Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a You Tube video of images from Guy Penrod singing … Count Your Blessings, poignantly expressing what should be our attitude of giving back because of what God has provided - His blessings - in our lives.
Highlight Passage: 1st Chronicles 29:16 [NKJV] …
16 “O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have prepared to build You a house for Your holy name is from Your hand, and is all Your own.
… David’s prayer for God’s people to give back what God had given them.
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Highlight Context … 1st Chronicles 29 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… The Chronicle of David’s prayer for his son, Solomon, to rebuild the Temple because of God’s blessings.
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Reference Passage #1 … Proverbs 3: 9-10 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Solomon’s wisdom on giving back to God His portion … the “firstfuits” of HIS provision to us.
Reference Passage #2 … Malachi 3:8-10 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… God’s are challenged by God to give back to Him at least the first portion, the tithe, of what is already His anyway.
Reference Passage #3 … Matthew 6: 31-33 [NKJV] …
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
… Jesus is clear that God will provide our needs. We need not worry.
Reference Passage #4 … 2nd Corinthians 9:6-7 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK … https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+9%3A6-7&version=NKJV … God, thru Paul, on our attitude of giving back what He has provided … and we reap what we sow!
My Journal for Today: … Our Daily Bread author, Keila Ochoa, used a personal story in teaching about our giving back to God what He already has given to us. She wrote: I was 18 years old when I got my first full time job, and I learned an important lesson about the discipline of saving money. I worked and saved until I had enough money for a year of school. Then my mom had emergency surgery, and I realized I had the money in the bank to pay for her operation. My love for my mother suddenly took precedence over my plans for the future.
My fellow Christian, … when the offering plate comes by in church on Sunday (see attached photo), what is in our hearts as we put in our tithes/offerings? Are we doing what Guy Penrod sings in the devotional song linked for today? Or are we holding back because of fears and insecurities, as so many seem to be doing these days in God’s Church?
Unfortunately, we are living in a time of financial worries/fears which has led to a social culture of entitlement and outright robbing of God’s provision (as God warned against in Malachi 3:8-10 above). In the highlight and reference passages above, we, … God’s People, His Church, … are to recognize that God owns it all; and all He expects of us is a cheerful heart to return the first fruits of what He gives us as a sign to Him that we recognize His provision. And it’s His promise that He will provide all we need in life (see Jesus’ promise in Matt. 6:31-33 ).
So, I’ll let you deal with your conviction and heart when the offering plate comes by you on Sunday. As for me, … I’m feeling so blessed this day!
My Prayer Today: O, Heavenly Father, … Lord, … You provide so much. And I give back with a grateful heart! Amen
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.
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