BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.
2 Corinthians 9:10-12 NLT
TODAY’S THOUGHT
What happens when we choose to live a generous life? Paul teaches us that God increases our resources to “produce a great harvest of generosity in you.” In other words, God gives us more so that we can give more. When we give more those who receive will have their needs met and God will be praised. It is a great process. The more we give the more God gives to us. The more God gives to us the more we get to give. Our giving is to advance the kingdom of God and bless others. When we advance the kingdom of God and bless others God is praised. Just yesterday I was visiting with a pastor going through a rough time. His church has been under real financial pressure, and it has caused lots of anxiety and stress. He received a surprise check yesterday of $50,000 from a person in another state who felt God told him to help this church. The pastor was telling me the story while almost shouting his praises to God for the provision. When we receive blessings, we should immediately give praise to God because He is the source of all gifts. We should also begin to ask God if there is someone we should bless or some investment we should make to advance the kingdom of God. God’s blessings on our lives should never be simply so we have more but so we can give more. Once we begin to release the cycle of blessing it begins to get bigger and bigger. We must be careful we don’t stop the flow of blessing.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Holy Spirit help me to always look for opportunities to bless others and advance Your kingdom.
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