'generosity' Tagged Posts (Page 2)
Daily Devotions
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage.” vs. 6 Psalm 16:1-6 The people of God don’t always live in misery and poverty–sometimes things go pretty well for us. It may even be that we are embarrassed when others ask how we are doing. We have no health issues and our genetic inheritance has ensured that we are free from the aches and pains that afflict so many. We’ve been able to live…
Daily Devotions
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’’ vs. 21 Mark 10:17-22 The man was at a crisis point, and probably surprised to find himself there. He’d lived a good life, exemplary even, and had reaped the blessings of hard work and enterprise. He was likely envied by most of his peers–yet something…
Daily Devotions
Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking.” vs. 7 2 Corinthians 8:7-11 There had been a massive famine in the area of Jerusalem and the Jewish Christians there were struggling mightily. When Paul heard he launched a massive disaster response effort in the congregations he had started. Instructions were sent out to gather a collection that could…
Daily Devotions
How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses to help?” vs. 17 1 John 3:16-17 Sometimes the words of scripture are so plain and obvious that it’s impossible to miss their point. There’s no way to squirm out of the spotlight they shine on our lives. That’s the way it is with the epistle writer, John, today. We don’t know the situation precisely but he…
Daily Devotions
Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common.” vs. 4 Acts 4:32-35 There are some folks who have a hard time figuring out what to do with passages like this in scripture. The rejection of private ownership in favor of holding all things in common seems somehow wrong to our ears. At the very least it sounds…
Daily Devotions: April 28, 2020
April 28, 2020 Acts 2:46-47 … “Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.” vss. 46-47a Initially, the followers of Jesus in Jerusalem did not imagine that they would be considered the founders of a new religion. They were very content within Judaism and made temple worship a part of their daily…
Daily Devotions: September 27, 2019
September 27, 2020 For full passage click: 1 Timothy 6:13-19 … “As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty– They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share…” vss. 17a, 18 According to the Gospels, Jesus once told a rich young man that he should sell his possessions and give to the poor, and then come follow him. It’s a text that is familiar, but…
Daily Devotions: June 25, 2019
PLEASE EXCUSE LATE ARRIVAL – SERVER ISSUES IN EARLY A.M.!!! June 25, 2019 For full passage click: Psalm 16:1-6 …“The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage.” vs. 6 Many followers of Jesus end up with more possessions than they ever dreamed that they would have. They live in large comfortable homes and drive luxurious vehicles. They go on cruises to exotic places and take vacations trips to distant parts of the world.…
Daily Devotions: April 7, 2019
April 7, 2019 For full passage click: John 12:5-8 …“Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.’” vss. 7-8 Judas’ suggestion wasn’t a bad one. The perfume was very expensive, there were many poor people in Jerusalem, and the perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor. Sometimes it really…
Daily Devotions: November 13, 2018
November 13, 2018 For full reading click on Scripture: Psalm 16:1-6 …“The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage.” vs. 6 As the psalmist reflects on his relationship with the Lord, he recognizes that his life is very good. He has a good family and productive land. His boundary lines have fallen in pleasant places. None of these gifts have come as a result of his own labor. He was simply born in…
Daily Devotions: November 5, 2018
November 5, 2018 1 Kings 17:6-12 …“As she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, ‘Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.’” The people of Israel had a whole series of Elijah stories that they told and then preserved in writing. They wanted their descendants to know about this incredible prophet who dared to speak truth to power in the days of Ahab and Jezebel. In one of those stories, Elijah goes to a…
Daily Devotions: March 11, 2018
March 11, 2018 John 3:19-21 … “And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.” vs. 19 The contrast between light and darkness was an important one in the gospel of John. In his prologue he describes the Word as the light of the world, a light which darkness was not able to overcome. In this section, he tells his readers that even though…