New Wine - Day 32

"On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come" - 1 Corinthians 16:2

The point is this: “whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God can make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” -2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Paul encouraged the Corinthians to give regularly and joyfully. Not under any legalistic pressure but freely and cheerfully. The “discipline” involved was to set apart and give weekly (for them) or regularly.

It also takes a measure of godly “discipline” to do this cheerfully. But as with all God’s commands, when we obey them, he blesses us. He doesn’t promise to give us Cadillacs, but “to make all grace abound” to us and meet our needs, that we “may abound in every good work.”

And when Paul encouraged the Corinthians to give in the passages above, it was not for the church's support, but for the poor saints in Jerusalem who were going through a famine. We should give to our church, but we certainly need not restrict giving to the church.

Proverbs 19:17 says:
“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed.”

And Jesus said:

“Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. With the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” -Luke 6:38

So Jesus commands us to give. It is, in a sense, a “spiritual discipline.” But it brings great rewards, as Jesus said. However, we need not linger on the rewards, but rather we should linger on the ask. God asks that we support those in the work and those in need. If God has blessed us in any way, we should, with a grateful heart, give back to God what he has allowed us to steward.

JOURNAL

1. When was the last time you thought about giving as a discipline? 
2. What can you do in order to make giving a little less painful, but more intentional? 
3. What can you give to today that will honor God?