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Can living a life of generosity open the doors to divine blessings? This episode uncovers the profound impact of giving, not just financially, but from a place of genuine compassion and faith. By reflecting on biblical stories like those of Rachel and Leah, and modern tales of unexpected generosity, we explore how a heart-centered approach to giving can transform both our lives and those around us.

We confront common misconceptions that generosity is limited by our own needs and highlight powerful lessons from scripture, such as the widow’s offering and the boy’s shared lunch. These narratives encourage us to embrace a mindset of abundance, even amidst scarcity. We journey through the principles of giving and forgiveness as lived by the early Christian church, offering insights from Corinthians and Proverbs that challenge us to align with divine wisdom and break free from limiting beliefs.

Emphasizing the joy and freedom found in a generous spirit, we discuss the importance of open-heartedness in aligning with God’s purpose. Personal stories exemplify the blessings that come from listening to and acting on spiritual callings. With a unique perspective on daily acts of kindness, whether in a Chipotle line or through shared childcare duties, we remind listeners that generosity is a voluntary act of faith inspired by the grace we have received. Prepare to be inspired to live a life rooted in generosity and compassion.

Where to dive in:

0:00:00) – Living a Life of Generosity (8 Minutes)

This chapter explores the concept of giving beyond financial contributions, emphasizing a heart-centered approach to generosity. I discuss how giving is not just about money, but about adopting a lifestyle of generosity as instructed by the word of God. I address common misconceptions and feelings of inadequacy around giving, such as feeling drained or unable to give due to personal circumstances. Through this discussion, I encourage listeners to open their hearts and consider the transformative power of giving, not only as a means to bless others but as a way to position themselves to receive the blessings God has in store. The goal is to shift perspectives and inspire a renewed understanding of giving as a pathway to a truly blessed life.

(0:07:42) – Generosity and Receiving in Life (15 Minutes)

This chapter examines the profound biblical narratives of Rachel and Leah from Genesis, highlighting the universal struggles of feeling wanted and fruitful. We reflect on the lessons from their stories, drawing parallels to our own lives where we might experience abundance in some areas but lack in others. By referencing Luke 6:38, we explore the broader implications of giving and receiving, emphasizing that this scriptural principle extends beyond finances to encompass every aspect of life. Whether facing challenges in relationships, self-worth, or material needs, we are reminded of the importance of understanding and embracing the promises of God. We are encouraged to find fulfillment not through material wealth but through the spiritual abundance offered by faith in Jesus Christ, ultimately guiding us toward a life of freedom and purpose.

(0:22:51) – Lessons in Giving and Generosity (8 Minutes)

This chapter takes us on a heartfelt journey about the essence of giving, even when we find ourselves in need. I share a personal Christmas story where my family chose to bless a woman and her child with gifts, only to be deeply touched by her generosity in return. Reflecting on biblical tales, such as the widow who gave her last two mites and the boy who shared his lunch with 5,000, we explore how giving from a place of scarcity often leads to receiving abundantly. This narrative challenges the notion that need restricts generosity and encourages us to adopt a mindset of giving, highlighting how offering even a small light can dispel great darkness.

(0:30:25) – The Power of Generosity and Forgiveness (16 Minutes)

This chapter explores the principles of generosity and sowing, as exemplified in the early Christian church and reinforced by biblical teachings. Reflecting on the Acts of the Apostles, we examine how the early disciples sold possessions to ensure that everyone’s needs were met, fostering a sense of community and mutual care. We then consider the teachings from 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 and Galatians 6:7-9, which emphasize that the manner and spirit in which we give—whether sparingly or generously—affect what we receive in return. By aligning our beliefs with these principles, we can break free from limiting beliefs and experience the blessings of generosity. Additionally, Proverbs 11:25 and 19:17 remind us that those who refresh others will be refreshed, and being generous to the poor is akin to lending to the Lord, with God promising to repay. Through personal reflections and scriptural insights, we learn that generosity is both a spiritual and earthly principle, inviting us to reevaluate our beliefs and actions to align with divine wisdom.

(0:46:20) – The Joy of Giving and Generosity (7 Minutes)

This chapter explores the profound impact of divine generosity and the call for us to emulate that in our lives. We discuss the concept of God as a loving provider who delights in giving us good gifts and fulfilling our needs, provided we ask with the right motives. By examining scriptures like Luke 12:32 and James, we emphasize the importance of approaching God with a heart open to His wisdom and generosity. Through personal anecdotes, we illustrate how giving from a place of genuine joy can transform us and align us with God’s heart. A poignant story highlights the importance of listening to and acting on the Spirit’s promptings without delay, underscoring the blessings that come from obedience. We conclude by reflecting on the call to be merciful, non-judgmental, and forgiving, reminding us of the powerful principles found in Luke 6:37-38, where giving is not just about money but encompasses a broader spirit of compassion and mercy.

(0:53:04) – The Heart of Generosity (11 Minutes)

This chapter addresses the frustrations of inconsistent service at places like Chipotle, where the generosity of portions can vary based on the person serving. This inconsistency serves as a metaphor for how we judge others based on our limited perspectives. I reflect on the importance of giving and receiving, emphasizing that both actions are voluntary and tied to blessings. There’s an exploration of the ways in which God might be calling us to give—be it time, compassion, or resources—and the impact that has on our ability to receive blessings. I encourage listeners to be open to these calls and to recognize the initial act of receiving God’s forgiveness as a foundation for our ability to give to others. The conversation includes a reminder that generosity can manifest in many forms, like sharing childcare duties, and is inspired by Matthew 10:8, which highlights the principle of giving freely because we have freely received.

About your host: Jaime Luce’s testimony has daunting personal mountains and treacherous financial valleys. She was trapped in day-to-day stress and couldn’t see a way forward. But how she started is not how she finished! And she wants you to know God has a plan for your life too, no matter how tough it seems. Today, Jaime has been married to the love of her life for almost three decades, owns two companies, and has become an author and podcaster. God’s way is always the blessed way!

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Full Transcript

This transcript is auto-generated and not perfect. We hope it blesses you.

0:00:00 – Jaime Luce
For God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. God so loved us, even when we were unlovable, and he gave his most precious gift to pay a penalty for something he was not guilty of, that we were fully responsible for. And yet he gave him. He gave us forgiveness. He not only gave us forgiveness, he gave us hope for a future and a new life. Welcome to the Jamie Luce podcast. Thank you for tuning in today.

The subject today that we’re going to be discussing is knowing giving a type of giving, is knowing giving a type of giving that receives that we know we’re supposed to give. I’m sure you’ve heard a ton of people talk about this, and I am not just going to be talking about money. Money fits in, money is one of the things that’s on the list, so I’m not concentrating on money today. This is about a heart of giving. But having, having this is a really vital tool If you want a life that is blessed, truly blessed. It won’t be easy, it won’t be um, it won’t come as a second nature to us, but giving and living a life of giving is is the way that God has called us to live, so that we are always in the receiving position, that that there is something for us to receive. There’s a reason for the give. So I hope that you will take the time and maybe push away thoughts that would tell you. I’ve heard this before. I know what they’re going to say there is nothing more powerful than the word of God. Powerful than the word of God, and the word is given as instruction to us.

If I go out and I buy a brand new piece of equipment that I have never known how to use before and I have I have to put it together. I don’t know how it works. Of course, I’m going to pull out the manual and I’m going to find out and and follow the instructions closely to make sure that I’m doing it properly, so that I get the result that I’m hoping for from this equipment. And you know, you could have a baby and think, gosh, I wish that there was a manual for babies, and there’s a bazillion books out there and all of them say different things. But we’re hoping that we have something that gives us clear cut instructions to raise the child so that the child is fruitful and blessed and lives a good life and is a. I mean, one of the things we care about in our children is that they are not stingy, selfish children, but that they are generous in their heart, generous in their actions, generous in their um, in their ability to have relationships and in in how they live their life a generous life. And that’s really what I’m talking about today, because that position, being in that position is what causes us to be ready to receive and determines what and how much we receive. So the manual we’re looking to today that gives us those clear instructions to make sure this works right, is the word of God, and it’s his powerful word that not only teaches and trains us but equips us and produces results if we will do what he has asked us to do.

I wanted to start by you know it’s funny If you have children at all. You were once a child. If you don’t have any children, I guarantee you that your child did not have to be taught how to hold on to something, that you didn’t have to train them to say no and not want to share. It was in their nature and that they need to be taught to share, and there are so many reasons for that. But in that desire to teach them to share, many reasons for that. But in that desire to teach them to share, we somehow, along the way as we get older, sometimes go through circumstances. Either we didn’t learn that well, we may not have learned it at all or, because of the circumstances we’re facing in life, we think that it is not, we’re not in a position to give.

I really want to talk to you today, especially those of you who feel that and I’m not talking about money here you feel like you’re not in a position that you can give. You feel, in fact, that you probably have already given and you feel like you have been drained of your resources. You feel like there’s nothing left to give, if it happens to be in your finances. You probably feel like you don’t understand what I’m facing. There’s not enough for me, let alone to give and take away from what I already have. So I understand that. I understand that feeling of either loss or not enough or ill-equipped, or I can’t. I mean, it’s probably not, we can’t, it’s probably we won’t. Whether we we might believe we can’t, and I’m hoping that I can kind of open our eyes today. We can. It may not be easy, but we can, because I want you to be able to receive. I’m not trying to convince you or strong arm you or put on you that you need to be a generous person, and I’m not.

Again, please don’t lock onto money. I’m talking about the position of the heart today. Um, if you feel that you have to hold back and you don’t give of yourself or you don’t um, you don’t maybe trust that what you think should happen will happen. We, let’s talk about it, let’s just go to the word, let’s see what God says and let’s see if there’s a perspective that’s maybe new to us today. Maybe there’s something that you’ll see that you’ve never seen before. Maybe a light bulb will go on, Maybe you’ll be able to understand something in a way that it kind of changes the dynamic for you a little bit and it might make it easier. And again, I’m going to do this. I want to talk to you about this because I want you to be able to receive. I want you to hold every blessing in this life that God has for you. I don’t want you to be able to receive. I want you to hold every blessing in this life that God has for you. I don’t want you to feel like you’re the one lacking. You know I don’t how many times. Well, you know, a good example would be in scripture If we looked at the lives of and I didn’t look it up to give you all the references.

It’s in the book of Genesis, but the story of Rachel and Leah, the sisters whom Jacob married. Jacob married Leah, thinking he was getting Rachel. He was tricked by Laban and Leah was forced into this. This was not her doing, this was her father’s doing. So she comes to a relationship already not feeling wanted because she wasn’t wanted by Jacob, and being forced into a life of feeling this way by her father.

And then you have Rachel, who is wanted, but then a problem arises because even though Leah was unwanted, unloved, she was fruitful. God made her fruitful. He heard the cry of her heart and saw her plight and he made her fruitful. And then you have the one who is wanted and loved, and yet her plight is that she is not fruitful. Her plight is that she is not fruitful, and you can see that, no matter which side you find yourself on, you can be the one who thinks you’re in need, whether you’re in plenty in one respect the fruitful one and you lack the love or you’re the one who has the love and you lack the plenty. You lack the fruitfulness and the bountifulness. So, no matter where we are in life, this message applies to all of us that we can see that there is a need to understand so that we can receive what it is that is missing and that we are able to live in the bounty of God in what he has provided for us and be able to receive every the bounty of God in what he has provided for us, and be able to receive every blessing, every promise having to do with anything that we deal with in life.

I want you to read with me. Let’s go to Luke and I let’s go to. I’m going to start with verse 38. We’re going to read 37 later, but right now let’s start with verse 38. So Luke, chapter six, verse 38, says says, give and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap, for with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. That is a powerful, powerful visual and scripture. This is the word of God. This is what God says will be the evidence and the produce. It is what will manifest if we give period.

Now, most people use this verse and think of this verse as having to do with finances. That’s not what this scripture is talking about. Okay, that’s not what the scripture is talking about. So, right off the top, I want to kind of upend maybe some preconceived ideas, maybe some preconceived notions. Now, does it work in that respect? Sure, but that’s not what this was talking about.

So I want us to look at the things that matter to the heart of God, the things that talk to us as a whole person what it means to thrive in a position of being able to receive from God. I might need to receive help in my relationships. I might need to receive help in my emotions with, you know, the relationships on the job, with my children, with my co-workers or bosses. With what? If I need help with knowing how to deal with a lack of feeling purpose in my life, I I don’t. I lack vision. I can lack knowing. Where am I going? What is in front of me, what, what is um, what is God going to do in my life? Do I have significance, do I have importance, do I matter? And I could have a lack of self-worth, I could have a lack of identity.

Um, we can lack in um, what it is to to be a part of something bigger than ourselves and to feel like on a you know, not just at home, not just my life, but in the kingdom. I can feel like I’m not doing something in the kingdom and that my life as a Christian doesn’t matter to God’s kingdom, and that I, my efforts, are not good enough, that what I have is not sufficient, and I mean there’s so many things we could feel. We could be lacking finances. Sure, we might be in a position that we can’t pay the bills, that we need a better job, that our family is depending on, on us to to provide means for them. You may need an education and can’t afford your education. Um, to be able to do the thing that God has called you to do, you might need a new car that you’re. The car you’re driving just continually breaks down. It is siphoning all the funds that you have. Same could be said for your home. Things could be breaking down constantly.

You could be having issues that you just always feel like there’s just always something, and those things constantly hold you back or stop you from being in this abundant life that people talk about for for Christians, and I don’t want to give you a false um, a false picture of what the abundant life looks like. Picture of what the abundant life looks like. It doesn’t mean that everybody is, you know, elon Musk and rich and billionaires. That’s not what that means. An abundant life, first and foremost most, is a life that has been resurrected and saved from an eternity in hell, a life that has been redeemed by Jesus Christ, who paid the price for our sin, our iniquity, not just the sins we’ve committed, but the sins that are left inside in the mind and in the heart wrong desires, wrong um appetites, things that control from the inside. We’ve been redeemed from paying the judgment of all of those things because he paid the price for us and he has promised us because, if we will believe in him that he has done this for us, then we then can reap the benefits of living a life free, free from being judged for all of those sins, free from paying the consequence of damnation for all that should have been our penalty. So freedom and that’s something that we receive I have to be able to lay hold of that in faith that I can walk in that freedom. I have to be able to receive the promises of God for my life. So how do I live in a place that I can receive? And I’m going to show us today, through all of these scriptures, that it is by living a life of giving, by living a life of generous heart, that positions us to receive everything that we have need of.

Okay, let’s go ahead and look at Acts, chapter 20. I’m going to be reading verse 35. Now, again, some of these are going to reference specifically. They were talking about finances and scripture, and some of these were not talking about finances at all. So let’s kind of tune our ears. Okay, acts 20, 35, in all things, this is Paul speaking. 35, in all things, this is Paul speaking.

I have shown you that by working hard in this way, we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said it is more blessed to give than to receive. So it may be and let’s talk about this for a minute because it’s more blessed to give than receive, and yet we’re talking about receiving today. So there’s a necessity, obviously, to say that there are those who need to receive, but it is more blessed to be the one on the giving end. So if I want to be somebody who understands that there is something to be received, I also have to understand that there’s something that needs to be given. I have to position my heart and make sure that I understand that if I want to receive, there may be something required of me in giving. He said in all things, in all things, this was how Paul lived his life. He was talking to them actually about finances here, but he was letting them know I’m not requiring of you finances. I lived and worked with my hands to provide the money. He’s saying I did that. So in all things, I have shown you that by working hard in this way making tents was what he did we must help the weak. So he’s saying, sometimes we have to take it upon ourselves to work really hard so that we can give, because there will be those in a weaker position of us, a weaker position from the position we find ourselves in, and they need help, they need strength, they need finances, they need food. They may need right now. There are people in North Carolina this is Tuesday, october 8th the people of 2024, there are people in North Carolina. This is Tuesday, october 8th, the people of 2024,. There are people in North Carolina, due to the hurricane that came through, that they need help, they need food, they need supplies, they need manual labor.

I watched a clip this morning of someone who was down in a basement with Samaritan’s Purse the group that Franklin Graham runs and they’ve got all the people who just donate their time. This is a way to give, this is a way to be generous. These people are literally giving of their time, which means they may be taking their vacation time to go serve. So it’s a sacrifice to them. They’re giving away something that belongs to them. It may not be physically money, but those people need help and their basement had mud clear up through it and the moisture and the wet water was now seeping into the whole house, which will eventually affect all the walls, all the furniture, everything. If they don’t hurry and get this out and treat what’s going on, they’ll lose the house. So there were a ton of people there, literally bucket by bucket and I am not exaggerating taking a bucket and scooping it full of mud, and they have a train of people who carries the mud all the way outside. New buckets are down and they’re literally an assembly line of digging these people’s home out of the mud.

That’s a sacrifice of strength, of time and effort, and it’s emotional. It takes a whole person to give all that and that’s not money Now. It affects the person giving financially. If they’re taking their time off from work, it could be affected. They could be giving in every possible way. But by living this life of giving, don’t you know that each of those people have made new relationships and friendships with each of those people that they have met and helped? And I can guarantee you that if the person who’s doing the giving now is the next time the person who’s in need, then those people who received help will be the first to jump to the rescue and help to the one that’s in need. Now that there’s so much more that is built and received, those relationships, those connections are built and received based off of a heart of giving, based off of saying I’m willing to sacrifice for you. It is truly the picture of Jesus Christ. It’s what real discipleship looks like. That Jesus gave his life, not just for those who would love him, but for those who would reject him. He freely gave. He gave it all. He gave it all.

Okay, I could get ahead of myself and I don’t want to jump there just yet ahead of myself, and I don’t want to jump there just yet. Let’s look at second. Well, before I move on, let’s talk about this for a moment, for the idea of it is more blessed to give than receive. Let’s take, for instance, the example I just gave you. You know you are the person who is most blessed in that scenario to give. It’s not your house that’s in the mud. It’s not your house who you might lose, it’s not your finances that have been completely wiped out. You can’t get to work, there are no supplies, there’s no toilet paper, there’s no water, there’s no gasoline for cars there’s, the roads aren’t working, there’s no power coming to the house. In that position, it is truly more blessed to give than it is to receive. You realize you are in a position that is in a blessed position. When you understand that you are the giver in any circumstance, then you realize how blessed you are. When an opportunity presents itself for you to give, you are in a blessed position. You have an opportunity to be the one who is more blessed living an abundant life. More blessed, living an abundant life.

I’ve probably told this before over the last couple of years of doing this, but I remember a Christmas and it was many, many years ago, and our family wanted to, for Christmas that year, be able to bless somebody and a household that was in need that year, and we all agreed that we would sacrifice gifts for ourselves to bring gifts to this family. And we didn’t know. We we partnered with the church and they had a list of people that they knew were in need and we didn’t know who we were going to get or what their circumstance was going to be. We just knew that we wanted to provide gifts for them. So when we received a name, all we knew was that there was a name and that they had a child. It was a woman and that she had a child and we knew the ages. And so we bought gifts accordingly and we went to take them to this woman’s home, and as we were coming closer, we realized this woman was living in what would be considered a projects-type apartment situation, and when we got to her home and knocked on the door, I was overwhelmed by the generosity of this woman, who was surprised that we had brought all these gifts and the first thing she wanted to do was give to us. I know that she had probably just enough food to get by, guarantee you she had just enough food to get by probably making it stretch. And yet she was offering us her food, with no reserve, not even a second thought, wanting to give to us, so grateful that we would come not knowing this woman, not knowing her as a stranger, and that we would provide Christmas gifts for her and for her child. And yet I walked away thinking, wow, she was a lesson for me in giving, because here we came to give and yet she gave to us out of her need.

It reminds me of the story that Jesus tells when he goes into the temple and he says you see all the different people he was watching and all the different ones were bringing their gifts of money into the church. And then a little widow came and all she had was two mites. I mean like the thought of having two pennies. And you would almost say to her don’t even bother, keep it, you need it, that’s all you have. And yet she gave all that she had. The scripture doesn’t say she gave only two mites, she literally gave. It says all that she had. She was the one who came in a place of great need, and yet she gave.

Can you see how this messes with our heart and in our mind, where we think that if I’m the one in need, I shouldn’t be the one giving? And yet the reason that they receive is because they had a generous heart to give. We are not excluded because we’re in a position of need, no matter what the need is of giving. If I am desperately in need of friendship, what is the instruction that the Bible tells us to do? If you want friends, you must first show yourself friendly. I have to give friendliness before I can expect to receive friendliness in return. I have to put myself out there. I have to make sure that I’m the one who puts the weight of that friendship on my own shoulders and not expect someone to just see that I have a need and come meet my need. We’ve got it backwards, folks. We have to have hearts of generosity. We have to be those who, even in our need, are givers. We’re givers.

Think about when Jesus fed the 5,000. Who gave? A little boy who brought his lunch, and when he gave it he was probably thinking I’m giving away my lunch. I now have no lunch. I don’t know what they’re going to do with it, but there’s so many people here, I guarantee you I’m not even getting a bite. I’m sure this little boy had very low expectations, but he gave it. He gave his lunch, he gave first, then he received a full meal back. He lost nothing in his giving. He received from his gift. We can get really, um, we can put ourselves in chains. We can hold ourselves captive to the thought that I, because I don’t have, I’m not free to give. That’s the lie of the enemy that keeps us from receiving. We need to be giving. We need to have a heart that sees what you know.

A challenge for us, a challenge for us today, is if you see someone in any kind of need. You could see someone who looks like they’re in need of encouragement today, and you yourself may need encouragement, but you see that they need encouragement. Take a moment, take the time, inquire, maybe offer to pray for them. Sometimes that’s just what people need, even people who don’t put their faith in Jesus Christ. When they’re desperate enough you’d be shocked They’ll say yeah, will you pray for me? They don’t even know why it makes them feel better. They don’t even know why it lifts their spirits.

When light comes to a dark place. It lightens and forces the darkness away. It forces the darkness out. Now, the same cannot be true for darkness encroaching on light. If you have a light, no matter how much darkness comes in, it does not fully put out that light. It can dim the light by having more darkness than there is light, but it cannot put out that light. It can make its. It can dim the light by having more darkness than there is light, but it cannot put out the light. It cannot put out the light. Hence the reason why we use flashlights or light a match or do whatever we need to do when it’s really dark, it it literally illuminates enough for us to make decisions. I can see, at least right here. Therefore, I’m going to do this or that, I’m going to feel this way or that way, but light cannot be put out by darkness. However, darkness can fully be put away by light, the power of carrying Jesus Christ, the light of the world. We have the power to truly turn on the lights where it’s dark, to bring clarity where there’s confusion. But in order to do that, we have to be those who carry it, not waiting for the, not waiting for the prime opportunity, maybe, maybe not waiting until we feel like we have no more need, and when I finally get my need met, then I’ll meet your need the kingdom of God.

Okay, let’s. Let’s take, for instance, when the disciples were beginning the church, and in the book of Acts we read that they all would sell things in order that they all had all of their needs met, so that whoever lacked had what they needed. They made sure that everyone’s needs were met. They cared about one another, they made sure that they didn’t live unto themselves but in the community of the believers, that they understood they were a body, and body. Ministry is birthed out of that same compassionate heart and generous heart that we saw Jesus live by.

Okay, let’s go to second Corinthians. Nine, verses six through eight. It says whoever so 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, will abound in every good work. God that right. There is everything. In all things, at all times having all that you need. He’s saying you receive all things that you need every single time. You need them in all circumstances of life, based off of if you are sowing either reluctantly and sparingly or generously and abundantly that what we sow, we reap.

In fact, we should read that scripture too. Let me find it real quick, if I can find where I put it. Galatians 6, verses 7 through 9, says do not be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap. For he that sows to his flesh shall reap of his flesh corruption Now talking about flesh versus spirit, so that you understand what I’m saying here. But he that sows to the spirit shall, of the spirit, reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well-doing or doing good, for in due season we will reap if we faint not.

So this implies that God says that whatever you sow, however you give and whatever you give, don’t misunderstand. He says clearly do not be deceived. Please understand this. Don’t get this wrong. How you give and what you give and to the measure you give is exactly what you will receive. It’s amazing to me that this is a hard thing for people to understand. We can believe. I was reading over some of my old notes from years ago that I happened to come across an old notebook notebook and to see that there are so many things that we will. We will get what we believe.

So if I live my life believing that, um, I’m not lovable, if I live my life believing I’m not lovable, then I will probably act in a way that is not lovable, thereby receiving the lack of love, which then, in turn, fuels the belief that I have that I’m unlovable. Do you see the trap? If I believe that being generous produces God’s generosity back to me through him, through his means, through his abilities, and also through people, what I’m giving to people, I will receive. This is not just a spiritual thing, this is a earthly thing. So if I sow into people, I will reap from people. What I sow for God, I will reap from God, and if I understand that’s true, I will continue to walk in that. Therefore, I will continue to receive. Therefore, I will continue to believe that this verse is true that whatever I sow, I reap.

And so we have to correct our thinking. Sometimes we have to take a step back and realize what did I really believe about that? What am I thinking is going to happen? Has the enemy lied to me and I’ve believed him? Have I believed a lie about being stingy, that I have to hold on to this because this is all there is? You’ve probably seen this in movies and on TV or you may have heard stories about this.

It’s a trap. It’s the picture of the experiment with the monkey and the marbles in the jar. And there’s, he sees the marbles and he wants the marbles and he puts his hand in the jar to grab the marbles, but he doesn’t want to let go of those marbles. And now he can’t get his hand out. He’s stuck. He refuses to release the marbles so that he can get unstuck. And we do this to ourselves. We have a belief about something and we just latch onto it and we don’t realize it’s holding us captive. And so we’ve got to be able to be those who say I’m going to let this go, I’m going to let this belief go, I’m going to let this thing that I have believed. That is causing me harm, it’s keeping me bound, I’m not able to progress because of this belief. I’m going to let this go and I’m going to say Lord, what should I believe. Show me in your word what I should believe and how I should approach this situation so that I’m able to receive what it is that you have for me to receive.

Proverbs 11, 25 says the generous will prosper. Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. So again, it’s kind of the same idea as friendship that I have to show myself friendly. But it says those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. It’s what I experienced that day of showing generosity to that woman, and I myself was refreshed. I was affected, I was blessed. I walked away feeling like I’m the one who’s more in need, because she had such a generous heart that I needed more of a generous heart, that I don’t just give out of my abundance, but that when I’m in need, that that doesn’t stop me from giving.

Proverbs 19, 17 says whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord. He’s saying if you see a need someone is poor in finance and you go meet that need, you are not lending to that person. That God sees and you are lending to the Lord and it says and he will repay him for his deed. So God sees it and God repays. If you want to know how to receive, then you give to a need and you watch how God will meet your needs. God sees that. God’s the one who says I will be in debt to no man, so if you give this to me, I will pay my debts. God pays the debt. He has paid all of our debt in full. There’s nothing left that needs to be paid. He is the one who carries that debt and we should be living the same type of life of giving and generosity that he does.

Proverbs 21, 26 says all day he craves and craves. This is the person who is stingy. He craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back. This scripture implying that to not give is to not live righteously. Someone who holds back and is stingy is someone who constantly craves for more and is never satisfied. There will never be enough. There will never be enough.

It’s the man that Jesus told the story of the man who built barns. He had filled his barn so full of his plenty that he decided the only solution was to tear down his barns and make bigger barns to fill it more. And Jesus said you fool, you don’t know that tonight your life will be required of you. You hoarded all this and did nothing with it and tonight you pay the price for that. Folks, we don’t want to live that kind of life. We want to live a generous life, god’s heart for his people, so that we stay in the position of being open-handed to receive whatever blessing God has for us. In the meantime, us in the meantime Ephesians 4.32,.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. He’s saying give forgiveness before giving. I heard it said. I wish I could tell you where this came from and I thought it’s the perfect explanation of what forgiving is Forgiving Giving as you did before the thing happened that needed forgiveness. Giving as you did before the thing happened. Forgiving. Give them forgiveness. This is beautifully depicted with Jesus on the cross. Not only did he give to us before we believed that he loved us in our sin, but from the cross Jesus said Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing. Forgive them for they don’t know what they’re doing.

Sometimes we’re called on by the Lord to forgive people who have not asked for forgiveness and they don’t even realize what they’re doing. They don’t realize the blessing of forgiveness that you have given. But why is forgiveness so powerful? Because you’re the one who receives. Yes, that person might be blessed to receive. If they have asked for forgiveness, they reap the benefit of your forgiveness, for sure. But what if you are forgiving someone who has not asked for forgiveness? Then you are the recipient. You are free from carrying that weight anymore. You are free to position yourself to be healed of the injustice and the wrong that was done to you. You are free to to go again and to have life um and circumstances be different this next time that I am free to learn from whatever caused that thing to happen in the first place, that I could learn from that. I can receive great lessons from the wrongs that have been done to me that will teach me how to behave going forward. So, whether they are asking forgiveness and receiving the blessing of your forgiveness, whether they are asking forgiveness and receiving the blessing of your forgiveness, you, by offering your forgiveness, receive the blessing To the measure. Let’s go back to the measure that you give. That measure is what will be given back to you. That is the. Let’s read it Luke 6, 38, give and it will be given to you. 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 back to you. Picture a container that is full of well I liked. Okay, I’ll use this one.

We have an ice machine that we call the good ice. It makes the small, really crushed ice really small. So it’s it. It melts quickly, so it for people who like to chew ice, it’s the favorite kind of ice, and so we will put the ice in the cup. But then the minute that you want to add liquid to the cup or pour something else in the cup, you want to make room, you shake the cup and when you shake it, everything finds more position and more room to add more ice to the cup. It’s like, because I like mine full of ice, so I, you know, I pour it in and then I shake it a little bit and I pour more in and shake it a little bit, and the idea is that the more that you pour in, press down and shake it, the more there is that can be filled in.

And God is saying that when we give and we give abundantly and do what he has asked us to do that what we receive has been pressed down and shaken together and it’s now so full, it’s running over that. We get the abundance, we get the over and above by being those with generous hearts. Let’s go to John 3, 16. Here’s our obvious verse for the day, for God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. God so loved us, even when we were unlovable, and he gave his most precious gift to pay a penalty for something he was not guilty of, that we were fully responsible for, and yet he gave him. He gave us forgiveness. He not only gave us forgiveness, he gave us hope for a future and a new life.

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He not only wiped away the guilt, but he took away the punishment, he took away the shame, he took away the um, the forever of whatever that is, and said I’m giving you something that’s eternally better that instead of a forever damnation, you have eternal life, an abundant life. And scripture tells us that it’s in this lifetime and the life to come that it affects our physical life now, not just our eternal life. Later life later. Luke 12, 32 says do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom he takes pleasure in giving. A father loves to give good gifts to his children. I didn’t write that particular scripture down, but he says if you come to me and you ask me for bread, I’m not going to give you a stone.

We don’t have to worry that there’s going to be a bait and switch when we ask from God and that he’s not going to be loving and give us what we have asked for, what we have need of. The only time we have to worry that we’re not going to get what we ask for is when we have asked for what we have need of. The only time we have to worry that we’re not going to get what we ask for is when we have asked with the wrong motives. We’ve asked amiss. Scripture teaches us that. But every good and right thing that we’re asking for, every need that we need met, he’s the giver of those, the provider, he’s Jehovah Jireh. He’s the one who gives. He is the provider. He’s generous in heart. He says in James that if you lack wisdom, you can ask and he’ll give generously. He’ll give wisdom generously to him who asks.

Everything that the father’s heart does, he does out of a generous heart. That’s why he tells us that I want you to give, not out of compulsion. Well, we read in second Corinthians that you should have give what’s in your heart to give what you’ve decided. Do not give reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. We’re to be those who give from a heart of wanting to give. That it brings us joy to give.

My husband and I were talking the other day and some of the most treasured exciting times we have ever had was when God was asking us to give a lot away, to give a lot away, to give a lot away. That that it’s, um, what I would call a, not just a generous gift, but a, um God, what, what would the term be? It’s very costly, very costly gifts, very costly, very costly gifts, and we have been so excited and the joy we feel satisfies so deep, so real. It’s so makes everything else just darkness around. It’s giving changes us. It changes us on the inside, folks. It makes us more like the Father to give from a generous place. Maybe you need, maybe the Lord’s saying do you see that person there?

I’ve told this before too, I know, but and I’m ashamed to say and it pains me to say this, but we were on vacation once and we were in a restaurant and the waitress that was waiting on us I could just see pain all over her and I was really fighting in my spirit because I felt like I heard the Lord say I want you to talk to her, I want you to tell her how much I love her and I’ll take care of her. And it was busy at our table with the kids and we were, like I said, on vacation and we were having a good time and the kids were being loud and it was kind of obnoxious and I just didn’t want to stop my vacation time to try to pull her aside in her work day to do this. Such a selfish way to think, so self-motivated, so not looking with the eyes of compassion. It pains me today that I did not obey the voice of the Lord that day and I actually I waited too long. It just shows that you never know when your opportunities, or how the opportunity is, or how long you’ll have. And I had finally succumbed to the pressure in my spirit that the Lord is putting on me and I went to look for her. I couldn’t find her. I couldn’t find her and the opportunity was gone.

I learned a great lesson that day, folks when you hear the Spirit of the Lord, he says don’t harden your hearts. When you hear him, answer right away. When God speaks to your heart to give, just give, just give and let him be responsible to make sure that you receive what you have need of. And I’m not telling you to do foolish things. And I’m not telling you to do anything without prayer and asking the Lord. But when he speaks to you, obey his voice. Obey his voice. He knows what’s good for you. He has plans to give back to you. He wants to give you a blessing that is pressed down, shaken together and running over to be poured into your lap. But we have to be those who are willing to do what he calls us to do to not be selfish, to be generous in heart, to be givers of compassion, to not be judgmental, to not be those who hold everybody else’s feet to the fire. And then, when we want mercy, we wonder why we don’t get mercy. Be merciful, give mercy, be someone who has the heart of God.

Okay, I want to finish reading what I didn’t finish reading. So, luke, chapter six. I read you verse 38, but I want you to see where this started. We’re going to start in verse 37 and then we’ll read verse 38. Okay, this is not money. Again, this scripture, everyone likes to use this for money. This isn’t talking about money. He says judge not and you will not be judged. Condemn not and you will not be judged. Condemn not and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and it will be given to you.

Good measure. Don’t you ever get frustrated? If you’ve ever gone to restaurants like um this is not a bash against Chipotle, but I’m I’m mentioning their name um that you’ll go in and it’s at a place where they scoop for you the amount that they’re going to put in your bowl. I don’t know if this happened to you, but it’s really frustrating to me when you can have a generous person who works behind the counter or a stingy, selfish person who works behind the counter and I love it when I can tell how generous that person is based off of their willingness to give a generous portion. It’s a good measure. And then there are people that you’re done and your bowl’s not full. You paid for a bowl and your bowl’s not full, and they’ve put a little, scoop a little, and you feel funny having to say can you put a little more in there? Could you just put a little bit more in there? This is a sign of how we do things. We just. Well, they don’t. You know, the spoon is this size, so I’m giving just that amount. They don’t need all that.

Are we judging what people need? Do we judge what others need based off of what we think, do we? I don’t think we realize all the ways that we judge so many things. I have been guilty. I’m not. I’m not pointing the finger. I have been guilty of judging others from my perspective when I’m not. That person don’t know what they’re dealing with, don’t understand their circumstance and I can judge.

You know, we could do this in the food industry. We could say that person needs to lose weight and so I don’t want to give them what they’re paying for because I want it to be less, because they don’t need that. Now, that’s an obvious. I’m picking that on purpose, because we take what we see in our scope of vision and we make determinations based off of that scope of determination. We could do the same thing with someone who comes in and they look really thin and we’re worried that they’re not eating. Maybe they have an eating disorder and we think they need to eat more and we’re trying to force them to eat.

You can’t force anybody to give and you can’t force anybody to receive. Both are voluntary. Both are voluntary. Giving and receiving are both voluntary. What help I’m willing to receive from somebody is up to me to receive it. I can offer help, I can be helpful, I can. I could see somebody in need. So your responsibility is not to do the receiving, it’s to do the giving, and then God can bless you for that. But you can’t force somebody to receive something. You could be trying to give them good advice, you could want to give them help, you could want to make meet needs for them, but they could refuse it. They can refuse it, you can. You can refuse God trying to give to you.

He may be asking you to give something today, whether that be any of these forgiveness. He may be asking you to give compassion. He may be asking you to give a few dollars to the organization I mentioned, franklin Graham’s organization. He might be asking you, at your church, make sure you give your tithe. But he knows he’s asking you to do that because he wants you to receive. He wants to pour out a blessing, but he can’t make you receive the blessing. So if you refuse to give, you basically are refusing to receive. That’s your choice. So today I’m just kind of laying this out and I want you to see it. I’m hoping you’ll see it with different eyes.

Every kind of giving of your time Does your church need your help? Do they need you to volunteer? Is there something that God is asking you to do through your church and you’re just saying I don’t have time for that? Don’t they know how much, how hard I work? That’s too much of a sacrifice. I just can’t do that Now. I’m not saying everything you’re supposed to do everything. I’m not saying everything that you’re called. You’re not called to do everything, but God may be calling you to do something and maybe see what that is. That might be time, that might be. You know, you could have um two friends who have need of childcare, and maybe the one, maybe you can share childcare. Okay, I’ll watch yours today, you watch mine this other day.

My mother-in-law, um, used to do that. She was raising five children and she had, um, a cousin who was raising five children, and they would give each other one day a week and they would watch each other’s children so they could go and do their grocery shopping, get their errands run and you know whatever things they needed to do that day. And they and they made a commitment to one another. They gave, and because they gave, they received. This can take every form and fashion. I hope your mind is going and your heart is being creative on ways that you can become a generous person, someone who gives.

Let’s look at Matthew 10, verse 8, and this is really kind of the. This is the heart of God, in that the reason he can, can and does have the right to to tell us we need to be givers is because he says heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons Freely. You have received, Freely give. What he’s saying is, if you belong to me, the very first thing that you did was not give but receive. I gave meaning God gave forgiveness. We received it. He gave opportunity to be saved. It wasn’t that the first thing wasn’t I gave him my life. The first thing was that he gave you an opportunity to save your life. So if you gave it because he gave you the opportunity you received, you received his salvation, you received his forgiveness, you received an opportunity to have a new life, a brand new start, clean, a clean slate, ready to go. That’s what he gives us. And he’s saying your whole relationship with me is based off of me first giving and I freely gave it to you. So, because you freely received, freely give, freely give Everything good that we are and that we have has been freely given to us.

What can we give today? We give praise, we give thanks, we give time, we give the gift of presence, the gift of presence. We give actual gifts. We give our hearts, we give strength, we give our support, we give our peace. We give ourselves in prayer and intercession. We give ourselves to hard work. We give ourselves in so many ways. This is a way that we live a generous life. This is a way that we live a generous life Giving in every form reaps, a harvest, based on how we give it. And if we give by compulsion or begrudgingly, with resentment or anger, then we will reap that. Or do we give with mercy and compassion and understanding, not holding back with all of our heart? If we do that, then we can expect to receive. In the same way To whatever measure we’ve given, it is that measure that we will receive. Do not be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a person sows, this will he also reap.

My challenge to you today is to give, be a generous heart Freely. You have received, freely give. Let me pray for you today, father. We thank you for your gift. There’s not one thing we have that did not come from you, o God. You have provided for us before we even knew you were providing. You made a way for us to be saved and we just say thank you. We give you our thanks and our praise. We ask you, lord, that in this moment, if hearts are repenting before you from being selfish and being begrudgers in their giving and being selfish in their holding back, father, we just ask that, because of your generous forgiveness, that they would feel empowered to now freely give, that we would be those who truly emulate your heart, that the world that is dark can see the light of Jesus living in us, and that we would be those who walk around giving that light and sharing that gift with all those who may need it. In whatever form that you show us, they need it. May we be true givers of the gospel, sharers of the gospel. Help us, father, to see the needs of those in the body and to meet those needs, and we will be ready to receive all of the goodness that you have prepared for us. And we ask all of these things in Jesus’ name, amen.

Thank you so much for joining me today. If you would do me a favor, would you hit that like button and subscribe. That way you’re notified every time a new episode is made available. And if you’d like to contact me, maybe send in a prayer request or just let me know how this podcast has ministered to you in some way, you can send me an email and that’s mail at jaimeluce.com. You can visit my website. You can get a hold of any material or other episodes at jaimeluce.com. That’s J-A-I-M-E-L-U-C-E. Thank you again for taking some time with me today. We’ll see you next time. Bye-bye.