Key Words: God loveth a cheerful giver
Doesn’t it seem strange to you we Christians need continual encouragement to financially give when God gives us so much? Churches today are so much like the church at Corinth. God had enriched them in a wonderful way, but yet they hesitated to show their blessings in any way with the work of God.
In II Corinthians 9, Paul is attempting to motivate the church to give; he did this by sharing with them five encouragements that relate to giving.
He tells them that their giving will provoke others to give (verses 1 – 5).
He says their giving will bless them (verses 6 – 11).
He tells them that their giving will meet the needs of others (verse 12).
He lets them know that their giving will glorify God (verse 13).
Last of all, he tells them that their giving will unite God’s people (verses 14 – 15).
Some teenage girls who loved the Lord formed a “do without” club in order to raise funds for missions. They determined to add to their fund by sacrificial giving. The majority, who were from well-to-do homes, easily found ways to contribute; but for one little poor girl named Margie it was extremely difficult. One day she knelt by her bed and asked the Lord to show her something she could do without. As she prayed, her pet spaniel licked her hands. Suddenly she remembered that the family doctor had offered to buy him. The tears came as she exclaimed, “Oh, Bright, I can’t think of parting with you!” Then she thought of the words, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.” “I’ll do it!” she said. Going to the doctor’s home, she sold the dog for $50.00. Even though she missed her pet, she was still happy because she had been able to put all the money into the mission fund.
The doctor was pleased with the dog, but he wondered if a pressing need had caused the girl to part with him, so he stopped by her house. When he heard her story, he went home deep in thought. In his life of abundance he had never denied himself anything. The next morning Margie found the dog scratching at the door. This note was fastened to his collar: “I have lived a wasted life to God. I’d like to join your club, and begin by doing without Bright.”
I wonder how much we are sacrificially giving.
What to do:
✞ Maybe today you can find something you can do without in order that you can give to God’s work.
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