2 Corinthians 9:6-8 

6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Paul reminds us that God not only longs to bless His kids, but He loves it when givers delight in the giving. Yet in the uncertainty of a pandemic, it’s easy to hold back and live based on fear instead of faith. To base our decisions on our circumstances instead of on Christ. But we are blessed to be a blessing. Our problem when it comes to desiring God’s blessings is our purpose behind the blessing. Many of us want to be blessed not to be a blessing but so that we can benefit. But the goal is not getting but giving. What about you, are you making it about giving or greed? While Paul is appealing to the Corinthian Christians for financial help the truth of the text applies to more than just money matters. The principles found in this passage deals more with character than cash. The focus is not on money but on ministry, and whether we will sow sparingly or sacrificially. Grace giving leads to a life of liberation, freeing us from things and circumstances. Instead of things possessing you, you start to possess them. Instead of money managing and moving your life it becomes a means for ministry. Instead of cash controlling you, and dictating your attitude and actions, you begin to control it. Financial freedom doesn’t come through getting more it comes through giving back. Today we are being taught that financial freedom comes from acquiring and amassing, that the more we have the freer we will be. Yet often more money means more managing, more possessions mean more time polishing and protecting. Instead of being freed to enjoy life we become chained to our cash and slaves to the stuff. Today there are many who play the power ball hoping to become wealthy because they believe that financial security will bring freedom, but statistics suggest that those who win often end up far from freed. Money becomes their master, and many end up miserable instead of merry. Money has many of the attributes of a god, power, the ability to fix problems, and provide but unlike God riches don’t provide a real relationship. The real craving of our hearts is not more but meaning, we want meaningful relationships not riches. But when we chase after the cash, we end up worshipping wealth, our focus becomes finance not God the Father. But true satisfaction is found in God not gain. Not only does God’s grace lead to a life of liberation but it also enables us to have all-sufficiency so we can abound in giving. God is able to give us complete sufficiency so that we serve, and service is the secret to satisfaction. Today we are trying to find satisfaction in security instead of in service. As a result, instead of helping out we tend to hoard. So, what about you, are you living to give or to get? How generous are you with your time, talents and treasure?

Psalm 100:1-5 

1 Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! 2 Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. 3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise.  Give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

The fourth call is for us to “Acknowledge that the Lord is God. He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.” God made us, inside and out, and He made you the way He wanted you to be, that means we are significant and special because God doesn’t make junk. A group of students was asked to list what they thought were the present Seven Wonders of the World. Though there was some disagreement, the following got the most votes: 1. Egypt’s Great Pyramids. 2. Taj Mahal. 3. Grand Canyon. 4. Panama Canal. 5. The Empire State Building. 6. St. Peter’s Basilica. 7. China’s Great Wall. While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one quiet student hadn’t turned in her paper yet, so she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The girl replied, “Yes, a little. I couldn’t quite make up my mind because there were so many.” The teacher said, “Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help.” The girl hesitated, then read, “I think the Seven Wonders of the World are: 1. TO SEE. 2. TO TASTE. 3. TO TOUCH. 4. TO HEAR.” She hesitated a little, and then added, “5. TO FEEL. 6. TO LAUGH. 7. AND TO LOVE.” The rest of the room sat in stunned silence. Those things we overlook as simple and ordinary are truly wondrous. The truth is you are not trash, careless thrown together, no you have been lovingly crafted by the Creator’s hand. Not only did He make us, but He is still making us. God wants to deal with out defects and the scars of sin. Not only were we created in His image but we were created to reflect Him, but sin has distorted and deflected that. God wants to work in and on our attitudes and actions so that we reflect His righteousness. Not only is He our maker but second “We are His people, the sheep of His pasture.” The problem is that most of us want to be shepherds, not sheep, but we don’t know where the still waters and green pastures are. So in our search for satisfaction, we invariably end up in sin, stuck in the far country. Are you submitting to His leadership, have you surrendered to the shepherd? What is guiding your life is it God, or are you trying to call the shots yourself? Why don’t we experience rest and rejuvenation, because we won’t let Him lead. The last call is to “Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise.  Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.” In the Old Testament the temple symbolized the presence of God. When His people entered through the gates they knew that they had come into His presence. Their focus was on the Father, we are called to come in wonder and in worship of the One who made the whole world. God is not confined to a temple He is everywhere; He is with you on the highways and the byways of this life, in every moment of your life. We have a God who cares and compassionately comes alongside us, who wants to walk with us through the wins as well as the wounds.  Yet what if God started to treat us like we so often treat Him? What if God met our needs to the same extent that we responded to His rule and give Him control our lives? What if God stopped loving & caring for us because we failed to love & care for others? What if God took away His message because we refused to listen to His messenger? What if God answered our prayers the way we answer His call for service? What if God decided to stop leading us tomorrow because we refused to follow Him today? Are you thankful for the faithfulness of the Father? Are you joyfully shouting, serving, singing and saying thank you to Jesus?