Proverbs 19:17 NIV
“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.”
INSIGHT
–Cheerful in Hebrew is written as samach which means to rejoice and be glad. One should be joyful as they give to others as unto the Lord. Giving to the poor and being kind to them is a sure way of lending to the Lord. God is so much concerned about the poor such that it becomes His business when we show care and concern to them. Truly God will sure repay us for He is a faithful God. Matthew 5:7 reminds us that blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. Let us ask God for His grace and willingness to give to the poor thus giving to Him.
PRAYER
Father Lord Jesus we give You all the glory, honor and thanksgiving this wonderful day that You have made. We come to thank You and exalt You for who You are and all You have done. Dear Lord Jesus we enthrone You on high for there is none like You. We repent for all the times we have not been cheerful givers. Where we have not given to the needy. Lord may You forgive us and cleanse us with Your precious blood. We pray that You shall give us generous hearts and the willingness to give. May You remember us dear Jesus for the many times we have given unto You that You respond to our prayers and needs. We thank You for You gave the ultimate gift of salvation and redemption from our sins. Thank You for Your loving kindness. We love and adore You Lord. We pray this in Jesus Name, Amen.
Further reading: Luke 12:33-34
Mark 12:41-44 NKJV
“Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”
INSIGHT
-A quadrant was a 1/64 of a cent while was a laborer’s daily wage. The treasury was located in the court of women and offerings were placed in 13 chests shaped like trumpets. The rich people called the attention of their gifts by making a great show of putting in their money while the poor widow all she had. The woman was both poor and a widow therefore gave more than all the rich people, according to God’s evaluation, for she gave everything she had, while the rich gave from their surplus. God reminds us of the importance of commitment to sacrifice and giving cheerfully and not necessarily of the amount offered.
PRAYER
Abba Father we thank You for the gifts that You have given unto us. Thank You for the love and mercy that You have shown us. Thank You for You have provided for us, protected us, sustained us, given us love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control. May You fill us afresh Holy Spirit and guide us in our giving that we may be generous in offering our tithes and offerings. May You rebuke the devourer on our behalf and bless us. May You make us fruitful in every area of our lives, families, churches, ministries and nation. May You bless and provide for all the widows and orphans around us. May You bless our economy and guide us in the way that we should go. We thank You and we honor You Lord, in Jesus name we pray. Amen
Further reading: Malachi 3:10-12
Luke 6:38 NIV
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
INSIGHT
–According to Newton’s third law of motion, action force is equal to reaction but acts on two different bodies and in opposite directions. One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty (Proverbs 11:24). Let us then give freely and unreservedly knowing that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).
PRAYER
Abba Father, we love and adore You this day there is none like You. Thank You for all You have done for us. You have given unto us so freely all Your love and mercies. Lord we exult and magnify You for there is none like You. Oh Lord, we humbly ask that You may forgive us all our iniquities and trespasses. May You cleanse us with Your precious blood Lord Jesus and purify us. Oh Lord we ask that You may make us cheerful givers. May You provide for each and every person according to their needs and Your riches in glory. May You transform our mind and hearts and make us submit to Your perfect will for us in our lives. We thank You for You are the best and ultimate giver and we hereby pray that You may grant us the grace to emulate You. We pray this in Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.
Further reading: Acts 9:36-42
2 Corinthians 9:6-15 NIV
“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 under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 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. As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”
INSIGHT
–God calls us to be generous in our giving. God loves the one who is cheerful while giving. Giving results in exultation and praise to God, and the one who gives is declared righteous forever, and their righteousness grows, and they continue in these acts of love. God reminds us that giving should be accompanied by obedience, and that obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). God loves such joy-motivated giving to others because it expresses contentment in God’s gracious giving to the believer, that makes every good work possible and results in thanksgiving and glory to God.
PRAYER
Dear Almighty Father, we come before Your throne of mercy and grace today to thank You for all that You have done. We adore and praise Your name for there is none like You. Thank You for the indescribable gifts that You have bestowed upon us through Your surpassing grace given unto us. May Your grace abound in us so we may be generous in every good work for the glory and honor of Your name. May Your love fill our hearts that we may be willing to give as You instruct us. You are We humbly repent for the many times we have disobeyed and gone against Your holy will. May You bless us and our children that we abound in every good thing and able to provide for them. May You bless every family and person living in the streets that You may guide each one according to Your will and purpose. We pray for Your Holy Spirit to fill them and enable them to always follow Your will. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forever more. Amen
Further reading: Deuteronomy 15:10, Proverbs 3:27-28
1 Corinthians 13:3 NIV
“If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.”
INSIGHT
–Cheerful giving must be driven by love. Love for God and one another is the foundation of our faith, and faith without works is dead (James 2:26). How can one say that they love God Whom they do not see yet hate their brothers and sisters whom they see. God has commandment us saying, “he who loves God must love his brother also.” (1 John 4:20-21).
SUMMARY
Cheerful in Hebrew is written as “samach” which means to rejoice and be glad. Give in Hebrew is written as “nathan” which means to give or offer. Therefore, a cheerful giver offers something delightfully and not grudgingly. Giving can be in form of resources, times, expertise, etc. Giving is not easy and requires the grace of God. Jesus encourages us today that even if we face tribulations in the world, we should be of good cheer for He has overcome the world (John 16:33). A cheerful giver gives generously, and He is loved by the Lord. We participate in cheerful giving by first showing kindness and compassion to the poor and we are rewarded in return (Proverbs 19:17). Secondly, we are encouraged to give as the Lord guides us, in any situation whatsoever as when we give it will be given to us, and whatever measure we use, it will be measured to us (Luke 6:38). For whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously (2 Corinthians 9:6-15). Thirdly, we engage in generosity through giving our tithes, offerings and gifts to the church. The poor widow was applauded by Jesus for giving more than all those who gave to the treasurer for in her poverty, she gave all that she had (Mark 12:41-44). By giving to the church, we ensure there is plenty in God’s treasury for advancing His kingdom.
PRAYER
Almighty King of kings we come before Your throne this day. We come to exalt You and honor You for there is none like You. You are mighty and faithful. You are worthy to be praised and worthy of all we can give. Father, we repent every time we have not pleased You, every time we have not been generous and kind even to the needy. Where we have not been givers even sharing Your love Lord Jesus to others, may You forgive us. May You cleanse us and sanctify us by Your precious blood Jesus. May You teach us Your ways oh Lord and impart us with Your precious Holy Spirit. May You fill us afresh till we overflow. We pray for Your wisdom and guidance that we may never miss our ordained opportunity to give. We pray that You shall accept all our giving and all our offerings as a sweet-smelling aroma unto You oh Lord. We trust in You and look unto You oh Lord. As we give may we not be seen but may You take all the glory and all the praise. We surrender all unto You and magnify You. Our Father who art in heaven; hallowed be Your name; Your Kingdom come; Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptations but deliver us from evil; for thine is the Kingdom the power and the glory; forever and ever. May You bless us and keep us dear Lord Jesus. May You shine Your face towards us and be gracious unto us. May You show Your countenance unto us and give us peace. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forevermore. Amen
Further reading: 1 John 4:7-8