Hey God, what about me????

     We bought  our son, Josiah, a police car power wheel for Christmas.  The product inside the box did not look the same as the product he had seen many times on the shelf.  Why?  Well, some assembly was required of course.  We began to put the car together and hit a bump or two along the way as you are always prone to do.  But, the real issue was in putting the steering wheel on.  Of course it wasn’t in some trivial piece that if it didn’t go on right wouldn’t make a difference.  Nope.  This was the steering wheel.  

     It consisted of a metal rod coming up through the dash and the steering column fitting over the rod and then putting a screw through 4 aligned holes.  Simple enough.  Yet, when it was in place for some odd reason it would not align and the screw would not go in.  We tried and tried and tried.  So, being a man of faith and power I did what a good preacher would do.  I prayed and believed that God would unleash His angels to align that screw and it would be taken care of.  Yet, the screw still would not go in.   

     Well, that set me off.  I was not a happy camper.  I began to tell God how it was such a simple request and how He had answered much bigger things for me and others.  How on earth could I ever trust Him for something big when He wouldn’t even answer something so small?  I was getting offended because of Him.  And, it wasn’t a light and momentary thing.  I got really frustrated.  

     I started talking about how He was letting me down and I didn’t know if I could trust Him ever again.  I went for a walk with my hood on and my head down.  I prayed simply, “GOD, DO NOT TALK TO ME!”  He didn’t, but what I heard was me making two statements while preaching or teaching recently.  

     I heard myself say, “It is better to pray and believe and attempt something for God and fail than to never attempt anything and succeed.”  I told God that didn’t apply in something so simple.  

     Then, I heard myself say, “God is not going to jump through anyone’s hoops and do anything just because they ask.”  Then, I heard the still small voice of God say, "Not even for you, son." 

     Needless to say, I didn’t like either of those statements.  The worst part was, I WAS THE ONE WHO HAD SAID THEM.  After I finally got over myself, I came across something that led me to the following passage of Scripture that brought my simple situation into a whole new light.

^{Luke 7:18} The disciples of John reported to him about all these things. ¹⁹ Summoning two of his disciples, John sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?” ²⁰ When the men came to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask, ‘Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?’”²¹ At that very time He cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind. ²² And He answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the gospel preached to them. ²³ Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.”

     If you consider John the Baptist for a moment, you realize that he had grown up close to Jesus - being his cousin didn't hurt - and he had been directly involved in the ministry of preparing people for the coming and ministry of Jesus Himself.  Yet, when he was in jail he was offended.  John was offended that Jesus was doing all of the great things He was doing for everyone else, and yet the great servant John was in jail.  How was it fair for Jesus to not swoop to John's rescue?  Jesus summed up one of the most important lessons any of us can ever learn:

Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.

     To be blessed of God is to be fortunate or advantaged of God.  To take offense can literally mean to see in another what I disapprove of and what hinders me from acknowledging him and his authority.  The issue for John and the issue for us is that we can become offended at Christ for not meeting our "in the moment" need and forfeit or miss the blessing He desires to have on our lives.  It can completely become the misfortune of sacrificing God's best on the altar of our disappointment of missing God's good.  Consider this same verse in a more drawn out way (my own interpretation).

You will find yourself in the state of receiving God’s blessing and favor if you do not allow what I do or do not do to hinder you from acknowledging My authority.

     John got offended because he was in jail.  I got offended over a stupid screw in a power wheel.  What about you?  Do you have any offense toward Christ?  It can be quite a stealer of God's blessing on your life.  Is it worth it?  The ultimate calling of God for all of us is to simply trust Him and to view and accept Him as God.  Besides, isn't that what He is anyway?

When is the Right Time to Praise?

            Have you ever been in a battle?  OK, who among us hasn’t?  The better question is probably have you ever wondered how you were going to make it through a battle?  I often find it interesting to see how different people face and deal with the battles in their lives.  How many times have you or I been in a battle and wondered if God was able to deliver or help us?  How many times have we wondered what the outcome was going to be and if this just might be the battle that destroys us completely?

            That brings me to my thought for today.  When do we praise God?  When is the right time to praise Him?  Generally speaking, many of us take the Miriam approach and praise God when the battle is over and we have clearly won.  I am referring to Exodus 15, after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea.  In that chapter, Miriam, Moses’ sister, picked up a tambourine and had herself a praise party.

^{Exodus 15:20} Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took the timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dancing. ²¹ Miriam answered them, “Sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted; the horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea.”

         
   It is very common and very appropriate to praise God for the good things He has done.  So many times we could talk about how He has come to our aid and brought victory and deliverance.  Of course He is worthy of our praise and thanksgiving in those moments. 
        
    Yet there is another approach that we find in Scripture.  In 2 Chronicles 20, Jehoshaphat was facing a battle with Moab and Ammon.  There was fear and uncertainty among the people as to whether or not they could be victorious.  Yet, we find a powerful principle instituted that day.  They went into the battle in praise.

^{2 Chronicles 20:20} They rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the Lord your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed.” ²¹ When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the Lord and those who praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, “Give thanks to the Lord, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” ²² When they began singing and praising, the Lord set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were routed. ²³ For the sons of Ammon and Moab rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir destroying them completely; and when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

            This one is a bit less common.  How many of us ever find ourselves entering a battle in an attitude or mindset of praise?  Yet, how often do we come out of a battle in the same manner in which we entered the battle?  If we go into a battle with a mindset of defeat we come out of the battle defeated. 

            Therefore, the challenge that is before us is this –

PRAISE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BATTLE!!

            Is this easy?  Nope.  Is it natural?  Not usually.  Is it powerful?  You better believe it.  And seeing as usually we are either going into a battle, in the midst of a battle, or just coming out of a battle, that means the answer to my question of when is the right time to praise is this – THE RIGHT TIME IS NOW.

Did God Just Speak to Me?

So did I just hear from God? This is a question that is so often asked. How do we really know when God has spoken to us? Is it as hard as we make it? God speaks to His people today without question, but we at times struggle to determine if it is really Him or if we even have the capacity to hear from Him. Jesus said His sheep know His voice (John 10). Knowing when God speaks is primarily a learning to recognize His voice. We learn to recognize the voice and communication style of anyone we are in relationship with and that is the same with God. We can know when He speaks to us.

But how? Are there things we need to be aware of and do? What if I am simply not sure it is God? That is perfectly normal. Quite often we can mistake our own thoughts and ideas for God speaking. And, God has instructed us to "test the spirits to see whether they are from God" (1 John 4:1). There are some basic questions I like to consider when determining if what I just heard or felt is really from God.

1. Is this leading consistent with God’s character as revealed in His Word?

a. “Revelation” does not carry the same weight as Scripture and will never replace or supercede Scripture.

2. Do my closest friends and spiritual mentors sense this to be God’s leading in my life as well?

a. “If a leading creates unrest in the spirit of mature Christian friends or counselors as you share it with them, question it. If a leading requires you to shatter family relationships or important friendships, question it. If a leading requires you to go deeply in debt or place someone else in a position of awkwardness, compromise, or danger, question it. I am not saying you should automatically reject such leadings (unless they are also against Scripture), but reconsider them and treat them very carefully.” (Hybels 1998, 165)

3. Even if it may be tough, does my spirit tell me I am doing the right thing? Do I have a genuine peace?

4. Is this leading self-serving and self-promoting or does it call me to serve others? Is God calling me to humble myself and serve others?

5. As I begin to step out in obedience to this leading, is God’s Spirit confirming it in my heart? Do I see this standing the test of time or is this rash?

6. What circumstances have confirmed that this leading is God’s will for my life? Do I have the gifts and abilities needed for the task?

7. What is likely to be the outcome of this leading? Will it bring glory to God? 

#1 is paramount. God is never going to contradict His written word. If the "leading" fails test one don't even go through the other 6. But, friends, know this. God is speaking to His people today. He desires to speak to you in the same way you speak to Him. Be open and receptive to hear the voice of the Lord. He is speaking...are we listening?

Faith, Forward, Freedom

Each of us is at a different place in our faith in God.  Neither you nor I can change where we are in this moment.  I can’t spend my time wishing I was further along.  Where I am is where I am.  I can’t change yesterday and I can’t predict tomorrow; but I can affect right now.  The key is learning to find where you are now and viewing that as your starting point.  Be realistic.  Faith is now.  Faith doesn’t live in the past.  Take a good look at yourself and realistically assess where you are in your faith.  There is no condemnation or judgment needed.  All that matters is where you find yourself, because that is the perfect place to be right now.

Now that you realize where you stand, it is time to move.  In terms of walking with God and living our faith there is only one direction we should be moving.  That direction is forward.  We have no reason to retreat or stand still.  Many of us can attest to the ineffectiveness of standing still.  Therefore, our choice is forward.  God is always calling us forward in our relationship with Him.  This is growth.  This is discipleship.  This is our faith developing and allowing us to continue to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord.  2 Chronicles 34 tells us that Josiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and that he did so by walking it out. 

The only time that you don’t move forward is when you are settled into a comfort zone.  I know from experience how easy it can be to let that happen.  You find yourself in a place in God that is pleasant and appealing, and the easiest thing to do is to relax and become stagnant.  As Jesus was transfigured before His disciples in Matthew 17 that was exactly Peter’s reaction:  let’s pitch a tent and stay here.  But when we stay in one place we sacrifice God’s best on the altar of His good.  We often give up so much for so little. 

But what happens when we do move forward with God and we come face to face with an obstacle that seems impossible?  Think for a moment about the children of Israel and their exodus from Egypt.  It took a great amount of faith for them to pack up and leave what had been their home for generations.  It took a great amount of faith for them to continue to journey in obedience to God.  But imagine the horror they must have felt when they found themselves stuck between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army. 

Recently the Lord asked me a question about this passage of Scripture.  He asked, “Do you think I was surprised to find the Red Sea in their way?”  I had never thought of it in that way.  God had been leading them the entire way and had simply asked them to follow Him.  He could have chosen another route that didn’t encounter the sea.  God knew full well that His people were going to come face to face with an immovable object.  As God is leading us, He isn’t caught off guard when we encounter challenges or obstacles.  He doesn’t fumble through a playbook to find something else to do.  He doesn’t pull together a heavenly research team to redirect the path of His people.  As God saw it the Red Sea wasn’t an obstacle, it was part of the journey.  Look what Exodus says:

The angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night. Thus the one did not come near the other all night.   Exodus 14:19-20

The children of Israel were led by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.  When the pillar moved, they would follow.  The pillar would always be in front leading them.  Consider this image for a moment:  the Israelites are standing before the Red Sea in fear as the Egyptians are closing in from behind.  The Angel of the Lord and the pillar moved behind them while they passed through the waters.  That means the pillar of cloud was already crossing the Red Sea.  This was the way God was going to take His people.  The Red Sea was simply part of the journey.  It wasn’t a stop sign.  It wasn’t a detour.  As we move forward with God we cannot allow barriers or obstacles to stop or detour us.  We should never call an obstacle what God says is an opportunity. We cannot be dictated by difficulty – but directed by Divinity.

Do you remember what Moses said to the people?

But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever.  The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.”  Exodus 14:13-14

To Moses this seemed like the right thing to say and do.  But it upset God.  God was not upset that Moses told the people that God would deliver them.  God was upset because Moses told the people to stand still.  They were only to stand still when the pillar was not moving.  The cloud was still moving, so they should be moving too.  Look at God’s response:

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward.” Exodus 14:15

To God, standing still was not an option.  He said to go forward.  The same is true for us.  It doesn’t matter if we find ourselves in a place that is comfortable or a place that is perilous; the only direction to go from that place is forward.  It was only after the people stopped and Moses made his declaration that we find the pillar moved from the front to the back of the people.  Their stopping was their own choice and not God’s directing. 

It was almost as if God was moving behind them to compel or push them forward, because they obviously were not responding to His leading in the proper manner this time.  This is the only time we read about the children of Israel moving without the pillar in front of them.  God’s direction is always forward.  And in those times when we don’t follow His leading from out in front of us, He may very well move behind to compel us forward.  Those steps of faith can be even more treacherous or uncertain.  The best response from us is to always move forward with God leading from the front.

The result of starting from where you are in your faith and moving forward is that you step into a new place of freedom.  For generations the children of Israel had lived in slavery in Egypt.  But in that moment of walking forward they walked right into freedom. 

Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.  Exodus 14:30

Regardless of the condition of the place in which you now find yourself, you do not have to stay there.  You can move forward into a new place of freedom.  God desires to see us move forward and progress in His Spirit to new places in Him (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).   This is an ongoing and cyclical process.  Once you arrive at the new place of freedom, it establishes in your life a new place of faith.  That becomes your new starting point for another step forward into a new freedom, and so the cycle continues.  It is a lifelong process.  Each of us has to take the steps on our own and at our own pace.  I encourage you to move forward.  Your steps forward will impact your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers - everyone in your life.  As we move forward from faith into freedom, we find ourselves becoming more and more fruitful.  God’s process is perfect.  Revival brings that into focus and keeps us in step with Him.

This is an excerpt from "Carrying the Torch for Revival" - a book I am currently writing.  You can preview this book HERE

What if God Does it His Way?

Today I find myself in a contemplative and reflective mood.  I am thinking about all of the wonderful things that God has done for me while also reflecting on some things I personally wish had gone differently.

What do I mean?

Have you ever prayed for and believed God for something and then had it turn out differently than you hoped or wanted?  I am pretty sure all of you would say yes and so you know what I mean.

There are times in life when you feel as though you know without question what is best and the only person that seems to not agree with you is God.  Those moments are frustrating as He ultimately has the final say.  You see, I can tell God what I want.  I can tell God what I think.  But I can't tell God what to do.  At times with my personality that is a very tough pill to swallow.  

I will never forget the empty feeling in the pit of my stomach when my nephew passed away on Christmas Day 1997.  It was the most gut wrenching moment of my life both up to that point and since.  You see, I had just recently given my life to God and made a commitment to serve Him and preach His Word.  I was in the middle of a wonderful time with God in my life and I was training for ministry service in the midst of the greatest church revival in our day.  Surely with all that I knew God could do it was no big deal to find my nephew and best friend to have cancer.  Because I knew that the Bible said “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)  I had no reason to think or believe otherwise.

So I prayed and I believed.  I fasted and I believed.  I worshiped and I believed.  I laid hands on and believed.  Then I stood and wept at his casket. In my young Christian mind something didn't add up.  What had just happened?  Where did God go?  Why did He let me down?  

I remember feeling so dejected and disappointed.  I remember thinking that I was a fool for ever believing God could do something that with man truly was impossible.  I found myself questioning everything I had just started to truly believe.  i was at a crossroads in my life and I didn't know what to do about it.

So I began to read the Bible more fervently.  I told God I desperately needed Him to help me make sense of things.  I missed Matt.  for 19 years we had done nearly everything together.  I wasn't sure how to operate without knowing he was there.  I asked God if He had any idea what I was feeling.  Know what?  He did know.  And He showed me that He understood.  My life changed when I read this:

 Now when Jesus heard about John, He withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by Himself; and when the people heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities. When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick.  Matthew 14:13-14

Jesus had just heard about the beheading of his cousin John the Baptist.  They had grown up together and spent lots of time together.  They had a bond as relatives that cannot be manufactured.  And, when Jesus heard that John had did He withdrew to be alone.  He withdrew because He was sad.  He withdrew because for the first time in His life He was going to be without his cousin.  

But Jesus didn't get trapped in His time of mourning and sadness.  He ministered to others who were in need.  He continued to do what He had been created to do.  I learned a valuable lesson in those 2 verses - LIFE IS NOT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO US BUT LIFE IS ABOUT HOW WE RESPOND TO WHAT HAPPENS TO US.  

From that day on I have dedicated myself to doing everything I can to help people.  I want to have a positive impact on everyone I come into contact with.  I want to be moved with compassion for others and help them find the healing they need.  

As much as I miss my nephew - my best friend - I am thankful for the important lesson I learned after he was gone.  I learned the value of pressing on and doing what I am made to do.  And you can do the same.  I cannot personally relate to whatever it is that you feel like God didn't do your way.  But I can relate in a general sense.  I have been there.  I do know the desire to freeze up or give up in the moment of despair and disappointment.  

But I also know that I am a better person for what I have experienced.  And I know that God has comforted me time and again in the midst of difficulty and disappointment.  As I was reading the Bible this morning, I once again was reminded of this important calling that I MUST FULFILL:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  2 Corinthians 1:3-4

God is sovereign.  God is supreme and the ultimate authority.  We will never fully understand His ways.  God will never be predictable but He will always be trustworthy.  He will always be there for YOU even if it feels He wasn't there for the SITUATION.  

How Close?

Lately I find myself dealing or even wrestling with something in my heart.  In talking to other Christians, I find I am not the only one.  There is a battle going on inside of my heart and spirit concerning how close to Jesus I am willing to get.  I know I am a Christian.  I know Jesus has forgiven me.  I know He is my Savior, and I know more and more He is becoming my Lord.  Yet, in my spirt, my heart, my gut even I can't settle with that.

So what do I do?  A few Bible stories or passages come to mind to help me understand at least a little bit.  In Genesis 32 we read about Jacob wrestling with God and having his life transformed in that encounter.  The part of this story that always jumps out to me is in verse 24: 

So Jacob was left alone,and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.

Jacob didn't have his family or friends to tag in if he got tired.  This was one on one with God.  As much as I find myself wanting others to wrestle with God along with me, it is ultimately up to each person individually.  When you are a people person that can be so tough.  Is it truly worth it to go that far and maybe be alone in the process?  Important questions accompany this important battle and decision.

I also think of Paul's words to the Philippian church:


I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.  ¹² Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. ¹³ Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:10-14

Sometimes I feel that strain in myself.  I want to know Him, but I also struggle with where I have been, where I am and what I may have to give up in order to know Him more.  Is it worth it to go closer and further, or is it ok to just settle for where I am at and be happy with that?  Tough questions.

Finally, I consider the picture painted by the prophet Ezekiel:

³ As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. ⁴ He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. ⁵ He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross.  Ezekiel 47:3-5

As the river got deeper, man was forced to give up more control.  Is this the ultimate issue of the wrestling - letting go of control and letting God move me along by His Spirit?  Again, how much will I give up.  I often find that it isn't about having more of God, but it is about allowing Him to have more of me.  Will I do that?

So, here I find myself.  How close will I get to Christ?  Is it worth it?  My flesh screams NO! RUN!  Yet, my spirit and my heart screams I SURE HOPE TO FIND OUT.  This is a question each of us must answer.  

Some will choose to not go further and closer and the reality is that will be ok.  You don't HAVE to get closer, but the privilege is available.  All may draw close.  Not all will.  But there are some that simply must.  

Why Should I Tithe?

As a pastor, I am often asked about tithing.  Is it important?  Is it necessary?  What does it mean?  These questions and many others often arise over this area of money and the church.  For some, there is a misconception about the church simply being takers or just after people's money.  That couldn't be further from the truth.  I am not going to try and rewrite an opinion or dialogue or debate the topic.  However, what I am offering here is a simple teaching outline I generally use in any setting to outline the importance of tithes and offerings unto the Lord.  I welcome any feedback or thoughts.

Rodney

The Habit of Tithing/Giving Offerings:

On every Lord’s Day each of you should put aside something from what you have earned during the week and use for this offering.  The amount depends on how much the Lord has helped you earn. (1 Corinthians 16:2[LB])

But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness . . .—see that you also excel in the grace of giving. (2 Corinthians 8:7)

*A “tithe” is giving the first part of my income (10% of the gross).

*An “offering” is anything I give in addition to my tithe.

Five Benefits to Giving

1.   Giving makes me like God.

. . .God so loved the world that he gave his only Son…(John 3:16)

2.   Giving draws me closer to God.

. . .For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21)

3.   Giving is the main ingredient to true wealth.

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.  Command them . . . to be generous and willing to share.  In this way . . . they may take hold of the life that is truly life. (1 Timothy 6:17-19)

4.   Giving is an investment in eternity.

…Give happily to those in need, always being ready to share with others whatever God has given [you].  By doing this, [you] will be storing up real

treasure for yourselves in heaven—it is the only safe investment for eternity! (1 Timothy 6:18-19 [LB]).

5.   Giving blesses the giver.

A generous man will himself be blessed. (Proverbs 22:9)

A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. (Proverbs 11:25)

Give, and it will be given to you . . .  For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Luke 6:38)

Why Should I Tithe?

1.   Tithing demonstrates that God has top priority in your life.

The purpose of tithing is to teach you to always put God in first place in your life. (Deuteronomy 14:23 [LB])

2.   Tithing is a reminder to you that your money/wealth was given to you by God.

But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth. (Deuteronomy 8:18)

3.   Tithing expresses my thanks to God.

Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you. (Deuteronomy 16:17)

4.   God tells us that not tithing is robbing Him.

Will a man rob God?  Yet you are robbing me!  But you say, How have we robbed you?  In tithes and offerings. … Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse. (Malachi 3:8-10)

5.   Tithing gives God the opportunity to prove He wants to bless you

Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. (Malachi 3:10)

THE ATTITUDE OF GIVING

1.   Give willingly (2 Corinthians 8:12)

2.   Give cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:7)

3.   Give sacrificially (2 Corinthians 8:3-4)

4.   Give generously (2 Corinthians 9:6)