Godliness is not only eschewing evil, but also emulating God. When we emulate God, we are being godly. One character of God that we need to emulate is His generosity. If we become godly by imitating God’s giving heart, the Bible promises that we shall prosper financially.
Many Christians have excluded giving from godliness. The result has been holy Christians bound for heaven, but suffering financially on earth. True “godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:8). This means that a godly person will not only inherit and enjoy eternal life, but s/he will also be blessed in all ways – including financially – in the present life. One of the reasons why some godly Christians are not experiencing the blessing of finances is because they have neglected or ignored one of the key aspects of godliness which is generosity. If these good Christians were to realize that giving is what causes receiving, and then start giving in good and bad financial times, they would experience increase in their finances.
God is a giver, and so should we who seek to walk in godliness. Jesus said: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only beloved Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). This teaches us that the reason why God now has many sons (and daughters), is because He first gave the only Son He had. You and I, together with all believers in the world and those who are already in heaven, are a harvest of God’s sowing (giving). Therefore, if we imitate our Father God by becoming real givers as He is, then we too will experience financial harvests. Hallelujah!
Related Sermon:
The Glory of Prosperity in LAT, Part 3There are two opportunities to give that are always before us. If we really maximize these two giving opportunities, financial depression would be a thing of the past. These two opportunities are giving to men and women of God so that they can do the work of ministry, and supporting the poor saints. When the church of Philippi materially and financially supported Paul so that he could do the work of the ministry, he blessed those Philippians saying: “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). And when Paul was encouraging the church at Corinth to collect donations toward the poor saints in Judea, he told them that: “He who sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully . . . And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things may have an abundance for every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:6, 8).
Therefore, as you pursue godliness (which brings about the blessings of God), do not neglect giving, for it is also part of godliness. When you choose to become a really generous giver towards the work of the Lord by supporting His servants and meeting the needs of poor saints as God enables you, then you will be blessed beyond measure in your finances.
God bless you.