A Generous Life - Horizon Church March Bible Reading PlanНамуна

Over and Above Generosity

Tim Biasetto

You may have grown up in church and have learnt the principle of tithing and giving God your ten percent since you were young, which has then formed a habit of tithing. Others may have come to faith as a young adult and the concept of tithing is new to you.

We first see tithing in the Bible in Gen 14 when Abram meets Melchizedek who is a King Priest and a Christ like figure (Heb 7), Abram gives Melchizedek “a tenth of everything” as an act of worship to God.

Tithing is a recognition that all we have is from God and belongs to God, it is an act of worship and a statement of our trust in Him.

Salvation is received by grace through faith and not by works. Tithing is not a requirement for salvation, but a fruit of salvation and evidence of maturity in the life of a believer. It is an act of worship and a statement to ourselves that we trust God in the area of our resources.

Jesus in Matthew 23 while endorsing the tithe calls his listeners to a generosity beyond the tithe. For him tithing needed to be more than mechanics, it had to carry the heart of God to be true tithing.

A life of Generosity beyond our tithe aligns us with the heart of God and positions us to reflect God’s love to others asking God, “what would you like me to do with the rest?"

Everything we have, from our talents to our families, our jobs, houses, and cars, are all gifts to us from our Creator.

The key to living a life of generosity is acknowledging we're not the owners of these gifts. We're simply stewards of what God has given us. Living generously means loosening our grip on our possessions and trusting God with the details of our story.

Let’s see what is possible when we live a life of going above and beyond.