Good Morning…
How are you coming along with your regret? I’m working on mine, confessing the areas I’ve totally failed and am receiving forgiveness and moving on. Thank you Lord for loving me!
Here is another thing you won’t regret: being generous. Roy Lessin put it this way: “Denying yourself a personal want to give to another’s need.”
Have you ever given up something you wanted so that you could provide for another that had a real need, not just a want?
I know of several people who were willing to provide a scholarship to camp for children and young people who had a need. They would never have been able to afford the camp without the loving donations of those who were willing to give up some of their hard earned money so they could attend.
Others give so that Bibles and tracts can be given out. You can probably list over area’s where you’ve seen people who give generously but do they give out of their poverty?
In the book of II Corinthians 8:1-5 we read: “Brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will.”
The Macedonian churches were not filled with rich people, they were filled with people who first gave themselves to the Lord and then to doing God’s will. They were willing to deny themselves to give to others and we see the result was joy! We too can have joy in our lives by giving ourselves to the Lord and then being willing to give to the needs of others.
II Corinthians 8:9 goes on to say: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” The Lord Jesus was willing to leave heaven and all the riches it provided in order to come to earth and give His life, to become poor, so that we could be rich…in salvation and in spiritual blessings. He is our perfect example of giving to the needs of others…and we are the ones He gave His life for!
Look around you and see if there maybe a need today that you can fill….and then enjoy the joy!
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1 comment:
Hi Linda,
The truth of the matter is, that the hearts of most people, greatly wax cold. It's true that it would be easier to give out of the abundance of one's treasures or gain, but more than likely it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man enter the Kingdom.
There's more to giving than just from one's accumulated materialism. There's tending to the weightier matters--visiting the dying in the hospital, lifting up the sleeves to do menial household tasks for someone who is heavily burdened, run some errands or cook a meal for someone who is drained both physically and mentally.
I know someone who lost almost everything to the greed of others at the point of becoming homeless, almost lost her sick child at the hands of those who think they are gods/healers, and almost lost or was losing her marriage--all around the same time. Indeed it was a very trying period in her life and she never asked for any financial support or anything, yet when she hesitantly reached out to her two closest "Christian" friends who knew of her plight, if they would help with a fundraiser for their "dear" friend, they both responded in kind with…well, let me pray about it and talk with my husband. She was even asked if she had at all inquired about getting government help.
And yet, out of the very little she did have, she didn't think twice to give it to someone else who was in a very real need also. And the Father who is merciful and gracious and abounding in lovingkindness, saw to it that she would be recompensed a hundred fold--literally--and then some. How awesome is that!! What a great Elohim we have.
Blessings
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