Matt Pounds at Global Youth Ministry Network

“You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” (II Corinthians 9:11)

Several years ago I started reading the Bruce Wilkinson book, “The Prayer of Jabez” and I knew as I was reading it (the first time) what was coming up in the book and I had to stop, close it, and put it down. You see, no matter what mode the blessing was to come in (half the world still operates without money) I knew that there was a higher level of commitment on my part that came with what ever blessing Jabez’s prayer was eluding to. For me to pray that prayer, there was something that had to happen in my spirit first … commit myself to what ever the cause (or calling) of the blessing is for.

The short prayer that Jabez spoke to God was emulating a mountain of contemplation he had gone through. And just like it, this short verse from II Corinthians contains a depth of preparation that goes back a year or so prior to the period it was written. This is not a theology of “abundant life” or comfortable existence of the American way of life! But rather it is a theology of “abundant giving”. 

 So for what cause is the abundant giving purposed? Why, for the Glory of God of course! Not man’s, not the ministry’s, not for more monetary abundance of life to come back to us.  But rather so the recipients who receive the generous gift can look to heaven and thank and praise God for  His supply through your heart for Him, your faithfulness to Him, and your concern for God’s children, your brothers and sisters who are and who will come to be. Not only does God gain the glory, but the giver gets to share in Christ’s glory by being an example of Jesus to those who need to see and learn from it.

Notice in the verse it says “can be”. Willingness and deciding go together to accomplish generous giving.  The first time I started “The Prayer of Jabez” I was willing to grow, but I could not read and finish the little book until I decided to commit to the prayer before I even knew what the commitment would include.  The results of that commitment ended up being huge for Bonnie and I and is a whole other story.  But the verse shown above may be the answer to the questions you may have been asking yourself and God for a long time …

• Is there more that I am supposed to be doing?

• Does the fact that I have been born and raised in this time and in this place have anything to do with what my life is suppose to contribute to the big plan?

The answer is ….. it “can be” ….. but first you must be willing (which you probably are) and then you must …… decide.  That is the commitment Paul reminds the Corinthians and us about.

Should you decide, and God leads you to Global Youth Ministry Network (GYMN) as a generous giver, I can assure you we have decided as an organization that what ever God supplies through you, that “through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”

When I return from the Philippines in May, I hope to share with you some of these “thanksgivings to God” with you.

Brother Matt