How Does Generosity Multiply My Financial Freedom?

Ralph00:01:47

Let's get real with each other today. Does given feel like a stretch when money is already tight?And maybe, like I mentioned a few weeks ago, you want to give, but you're looking at those bills and those bills are due, Ralph. And the savings, they're just not where you want them. And that generosity at that point just feels like too much to ask.But let me flip the script for a second. What if giving, and I'm talking about giving rooted in faith, actually multiplies your freedom?Well, stick with me today because we're exploring how generosity can unlock joy, can unlock peace, and ready for this, how generosity can unlock abundance. That's what we're going to cover on today's show.This is Financially Confident Christian, your daily dose of gospel, grounded insight and faith driven tips to help you break the cycle of financial shame with confidence.Welcome back, friend to Financially Confident Christian. I'm Ralph and I am so glad you're joining me today.This is the place where we ask that big question, how can I become a financially confident Christian? And we continue in our series beyond the Budget. We're working to find financial freedom through intentional living.And yesterday we talked about making your spending align with your values. It was a great show. We really challenged people. If you missed it, I'm going to encourage you to go check it out.But today I want to talk about generosity. Specifically, I want to talk about how it become one of your greatest tools. Hear me on this, one of your greatest tools for financial freedom.Let's be real, let's start off with this because I truly believe that you want to be generous and you wish you could give more. You truly do. You want to be generous, you wish you could give more, but you're stressed that mortgages do.Hey, I just went to the grocery store, Ralph, and groceries cost more than they used to just a couple months ago. Everything just costs more, Ralph. And yeah, I'm trying to save, but to be honest, I just feel stuck.And then next thing you know, you're sitting in church on Sunday morning, the offering plate comes around. Or maybe someone presents you with a need and then you just feel torn. You start to feel guilty if you don't.But you know, this person asked me for help. I really need to help them. I need to give, I need to do my tithe. But then as soon as you start to do it, you start to feel anxious.But Ralph, if I do, what happens? See right there, you know where you're caught? You're caught between faith and fear. That right there is what I call the scarcity mindset.And that scarcity mindset will rob your peace. But let me, like I said a few minutes ago at the beginning, what if we flip the script? What if generosity isn't pressure?What if it's not pressure at all? But what if it's actually the path to peace? See, here's the thing. Generosity is not a burden.If you think generosity is a burden, you got a bigger problem. Generosity is not a burden. It's an act of worship. And in the end, this is my personal view. And I believe it's backed up in Scripture.It's how we say to God, I trust you, Lord, more than I trust this money. Because we have to admit something. You're listening to the show right now. Chances are you're a Christian.Chances are you believe in the same set of values that I talk about on the show every day. So when you're generous, it's saying to God, I trust you more than I trust this dollar. I trust this money.Trust this bank account, because he is the provider. We're just stewards. We're just managers. Well, let's get right into the Word. Let's look at the Book of Proverbs, chapter 11, verses 24 and 25.It says this. One person gives freely, yet gains even more. Another person withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. And listen to what it ends with.A generous person will prosper. Whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. Isn't that amazing? Look what the Scripture is saying to us. One person gives freely, gains more.But if you're holding onto that, if you got that scarcity mentality. I didn't make this up. This is what the scripture says. You come to poverty because a generous person will prosper.Whoever refreshes others will themselves be refreshed. Again, let that sink in for a minute. Whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. See, that's not a loss. That's multiplication.And Paul writes this in Second Corinthians. Let's continue our Scripture right now. Second Corinthians, chapter nine, verses six to eight. Remember this.Whoever sows 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, not 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 you need, you will abound in every good work. Wow. Wow, again, I'm going to repeat this. Generosity isn't about what you lose. It's about what you unlock.You unlock peace, you unlock provision, you unlock joy, and you unlock that trust. Because you're saying to the Lord, I trust you, Lord. So now you're saying, ralph, I get it. I'm on the same page as you. What can I do?What's the answer? I'm not sure you're ready for this one. But this is a step of faith I'm going to ask you to take today.You got to make giving a non negotiable, non negotiable. Cheerful, non negotiable. Don't give leftovers. Somebody comes to your house for a meal, you don't serve them leftovers.You might say, I shouldn't have said, it's a little strong. But somebody comes to your house for a meal and you're trying to make an impression. You're giving them your best. You're giving them their. Your first.We gotta think about generosity the same way. Make generosity part of the plan, a part of the budget, a part of your spending intentionality, not just an afterthought.Hey, you know, God, if I've got some excess at the end, man, I'm gonna take care of you, buddy. No, first fruits first, not the leftovers. Because when you lead with trust, and this is the hard part, this is where the rubber meets the road.When you lead with trust, you will be amazed at what God multiplies. So I want to give you an action step for today. I want you to start by reviewing your budget. And this is the one that's going to be.Hey, just start off with, is there a line in my budget for giving? If you don't have one, I'm going to encourage you to add it and I'm going to encourage you to add it at the very top. What did the Lord say?First fruits. Add it today. Add it right now. So that's the first thing. Put it in your budget. Live with intention. Second thing, I want you to commit to an amount.I want you to pray about it. Now, maybe for you it's like, Ralph, you know what? You're right. Scripture says I should be doing a full tithe. 10%. Maybe for you it's another amount.Just as long as it reflects your faith and it reflects your intention. But whatever it is, make it your first fruits, not leftovers.And then to encourage you to continue to do that, one of the things I talk about on the show routinely is set it up automated, set it up automatic schedule. It make it a recurring gift or make it part of your weekly rhythm.Hey, as soon as I get my paycheck, the first thing I do is I write that check or I set it up for automatic payment. My particular church, we offer that right as part of our service, and people sign up for that. And it's just done.Because here's the thing I'm going to tell you. That consistency, that choosing to make it recurring, that beats emotion every time. And then finally, give with joy. That's the secret sauce.Don't give from fear. Don't give from that feeling of scarcity. Give with joy, give with gratitude. Say, God, thank you. I trust you with the rest.Lord, I'm giving you my first fruits. And see, this will help you because it's going to shift your mindset from that scarcity, from that fear to faith.It's going to turn giving into worship and it's going to break that cycle of scarcity and bring you joy, bring you clarity and bring you peace as you align your financial life with your spiritual life. Let's pray about this today. Heavenly Father, we just thank you for being our provider and honestly, Lord, for blessing us more than we ever deserve.And Lord, we have to confess something right now. We have to confess that sometimes we hold back in fear, Lord. We worry that there won't be enough. And we forget this very important thing, Lord.We forget that you are the source, not our paycheck. You're the source, not our paychecks, Lord. So, Lord, we just ask that you would give us hearts that are cheerful, give us hearts that are free.Help us give with joy, Lord, not with pressure, but with trust. Help us to break that fear. Let our generosity reflect your goodness and may it bring you joy, Lord. And we ask this in confidence in Jesus name, Amen.Friend. I started with something at the beginning of this. Generosity isn't subtraction, it's multiplication. See, it's not just about what you give away.Hear me on this. It's what God grows in return.So I just want to encourage you today, make giving a cornerstone in your financial life and let it fill you with joy and let it fill you with freedom.And I just want to encourage you, share this episode with other people who need to understand that it's not about restriction, it's not about less, it's about multiplication. Share the show with them. Send them a text, send them an email and say, hey, check this out.Financiallyconfidentchristian.com and while you're there, tell them, hey, you can even get a copy of Ralph's book. It's called Mastering youg Finances. It's absolutely free. It's a jump start to getting your finances in order.You get that by going to financially confident christmas christian.com master and tomorrow on the show, we're talking about stewarding your time and your talents.We're going to move beyond money, we're going to move beyond dollars, and we're going to talk about stewarding your time and talents, not just your money. It's going to be practical. And let me just tell you right now, I am excited about tomorrow's show. It's going to be powerful.So until then, I just encourage you right now, stay generous, stay faithful and stay financially confident. You got this. Let's all go out there and be financially confident Christians. You can do this. I have confidence in you, have confidence in yourself.Stay financially savvy. God bless you and you have a great day today.Thank you for joining us today on the Financially Confident Christian show, where we're breaking the cycle of financial shame with confidence and faith. If you found value in this episode, a simple click to subscribe means you'll be invited right back for our next conversation.And remember, financial challenges don't have to be overwhelming. Just Ask Ralph. This show is a production of Ask Ralph Media and is supported by Saggio Accounting Plus.The information shared in this episode is based on data available as of the date of release. Saggio Accounting plus and Ask Ralph Media, Inc. are under no obligation to update this content if circumstances change.Please note that applying this information to your purpose personal situation requires careful consideration. This episode is not intended to serve as financial, tax or legal advice.Always consult your trusted tax advisor or attorney before taking action based on anything we've discussed.