I. Prayer to enter the Lord’s presence:
Be still for a moment. “Lord, I give the day that is now past to you. It is yours. I give the day that is to come to you; help me to see where you are working and to join you there. Speak to me during these moments. I commit them and myself to you.”
II. Prayer of Confession:
“Lord, you are faithful to forgive me and cleanse me of my sin when I confess it to you. I confess my sin(s) of ______________. Thank you for forgiveness.” (1 John 1:9)
III. Prayer of Thanksgiving:
Choose to be thankful, speak out loud of what God has done.
“Thank you, Father, for _________________. Fill my heart and my mouth with gratitude throughout this day.”
IV. Scripture Reflection
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his 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 made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
2 Corinthians. 9:6-11
Proverbs 11:23-27
23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.
24 One man gives freely, yet gains even more;
another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
25 A generous man will prosper;
he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
26 People curse the man who hoards grain,
but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell.
27 He who seeks good finds goodwill,
but evil comes to him who searches for it.
Compare these two passages? What are some ways they are saying the same thing in different ways?
Paul said that God loves a “cheerful” giver, this is a translation of a Greek word that we get “hilarious” from. In Proverbs (verse 24) a man is said to “give freely”, this is a translation of Hebrew word that means to “scatter freely about.”
Why do you think God loves a cheerful giver? How do we become “cheerful” in the giving of our time, talents, and treasure?
Have you been a reluctant or grumpy giver? Perhaps you have not been a giver at all…you have lived with a closed fist. Contentment is traveling a direction not having reached perfection. Ask God to forgive you for being grumpy or selfish. As him to infuse your heart with hilarious giving.
Open your hand to God, open your heart to God.
V. Prayer for others:
Pray specifically for the concerns of your life and the lives of others.
VI. Prayer of commitment:
“Lord God, I commit to love you with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my strength and with all my mind and to love my neighbor as myself. Empower me today to love you and others with everything that I am.” (Luke 10:27)
This Week’s Scripture Memory:
He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.
Proverbs 18:22