Tag: generosity

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Deuteronomy Devotionals

To be like you

Worship

Father, you are not hardhearted or tightfisted toward me. (Deuteronomy 15:7)

Nor do you have a stingy heart toward me. (10)

Instead you open your hand willingly, giving generously to me. (11, 14)

More, 2000 years ago on a cross, you proclaimed the release of debts and forgave all my sins. (Deuteronomy 15:2; Colossians 2:13-14)

So Father, let me be like you to those around me. Open-handed, generous, forgiving people for any wrong they have done to me.

I’ve got so far to go. But I want to be like you.

Help me to be like you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Philippians

When we give

PhilippiansHope

I mentioned in my last blog that the problem with many Christians is that they are still self-centered. That they’re always focused on their wants and needs.

But that is not God’s will for us, and that’s not how the Philippians were. Paul said of them,

When I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only, for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. (Philippians 4:15-16)

For a lot of the churches, they apparently received a lot from Paul, but at that point, that’s all they were doing: receiving. They were not really giving of themselves to others and the Lord at that point.

Now as baby Christians, that’s okay. We need to be fed. But as we mature, we need to learn to not only receive, but to give. And from very early on, that’s what the Philippians apparently did.

Paul himself wasn’t so interested in receiving from the Philippians or anyone else. For the most part, he was self-supporting. But he was thankful to see the seeds of maturity in the Philippians in their giving hearts.

And he assured them that God would not forget what they had done, but that they would be rewarded.

It’s very interesting the phrase he uses in verse 17,

I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.

Is he saying that God will reward them because of the fruit of generosity growing in their lives? Or is he saying that their generosity in supporting his ministry will result in the fruit of saved lives, and that God would reward them because of that fruit?

I kind of think he means the latter, but both are probably true.

More, he tells them, that their gifts were a fragrant offering and acceptable sacrifice to God. And then he closes by saying,

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. (19)

Sometimes when we give, we wonder if it’s worth it. We wonder if perhaps we’ve given too much. But Paul assures us here that if we are generous, God has more than enough resources to provide for our needs.

To be honest, I’m still learning that. So many times, it’s hard for me to let go of money in my life. But when we give, not only will we please God, but God will be glorified through that gift as people are blessed. And so Paul says,

To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (20)

How about you? Are you a giver? Or just a receiver?

May the gifts we receive from God not simply stop with us, but flow through us to touch those around us.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. (23)

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2 Corinthians

That God may be glorified through us

2 Corinthians

I touched on this at the end of my last blog, but I wanted to expand on the idea more, that is, when God’s people are generous, he is glorified through us. Paul wrote,

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.

This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.

Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.

And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. (2 Corinthians 9:11-14)

One of the key themes that we see throughout these verses is that our generosity causes people to give thanks to God.

They give thanks to God not just because their needs are met, but because they can see God working through us. They see the surpassing grace God has poured into our lives, and they see it pouring out of our lives to touch them and others.

Too often, as the world looks at people professing to be followers of Christ, they see hypocrites and people who are uncaring, unloving, or indifferent.

But when they see Christians who are generous because they have been touched with the grace of Christ, they catch a glimpse of our heavenly Father, who “causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:45)

And as they see us, they start to glorify Him and hopefully start to become drawn to him.

Jesus said,

Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

And one of the best ways to shine our light is through our generosity.

But as we are generous, it also encourages others who are believers.

It encourages them because through us, they see that God has not abandoned them and that he cares for their needs.

It encourages them in that they see fellow Christians living out what they believe.

And it encourages them to live out what they believe as well.

And like Paul, they start to thank God once again for his indescribable gift: the gift of his Son (2 Corinthians 9:15).

The gift that so changes people that they would share the love they have received from God with others.

How about you? Is God being glorified through you because of your generosity. Through your giving heart, do people see God in you and praise Him?

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2 Corinthians

Our example in giving

2 Corinthians

How much do we know the grace of Jesus in our lives?

And if we really did know it, how would it change our attitude in our giving, not only of our money, but of our time, our resources, and of our very lives?

Paul told the Corinthians,

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)

What is grace? It is the giving of something to a people that don’t deserve it.

And Jesus was full of grace, giving to us what we didn’t deserve. Think about what he did for us.

Jesus was “rich” in heaven. Not in that he had lots of gold or silver or money. Such things really have little worth in heaven.

But Jesus, while he was in heaven, shared in the glory of God, and was worshiped by the angels. He sat on the throne next to the Father, lacking nothing.

He in fact ruled over all things, and through him, all things in heaven and earth hold together. (Colossians 1:15-18)

And yet, he gave up all his glory in heaven to come to this earth as a man. Not as a king. Not even as a rich man. But as a mere carpenter.

Even when he began his ministry, it was as an itinerant preacher, one who never knew where he would lay his head for the night. (Luke 9:58)

And at the end of his life, instead of receiving worship, he was reviled. Instead of sitting on his throne, he hung on a cross. Instead of reigning in glory, he hung in shame. Why?

So that we might become rich. So that our sins might be paid for by his work on the cross. And so that one day we would become co-heirs with him in his kingdom (Romans 8:17).

That’s the grace of Jesus that he freely gave to us. So once again, the question is, “Do we know that grace in our lives?”

Has that truth truly sunk into our hearts? Because if it has, it will show in our lives as well. Generosity will spring out of our hearts just as it sprang out of Jesus’.

Honestly, it’s a truth that needs to sink a lot deeper into my heart.

How about you? Do you know the grace of Jesus in your life?

Is it overflowing out of your heart in generosity to others?

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Luke Luke 16

Who or what we serve

Luke

The god of Money is very big in our society. Many people long for it. They work for it. They even give their lives for it. But Jesus tells us here,

No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

You cannot serve both God and Money. (Luke 16:13)

I’ve mentioned before, this one is tough for me, especially when it comes to giving. And the question I have to ask myself is, “Who or what am I serving?”

Am I serving money? Trying to do all I can to earn and then hold on to my money?

Or is money simply a tool I’m using in order to serve God? Does God have access to my wallet anywhere and at any time?

If he doesn’t, I’m not serving God. I’m serving money. And that’s idolatry.

That was the problem of the Pharisees. And when they heard Jesus, they sneered at him.

In those days, having wealth was a sign of their goodness. The feeling was, “God only blesses the righteous. Since I have all this money, I must be righteous.”

On the other hand, this caused the Pharisees to look down on everyone else who was not wealthy, including Jesus.

So not only did they commit the sin of idolatry, but the sin of pride was also deeply embedded in their hearts.

How about you? Are you proud of what you have? Are you making what you have your god?

Is your service to this god keeping you from being generous and touching the lives of those around you for the sake of God’s kingdom?

Who or what are you serving?

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Luke Luke 14

Giving

Luke

As Jesus looked around the room, I wonder what kind of people he saw?

A lot of people were invited to this dinner, and I would guess that he was the only one who was not considered at least moderately well off.

And so he said,

When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid.

But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. (Luke 14:12-14)

Two things strike me here. Although this “prominent” Pharisee undoubtedly gave alms to the poor, I strongly doubt he ever invited any of these poor to his dinners.

At another guess, I doubt if the thought of entertaining the poor to a dinner at his house had ever even crossed his mind.

Why not? Probably because he was more interested in gaining the admiration of his friends and the people around him for his house and the food he served.

He was more interested in hanging out with his friends and furthering his reputation among them than reaching out to the hurting around him.

Many times, we give tithes to the church, but use the rest of our money solely for ourselves. We think that now we’ve given our tithes to the church, our “duty” to God is discharged in terms of money.

But God calls us to be givers. Not just inside of church, but outside the church. And if you can give to help someone you know in need, God will bless you.

The second thing that strikes me is our attitude in giving.

Are we giving expecting to be given back? Or do we give freely of what God has given us, expecting nothing in return?

Jesus makes it clear here that it is the latter that God blesses.

I have to admit, I struggle with giving. I’m not a natural giver.

But if we are to be like Jesus, we need to learn to give as he did: sacrificially, expecting nothing in return, helping those who are hurting.

What kind of giver are you?

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Proverbs

A good name

How do others see you?  It’s an issue that Proverbs brings up more than once.  We saw this in chapter 10, and we see it again here.  Solomon writes,

A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.  (Proverbs 22:1)

And in this chapter, we see more ways to maintain a good name.

Solomon writes,

A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.  (3)

It always amazes me that in Hawaii, there are always people who, when they hear a tsunami may be coming, rush to the beach to see it. (I actually have a friend that sheepishly admitted to doing this.) 

Up to this point, fortunately, the tsunami always fizzles out before actually arriving, but the time may come when people will pay for their stupidity with their lives.

But so many people fail to see other dangers in their lives.  Solomon notes that,

In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares, but he who guards his soul stays far from them.  (Proverbs 22:5)

How many people fail to see how their sin is leading them to the destruction of their marriage, or their health, or to their relationships? 

As a result, they keep living the way they are, and not only suffer pain for it, but suffer a blow to their reputation as well. 

But a wise person sees potential danger to all these things and takes measures to avoid it.

Solomon also adds,

Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life. (4)

When we fear the Lord, it does bring us a good name.  This doesn’t mean, however, that everyone will like us.  And as I mentioned in my last blog, it doesn’t mean that we will avoid persecution. 

Jesus was the perfect Son of God.  Yet, while he lived on this earth, there were still people who hated him and eventually put him to death. 

But in general, if we fear God, we will prosper in this life and earn a good name.

Another thing to remember is that if we fail to raise our children right, they can become a stain to our reputation as well.  Solomon wrote,

A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the one who bore him. (Proverbs 17:25)

and

A foolish son is his father’s ruin… (Proverbs 19:13)

So Solomon admonishes us,

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.  (Proverbs 22:6)

And again,

Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.  (Proverbs 22:15)

Solomon then points out the importance of being generous (Proverbs 22:9), of having a pure heart, and speech that is gracious  (11). 

Of avoiding laziness (13)  and adultery (14). 

Of being careful about who we hang out with (24-25). 

Of being careful with our finances (26-27). 

Of being honest (28). 

And of being skilled at what you do (29).

All these things lead to a person becoming favored in the eyes of God and men.  A person like Jesus (Luke 2:52).

How about you?  What kind of name are you building?

Categories
Proverbs

Being a pipeline of God’s grace

We’ve already touched on Proverbs 11, but I wanted to take a closer look at a few of those verses one more time.

This passage is about the joy that comes from giving.  How when people give, it leads to blessing not only for the person who receives the gift, but for the giver as well.

Solomon writes in verse 24,

One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.  (Proverbs 11:24)

One thing that God has called us to be is a pipeline of his grace.  As he gives to us, we are to give to others.  And as we give, God blesses us all the more so that we can give even more.

Paul put it this way,

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work…

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.  (2 Corinthians 9:8, 11)

If however, we withhold what we have unduly, we clog up the pipeline of grace.

Not only do we fail to bless people when we do so, but God is unable to pour any more into our pipeline because it becomes becomes all clogged up and nothing else can pass through.

On the other hand, Solomon notes,

A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.  (Proverbs 11:25)

As we give, and become this pipeline of grace, we ourselves will be refreshed.

Nowadays we hear about doing random acts of kindness.  I have heard recently, however, of a person who does planned acts of kindness.

He purposefully thinks of ways to bless the people that he meets, even the stranger on the road.  And he’s finding that as he does that, it makes him feel refreshed.  He finds great joy in sensing the love of Christ flow through him and touch others.

How much joy do we lose out on in our lives by being stingy, and thinking only of ourselves?

How much joy would we gain by being an active pipeline of God’s grace?

Solomon also points out,

People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell.  (Proverbs 11:26)

How often do we destroy our witness by clogging up the pipeline of grace?  Instead of seeing Christ in us, and his love flowing through us, they see only a selfish person whose concerned solely about himself.

How about you?  When others encounter you, do they encounter Christ in you?

Solomon says in verse 30,

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.

When people encounter us, they should encounter life.  And they encounter life when God’s love flows through us.

It is this love that draws them not only to us, but to the God who lives in us.

Solomon says a winner of souls is wise.  But you can only be a winner of souls if God’s love and grace is flowing in you and through you.

I’ve got to admit…too many times I’ve clogged up that pipeline.  And it’s something that needs to change.

How about you?  Are you being a pipeline of God’s love and grace?