$$$$$ - Blessed to bless?

Proverbs 11:24-25
"One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed."

Today's sermon topic by Jasmine...

Let me summorise...
1) By being generous, a person prosper(v24)
* There is limited resources to go around. So we'd better get and give.
* God is the source
* God is a generous God. (He meets our needs not our greeds)
2 Cor 9:6 , Luke 9:24 , 2 Cor 9:10-11 , Matthew 25:21, Deuteronomy 28:12-14

2) Whatever we do for others returns to us abduntly(v25)
1st benefit: We experience true friendship
2nd benefit: Spiritual multiplication
3rd benefit: We demonstrated that the God we worship is real
Genesis 12:2 , Luke 6:38 , James 2:14-17

This is very true... but what if the story was reversed?
Let me share with you a story...

One day, my 'brother'(not real brother. Eg.Richard) suddenly couldn't pay his handphone bills... Neither did his parents wanna help him, so he approached me.
Not to borrow money... But to borrow my NRIC to apply for a new line. He also borrowed a bit of money to get a new phone. Of course, this is a quite a big matter... NRIC, Big Company, Signing a contract bond of 2 years...

But well, he's a 'brother' of mine. So I trusted him although I knew this isn't really v.good. But months passed... As the first month passed... the bill came to my house... My mom saw it & questioned... Well, I told her the truth... Of coz, she wasn't very happy... But I told her that my 'brother' would pay for the bill. [Still trusting him] The second month passed... No payments were made... and there was an overdue charge... The third month came too... and again no payment was made... What surprised me more was that... Despite it was Starhub's well-known 'Free-incoming' plan which costs only abt $30+ monthly, he managed to accumulate his toll charges to a total of around $100 per month...

The line was suspended... All charges came up to abt $400+... and Starhub called up to warn that if no payment is to be made soon... It'll come up to $500+ [Overdue charges] and shortly after, the lawyer letter would come...

I warned my brother, and he told me he would settle it... [Yes, yes]
But no action was taken...

My mom became v.hot... She was angry with me & was angry with my 'brother'...
We quarrelled one night... I told her to trust me... but she wouldn't... She said she couldn't trust my 'brother' anymore... If he doesn't do anything, she will take action against him...

Well, that friend has taken me for granted...

Proverbs 23:4-5
"Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle."

Proverbs 13:7
"One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth."

Jeyaraj taught me accountability for this lesson...
Account to yourself, account to ya family, account to Him (Our Abba Father)

'If u only do God's work but do not work on ya secular behaviour and character...
U are no difference as Church-goer, right?
Are church ants christians because they live in the Church?
Are church lizards christians because they live in the Church?
- Quality versus Quantity - '