generosity 2 … is intentional
Recap previous series – Repeated verse….
2 Peter 3
But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.
RECAP last week:
1 Tim 6
19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
FOUNDATIONAL
Matthew 25 : Parable of Talents
Weight of value
Generous gift
Serious investment God makes
Preschool growth
Church
Risk and reward
vs. lazy, wicked comfort?
Well done! Excellent!
Set over …… MUCH!
Nothing by accident, lazy, unaware..
Illustration (video) intentional generosity :
Video : https://generousgiving.org/media/videos/graham-and-april-smith
What training did they have for the generous life?
ILLUSTRATION
intentional – foundations
Reticular Cortext
The Reticular Activating System (RAS) is a bundle of nerves at our brainstem that filters out unnecessary information so the important stuff gets through.
The RAS is the reason you learn a new word and then start hearing it everywhere. It’s why you can tune out a crowd full of talking people, yet immediately snap to attention when someone says your name or something that at least sounds like it.
Your RAS takes what you focus on and creates a filter for it. It then sifts through the data and presents only the pieces that are important to you. All of this happens without you noticing, of course. The RAS programs itself to work in your favor without you actively doing anything. Pretty awesome, right?
In the same way, the RAS seeks information that validates your beliefs. It filters the world through the parameters you give it, and your beliefs shape those parameters. If you think you are bad at giving speeches, you probably will be. If you believe you work efficiently, you most likely do. The RAS helps you see what you want to see and in doing so, influences your actions.
Focus on the bad things and you will invite negativity into your life. Focus on the good things and they will come to you, because your brain is seeking them out. It’s not magic, it’s your Reticular Activating System influencing the world you see around you.
https://medium.com/desk-of-van-schneider/if-you-want-it-you-might-get-it-the-reticular-activating-system-explained-761b6ac14e53
Our minds handle 40,000 to 60,000 thoughts a day..
RAS is likened to a big door keeper that allows only relevant data of about 147 bits to enter in the mind from the 2 million bits of information data that is present in the world at any point of time. RAS supports the mental bank of all the past experiences, conditioning and beliefs that we hold from our memory and past conditioning.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/hacking-sub-conscious-mind-shilpi-khandelwal
APPLICATION :
to PRACTICING GENEROUSITY.
“Thinking” training
Risk in doing