Devotions

God does not accept grudging service from anyone. “Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men” (Colossians 3:23, NKJV). ‘Heartily’ means with all your heart, all your strength, all that is within you.

Paul writes, “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity [unwillingly]; for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). The apostle makes a dual application of this matter of giving; it has to do with our financial offerings and the giving of our very lives to God’s work.

Paul wrote that the church in Macedonia literally begged him to let them take up a collection for the poor, suffering saints in Jerusalem. These Macedonians were so wholly given to the Lord, they gave out of their poverty.

If you give only because you believe it is commanded or if you’re always wondering, “Is tithing a New Testament concept or just Old Testament?”, your heart-attitude is all wrong. If you give 10 percent because the pastor asks it of you, that is wrong also. None of this gets to the issue to the heart of what it means to give!

I am sorely convicted by this verse because so often I go about my life and ministry without the joy of the Lord. Has serving the Lord become a bore, a drag to you? Is it just a burden, leaving you mostly sad and weary? God doesn’t want you complaining about your burden; he wants you to chase those things out of your life by laying hold of his Word, which is your checkbook to his resources in faith! He is saying, “I have already made provision for you. What need in your life is so great that I cannot supply more than is required?”

The word for cheerful in Greek means merry, glad, having a light heart, willingness, gladness, being full of hilarity. God is saying, “Whatever you do in your labors for me, whether it’s interceding, worshipping me in my house, or seeking me in your secret closet, do it cheerfully! Be joyful and generous with everything: your money, your service, your time and your life.” In order to give oneself to pleasing God, it must spring from a cheerful spirit that is available to us all by simple, childlike faith.

The Spirit of Christ is living in us, and the power of God is working through us even in our temptations. We know this because the Bible clearly states, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13, ESV).

I love what Paul says here, that God will provide the way of escape.

We live in a culture today that doesn’t want to believe that Christ is the only way of escape. Oprah has her way of escaping, and Dr. Phil can show you another way of escaping, and a certain clinic can show you their way of escaping; but the Bible doesn’t say Jesus is one of many ways of escaping. Christ clearly states, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

When God says that he will provide, is that reminiscent of any Old Testament passage you might have heard before? Do you remember the story of Abraham when he’s climbing the mountain to sacrifice Isaac? He had the faith to say, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son” (Genesis 22:8). God does indeed provide a sacrifice, “So Abraham called the name of that place, ‘The Lord will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’” (Genesis 22:14). This was the same place where Solomon would build the temple of the Lord, where God provided a place for his people to meet with him.

The Israelites throughout the Old Testament would try to meet with God in other places, try to find other ways to escape their troubles, but it never worked for them.

When we finally say, “My sacrifice is not sufficient. My way is not the right one,” and follow God’s way, we will have his provision working in us. No man can be cleansed of sin without Jesus. No woman can live a righteous life without the imputed righteousness of Christ.

You can overcome any temptation in your life right now. You can overcome it because God has provided the way. Our Savior gives us the life we need to live the kind of righteousness that the law of God calls forth.

A very important passage of the Bible that often confuses readers is “Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and his disciples came up to show him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, ‘Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.’ Now as he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?’

“And Jesus answered and said to them: ‘Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, saying, “I am the Christ,” and will deceive many.’” (Matthew 24:1-5, NKJV).

The center of religion, the priesthood and the law was found in that temple, and the idea that it would be destroyed was deeply disturbing to the disciples. When they asked ‘What’ and ‘When’ and ‘How,’ Jesus’ response had nothing to do with the temple or the specifics of what was coming.

In our vernacular, Jesus said, “Look, first and foremost, you guys have to pay attention and prepare because such deception is going to come that many — many — who call on the name of Christ, many who are found in our religious centers, many who fill our churches will not listen nor be prepared, and they will be deceived.”

Most deception starts with things that are said in contradiction to the Word of God.

Many will come and say, “Follow me. I’m a pastor or prophet of God. I have the answers!” What they say will not line up with scripture, but many of us will not heed what Christ said.

When deception is dealt with elsewhere in the New Testament, it’s dealt with in the church and regarding doctrine. It doesn’t take much for us to picture modern times when people have said things that led a multitude astray. The real question is “Why?” The answer is that people were not listening to Christ.

How do we hear from God? Do we need to run to the mountains or attend a conference? My friends, God has already given us his Word. It’s the scriptures. We need to be men and women who don’t just read the Bible, but we ought to study and meditate on it. We don’t live on bread alone but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

When God calls us to any specific work, he has already made provision for everything we need to accomplish it. “God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8, NKJV).

This verse is not just a hope; it is a promise! It begins with the words, “God is able!” God is not interested in just meeting your needs. He always wants to give you more than you need. That is what ‘abound’ means, an ever-increasing, super-abundant supply.

“Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3:20). Think of what is being promised here. When you are down and tired and don’t think you can go any farther, God is able to so invigorate you that you will have all you need in every possible situation at all times.

It is as if the Lord is saying, “Listen, all you shepherds! Listen, all you who faithfully attend my house and labor in prayer, praise and intercession. I want to give you an abundance of strength, hope, joy, peace, rest, finances, encouragement and wisdom. In fact, I want you to have an overabundance of all you need.”

God never intended for us to be spiritual paupers, poor in the things of the Lord. On the contrary, the mature believer is the one who enjoys a revelation of all the great provisions God has prepared for him, and he goes after this revelation by faith.

Indeed, the Bible says we are to seek him for this revelation. Paul wrote, “Now we have received…the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (1 Corinthians 2:12–13).

I believe most Christians have not honestly faced the power of these promises of God. We’ve read them many times, but they remain as dead letters to us.

We must lay hold of them and say, “Lord, reveal to me what you have prepared! Open my mind and my spirit to your resources. Your Word says I must know all these things that are freely given to me so that I can claim them for your glory!”

Recently, I went to the Lord in prayer very heavyhearted, laden down with many cares. I began to plead my case before him, “Oh, Lord, I’ve never been so weary in all my life. I can hardly go on.” I was so exhausted the tears literally burst out of me. As I lay crying, I thought, “Surely my tears will move the Lord’s heart.”

The Holy Spirit did indeed come and minister to me, but not in the way I thought he would. I wanted sympathy, encouragement, understanding; and he did give me all of that but in a way much different from what I expected.

The Lord gently instructed me to go to 2 Corinthians. “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

“As it is written: ‘He has dispersed abroad, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.’

“Now may he who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God” (2 Corinthians 9:6–11, NKJV).

I read this passage and reread it, but I got nothing. Finally, I closed my Bible and prayed, “Lord, I’m confused. I see nothing here to help or encourage me.”

Finally, the Spirit spoke forcefully but lovingly to my inner man, “David, this has everything to do with what you are going through. Lately you have been serving me without a bountiful, cheerful spirit! Where is your joy and happiness in your service to me? My Word isn’t talking only about giving money to help the poor. It is speaking of ministry to me and to my body! I have called you to New York City, and I did not send you without help or abundant resources. All that you need is available to you: strength, rest, power, ability, joy and cheer. There is no reason for you to labor with sadness, to be overburdened. You have access to all strength and joy!”