Tag: abundance
Giving fairness!
Scripture reading for August 7: 2 Corinthians 8
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you by His poverty might become rich. And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness.” 2 Corinthians 8:9-14
The subject of giving money is often a difficult issue in the church as well as our world. But money is a part of our world and is a test given by God of our faithfulness and stewardship. Scripture teaches us that all we have comes from God. He gives to us through our family and national identity. He gives gifts and talents to use for His glory. He gives jobs and responsibility that earn wages and serve Him and others.
Paul used Jesus as the supreme example of giving. Although Jesus was owner of all, He chose to humble Himself and take the form of a human being, becoming poor to identify with us. He did this that all mankind might be made rich with eternal life through adoption back into God’s eternal family. Jesus’ example was for the benefit of us all for all time.
The Corinthian church had been asked to prepare an offering and planned for it for over a year. They had come upon some hard times, but were still well-supplied compared to the Jerusalem church that was enduring persecution. Paul encouraged them to complete what they had started. He pointed to the principle of fairness to help them cheerfully give. Their comparative abundance should be freely given to those in need at the present time. There would be a time when they would need help and the others they had blessed would return the offerings! God understands that we can only give out of what He supplies.
What is your world view concerning money and wealth? How does it affect your attitude towards giving and discussing what to give to God’s work? Do you plan your giving in advance?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your blessing in providing everything in my life. Thank You for gifts and talents to serve others and You. I freely give of myself, my time and talents and my money to further Your work. It is truly more blessed to give than receive. (Acts 20:35) Amen.
Jesus sees our giving!
Scripture reading for February 25: Mark 12
“And He sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And He called His disciples to Him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”” Mark 12:41-44
God is Love and love means giving and generosity is a result of that love. God, Himself, is a cheerful and generous Giver. “For God so loved the world, He gave His One and Only Son, that whosoever believes on Him shall not perish, but will have eternal life.” John 3:16 When on earth, right before leaving earth, Jesus took a seat opposite the temple treasury. There He observed those who gave and how much they put in in relation to what they had in their possession. He called His disciples over to comment on those giving and told them that the poor widow had put in the most in comparison to what she had.
That poor widow had put in two small copper coins that equaled on penny. The others had put in much more. But it was the widow who caught Jesus’ attention so much that He used her gift and giving heart as an example of what God holds dear. Jesus sees things differently than the world. Jesus sees our hearts and attitudes. He values faith and the widow gave all she had in trust that God would take care of her needs. She gave as an act of worship that pleased God extravagantly! God took notice and we are remembering her giving and attitude yet today! Jesus boasted to His disciples about her attitude.
When it comes to giving at church, do you ever think that God is watching you and your attitude? How would Jesus evaluate your giving in relation to what He has blessed you with? What worth do you ascribe to God with your worship through giving?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your love and giving of Your Son that we might have forgiveness of sins and eternal life through Him. Help me to please You with my giving to You as You have blessed me. Teach me to truly worship You through giving. Amen.
The amazing boat rental!
Scripture reading for March 17th: Deuteronomy 1-3, Psalm 36, Luke 5
Luke 5:4-8 “And when He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at Your Word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.””
Jesus was being followed by a large crowd and they were down by the Sea of Galilee near where Peter had his boat and family fishing business. Peter had been out all night but had caught nothing. Jesus asked to borrow his boat and taught the people. When He was finished teaching, He told Peter to let down his net into the deeper water. Peter knew of the long and unproductive night, but also knew the Master. His Word was to be trusted! As he let down the net, a great harvest of fish filled it to the breaking point! He called for help from the other boat and both boats were full to nearly sinking! Peter was struck in his heart! Who is this Man with such a generous heart?
Deuteronomy 1:8 “See, I have set the land before you. Go in and take possession of the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give to them and to their offspring forever.” Deuteronomy 1:25 “And they took in their hands some of the fruit of the land and brought it down to us, and brought us word again and said, ‘It is a good land that the Lord our God is giving us.'”
Prayer: Father God, the land of faith is a good land with an abundance flowing from it! Thank You for the gift of faith and the riches that we have through Your unfailing Word! Like Peter, I shrink back in my faith and then stand in amazement at Your abundant answers, I recognize my sinfulness and unbelief. You are a Good Good Father and give good gifts!
Psalm 36:7-9 “How precious is Your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They feast on the abundance of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your delights. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light do we see light.”
Comfort in afflictions!
Scripture reading for September 16th: Isaiah 60-63, 2nd Corinthians 1
Key Scriptures: 2nd Corinthians 1:2-5 “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, Who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.”
Paul wrote a second letter to the Corinthian church. As he greeted them, he offered grace and peace and blessing. He blessed God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, confessing faith in God’s great mercy and ability to comfort those in affliction. He lifted up Jesus as God’s Son and the One who suffered death for us. He spoke comfort to them in their afflictions for the sake of Christ. The comfort would flow in abundance from a ‘God of all comfort’!
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your comfort in all affliction and trouble. May Your mercy and comfort flow through me and Your people to a hurting world today.
Isaiah 63:9 “In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them; in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.”
Abundance through giving!
Scripture reading for August 8th: Psalm 79-82, 2nd Corinthians 9
Key Scriptures: 2nd Corinthians 9:6-8 “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”
As Paul was encouraging the Corinthians to give an offering to help the needy in Jerusalem, he shared the spiritual law of sowing and reaping. When you give, it is like sowing seed. Seed that is sown has the potential of producing a harvest. If God blesses the seed, it will increase and you will reap. The more seed you sow, the greater the potential of great increase. God loves to give increase and bless those who sow in faith into His kingdom. They abound in grace and have sufficiency!
Psalm 79:13 “But we Your people, the sheep of Your pasture, will give thanks to You forever; from generation to generation we will recount Your praise.”
Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your great generosity in blessing Your people’s giving. Help me to keep a generous spirit and be a cheerful giver. Thank You for the abundant harvest. Amen.
Rejoice in cheerful giving!
Scripture reading for April 24th:1st Chronicles 28-29, 2nd Chronicles 1-3
Key Scriptures: 1st Chronicles 29:16-18 “O Lord our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building You a temple for Your Holy Name, it comes from Your hand, and all of it belongs to You. I know, my God, that You test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly Your people who are here have given to You. O Lord, God of our Fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep this desire in the hearts of Your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to You.”
King David had set an example of giving before the people of God and they responded with great generosity and joyful giving. David recognized that all that they gave came from God, the giver of every good gift! He prayed that God would keep this attitude of willing giving and loyalty in the hearts of His people!
Rejoicing in cheerful giving: “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2nd Corinthians 9:7-8)
God’s blessing cycle!
Scripture reading for June 16th: Psalms 67-72
God delights in blessing His people! The Aaronic blessing begins Psalm 67. God’s blessing means that He lavishes His best gifts and presence on those He loves and calls to be His children. His face is shining or beaming with a smile of love and joy as He beholds His own people. This smile means abundant provisions of food and water. It means health to our bodies and protection from enemies. It means love and fruitfulness in our relationships, homes and business. The Hebrew word “selah” follows this first verse and is a term meaning to pause and ponder the preceding thought.
Why does God love to bless His people? Surely it is because he loves and delights in His people. But this psalm states another reason for the blessing. God wants to use a blessed people to share the knowledge of His ways on the earth among all peoples. (Psalm 67:2) God desires the worship of all who are made in His image! He is their guide, ruler and judge! We are blessed to be a blessing! Nothing really belongs to us. We are blessed in order to share and bless others. We must keep the blessing moving and not hoard it for our own use!
The result of being a blessing is that the earth will yield its harvest. The harvest ultimately is souls that will come to know and worship the Lord through the witness of God’s people. God wants all the ends of the earth to fear Him! (Psalm 67:6-7) We set up a cycle of blessing when we give to tithes and offerings so that others may hear of Him! As we give, we become like God who is the ultimate giver of everything. As we give, God is praised and He moves upon the lost and draws them to salvation. As we give, we are blessed by God again with more abundance so that we can give even more to Him. The cycle goes on and multiplies!
“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” 2nd Corinthians 9:10-11