Giving By Faith
In Hebrews 11:4 (NIV) we read, "By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings." Abel is not listed in the Hall of Fame because of'what' he gave but because of 'how' he gave it.
God is more concerned about the attitude behind the giving than the amount that's given. If you're not giving in faith, don't give, because your heart's not in it; you don't get any credit for it. The Bible also says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:6 NIV). God doesn't need your money. What He wants is you.
There are two ways to give: You can give by reason, or you can give by revelation. To give by reason is to figure out reasonably what you think you can give, and that doesn't require any faith at all. Even an atheist can do that.
When you give by revelation, you let God reveal to you what He wants you to give in faith. It means you pray and ask, "God, how much do you want me to trust you for this time?" Then you do whatever He tells you to do.
This is giving by faith, and it helps you grow, mature, and become more like Christ! A child of God shares because God has blessed and given them new life. They've been "born again" and it's just in them to share.