The Grace of Giving

The Grace of Giving

2 Corinthians 8:1-7

Today we live under a new covenant established by God through the shed blood of His Son (Heb. 9:15). Based on what Christ did, Romans 12:1 tells us to present ourselves as “a living and holy sacrifice, [which is] acceptable” to the Lord. If you are a child of God, all of your abilities, time, and money belong to Him.

The principle of sacrificial living can be seen in the early church. Those new believers eagerly sold their possessions and property to meet needs around them (Acts 2:45). God blessed them for their generosity—they experienced glad hearts, favor with others, and growing numbers.

Macedonian churches also understood the priority of giving. Even though the believers there were extremely poor, they begged for the opportunity to help financially. Second Corinthians 8:7 says they excelled at the “grace of giving” (NIV).

Under Old Testament law, God required a tithe (a tenth of one’s crops and animals) to support the temple (Lev. 27:30-32). When the nation drifted away from this practice, the Lord sent Malachi to warn them of the consequences for disobeying. By holding onto their tithe, they were robbing God of what was rightfully His (Mal. 3:8). We certainly don’t want to be guilty of withholding the Lord’s money from Him.

Having appointed us as His stewards and entrusted us with resources, God expects us to give generously. When the impoverished widow put two coins into the temple treasury, Jesus praised her sacrificial giving (Mark 12:41-44). If we trust God with our finances as the widow did, we will excel at the grace of giving.

Financial Wisdom: How to Spend

Financial Wisdom: How to Spend

Philippians 4:11-19

God entrusts each believer with a share of His resources. And like any wise overseer, He gives His stewards guidelines for how best to use His wealth:

• The Essential Expense. A believer's wisest money management decision is to set aside the first portion of income for the church. As we promote and provide for God's work in this way, He protects what is left (Deut. 26:2; Mal. 3:10-11).

• The Next Priority. God promised to supply for our needs (Phil. 4:19). We get necessities like food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and schooling mainly by paying for them with what He provides.

• Pursuit of Godly Goals. Next, we're to use money to meet the Lord's goals for us and our family. He may lead us to invest in education, start a business, or purchase a particular item—whatever it may be, instead of "floating" through life, believers should seek and pursue God's will.

• A High Calling. Giving to the needy is an investment in God's kingdom. While we should not promote laziness, a gracious act to a poor man "lends to the Lord and He will repay . . ." (Prov. 19:17).

• Uses for What's Left. Last on the list is fulfillment of desires. Believers who delight in the Lord also obey Him. He then blesses them with good things that fit His will for their lives (Ps. 37:4).

Good stewards manage the Father's resources by asking Him, "What is Your will for the wealth that You have given me?" You'll be amazed at how fulfilling it is to live according to biblical principles. Even a little money seems like more than enough when you spend it as the Lord intends.

Gluttony Leads To Greed

Proverbs 23:1-5 – Gluttony Leads To Greed

When you sit down to eat with a ruler, observe carefully what is before you, and put a knife to your throat if you are given to appetite. Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food. Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven. (Proverbs 23:1-5 ESV) In Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he instructed the “love of money is a root of all kinds of evils,” and it is “through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith” (I Timothy 6:10). Interestingly, he calls the “love of money” a “craving”, if this is the case, we need to be vigilant, lest we begin to go the way of greed. Proverbs 21:1-5 assists us in this by beginning with a person sitting at the king’s table. It then tells those of us who are often controlled by our appetite to put a knife to our throats. This is because gluttony leads to greed. We start eating and acquiring more: more money, more clothes, more cars, and gradually what we have is insufficient in satisfying our greed. As Christians we are called to lay up our treasure in heaven and not here on the Earth (Matthew 6:20). We each have things in our life we want just a little bit more of because we want more comfort, entertainment, status, or even security.  We think we will in turn have stability and then need less and give more to God.  This is not the case though.  Examine those things according to Scripture and be certain you aren’t traveling the path of greed. For if we do, we will find our things “gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.” What can you begin to live with less of today?

http://shortdailydevotions.mailerlite.com/b1o9o2/371399682/x0l6/2659138983
http://shortdailydevotions.com/devotions/proverbs-2315-gluttony-leads-greed

YOU ARE GOD'S MASTERPIECE

"We are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."

-Ephesians 2:10 NLT

The reason you have value is because of what God says about you, not because of what other people say about you.

Many people lack self-esteem. They don't feel good about themselves because they're always trying to pump themselves up by the kind of clothes they wear, the kind of car they drive, and the things they say. They're always trying to pump themselves up to make them feel better about themselves because they really don't accept themselves - which is rebellion against God.

If God wanted you to be somebody else, you wouldn't exist. But he wanted you! He made you to be you. Real self-esteem comes from three facts:

God created you.

Jesus died for you.

God's Spirit lives in you.

The Bible says, "We are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago" (Ephesians 2:10 NLT). The New Testament was written originally in Greek. The Greek word for "masterpiece" is "poema." It's the word we get "poem" from. God says, "You're my poem. You're my masterpiece. I don't want you copying somebody else. I've put gifts in you - heart, abilities, personality, and experiences - and I want you to use them." You have worth because of what God says about you and has done for you.



You're not just wanted; you're needed! The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, "There are different spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit gives them. There are different ways of serving, and yet the same Lord is served. There are different types of work to do, but the same God produces every gift in every person" (GW).


You are needed. You're needed in your church. You are needed in your community. You are needed in this world. If you weren't needed, God would not have made you. He didn't create you to just sit and soak and sour. He brought you here to make a contribution with your life. And everybody is needed.There are no little people in the family of God. Every part is necessary. Do you know what the most important light is in my house? It's not the big chandelier in the dining room. It's the little dinky light I turn on every night so that when I get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, I don't stub my toe.



Every role is important. You are important. You have value because God said so and because he paid such a large ransom for your life when he sent his Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for you.














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How To Be Still

Daily Devotional Bible Verse


Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. (Psalm 46:10 ESV)

Two of the most difficult words to hear as a child are “be still.” Everything in us wants to stay in motion physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually. These two words can be equally challenging for us as adults- especially in the midst of the seemingly immediate and urgent details of life. These words, “be still,” literally mean to let drop, to release, to relax. You might even be thinking, “How do I do that?”. Even when we put time aside to read our Bible in the morning/evening, we rush through it and check off that activity for the day.

-When is the last time you released the pressing issues in your life to God?

-When is the last time you relaxed in the presence of God?

-When is the last time you were quiet enough to hear the whisper of God?

-What would it happen if you had one hour to “be still?”

-What about 30 minutes?

-What about 5 minutes?

You may be thinking, I don’t even know how to be still for 5 minutes. That’s exactly why you need to do it.

Here’s the simple challenge for today: take the next 5 minutes…
to let the immediate and urgent drop.
to release and relax.
to be still and to be quiet.
to focus on the greatness of God.
Be still and know that I am God.




http://shortdailydevotions.com/devotions/psalm-4610-how-to-be-still

Your Steadfast Love

Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. 

-Psalm 36:5

Young people talk a lot about love. Most of their songs are about love. . . . "The supreme happiness of life," Victor Hugo said long ago, "is the conviction that we are loved." "Love is the first requirement for mental health," declared Sigmund Freud. The Bible teaches that "God is love" and that God loves you. To realize that is of paramount importance. Nothing else matters so much. And loving you, God has a wonderful plan for your life. Who else could plan and guide your life so well?

iBibleverses

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My help comes from The Lord

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved, he who keeps you will not slumber.

-Psalm 121:1-3

Do you need help? I do. Where do you look for help?

When the Psalmist lifted up his eyes to the hills and asked, "From where does my help come?" he answered, "My help comes from the Lord" - not from the hills, but from the God who made the hills.

So he reminded himself of two great truths: one is that God is a mighty Creator over all the problems of life; the other is that God never sleeps.

God is a tireless worker. Think of God as a worker in your life. Yes, it is amazing. We are prone to think of ourselves as workers in God's life. But the Bible wants us first to be amazed that God is a worker in our lives: "From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides thee, who works for those who wait for him" (Isaiah 64:4).

God is working for us around the clock. He does not take days off and he does not sleep. In fact he is so eager to work for us that he goes around looking for more work to do for people who will trust him: "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show his might in behalf of those whose heart is whole toward him" (2 Chronicles 16:9).

God loves to show his tireless power and wisdom and goodness by working for people who trust him. Jesus was the main way the Father showed this: "The Son of man came not to be served but to serve" (Mark 10:45). Jesus works for his followers. He serves them.

This is what we must believe - really believe - in order to "rejoice always" (Philippians 4:4) and "give thanks in everything" (Ephesians 5:20) and have the "peace that passes understanding" (Philippians 4:7), and "be anxious for nothing" (Philippians 4:6) and "hate our lives in this world" (John 12:25) and "love our neighbor as we love ourselves" (Matthew 22:39).

What a truth! What a reality! God is up all night and all day to work for those who wait for him.





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Success Blockers

Success Blockers

Hebrews 12:1-2

While everyone wants to feel like a success, many—if not most—people do not see themselves that way. You may find this surprising, but a lot of Christians don't consider themselves successful either.

One culprit is fear. We may think we lack ability or have insufficient experience to achieve a task God has given us. As a result, fear can become a dominant emotion. Instead of seeing ourselves as moving forward, we begin to visualize our failure. Might that be the case with you when you picture your future?

Another block to success is doubt. It makes us question our thinking, our God-given abilities, and even His direction. If we do not know what the Lord says in His Word, we may find it hard to understand what He is asking of us personally. Doubt can cause us to question whether or not the direction is from Him. Furthermore, past failures and guilt over prior mistakes can create doubt, just as critical comments from others can impede us. Has doubt slipped into your thinking?

Success can also be hindered by the excuses we offer for not doing what God has asked. Adam blamed Eve; Eve blamed the serpent. Moses said he was not good at public speaking. What excuses have you been offering lately?

There are ways to remove success blockers. Counter your fear with the truth of Scripture; remember you have received a spirit of power from the Lord (2 Tim. 1:7); and invest time in deepening your relationship with God so you will believe His instructions and obey.

Only By Grace

Works? Works? A man get to heaven by works? I would as soon think of climbing to the moon on a rope of sand!

George Whitefield

Success and Money

Success and Money

Luke 12:13-21

There is a prevailing deception today, one so powerful it makes people risk their families, their health, and their integrity. The deception is that success is defined by our material wealth. Many of us decide we are a failure without it. And with it, we somehow believe we are automatically successful. To uncover the truth, we need only ask ourselves, What is the Lord's view of us?

God sees that some of us have an idolatrous attitude toward riches. Life revolves around the topic of money—getting it, keeping it, having enough of it, and bemoaning our lack of it. A godly view of wealth sees money as a medium of exchange given by God so we may provide for others and meet our basic needs. Riches are not to be worshiped; only God is.

The Lord warns us about our attitude toward treasure (Matt. 6:24). The pursuit of wealth can set us adrift from Him or choke off the power of Scripture in our lives. It can even enslave us as we try to gain financial security. The Lord states that He—and not the pursuit of riches—is to be the center of our lives; our security is to be found in Him alone. We are urged to take steps to protect ourselves against the temptations that come with desiring or having treasure.

None of us are immune from the lure to pursue wealth or the temptation to define ourselves as successful when we have it. Pray that God will reveal your attitude toward money and success. Then confess any ungodliness. He can use our money for the good of His kingdom if we surrender all we have to Him.

Our Family Deserve So Much More

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

-Romans 12:10

Living creatively for Christ in the home is the acid test for any Christian man or woman. It is far easier to live an excellent life among your friends, when you are putting your best foot forward and are conscious of public opinion, than it is to live for Christ in your home. Your own family circle knows whether Christ lives in you and through you. If you are a true Christian, you will not give way at home to bad temper, impatience, fault-finding, sarcasm, unkindness, suspicion, selfishness, or laziness. Instead, you will reveal through your daily life the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, and all the other Christian virtues which round out a Christ-like personality.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Our-Family-deserve-so-much-more.html?soid=1104954099661&aid=uJLAurkeTTA

Delight to do Thy will

I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

 -Psalm 40:8

How does being born of God make the commandments of God a delight rather than a burden?

The apostle John says, "This is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith." In other words, the way that being born of God overcomes the worldly burdensomeness of God's commandments is by begetting faith. This is confirmed in verse 1, which says, literally, "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God."

Faith is the evidence that we have been born of God. We do not make ourselves born again by deciding to believe. God makes us willing to believe by causing us to be born again. As Peter said in his first letter, God "caused us to be born again to a living hope" (1 Peter 1:3). Our living hope, or faith in future grace, is the work of God through new birth.

So when John says, "Everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world," and then adds, "And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith," I take him to mean that God enables us, by the new birth, to overcome the world - that is, to overcome our worldly disinclination to keep God's commandments. The new birth does this by creating faith, which evidently includes a disposition to be pleased, rather than put off, by God's commandments.

Therefore, it is faith that overcomes our inborn hostility to God and his will, and frees us to keep his commandments, and say with the psalmist, "I delight to do your will, O my God" (Psalm 40:8).




Credits to iBibleverses

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You are Cleansed and Made Holy...

"Don't fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people-none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were once like that" (1 Cor. 6:9-11 nlt).



reference: http://ibibleverses.christianpost.com/?p=140053
                 http://biblehub.com/1_corinthians/6-11.htm

Your Hope Journal

Your Hope Journal

Deuteronomy 7:17-19

Like a deer paralyzed by the sudden appearance of headlights, we can be brought to a standstill by unexpected emotions or circumstances. We stare blindly at the unforeseen event, unable to think or move—helplessness has moved in with us. It is in those initial moments, when our mind is blank and our emotions frozen, that we are most vulnerable. Satan and his cohorts stand ready to whisper lies into our mind and distract us from the truth.

The Bible is essential in many ways, especially in its ability to point us to the truth. The Scriptures are a record of God’s relationship and work in and through the nation of Israel and the New Testament church. We are blessed as we read how He worked in people’s lives. It is important to develop a habit of Scripture reading so that when we face a crisis, our automatic response will be to turn to God’s Word.

A personal diary or journal is also invaluable. Why? Because it is a record of how the Lord has worked in our own life. If not recorded, many details would be forgotten. These details give a marvelous testimony to God’s presence in our life and His intervention on our behalf.

In the Old Testament, Israel was often instructed to remember what God had done. Writing down how He’s made Himself known to you personally will help you recall His goodness. It will also assist you in fighting the lies of the enemy, who says that you are helpless. God’s Word and your recorded testimony of His work in your life form a powerful weapon to make helplessness flee.

When You Feel Helpless

When You Feel Helpless

2 Chronicles 20:5-12

...we saw what Jehoshaphat did when he found himself in a seemingly hopeless situation. Today, let’s extract another principle from the story as we learn how to handle helplessness.

In verses 5-12, Jehoshaphat is still focused on the Lord, which should also be our first response to fear. Yet notice what he does in this prayer. He is not looking forward, stating his fears of what might happen. Instead, he is remembering the past, recounting the times in the nation’s history when God brought Israel through similar “helpless” situations.

How often has the Lord done a mighty work on your behalf when all seemed lost? He is actively involved in our lives today. Sadly, we often thank Him in the moment but then forget what He’s done for us. Later, when we are fearful again, it’s far too easy to forget how He has already proven Himself in our lives.

We all need encouragement when we feel powerless. At such times, it helps to be mindful of what the sovereign Lord has achieved throughout history and in the world today. Not only that, but it’s also extremely valuable to recall the ways our loving Father has worked in our own lives.

God knows our faith is strengthened when we take His track record into account. That’s why the Bible so often instructs us to remember what the Lord has done—and to share that information with our family members.

In thinking about His many blessings, you view God’s work from a new perspective. You’ll start to see how He’s weaving the individual threads of your life to create a beautiful tapestry—for His glory.

Handling Helplessness

Handling Helplessness

2 Chronicles 20:1-4

Have you ever felt totally helpless? Can you remember facing a situation or emergency in which you were completely powerless? It's a sobering experience for anyone. Even people who claim to be wholly dependent on God still like to feel as if they have some control over their circumstances.

Jehoshaphat faced a moment like that. In today's verses, the good king was confronted with dangerous news: Three different armies had joined forces to destroy Israel. As he listened to the report, "a great multitude" of attackers were already on their way (v. 2).

What was the king's response? Verse 3 tells us he was "afraid". That makes perfect sense—he no doubt felt utterly powerless. However, even in that moment of helplessness, he knew exactly what to do. Scripture doesn't say, "Jehoshaphat was afraid and ran away" or "Jehoshaphat was afraid but charged headlong into battle." Instead, the Bible tells us that "Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the LORD" (emphasis added).

That was the perfect response to a helpless situation. The king knew that this was neither the time to give up nor the time to take action motivated by fear. Instead, he did the only wise thing he could—he prayed. More than that, he asked others to pray. And suddenly, the whole situation changed because God had been brought into a hopeless situation.

When we feel helpless, the first word out of our mouth should be "Father". From then on, helplessness isn't an issue, because God will provide what we need.

Baptism Is Essential

Baptism does not save you, it identifies you.


Lewis Timberlake