June 6
2 Samuel 20-21
Psalm 69:5-12
Proverbs 15:10-12
Acts 4:23-37
Generosity
“Now the large group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one said that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held everything in common……For there was not a needy person among them, because all those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostle’s feet. This was then distributed for each person’s basic needs.” Acts 4:32, 34-25
These verses are very convicting. I’m not suggesting that we all need to sell everything we have and give it to the church, but rather that our attitude should be the same as these believers in the early church. They did not think that their possessions were their own. They believed that everything they owned belonged to God and so they were willing to give it all back to Him. God did not require them to give up all of their possessions. They did it out of love and gratitude. Likewise, God does not require us to give up everything we own, but out of love and gratitude for all He has done for us, we should have a spirit of generosity. Under the law, the Jews were required to give a tenth of all they had to God. We are under a New Covenant and we are not bound by the law. The New Testament does not specify a percentage of income Christians should give, but there are numerous verses about the importance and benefits of giving. Sometimes that means giving more than 10 percent and sometimes it may mean less. It depends on the needs in the body of Christ and the ability of the believer. We should all diligently pray and ask God for wisdom about how much we need to give on a regular basis and ask Him to show us specific needs that He would like for us to meet.
“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7 Giving is an act of worship from a grateful heart. When we are in close fellowship with God on a daily basis, He is able to make us aware of the needs of others and lay it on our heart to give to meet those needs. We should also give generously to our local church to help finance its ministries. Giving is an expression of our faith. When we trust God, we can give generously with confidence that God will take care of all of our needs. We should be wise and prudent in managing our money, but we don’t have to fear that our Heavenly Father will leave our needs unmet. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21 If we value the things of God more than we value our earthly possessions, God will take care of us. “Give and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38
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