Proverbs 11:24-25 (The Message)

The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.

The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.

Explanation:

God smiles on the generous person, and places His stamp of disapproval on the stingy person. The farmer who sows small will reap small; business people have to spend money to make money. Those are realities.

In the spiritual realm, you must be generous with everything God has given you, in order to receive His blessing. It is a lifelong journey of being extra generous that brings true fulfillment.

We have both a social and spiritual responsibility to be generous. God rewards generosity.

Application:

1. When learning a new life skill, it takes repetition before it becomes natural. Watch the journey of a baby’s first steps, to that same child mastering running. It took repetition. The same with generosity. You must do generous things over and over until it is a natural way of living. A baby’s first steps take great concentration and courage. What are five things more generous than you have ever done, that you could do this week? Be intentional and expect a struggle, but DO them! Know that it will eventually feel as natural as running, once you develop your generosity muscle.

2. Why do you think God enlarges the world of the generous? Could it be that He can trust them, and He knows they are willing to be poured through? Our generous God looks for generous people He can trust to bless.

3. Who can you help today? It is not unrealistic to expect to help someone each day of your life. Whether it is through a financial gift, a physical assistance, a task completed, a load lightened, a shared resource, a courtesy expressed, or an encouraging gift, there are daily ways to help others. Imagine our world if more and more people looked for ways to help others.

Prayer Prompt:

Jesus, give me the “want to” in my heart to be generous, and then I ask You to help me follow through. I know it is much easier to agree with than to actually do, so I realize I need your Holy Spirit’s power to move in my heart and mind to embrace being generous. I long to be surrendered in every area of my life so I might be eagerly generous with my time, money, energy, resources, and heart. Give me eyes to see where You can use me to help someone today, tomorrow, and the next day. I give You my life to use for Your purposes, Lord. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

Devo Plus:

I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your own mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob stories and arm-twisting. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving.

God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it,

He throws caution to the winds,

giving to the needy in reckless abandon.

His right-living, right-giving ways

never run out, never wear out.

This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God. (2 Corinthians 9:7-11, The Message)

1 Timothy 6:6-10,17-19 (ESV)

But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

Explanation:

One of the most misquoted scriptures in society is, “money is the root of all evil.” The correct scriptural context is that the LOVE of money is the root of all kinds of evil. In other words, Paul’s message condemns the desire to be rich and to gather material things that don’t glorify God. Our pursuit of wealth can lead us down a path that results in many kinds of sin.

Paul stresses the idea of giving generously and sharing with others who are in need. To be truly wealthy is to have riches stored up in heaven, not here in this world. God is so generous with us in terms that the worldly wealthy may never understand—He has given us the chance to live our eternity with Him!

As we pursue a life and behaviors that are pleasing to God, He provides for all our needs. Any money or material things we have should be viewed as belonging to God, and not to us. He is the gracious and generous provider. When we have “extra” resources, it is our responsibility to continuously seek God on how to use them. Our generosity to others reflects God’s generosity to us.

Application:

1. How does this scripture impact your view of wealth and generosity?

2. Paul tells us to be “rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share.” As you think about your resources, both financial and non-financial, how can you impact others who are in need?

Prayer Prompt:

In your prayer time today, ask God to reveal opportunities for you to be “rich in good works.” Ask Him to show you areas in your life where you can reflect His love and generosity to others.

Devo Plus:

2 Corinthians 9:9, Proverbs 11:25, Luke 6:38, Psalm 112:5.

Every month as the paycheck comes in, our 10% tithe goes out. It's the first thing we take care of before paying our bills for the month. Now this isn’t always the easiest thing to do, but it's the right thing, because God actually commands us to give back to Him first. Take this month, for example. Some unexpected car repairs came up this month, repairs we weren’t planning on…but isn’t that how it goes? We gave to God anyway. You know why? Because God always takes care of us. Always. He is so faithful to meet every need we have!

As God continues to take care of us, He also calls us to love and take care of others. This is something our connect group does very well. (Side note: You should totally be in a connect group at The Tree! It will change your life!) We’ve donated money to financially bless those in our group who needed help paying bills, or to help cover unexpected car repairs. We’ve blessed friends of ours who needed an air conditioner and refrigerator. All this doesn’t come without sacrifice. We have to give up some things we’d like to have, to be able to bless others the way we have. I stay home with my children. With one income, we have to really watch how we spend our money. But not giving to God first will never be an option.

This week during your quiet time, take a minute to ask God how you can bless someone today or in the upcoming weeks. What can you do to bless the church, your neighbor, or someone you know who is in need? You’ll never regret giving.

Praying God blesses you with unexpected blessings this week and always, as you continue to be faithful to Him.

It is written, “They have spread their gifts around to poor people. Their good works continue forever.” (2 Corinthians 9:9, NIRV)

2 Corinthians 8:1-15 (ESV)

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints—and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.

I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”

Explanation:

These verses speak to the truth that we are always to follow Christ’s example. Our giving is no different. Just as Christ gave up the riches of His heavenly position for a time, to come to earth and spend His life for our salvation, we are to follow suit. Just as He gave grace to us, giving out of love to where we lacked, we are called to look for those who lack and give from ourselves. Routinely and sacrificially at times, and always from a joyful and thankful heart. As grace has been given to us, so we are asked to give.

Application:

1. Is giving easy for you, coming from a heart of real thankfulness and love? Or is giving still something you have a hard time with, and you work to give out of obedience? Know that God is pleased with your obedience in both situations, but His desire is that you would talk to Him about your heart and work toward being a joyful giver. It is always the attitude of our hearts that God is concerned with.

2. Spend some time reflecting on all the times God has provided for your needs, both routinely and miraculously. As you recognize the ways God has used people to provide for you, let it stir your heart to joyfully being used by God to provide for others.

3. The Bible is clear that you cannot out give God. It is the only time God says to test Him and see. Be encouraged by that scripture to step out in His grace and be His grace to others, by providing for them generously and even sacrificially when you are led.

Prayer Prompt:

Jesus, we praise You that You are a God of promise and a God of provision. You cannot be outgiven. Thank You that You look forward to providing for us, and You take great pleasure when your children step out in faith and trust that You will come through. Thank You that You know the end from the beginning, and that nothing surprises You. You are never caught off guard, and You are never caught empty handed. You are wonderful and faithful. Help us to trust You with all things, especially our provision and the provision of others. In Jesus’s beautiful name. Amen.

Devo Plus:

Read Deuteronomy 2:1-7 and 2 Kings 4:1-7 for a couple of examples of God’s provision.

And without faith it is impossible to please God. For whoever would draw near to God must believer that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6, ESV)

Read Luke 21:1-4 for an example of giving that is pleasing to God: giving with a faith full heart.

Deuteronomy 15:7-11 (ESV)

“If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the Lord against you, and you be guilty of sin. You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

Explanation:

When God was preparing the Israelites to enter the promised land (the land of Canaan), He wanted them to know that when they got there, every single person would benefit from the land He was giving them. The promised land wasn’t to be a land of blessing just for the rich, the powerful, or even the talented. It wasn’t to be a land that benefited the wily or cunning. It was a land meant to be a blessing to every Israelite. And the way God provided for that to happen was through the generosity of His people.

The entire society was to care for and support the needy among them. Even when someone was so desperate that he would sell himself to indentured service, God created a society that would not take advantage of that person, nor imprison him for life. This was the idea of the Year of Jubilee, a year when debts were forgiven and land was returned to the one whom God had given it to. God told the Israelites this would depend on them being generous. God’s plan for the blessing and provision of His people has always been His people living lives of generosity and reflecting the generous heart of their Creator.

Application:

1. What is one thing that stands out to you in today’s passage?

2. Why do you think God chose to rely on us to be generous?

3. What is one way you think God is calling you to be more generous?

4. Reflect on a time when someone was generous with you. How did that impact your life?

Prayer Prompt:

Jesus, I know You call Your people to reflect Your heart and represent You to the world we live in. Help me to be more generous in my life. Where fear and worry keep me from doing this, please remind me that You will take care of me. You are a generous Father, and I live in and pass along Your generous heart. Amen.

Devo Plus:

Listen to this podcast by the Bible Project about the year of Jubilee.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (ESV)

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

Explanation:

You can tell the difference between someone who is giving out of an obligation and someone who is giving out of a generous heart. Their attitude says it all. Although we should be obedient to the things God is calling us to do…tithe and be generous with our money…we should do so with a willing heart. God doesn’t want us to feel like giving is a “have” to, but rather something we get the opportunity to do. God is concerned most about our hearts, and He knows there is a bigger blessing, a bigger harvest, if we choose to be cheerful, generous givers.

I think we can all agree that when we choose to give to someone, and we do so with excitement, the other person is greatly blessed. And often our cheerful giving will create a chain reaction, and that person will then pay it forward as well, reaping a full harvest. Sow and give sparingly, and you will reap sparingly. Give generously, and you will be amazed at all God is able to do through your cheerful act of giving.

Application:

1. Would you consider yourself to be a generous person? Why or why not?

2. Are you someone who gives to others or the church with a cheerful heart, or are you someone who does it out of obligation?

3. Have you ever joyfully given something to others? What was that experience like for you?

Prayer Prompt:

God, I want to be better about the ways I give. Help me to not only be generous, but to do so with a cheerful heart. I want to reflect You in the ways I give to others. If there are things I need to change, please give me wisdom in those areas. Change my heart, and help me look for ways I can bless others through my generosity. I want to be like You, and to honor You with the resources I have been given. Help me do this today. In Your name we pray. Amen.

Devo Plus:

I encourage you to seek out opportunities this week to give to others with a joyful heart. After you do, journal about the experience, and what you felt about being able to bless someone else.

1 Peter 4:8-11 (ESV)

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Explanation:

Everything in the Christian life is geared around how we love God and how we love others. Peter wanted his audience to remember this truth. There is no concept of just being skilled in the Christian world. In other realms, you can be valued because of your skill to communicate, or do music, or write, etc. But in Christ, each gift is given to us to be used for loving, building up, and encouraging those around us. Our gifts and skills outside of this context are simply lifeless idols that consume our lives. But when we put our gifts and skills to use for the purposes of loving God and loving others, they become life giving for us and for the church.

Application:

1. What is one thing that stands out to you in today’s passage?

2. Can you identify two gifts or skills that God has blessed you with?

3. Take a minute and think through whether you are using them to bless others. Or do you look to them to give you a sense of purpose and identity?

Prayer Prompt:

Jesus, please help me use the gifts and talents You have given to me to bless others and serve You. Show me how to do that, and give me the strength to live it out. Let me do everything for Your glory and the good of others. Amen.

Devo Plus:

Read 1 Timothy 2:1-7 and see how Paul lays out the purpose of his calling.

Hebrews 10:23-25 (NLT)

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Explanation:

We not only have a God responsibility; we have a responsibility self-ward, too. The Hebrews were in constant danger of going backward because of all the pressures in their lives. Sound familiar? The writer of this book wanted to emphasize the part they had to play, of holding tightly to God and trusting Him. God alone gives us the power to not waver and to make progress.

We also have a responsibility man-ward. We were never designed to go it alone. We get encouraged when we encourage others, and vice versa. God wired us to need each other. There are ways to encourage each other without being together physically, but something extra special happens when we are physically together encouraging one another. It must be a priority, not an option.

Application:

1. The writer of Hebrews is clear: we WILL waver if we isolate instead of integrate. It is easy to neglect getting together. Prayerfully consider how you can layer in more connection with other Christians. Invite someone to dinner, initiate meeting for coffee, or even be purposed about lingering after church and having meaningful conversations. It does take energy and must be pursued, but the benefits out-weigh the cost.

2. What is a way you could motivate another Christian today? The writer of our passage makes it very clear…you have to “think of ways.”

3. If I were going to translate verse 25 into 2020 language, I think it would say, “Make attending church every week a number one priority.” Every time you are in a service with other believers…singing, praying, and digesting the taught Word…you are giving the Holy Spirit even more opportunity to work in your heart. It builds us up as we worship together.

4. It is easy to get sloppy in our exhausting world, but we must trust God enough to organize our life around His will, instead of His will around our life. Priorities reveal our heart.

5. Verse 23 reminds us to trust God. Taking steps of faith strengthens our trust.

Prayer Prompts:

Ask God to show you some creative ways to connect with other Christians this week. Then sit and listen in contemplative prayer. Make time to hear Him in your heart. Write down what He shows you and use it as a checklist. When something such as connection doesn’t come naturally for you, it takes overcorrecting for a season to actually build it into your life. If you ask Him, He will be faithful to do it.

Devo Plus:

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, NIV)

Colossians 3:12-17 (ESV)

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Explanation:

The Greek word translated as forgive in the New Testament means to “cancel a debt”: to wholly cancel the punishment; to relieve from guilt or suffering; to pardon. When God requires us to forgive with the same measure that He forgave us, He’s not talking about mere words. Through Jesus, God wholly canceled our punishment and relieved us from suffering for it. This is how we are to forgive our brothers and sisters in Christ. God squeezes every possible use out of our obedience…and so, by His grace, forgiveness brings freedom to our own hearts, as well as lifting our weight from others.

Our forgiveness is also required in order to keep the body of Christ functioning. A body that attacks itself cannot live. It would be foolishness for us to teach care for our bodies, and then go around purposefully slamming our hands and feet in doors. That is how ridiculous it is to be at war with our brothers and sisters in Christ. God’s design for us, as His people, was that we would be at our most healthy, functional, and powerful…. together. We must be purposed in forgiving each other, completely, as Jesus forgives us.

Application:

1. Spend some time reflecting on all you have been forgiven of. Meditate on the freedom you feel from Jesus’s forgiveness. Think on the freedom and health that forgiveness brings to your life.

2. Do you have any relationships within the body of believers, where you are harboring resentment or unforgiveness? Take those to the Lord and read His Word (some biblical guidelines are in the devo plus) to see how you should proceed in mending those relationships.

Prayer Prompt:

Jesus, our beautiful Redeemer, help us not to take for granted the forgiveness we have been given. I ask that You use that awareness to draw our hearts toward forgiving others quickly and completely. Guide us in the areas or with the people where this is especially hard, and give us understanding and opportunity to live together as you designed your body to live: hand in hand, and healthy. In the graceful name of Jesus, amen.

Devo Plus:

Read Matthew 18:15-17 to see the instructions God gave us in order to handle conflict in a practical and pleasing way.

Read Psalm 103:10-14.

Growing up, I always found my relationships through the things I did…the sports I played, the clubs I belonged to, the classes I attended. I never thought much about how those relationships were formed until adulthood, when most of the activities that I belonged to ended and real adult life began. As a teen, I was active in my church youth group, and participated in leading Bible studies and going on retreats and mission trips. But after leaving for college, I slowly realized that I developed more friendships than I did my relationship with Christ. Don’t get me wrong, my faith grew because of the environment I was a part of, but I didn’t know how to identify my relationship in Christ until many years later. As an adult, the activities transform to a career, and the extra activities are limited.

My relationships are still defined by the environments around me. But as an adult, I have more control over who I connect with, trust, and essentially do life with. When I started to focus on growing my relationship with Christ, all my relationships started to look different. I would gauge my behaviors toward them in a Christ-like way, and try to show how God created us to love and be loved. At this point, a good portion of my friends weren’t following a Christian lifestyle, so it became important for me to be purposed about getting into activities or environments that would help me develop as a better Christian. I attended church regularly and started forming acquaintances. Then I joined a Bible study group that eventually became a Connect Group. I absolutely LOVE Connect Groups! Over the last 16 years, I have been a part of several different groups. In each one, I grew relationally with Christ alongside others who were chasing after Him. A Connect Group is where life is real and God is bigger. My groups have walked with me through getting married, having children, losing a child, betrayal, and the list goes on. We hold each other accountable in prayer, devotion, parenting, marriage, and all things real life. We each want to experience the full life God has created for us, and we have each other’s backs to get us there.

We serve a relational God, and are meant to do life with others. Through seeking God daily and opening my heart to hear from Him, I will grow in relationship with Christ and hear from Him. When we surround ourselves with those pursuing God, we open up the possibility to hear God speak through them, too. How exciting is that?! That our God will not only be in relationship with us, but also those around us…AND join us relationally with each other! Surround yourself with those seeking the fullest life, form purposed relationships, and you will naturally love well.