June 9, 2024 … Sacrificial Giving …

June 9, 2024 … Sacrificial Giving …       

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  

…  Please take the time to take in this song with lyrics from Brandon Lake singing … Living Sacrifice … Poignantly singing of how we Christians are called become a living sacrifice to honor the ultimate sacrifice given to us by Christ on the cross. 

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Highlight Passage: … 2Corinthians 9:7  [NLT] … 

7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure.           

…  Paul exhorts fellow Christians to give to the Church with a personal and sacrificial heart.                                                                               

Highlight Passage (in context)L … 2Corinthians 9:6-11  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… The Apostle Paul calls on fellow Christians to give to help others with a joyful and sacrificial heart.                                                                                    

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Reference Passage: … Psalms 112:9 [NLT] … 

9 They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor.  

… God’s Psalmist, likely King David, sings about how those who fear and follow the Lord have open hearts to give generously to those in need. 

Reference Passage: … Proverbs 11:24-25 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… Solomon shares wisdom about being willing to give freely and with generosity.      

Reference Passage: … Matthew 6:1-4 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… Jesus teaches to be willing to give privately, with a sacrificial heart, and not cubically for recognition. 

Reference Passage: … Mark 12:41-44 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… Jesus observes and tells His Disciples about the sacrificial giving of the poor widow. 

Reference Passage: … Luke 6:38 [NLT] … 

38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”  

… Jesus teaches about God’s promise to reward those who give generously to God’s kingdom of their time, talents, and treasures.     

Reference Passage: … Hebrews 13:15-16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… The Author of Hebrews calls on those who’ve surrendered to follow Jesus to please God with their (our) sacrificial giving.   

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author, Dave Branon -  AT THIS LINK  -  related a story about his wife telling a church bible class for kids about a project to give to help kids in war-torn Ukraine; and about a week later they received an envelope from their 11 YO granddaughter, Maggie, with $3.45 and a note which read - “This is all I have for the kids in Ukraine. I’ll send more later.”  Obviously, the ODB author and his wife were so glad that their granddaughter showed a heart of sacrificial giving which is brought out in the Scriptures shared above. 

And the ODB entry today rather strongly calls on all Christians, from God’s word, to be willing to give voluntarily, privately, generously, and sacrificially to help those that we see needing God’s help.  And , … thru such giving, … we become the conduit and the giving ambassadors of God’s grace, being called on in God’s word (See above Scriptures) - and even by Jesus, Himself - to give cheerfully and sacrificially to those who need help.   

 But, … are we?     

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving me the opportunity to be Your ambassador of love and grace, Lord, to help others who need Your grace. 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray. again today, that all reading here will join me today, …to reach out, whenever we can, Lord, to help those who need Your grace.        … Amen

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Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.