God rewards his people when they trust Him enough to step out in faith and use their money in the way He instructs them to use it.  In Luke 6:38, Jesus says, “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

In Randy Alcorn’s book, The Treasure Principle, he talks about a time when a man named Scott Lewis (the owner of Scott Machinery) attended a conference with Bill Bright ( the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ).

At this conference, Bill had just challenged the people to each give one million dollars over their lifetime to help fulfill the great commission.  To Scott this amount was laughable.  It was far beyond what he could ever imagine giving since his machining business was generating a modest income of under $50,000 per year.

Scott talked to Bill.  Bill asked him, how much did you give last year?”  Scott said, “$17,000.”  He felt pretty good about that amount because it represented about 35% of his income.  Without blinking an eye, Bill responded, “Over the next year, why don’t you make it a goal of giving $50,000?”

Scott thought Bill hadn’t understood. Fifty thousand dollars was more than he’d made all year! But Scott and his wife decided to trust God with Bill’s challenge, asking Him to do the impossible. God provided in amazing ways.  With a miraculous provision on December 31, the Lewises were able to give the $50,000 the next year. The following year they set a goal of giving $100,000. Again, God provided.

In 2001, they passed the one million dollar giving mark. The best part is they aren’t stopping. ^[i]

Proverbs 10:22 tells us that riches can be gained as part of the Lord’s blessing in our lives.  It says. “The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.”  That last line is critical.  When the Lord gives the increase, it comes “without sorrow” attached.  There was no sorrow when Scott earned $100,000 more money in a year because he had the joy of reinvesting those funds back into God’s eternal kingdom and the joy of receiving heavenly treasures and eternal blessing for taking a huge step of faith!

[i] Read more: http://www.epm.org/resources/2010/Feb/16/twelve-giving-stories/#ixzz3g6EbSeKe