This is the journey through my life as a born again believer and disciple of Jesus Christ, a pastor's wife, mother, dental hygienist, teacher, sister, daughter, aunt, mentor, friend, and Operation Christmas Child Shoebox packer. I am a blessed and highly favored child of the One True King, trying to make a positive difference in the lives of the people I come in contact with daily.
It is day 7 of 178 days of praying for our students. Today we are praying for "generosity". Scripture tells us we are to give generously. Generosity is being kind and unselfish, especially as it pertains to money and other things we consider valuable. It is sharing abundantly with others, even if they are strangers or undeserving in our eyes.
We are told in the Bible about how people gave freely with willing hearts. God sets the perfect example of giving...He gave his one and only Son so that the world might be saved! This is also how we should define love: to lay down our lives for others. We need to pray that when we see others in need the Holy Spirit will convict us to act, to help, to love in deeds and actions...to be generous. Paul states in Acts 20:35 is it more blessed to give than to receive. I always enjoy watching others open gifts we have purchased for them. Pray that your children will develop a generous heart, instead of a me, me, me attitude of a life centered all around them. The selfish, worldly treasures we store up here will all vanish; moths and thieves will destroy or steal them. (Matt 6:19-24) We need to teach our kids to store up their treasures in Heaven and we need to lead by example. Pray your children will develop generosity. This does not mean they have to give ALL their money away. We can store up treasures in heaven by being Christ-like: loving deeply, forgiving without holding grudges, sharing the good news of the gospel, enduring persecution with right attitudes, praying for others, and it can also mean giving of their time and money to serve Christ and His Church. Pray your child will answer the call to whatever it is God wants them to do today. Also pray they will generously give their body to Christ to go into the career He wants them to do when they are older. Pray for their future spouse. If they can learn to give generously now, all of their relationships will be better in the future, because it is truly better to give than receive. What we truly value is evident by how we live. Where are we storing up our treasures? What are we teaching our kids is most important? Where is our generosity, if we had a "generosity meter"? Do we treasure Jesus or this world...it can't be both ways? Pray your family will become consumed with living and loving like Jesus. Pray your family will become so generous that it will be sold out for Christ and His Kingdom alone!
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. John 3:16-17 ESV
6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 ESV
6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 ESV
