Cheerful Giving

June 25th – Luke 11:4

Luke 11:4

“And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.”

Like it or not, seeking forgiveness from God and extending forgiveness to others is a package deal. You can’t have one without the other. Why? Because we are the Lord’s ambassadors on earth. And when we forgive those who have wronged us, we mirror God’s forgiveness in our own lives to a watching world. But along with that, God wants us to experience the freedom and restoration that comes from receiving and extending forgiveness. And the great blessing both bring. For as Jesus teaches, as wonderful as receiving forgiveness is, it’s an even greater blessing to give. (Acts 20:35) As Christians we receive the transformative power of God’s grace. And out of thankful hearts, we should embody that forgiving spirit towards others. God’s forgiveness goes hand in hand with forgiving others. So if we want to receive the abundance of His mercy, we need to abundantly give it to others.

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September 25th – Proverbs 3:9

Proverbs 3:9

Throughout the Bible we are warned about the dangers of the love of money, and the evil that results. Evil not only in our lives, but in the church as well. And maybe that’s why tithing has become such a hotbed issue among Christians. Tithing was a commandment given to the Israelites to do out of gratitude for God’s bountiful provisions. But since we no longer live under the Law, nowhere does Jesus command us to tithe. So does that exempt us for giving? Absolutely not! Out of hearts of love and gratitude for all God has given us, we should want to give back. And not just what we have leftover. For God doesn’t give us His leftovers. He always gives us His best. And to honor Him, we should be giving our best back to the Lord. There are a myriad of ways we can tithe, with money, time, etc. But whatever we give, we should do so eagerly and cheerfully. For God deems the heart of the giver of greater value than the gift itself!

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