The Tree Church Daily

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Explanation:

These verses are referred to as the Great Commission. These words are the last recorded personal instructions given by the resurrected Jesus to His disciples, and now also to us. The word commission can mean to authorize or send on a mission. You might say that you are not qualified to answer this call, but we are all called to do this. We may not be asked to go throughout the earth speaking to large crowds of people, or to a far-off place where native people may have never heard about Jesus. The task we have been given is to tell others about Jesus wherever He sends us.

How do we do this? We can't do this on our own. We can only do it through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives inside of every believer. We do this by being obedient to whatever God is calling us to do. Some have been called to teach through being a pastor or a missionary, but we can teach others about Jesus by the way we live our lives each and every day. Our lives should be so different that people will ask us why we act the way we do. Many times, this is the best way others learn about who Jesus is.

The calling we have been given is to share Jesus to others in our sphere of influence. God desires all people to be saved, and He needs each of His followers to have a part in doing that. Go and tell others about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Application:

1. Is your life reflecting Jesus? Are there steps you need to take to change any behaviors that may not be pleasing to your Savior?

2. Do you find yourself being intimidated by this commission? Remember that God uses us in different ways. Pray and ask God to show you ways you can be His light.

Devo Plus:

Here are some Scriptures to encourage you in your commission: John 20:21, Acts 1:7-8, Romans 10:15.

Prayer:

Father God, You have given us a task to do for You. Help us to take this commission seriously. Give us the confidence to tell others about You. God, You want no one to die without being in a personal relationship with Your Son, Jesus. Help us to have that desire also. Thank You for the strength that Your Holy Spirit gives to us to be Your disciples each and every day. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

Galatians 6:7-10 (ESV)

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Explanation:

We live in an area where every spring, it’s not uncommon to see fields being plowed and seeds planted into the freshly tilled soil. The farmer purposefully plants row by row, meticulously organizing his fields in a manner that will yield the best harvest in the fall. Once the seeds are planted, they must be irrigated and fertilized, taking care that no pests or weeds invade and squeeze the life out of the crops. Once it’s harvest time, the farmer isn’t shocked by the crop – his corn is in the rows it was planted in, and his beans are in their spot as well. He reaps based on what he has sown.

There’s an important concept here for all of us, farmers or not: the seeds that we sow yield a harvest. How are you preparing your harvest? Many people seek a life of “happiness” and doing what feels good in the moment. The problem with sowing seeds to harvest happiness is that there is never a certain outcome. What makes me happy today may not make me happy tomorrow, and the seeds I planted to be happy become nothing but waste.

Our seeds should be for a bigger harvest: sowing God’s word into the hearts of others, growing ourselves and others into disciples of the Word, and planting treasures in heaven. Much like the farmers experience, harvest is not immediate. We must plant the seed and then endure the growing season with patience and anticipation that God is doing something good with our crop! Don’t be deceived by those random weeds that pop up – get rid of them, for they are meant to kill our crops. Keep your eyes on Jesus, and reap a heavenly harvest!

Application:

1. Where are you planting your seeds right now? Are they in a field that satisfies your personal goals, or are they focused on God’s plan?

2. What’s in your garden that needs “weeded out” so that you can focus on harvesting for Jesus?

Devo Plus:

“It is said of an English traveler that he so loved the wildflowers that grew at the sides of the lanes and in the fields of England, that when he went abroad, he would fill his pockets with the seeds and scatter them broadcast. Almost every day we live there are opportunities for sowing the seed of God in some heart; it may be some simple word, some kindly act. Just a line in a letter we write, or a text we quote, and the seed is sown and some life is blessed.”

A. Lindsey Clegg

Prayer:

Spend some time today reflecting on what it looks like to sow and reap with a heavenly purpose. Ask God to reveal the things that need to be removed from your life that are “weeds” and interfere with His purpose for your life. Ask Him to help keep you from being distracted and deceived, and to help you to be a better disciple of His Word.

Hebrews 10:26-31

If we give up and turn our backs on all we’ve learned,

all we’ve been given,

all the truth we now know,

we repudiate Christ’s sacrifice and are left on our own to face the Judgment—and a mighty fierce judgment it will be! If the penalty for breaking the law of Moses is physical death, what do you think will happen if you turn on God’s Son, spit on the sacrifice that made you whole, and insult this most gracious Spirit?

This is no light matter. God has warned us that he’ll hold us to account and make us pay. He was quite explicit: “Vengeance is mine, and I won’t overlook a thing” and “God will judge his people.”

Nobody’s getting by with anything, believe me.

Explanation:

There is no question God is loving, merciful, forgiving, tender-hearted, kind, compassionate, and long suffering.

If GOD is for us, who can be against us?

He is protective, jealous for our love, dialed in to our needs, and aware of our situations.

He fights for us and provides for us.

He is an attentive, all-caring God.

His hand is outstretched when you stumble.

His heart is toward you when you blow it.

His grace envelopes you when you sin.

His eyes are on you when you feel lost.

His mercy finds you when you falter.

His arms enfold you when you hurt.

His power lifts you when you are weak.

God is all in…when we need his help.

God is all in…when we need grace.

He has provided everything we need for living a godly life. (2 Peter 1:3)

But… reject His Son's sacrifice for your sins, turn your back on what He has done for you or insult His Holy Spirit, and you will know the judicial side of God.

It’s not the stumbler, but the quitter who finds himself eternally damned.

The person the author of Hebrews describes is one who has professed faith in Christ, who came to the cross and outwardly identified with Christ. They professed to be in the sanctifying process, but none of it was real. They have turned their back on all of that now. One step more and they would have truly been covered by the blood and saved forever, but now they have willfully refused God’s salvation.

It is a dangerous game of spiritual roulette when we are convicted of sin, but don’t respond with any action. The deadening of our heart begins. Like the lepers of old who felt no warning of pain, and thus lost toes, feet, and hands…we stand to lose it all because God draws the line on rejecting the conviction of His Holy Spirit and devaluing Jesus’s sacrifice for our sins.

Being inside of a lie makes it hard to see out, but if we hope for eternity with God, we must break free. We must see that a seared conscience leads to deliberate sin, and deliberate sin is the damning sin, because there is no other place to go for salvation.

Application:

1. Currently, what are you repudiating (refusing to accept) from the Spirit of God?

2. The writer of Hebrews seems to see us as he spells out his dire warning of making initial responses to the Gospel, but living no follow through. What is another word for “follow through?” _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Devo Plus:

We must live with an eternal viewpoint to be healthy repenters.

I have a memory of a college teacher explaining the great white throne of judgment in Revelation 20; how no matter how big my dreams, how grand my words, how lofty my aspirations…one day I would stand before God and give an account of what I actually DID in my earthly life.

It changed everything for me. I am so grateful because it added a layer of soberness for how I respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Living with an eternal perspective gives me stability, insight, endurance, and a healthy desire for ongoing change.

Prayer:

If today’s devo has convicted you of unrepentant sin, pray:

Lord, I once walked with You, my heart tender to Your leading. Yet little by little, I exchanged Your truths for temptations and deceit that led me away from You. Instead of taking thoughts captive and confessing them immediately, I allowed them to grow totally out of control.

Disappointment and discouragement have taken their toll on me.

So today I’m confessing my desperate need for You. You have promised that if we will confess our sin, You will forgive us and make us clean again. Lord, I truly need Your forgiveness. Repentance is on my heart and lips. I want to turn around and head another direction—back to You, Lord. I need Your help. Amen.

James 1:22, 26-27 (ESV)

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Explanation:

Actions speak louder than words. It’s one of the most common idioms spoken in the English language, and expresses the idea that what a person does has more value than what they say. Our words make promises, but our actions make us accountable.

The repeating theme in the book of James is to live out one’s faith, taking physical steps of obedience. I often think of a lady who attended the same church as I did many years ago. She would sit in a front pew, dressed in her Sunday best. She listened to the sermon and sang every hymn. She smiled and waved goodbye to the congregation as she sailed out of the narthex.

Occasionally, I would see this woman around town mid-week. No smile. Gossiping in the ear of a friend. Unkind to strangers. Deceiving only herself.

Application:

1. How would a person describe you outside of church?

2. What is one action step you can take this week to further your discipleship?

3. What challenges you to be a “doer”?

Devo Plus:

Luke 6:46-48 (ESV) “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’, and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.”

Prayer:

Dear God, lead us to be doers of Your word. Give us strength and endurance to overcome our weekday temptations. May we be forgiving and compassionate, loving and unselfish. I pray our minds and hearts are pure. Surround us with Your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Isaiah 57:14-21 (NLT)

God says, “Rebuild the road!

Clear away the rocks and stones

so my people can return from captivity.”

The high and lofty one who lives in eternity,

the Holy One, says this:

“I live in the high and holy place

with those whose spirits are contrite and humble.

I restore the crushed spirit of the humble

and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.

For I will not fight against you forever;

I will not always be angry.

If I were, all people would pass away—

all the souls I have made.

I was angry,

so I punished these greedy people.

I withdrew from them,

but they kept going on their own stubborn way.

I have seen what they do,

but I will heal them anyway!

I will lead them.

I will comfort those who mourn,

bringing words of praise to their lips.

May they have abundant peace, both near and far,”

says the Lord, who heals them.

“But those who still reject me are like the restless sea,

which is never still

but continually churns up mud and dirt.

There is no peace for the wicked,”

says my God.

Explanation:

This passage is a beautifully distilled, concentrated synopsis of the heart of God toward humanity. Earlier in the chapter, God describes in great detail the depravity of His people at that time. They were continually mocking others, worshiping idols with great passion, sacrificing their children in the valleys, committing adultery, putting pagan symbols in their homes, pursuing sinful things, lying to God, and forgetting His words…essentially having no reverence or fear of God.

This is the God who is the “high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One.” He has all power and all might, needs nothing and is complete unto Himself, the Great I AM. He is so holy that He cannot excuse or live with sin. He has every right and every reason to destroy the world with the sin and immorality we have filled it with. Yet He deigns to “live…with those whose spirits are contrite and humble.”

What kind of a God is this!? He still wants to live with us...after all we have done? You see, we are not so different from the people in Isaiah’s time. We have gotten so used to being scornful and judgmental and disrespectful of others that we hardly even notice it anymore. We are so passionate about politics, sports, finances, our careers, social standing and entertainment, but find it so hard to pray, worship, or do things for God. We sacrifice investing in our children’s relationship with God to overly busy schedules and our perpetually distracted minds. We fling open the doors of our homes and invite in worldly standards of marriage and pagan priorities. We lie to ourselves and to the God we are supposedly serving with hardened, opinionated hearts that are convinced about our own rightness, and no longer open to conviction or change even when the Holy Spirit Himself tries to get through to us.

And yet He says, “I have seen what they do, but I will heal them anyway!” He “restore[s] the crushed spirit of the humble and revive[s] the courage of those with repentant hearts”! The second we turn from our wrong and set our faces toward Him once more, He runs to us with open arms. He offers us complete restoration when we reach toward having a humble heart, and fills us with courage to approach His throne again, and to try again. He LIVES with those who have contrite hearts, who recognize His correction and hold tight to the power of the blood of Jesus that washes us clean once more, and every time.

There is no vocabulary existing in the world that can adequately describe the magnificence and magnitude of His grace toward us.

Let us “Rebuild the road! Clear away the rocks and stones so my people can return from captivity” (vs. 18). Let us clear a pathway for ourselves, removing all the barriers we can find that are keeping us from Him! Let us passionately pursue this amazingly loving God once more!

Application:

1. Read the passage above again. Let the heart of God speak to yours.

2. Do you want God to live with you, to reside in you? What words does God use in the passage to describe what He needs to be able to do that fully?

3. What barriers are in your way that need to be cleared away so you can have a close relationship with God once more?

4. Do you have “abundant peace” today? Why or why not? Re-read above what God promises to us every time we turn back to Him.

Devo Plus:

Listen to “You Have My Yes” by Maryanne J. George, featuring Naomi Raine, and let it become a grateful prayer of your heart.

Prayer:

Lord God in heaven, You are the High and Lofty One, the One who resides in eternity. And yet You choose to live with us when we have humble hearts that turn to You. Give us the vision to really see what we need to change, and give us the strength and courage to continue in it. Help us to passionately pursue You once more! In the precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Isaiah 45:22-25 (NIV)

Turn to me and be saved,

all you ends of the earth;

for I am God, and there is no other.

By myself I have sworn,

my mouth has uttered in all integrity

a word that will not be revoked:

Before me every knee will bow;

by me every tongue will swear.

They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone

are deliverance and strength.’”

All who have raged against him

will come to him and be put to shame.

But all the descendants of Israel

will find deliverance in the Lord

and will make their boast in him.

Explanation:

A long time ago, I made a choice for myself to put my trust in the Lord. I made the ultimate choice to lay my life in His hands; a choice to say that no matter what this life brings, whether destruction or paradise, I will say of the Lord "He is my refuge, my fortress; My God, in whom I trust."

Come what may, I know that God is going to take care of me. I know that He is for me, and not against me. I know that because I chose Him in my heart at that moment, He recognized that decision, and now He recognizes me as His own.

Put your trust in the Lord today. He has the final say. He is the master and the maker of your being. He is the God of your salvation, and He will deliver you out of all of life's circumstances.

When we as the church make the decision to let God be the priority in our lives —and we start letting the Word of God alter who we are as people— differences in our communities can be made. People can come to know God through YOU living His word out and sharing His word with them. Let Him use YOU to effect positive change.

Become operative in the Kingdom of God. Get to know the Bible and God's precepts, because people need to know the Lord and the effect God can have on their lives. One day they will know. If they have not recognized that God is who He says He is before that day, then as it says in the above passage, “they will be put to shame.”

Let's help these people —in whose lives God has placed YOU— to find deliverance in God and to make their boast IN HIM!

Application:

1. Turn to God and be saved. It is a commandment that God Himself gave us in Isaiah 45:22.

2. If we haven't made Him a priority this week, let's start by removing all distractions, and focusing on Him right now.

3. Let's find our deliverance from life's circumstances this week. Let's give all of our worries, all of our doubts, all of our problems, and all of our anxieties to Him. Let Him give us rest and peace. Let Him save us from our circumstances this week so that we may boast in Him for our salvation.

Devo Plus:

Try to arrange to meet up with someone this week for coffee or for food. It could be a fellow Christian, a family member, or someone that God has impressed upon you to connect with. Be a friend to that person and reach out to them in love. Be a light to them this week. Point them to God, offer to pray for them or with them, or at least offer to be thinking of them if they have an upcoming interview, have experienced a recent loss, or something as simple as having had recent car troubles. Let God use you to have a positive effect on their lives.

Prayer:

God, I know that one day every tongue will confess that You are God. One day every knee shall bow. Lord I choose to say, in this moment, that I put my trust in You. I trust You for my deliverance from my circumstances. I trust You for the strength You are providing me. I trust You for the voice of reason that You have been in my life no matter what has been bothering me. Thank You for Your hand in my life. Thank You for saving me. Thank You for bringing me this far, and I'm so thankful for where You are bringing me next. Help me be a light in my community. Help me in all that I do for You. Amen.

Deuteronomy 30:15-20 (ESV)

See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

Explanation:

Today’s scripture is the leader Moses giving his final address to the Israelites before they enter the land promised to them by God. Moses preaches to the people to seek God, trust in His grace, and obey His commandments. He tells them to love the Lord by following His rules and walking in His ways. If the Israelites listen and obey what God is speaking to them through Moses, then they will receive a supernatural blessing. God will give them children, protection, and a long life in the land. However, if the people turn their hearts from God by not listening to His words, serving other gods, and worshiping idols, His blessing will be removed from their lives. God makes it very clear that there will be consequences from their decisions. God’s perfect nature cannot allow Him to bless disobedience.

The same is true for us today. If we choose to submit to God and keep His commandments, we will receive the blessings of God. This is what we should all strive for. God wants all His children to return to Him. He is telling us exactly what will happen when we disobey. The choice (our free will) is for us to decide if we will submit to Him. God will never force Himself on anyone.

I know for myself, I want the favor of God on my life, but there are times when I am just not seeking Him like I should. Life gets busy, I make excuses, and God becomes second. Fortunately, God is never far and is always pursuing me. He wants my struggles, insecurities, and anxiety. If anyone can handle the stress of this world, it’s God, who created everything. All He asks is for me to trust in His ways, act in love, and ask for forgiveness when I mess up. If you find yourself confused or even discouraged, I challenge you to talk to God and get into His presence. Allow His Holy Spirit to minister to you through worship of Him. Give God the glory in all situations.

Application:

1. Sometimes we find ourselves far from God’s path. If that’s true, then stop, turn from where you are heading, and seek Him. He is a God of forgiveness and mercy. Confess your sins and ask for forgiveness.

2. God wants to bless your life, but He will not bless disobedience. If you are struggling with a particular sin, make purposeful decisions not to place yourself in situations that can lead to sin. God promises to be with us when we ask.

3. Being in the right thought process is important when you are spending time with God; cutting out distractions is the key. What can you do to help make the most of this time?

Devo Plus:

Take a minute and listen to “Promises" by Maverick City, to focus on God and how faithful He is.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You for always loving me, even when I am not obedient to You. Help me to trust You and follow Your plans and focus on Your faithfulness. Let me see Your grace You give to me. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

Malachi 3:16 – 4:6 (ESV)

Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. “They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.

“For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.

“Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.”

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”

Explanation:

Every year for the Connect Group season, I ask God for vision that I can share with the Connect Group leaders. This year I couldn’t shake the idea that God wanted me to focus on the parable of the sower. I am not going to go too in depth with the breakdown of these passages; essentially, Jesus was addressing the human heart. One of the discoveries I made when preparing the message and shared with the group leaders was the transformational power of remembrance.

One of the repeated commands of God for His people is to remember and help each generation to remember the work of God in their lives. I say that remembrance is a transformational power because remembering God’s faithfulness and work throughout our lives has a way of grounding us and shaping our hearts. In moments of anxiety, depression, sin, shame, hopelessness, despair, rebellion, you name it, if we simply take time to pause and remember God in those moments, it can be a major turning point for us in our faith journey.

It’s no wonder God’s message to His people in Malachi, after He has corrected them and asked them to repent, is now remember. He draws them back in to focus on the commands He established through Moses, and reminds them of who He is. He is the eternal God, and He wants them to understand He is also a God who remembers. He remembers those who follow Him and those who reject Him. Our choice to follow or reject Him has eternal significance. We either get to spend eternity with God or we don’t. This message applies to us as well, and its one we must remember and focus on throughout our time here on earth.

Application:

1. How has remembering played a role in your relationship with God (remembering His promises, remembering His faithfulness, remembering His power, etc.)?

2. Why is it important for us to help others remember God, too?

3. What can you remember right now about God that will help you in the season you are in?

4. How can remembering God as the eternal God who has power over our eternal lives help you in following Him now?

Devo Plus:

Read Psalm 77:11. How is this a similar thought to what we read in our Malachi verses today?

Prayer:

God, I remember now that You are the God of eternity. I want to be a follower of You. I want to now make the decision to seek You in my life. Thank You for inviting me in to experience eternity with You.

2 Corinthians 9: 6-15 (NIV)

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written:

“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;

their righteousness endures forever.”

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, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

Explanation:

Paul wrote this letter to the church in Corinth detailing instructions and guidance on generosity and service to others. This was basically a fundraising letter for the mother church in Jerusalem, telling them to prepare for his upcoming visit.

There had been an economic downturn in Judea, specifically in Jerusalem. Most jobs at that time were related to the temple, a massive undertaking. However, the Sadducees (aristocratic priests) ran things. They denied the resurrection of the dead, so the resurrection of Christ was a problem for them. Believers were now at odds with the temple, and thousands of Christians were fired. Add a famine on top, and you have a crisis.

To address these concerns, Paul drew from Isaiah 55:10 when he wrote that God supplies the resources from which we live. Paul linked God’s indescribable gift to us, Jesus’ death on the cross, to their giving. Jesus’ death on the cross is the basis for our gifts. We have what we have because of God’s generosity and love. This reminds me of the teenager who threatens to run away, but the parent instructs the child to leave everything at home when they go because nothing truly belongs to them. There are 2,350 Biblical passages regarding money and material things. This is more than any other subject but talked about the least. People are afraid to offend anyone. The world tells us to save, invest, and indulge. God says give it away. God wants us to enjoy generosity, not do it begrudgingly. He takes this personally.

Do we spend wisely on needs, or are we duped into consumerism by skilled marketing tactics? We need to be content simply because God is with us. If we change our thinking about giving, our behaviors will change, leading to generosity, and generosity always succeeds in transforming lives. Generosity to God’s children is generosity to Him. Our mindset will only change if we are willing to step out of our comfort zone and eliminate excuses.

It is important to remember Matthew 6:21 (NIV):“Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” When my daughter got sick, I researched painstakingly. I wanted to know more about her diagnosis, doctors, the hospital, medications and side effects, accommodations, treatment plan, ongoing care, etc. I even looked up parking and where to get coffee. I continue to be invested in her care because she is my heart. My heart was at that hospital, so I invested time, energy, and finances. We need to take daily inventory of our hearts.

Application:

1. What is your passion? Where is your heart? Make a conscious effort to take inventory.

2. Give a little bit extra this week, and journal the experience. What did you decide to do? What were your thoughts before and after giving? Did the Holy Spirit call to you? Did you see the fruits of your gift?

3. Share this concept with your children, friends, or family members. Do it together and discuss.

Devo Plus:

Philippians 4, Hebrews 13:5, 1 Timothy 6, Proverbs 15, Acts 11, and Luke 14.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, open our eyes to see giving and generosity as blessings to You, as well as to us. We have been told You have a perfect plan. Help us remember this when we are given opportunities to glorify You through generosity. Remind us that when we are generous, You have used us to care for others. Help us remember the farmer does not withhold seeds, but plants many for a successful crop. Give us the courage to step out of our comfort zones, have faith, add purposeful giving to the budget, and bless others generously.

Luke 20:45 - 21:4 (NIRV)

All the people were listening. Jesus said to his disciples, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in long robes. They love to be greeted with respect in the market. They love to have the most important seats in the synagogues. They also love to have the places of honor at banquets. They take over the houses of widows. They say long prayers to show off. God will punish these men very much.”

As Jesus looked up, he saw rich people putting their gifts into the temple offering boxes. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “What I’m about to tell you is true,” Jesus said. “That poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these other people gave a lot because they are rich. But even though she is poor, she put in everything. She had nothing left to live on.”

Explanation:

Jesus was teaching His disciples. They were sitting at the temple, watching people give their offering. There were rich people coming and giving a lot, out of the abundance that they had. Then a poor widow came and gave her last two coins. When we look at this scripture, we would say that the rich people gave more, but Jesus saw the widow and knew she gave more because she gave sacrificially. She gave it all, believing that God would take care of her.

God doesn’t need our money! It is all about our hearts. He wants us to be willing to trust Him to give the first out of our pay. Then, we are saying, “God, You provided my job and finances for me. So I am giving you my first 10%.” When we do this, our money is tied to the heart of Jesus, and not just to us. We can trust and know that God will provide everything we need with the rest.

Putting God first in our finances is important to me and my husband. God has always provided for us. Eight years ago when our son was born, he had to be in the hospital for a while, so we stayed in the Ronald McDonald house. My husband’s men’s group collected money for us and paid for the whole thing. There were many other things God provided: our parking, food, and blessing after blessing. It was so cool to watch God be in control.

Application:

1. What is stopping you from tithing?

2. Ask God to show you this week how He will take care of you.

3. When you tithe, are you giving with your whole heart, or are you giving in anger?

4. Ask God to help you find joy with giving Him all your finances.

Devo Plus:

They have suffered a great deal. But in their suffering, their joy was more than full. Even though they were very poor, they gave very freely. 2 Corinthians 8:2 (NIRV)

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,

Help me to put You first in everything, and especially to trust You with my finances. Change my heart to look to You for help in that area. Thank You for always taking care of me and protectin