Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 19: Giving My Resources”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
Generosity…How can I be more generous?
As we wrap up our week reflecting on generosity, perhaps the practical question is, “How can I be more generous?”
In the heart of a believer, God’s Spirit works a desire to give. Sometimes that desire gets stuck on the practical question, “How?”
So here are a few reflections on what helps a person be more generous.
- Always put the Lord first.
When you put the Lord first, you ask a different question. Instead of asking, “How can I use my money?” I ask, “Lord, how do you want me to use the wealth you’ve given to me?” When I ask this question, the answer always is, “Put the Lord first.” Set aside the first 10% of your income to give to the Lord. Honor the Lord with these first fruits.
But how can I afford to give 10% to the Lord?
- Plan the use of your money.
A regular budget allows you to plan your spending and help you make decisions on what to say “Yes” to and what to say “No” to. Spending more than you make leads to financial hardship and stress. Giving each dollar a plan helps to prevent over spending and foster generosity. A great resource to become debt free, plan every dollar and be extremely generous is Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. This program along with the “Every Dollar” App is a resource built on biblical principals to enable a strong and consist plan for the use of your money.
- Step out in faith, confident of the Lord’s promises.
In the area of giving, the Lord invites us to test him and see if he will not open his hand of blessing even further. In Malachi 3, he promises: 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.
- Seek opportunities to be generous.
Look around at your church, people in your community or organizations with whom you interact. Start small and give a gift, help a cause, or bless an individual. Not only is their joy in the recipient, but the blessing comes when we give as well. Acts 20:35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
I’m sure there are more tips and experiences you have had – share them if you’d like.
Remember in all aspects of generosity:
2 Corinthians 8:9 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 through his poverty might become rich.
Apply: What is one thing that you can do today that will move you a baby step toward more generosity?
Prayer: Thank you Lord for all the generosity you have shown to us. Help us by your Spirit to live generously every day. AMEN.