Important Reminder - Over-Commitment

"Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."

Matthew 5:16 The Message

Hebrews 4:12 tells us, "For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires." And as I read again the verse in Matthew 5, I am cut with these words - "Be generous with your lives..."

I know after working all week long and keeping up with all the other commitments, it's hard to find time to be generous with our lives!! And yet, we are called to do just that.

I think we have to ask ourselves some hard questions and be truthful with the answers.

You know, we work and we have family and church commitments, and extra-curricular schedules (lessons, sports practices, etc) - we are so busy!! I know some of the people I care about have schedules that are so over-committed that it's exhausting just hearing about them. They're not bad things; there are just too many of them.

Are we over-committed? Are those over-commitments now resulting in less sleep because we lie awake thinking about what we couldn't get done today, and so we'll get up earlier tomorrow to try to get them done? Is it a control thing - we don't want to ask for help? How much stress are we adding to our loved ones when we're in "Hurry up, we have to get to (wherever it is we must be)" mode? Have we taken time to pray about what we should perhaps let go of? Wait - do we even have time to pray about that?

God is interested in relationships. His Word says they'll know we are Christians by our love. We can't show them His love if we're rushing past them to get to the next thing. Today's promise tells it like it is - "By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."

How do we do that? "Keep open house; be generous with your lives..."

Prayer:

Father,
           Forgive us for being caught up in the cares of this world. Show us how to prioritize what's important and modify our schedules accordingly. Give us the wisdom and the grace to know when and how to say no to those things that stop us from being generous with our lives. We want to live in such a way that others will open up with You. Help us, O God! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Advent Day 23 - A Reason to Be Generous This Christmas

This year's Advent devotionals are from A Celebration of Advent:
A 25-Day Devotional by New Spring Church of Anderson, SC
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“He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come”
Isaiah 61:2

Jesus came “to proclaim good news to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives.” When Jesus returned to heaven, that work became ours to continue. We give our money and our time because we’re followers of Jesus. No matter our circumstances, we are blessed. Jesus blesses us so that we can bless others.

Favor is simply another way of describing God’s approval and delight. We receive God’s favor, not because of anything we’ve done, but because Jesus died for our sins and made us children of God. Because God established an eternal covenant with us through Jesus, the time of the Lord’s favor is now!

We may not have as much as someone else, but we have what we need to continue Jesus’ mission until He returns. Look for opportunities in the community to serve others. As we do, people start to see there’s something special about God’s people, and His goodness becomes known among the nations.

Reflect: Read Isaiah 61:1-9, Luke 4:18-21

What’s one way you can be generous to those in need?
What’s one way you can encourage someone who’s struggling this Christmas?
Is there anything that’s been lost that God might want to work through you to restore?
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Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for the anointing You placed on Your Son to preach good tidings to the poor; to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. Thank You that Christ came to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of Your vengeance. Thank You that Jesus is anointed to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. And He has anointed us as His followers to fulfill this Good News of His salvation until His return. Give us faithful hearts and Your strength to do Your will, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

A Generous Spirit

As the Scriptures say, 

 “They share freely and give generously to the poor.
Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”
For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.
Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.
2nd Corinthians 9:9-11 NLT

People get nervous when you talk about Christianity. They fidget when you start talking about money. But if you want to really see them squirm, talk about money and Jesus in the same breath! However, truth is Truth. Now, before you get upset, I'm not talking about prospering for the sake of prosperity, so don't leave me yet.

Scripture tells us to share freely and give generously to the poor. If we do, according to the Word of God, He will both provide and increase our resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in us. The increased resources are NOT for us to keep, but to give away to others. It's not about making us rich. It's about a harvest of generosity. It's about reaping a generous spirit. It's about giving to others so that it opens the gate for them to come into the presence of God because they're giving thanks for what they have received.

Our text for today is the basis for the Law of Reciprocity. BIG buzzword in recent years. However, I'm not talking about transactional reciprocity - value given for value received. Author Wayne Baker has this to say about the power of reciprocity, "The lesson is that we cannot pursue the power of reciprocity. When we try to invoke reciprocity directly, we lose sight of the reason for it: helping others. Paradoxically, it is in helping others without expecting reciprocity in return that we invoke the power of reciprocity. The deliberate pursuit of reciprocity fails..." Mr. Baker paraphrased what the Scripture has to say and got himself another best seller.

What is our motivation behind giving? Is it obligational reciprocity? Yuck... Is it transactional reciprocity – value given for value received? Or is it - according to His Word - from a great harvest of generosity? If we continue in today's text, verse 13 reads, As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. Oh, please let it be that we are found obedient to the Good News of Christ!

Prayer:

Father,
             You love a cheerful giver, and You set the ultimate example of giving by giving us Your Son, Jesus. Provide and increase our resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in us, Lord, according to Your Word. Enrich us in every way so that we may always be generous. Help us especially to be generous with Your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Generous to meet the needs of those around us so they will seek You out and thank You and give You glory. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Friends' Favorites - What Will We Give?

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.
Luke 6:38 NKJV

God is big about giving. As with everything, He set the example. He doesn't say, "I'm snatching your money from you." "I'm taking your tithes." He says, "Bring it..." and then promises to pour out more blessings than we can hold in return. (NEWS FLASH! Blessing does not necessarily mean money! It's a blessing when you stay healthy while coworkers around you are coughing and hacking. It's a blessing when you find the perfect gift and it's on sale. It's also a blessing when your old car just keeps going.)

Whether it's your money, your goods, your time, or your talent - it's not how much you give, it's the attitude in which you give it. Have you ever heard someone say, "How much to make you go away?"  That is not a generous or grateful heart.

Grateful hearts tend to be generous. They understand what it is to have a need and have it met. Philippians 4:6b reads, Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. It doesn't say, "Tell God to go get it and wait until AFTER you get it to give thanks" although many times that's the attitude we see. People who say, I prayed and I didn't get it, and then they want to stop praying. It's like a spoiled brat who throws a tantrum when he doesn't get what he wants.

God knows the difference between want and need, good and bad, right and wrong, and because He IS love and loves US, He will not trade our needs for our wants or give us bad for our good, wrong for the right.

Scripture tells us that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of lights. Good and perfect gifts. Given to us from God. Our example. What will we give? What measure will we use? Our best? Or whatever it takes to make Him or others go away?

Prayer:

Father,
         Let us give good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over - with a cheerful disposition - and all for Your glory, not ours. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Friends' Favorites - Open House

Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16 The Message

Hebrews 4:12 tells us, For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. And as I read again the verse in Matthew 5, I am cut with these words - Be generous with your lives... 

I know after working all week long and keeping up with all the other commitments, it's hard to find time to be generous with our lives!! And yet, we are called to do just that. 

I think we have to ask ourselves some hard questions and be truthful with the answers. 

You know, we work and we have family and church commitments, and extra-curricular schedules (lessons, sports practices, etc) - we are so busy!! I know some of the people I care about have schedules that are so over-committed that it's exhausting just hearing about them. They're not bad things; there are just too many of them.

Are we over-committed? Are those over-commitments now resulting in less sleep because we lie awake thinking about what we couldn't get done today, and so we'll get up earlier tomorrow to try to get them done? Is it a control thing - we don't want to ask for help? How much stress are we adding to our loved ones when we're in "Hurry up, we have to get to (wherever it is we must be)" mode? Have we taken time to pray about what we should perhaps let go of? Wait - do we even have time to pray about that?

God is interested in relationships. His Word says they'll know we are Christians by our love. We can't show them His love if we're rushing past them to get to the next thing. Today's promise tells it like it is - By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

How do we do that? Keep open house; be generous with your lives...

Prayer:

Father,
           Forgive us for being caught up in the cares of this world. Show us how to prioritize what's important and modify our schedules accordingly. Give us the wisdom and the grace to know when and how to say no to those things that stop us from being generous with our lives. We want to live in such a way that others will open up with You. Help us, O God! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Friends' Favorite - Going to Seed

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.

Galatians 6:7 NLT

As I stood in my backyard, I realized it's time to get the seed planted. Whatever made it through last year's winter, did not make it through this year's. I have lots of seed and a good variety of them. I have the potential for buckets of flowers and vegetables. I have lots of starter containers. What I need is good soil and lots of light to get them started. Without good soil and light, it won't matter how much seed I have - there will not be a harvest to share.

2nd Corinthians 9:10-11a in the NIV, reads, Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion... 

God supplies our seed AND gives the increase to enlarge the harvest of our righteousness so that we can be generous... Have we prepared the soil of our hearts? Have we availed ourselves of the light of His Word? Have we watered from the River of Life? Are we generous with what God has given us?

It's time to seed. Are we ready?

Prayer:

Father,

        Help us to dig up the fallowed ground of our lives to prepare for the righteousness You want to cultivate and harvest in us so that we can be generous to others. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen