Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 159
Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ... Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Chris Christian singing … We Are An Offering … poignantly singing of how we, in Christ, become our own source of joy when we’re wiling to give of ourselves for God’s glory.
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Highlight Passage [Context]: … 1Chronicles 29:9 [NLT] …
9 The people rejoiced over the offerings, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord, and King David was filled with joy
… God’s people experienced the joy which comes from giving sacrificially to God’s calling and for His purposes.
<b><u>Highlight Passage [Context] </u>: … 1Chronicles 29:1-9 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … </b>
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Chronicles+29%3A1-9&version=NLT
… God’s people gave generously to respond to David’s call and example, … giving to build God’s temple and experiencing the joy which comes from giving generously and sacrificially to the LORD.
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Reference Passage: … Nehemiah 8:10 [NLT] …
10 And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”
… Nehemiah teaches God’s remnant who had returned to Jerusalem after the exile to Babylon how God’s faithful receive the Lord’s strength and His joy by giving generously to the needy.
Reference Passage: … Malachi 3:10 [NLT] …
10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!
… God, thru Malachi, shows and challenges His people how He will give back … big time … to those who’re willing to give for His glory … generously and sacrificially.
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 how our God gives back generously and joyfully to those who’re willing to give generously to others.
Reference Passage: … John 3:16 [NLT] …
16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
… Jesus teaching a Jewish leader (and us) just how much our Heavenly Father was willing to give so that we might experience His joy.
Reference Passage: … Acts 20:35 [NLT] …
35 And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
… Paul exhorts other fellow Christians to follow his example in following Jesus’ command to be willing to give more of ourselves in life than we receive. .
My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Poh Sheridan Voysey … AT THIS LINK … tells of how a psychologist, reviewing the literature on those who were willing to give freely as opposed to those who were not, concluding … “Let’s stop thinking about giving as a moral obligation, and start thinking of it as a source of pleasure.”
But, as the ODB author, points out in today’s devotional, we Christians should be willing to give generously and sacrificially, not to receive PLEASURE, but to experience the JOY promised by our Lord (see Scriptures above) when we’re willing to give to/for other as our Lord was willing to give His all for us (see John 3:16.
Therefore, having taken in the linked song and God’s word on this matter above, I pray that we’ll all go out today and look for opportunities … and God’s calling … to give of our time, talents, and treasures to experience the joy of giving for God’s glory.
My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for ALWAYS giving more to me than I can give for others.
My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, … to look for opportunities to give generously and sacrificially as You call us to give today, Lord. … 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.
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