Friday, July 12, 2024

Friday, July 12, 2024
Matthew 6:3-4
But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that you giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Shhh. God wants you to give quietly. So quietly, in fact, when you give, He wants you to do it so that no one else knows what you’re doing…except Him! And when He sees you doing it, He will reward you for your willingness to give and to keep your gift a secret. It’s really the only secret worth keeping.

Thursday, July 11, 2024

Thursday, July 11, 2024
Luke 6:38
Give and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.

There’s a story about a college professor trying to teach students about the importance of generosity. To do it, he filled a jar with golf balls, small pebbles, sand, and finally he filled it with water. The jar was so full by the end, it was overflowing. And that is what it looks like in God’s kingdom when you give to others. He gives so much back to you that your jar ends up being full to overflowing. Being generous to others never returns back void.

Wednesday, July 10, 2024

Wednesday, July 10, 2024
Proverbs 21:26
Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give.

Everybody gives according to their faith. And since we all grow from faith to faith, from glory to glory, it will always be changing. Like when Jesus saw the widow at the synagogue, He said she gave the most, when monetarily, she gave the least. At that stage in her life, she had faith that God would provide everything she needed and that He didn’t need money to do it. The point: when you give, your faith grows.

Tuesday, July 9, 2024

Tuesday, July 9, 2024
1 Corinthians 13:3
If I give away all I have and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Giving can be grandiose with a lot of pomp and circumstance, or it can be hidden and seemingly insignificant. Only God knows which one was done with love. But no matter how grand or impressive those gifts may be, they’re meaningless if genuine love and compassion aren’t behind them. Do things with love today. It matters.

Monday, July 8, 2024

Monday, July 8, 2024
2 Corinthians 9:7
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Sometimes when we give our time, treasure and talents to others, it can be like checking off a list of to-dos. Serve at church-check. Give to the offering-check. But God encourages you to give each of those things with an attitude of cheerfulness. God’s not so concerned with the amount you give as He is with the condition of your heart when you give. So before you pull out your wallet, make sure you put on a real smile.

Friday, July 5, 2024

Friday, July 5, 2024
Acts 13:38-39
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin.

There was a movie in the 80s about a man who felt so much regret for all the bad things he did, he ended up carrying around a heavy bag in order to punish himself. Finally, one day, his enemy came up to him with a knife and, instead of killing him for all the bad things he did, he cut the cord to that heavy bag and set him free. And that is what Jesus has done for you. Even when you were His enemy, His desire was still to give you freedom from that heavy burden. Now, you can live free. Free from sin, death and punishment.