Bible League: Living His Word Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD,and he will repay him for his deed. The Bible has a lot to say about being generous. One of its main teachings on the subject is that the generous will be blessed for their generosity. This is especially true, as our verse for today points out, when the object of our generosity is the poor. When we give to the poor the Lord actually borrows the money from us with a promise to repay. In other words, the Lord personally guarantees that we won't lose anything by being generous. The Lord not only makes sure we won't lose anything, He also sees to it that we will reap a bountiful harvest: "The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully" (II Corinthians 9:6). You don't have to be rich, however, in order to be generous and reap a bountiful harvest: "Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, "Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on" (Luke 21:1-4). It's not how much you give that impresses the Lord, but the percentage. Failure to give generously when called upon does not actually preserve wealth: "One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and the one who waters will himself be watered" (Proverbs 11:24-25). Further, our giving reaps a harvest in the next life as well as this life: "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" (I Timothy 6:17-19). Finally, coupling our generosity with a cheerful attitude about it pleases the Lord: "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" (II Corinthians 9:7). Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingZechariah 10, 11, 12 Zechariah 10 -- God Will Bless Judah NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Zechariah 11 -- The Two Shepherds: Feed the flock of slaughter NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Zechariah 12 -- Jerusalem a Burdensome Stone to Her Adversaries: They will mourn the one they have pierced NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Revelation 20 Revelation 20 -- Satan Bound for a Thousand Years; The Judgment NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.Insight Here, John was attacking the second claim of the false teachers: that people had no natural tendency toward sin, that they “[had] no sin,'' and that they were then incapable of sinning. This idea is at best self-deception and at worst a bald-faced lie. The false teachers refused to take sin seriously. They wanted to be considered Christians, but they saw no need to confess and repent. The death of Christ did not mean much to them because they didn't think they needed it. Instead of repenting and being purified by Christ's blood, they were encouraging sin among believers. Challenge In this life we are always capable of sinning, so we should never let down our guard. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Matthew 22:42 What think ye of Christ?The great test of your soul's health is, What think you of Christ? Is he to you "fairer than the children of men"--"the chief among ten thousand"--the "altogether lovely"? Wherever Christ is thus esteemed, all the faculties of the spiritual man exercise themselves with energy. I will judge of your piety by this barometer: does Christ stand high or low with you? If you have thought little of Christ, if you have been content to live without his presence, if you have cared little for his honor, if you have been neglectful of his laws, then I know that your soul is sick--God grant that it may not be sick unto death! But if the first thought of your spirit has been, how can I honor Jesus? If the daily desire of your soul has been, "O that I knew where I might find him!" I tell you that you may have a thousand infirmities, and even scarcely know whether you are a child of God at all, and yet I am persuaded, beyond a doubt, that you are safe, since Jesus is great in your esteem. I care not for thy rags, what thinkest thou of his royal apparel? I care not for thy wounds, though they bleed in torrents, what thinkest thou of his wounds? are they like glittering rubies in thine esteem? I think none the less of thee, though thou liest like Lazarus on the dunghill, and the dogs do lick thee--I judge thee not by thy poverty: what thinkest thou of the King in his beauty? Has he a glorious high throne in thy heart? Wouldest thou set him higher if thou couldest? Wouldest thou be willing to die if thou couldest but add another trumpet to the strain which proclaims his praise? Ah! then it is well with thee. Whatever thou mayest think of thyself, if Christ be great to thee, thou shalt be with him ere long. "Though all the world my choice deride, Yet Jesus shall my portion be; For I am pleased with none beside, The fairest of the fair is he" Daily Light on the Daily Path James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.Genesis 5:24 Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. Amos 3:3 Do two men walk together unless they have made an appointment? Psalm 73:28 But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works. 2 Chronicles 15:2,4 and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, "Listen to me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: the LORD is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. • "But in their distress they turned to the LORD God of Israel, and they sought Him, and He let them find Him. Jeremiah 29:11-13 'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. • 'Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. • You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. Hebrews 10:19-22 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, • by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, • and since we have a great priest over the house of God, • let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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