Sunday, August 03, 2008

Abounding Provision, Amazing Grace

~ Lola
hi all, I was very blessed by this morning's sermon. Though it was short, it touched by heart and God spoke to me...

For those of you who might have missed it, or may have been tempted by the ZZzzz monster halfway through, here's my short sharing on what was shared.....

Ps Keet touched on the 2nd part of the 2 part series: Abounding Provision, Amazing Grace. He started off with one of my favourite verses:

"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." 2 Cor 9:7-8

He shared that Biblical generosity goes beyond finances...ie, God loves a cheerful giver, not just in terms of giving of our finances.

2 Questions we need to ask:
1. Why does God provide for us?
2. What can stop the inflow of God's provision in our lives?

Before we answered those 2 questions, he brought us to Matt 22: 37-40

Jesus replied: " `Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: `Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Question: Are we generous with others /neighbours with our lives? Have we been generous with our lives? As leaders in ministry, in our workplace, at home..? Do we love our neighbours like how we love ourselves?

On question 1:
Why does God provide for us?
  • God's provision releases us to b a blessing for others
  • We allow love to flow out of ourselves to be a channel of blessing
  • The difference between the Sea of galilee and Dead Sea is Sea of Galilee is full of life because water flows out, while Dead Sea is dead because whatever flows in stays in.
  • When we become a channel of blessing, we open the way for inflow of God's abundance in our lives

Have we been generous with what God has blessed us?

The analogy he drew with regards to the two Seas was very interesting...it was simple yet it struck me...I asked myself...have i been allowing all that God has blessed me with, to flow out to bless others? Have i been a channel of His blessing? What struck me wasn't finances, it was something that God has blessed all of us with - TIME....and LOVE

During the past few months, it has seemed as if somehow my usual 24-hour day has been halved...as I have been struggling to find the time to do so many things. Very often, there has hardly been enough time for me to settle my own personal things, what more to find the time to bless others? That also tied in with LOVE. God has loved all of us, and it says clearly in John 3:16 that He demonstrated that by giving of His Son (Himself!)...I asked myself...have I been really giving of myself to those around me? my colleagues? my cell members? :), my family members...it was a time of reality check with me as I sat there asking myself...

He went on to the second question:

2. What can stop the inflow of God's provision in our lives? ie when we know that we are not living to our full potential.

a. Laziness (Prov 6:10-11)
Preparation precedes blessings.
We can't expect God to provide when we are not prepared for it.

b. Greed (Ecc 5:10)
It is sometimes easier to give everything when have little. But when we have been blessed, often it seems harder to give everything.
He urged us to LEARN TO GIVE OUT OF THE ABUNDANCE God has provided us.

c. Sins (Pro 8:13)
of stealing, hoarding, robbing the Lord

He ended off by encouragin us to be generous with others with ALL OF OUR LIVES just as God did with His.

I hope you have been blessed by the sharing above....and pray that it may also urge you to pause and ask yourself....how generous have you been in the giving of your lives and of the the things God has blessed you with, to those around you? :) Or have you, like me, been busy with our own lives, that we sometimes forget that God has blessed us to be a blessing?

I believe, that as we have been blessed by God in terms of His love, His time, His financial provision, the more we give, the more we shall receive! Am reminded of Ron Kenoly's worship song based on the verse below:

Luke 6:38 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."

Food for thought and prayer :)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sand ~
Thanks for Laura to share about this week sermon.
I started to think what area i can give generously and give with a cheerful heart? which of these areas I need to work on?
1. Time
2. Love
3. Financial

Hmm...Love and financial.

Exodus 34:14 "Do not worship any other god", some of us might be worshipping $$$, which can cause to be greedy, and start to want more and more. Greed is one of the hindrance that can cause us to sin. This is the area i need to take note of.

Sharing my love is not easy.


Blessing...

Anonymous said...

Candid Mammee

I asked myself, "Am I being as generous to others as the way I am generous with myself?" I should work on being as generous with others as with myself...