Topic: Giving and Faith Go Together [RICK WARREN Devotional 10 December 2019]
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BY RICK WARREN — DECEMBER 10, 20191
“By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings” (Hebrews 11:4 NIV).It’s interesting that the first person who gets mentioned in the “Faith Hall of Fame” is Abel, one of Adam and Eve’s sons.
What did Abel do that caused him to be included alongside Moses and Abraham and other significant biblical heroes in Hebrews 11? As far as we know, Abel never did anything great. He never took any major risks. But he gave an offering in faith, and that pleased God. It’s not what Abel gave; it’s the attitude in which he gave it.
Giving and faith go together. God couldn’t care less about the amount you give. God doesn’t need your money. He wants your heart.
In fact, if you’re not giving in faith, don’t give, because you don’t get any credit for it. The Bible also says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV).
There are two ways to give: You can give by reason, or you can give by revelation. To give by reason is to figure out reasonably what you think you can give, but that doesn’t require any faith at all.
When you give by revelation, you let God reveal to you what he wants you to give in faith. It means you pray and ask, “God, how much do you want me to trust you for this time?” Then you do whatever he tells you to do.
Giving by faith helps you grow, mature, and become more like Christ!
- What has usually motivated your giving in the past: reason or what God has revealed for you to give?
- Why are many people afraid to give based on faith?
- How might you approach your giving differently? How might you change the way you view your money?