Post by tonetchiwa on Oct 22, 2005 15:48:14 GMT 9
Sowing And Reaping (1)
Whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
2 Corinthians 9:6 NIV
Listen: "Now He who supplies seed to the sower...will
also supply and
increase your store of seed...You will be made rich in
every way so that
you can be generous on every occasion" ( 2 Corinthians
9:10-11 NIV).
There's a direct link between how much you give and
how much you get
back. If you give what you're supposed to, God will
give you more. Do
you believe that? If you do it'll revolutionise your
approach to giving.
Paul isn't talking about people who are trying to get
rich; he's simply
saying God wants people who'll finance His purposes.
He's saying, "It's
not only safe to obey Me, it's the way to greater
blessing." That's good
news for reluctant givers. When you give something
away it can feel like
a loss; that can be a tremendous disincentive. Paul
explains that giving
to God's work is not giving something away, it's
investing - with a
guaranteed return. The farmer who sows doesn't lose
his seed, he gains a
harvest. Can you imagine a farmer praying, "God, give
me a crop? I'm not
ready to sow any seed yet, but I'm trusting You to get
involved, and I'm
holding on to my seed just in case." Are you doing
that?
Here's some good news. When we sow generously God gets
involved in our
finances. Can you imagine a more secure position to be
in? Understand
this: when you give, it enables God to return to you
more than you've
given, which in turn enables you to give even more -
and round and round
it goes!
Bible-in-a-year reading:
1 Timothy 3-4, John 19:17-27,Psalm 89:38-52,Proverbs
23:19-21
==================================================
Are You Hiding?
God called to Adam, 'Why are you hiding?'
Genesis 3:9 TLB
When you don't feel good about who you are as a
person, you'll use work,
food, relationships, money and alcohol to build a wall
to keep people
from getting too close. Lasting relationships are only
built when you
stop hiding and are willing to become transparent.
Another alternative
is to keep the focus on others by asking, "How come
she got a new house
and I didn't?" Or, "Why did he get that job and not
me?" That kind of
thinking just causes resentment and makes you
miserable.
But even worse than pretending with people is
pretending with God. In
the Garden when God asked Adam, "Why are you hiding?"
He already knew
the answer. Nobody and nothing can hide from Him! But
He wanted Adam to
admit where he was and what he'd become. Why? Because
until you face the
truth about yourself, confess it and seek God's
forgiveness, you'll: (a)
find it hard to talk to God; (b) feel lonely and
alienated; (c) struggle
to look people in the eye in case they see the real
you.
If you're in hiding today, ask God for the courage to
reveal yourself.
Start by praying, "Father, I know you love me. Nothing
can change that
except my own doubts or refusal to believe it. You
loved me before I was
born, fashioned me according to Your plan, redeemed me
and gave me a
special purpose in the world, and You are working day
by day to make me
into a person that pleases You" (See Philippians
2:13).
Whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
2 Corinthians 9:6 NIV
Listen: "Now He who supplies seed to the sower...will
also supply and
increase your store of seed...You will be made rich in
every way so that
you can be generous on every occasion" ( 2 Corinthians
9:10-11 NIV).
There's a direct link between how much you give and
how much you get
back. If you give what you're supposed to, God will
give you more. Do
you believe that? If you do it'll revolutionise your
approach to giving.
Paul isn't talking about people who are trying to get
rich; he's simply
saying God wants people who'll finance His purposes.
He's saying, "It's
not only safe to obey Me, it's the way to greater
blessing." That's good
news for reluctant givers. When you give something
away it can feel like
a loss; that can be a tremendous disincentive. Paul
explains that giving
to God's work is not giving something away, it's
investing - with a
guaranteed return. The farmer who sows doesn't lose
his seed, he gains a
harvest. Can you imagine a farmer praying, "God, give
me a crop? I'm not
ready to sow any seed yet, but I'm trusting You to get
involved, and I'm
holding on to my seed just in case." Are you doing
that?
Here's some good news. When we sow generously God gets
involved in our
finances. Can you imagine a more secure position to be
in? Understand
this: when you give, it enables God to return to you
more than you've
given, which in turn enables you to give even more -
and round and round
it goes!
Bible-in-a-year reading:
1 Timothy 3-4, John 19:17-27,Psalm 89:38-52,Proverbs
23:19-21
==================================================
Are You Hiding?
God called to Adam, 'Why are you hiding?'
Genesis 3:9 TLB
When you don't feel good about who you are as a
person, you'll use work,
food, relationships, money and alcohol to build a wall
to keep people
from getting too close. Lasting relationships are only
built when you
stop hiding and are willing to become transparent.
Another alternative
is to keep the focus on others by asking, "How come
she got a new house
and I didn't?" Or, "Why did he get that job and not
me?" That kind of
thinking just causes resentment and makes you
miserable.
But even worse than pretending with people is
pretending with God. In
the Garden when God asked Adam, "Why are you hiding?"
He already knew
the answer. Nobody and nothing can hide from Him! But
He wanted Adam to
admit where he was and what he'd become. Why? Because
until you face the
truth about yourself, confess it and seek God's
forgiveness, you'll: (a)
find it hard to talk to God; (b) feel lonely and
alienated; (c) struggle
to look people in the eye in case they see the real
you.
If you're in hiding today, ask God for the courage to
reveal yourself.
Start by praying, "Father, I know you love me. Nothing
can change that
except my own doubts or refusal to believe it. You
loved me before I was
born, fashioned me according to Your plan, redeemed me
and gave me a
special purpose in the world, and You are working day
by day to make me
into a person that pleases You" (See Philippians
2:13).