Luke 6:38 says: "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."

God is an awesome God because he works mysteriously and miraculously. He said it in this Bible verse that the secret to receiving is to give, and that if we don't give then we should never expect to receive. A lot of religious people raise their heads and shoulders and shout, "this verse is talking about money again!" Or perhaps, "Christians only ask for donations, contributions, and offerings." Unfortunately, it is a mindset that the world has developed, and it has spread into Christianity. Here are some things that I have understood about giving:

1. Giving has forever changed my life.

While it is easy to hold onto money, time, and love during circumstances, I've learned to die to my own problems by giving of myself to others. The message about giving will forever mark an impact in my life because I have seen the hand of God provide for me supernaturally. I give to God my firstfruits every year, as well as my tithes every week, and I've seen how in the toughest of times, he always provides.

When I didn't have enough money to pay for my first car, God touched the heart of a man that I preached to about Christ. The man came up to me and felt like God was putting in him the desire to bless my life with a new car. I didn't pay for anything.

When I lost my job in 2015 and I was unemployed, my last paycheck from that company was the highest check I have ever received in my years of working there. I have no idea how that happened. The money lasted me the entire month, and when the month completed, I still had money left over. I was never broke or unemployed, and no one found out or knew about it until I came out and testified about it. He never forsook me in my time of need!

Always and frequently, God uses people in my church to minister to me. Whether it is people that I mentor personally, or a friend from church that I have impacted, or even my family members, God always shows me that he is real through the genuine heart of people.

2. Giving reminds me that I cannot be selfish.

For the past six years, I forgot what it felt like to be depressed, lonely, or anxious. My focus has been strictly on doing the will of God, and helping people walk a greater walk with him. Doing that requires time! I have to visit personal guys that I mentor, and I have to be on the phone almost every day with them, inspiring them, encouraging them, and motivating them. Sometimes, I take them out to eat, and even though it is something little, it ministers to them a whole lot! When I give to them my time, I realize that there are more people that need help than I do.

3. Giving reminds me of Jesus.

Jesus never came to this Earth with the intention to receive. He had no benefit of coming here. The only ones that benefited from his arrival to this world was us. He came for us. He died on a cross for us. He gave himself for us. He lived the life that anyone would have rejected. But he chose to give at all costs. That is the life that I want to live.