Everyday Generosity: Breaking the Grip of Fear (Def) Generosity Freely giving of ourselves—time, resources, love—as a reflection of God’s abundant generosity. 1 Timothy 6:17–19 (NLT) 17 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. 19 By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life. Proverbs 11:24–25 (NLT) 24 Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. 25 The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. Big Idea Everyday generosity breaks the grip of fear and demonstrates trust in God's economy. Never root your in the wrong things. 1 Tim. 6:17 (NLT) Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Notice that God's economy works . Proverbs 11:24–25 (NLT) Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. Your trust in God is . 1 Timothy 6:18 (NLT) Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. What Now? Everyday Generosity: Three Practical Places to Plant Generous Amounts of Seed Local Church Tithing 1st rhythm of trust Kingdom Builder Giving Beyond your walls “Always Ready” Giving Needs with a face 1 Timothy 6:19 (NLT) By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life. Continuing the Conversation If you're honest, what might your financial behavior over the last few months reveal about where your trust is actually rooted — not where you'd say it's rooted, but where it actually is? 1 Timothy 6:19 (NLT) says generosity leads to people “experiencing true life.” Where have you maybe mistaken security (hoarding, self-protection) for true life, when Scripture says the opposite is true? Can you think of a time — financial or otherwise — when giving freely led to you being “refreshed” in a way you didn't expect? What happened? Of the three everyday avenues discussed (tithing, Kingdom Builder giving, helping a church family in need), is there one that currently feels more natural to you or feels more uncomfortable? Why might that be?