Today's Scripture:
2 Corinthians 8, 9

Key Verse:
2 Corinthians 9:7

"Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver."

The Point:

A Thriving Heart Gives with Purpose!

If you have been following along with the 40 Days of Prayer series, you may be thinking, here we go - here comes the talk about money! Yes, but this isn't about money - directly. It is about purpose! Have you ever looked at Today's Key Verse (2 Corinthians 9:7 quoted above) and asked yourself the question, what does "purpose in your heart" mean? Everyone with a passion for something has "purpose" in their heart. If you have a strong conviction about something that leads to a firm, unwavering decision to take an action, that is "purpose" in your heart. Purpose in your heart is behind every important decision you make, or at least it should be! Decisions about salvation, baptism, church membership, education, occupation/job changes, marriage, having/raising children, purchasing a home, personal/family budgets, and even elections should have a purpose behind them, a Godly purpose.

The Christian has an unmistakable purpose in this life, and it is described clearly in Ephesians 2:8-10, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Note the words, "we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." God has a plan for us which means we have a purpose in our heart if we will be submissive to Him and be the stewards he has called us to be.

Giving of our time, talent, and resources (none of which are truly ours by the way) isn't an obligation, it is a privilege! Any time you give of your time, talent, or resources in your service to God (which encompasses all the things in life mentioned previously in the first paragraph), praise the Lord for the ability to be a blessing! If you find you are genuinely able to do that, you know your worship and service in giving has been blessed. That's why the Key Verse ends with, "God loveth a cheerful giver." Any time you give of your time, talent, or resources and the first thought is something like, ugh, time to do that again; you can be certain you have missed the mark! The "purpose" in your heart was not aligned with God's plan.

Today's Scripture (2 Corinthians 8, 9) documents Paul's instruction and plea to the Church at Corinth to help with a dire need for the saints in Jerusalem. The Church at Jerusalem was in the middle of a war zone, enduring a famine, and suffering persecution. It is important to understand the subject in these two chapters was about a special need in a difficult time and not the routine giving that should be evident in a faithful Christian's life. However, the principles about purpose in giving are applicable to every aspect of giving time, talent, and resources for God's Honor and Glory. Study Today's Scripture and answer the following Reflection Questions:

1. What was the "purpose" in the heart of the churches of Macedonia? (2 Corinthians 8:1-5)
2. While it may not be obvious in this passage, the Church at Corinth was very blessed with material resources, what does Paul call to their attention concerning things in which they abounded? (2 Corinthians 8:7-10)
3. Was Paul asking the Church at Corinth to give something they didn't possess? (2 Corinthians 8:11-12)
4. What testimony did Paul encourage the Church at Corinth to show to the messengers and their respective churches? (2 Corinthians 8:23-24)
5. Does it make sense to be prepared to give before a need arises? (2 Corinthians 9:1-5)
6. Why do some peoples say, "you can't outgive God?" (2 Corinthians 9:6)
7. Does the message about giving cheerfully make more sense now? (2 Corinthians 9:7)