PLENTY TOO MUCH GENEROSITY
“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.” 2 Corinthians 9:10
One of God’s priorities in giving us an abundance mindset is to prepare us to become channels of His generosity in ways that are beyond what we can imagine. When the disciples faced a crowd of 5,000 with just a few loaves and fishes, they were shocked when Jesus told them, “you feed them.” What they couldn’t see was that the barns of Heaven were full of bread to supply for the people’s needs. What Jesus wanted to make them aware of was His desire to put in their hands the keys of faith to release that abundant supply to the people.
When our church took a step to help support ministries of compassion that feed and care for children around the world, we never dreamed that someday that would amount to millions of dollars that would pass through our hands to those in need. This is exactly what the Lord promised in 2 Corinthians 9 to a church of little financial means who would dare to give generously. They would discover that God wasn’t just going to see their needs supplied but their ability to give multiplied.
I learned so much about this from my missionary friend, Wayne Myers. God has used this simple missionary with no set salary to give millions of dollars to thousands of missionaries over the years. I will never forget what he told me. He said, “when you are faithful as a giver in an area that God has called you to, eventually God will not only be generous to you but He will give you the keys to that storehouse.
I have personally experienced God giving me levels of faith and authority to expect and see God’s abundant provision in areas of people’s needs. Because I was faithful when I had a little to give in that area, God not only supplied but has multiplied His provision.
I remember one of my first tests was to give away a new sleeping bag I had purchased as a teenager. I ran into a homeless man who didn’t have any blankets. By faith I gave him my sleeping bag. I sensed the Lord showed me that he would not only always provide sleeping bags but would give me authority and grace to minister to the homeless and the poor. I laughed recently when someone wanted to give us a whole bunch of sleeping bags. It seems all of my life I have always had too many sleeping bags. My wife Sharon saw the same thing as she began to collect candy to give kids for our Halloween outreach. Within a few years God so multiplied these efforts we had enough candy to give bags to some 5,000 children.
God wants us to learn to give out of faith in His abundance, because He not only wants to bless us, but He has whole new rooms in His storehouse, that He wants to empty out through us on behalf of those in need.