MONDAY: GOD IS A GIVER
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. John 3:16
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:11
DEVOTIONAL
“For God so loved… He gave.” From the beginning of time God knew who He would give. It was not from a place of bitterness or resentment, but purely from love. He chose to give His son to us so that we could be reunited with Him for all of eternity.
This action by God is incredible, because He gives before ever asking us to give anything. He made the biggest sacrifice for His creation knowing there was nothing we could ever give Him that could equal the gift of His Son.
When we follow the example that was set by our Father, we realize that what we have in our possession is not for us to hold tightly. Instead it is to be given freely, just as our Father in heaven gave.
Our God is a good Father, He never gives us things that are harmful. Just like it says in Matthew 7:11, our Father gives good gifts. And in many ways the gifts that we receive are things that many times, money could never buy.
CHALLENGE
Take a moment and reflect on your life. What are some good gifts that you have received from God? Write a thank you note to God, listing the gifts that come to mind.
TUESDAY: TREASURE + HEART
KEY PASSAGE
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21
DEVOTIONAL
I love watching movies or shows of people looking for treasure, whether that be pirates navigating the ocean in search of gold or kids from the Outer Banks tracking down an old fortune that was left in a sunken ship.
The appeal of treasure is that finding it can change your life. This is the beauty of Matthew 6:21, that when we find our treasure in the Lord our lives can be changed.
Many times people go on treasure hunts and forfeit their entire lives looking for treasure in their title, bank account, online status, or how well their children turn out. The sad truth is that when people seek treasure in these things, the search always ends at a dead end.
Jesus makes it abundantly clear that our heart influences the decisions we make and paths we take. If my treasure is in worldly things, then my heart will be there; if my heart is in heavenly things then my heart will be there. When we follow Jesus with our whole heart Jesus becomes our treasure. This practice transforms us as Christ followers.
When our treasure becomes Jesus, our pursuit will be Jesus.
May our treasure hunts no longer end in disappointment and identity crises, but in the knowledge of who Jesus is and who He wants us to become.
CHALLENGE
Jesus asks a simple question: What do you treasure? If it is not Jesus, we have a priority problem.
Today, take an “Attention Audit” and ask yourself what occupies your mind for the majority of your day. Write down what comes to mind. Have any of these things become a priority over Jesus in your life? Tell God about these things.
WEDNESDAY: MISSION + COMPASSION
KEY PASSAGE
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Matthew 9:36
DEVOTIONAL
Emmanuel Church’s mission statement and Jesus’ great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) have a lot in common. Jesus told us to “go and make disciples of all nations;” and at Emmanuel we strive “to engage everyone everywhere, through connection with Christ and community.”
Jesus’ commission was one filled with compassion, and when Jesus was filled with compassion he gave of Himself.
When we give we see the heart and hand of God move. Jesus spent His life giving because He was moved by compassion. When His heart was moved, He moved. This does not mean that Jesus gave without sacrifice. There were many times Jesus gave, when by the world's standards, He had nothing to give. His dependence on His Father was the ultimate catalyst for the things He was able to do.
Living on mission keeps your attention focused on what is most important. For Jesus, his mission was people. For the people of Emmanuel our mission is to engage everyone everywhere. And everything that does not fall under that category, no longer becomes a priority.
CHALLENGE
If you do not have a mission statement for yourself or your family, take time to prayerfully craft one. Jesus’ mission was people, everything else that did not involve people became second priority. May our mission statement mirror Jesus’ life in some way.
THURSDAY: TRUST
KEY PASSAGE
“Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?” Luke 12:24-26
DEVOTIONAL
Developing a generous heart requires the development of trust. This is why living generously in a moment can be so difficult. When we don’t trust that we have what we need, we don’t see a way to give at all. Maybe you find yourself thinking things like, “Once I make this much, then I can give”, “Once we pay that off, then we can give”, or “Once I have saved this much, then I’ll feel comfortable giving”. These thoughts are a reflection of what we trust. We wrestle with giving because we wonder if our needs will be met after we give, or we think they are already not being met so we believe we are not in a proper position to give.
When we worry about such things, Jesus reminds us to consider the birds of the air. He tells us, “God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!” We exercise trust every single day in so many different ways, big and small. Many of us trust our cars to get us where we need to go, or we trust our pay check to hit our account on a certain day! We trust our chair to not collapse when we sit down, and we trust that the Chick-Fil-A drive through will move quick enough for a pit stop on the way to work! We constantly practice trust, but we often forget to trust God with providing for our needs. He assures us that we can trust Him because he values us. He provides every day for the birds, who he values as well, but not as much as you and me. When we begin to trust Him, we see we don’t need to hold so tightly to things, because we are taken care of by our Heavenly Father every day.
CHALLENGE
We all have things we need to trust God with. For some it’s family, for others health, and for many it’s our bank accounts. Take a few moments today to sit down in the presence of God with pen and paper. Take inventory of things you struggle to trust Him with. Pause and express that to Him verbally. Then ask for help. Ask God to show you why you lack trust in these areas, and to help you see more clearly how He has always taken care of you.
FRIDAY: BLESSED TO GIVE
KEY PASSAGE
“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35
DEVOTIONAL
As a follower of Jesus, giving to someone in need ought to satisfy our souls. Most people love receiving something, like a gift, especially when it is thoughtful and intentional. There is nothing wrong with that! Jesus, though, desires that we develop a true sense of joy and fulfillment in giving to others. Yes, we are joyful to receive something we want or need, but there is a deeper and greater sense of joy to be found in meeting the needs or desires of another.
Think of a time when you gave someone the perfect gift, or provided for someone in desperate need. How did they respond to what you did for them? Wouldn’t you do that a thousand times over for others if you were able to? I love how this verse recalls Jesus' words “It is more blessed to give than to receive” when considering the needs of the weak. Giving may not be convenient, but it is life changing. Not only does it change the recipient’s life, maybe even drastically, but it changes the givers life drastically too. Giving shifts our focus off of ourselves and chooses to do something about someone else. This is the greater blessing!
CHALLENGE
What can you give today? The possibilities are endless– a smile in the aisle at the store today, encouragement to the cashier, provision for a tangible need for someone in your family or circle of influence. You could be the one God desires to use to give light and life to someone else today. What is on your heart to give? Choose to give today.