2 Corinthians 9:7
Each one should give what he has decided to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver.
#Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 318
Compulsion: necessity
From the Greek word 'anagké (pronounced an-ang-kay') which translates "strong force needed to accomplish something typically brought on by great pain or distress".
["In classical Greek many words take their stem from anank-. The verb anankazō denotes the outward influence or pressure exerted by someone upon another.]
The generous heart cannot be sincerely generous unless The Lord Jesus Christ is there, filling our hearts with HImself, directing our steps on His path with His Holy Spirit. We ourselves must be filled before we can begin to fill the needs in other's hearts and lives.
We must be cheerfully generous with our time given to The Lord, given to one another in His church and given to those we minister to in the good works of service to The Lord. If we feel like we are being forced to spend our time where we do not want to, yet we participate in the above activities, we are not giving cheerfully. In fact, we are not giving at all, for that heart isn't even filled with the Love of God through Christ.
First we must make the decision to Love The Lord our God with all our hearts, with all our souls and with all our minds (Matthew 22:37). With everything that is within us (Psalm 103:1; Psalm 63:1). Secondly, we endeavor to be so filled with the Love of God in Christ Jesus that it spills, splashes and overflows onto and into the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ that they would be blessed.
Thirdly, we cheerfully give of our blessings to those who are downtrodden, overwhelmed, hopeless. We give of our blessings to the widow, the orphans, the foreigner in our gates (Deuteronomy 14:29; James 1:27).
The generous heart explodes with Love. Just one drop of Love in our hearts is multiplied by God's hands until we feel like we're ready to bust wide open. Bits of Love fall on everyone we interact with and on they who are blessed by our prayers, when prayer is all we have to give.
GENEROSITY TOWARDS THE LORD
Wherever the Scripture reads "Bless The LORD", it is a cry from the heart to be grateful, thankful and worshipful towards The LORD our GOD. To give thanks with a grateful heart, with such joy that the words and the songs pour out of us whenever we open our mouths.
We have much to be thankful to God for. His plan of salvation was fulfilled in the sacrificial death of His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. And we who believe BLESS GOD with all that is within us. We bless Him from our hearts and not just our lips. We bless Him with the works of our hands. We bless Him with the places we walk in.
We bless God when we bless each other out of the generosity of our hearts. Not because we have to but because we want to. No one forces me to pay my tithes: I tithe out of my income because I want to. No one forces me to support missionaries: I give offerings because I want to. I want to see my church and my pastor blessed. I want to see the Lord be a blessing in the countries in which our missionaries are stationed.
GENEROSITY TOWARDS EACH OTHER IN CHRIST
We give to each other deliberately, with purpose and good intent. We desire only the best for each other. In our desire to see our brothers and sisters in Christ grow in the Lord and come to maturity in Christ, we give of ourselves to their service. We are seeking to raise them up with words of mercy (remembering that we too were once young in the Word) with words of understanding, with compassion, with our presence and silence in times of sorrow or distress.
We give to each other out of the overflow of our pantries, feeding the body as well as the soul. Unintentional hunger in the body tends to override the hearing of the Word. If we can help someone in need, then we help. If we can't, we pray that the Lord sends someone who can help. We all work together. It's called hospitality.
Deuteronomy 23:20
You may charge a foreigner interest, but not your brother, so that the LORD your God may bless you in everything to which you put your hand in the land that you are entering to possess.
1 Peter 3:8
Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble.
3 John 1:5-6
Beloved, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, and especially since they are strangers to you.
They have testified to the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.
GENEROSITY TOWARDS THE POOR
There will always be folks poorer than ourselves. Deuteronomy 15:11 "For there will never cease to be poor in the land; that is why I am commanding you to open wide your hand to your brother and to the poor and needy in your land."
As Christ's followers, we extend God's love with lovingkindness and grace. Once I was poor and someone extended their generosity into my heart. And I saw Love in action. A Love that I wanted to know more about. Though occasionally I wandered down the wrong path looking for that Love, eventually, I was led to a church where I saw the Holy Spirit in action, actively being sought and found. And I wanted that, too.
But it started with recognizing I was just a poor wretch without Jesus Christ living in my heart and my life. So I share Him and His Love everywhere I go. I share Him through socks. I share Him through turkey. I share Him through cake. I share Him through sandwiches. I share Christ and the Love of God through my Bing searches (supports my fave mission).
I give of my prayers to the poor. I ask God to bless them, and many others, with clean water, good food, clothes to wear, shoes on their feet and shelter. I ask God to bless all who are imprisoned with strength and faith that does not waver. I ask God to bless the persecutors, the tormentors, the mockers and the slayers: to break their hearts for Him, to open their eyes to see, to turn to Him. I ask God to bind their wounds, heal their diseases and raise their dead for His glory and honor and the increase of His kingdom.
I ask God to strengthen His people where they stand: in prison and out of prison; to make strong those who are attacked and brought down by the haters of righteousness. To give them the Bibles they need in prison, in their homes. To empower them with His Holy Spirit. That the Spirit would be poured out upon all who seek Him and who desire to live righteous and holy lives.
I ask all these things in Jesus' name, according to His perfect Will and Purpose. I am a friend of God. And I want you to be God's friend, too.
Psalm 41:1
Blessed is he who cares for the poor; the LORD will deliver him in the day of trouble.
Proverbs 22:9
A generous man will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.
John 12:8
"The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have Me."
WINDS OF WORSHIP ALBUM (what I listened to while I studied)
