How to Live Life With Wide Open Generosity The following are my Bible study notes based on my pastor's sermon titled Wide Open Generosity. You are invited to watch, listen, and worship with us here.
Generosity is more about what God wants for us than what God wants from us.
William Borden owned Borden Diary. He was wealthy as a young man. He grew up under R.A Tory. Borden traveled the world. He had a heart for people. Borden once went back to Yale University to meet with two men. They would pray together. This group eventually grew to over 1000 people. Eventually Borden would sale to China but he first stopped in Egypt to study Arabic. He wanted to minister to Muslims. While in Egypt, Borden became ill with spinal meningitis. He died one month later. He was only 25 years old. Before his death, he had penned three words: No reserve, no retreats, no regrets. In his young years, Borden lived his life in wide open generosity. I know I'm leaving out so much information about William Borden's life. Please learn more about this man who was sold out to Christ here.
Ho do we live our lives with wide open generosity?
1. Believe God to do the Impossibly.
We never need to lose hope. We must trust God. By faith, Sarah conceived. God is always faithful. He always keeps his promises.God told Sarah that she would have a baby in her old age.
And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. - Hebrews 11:11-12
Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son. - Genesis 18:14
And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. - Hebrews 11:12God doesn't call us to religion. He calls us to relationship.
2. Be willing to sacrifice in a significant way.
A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted.
In Genesis 22, Abraham's faith was tested. Who did Abraham love more, the blessing or the blesser? He loved the blesser.
We must love our blesser.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." - Matthew 16:24
We must be willing to let go of anything that does not honor God. Let go of anything you love more than God.
3. Be assured that God keeps His promises.
After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward, your very great reward. - Genesis 15:1
Abraham was afraid. He struggles with fear and doubt.
But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” - Genesis 15:2-5
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