Hello my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends,
Have you ever spoken so positively about a person or a place that you felt concerned you had overstated reality and others may not find their experience with that person or place to be as wonderful as you had claimed? It appears the apostle Paul found himself in that situation as he wrote the 9th chapter of his letter to the Christians in Corinth in the mid first century.
Paul had boasted about the Corinthian’s compassion for people in great need and their eagerness to give generously to help address the crisis in Jerusalem. Paul’s words about the Corinthians had motivated the Christians all across the province of Achaia to respond in like manner as the call went out for help for those starving in the prolonged famine in Jerusalem. (Acts 11:28)
Paul was thrilled to see such compassion and generosity as clear evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work in these Christians, many of whom lived in poverty themselves. As these Macedonians considered the sacrifice Jesus had made to leave the magnificence of heaven and come to earth, even to die on a cross, to save sin enslaved people like them and us… they were moved to compassionate, joyful generosity. to help those in crisis in Jerusalem!
Pause… Have you noticed friends that people can be moved to generosity by many emotions? Empathy and Gratitude are among the most powerful. But sadly, people can be moved by manipulation or intimidation or even deceitfulness, and those are all actively working on the hearts of tender people especially this time of year in our day. Did you know we Christians have a great advantage when it comes to protecting ourselves from such schemes?
The Holy Spirit will guide you to carefully protect and wisely disperse the resources God has given you as you carefully nurture your relationship with Jesus. Did you know that? When you are asked to give… to anything, I urge you to take the request to God first, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you since all our resources are God’s and we are responsible to God for dispersing those resources according to His guidance for His purposes. Have you learned to do that?
But Paul was concerned that maybe he had overstated the generosity of the Corinthian Christians, so in 2 Cor. 9:1-5 Paul explains that he’d be sending trusted friends to help the Corinthians respond to the Jerusalem crisis in a wise, proper and God-honoring, practical response. Paul then gives very wise financial stewardship advice applicable to all of God’s people in all places, in every generation: “Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or out of compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Cor. 9:6,7)
Oh my friends, do you see the outrageous privilege God’s people have of RECEIVING resources directly from God? And then receiving God’s GUIDANCE for distributing those resources exactly how God has planned for them to be DISTRIBUTED according to God’s PURPOSES here on this earth?
This matter of giving God’s resources only as we understand God’s when, how and “what you have decided in your heart to give”, means we are being fully obedient to what God has directed you or me to give… no more, no less and ONLY to the person or project God has instructed us. Do you see how that frees us from all the pressure or manipulation from anyone who tries to convince you to give your resources according to THEIR ideas for God’s resources which you are stewarding?
Have you discovered how much fun it is to GIVE… of any resource God has given you according to God’s guidance and His love for you? What resources am I talking about? The God produced resources He gives to you and me, like the TIME God gives us, and the ENERGY, or TALENTS and SKILLS, or the SPIRITUAL GIFTS, or the FINANCES… all of these are God produced resources which God entrusts to you and me to use as HE guides us, right? That’s why it’s so important we spend time with God to discern when, where and how God wants us to use ALL these resources He entrusts to us. And that is why Paul wrote: “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Cor. 9:8)
My friends, did you notice Paul said God’s people should be using God’s resources, according to God’s guidance to accomplish ‘every good work’? Here’s how Paul wrote the same idea to the Christians in Ephesus: “By grace you are saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to DO good works, which God has prepared in advance for us to do!” (Eph. 2:8-10)
Yes my friends. Each of us who are new creations in Christ, are a masterpiece of God’s great transforming, sanctifying work. We are ‘trophies’ of God’s grace displaying His splendor to the world. (Is. 61:3) And more… we are resourced by God, with all the resources and wisdom God knows we need, to accomplish the GOOD WORKS which HE will lead us to do, for His glory, according to His purposes, in our generation!
Oh my, does that excite you my friends? Can you imagine any greater life purpose than to be rescued from our sin bondage; transformed by the power of Jesus; sanctified to be useable in God’s hands for accomplishing things only God can accomplish; and resourced by God to accomplish those miraculous things!
Is that how you are living my friends? It’s how I want to live EVERY day, so I think we should pause here and invite Jesus to help us understand how to live this way. The ‘lessons learned’ notes will help you with that, and the worship song will help you praise Jesus as you live in the ‘Overflow’, and tomorrow we’ll look at more of these amazing things the Holy Spirit led Paul to write…
Today’s Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:1-9.
Choose below to read or listen.
 |  |
Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
Archived back issues of “Walking with Jesus” and other resources are available by clicking here to open our ‘home page’ (or go to HOME at upper right of this page).
Share with friends. Subscribe below for daily “Walking with Jesus”.