Scripture Union Daily Guide 8th November 2020 Sunday Message
TOPIC: God loves cheerful givers
OPENING PRAYER: Help me to understand the exceeding greatness of your power as I read through this passage, dear Lord.
SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 9:1 ─ 15
REFLECTION
• Is there any example for me to follow or not to follow?
• Is there any other Biblical passage that can help me understand this passage better?
Scripture Union Daily Guide 8th November 2020 Message:
Giving is an act of love. A gift given reluctantly or under duress is not enjoyable and cannot be used with a free conscience. On Friday we saw that the Macedonians gave willingly because they had first given themselves to God. They gave out of love which made the gift very precious. Church giving done reluctantly is like a relationship maintenance fee which becomes burdensome. Cheerful giving unlocks God’s blessings on the giver (vv.8, 11).
Real giving in the church results from a committed and surrendered heart to God. Those who have a deep and personal knowledge of God will give to God’s work with gladness. Where there is love, gifts will flow. Today, people are squeezed dry by bogus church leaders. Some are intimidated into parting with their money and properties in the name of giving to God so that the givers “will get the desires of their hearts”.
Mature Christians will give to a clear and understood cause. In a town 90km from Harare, a man gave the pastor his lorry when he was told that if he did so his business will expand. Instead, it collapsed. He went to the pastor to reclaim his lorry.
⁂ Any new insight or reinforcement of what you already know?
Practice/Word Application
• So What: Do you give to God as a “debtor–of–grace”, knowing that you can never pay for the blessing God has given you in Christ?
Purity
In the Christian context, purity is a state of being morally and completely clean, free from contamination and from the taint of human corruptions. After committing our lives to Christ, we are expected to set ourselves apart from sin and its influence, not blending with the crowd but totally dedicated to God. We now have God’s virtues in us. We maintain purity in every aspect of life even in our relationship with all people especially the opposite sex.
Prayer
• Purify our hearts in our service Lord, that our giving may be an act of worship and thanksgiving to you.
• Pray for the activities of interdenominational Christian fellowships – OFNC, ACF etc. ─ in their ministry to foreigners.
• Offer a prayer of faith in line with I John 2:20
Read the Bible in one Year
Ezra 6–8; 2 Tim. 3
READ: Joel Osteen 6th November 2020 Today’s Devotional – When God Shoots You Out
Scripture Union Daily Guide 8th November 2020 – Scripture Union is an international, inter-denominational, evangelical Christian organization. It was founded in 1867, and works in partnership with individuals and churches across the world. The organization’s stated aim is to use the Bible to inspire children, young people and adults to know God