2 Corinthians 9:6-11
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 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. 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. As it is written:
“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
their righteousness endures forever.”
their righteousness endures forever.”
Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
Art and Dorothy Helwig are members of FBCG and attend the East Campus whenever they are in town. But they aren’t in town very often these days because about 10 years ago they responded to God’s call to serve the world. In particular, they were called to start a ministry called “GECHAAN (Gembu Center for HIV/AIDS Advocacy in Nigeria)” in Africa.
GECHAAN currently provides information regarding prevention of HIV/AIDS, aggressive counseling and testing, treatment care for over 2,000 patients as well as care for more than 15,000 orphaned children.
This is why GECHAAN is one of FBCG’s “Serve the World” partners for 2013. We want to provide financial and prayer support for Art and Dorothy and their staff as they serve in Jesus’ name!
I also think this is what Paul is talking about in 2 Corinthians when he says:
Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
The more I watch people like Art and Dorothy, the more I understand that generosity lies at the very heart of the gospel.
In John 3:16 we read the well known words:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God so loved that he gave.
God is generous beyond our comprehension! And as we come to understand and receive his gift of salvation, he begins to re-create that same generosity in our hearts and lives.
We tend to think of generosity in terms of money; and, of course, we are certainly to grow more and more generous with our resources. But generosity is also expressed in the way we share our time, our attention, our love, our service, and our talents.
Art and Dorothy are living out the gospel by being generous with their love, their time, their talents and their very lives. When we share our resources with GECHAAN with generosity we are actually enabling the great harvest of the kingdom of God to continue!
The harvest of the gospel begins with the internal harvest of salvation but it doesn’t stop there! God intends for the harvest to spill out of our hearts and into our lives and into the lives of others through love, service, sacrifice and generosity.
Would you be willing to ask God to show you how you might become more generous in your contributions to his “harvest of righteousness”?
Would you be willing, like Art and Dorothy, to give your time, talent, and attention to love and serve others?
Would you be willing to share your resources so that ministries like GECHAAN can continue to thrive?
Here’s the promise the Apostle Paul makes to us when we are generous:
You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
Pastor Brian Coffey
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