{"id":5217,"date":"2019-12-08T08:00:10","date_gmt":"2019-12-08T14:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.barbdahlgren.com\/?p=5217"},"modified":"2019-09-30T20:43:18","modified_gmt":"2019-10-01T01:43:18","slug":"choose-to-give","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/?p=5217","title":{"rendered":"Choose to Give"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Choices change lives…<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Barbara Dahlgren<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scripture\nsays it is more blessed to give than receive (Acts 20:35). How many of us are\ngivers? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At first\nwe may think scriptures about giving only refer to giving money to the church. While\nit\u2019s true that many passages do speak of this kind of stewardship, the biblical\nprinciple of giving runs much deeper \u2013 such as giving cheerfully and generously\nof everything God has given us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For\nexample, in Old Testament times people were expected to give 10% or a tithe of\neverything they earned back to God. In the New Testament they were encouraged\nto give, but no fixed amount was given. They were exhorted to give according to\nhow God had prospered them or how much they loved God. The decision was theirs\nto make. However, they should bear two things in mind. They should give cheerfully,\nnot out of a sense of obligation or reluctance (2 Corinthians 9:7) and they\nshould give generously. If we \u201csow\u201d sparingly, we will \u201creap\u201d sparingly (2\nCorinthians 9:6). In other words, we shouldn\u2019t expect God to be generous with\nus if we aren\u2019t generous with others. This applies in all areas of our lives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

God\nexpects us to give to others because God has given to us! Every gift and\nblessing we have come from God and God expects us to share them all with others\n(James 1:7). Jesus gave instructions to His disciples in Matthew 10:8: \u201c\u2026freely\nyou have received, freely give.\u201d When we share what God has given us with\nothers, it glorifies God. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Giving is\na basic biblical principle for every aspect of our lives. We should be giving\nto God, plus we should be giving and sharing what God has given us with others.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What can we give to God who has everything? Here are some ideas\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n