Luke 6:38
"Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure -pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return."
They will pour into your lap a good measure - pressed down, shaken together, running over. This is a strong image - shaking out the empty space to get it to settle. It’s not going to be like a bag of chips that is filled with lots of air. It’s going to be packed down like you do when measuring out brown sugar. McDonald’s French fries containers are designed so that they always look like the fries are spilling over. But this is Scripture, so it won’t just look like it; our blessings will truly be spilling over.
Our blessings may or may not look like what we give. It might be material, but it might be something else. In fact, the reverse happens too. What we give might not have been money, but we might receive money when we really need it. Regardless, remember that Jesus told us to store up our treasure in Heaven, where moths don’t get it and it doesn’t rust.
Offertory Prayer
Heavenly Father, as we present our offerings today, we remember your words in Luke 6:38. May our giving be generous and overflowing, reflecting your abundant love and grace, and may these gifts be used to bless others in need. Lord, give us the courage and conviction to let go of the things that are blocking the flow of love in our lives, so that each of us can receive a generous helping from you.
Monday, July 14, 2025
Provide for Our Teachers - Galatians 6:6
Galatians 6:6
Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them.
I think that for most of us, the teaching we receive comes primarily from the activities of our church on Sunday mornings and Tuesday/Wednesday evenings. Here Paul makes it clear that teaching the Word of God is a godly activity, and suitable to be a profession in itself. And the only way that is possible is the giving of the local church. It’s up to us to support our pastor and the general operation of our local church.
Offering Prayer
Heavenly Father, we come before You today with grateful hearts, remembering your word in Galatians 6:6 that encourages us to share the good things we receive with those who have taught us and nurtured our faith. May we never take this privilege for granted, but actively seek to bless others with our time, talents, treasure, and knowledge, just as we have been blessed. Guide us to identify areas where we can be a source of support and encouragement to those around us, and empower us to do so with generosity, joy, and love, all for Your glory. In Jesus' name, Amen
Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them.
I think that for most of us, the teaching we receive comes primarily from the activities of our church on Sunday mornings and Tuesday/Wednesday evenings. Here Paul makes it clear that teaching the Word of God is a godly activity, and suitable to be a profession in itself. And the only way that is possible is the giving of the local church. It’s up to us to support our pastor and the general operation of our local church.
Offering Prayer
Heavenly Father, we come before You today with grateful hearts, remembering your word in Galatians 6:6 that encourages us to share the good things we receive with those who have taught us and nurtured our faith. May we never take this privilege for granted, but actively seek to bless others with our time, talents, treasure, and knowledge, just as we have been blessed. Guide us to identify areas where we can be a source of support and encouragement to those around us, and empower us to do so with generosity, joy, and love, all for Your glory. In Jesus' name, Amen
Who Are We That We Can Give Anything to God? - 1 Chronicles 29:14
Background
David has just named Solomon as the next king and has given all of his riches for the construction of the temple. He calls for all of Israel to give generously and they respond overwhelmingly, with tens of thousands of talents of gold, silver, bronze, and iron, precious stones, and wood.
He prays a prayer of thanks, which I’ll read in a minute, and this says this toward the end.
1 Chronicles 29:14
But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us!
Who are we that we can give anything to God? Does God need anything? And why would he accept it from us? Think about that. The Creator of everything, who spoke everything that exists into existence, needs nothing from us, but invites us to participate in His work. What a privilege!
When I read the verses around 29:14, I concluded that I could not come up with a prayer over the offering that was any better than what David had composed. Hence, I will read that. But there are a few points that I’d like you to listen for as I read it:
God is the same God of the ancestors of Israel - He’s eternal
All glory is His
Everything is His
We are His kingdom
Wealth comes from Him alone - we might think “I worked hard for that!”, and that might be true, but it was God who enabled it. Things could have gone very differently.
Our lives are temporary
David ends by praying that God’s people, and particularly David’s son, WANT to obey God. I think we know that it doesn’t happen unless we teach our children, and show our children what that looks like. We know our children rarely listen to what we say, but always are watching what we do and our attitude toward it.
1 Chronicles 29:10-18
10 Then David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly:
“O Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel,[i] may you be praised forever and ever! 11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. 12 Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength.
13 “O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! 14 But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! 15 We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace.
16 “O Lord our God, even this material we have gathered to build a Temple to honor your holy name comes from you! It all belongs to you! 17 I know, my God, that you examine our hearts and rejoice when you find integrity there. You know I have done all this with good motives, and I have watched your people offer their gifts willingly and joyously.
18 “O Lord, the God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, make your people always want to obey you. See to it that their love for you never changes. 19 Give my son Solomon the wholehearted desire to obey all your commands, laws, and decrees, and to do everything necessary to build this Temple, for which I have made these preparations.”
I borrow David’s prayer and use it in Jesus’s name, amen.
David has just named Solomon as the next king and has given all of his riches for the construction of the temple. He calls for all of Israel to give generously and they respond overwhelmingly, with tens of thousands of talents of gold, silver, bronze, and iron, precious stones, and wood.
He prays a prayer of thanks, which I’ll read in a minute, and this says this toward the end.
1 Chronicles 29:14
But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us!
Who are we that we can give anything to God? Does God need anything? And why would he accept it from us? Think about that. The Creator of everything, who spoke everything that exists into existence, needs nothing from us, but invites us to participate in His work. What a privilege!
When I read the verses around 29:14, I concluded that I could not come up with a prayer over the offering that was any better than what David had composed. Hence, I will read that. But there are a few points that I’d like you to listen for as I read it:
God is the same God of the ancestors of Israel - He’s eternal
All glory is His
Everything is His
We are His kingdom
Wealth comes from Him alone - we might think “I worked hard for that!”, and that might be true, but it was God who enabled it. Things could have gone very differently.
Our lives are temporary
David ends by praying that God’s people, and particularly David’s son, WANT to obey God. I think we know that it doesn’t happen unless we teach our children, and show our children what that looks like. We know our children rarely listen to what we say, but always are watching what we do and our attitude toward it.
1 Chronicles 29:10-18
10 Then David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly:
“O Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel,[i] may you be praised forever and ever! 11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. 12 Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength.
13 “O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! 14 But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! 15 We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace.
16 “O Lord our God, even this material we have gathered to build a Temple to honor your holy name comes from you! It all belongs to you! 17 I know, my God, that you examine our hearts and rejoice when you find integrity there. You know I have done all this with good motives, and I have watched your people offer their gifts willingly and joyously.
18 “O Lord, the God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, make your people always want to obey you. See to it that their love for you never changes. 19 Give my son Solomon the wholehearted desire to obey all your commands, laws, and decrees, and to do everything necessary to build this Temple, for which I have made these preparations.”
I borrow David’s prayer and use it in Jesus’s name, amen.
Set Some Aside Each Week - 1 Corinthians 16:1-2
This week is about how we give. “Cheerfully” is still very important, and we’ll add a bit about the mechanics.
In these verses Paul is answering a question about giving for the church in Jerusalem.
1 Corinthians 16:1-2
1 Now regarding your question about the money being collected for God’s people in Jerusalem. You should follow the same procedure I gave to the churches in Galatia. 2 On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once.
Paul is saying that each person is to store up the offering each week, not wait until he comes back to get it and take up a collection then, emphasizing that our giving should be deliberate and systematic, rather than sporadic and random. For us, we might consider our pay cycle - weekly, bi-weekly, etc. However our budgets work, we should include our giving in that. I think it’s not a stretch to say this passage supports that we should include weeks we don’t make it to church in our giving. Again, our giving should not be an based on what we have on hand when we get here on Sunday, but deliberately giving of our first fruits.
We also see here that he gave the same instructions to another church, showing that he means for this to be the way a church operates.
Verse 13 is interesting, given Barry’s sermon last week:
13 Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. 14 And do everything with love.
Offering Prayer
Heavenly Father, as we present this offering today, we acknowledge that everything we have comes from your abundant grace. We give back to you with thankful hearts, recognizing our role as stewards of your blessings. May this routine act of giving reflect our commitment to you, and be used to further your kingdom and touch the lives of those in need. Guide us to be strong and courageous in our giving, always doing it generously and cheerfully, in Jesus' name, Amen.
In these verses Paul is answering a question about giving for the church in Jerusalem.
1 Corinthians 16:1-2
1 Now regarding your question about the money being collected for God’s people in Jerusalem. You should follow the same procedure I gave to the churches in Galatia. 2 On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once.
Paul is saying that each person is to store up the offering each week, not wait until he comes back to get it and take up a collection then, emphasizing that our giving should be deliberate and systematic, rather than sporadic and random. For us, we might consider our pay cycle - weekly, bi-weekly, etc. However our budgets work, we should include our giving in that. I think it’s not a stretch to say this passage supports that we should include weeks we don’t make it to church in our giving. Again, our giving should not be an based on what we have on hand when we get here on Sunday, but deliberately giving of our first fruits.
We also see here that he gave the same instructions to another church, showing that he means for this to be the way a church operates.
Verse 13 is interesting, given Barry’s sermon last week:
13 Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. 14 And do everything with love.
Offering Prayer
Heavenly Father, as we present this offering today, we acknowledge that everything we have comes from your abundant grace. We give back to you with thankful hearts, recognizing our role as stewards of your blessings. May this routine act of giving reflect our commitment to you, and be used to further your kingdom and touch the lives of those in need. Guide us to be strong and courageous in our giving, always doing it generously and cheerfully, in Jesus' name, Amen.
Test Me in This! - Malachi 3:8-12
Malachi 3:8-12 (NASB)
8 “Would anyone rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and [a]offerings. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the entire nation of you! 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and put Me to the test now in this,” says the Lord of armies, “if I do not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until [b]it overflows. 11 Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruit of your ground; nor will the vine in the field prove fruitless to you,” says the Lord of armies. 12 “All the nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land,” says the Lord of armies.
After God created the 10 plagues on Egypt, parted the Red Sea, sent manna, etc., the Israelitetess were complaining that Moses led them into the desert to die. Then this happened in Exodus 17:2 ‘Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water that we may drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?”’
Psalm 95:8-9
Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,
As in the day of Massah in the wilderness,
“When your fathers tested Me,
They tried Me, though they had seen My work.
Matthew 4:5-7
“If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning You’; and ‘On their hands they will bear You up,
So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’”
Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Jesus is referring to Deut 6:16. Earlier in Deut 6, we see the command to love God with all your heart, soul, and might.)
What did God say when people put Him to the test without being told:
Numbers 14:22-23
Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice, shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it.
A time that God said to test Him, but it wasn’t obeyed:
Isaiah 7:10-13
Then the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!”
Offering Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You that we are not under the Law, but under Grace. I praise and thank You for all that You are and all that You have done for me. I pray that my heart would be open before you, and that You would develop in me a loving and giving heart and a spirit of generosity. Help me never to fall into the same prideful trap into which many in Israel fell, when they refused to obey Your Word and robbed You of Your rightful place in their lives. Lord, I freely acknowledge that all that I am, You have made me, and all that I have, You have given to me. I pray that I may live and work for Your greater praise and glory. This I ask in Jesus' name, AMEN.
Prayer for God’s Affirmation of the Giver
Loving Father, thank you for the privilege of partnering with you and each other in the work of the ministry. We know that you will bless our efforts and contributions for the proclamation of the gospel and the building up of your church. Father, be pleased with our tithes and offerings today. Affirm your love, grace, and provision for each giver in our midst. Thank you for their heart for the ministry. Let them continue to give with cheerfulness and full trust that you will never fail them in their time of need. We pray in Jesus name, Amen.
8 “Would anyone rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and [a]offerings. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the entire nation of you! 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and put Me to the test now in this,” says the Lord of armies, “if I do not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until [b]it overflows. 11 Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruit of your ground; nor will the vine in the field prove fruitless to you,” says the Lord of armies. 12 “All the nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land,” says the Lord of armies.
After God created the 10 plagues on Egypt, parted the Red Sea, sent manna, etc., the Israelitetess were complaining that Moses led them into the desert to die. Then this happened in Exodus 17:2 ‘Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water that we may drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?”’
Psalm 95:8-9
Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,
As in the day of Massah in the wilderness,
“When your fathers tested Me,
They tried Me, though they had seen My work.
Matthew 4:5-7
“If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning You’; and ‘On their hands they will bear You up,
So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’”
Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Jesus is referring to Deut 6:16. Earlier in Deut 6, we see the command to love God with all your heart, soul, and might.)
What did God say when people put Him to the test without being told:
Numbers 14:22-23
Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice, shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it.
A time that God said to test Him, but it wasn’t obeyed:
Isaiah 7:10-13
Then the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!”
Offering Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You that we are not under the Law, but under Grace. I praise and thank You for all that You are and all that You have done for me. I pray that my heart would be open before you, and that You would develop in me a loving and giving heart and a spirit of generosity. Help me never to fall into the same prideful trap into which many in Israel fell, when they refused to obey Your Word and robbed You of Your rightful place in their lives. Lord, I freely acknowledge that all that I am, You have made me, and all that I have, You have given to me. I pray that I may live and work for Your greater praise and glory. This I ask in Jesus' name, AMEN.
Prayer for God’s Affirmation of the Giver
Loving Father, thank you for the privilege of partnering with you and each other in the work of the ministry. We know that you will bless our efforts and contributions for the proclamation of the gospel and the building up of your church. Father, be pleased with our tithes and offerings today. Affirm your love, grace, and provision for each giver in our midst. Thank you for their heart for the ministry. Let them continue to give with cheerfulness and full trust that you will never fail them in their time of need. We pray in Jesus name, Amen.
Cheerful Giving - 2 Corinthians 9:7
Cheerful Giving 2024-12-08
2 Corinthians 9:7 says, "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
A cheerful giver gives with joy and gratitude, recognizing the privilege of contributing to something bigger than themselves. Giving should come from a genuine desire to support the church and its mission, not out of guilt or social pressure.
How to cultivate an attitude of cheerful giving:
Reflect on God's blessings, by reminding yourself of the good things God has provided in your life, which can inspire generosity.
Pray about your giving to seek guidance from God about how much to give and how to give with a joyful heart.
Be intentional about giving by deciding how much you can comfortably give and commit to it regularly.
Focus on the impact by considering how your giving can positively affect others and the church community.
Offering Prayer
Heavenly Father, as we gather our tithes and offerings, we want to focus on giving cheerfully, as Your Word says that You love a cheerful giver. We acknowledge that all things belong to you. Everything we have comes from Your hand, and we are merely stewards of Your blessings. Help us to recognize Your leadership over all aspects of our lives.
May these gifts be used to further Your kingdom, as a testament to our gratitude and trust in You. Guide us to be faithful stewards, using all that You have given us for Your glory. We pray these things in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Start by looking at the bulletin, we see a couple of instances of “Worship”.
Worship Through Music
Worship Through Giving
Definition of worship - Show reverence and adoration for God
Respectful devotion, loving, honoring, obeying someone who deserves our highest regard
CS Lewis Institute - Worshiping God means acknowledging His power and perfection in gratitude. Includes understanding and awe of God’s Holiness. We remember how great He is and behave reverently in His Presence.
We are going to learn how our giving is loving, honoring, and obeying God, as we acknowledge His power and perfection in gratitude - therefore how giving is worship.
2 Corinthians 9:7 says, "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
A cheerful giver gives with joy and gratitude, recognizing the privilege of contributing to something bigger than themselves. Giving should come from a genuine desire to support the church and its mission, not out of guilt or social pressure.
How to cultivate an attitude of cheerful giving:
Reflect on God's blessings, by reminding yourself of the good things God has provided in your life, which can inspire generosity.
Pray about your giving to seek guidance from God about how much to give and how to give with a joyful heart.
Be intentional about giving by deciding how much you can comfortably give and commit to it regularly.
Focus on the impact by considering how your giving can positively affect others and the church community.
Offering Prayer
Heavenly Father, as we gather our tithes and offerings, we want to focus on giving cheerfully, as Your Word says that You love a cheerful giver. We acknowledge that all things belong to you. Everything we have comes from Your hand, and we are merely stewards of Your blessings. Help us to recognize Your leadership over all aspects of our lives.
May these gifts be used to further Your kingdom, as a testament to our gratitude and trust in You. Guide us to be faithful stewards, using all that You have given us for Your glory. We pray these things in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Start by looking at the bulletin, we see a couple of instances of “Worship”.
Worship Through Music
Worship Through Giving
Definition of worship - Show reverence and adoration for God
Respectful devotion, loving, honoring, obeying someone who deserves our highest regard
CS Lewis Institute - Worshiping God means acknowledging His power and perfection in gratitude. Includes understanding and awe of God’s Holiness. We remember how great He is and behave reverently in His Presence.
We are going to learn how our giving is loving, honoring, and obeying God, as we acknowledge His power and perfection in gratitude - therefore how giving is worship.
Give as You Are Able - Deuteronomy 16:17
Continuing in the “why we do it” theme, we see this command from God.
Deuteronomy 16:17 New Living Translation
17 All must give as they are able, according to the blessings given to them by the Lord your God.
This verse comes at the end of a passage that describes three festivals that God commands Israel to celebrate each year - Passover, the Festival of the Harvest, and the Festival of the Tabernacles. When discussing the Festivals of the Harvest and Tabernacles, the passage says there will be great joy among the people, and then says that all must give as they are able, according to what they have received from God. I think it’s a reasonable conclusion to say that giving is a celebration, that giving and Joy are divinely connected.
I read a commentary that said that if the people who lived under the Law, with its many rules and rituals of sacrifice, were to celebrate and experience great joy when giving, how much more should we, who are now free from the Law since we are redeemed in Christ, celebrate joyously? God has given us so much more than He gave to Israel: He gave us His Son. So it makes sense that God’s Word on giving would apply even more to us.
Prayer Over the Offering
Gracious God, as Deuteronomy 16:17 reminds us, we come before you today with offerings that reflect the blessings you have bestowed upon us; each giving according to the measure of your bounty in our lives. May these gifts be a testament to our gratitude, used to further your kingdom and bring hope to those in need. We offer them with joyful hearts, knowing that everything we have comes from you, and to you we return it in praise and thanksgiving. We pray this in Jesus Name, Amen.
Deuteronomy 16:17 New Living Translation
17 All must give as they are able, according to the blessings given to them by the Lord your God.
This verse comes at the end of a passage that describes three festivals that God commands Israel to celebrate each year - Passover, the Festival of the Harvest, and the Festival of the Tabernacles. When discussing the Festivals of the Harvest and Tabernacles, the passage says there will be great joy among the people, and then says that all must give as they are able, according to what they have received from God. I think it’s a reasonable conclusion to say that giving is a celebration, that giving and Joy are divinely connected.
I read a commentary that said that if the people who lived under the Law, with its many rules and rituals of sacrifice, were to celebrate and experience great joy when giving, how much more should we, who are now free from the Law since we are redeemed in Christ, celebrate joyously? God has given us so much more than He gave to Israel: He gave us His Son. So it makes sense that God’s Word on giving would apply even more to us.
Prayer Over the Offering
Gracious God, as Deuteronomy 16:17 reminds us, we come before you today with offerings that reflect the blessings you have bestowed upon us; each giving according to the measure of your bounty in our lives. May these gifts be a testament to our gratitude, used to further your kingdom and bring hope to those in need. We offer them with joyful hearts, knowing that everything we have comes from you, and to you we return it in praise and thanksgiving. We pray this in Jesus Name, Amen.
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