Tag: Generous

43.q. “Wilderness” – 7.x. “If you lend money to any of my people”

 

Exodus 22:25  “If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him.  If ever you take your neighbor’s cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

 Leviticus 25:35-37    “If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you.  Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God, that your brother may live beside you.  You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit.

 Proverbs 28:8    Whoever multiplies his wealth by interest and profit gathers it for him who is generous to the poor.

 Ezekiel 18:17    withholds his hand from iniquity, takes no interest or profit, obeys my rules, and walks in my statutes

Interest was prohibited on loans made to the poor and the taking of collateral had to be reasonable. “The reason for the prohibition is presumably that the poor man borrows in his need. The loan is seen as assistance to a neighbor, and to make money from his need would be immoral.” (Guzik)

The people of God should ever be ready to show mildness and mercy, according to the spirit of these laws. We must answer to God, not only for what we do maliciously, but for what we do heedlessly. Therefore, when we have done harm to our neighbour, we should make restitution, though not compelled by law. Let these scriptures lead our souls to remember, that if the grace of God has indeed appeared to us, then it has taught us, and enabled us so to conduct ourselves by its holy power, that denying ungodliness and wordly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. (Henry)

If a man should lend to one of the poor of his own people, he was not to oppress him by demanding interest; and if he gave his upper garment as a pledge, he was to give it him back towards sunset, because it was his only covering. God directs Himself at once to the hearts of the Israelites, and attacks the sins of selfishness and covetousness. (Keil)

When our hearts and minds begin to understand that all we have has been given to us by God, it is then when begin to understand the commands of God concerning the needs of others.

30.t. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”

 

Matthew 5:7  “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

 Psalms 37:26   He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.

Psalms 112:4 Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him;

 Proverbs 11:17    A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.

 Proverbs 14:21    Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.

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

 Daniel 4:27    Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”

 Micah 6:8   He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

 Colossians 3:12     Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

 James 3:17     But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

 Hebrews 4:16     Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

When this beatitude addresses those who will show mercy, it speaks to those who have already received mercy. It is mercy to be emptied of your pride and brought to poverty of spirit. It is mercy to be brought to mourning over your spiritual condition. It is mercy to receive the grace of meekness and to become gentle. It is mercy to be made hungry and thirsty after righteousness. Therefore, this one who is expected to show mercy is one who has already received it. The merciful one will show it to those who are weaker and poorer. The merciful one will always look for those who weep and mourn. The merciful one will be forgiving to others, and always looking to restore broken relationships. The merciful one will be merciful to the character of other people, and choose to think the best of them whenever possible. The merciful one will not expect too much from others. The merciful one will be compassionate to those who are outwardly sinful. The merciful one will have a care for the souls of all men. If you want mercy from others – especially God – then you should take care to be merciful to others.

To be merciful is a choice. We have a choice on how we act towards and treat others. What is bouncing around in your head when given an opportunity to show mercy. I was right and have been wronged. I was cheated. I was not chosen. I was cursed at. I was not listened to. I was not invited. I was not asked. You are wrong. You are lazy. It is your own fault. You have two legs and two arms – use them. You choose to live like this. The list of things we allow to bounce around in our head when we are in a situation that should or could allow us to show mercy could go on and on. The fact is that we don’t spend a single day whereby we could show mercy to someone. Why should we, because God showed mercy and grace on us while we were still sinners.  He sent His Son to die for our sins so that we would have eternal life. We did nothing deserving this grace and mercy. It was out of the love of God who reached out to a lost and fallen world. Rejecting to show mercy when opportunities arise says a lot about the condition of the heart of the soul. To recognize and understand that you were given mercy when you deserved none opens up our heart and mind to choose to show mercy in the like matter. Why? Because Jesus Christ is honored and glorified.  There is no other reason. When our heart, mind, and soul desire to honor and glorify Jesus Christ we will continue to find opportunities to show grace, mercy, and love.

25.r. “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked”

 

2 Corinthians 9:6  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 is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”

 Psalms 41:1-3    Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him;  the LORD protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; you do not give him up to the will of his enemies.  The LORD sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health.

 Proverbs 11:24  One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.

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

 Proverbs 22:9    Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.

 Galatians 6:7-9  Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.  For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.  And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

A farmer sowing seed may feel he loses seed as it falls from his hand to the ground, and we may feel we are losing when we give. But just as the farmer gives the seed it in anticipation of a future harvest, we should give with the same heart.

What do we reap when we give? We reap blessings that are both material and spiritual. Materially, we can trust that God will provide for the giving heart. The promise of Philippians 4:19 (my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus) is made in the context of the generous hearts of the Philippians (Philippians 4:15-18). If we give to God, He will give to us materially.  Spiritually, we can trust that God will reward the giving heart both now and in eternity. Jesus spoke to this in Matthew 19:29: And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. Jesus obviously did not mean that we would receive a hundred houses if we gave up our house for Him any more than He meant we would receive a hundred wives if we gave one up for Him! But He did mean that we are never the losers when we give to God. The Lord can never be in debt to any man, and we should never be afraid of giving God “too much.” Spiritually or materially, you can’t out-give God.  Every Christian should be a giver. Because of small resources some cannot give much but it is still important that they give, and that they give with the right kind of heart.

Giving should be motivated by the purposes of our own heart. It should never be coerced or manipulated. We should give because we want to give and because God has put it in our own heart to give. This can also be said in the sense that our giving reveals the purposes in [our] own heart. If we say we love the Lord more than surfing, but spend all our money on surfboards and do not give as we should to the Lord’s work, then the way we spend our money shows the purposes of our own heart more accurately than our words do. Jesus said it simply: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. God does not want our giving to be grudging (reluctantly, regretfully given with plenty of complaining) or of necessity (given because someone has made us or manipulated us into giving).  Some people talk of the tithe as what they are giving but this I think is wrong.  The tithe was an expectation God has place on us.  Giving is separate from that.  Giving is not given because it is an expectation but freely from the heart.  Give some thought to this and ask God to reveal if you are giving out of love for Him or out of expectation. 

56. So that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

Deuteronomy 28:47   Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things.

Nehemiah 9:35     Even in their own kingdom, and amid your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and rich land that you set before them, they did not serve you or turn from their wicked works.

1 Timothy 6:17-19    As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.  They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,  thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

Deuteronomy 12:8    “You shall not do according to all that we are doing here today, everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes,

Deuteronomy 32:13-15     He made him ride on the high places of the land, and he ate the produce of the field, and he suckled him with honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock.  Curds from the herd, and milk from the flock, with fat of lambs, rams of Bashan and goats, with the very finest of the wheat— and you drank foaming wine made from the blood of the grape.  “But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked; you grew fat, stout, and sleek; then he forsook God who made him and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation.

When are you closest to God?  What times in your life were you seeking Him earnestly?  I would be accurate if I said it was in a very troubling, sad, confusing, frustrating time in your life.   Doesn’t it seem like we run to Him only when we need His refuge, strength, power, courage, forgiveness, and healing but we aren’t quick to run to Him to give honor, glory, praise, and to worship Him?

In times of quiet, health, comfort, prosperity, and freedom there is a high probability to neglect and be complacent with His word.  Challenge this statement if you want but it is surely true.  If His word is not actively being desired and cherished then it is being set aside because of a perceived lack of need of it.

Remember God will not be mocked – if your life is sowing seeds of self-interest above humbly serving, honoring, glorifying, following, and obeying God, God will give you the desires of your heart which will never satisfy, never fulfill, never bring joy, peace or comfort.

Who is more Blessed?

“Blessed is the one who considers the poor!”

“It is more blessed to give than to receive”

Psalms 41:1  In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him; the LORD protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; you do not give him up to the will of his enemies. The LORD sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health.

Deuteronomy 15:10 You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

Isaiah 58:7  Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?  Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.  Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,  if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.  And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

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

Ecclesiastes 11:1  Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.  Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.

2 Corinthians 9:8  And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.  As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”  He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.  You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

Acts 20:35   In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

Luke 14:13  But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

Matthew 25:34  Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,  I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’  Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?  And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?  And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

Learn to Give out of a generous heart.  Learn to Help out of a generous heart.  Giving is an act of obedient responsibility but to many it is missing from their lives.  There is blessing given deep into the heart of a generous giver.  This blessing comes from God and it is knowing He has given to you and allowed you to be used by Him to share.  He honors a generous heart with Joy in giving that can not be easily explained but it is very real in the lives of those who learn to listen to God and give generously and with purpose.

Depart From Me

How sad to hear from God “Depart From Me”

We can not be blind to the responsibility God has given us.  We are to continually be generous with our giving, kind with our actions, joyful with our responses, hopeful with our advice, and always seasoning those around us with love, grace and mercy.   Do not lose sight of the purpose we are on this side of eternity.

 

Matthew 25:41
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me. ’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you? ’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me. ’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life

Proverbs 14:31
Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker,
but he who is generous to the needy honors him

Proverbs 17:5
Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker;
he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished

Galatians 6:8
For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith

Giving from the Heart

Giving comes from the heart.  If we give out of compassion or thankfulness our heart is pure.  God gives us opportunity to love others through giving and serving.  Being blessed by God allows us to share that blessing.  If we are not willing to give from what we have already been given then our heart is not in line with God’s intended purpose for our life.  Choose a life of giving.

Matthew 10:42
And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward

Proverbs 14:31
Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker,
but he who is generous to the needy honors him

Proverbs 19:17
Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord,
and he will repay him for his deed

Hebrews 6:10
For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises

The Golden Rule

Many times we forget or are uncertain of just how do we Honor and Glorify God by our actions.  This is a very good reminder.  I know this for a fact, If we are receptive and willing, these opportunities are around us every day.  God, open our eyes and hearts to see what you see and then speak to our heart so that we will humbly obey your leading.

Matthew 7:12
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets

Luke 6:32
“If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful

Proverbs 19:17
Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord,
and he will repay him for his deed

Matthew 25:35
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me

Treasures in Heaven

Are we really mindful of what we chase after in this life?  Is it one new thing after another, or one new adventure?  How many times can you recall the excitement of that new purchase or adventure and then after a short period the very thing that was to give you satisfaction has lost it’s appeal? All of this is chasing after the wind – hear today gone tomorrow.  There are so many things to distract and pull us away from being a servant of God.  Keep your heart and eyes on Him.  The peace and satisfaction we are seeking can only be found in Him and a life purpose to honor and glorify Him alone.

Matthew 6:19
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also

1 Timothy 6:9
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils

6:17
As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share

Hebrews 13:5
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say,
“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me