A Daily Devotional by Bishop David Bakare
Be Generous
Monday,
26 August
There is that scattereth, and yet
increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to
poverty Proverbs 11:24
SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Philippians 2:1-4 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
MORE LESSON: Proverbs 11:24-26 There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. 25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. 26 He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.
The beauty of life is in giving. John 3:16
says: For God so love the world that He gave his only begotten son, ....
This act is the greatest generosity by God to mankind, to restore man to his
lost glory. God's mercies to us are new every morning and great is His
faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 sums it: ...because his compassions
fail not. They are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness. Can
you imagine such generosity to mankind, that God's mercies are new over us
every morning, despite our frailties and shortcomings. In fact, the psalmist
affirmed this in Psalm 68:19: Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us
with benefits, even the God of our salvation.
One of the true marks of a Christian is
generosity. Even people of other religions (Islam, Hinduism, etc) emphasize
giving and generosity as key tenets of their faith. Achild of God who is stingy
has not yet understood what the Christian life is all about. We are called to
give our services, substances, money, treasures, etc to promote the Kingdom of
God by meeting needs around us as the Lord enables. Those who are entrusted
with substances should be generous to the poor, the widows and the needy. Even secular
and public organizations practice corporate social responsibilities (CSR) to
give back to the society in appreciation. Imbibe generosity (a giving spirit)
into your life.
The Berean Study Bible translates
Proverbs 11:24 as: One gives freely, yet gains even more; another
withholds what is right, only to become poor. Rich men and women are
not remembered by what they have in their bank accounts, but by what they give
back to God and the society. You don't have to be rich to be generous but be
generous and you will be richer in love and substance. Giving a cup of water to
the thirsty, clothing the naked, providing comfort for the troubled are virtues
and good works that saints will be commended and rewarded for at the last day
(Matthew 25:35-40; Proverbs 19:17). A generous man will always have his needs
met by the Lord. Luke 6:38 teaches: Give and it shall be given to you,
good measure, press down, shaken together and running over shall men give unto
your bosom. It is true that these are hard times globally; the
economies of many nations are in shambles. However, the good news is that
Philippians 4:19 promises us: My God shall supply all your needs
according to his glory by Christ Jesus. Be a generous giver for Kingdom
work and in meeting men's needs and you will always appreciate as an asset
before God.
Prayer/Action
* Pray for the grace to be generous always
* Pray against selfishness.
* Ask God to make you a channel of His blessings to others.
TODAY’S PROPHETIC
PRAYER: 2024, I lift my eyes to the God who alone
answers prayers. I shall not be disappointed, in the wonderful name of Jesus.
0 comments:
Post a Comment