means. However, God does desire for us to give cheerfully according to what we have been given by God. God honors and blesses cheerful givers. God is after our hearts and cheerful, willing giving must come from the heart.

God desires for us to give in order to deliver us from greed. Greed keeps us in bondage to money and the things money can buy. The accumulation of things is Satan's trick to allow material things to own us and control us. When we open our hands, we open our hearts to a deeper intimacy with God that breaks Satan's hold on us. A man in Mexico once told a missionary "Every time I give an offering, I feel pain." The missionary said, "There's a remedy for this, brother. Keep giving till the pain disappears." The man wasn't experiencing the blessing of giving because he regretted what he gave and didn't give out of his heart. When we start giving and letting go of what we have, we discover we don't need as much as we thought we did to be content. Our attitude about possessions will determine our giving and it will also determine if we are living with an eternal perspective. "When we can hold everything loosely, recognizing that everything we have, including our breath, comes from Him, then God is able to entrust us with blessings that we could only dream about before." (Myers) Cheerful and willing giving is only possible when we are able to trust God and turn loose.

Wayne Myers tells the story of preaching to some of the most desperate people in the world in the third world. He knew the same message shared with the wealthiest churches in developed countries had the same power to change the lives of the poverty-stricken, war-ravaged believers. He wondered how he could preach to the poor about giving, but he simply urged them to think of others. "All of us can give something," he said, "If all you have is a handful of peanuts, share a little with your neighbor, help someone life their load, carry water for the older grandmother." Suddenly he heard a commotion in the crowd. He could hear sounds in the back, but couldn't see what was happening. He turned and asked his wife if she knew what the commotion was all about. She told him, "It's a little girl - 9 years old - who has taken off her shoes and is trying them on the other African children's feet, trying to find a fit so she can give them away." There is no doubt that that the child's response was registered in heaven as one of the quickest acts of obedience on earth. (Living Beyond the Possible, Wayne Myers, p. 47). If you think you're not in a position to give, think of that little girl. Everyone can give.

Cheerful and willing giving leads to obedient giving. God has commanded us to give in order that we will be obedient. God blesses obedience. God challenges us to obey him in giving and we'll receive the blessing. God commands us to give money. The bible talks a lot about money matters because money matters to God. God wants to see if we will be obedient in every area of our lives and one of those areas is our possessions. The rich young ruler asked Jesus what it would take for him to have eternal life and Jesus told him, "You only lack one thing. Give away all that you have and come and follow me." But he went away sorrowful because he couldn't turn loose of his possessions in obedience.

Today is no different. If we don't turn loose of our money and possessions in obedience to God then we are robbing God and robbing ourselves of God's blessing. Listen to what God told the people through Malachi. (Malachi 3:8-12). God puts us to the test of obedience in our giving to show us that God blesses obedience. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, "Jesus said, "Then all these things shall be added unto you." God commands us to tithe on our income, giving to back to God joyfully in obedience. Tithing is scriptural and it was affirmed by Jesus. A lot of people think they can't afford to tithe. Chanito is a prime example. I'll share with you his story.

Wayne Myers tells the true story of a Christian conference where he preached in Puebla, Mexico. It was after midnight when the conference ended and Wayne needed to be back home by morning, so he had no alternative but to make the 2 hour drive back to Mexico City where he lived. He had 9 Mexican brothers with him and they set out for home in an old 65 Chevrolet station wagon. They would be traveling narrow, winding roads through mountain passes where robbers waited for unsuspecting drivers to pass through their war zone. These dangerous men would drag a large tree across the road forcing drivers to stop. Then they would rob everyone in the car of their money, jewelry, and anything else that was valuable. Before leaving, the brothers prayed that they would be protected from these merciless highway bandits. One of the Mexicans riding with Wayne was Chanito who sat in the front seat. He was the son of a murderer and never had parental love, but was a dynamic preacher who loved God. As they rode they talked about financial matters and Chanito told Wayne he never seemed to have enough money. Wayne asked Chanito is he tithed. Chanito tried to avoid the question, but Wayne pressed him. Finally Chanito confessed, "I don't have enough money to tithe." Wayne suddenly jerked the car to the side of the road and came to a screeching stop. He commanded Chanito to get out of God's car. Chanito was shocked. They were miles from the nearest town and completely vulnerable to whoever or whatever may be lurking in the darkness. Chanito pleaded, "Why?" Wayne replied, "Because I am haboring a thief and you are endangering our lives." Chanito was dazed and couldn't believe this was happening. "You're not going to leave me with the thieves, Brother Wayne" he pleaded. Wayne had preached on tithing at the convention and he knew Chanito had not intention of heeding God's command. So he told him, "Let the thieves beware of you. I'm more afraid of you than I am of them. They rob men, but you have the audacity to rob God!"
Chanito immediately said, "I promise I will start tithing." Chanito was desperate and was negotiating his ride back to Mexico City. "All right, " said Wayne, "Get in." Of course, Wayne wouldn't have left Chanito by the road alone with the bandits. But he wanted to get his point across and his object lesson hit home. Chanito learned to tithe and in the end, money was only a small part of what he gave God. Before he died he established congregations in the most difficult parts of Mexico. (Living Beyond the Possible, Wayne Myers).
A lot of people are like Chanito - they think they can't afford to tithe. But the reality is we can't afford NOT to tithe. It's very risky taking what belongs to God. God is not nonchalant about what you give to Him. There are many Christians who love God but ignore this basic discipline of faith. If the offering plate comes to you and God's tithe is in your pocket, it is a form of theft.
If you're not already tithing, it's essential that you start. Sometimes it's difficult to just begin all at once, although it will bring the greatest blessing. But if you can't make that move, then begin by taking steps. (Point out the steps to tithing.) If you are already tithing, then God challenges you to make steps beyond the tithe to sacrificial giving above 10%.

Last week I reminded you that everything in your hand is a seed, and everything in God's hand is a harvest. God calls you to let go of the seed and plant it in the soil. That's true with our lives, our gifts, our time, talent, and our tithe. God desires us to put that tithe in God's hand so that it can be multiplied. When we plant that seed it can flourish, but as long as we hold onto it, it can't do anything. Look at that man on the front of your bulletin. He's really sowing the seed. He wants to have a bountiful crop. The most bountiful crops I've ever had in my garden is when I sowed more seed. "God multiplies what we give Him, not what we hold on to. " (Myers 51). Next week, I'll talk more about that. But I want to leave you today with this thought from the scriptures: "A man reaps what he sows." (Galatians 6:7). " Whoever sows generously will also reap generously." (2 Cor. 9:6b)

The generous giving of God leads us to give cheerfully, willingly, freely, and obediently in faith.