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Today we are going to be talking about the spiritual practice of giving. What is giving? Giving is using what we have to express our love for God & others.  So, what do we give? Well, there are 3 main things we give: 

1. TIME 

Sometimes we feel that we don’t have a lot to give, but we can all give our time. We can all offer our attention to people who might otherwise be overlooked, we can all offer care and compassion to those around us who are hurting, we can all offer our presence to people who maybe just need to know that someone is always going to be there for them. If we’re honest, a lot of us find ways to waste time. We can get really creative about that. But instead of wasting time, what if you chose to invest it? What if you chose to use it to express your love for God and others? 

2. TALENT

1 Corinthians 12:7-11 clearly communicates that we have all been given gifts by God! Most of you are more talented than you even know. God formed you, fashioned you, created you on purpose, and he has buried inside each and every one of you some unique talents, gifts, and abilities that need to be unleashed on the world around you. So many of us struggle with this idea. Maybe you are unconvinced that God can use you, or maybe you know God can use you but you’re unclear what your gifts are, or maybe you feel unworthy to be used by God because of your past mistakes. I want to encourage you, as long as there is breath in your lungs God wants to use you. Even if your gift lies dormant, it’s not dead. It’s never too late to use your talents to express your love for God and others. 

3. TREASURE 

1 Timothy 6:17-19 teaches us that we should not put our trust in money but instead we should put our trust in God. One of the best ways to start trusting God with your treasure is to tithe. What is the tithe? Here is all you have to remember… The first TEN belongs to HIM. God instructs us in His Word to give the FIRST 10% of our income to God’s house (Leviticus 27:30). Here are a few things you need to know about the tithe…

• It’s a starting point, not a finish line. (Proverbs 3:9)
• It helps me put God first. (Deut. 14:23)
• It increases my faith in God. (Malachi 3:10) 

We never look more like God than when we give and serve. 

Ask yourself:

1. What will I do with the time God has given me?
2. What will I do with the talents God has given me?
3. What will I do with the treasure God has given me?