2Co 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 2Co 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

God is a cheerful giver who gives not grudgingly and we should be that way too. When the Bible tells us what God loves we should take notice. This scripture tells us that he loves a cheerful giver. The word cheerful in the Greek is "hilaros" this is where we get our word for hilarious. This word also means prompt or willing. Many believers seem to struggle in this area for various reasons. Many site some ministers monetary indiscretions or past abuses of a church. However, I think the main reason people are not hilarious givers is a spiritual problem called "cirrhosis of the giver." Cirrhosis of the liver happens when people drink alcohol. Cirrhosis of the giver happens when God’s people are not consistently full of the “New wine” of the Holy Spirit. In the natural a person who drinks alcohol occasionally will rarely get cirrhosis of the liver. It usually only happens to people who are addicted to alcohol and are constant drinkers. The opposite of this is true spiritually. People who occasionally experience God's presence in a church service or prayer develop spiritual cirrhosis of the giver. The Bible says in Rom 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Believers who are full of the Holy Spirit will be full of Joy. Their joyful giving is an expression of the nature of God at work in them. So here's the good news for the stingy, penny pinchers who grudge the word offering. Come to the well that never runs dry and drink deeply of God's presence. Ask God today to fill you afresh with his Holy Spirit and joy unspeakable and full of glory will be your portion. Cirrhosis of the giver will be a thing of the past and giving will be a blast!

Joh 3:16 (AMP) For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

God is a giver and giving is part of his nature. His giving heart was revealed in his greatest gift he ever gave. When God gave us the gift of Jesus Christ he gave us his very best gift. God takes pleasure in giving. When he gives he is never stingy. He is the El-Shaddai the God who is more than enough not the El-cheapo! David the great psalmist and king of Israel wrote of how great God is a giver. God is a God of overflowing blessings! Psa 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my [brimming] cup runs over. Giving is such a part of God’s nature it would be unlike God not to give. God is such a giver his goodness overflows on the just and the unjust! Mat 5:44-45 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. As believers in Jesus Christ we should reflect the nature of our father who is a giver. So the next time the opportunity comes to be a blessing through the act of giving remember to imitate your father and give!

2Ti 1:6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

"Awe man the battery's dead" was the first thing I said when I tried to start my new bright yellow Camaro convertible. I usually only drive it on weekends. I realized that the battery was dead from lack of use. The alternators job is to recharge the battery when the engine starts, but if I don't use the car it can't charge the battery. So I went to the local auto parts store and bought a trickle charger to re-charge the battery. In the process of doing this God spoke to my heart about our spiritual battery. As believers in Jesus Christ we must continue to use the gifts of God that he has given us and stay connected to our heavenly power source. If we do this, we can stay charged with the power of God in our lives. There is an old saying that goes like this "Use it or lose it." Now God does not take back the gifts he has given us when he gives them for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. However, those gifts can be like my dead battery if we do now use them. Sometimes a battery is not totally dead it just needs a "Jump" from another vehicle. Calling a friend or prayer partner and asking for prayer can be just the spark you need to get moving again in the will of God. As in the case of my battery it was totally dead and needed a "trickle charge" overnight to be renewed. If this is the situation you are in you can be recharged by daily praying in the Holy Spirit, studying your bible, attending church regularly, fellow-shipping with other believers, mediating on God's word, sharing our faith with others, and daily worship. The Bible says in Isa 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little. That sounds like a spiritual "trickle charge" to me! As we daily practice these disciplines of our faith we will charge up and stay charged with the power of God so that we might finish our course with joy and victory!