Between our pastor’s sermon yesterday and my Bob Gass ministries devotion this morning, I think God is trying to tell me something! Pastor Michael was making it clear that God calls us to take our eyes off of ourselves and focus on 1- Jesus and 2- others. Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself, but rather how you think about yourself… particularly in relation to others around you. We all want to be satisfied. We don’t need to go to the extreme that the Rolling Stones did in their 60’s hit, “I Can’t Get NO Satisfaction!” but we do need to be careful where we go to find satisfaction. I submit that we need to find our satisfaction in God. I kinda heard God’s Voice speaking to my heart last night as I fell asleep. I “heard”: “Am I first in your life? Then show me by your thoughts and actions!”
This morning I’m reading my devotion and they talk about reaping and sowing. In 2 Corinthians 9, it says: “Whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each person should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly on under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (vs. 6-8 NIV.)
When we give what God tells us to, He’ll give us back more. When we know that, it’ll revolutionize our approach to giving. The Bible is saying that it’s not only safe to give, it’s the way to greater blessing! I think that’s especially good news for reluctant givers, because… when you give something away it can feel like you’ve lost something. But, contributing to God’s work (and that involves all facets of your life! “Don’t Leave Jesus in the Parking Lot!!!”) isn’t giving something away; it’s investing—- with a guaranteed return!
I love this: The farmer who sows doesn’t lose his seed, he gains a harvest! Can you imagine a farmer praying this prayer?! “God, give me a crop. I’m trusting You to get involved, but I’m holding on to my seed just in case.” Pow!!! Is that what you’re doing? If so, here’s some good news. When you sow generously, God gets involved in your finances. Is there a more secure position to be in??!!
When we give, it enables God to return to us even more, which in turn allows us to give even more— and round and round it goes!!
