Taking Ground | Week 4
Day 5
“You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” - 2 Corinthians 9:11
When Paul wrote these words to the Corinthians, he was describing a spiritual cycle—a divine rhythm that God establishes in the lives of generous people. “You will be enriched in every way,” he said, “so that you can be generous on every occasion.” Notice the order: God enriches us so that we can give. The purpose of blessing is always to create opportunity for more blessing. Generosity is not just what we do; it’s who we are becoming.
At Coastal, this truth is embodied through what’s called the “Greater” initiative—a single channel of generosity that fuels ministries across the street and across the world. Rather than a dozen special offerings, “Greater” combines them into one unified expression of faith, meeting needs from Tanzania to the Gulf Coast. It’s generosity made simple, but powerful: every dollar given becomes a seed that God multiplies in countless directions.
But what makes this kind of giving truly greater isn’t the size of the fund—it’s the size of the heart behind it. A “Greater” life begins when we stop asking, “What’s the least I can do?” and start asking, “How can I do more for the Kingdom of God?” It’s the opposite of self-preservation. It’s the posture of people who believe that the world of the generous gets larger and larger (Proverbs 11:24).
1. Generosity Enlarges the Heart
Every time we give, God stretches something within us. Our hearts grow wider, our compassion deeper, and our perspective broader. The “manna mindset” says, “I need to hold on.” But the “Canaan mindset” says, “I trust God enough to give freely.” When we give, we’re reminded that our security isn’t in what we have—it’s in who provides it.
That’s why giving always changes the giver. It pulls us out of self-focus and into God-focus. It opens our eyes to how He moves in the lives of others. You can’t stay small-minded and be generous. The moment you open your hand, your heart opens too.
2. Generosity Enlarges Perspective
A generous life refuses to stay local in its thinking. It looks outward—toward the lost, the hurting, and the unreached. Through the “Greater” giving initiative, countless ministries are sustained: clean water wells in Tanzania, church planting in Utah and Arizona, Bible translation projects, veterans’ programs, feeding centers, children’s camps, and much more.
Each of these represents something larger than a donation—it’s an extension of the gospel. When a missionary in Kazakhstan receives support, when a family in crisis finds hope, when a church planter receives training—that’s your generosity at work. It’s the global picture of God multiplying a single seed into a forest of fruit.
That’s what Paul meant when he said generosity “results in thanksgiving to God.” Someone somewhere will thank God because you gave. Your obedience today becomes someone’s miracle tomorrow.
3. Generosity Enlarges Impact
There’s a spiritual principle that God has proven over and over again: when we are faithful to give, He entrusts us with more to give. Jesus taught, “Whoever can be trusted with little can also be trusted with much” (Luke 16:10). God doesn’t increase our resources just to raise our lifestyle; He increases them to raise our level of impact.
That’s why we set aside an entire weekend to give everything away—“Give Away Sunday.” It’s not about publicity or performance; it’s a seed of faith. Each year,we budget on 51 weeks and sow one completely. That single act of obedience has funded missionaries, rescued trafficking victims, supported veterans, and even saved the life of a pastor overseas. The ripple effect is beyond what anyone could have planned—but exactly what God intended.
Generosity doesn’t shrink a church or a believer. It multiplies influence. It’s the difference between a pond that stagnates and a river that flows. A pond holds what it has and eventually grows stale. A river receives, releases, and stays fresh. God calls His people to be rivers of blessing—channels, not containers.
4. Generosity Creates Eternal Return
There’s a saying: “Do your giving while you’re living, so you’re knowing where it’s going.” The truth behind that is deeply biblical. Every act of generosity invests in what will last forever—the Word of God and people. Money itself won’t follow us into eternity, but the lives changed through it will.
When you give toward the gospel, you’re not just funding ministry—you’re storing up eternal reward. Jesus said, “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20). Every dollar surrendered to God’s purposes becomes a seed that bears eternal fruit.
The “Greater” life is really just the normal Christian life—a life that recognizes we are blessed to be a blessing. When you give, serve, or invest in God’s kingdom, you’re joining a story far bigger than your own. You’re saying, “Lord, I want my life to count for something that lasts.”
Generosity doesn’t drain you—it defines you. It turns the ordinary into the eternal. It transforms financial obedience into spiritual legacy.
Because in God’s kingdom, the more you give, the greater you grow.
