Biblical Principles and Thoughts about Giving
Alms are charitable gifts and giving as recorded in Acts 3:3 and 10:2. The word "alms," though commonly used, is not found in the OldTestament.
True Christian love in its proper sense means 'love toward all', thus manifested in almsgiving entitled 'charity' - a willingness to offer financial assistance for the purpose of spreading the Gospel.
Guidelines for giving:
Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
(Matthew 6:1-4)
The attitude in giving:
For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. (2 Corinthians 8:12)
The qualifications for giving:
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
(2 Corinthians 9:6-7)