CONTAGIOUS GENEROSITY

“Your God-Opportunity Door”
Pastor Doug Heisel – November 20, 2022

Matthew 7:7-8 — Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Matthew 6:10 — “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…”

2 Corinthians 8:1-9 — Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in His kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.

For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem. They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.

So we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place, to return to you and encourage you to finish this ministry of giving.

Since you excel in so many ways—in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us —I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving.

I am not commanding you to do this. But I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches.

You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that by His poverty He could make you rich.

What if more of us prayed “LET ME IN” prayers rather than “GET ME OUT” prayers?

2 Corinthians 9:11 — 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.