2 Corinthians 8:3-5, “3 For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, 4 begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, 5 and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.”

The first and second letter to the Corinthians is a real letter to real people from the Apostle Paul, and in chapter 8 the Apostle Paul references a local church in Macedonia (Modern Day Greece), and the Apostle Paul describes the Macedonian people as a people who are begging for opportunities to give away money.

In fact, in verse 3 the Macedonian people are giving away money according to their ability, and beyond their ability.  Isn’t that amazing?  Surely there is a layer in your soul pushing back and saying, “Well, when I have more money I will give away more money.”

But, back in verses 1 and 2 the Macedonian people are going through “deep poverty” and “a great ordeal of affliction” and yet they are “overflowing in the wealth of their liberality.”  The word “liberality” means generous, which means the Macedonians are going through distress, they are in deep poverty, and yet the Macedonians are “begging for opportunities to be generous with money!”

Isn’t that great?  These verses force us to ask the Holy Spirit, “How?”  How is it possible for the Macedonians to hold money with such an open hand?  How are the Macedonians able to invest so freely in the “participation of the saints?”

Look at the end of verse 5.  Do you see the answer?  Verse 5 says, “But, they first gave themselves to the Lord.”  Listen to me, if we are going to be a people who are generous with money, then we must first become a people who give ourselves completely to Jesus.

At North Village Church we say, “We want to place Jesus at the center of our lives.” We want to build our lives around Jesus. We want to live with Jesus as the Lord and ruler of our lives, so that we are sifting our daily decisions through Him, including our financial decisions through Him.

That is why we gather once a year as a church family to participate in something we call, “Yearly Planning Event.”  It isn’t for our church family as a whole, but for us personally set aside time once a year to ask Jesus, “How does He want us to invest in 2018?”  Where does He wants His money to go?

I am not talking about 10% of our income, but 100% of our finances, and ask Him, “What does He want?”  If you haven’t signed up click on the link for more details.  We would love to have you participate, and by God’s grace, this event on Saturday will be a tool to move you in a direction and giving the whole of your life to Jesus.