Issue 20 - March 2006
Giving and Receiving
Michael A. Verdicchio

When it comes to the topic of "Giving and Receiving" the Bible is very clear about the results of giving which is receiving back abundantly. While many Christians argue and fight over what to give, where to give, what to call their method of giving, etc., let's look at what the Scriptures say.
Proverbs 3:9 and 10:
Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
The result of our giving of the first fruits of all our increase is that our barns will be filled with plenty and our presses bursting out with new wine. That word is also translated "storehouses" in other translations. This is not talking about just your dinner table having enough food on it for today so that you can "get by". Barns or storehouses filled with plenty!
Malachi 3:8-12:
Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.

And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.
God says, "Prove me…" Try it out and see what I will do for you. He promises to open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings that there is not room enough to receive them, and, He promises to rebuke the devourer for our sakes. Again, we are looking at the end result of giving and receiving - the results that God wants us to have. He wants us to receive abundantly!
Luke 6:38:
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Understanding a little of the culture in the life and times of the Bible helps to clear up this verse. In their markets they would measure out the amount you were purchasing, and then they would press it down, shake it up, add some more, press it down, etc. Yes it was the same measure, but the contents of that measure where much more because it was now compacted into that measure. The point is that when we give, we receive back much more than what we give - we receive back abundantly.
II Corinthians 9:6-8II Corinthians 9:6-8
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
Again, here in the context of giving we see God's desire and plan that we receive back abundantly. "All grace abound toward you!" "Always having all sufficiency in all things!" "Abound to every good work!"
Philippians 4:15-19:
Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.

For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.

Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.

But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Notice that Paul is telling these Christians in Philippi that he's not talking about giving and receiving so that he can receive something from them. Rather, he wants them to receive back from God. How were they to receive back from God? Fruit abounding to their account. Again, the end result, what God wants, is for those who give to receive back abundantly. My God shall supply all your need - everything that you need to be blessed, successful, whatever it is, my God shall supply it.

One final point that sometimes comes up with this topic - what if you are giving and not receiving back abundantly? First, never, ever put that blame on God! He has spoken in His Word and declared what He will do. He even went so far as to say, "Prove Me!"

A lack of receiving is never God not fulfilling His Word. In fact, if we give, then the abundance has to be there! Our job is to give, and when we give, God blesses back. If you plant tomatoes, do you not go out there expecting to harvest? Or do you just sit at your table wishing you had a tomato? If you plant a crop you expect to harvest a crop.

So, too, with giving. If you sow a seed, then expect to receive back. Some Christians never receive back abundantly because they don't feel worthy to have the abundance - so they just go out maybe once a month and get one little old tomato, and say, "Oh, this is enough for me, I don't really need anymore."

Other Christians live so far below par because they just don't believe that God has and will continue to bless them abundantly. So, they do not ask Him, they do not expect from Him. If we are giving, we have every right to go around with our hands out, looking up expecting to receive the abundance that He has promised. We have every right to ask Him every day what to do, where to go, how to receive this and that. Why not? He has promised over and over in His Word that He will supply back abundantly.

He either lied or told the truth! If He told the truth then He is supplying abundantly every time that we give. Instead of arguing about this topic, we really ought to accept what the Scriptures say. Give and expect to receive back abundantly!