Generous, Day 15 - Counter Culture

“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you…Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:27-31,38

There is a counter-intuitive side to living for Christ.  It goes against the flow of what we would think and feel.  It defies logic and convention.  Jesus was constantly challenging his followers to live life in ways that, left to themselves,would never have thought.  Love your enemies.  Pray for those who persecute you (Mt. 5:44). If you want to be great, serve (Luke 22:27).  If you want to live, you must first die (Mt. 16:24).  Counter-intuitive.  And yet to the believer who follows these thoughts have transformed our lives and taken us to a whole new level of freedom, joy and power in life.

In these verses, Jesus gives us another counter-intuitive challenge – “Give and it will be given to you”.  Jesus is not advocating becoming a doormat that others can manipulate and manage.  He is insisting that there are certain things that simply are not important in life.  There are some things in life that are of little or no value in keeping, but of great value in giving.   First, Jesus says there is no value in holding onto an opinion but great freedom in treating all people with equal honor. Our  judgment of people is irrelevant considering that there is only one judge (James 4:12).  Second he says that is no value in holding a grudge but great power in forgiveness (Col. 3:13).  In fact, it is in the context of this passage that Jesus cites the Golden Rule – “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”  In doing so, Jesus say we fulfill all the requirements of God (Mt. 7:12).

In his third counter-intuitive challenge, he insists that there is no value in holding on to material things but great value in generosity.  In fact he begins to talk about a “standard of measure”.   Normally when some talk about measuring things the issue is equality or fairness.  Not so with God.   The return for our generosity is greater generosity from God.  God has a tendency to overflow in his responses to us.  He overflows in His favor (Ps. 23:5), His grace (Rm. 5:13), hope (Rm. 15:13), joy (2 Cor. 8:2) and love (1 Jn. 3:1).  The Bible also say that he overflows in his return to us when we give.

Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. Pr. 3:9,10

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. Mal. 3:10

Let’s face it. You can’t out-give God. As the owner of all things (Ps. 24:1), God has an endless supply to give.   There is no need for us to be a people of fear when it comes to giving, for we are not a people of fear.  We are a people of faith.  We have a God that loves us, knows our needs and is able to immeasurably give more than we could ever ask, expect or even imagine (Eph. 3:20-21). Make the decision today to trust God and be generous.

Generosity Challenge (Day 15) –Go to www.generositysummit.com.  Click on the media page and watch the Malawi Miracle, the Nelson Family and the single moms videos.  Thank God for the generosity of His people. Ask Him what you should do.

Generous - Week #3

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”   Matthew 6:19-21

In the first two weeks of this devotional we have begun a journey.  In the first week we were reminded that God is the source of all things.  Generosity originates with Him.  In the second week we were reminded that the key to giving generously is living simply.  If we never learn to save (to live within the means that God has given us), we will never love to give.  Living simply means prioritizing God, creating margin and choosing life-change over lifestyle.

In this passage we realize that God is not only the source of our generosity, but should also be the focus of our generosity.  The reason Jesus gives for focusing your giving on God is: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  (Mt. 6:21)

The terms “follow your heart” or “Go with what your heart says” is evidently really bad advice.  According to Jesus, your heart is not a leader, but a follower.  Jesus says that your heart follows your treasure.  That means that you and I will always have affection for the things that we invest our resources in.   Unfortunately, we live in a world that tells us that our greatest investment is in the “here and now”.  According to Jesus, doing so will keep our focus on things that don’t last, or can be taken away.  He reminds us that there will always be a diminishing return when we invest in things that will not last.

Jesus advises his listeners to invest in eternal things…the things of God.  No investment in the kingdom of God is ever a waste.  Not only does that kind of investment ripple into the future of many who may receive Christ or grow in their faith, but it also secures our heart on God.  Jesus says our heart follows our treasure.  When we invest in the things of God, we will develop a heart for God. The good news of this passage is this: if you don’t like the focus of your heart, simply move your treasure and eventually your heart will follow. Your affection determines your direction.

This week we are going to see that the Bible has not only challenged us to give, but to give generously.  Generous giving takes more than just looking in your wallet during the weekend service, taking the leftovers and giving them to God. It involves intentional, thoughtful, heart-felt, sacrificial investment of God’s resources into God’s work for God’s honor and glory.  And the two-fold payoff is advancement of God’s kingdom around you and a heart for God in you.

Generous, Day 14 - Reality Check

And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will.  2 Cor. 8:1-5

Giving is not only the responsibility of the rich; it is also the privilege of the poor.  We see this in the writings of Paul as he tells of the amazing generosity of the Macedonian church.  And yet to the Macedonians it was business as usual.  In fact, the passage says that they “pleaded for the privilege” of giving.  What do they know that we need to know?  Here are a few thoughts:

1. The Macedonians knew that everything they had, they received as a gift from God (Psalm 24:1, 1 Chr. 29:11,14)
2. The Macedonians knew that their lives belong to God. God doesn’t want your 10%, he wants 100%.  He wants you. We are challenged to give 10% in the Bible because it shows that we follow God and that we trust God.
3. The Macedonians realized how much God had done for them and they could not help but want to pay it forward to others.  Generous givers understand grace on a level that the stingy person doesn’t.
4. The Macedonians knew that being involved in the ministry of giving was a privilege. They believed this so strongly that they gave “beyond their ability”– they sacrificed lifestyle for life-change!
5. The Macedonians knew that God’s supply was endless and that God’s character was unchanging.  They believed they could trust him to take care of their needs.  In fact Paul confirms that to them in Phil. 4:19  “And my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

While most Americans live in an affluent poverty (having more than we need but not all that we want and therefore living a lifestyle that costs more than we make) which makes them slaves to debt, the Macedonians lived in simple liberty (living within your means so that you are free to do what God asks and what advances his work).   The resulting freedom and joy of being involved in God’s work more than compensates for the lack of things.

The simple life lives on less to give more.  In practical terms, people who live simply choose to 1) Be generous off the top 2) Increase savings 3) Decrease debt 4) Plan for emergencies 5) Pay with cash. If these are your practices, you are well on your way to building a foundation for a generous life.

Generosity Challenge (Day 13)- Invite someone over for Thanksgiving dinner (or just regular dinner) that you normally would not. If you have been invited to a friend’s house already, call them and ask them if you can bring a friend.

Generous, Day 13 - Synergy

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Tim. 6:6-10

The simple life has figured out synergy. Synergy is the idea that when two things are brought together that they can do more together than they could ever do apart.

This passage reminds us that we brought nothing into this world and we will take nothing out.  We are travelers who are here for a moment and then gone.  Our lives are but a mist that comes and goes, a dot on the line, a drop on the pond of eternity.

We are told that living for the moment is a temptation and a trap that plunges people into ruin and destruction.   Doing so will cause us to not only lose focus, but in many cases people lose their faith.  In the end, we must all appear before God and give an account of how we lived our life.  According to the Bible, our giving will have an impact on our experience in eternity (Phil. 4:17, Lk. 14:13-14). The person who lived for the moment (focusing on getting rich) will experience a total loss before God.

It takes the synergy of godliness and contentment to fight the love and lure of money (Matthew 6:24, Psalm 37:16, Psalm 119:36-37).   We’ve already talked about contentment in this devotion (see day 3).  Godliness is the pursuit of being like God in our character, actions and priorities. The Bible says that godliness does not come naturally; it is something we train to do (1 Tim. 4:7,8).  The Bible says that as we discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness, it not only adds value to this life, but also the life to come (Mt. 6:19-21, Luke 16:9).

The simple life is a disciplined life (Prov. 1:1-4). To be a success the athlete makes choices to train daily, consistently and sacrificially (1 Cor. 9:25). Christians need the same level of discipline. We need to have the discipline to live within our means, to stay out of debt or get out of debt (Pr. 22:7, 26,27, Rom. 13:8).   

We need the discipline to Give first, Save second then Live on the rest. When we give first, we show that God is the priority in our lives (Deut. 14:22,23, Pr. 3:9,10).  When we save, we demonstrate discipline and wisdom (Pr. 6:6-8). When we live within our means, we show self control (Gal. 5:23) and that we understand God’s principles and priorities in our lives.

Generosity Challenge (Day 12)- If you have ever taken a financial training class, find your notes or notebook and go through your notes today.  If you haven’t gone through training, go to www.mint.com or some other program and create a beginner budget.  Evaluate your plan.

Sun Valley Church, Used by Permission

Generous, Day 12 - The Mirage

Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, so do those who consume them.  And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them? The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep. I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when he has a son there is nothing left for him.  Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand.  Eccl. 5:10-15

Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived (note: even his wisdom was a gift from God).  In Ecclesiastes, he makes these observations about money:

1. The more you have, the more you want. (vs. 10)  No one ever reaches “enough” because money is an appetite – the more you feed it, the bigger it gets.
2. The more you have, the more people come after it.  (vs. 11)  People with money have a hard time telling who is a friend and who is a leach!
3. The more you have, the more you worry about it.  (vs. 12) (Although some of us worry about what we don’t have too!)
4. The more you have, the more you can harm yourself by hoarding/holding it. (vs. 13)  The longer we hold onto things, the more power they have over us.  The wise person holds loosely to what they have. (James 5:1-3)
5. The more you have, the more you have to lose. (vs. 14) The more you have, the more you will leave behind. (vs.15)  So it makes sense to do your giving while you are living so you’ll be knowing where it’s going!

The simple life is a life of clarity.  We must see money from God’s perspective and not from the world’s. If the wisest man in the world thought this way, then it would be unwise for us to think any differently.

Generosity Challenge (Day 11) – Carry cash in your left pocket (Between $5-$50) and look for an opportunity to give it away.  Keep trying everyday until you can.

Generous, Day 11 - Contentment

I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Phil. 4:10-13

Contentment is a choice.  The Apostle Paul writes this letter to the Philippian church as he sits in jail awaiting trial for his faith.  He is not waxing eloquent when he says, “whatever your situation is, I understand.”  In fact, if we were to look into the life of Paul, none of us would want to trade places with him! (2 Cor. 4:7-10, 6:3-12, 11:23-29).

In this passage, Paul reminds us of a few things:

1. Contentment is based in thankfulness.  Thankfulness focuses us on what we do have, not what we don’t (Psalm 136:1, 1 Thes. 5:18).
2. Contentment is not connected to circumstances but the character of God (Psalm 7:17, Pr. 3:5,6). You can have lots of things or few things and be discontent and you can have lots of things or few things and be content.
3. Contentment is learned. Paul learned it in good times and he learned it in hard times.   Under both circumstances, Paul chose not to lean too deeply into his circumstances – he wasn’t prideful when he had much or complaining when he had little.  He chose in both cases to trust God. (1 Tim. 6:8, Pr.19:23, Hebrews 13:5)
4. Contentment is sustained by our recognition of God’s Presence, Power and Provision. God gives us the strength to be content.  God has always been generous.  He gives us what we need for salvation (John 3:16), defeating sin (1 Cor. 10:13), enduring life’s difficult times (2 Cor. 1:3-5), fighting spiritual battles (Eph 6:10-18) and living a godly life (2 Pet. 1:3).  God gives us what we need to be content.

Philippians 4:13 is one of the most often quoted verses of the New Testament “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”  It is interesting that this verse is rarely quoted in the context of contentment.  It is best interpreted as “I can learn to be content in any circumstance because God will give me the unfailing strength to do so.”

The simple life is a content life.   God wants you and I to be content with what we have.  He does not want us to continually strive after things that don’t matter and won’t last. Rather he wants us to find our trust in Him.

Generosity Challenge (Day 10) – Figure out how much money you have given away in 2010 (if this is too hard, look at your tax records for 2009 and use that number).  Calculate your percentage giving by taking that number and dividing it by your income for the year.

Generous, Day 10 - No Worries

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?… But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Mt. 6:25-27, 33-34

Worry is the opposite of faith.  Worry is dependence on self instead of God.  All of us worry at times.  But the Bible says we need not worry. Instead we should cast our cares on God because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).  The worried person gets so caught up in their circumstances that they can’t function – they can’t eat, sleep, work or concentrate; they can’t see that God is at work (Psalm 121:4).

Worry is negative mediation.  It is dwelling on the worst possible result of a scenario.  It is a focus on what might be or could be rather than what is.  It focuses on circumstances rather than God.  It wastes time and energy.  How many times have you worried about something that never came to be?  Not one bit of worry can add any value to our situation.  It is a complete waste of time. It also dishonors God because worry is the opposite of trust.

Trust is a choice to focus.  It’s a hard choice (if it was easy, everyone would do it) because trust means that we don’t have all the facts or answers (Hebrews 11:1).   And yet because we know the character of God, we know that our trust is well founded. Trust is only as good as the object of trust. Trust in God could not be in a better object.  God is who He says He is and He can do what he says He can do.

Generous, Day 9 - Do Less for More

Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.  Mark 4:18-19

Few things really matter in life. Jesus taught us that.  When Martha engaged Jesus in a sibling rivalry asking him to command her sister to join her in preparations for a party, Jesus’ response was “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42).  Martha was upset and worried about many things, but only one thing is needed…one thing matters.

In the parable of the soils (Mark 4:1-20), Jesus talks about four kinds of soil representing four conditions of the heart.  The first was fallow ground like the path that represented those whose hearts were hard and unprepared to receive God’s word.  A second soil was rocky ground, where the earth was shallow and so potential to dig deep roots in faith is compromised.  A third type, the good soil, had what seemed to be exponential potential under the care of the Wise Farmer (Is. 55:10-11).  I find the fourth kind of soil very interesting.  As we dissect the story we realize that this soil has the same potential as the good soil.  The only difference between the two soils is that something else already exists in this soil that rivals the seed – thorns.  As the seed was sown, the soil’s previous tenant grows side by side with this new plant until it eventually overtakes it, literally choking it out until it is dead, killing of any potential harvest.

Generous Week #2

Live Simply

But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 2 Cor. 11:3

There is simplicity to devotion to Christ.  It doesn’t take years in church or a degree from a seminary to figure out the love of God.  God’s love is so real, so visible and so tangible that if we only stop and think about what we have, we would see His generosity in a thousand forms and we would devote our lives completely to Him.

The two qualities of devotion mentioned in this verse are “sincere” and “pure”.  The Greek word literally means, “uncompounded, singleness, simplicity.”  The culprit in this story, the one who keeps us from keeping it simple, is “the serpent”.  Satan has a cunning cleverness about him that seduces and deludes us into thinking we are on the right track when, in reality, we are on his track.  No matter how it feels, Satan does not want what is best for you (1 Peter 4:8).  He is a deceiver and the father of lies (John 8).  He knows no bounds and has even tried to tempt Jesus with riches.  We have a vulnerability about us. For our part, evidently we are easily “led astray” – easily distracted, corrupted and fooled because of the complex way we approach life and faith.  This lethal combination of Satan’s power to deceive and our vulnerability to believe has been the downfall of many well-intentioned believers.

The solution to our problem is to get back to simplicity.  During this week we will look at many thoughts about simple devotion to Christ and how to achieve that in our lives.  Each day we will look at simplicity from a different angle in hopes that God will lead us down His path for our lives.

During this week, I would like to ask you to take notice of how you live and begin a process of elimination and prioritization.  Eliminate the things that keep you from following God and prioritize the things that add to the strength of your faith.  My prayer is that God will lead all of us back to the strength of a faith that is pure and sincere. 

Sun Valley Church, Used by permission

Generous, Day 8

Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.  Mark 4:18-19

Few things really matter in life. Jesus taught us that.  When Martha engaged Jesus in a sibling rivalry asking him to command her sister to join her in preparations for a party, Jesus’ response was “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42).  Martha was upset and worried about many things, but only one thing is needed…one thing matters. In the parable of the soils (Mark 4:1-20), Jesus talks about four kinds of soil representing four conditions of the heart.  The first was fallow ground like the path that represented those whose hearts were hard and unprepared to receive God’s word.  A second soil was rocky ground, where the earth was shallow and so potential to dig deep roots in faith is compromised.  A third type, the good soil, had what seemed to be exponential potential under the care of the Wise Farmer (Is. 55:10-11).  I find the fourth kind of soil very interesting.  As we dissect the story we realize that this soil has the same potential as the good soil.  The only difference between the two soils is that something else already exists in this soil that rivals the seed – thorns.  As the seed was sown, the soil’s previous tenant grows side by side with this new plant until it eventually overtakes it, literally choking it out until it is dead, killing of any potential harvest.

In this parable, the seed is the Word of God (Mark 4:14).  The thorns don’t affect the hearing of the word, only the application of it.  Jesus identifies the thorns that ruin the work of God’s word in our lives as well – “the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things”.  These issues have a tendency to choke out God’s word in our lives.   They choke our time in God’s Word, our receptivity to God’s Word and, as a result the effectiveness of God’s Word.  In order to become fruitful, the believer must rid him/herself of these thorns so that God’s Word can take full effect on our lives.

The simple life begins with repentance.  The Bible teaches that there is a direct link between wealth and stuff and our walk with God.  (Luke 3:7-14, Luke 19:1-10)  We cannot follow God and pursue worldly pleasures (1 John 2:15-17).  There is only room for one at the top.  We must make room for what God’s Word says about the connection between faith and finances. We must repent – acknowledge that we have allowed other things to crowd out God’s desire for us in this area, ask for God’s forgiveness and renew our commitment to live according to His word.

Generosity Challenge (Day 8) – Go into your closet and collect the nice clothes you don’t wear anymore and give them to Open Arms Care Center, Goodwill or some other organization that helps people with clothing.  If you would rather, give the kids’ clothes as hand-me-downs to a neighbor or friend.

Generous, Day 7 - Given to Give

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.  Romans 5:5

The Holy Spirit is the gift that keeps on giving.  After Jesus resurrected from the dead, He displayed himself to the disciples for forty days.  At the end of that time, Jesus told his disciples that the Father was going to send them a gift (Luke 24:49). 

Little did they know that the gift of God would be God in them (1 Cor 3:16)!

The coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost changed everything.  Not only did the Spirit come as a sign of adoption (Gal. 4:6), a source of counsel (John 14:26, conviction (John 16:8), comfort (2 Cor. 1:3-5) and power (Acts 1:8) as well as a deposit guaranteeing what was to come (Eph 1:13-14), but the Spirit also came bearing gifts (Eph. 4:7-13, Heb 2:4). These gifts were to be used to build up the body (1 Cor. 12:7), to bear witness of Christ (Acts 1:8) and to serve others (1 Peter 4:10).  They were to be used as a demonstration of faith in love (1 Cor. 13).

Generous, Day 6 - Generous Attitude

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  Phil. 2:3-11

Attitude is everything.   I heard one person say “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it.”  Another said, “You can’t control anything in life except that attitude you have about it.”   The Bible says that God looks at the thoughts and intentions of the heart (1 Sam 16:7) and that the Word of God judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb 

4:12).  If that is the case, then our attitude is huge.

Let’s face it…life can be very hard.  There are times when we feel like giving up and giving in.  That’s why Paul reminds us to adopt the attitude of the one who adopted us.  He says your attitude should be “the same as that of Christ Jesus.”

Jesus didn’t demand his rights…he demonstrated his sense of responsibility.  He knew why He was sent (Is. 61:1-3) and to whom He was sent (Luke 19:10, Mt. 11:28-30).  He didn’t come to be served, but to serve and to give (Mark 10:45).  His attitude was humble, His posture was obedient and His ambition was pure. He knew that there was more at stake than what anyone else thought in the moment, and He willingly (Lk. 22:42) and joyfully (Heb. 12:2) endured hardship, humiliation and shame to finish the work God gave him to do (John 17:4). This attitude glorified God and the response of the Father was to exalt Jesus.  He lifted Him up and gave Him a great name.

Generous, Day 5 - A Model Of Sincerity

I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 2 Cor. 8:8-9

Generosity is a test of our sincere devotion to Christ and our understanding of grace.

Sincerity is the goal of teaching (1 Tim 1:5), a requirement for leadership (1 Tim 3:8) and a characteristic of the wisdom (James 3:17), devotion to Christ (2 Cor 11:3) and love (Rom. 12:9).  Most of all, sincerity is necessary to drawing near to God (Heb 10:22) and to love people (1 Peter 1:22).  In observing all these things we also see that sincerity breeds generosity.

What fuels sincerity is grace.  Jesus was full of grace (John 1:14)…so full it was able to overflow into our lives (John 1:17).  Whenever the grace of God is understood, the gospel is advanced and lives are changed (Col. 1:6).  When we truly understand what Christ has done for us, any request he might have from us would not be too great. Our tendency, however, is not to look at Christ, but to look at our circumstances (Matt 13:22, Heb. 12:2).   When time is short or money is tight we tend to turn inward and fear takes over our decision-making.   Paul challenges us not to look inward, but upward at the example of Christ.  In the words of Gordon McDonald, Jesus “went from wealth to poverty in order that we might go from poverty to wealth. The central act of our faith was an act of generosity.”

Generous Day 4 - Love and Giving

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16

It is impossible to love without giving.  Impossible.  By definition, love says “I will do what is best for you, even when it is hard for me, no matter what I get in return.”  Love takes the initiative and acts sacrificially to meet real needs.  It takes little account of its own needs, wants or desires and puts that other person first.  Love will always require the selfless action of generosity…it is the nature of love.

God’s greatest demonstration of love was through the sacrificial gift of his son. Romans 5:8 says “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Note that God took the initiative – He didn’t wait to be asked nor did He delay until we were worthy.    God gift was also sacrificial – it was His only Son.  The true sign of a generous heart is when you choose to give even when it hurts or costs you something (2 Sam 24:24).  And unlike humans, God did not give us his leftovers. He did not wait until He had accomplished everything else He desired to do before He thought to give. He gave his first and best.  And finally, note that His gift met real needs.  None of us could die for our own sins (Romans 3:10) nor would we be willing, but God spared no expense to rescue us.

You can give without loving (1 Cor. 13:3), but you cannot love without giving.  Our ability to give flows out of our understanding of the gifts we have received (1 Cor 4:2).  We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19) and we give because He first gave to us.    Reflect on God’s generosity to you today and let it overflow into the lives of others.


Generosity Challenge – This week go out and buy/bring cans (maybe a case) of food to give away to The PRISIM food center.  Take a moment and thank God for that ministry.  You can drop off the cans here at Cornerstone this weekend.


Sun Valley Church, Used by Permission

Generous, Day 3 - A Great Dad

“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.  Matthew 6:7-12

God is our heavenly father.  He loves you.  He has not only adopted you (Eph. 1:5), but by His grace, He has forgiven, rescued (Col 1:13-14), redeemed (Eph. 1:7), blessed (Eph. 1:3) and He’s even given you an inheritance (1 Peter 1:3-5)!  He’s not mad with you, He’s mad about you.  We all know that our own fathers did not have it all together (and neither do we!) and yet they were able at times to give generously.  How much more our Father in heaven who never changes (Mal. 3:6).   He not only promises to provide our daily bread (Luke 11: 3) but so much more than we could ever ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20-21).  Our Heavenly Father is generous.

All that being said, the generosity of God is not supposed to end with us. His generosity is so overwhelming that it cannot help but overflow from our lives to the lives of those around us. And when we do so, he promises to meet our needs (Luke 6:38, Phil 4:19).  As we choose to live daily in His power, grace and love, our natural response will be to look for the opportunity 
to spread the wealth of His love in our lives to others.  How will you do that today?


Generosity Challenge – Get on a computer and go to www.globalrichlist.com.  Input your income and see where you stand in comparison with the rest of the world. Challenge two friends to go to the website and have a conversation about it.  Ask God what you should do with that information.
Sun Valley Church, Used by Permission

Generous, Day 2 - Thank God

David praised the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, “Praise be to you, O LORD, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.  Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.  Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.  Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.  But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.”  1 Chronicles 29:10-14

David loved God.  The Bible describes him as a “man after God’s own heart”(1 Samuel 13:14).  David wasn’t perfect.  In fact, if you know his story, you know that he made tremendous mistakes all through his life, including adultery and murder!  Yet in his imperfection, he knew something perfectly well – He knew that everything worthy that he did, everything he had and everything he was came from God. 

The moment of worship we see in this passage was the completion of a “capital campaign to build a temple for God”.  As the leader, David led the way with his personal, sacrificial generosity and then challenged the people by asking   “Now, who is willing to consecrate himself today to the LORD ?” (1 Chr. 29:9), implying that generosity and consecration (being set apart for God’s purposes) are linked.

Generous, Day 1 - God Is The First And Greatest Giver

“In the beginning God…”  Genesis 1:1

Generosity begins with God. Generosity is at the very core of his nature.  It is evident in His thoughts, words and actions.   From all eternity, our Heavenly Father had a plan to create you and me so that we could experience Him.  He created all that we see and know for our enjoyment (1 Tim 6:17).  The Bible says that He has lavished us with His grace (Eph. 1:8) and His love (1 John 3:1). It says that He has given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3) and that He withholds nothing from us (Psalm 84:11).  Even when it talks about our beginning, it says that He carefully knit us together in our mothers’ wombs and that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:13-14). God is generous.

It also says that you and I were created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-7) and that we are being conformed into His likeness (2 Cor. 3:18) and into the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29).  If at the very core, God is generous, that means that there is no way for us to become like Him without reflecting that same trait. It is impossible for us to reflect His image without becoming generous from the core.   Perhaps today is the day we choose to embrace the generosity of God as the path of His desire for our lives.  We cannot grow in godliness without becoming generous.

Generosity Challenge – Buy a candy bar or some other small item for a friend/coworker/neighbor.  Hand it to them or place it on their desk with a note. (Don’t make a big deal of it or expect anything in return)

Sun Valley Church, Used by Permission

21 Days of Generosity

Series Introduction 

But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving      - 2 Corinthians 8:7 

What if you could live a life without fear? What if you practiced real faith? What if you really believed in the promises of God? Real faith collides with God's faithfulness through one powerful practice...GENEROSITY.  

My challenge to you is to join me on this 21-day journey of generosity.  Each day you will be given two tools to help you in your pursuit of the generous life.  The first is a short devotion from God’s word that speaks to Biblical generosity.  Read, reflect and react to the passages.  The second is a giving challenge that will require you to give something…time, talent, treasure, touch or thought…to another person in the name of Jesus Christ.  You will also be able to blog your experience with many others who are on the journey!

McChurch...

I was talking with a friend yesterday when they let me know they were looking for a "good church" and wondered if Cornerstone might be a fit.  My response was a simple but tentative, "well that depends on what you're looking for..."  To which they responded with a well thought out, strategic list,  "We're looking for a church with a solid youth ministry.  A children's ministry that focuses on the Bible and scripture memory.  We'd also like an excellent worship experience with a Pastor who preaches "the word."  

Keep Making A Difference

What an amazing week!  On Sunday we concluded our series The Bucket List as we focused on overcoming regret.  We had 16 people make decisions to say "yes" to Jesus.  On Wednesday night a packed house celebrated as 10 students took the next step in their faith journey as they were baptized!  That's as good as it gets!

Please be in prayer over the next few weeks as we continue out focus on connecting people to Christ and His community.  If you haven't signed up for a lifeGroup...just take that step.  To find our more contact Kary Cornerstone's Director of Community Life!

Is God Extinct?

You're Invited to Is God Extinct? A discussion sponsored by Bethel University.  The event will include a 30-minute showing of a portion of the documentary film, "Test of Faith," which explores challenges relating to the intersection of scientific discovery and Christian ministry/theology. 


The focus of the evening (and of the panel discussion to follow the film) is on the implications for ministry and theology of contemporary research into the human brain. Questions like: Is the human brain "hard-wired" for religious belief? Is there a distinction between brain, mind and soul? Where does human spirituality come from? Are we really free to choose our behaviors? And what does all this have to do with pastoral ministry?


Join us on Thursday, October 13 at 7 pm in The Underground on the Campus of Bethel University.  For more info click here.