Grosey's Messages

2Co 9:1 Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the ministry for the saints,

2Co 9:2 for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them.

2Co 9:3 But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove vain in this matter, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be.

2Co 9:4 Otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated--to say nothing of you--for being so confident.

2Co 9:5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction.

2Co 9:6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

2Co 9:7 Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

2Co 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

2Co 9:9 As it is written, "He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."

2Co 9:10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

2Co 9:11 You will be enriched in every way for all your generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

2Co 9:12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.

2Co 9:13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission flowing from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others,

2Co 9:14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you.

2Co 9:15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

The Legend of Lassiter’s reef. Lassiter lost his life.

A friend’s brother spent his life searching for gold nuggets in the Simpson desert. He used a metal detector and one day found a $20,000 gold nugget. It only made things worse. He lost his family.

Matt 6: 19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
The Lord is talking to you and I about the Inflow of grace, the outflow of love, and the overflow of grace.

How does a person become a giving sort of person? This givingness is so opposite to the culture of our day. Popular Culture is concerned about the pursuit of Prosperity. The pursuit of the El Dorado is the theme of life in Australia today.

El Dorado (Spanish for "the gilded one") is a legend that began with the story of a South American tribal chief who covered himself with gold dust and would dive into a lake of pure mountain water.

The legend began in the 1530s, in the Andes of present-day Colombia, where conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada first found the Muisca, a nation in the modern day Cundinamarca and Boyacá highlands of Colombia, in 1537.

The story of Muisca rituals was brought to Quito by Sebastián de Belalcázar's men; mixed with other rumours, there arose the legend of 'El Dorado' (meaning the Golden Man rather than a place - 'el indio dorado', the golden Indian or 'El Rey Dorado', The Golden King).

Imagined as a place, El Dorado became a kingdom, an empire, the city of this legendary golden king. Deluded by a similar legend, Francisco Orellana and Gonzalo Pizarro would depart from Quito in 1541 in a famous and disastrous expedition towards the Amazon Basin; as a result of this, however, Orellana became the first person to navigate the Amazon River all the way to its mouth.

The legend of El Dorado and Francisco Orellana's expedition is featured in the 2008 film Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, where the city is more often referred to as "Akator". In the film, the "city of gold" turns out to be a mistranslation of the Mayan word for "treasure", as the city isn't actually made of gold.

Al of this speaks to the love of money and the things money buys that so grips our culture.

You can buy books cassettes and courses about how to be successful. How to have money. How to have the glitz and glamour that attracts wealth to you.

The Secret was made famous on The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Secret, was created by Australian Rhonda Byrne, and she says that if you follow its philosophy, you can create the life you want—whether that means getting out of debt, finding a more fulfilling job or even falling in love. Rhonda says she stumbled on what she calls The Secret at the end of 2004. At the time, everything in Rhonda's life had fallen apart—physically, emotionally and financially—and she was in "total despair." Then her father died suddenly, and she was worried about her grief-stricken mother. "I wept and wept and wept, and I didn't want my daughter to see me sobbing," Rhonda says.
That's when Rhonda's daughter gave her a copy of The Science of Getting Rich, a book written in 1910 by Wallace D. Wattles. "Something inside of me had me turn the pages one by one, and I can still remember my tears hitting the pages as I was reading it," Rhonda says. "It gave me a glimpse of The Secret. It was like a flame inside of my heart. And with every day since, it's just become a raging fire of wanting to share all of this with the world." The Secret reveals the most powerful law in the universe. The knowledge of this law has run like a golden thread through the lives and the teachings of all the prophets, seers, sages and saviors in the world's history, and through the lives of all truly great men and women. All that they have ever accomplished or attained has been done in full accordance with this most powerful law. Without exception, every human being has the ability to transform any weakness or suffering into strength, power, perfect peace, health, and abundance.

But, God’s Word says 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.

Richard Halverson, the chaplain of the U. S. Senate, pointed out something that bothers a lot of people and excites a few. He said, “Jesus Christ said more about money than about any other single thing because, when it comes to a man's real nature, money is of first importance. Money is an exact index to a man's true character. All through Scripture there is an intimate correlation between the development of a man's character and how he handles his money.”

How can you and I beat this inward desire for fulfilment by things? How can we stop ourselves from living on the Eldorado’s of this world? God’s Word tells us how.

2Co 9:6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 2Co 9:7 Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2Co 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 2Co 9:9 As it is written, "He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."

This passage begins with grace and ends with grace. The inflow of grace, the outflow of love, the overflow of grace.

1. There Must Be The Inflow Of Grace

2 Corinthians 9:8&9 "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: 'He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.'"

Remember how Paul conceived of him as the one, "who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" (Ephs. 3:20).

Paul tells the Romans that we are "more than conquerors through him that loved us."

Jeremiah reminds us “Is anything too difficult for the Lord?”

"I can do everything through him who gives me strength" (Phils. 4:13).

You need God’s help to beat the desire for money and things.

And God’s help is in the form of His love.

Victor Hugo Les Miserable’s Life’s greatest happiness is to be convinced we are loved.

Do you know that you are loved by God? Do you know you are loved by others?

That is your true riches.

Jer 31:3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Gal 2:20 the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

“Grace is the strength of God. It is not sentiment or affection or feeling. It is power. When God answered Paul's cry for deliverance from the thorn in the flesh he told him two things. First, that his grace was sufficient for Paul, and secondly, that his strength was made perfect in Paul's weakness. Grace is the power of God changing our circumstances, and cheering our distresses, enabling us to keep following the Lord in a way that honours him. Paul speaks in our text here of 'all' grace. He means all sorts of grace, all the resources of grace, of the invincible power and might and energy of divinity.” Alfred Place Baptist Church.

"All I have needed Thy hand hath provided. Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me."

God is most concerned about His glory and wants us to live for His glory. He wants us to overcome the love of this world, the love of riches the worldliness that grips and constricts the human soul.

God wants us to find our joy and satisfaction in Him.

If experiencing joy in God you cannot help but be a loving person.

2 Cor 8:1-4, 8 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God granted to the churches of Macedonia: 2 during a severe testing by affliction, their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed into the wealth of their generosity. 3 I testify that, on their own, according to their ability and beyond their ability, 4 they begged us insistently for the privilege of sharing in the ministry to the saints,

Paul writes to Corinth about amazing things that have happened in Macedonia. There had been a great calamity in Jerusalem Paul was collecting money for the poor in Jerusalem. He was now motivating the Corinthians to give generously. He mentions how wonderfully the Macedonians gave.

Paul referred to what the Macedonians had done in giving as being genuine love. Genuine love was giving.

The Love God wants originates in the grace of God v1 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God granted to the churches of Macedonia:

It started with powerful grace doing something amazing inside them. A staggering change of heart in human beings.

We saw last week that Poverty and affliction has not gone away when they became Christian v2

Everything does not goes better – prosperity did not suddenly come. The Macedonians were being afflicted (not specified) – hard times. They Experienced extreme poverty

But then something happens – they discover an abundance of joy. Grace came down – it didn’t take away poverty & it even brought them affliction. But it also brought them a soaring joy – extreme joy. A Joy rooted deeply in Jesus. This joy overflowed in a wealth of love and a wealth of generosity.

It was a heart work first -they were a child of God, forgiven, accepted, heaven bound. And this deep joy in a full assurance of faith overwhelmed the sense of covetousness that says “me me me” and changed their outlook. They became enthused with a new joy and a new purpose, and like the One who gave Himself to them, they gave of themselves to others.

They gave according to their means and beyond – more than they should.

They became generous joyful givers. 2Cor 9:6 for God loves a cheerful giver. God loves a cheerful giver.

Paul calls this love v8

John Piper “What is love – A Definition: Love is the grace enabled impulse to expand your joy in God by extending it to others. It is the overflow of abundant joy in God that meets the needs of others.”

If we don’t have this joy in God then we can’t meet the needs of others in love.

Love is the overflow of joy in God that meets the needs of others.

There was a very wealthy man who had never been known for his generosity to the church. He had no desire to gain Christ, and no desire to reap generously. His story is a stark example of what Paul speaks of here, that those who sow sparingly will also reap sparingly. The church with whom he had some kind of connection was involved in a big expenditure and some of the deacons decided to pay him a visit. When they met with the man they explained that in view of his resources they hoped that he would like to make a contribution to this building programme.

"I see," he said, "so you have it all figured out have you? In the course of your investigation did you discover that I have a widowed mother who has no other means of support but me?" No, they responded, they did not know that. "Did you know that I have a sister who was left by a drunken husband with five children and no means to provide for them?" No, they said, we didn't know that either. "Well, gentlemen, did you know also that I have a brother who is crippled due to a car accident and can never work another day to support his wife and family?" Embarrassingly, they responded, no sir, we didn't know that either. "Well," he thundered triumphantly, "I've never given any of them a penny, so why should I give anything to you?" And he showed them to the door.

You understand, that man had never given of himself, therefore he never gave of his resources. Giving is an outgrowth. It is the inevitable result of the regenerate heart consumed with growing love for this Saviour who gave himself for us. As that love demands our souls, our lives, our all then we give not only ourselves but our goods also to Christ and to his church. But men have put the cart before the horse. They say in so many churches, "I give, therefore I'm a Christian." Men and women, it's just the reverse. It is because I am a follower of Christ that I give.

"To Thee, Thou dying Lamb, I all things owe; All that I have, and am, And all I know.
All that I have is now no longer mine And I am not my own; Lord, I am Thine.

How can I, Lord, withhold Life's brightest hour From Thee; or gathered gold, Or any power?
Why should I keep one precious thing from Thee, When Thou has given Thine own dear self for me?" (Charles E. Mudie).

2. The Outflow of Love

Life’s Greatest Happiness is to Love.

Love is self negating.

Love is ego denying.

Love is sacrificial of its own interests.

Love doesn’t even consider its own interests.

Bill Gaither “the answer to the nation's economic pressures is not a political solution but a spiritual solution based on God's people learning to "give it away." "I think it starts with us, and I think when the church of Jesus Christ gets organized, we've got the resources to do it, and we can do it when we put our heads together," He said he and his wife Gloria still live in the same house about 50 miles north of Indianapolis where they lived as schoolteachers during the first decade of their 45-year marriage. "We've tried to model for our three kids and now they're trying to model the same thing for their kids the joy of giving, and I'm convinced that when we find the joy of giving we will find the joy of living. It's built into the universe," Gaither said. "My granddad told me this years ago and my dad told me the same thing, 'Bill, you've got to make up your mind. There are two kinds of folks in the world, takers and givers,'" he added. The lyrics to the song Give It Away include: "If you want less lonely and a lot more fun and deep satisfaction when the day is done, throw your heart wide open and give it away. If you want more happy than your heart can hold, if you want to stand taller, if the truth were told, take whatever you have and give it away."
"You don't follow Jesus very long until you get into the area of giving. It's all about giving. In fact, He says, 'Come follow Me and die,'" Gaither said. "By the time we're done, we've given it all away. We've spent everything we've got. We've spent every bit of energy we've got, we've spent every bit of resources we've got, we've spent every bit of health we've got. "It's over, and we go home to be with Him," Gaither said. "That's the basis of it. That sounds rather tough, but in the long run it's the only way to joy and real happiness and total fulfillment." Gaither said he is grieved by what he called the tragic pursuit of happiness at all costs that is so evident in today's culture. Jesus, he noted, said anyone who wants to save his life must lose it. "That is total giving," Gaither said. "I think somehow we've got to start teaching our young kids at a very, very early age the importance of giving. We're not going to live until we learn how to give." "Giving is the Christian theology lived out at its fullest,"

1 Timothy 6:17-19 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. 18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Life’s Greatest Happiness is to Give.

3. The Overflow of Grace

The heart of God is generous! Generosity is about "giving," not getting. "God so loved the world that He gave…" Jn. 3:16 We cannot enter a real relationship with Christ and then display a stingy heart! The paradox of being a generous giver is that you end up with far more than you ever give … but not necessarily in cash!

God’s grace overflows in meeting our needs

2Co 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written, "He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." 10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

The boy in the Bible who gave up his loaves and fishes didn't have to go hungry.

Luke 6:38 (NIV) "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Proverbs 11:24-25 "One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

God’s grace overflows in supplying the needs of the saints,

2Co 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

2Co 9:12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints,

God blesses us abundantly so we can bless others abundantly.

God’s grace overflows in producing thanksgiving to God.

2Co 9:12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.

Have you ever had the privilege of giving and seeing God use that gift in a most amazing way that produced thanksgiving to God? Have you seen God take your gift when you have given it from a generous heart and use it to touch lives for all eternity? He wants our giving to be a blessing, a means of producing thanksgiving to God. "For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God" (v. 12). He takes your gift and uses it that His name will be glorified repeatedly. People see your gift and they offer up thanksgivings to God. Those who are recipients praise God and pray for you. Your gift keeps repeating itself in people's lives.

And it produces the Glorifying of God. 2Co 9:13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God

God gets glory when his people give generously? Why? Doesn't the Giver get the glory? Exactly! The Giver gets the glory! And the people who sow most bountifully display most vividly that their God is an inexhaustible Giver.

Ray Boltz wrote a song that says "Thank you, for giving to the Lord. I am a life that was changed."

I dreamed I went to heaven And you were there with me;

We walked upon the streets of gold Beside the crystal sea.
We heard the angels singing Then someone called your name.

We turned and saw a young man running And he was smiling as he came.

And he said, “Friend you may not know me now.” And then he said, “But wait,
You used to teach my Sunday School When I was only eight.
And every week you would say a prayer Before the class would start.
And one day when you said that prayer, I asked Jesus in my heart.”

Thank you for giving to the Lord. I am a life that was changed.
Thank you for giving to the Lord. I am so glad you gave.

Then another man stood before you And said, “Remember the time
A missionary came to your church And his pictures made you cry.
You didn’t have much money, But you gave it anyway.
Jesus took the gift you gave And that’s why I’m here today.”

One by one they came Far as the eye could see.
Each life somehow touched By your generosity.
Little things that you had done, Sacrifices made,
Unnoticed on the earth In heaven, now proclaimed.

And I know up in heaven You’re not supposed to cry
But I am almost sure There were tears in your eyes.
As Jesus took your hand And you stood before the Lord.
He said, “My child, look around you. Great is your reward.”

Thank you for giving to the Lord. I am a life that was changed.
Thank you for giving to the Lord. I am so glad you gave.

God’s grace overflows in fellowship in grace 2Co 9:14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you.

The affection and love of God's people. It's mentioned in verse 14. The people who benefit from your sowing "long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God in you." Everybody wants to be loved by other people. Everybody wants to be needed by other people. Everybody wants to be desired and longed for by other people. I want to be loved and needed and longed for and prayed for.

It all goes back to Life’s greatest happiness is to be convinced we are loved. Loved by the Lord, and loved by His people.

# posted by Groseys messages @ 9:18 AM