Start Here with a Generous Heart
Dean Goossen

January 23 & 27, 2019

Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. —Genesis 4:1-16 ESV

For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. —1 John 3:11-12 ESV

By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. —Hebrews 11:4 ESV

Why does my generosity have limits?

Most of us give:
1. Until it costs us something
2. Only what we won’t miss or know is gone

Reasons we do not give at all/discovering our limits:
1. Because we are not thankful enough
2. It will cost us being able to afford what we want for ourselves
3. We want to wait until we have more to give (cannot afford to give)
4. I’ll be generous with other things like my time so I don’thave to give money

Giving to receive vs. Giving out of response

  • It should not be one or the other but rather it should be one built on the other - fulfilling both.

  • It is very difficult to cultivate a generous heart when we give expecting our reward to be from man. Are we giving to man or the Lord?

How does God desire us to give?

  1. Without being guilt tripped into it.
  2. Without reluctance (not sure that we really want to give).
  3. Without sorrow after the fact (that we would not regret later what we have given and become bitter).
  4. Deciding in our hearts what is right and giving freely out of a joyous response to what God has already done.
  5. Not trying to earn blessings, but rather trying to reap blessings in order to become a bigger blessing to others and build the kingdom of God.

FILL OUT THIS WEEKS CONNECTION CARD HERE
- Today, I give my life to Jesus for the first time.
- I struggle with giving financially, but want to start growing in that area of my life.
- I am now understanding that giving is a response to what God has done.
- I commit to become or continue to be a cheerful giver!