June 5 2025 … Gifted To Give   …  

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to hear music and lyrics with the group Vintage Worship  singing… Generous Giver,  showing that we Christians see our need to help others in the generosity of God’s giving to us.

Highlight Passage: … 2Corinthians 8:7  … [NLT] … 

7 Since you excel in so many ways — in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us — I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving.         

…  Paul urges fellow Christians to excel in the ministry of giving to help others.       

           

Highlight Passage (in context): … 2Corinthians 8:1-7  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… The Apostle Paul urges fellow Christians to be like the believers  in Macedonia who gave generously and sacrificially to help the poor.                                                                                

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Reference Passage: … Deuteronomy 15:11 (NLT) …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Moses instructs God’s people to be willing to share freely to help the poor and needy in their (our) land.

Reference Passage: … Proverbs 19:17, 22:9 (NLT) …  USE THIS LINK …

… Solomon shares Godly wisdom about giving freely to help the poor. 

Reference Passage: … Matthew 5:42 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus, in his Sermon on the Mount, teaches that His followers were (are) to reach out and help those in need.  

Reference Passage: … Luke 6:38 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… Jesus instructs His followers that our willingness to give generously will be reciprocated by God’s generosity to the giver.

Reference Passage: …  2Corinthians 9:7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul also shares how God loves a cheerful giver, i.e., one who gives generously and  sacrificially to help others.  

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

… The Author of Hebrews charges all Christians to do good and share with those in need, … which is giving that pleases God.

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author - Arthur Jackson … AT THIS LINK    … used a true story about a wealthy businessman, Robert Hale, Jr., who gave each of the 1200 graduates of a college $1000, five-hundred for each of them personally and $500 was to be given by each graduate to some self-chosen needy person who would be blessed and helped by the sacrificial gift.  It was a life illustration of what Hale had experienced in his own life and wanted the graduates to experience. 

Really the story of Hale’s giving also illustrates what God’s word says repeatedly (see those Scriptures shared above) about giving to help those who are needy in our lives. I think we’ve all heard the adage, “It’s better to give than to receive.”  Well, that’s certainly supported by  what Jesus commanded and God’s word shared above.  So, … why don’t we all give more to help others as we’re given opportunity?  Well, I’m convicted; … how about you?  .  

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for providing much for us to give to others; if we’re willing to do so.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I praise You, … again today, Lord. … for giving that we can gift others who need our help. … 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.