MONDAY: CHEERFUL GIVER
KEY PASSAGE
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work… and he will enlarge the harvest of righteousness… your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 2 Corinthians 9:8-9, 11-12
DEVOTIONAL
Maybe you read the phrase “cheerful giver” and hear “turn in your tithe with a smile.” Or you read “God loves a cheerful giver” and excuse yourself from giving, because the thought of giving away money you could use comes with an uncomfortable weight, not cheer.
But what does the phrase “cheerful giver” actually mean? The word “cheerful” in scripture is hilaros, and it doesn’t mean happy. It means “prompted and willing.” So what is a “cheerful giver?” If God asks you to be generous— with money, hospitality, food, time, etc.— and your response is to obey, you are a cheerful giver. Meaning that God truly has a hold on your heart.
God isn’t asking you to feel happy or light when you give, he is asking you to willingly trust Him with whatever your gift might be. And what is the impact of your cheerful— prompted & willing— generosity? An abundance of blessing and provision, success in good works, a harvest of righteousness, and thanksgiving to God.
Notice this is not a promise that God will give you your money back with interest. It’s a reminder that God turns our physical resources into spiritual reward. It's the promise that every prompted and willing sacrifice given is a confession of the gospel message, amplifying His glory and pointing others to Jesus.
CHALLENGE
This week’s devotionals explore the impact of generosity. And while you may consider the impact of generosity to be an outward work, take a moment to consider its internal impact… developing a heart that can be nudged by God and moved into action.
Would you describe your heart toward God as prompted and willing? Are you wrestling with withholding pieces of your life from God because you are afraid of what he might ask of you?
Confess the posture of your heart to God.
Tell him where you are willing to obey.
Tell him where you are weary to obey.
Tell him why.
Ask him to help you trust Him to create a cheerful— prompted and willing— heart in you.
TUESDAY: MEETING NEEDS
KEY PASSAGE
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
DEVOTIONAL
A few years ago, a family shared with the church that they needed a car. They had no way to get to work. They had two teenagers and a grandmother to care for. They had bills to pay. So they expressed their need. Upon hearing this, I prayed so intently about this I basically demanded God to give them a car in a specific time frame. Now, I am not encouraging you to demand things of God, it’s not a smart idea… but my point is, I prayed fervently.
The following week, someone wrote on a church connection card, “I want to give my car to someone who needs it.” Woah… Turns out this man bought a new car and instead of trading in the old one, God prompted him to gift it. He recognized himself as a steward of this car, and decided to entrust it to whatever God wanted him to do.
This is being one in heart and mind: collectively living as stewards and not owners of our resources. This honors God over our preferences and honors people over our possessions. We have the opportunity to come alongside God as our Provider by using what he has given us to meet the needs of others.
Within a few weeks, the families connected and the car was gifted. Both of the families’ lives were changed for the better. It bolstered the faith of the man giving the car and encouraged him to go all in with God. It blessed the man receiving the car with the ability to secure an income and meet the needs of his family. And I witnessed a miracle.
CHALLENGE
I won’t ask you to bring all your possessions to church, lay them at the altar, and help distribute them to people who need it more than you… although you could. And I won’t ask you to sell your house, like the people in the verses above… although you could.
What I will ask you to do is get in the habit of doing these things: Express needs when you have them. Pray fervently. And give when God prompts you.
Right now, ask God for the courage to express a need to someone today. Then ask him for the courage to meet a need for someone today. Stay in prayer as you go about your day, and see what happens. Because you have no idea what miracle is on the other side.
WEDNESDAY: NOT WASTED - GENEROSITY AS WORSHIP
KEY PASSAGE
“While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me.”
DEVOTIONAL
It took Leonardo Davinci three years to finish his famous painting, The Last Supper. Imagine spending 3 years obsessing over one work of art. Now consider whether that enduring work of beauty was a waste of time and effort. Surely there were better ways the artist could have used his genius to benefit the world in some other way; but we can’t deny that The Last Supper is beautiful. If the end result is something beautiful, how could it be a waste?
When Jesus is anointed with expensive perfume the disciples consider the value of the substance. They call it a waste because they are thinking of what is being given, that the value of the perfume could be leveraged for a more practical or lasting work. They think about the gift that is being spent but not about the person who is spending it, or the person it is being spent on.
Jesus sees it differently. He says, “She has done a beautiful thing to me.” Jesus considers the end result: A lavish offering from a woman who could think of no better way of spending the expensive perfume than to anoint the head of the one she worships. A beautiful thing done unto the Lord is not a waste.
Giving is an act of worship in this way. No matter the expense, the effort, the time, or the sacrifice; a gift to the Lord is a beautiful act of worship.
Consider the exuberant colors that God placed in a sunset, or the elaborate, intricate detail He placed in a dragonfly. We would never think of God’s handiwork as a waste. He gave us more beauty than we need, more than we can take in. A gift of love is a beautiful thing. When we worship we give a gift in return. We do a beautiful thing to the Lord.
CHALLENGE
Take a look at your plans for today. Who do you plan to spend time with? What will you spend money on? What tasks are you planning to complete?
Choose one of these things and treat it as your offering, as a beautiful thing done to the Lord.
THURSDAY: THE LEAST OF THESE
KEY PASSAGE
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
DEVOTIONAL
The key passage for today is an excerpt from one of Jesus’ parables. This parable follows an intense warning from Jesus about the religious leaders, who were so obsessed with being seen that they forgot to see as God sees.
Notice the repeated question asked to the King: “Lord, when did we see you… ?”
The righteous (the religious leaders) ignored this foundational truth: all people are made in the image of God. Which means God places infinite value on each individual life. Valuing one another is valuing God. Serving one another is serving God. Inviting one another is inviting God. Loving one another is loving God… My point is this: seeing one another is seeing God.
So the question becomes: who do you see?
A loved one. An avoidable coworker. A precious child. A struggling widow. A wealthy businessman. An annoying neighbor. A successful leader. A lowly, needy stranger…
Train your eyes to see a remarkably valuable life, worthy of your love, attention and resources.
CHALLENGE
Take a moment to reflect on who you see. They may not be literally around you, so pay attention to whoever comes to mind. Once you see a few faces or names, take note of the needs of the people you see.
Then, ask God who He sees. Take note of the needs of the people He brings to mind.
Choose one person with a need. Meet that need as you go about your day.
FRIDAY: SACRIFICE
KEY PASSAGE
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
DEVOTIONAL
John 3:16 is probably the most familiar, most often quoted, most read, most recited verse in the Bible. This verse simply states the miraculous redemption God brings to the world through Jesus. There are a few things to remember when we consider this verse:
First, remember this is Jesus speaking. These are red letters in your Bible. He is having a conversation with a Pharisee named Nicodemus who is curious about Jesus and what he means by being born again. This is how Jesus explains the gospel.
Second, remember that God loves the world. This was a radical statement at the time, especially from a Jewish perspective. Nicodemus would believe that God loves Israel, but would have never heard that God’s love extended to the entire world. This was an eye-opening moment for Nicodemus, and it should be for us as well. God so loved the world—our world.
Third, remember that God gave. He gave freely, out of His love for you. His gift was given not only to you but to the entire world. His gift is the greatest gift that He could give: Himself. Jesus, the greatest sacrifice.
Think of what you would sacrifice for your greatest love. Would you give the most you have for who you love the most? Of course you would. What are you willing to sacrifice for Jesus?
In Matthew 16:25, Jesus says “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”
Sacrifice is giving something, for something. Jesus gave His life for us, we can give our lives for Him. In doing this, Jesus says, we will find life. We “shall not perish but have eternal life.”
CHALLENGE
Over these 3 weeks you have been challenged to consider your priorities and to ask yourself who is lord of your life. With a deeper understanding of where you are, consider God’s great love for you and the sacrifice that was made for you. Jesus on the cross. His suffering and pain. His death and resurrection. Consider all that God has given you. All that He has done for you. Consider what you are willing to give. God doesn’t want any less than everything.
Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Take a moment to remember Jesus’ sacrifice through taking communion.