Tuesday May 17, 2011

Theme: Monopoly

Weekend Music links on iTunes: All Because of Jesus - Fee, Run - Hillsong, For Who You Are - Hillsong, Forever Reign - Hillsong

Read: 2 Corinthians 9: 6-11

Think: There is a universal law called the principle of sowing and reaping. If I sow criticism, I’m going to reap criticism. If I sow generosity, it’s going to come back to me, and I’m going to reap generosity.

Every farmer knows this. A farmer has four sacks of seed in his barn and he looks at his empty field. He doesn’t complain, “There’s no crop! I wish there was a crop!” He just goes out and starts planting seed. Maybe that principle holds true for us too… When you have a need, plant a seed.   

It seems illogical that when I have a need, I should give. That’s why it requires faith. God says, “My ways are not your ways.” (Isaiah 55:-9) Why did God set it up that way? Because God is a giver. He is the most generous giver in the universe, and God wants you to learn to be like him. He wants to build character in you.

The Bible says, “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce” (Proverbs 3:9 NLT). This is the principle of tithing that Pastor Ben talked about. It’s the principle that says every time I make one hundred dollars, the first ten dollars goes back to God.

Tithing is an act of worship. We’re giving to God. We’re saying, “All of it came from you anyway.” God says, “Put me first in your life and watch what I do.” You may think you can’t afford to tithe, but the reality is you can’t afford not to.

Do: Don’t hold back, give to the Lord what is His… not just 10%, but 100% and watch what He does in return.

Pray: God, I trust you. Thank you that all I have has been given to me by you. Thank you that you provide for my every need and that you have been so good to me. Help me to sow as you have so generously sown into my life and my heart. Amen. 

The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.