JANUARY 19

OUR PERSONAL PROMISES

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Ephesians 3:16

“that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,”

Deuteronomy 8:18

“And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”

Ephesians 1:3

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,”

2Peter 1:3

“And His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.”

Psalm 68:19

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits”  (who daily bears our burdens—NASB)

1 Thessalonians 5:24

“Faithful is He who called you, and He also will do it.”

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This month we’re reading  the new devotional   “Becoming New”,  written by  Warren W. Wiersbe and compiled by his grandson.  Pastor Wiersbe was the President of Moody Bible Institute before the current President, Erwin Lutzer.  

GENEROSITY PLEASES GOD

Read Psalm 112:2 and 2Corinthians 8:9-25

As I drove past a church sanctuary, the words on the outdoor sign caught my eye:  “Christians are forgiven, forgiving, and FOR GIVING.” That sentence says more than some sermons I have preached, but it deals with a topic that has never been popular.  From cover to cover, the Bible deals with the subject of giving and repeatedly encourages generosity.

This is obviously true because OUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS GENEROUS. If we received an annual bill from the Lord for all the sunshine and rain, beauty and food, strength and health He provides, we would not be able to pay it.  He built into His creation all that we need, from birth to death, and gave us the ability to enjoy it.  (1Timothy 6:17).  He gives us the people we need in our lives, such as doctors and nurses, grocers, mechanics, and teachers, and the income we need to pay our bills (Deut. 8:12-18).  How we ought to thank Him, for “He gives His sunlight to both the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.”  (Matthew 5:45).

But even more, He gave His beloved Son to die for our sins, and He forgives us and makes us His children when we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  His invitation is not “Do” or “Pay” or “Try” but simply, “COME!”.  He has “blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. (Ephesians 1:3).  The Lord has given us His Word, and it is our light, our nourishment, our sword, and our greatest treasure.  He has given us the Holy Spirit, a privilege of prayer, the fellowship of the church, and the hope of heaven.

Christians don’t just celebrate the generosity of God but remember OTHERS HAVE BEEN GENEROUS TO US.  When Paul received the gifts sent from the believers in Philippi, he saw them as “a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God.” (Philippians 4:18).  How I thank God for family and friends who have encouraged and helped me in my life and ministry.  When I was a young pastor older pastor friends shared their valuable time with me and counseled me about the best books to read and the best ways to work with people in the church, and they enriched me.  Pauls’ admonition to the church in Corinth was to give to others out of their plenty in this high season and receive from others in low seasons.  This is part of fellowship in the body of Christ!

How do we show we are grateful for God’s generosity?  WE GENEROUSLY GIVE BACK TO GOD AND TO OTHERS. “and this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19).  That promise was not given to every Christian:  it was given to those who, like the Philippians believers, give generously to the Lord.  This doesn’t mean we are paying God to bless us.  It means we are proving to God by our giving that He can trust us with His blessings.  Those who have the grace to give also have the grace to receive and to use every gift to the glory of God.

In Psalm 112, those who fear the Lord” (verse 1) “are generous” (verse 4) and “give generously to those in need.” (verse 9).

God owns everything He generously gives to us so that we can be generous to others.  Jesus is our example:  For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though He was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor that you, through His poverty, might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9).

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