Give From Your Heart – Rhapsody Of Realities TeeVo Devotional June 2nd

(A True Giver Gives Joyfully And Cheerfully)

TO THE BIBLE: 2 Corinthians 9:7
“…Let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of [necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”

LET’S TALK
The story of Abraham in Genesis 22 helps us better understand Paul’s words in our opening scripture. After years of waiting to have a child, Abraham and Sarah eventually gave birth to Isaac in their old age.

But one day, God asked Abraham to offer his only son, Isaac, as a sacrifice (Genesis 22:2). I’m aware that there are religious books and certain movies that highlight Abraham’s disappointment upon receiving that instruction.

To them, he gave Isaac reluctantly, grudgingly, sorrowfully, and regretfully. No, he wasn’t sorrowful; he did it by faith.

Remember the Bible calls Abraham the father of faith? He was a man of faith who demonstrated his faith that God could raise Isaac from the dead, and symbolically, that’s exactly what happened: “By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son…Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death” (Hebrews 11:17-19 NIV).

Abraham trusted completely in the Lord and offered Isaac cheerfully. No wonder, in the Lord’s impending judgement against Sodom, He deliberated, “…Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?” (Genesis 18:17).

God wouldn’t leave Abraham out of His plans; He wouldn’t do without him. That’s exactly what the Word says in 2 Corinthians 9:7 AMPC: “…God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, “prompt to do it”) giver [whose heart is in his giving].”

We’re Abraham’s seed. Like Him, we give in faith; we’re cheerful, joyous, “prompt to do it” givers. We give from the heart, and nothing is ever too much for us to put into the spread of the Gospel.

The result is a life of ever-increasing greatness, relevance, and impact in the Kingdom of God. Hallelujah!

Go Deeper
Acts 20:35; Matthew 19:21; Luke 6:38

Speak:
I give cheerfully for the propagation of the Gospel, and as a result, the Lord multiplies the fruits of my righteousness, even as He has made all grace available to me to have all sufficiency in all things. Amen.

Daily Bible Reading
ONE YEAR
John 17:1-26, 1 Chronicles 9-10
TWO YEAR
Mark 14:43-52, Numbers 36

Act:
Speak in tongues for at least fifteen minutes, then decide from your heart on what you want to give for the Gospel and do so cheerfully this week.