“You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” (II Corinthians 9:11, ESV) Just a few short verses in Acts 9 tell us the story of Tabitha. Most of us know her as Dorcas. This faithful disciple in…
“There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?” John 6:9 Let us pretend that we are part of the crowd that has followed Jesus because of His miracles. As we look around us, we see about five…
Galatians 6:2 “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:10 “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” I am privileged and blessed to attend a church where there is love…
“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” Luke 6:38 So far this week we have been looking…
“And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest. And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee…
“No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a washtub or shoves it under the bed. No, you set it up on a lamp stand so those who enter the room can see their way. We’re not keeping secrets; we’re telling them. We’re not hiding things; we’re bringing everything out…
“Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed” (Proverbs 11:24-25, NLT). Many times, when we think of generosity, we think of money. Does that mean we cannot be generous if we have no money to…
“A generous person will be enriched, and the one who provides water for others will himself be satisfied.” (Proverbs 11:25, NET) I have a friend who loves to give gifts. She shops ahead so she always has something on hand to spontaneously give when the occasion arises. I decided long…
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“Their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity” (2 Corinthians 8:2 in the New International Version of the Holy Bible). This statement was made by the Apostle Paul about the Christians living in Macedonia who gave generously to the church in Jerusalem which was experiencing a time of famine and poverty. Paul used the Macedonians as an example to others of cultivating a spirit of giving despite the negative circumstances and financial difficulty they themselves may be facing. Generosity doesn’t always refer to giving from our wealth. It is giving from our heart that pleases God. A person who gives to others in ways that may or may not include financial blessings, is a person who has a healthy, “rich”, inner life!
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Prayer: Lord, I must confess that generosity doesn’t always come easy for me. Teach me to have a giving spirit – a heart that is sensitive to the needs of others. Amen.
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Devotion by: Julie Long