Five Invitations - Day 13
DAY 13 - Everything Comes From God
1 Chronicles 29:10-14
King David has learned where his giving comes FROM. He prays, “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. Wealth and honor come from you alone…” (1 Ch. 29:11-12, NLT)
It finally sinks in: everything comes from God, so everything belongs to God. David thinks, “What right do I have to hold things with a death-grip if it’s not mine anyway?”
My friend has a nice pickup truck. I would love a big pickup truck, but it would be pretty weird if I started acting like his truck is my truck. Imagine him going outside to drive to work and his truck is gone! Then I expect him to ask my permission to use it! Of course he’s going to be upset because I’m treating his stuff like it’s mine! I wonder…do I ever treat God that way?
It all belongs to God. That’s one reason why we can never put God in debt to us. C.S. Lewis puts it this way in his book, Mere Christianity: saying we give something to God is like a child saying, “Dad, give me $10 dollars to buy you a birthday present.” Dad’s just tickled at his daughter’s wish and, of course, gives her the money. He’s delighted when she gives him the gift. But only a fool would believe the Dad is $10 richer.
It all belongs to God. It’s easy to give away what was never really mine.
David realizes something else in his prayer, v.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!"
God shares! “God, we can only give, because you shared with us first!” It’s grace, a free and undeserved gift from God. 1 John 4:19 says, “We love because God first loved us.” The one who owns everything loves to share. God loves to share with you! Knowing that empowers us to give and makes giving a connection point with God who gives.
REFLECT:
How easily do you share with others?
PRAY:
Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord. Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! Teach me to share like you share with us. Amen.
1 Chronicles 29:10-14
King David has learned where his giving comes FROM. He prays, “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. Wealth and honor come from you alone…” (1 Ch. 29:11-12, NLT)
It finally sinks in: everything comes from God, so everything belongs to God. David thinks, “What right do I have to hold things with a death-grip if it’s not mine anyway?”
My friend has a nice pickup truck. I would love a big pickup truck, but it would be pretty weird if I started acting like his truck is my truck. Imagine him going outside to drive to work and his truck is gone! Then I expect him to ask my permission to use it! Of course he’s going to be upset because I’m treating his stuff like it’s mine! I wonder…do I ever treat God that way?
It all belongs to God. That’s one reason why we can never put God in debt to us. C.S. Lewis puts it this way in his book, Mere Christianity: saying we give something to God is like a child saying, “Dad, give me $10 dollars to buy you a birthday present.” Dad’s just tickled at his daughter’s wish and, of course, gives her the money. He’s delighted when she gives him the gift. But only a fool would believe the Dad is $10 richer.
It all belongs to God. It’s easy to give away what was never really mine.
David realizes something else in his prayer, v.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!"
God shares! “God, we can only give, because you shared with us first!” It’s grace, a free and undeserved gift from God. 1 John 4:19 says, “We love because God first loved us.” The one who owns everything loves to share. God loves to share with you! Knowing that empowers us to give and makes giving a connection point with God who gives.
REFLECT:
How easily do you share with others?
PRAY:
Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord. Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! Teach me to share like you share with us. Amen.
Posted in Fall 2022
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The Way DAY 9 - Full of the Holy SpiritThe Way DAY 10 - Defeating Your DefeatersThe Way DAY 11 - The Year of JubileeThe Way DAY 12 - FreedomThe Way DAY 13 - Freedom to LoveThe Way DAY 14 - Ditch "What About Me"The Way DAY 15 - The Way of LoveThe Way DAY 16 - The TeacherThe Way DAY 17 - What is the Kingdom of God?The Way DAY 18 - Trust and ObeyThe Way DAY 19 - Follow MeThe Way DAY 20 - Differences and DisagreementsThe Way DAY 21 - Jesus and Mr. RogersThe Way DAY 22 - Respond Like JesusThe Way DAY 23 - Bend Toward MercyThe Way DAY 24 - Burden or Bless?The Way DAY 25 - BONUS: The TwelveThe Way DAY 26 - Happy?The Way DAY 27 - Excessive GenerosityThe Way DAY 28 - What is Love?The Way DAY 29 - Give What God Gives
March
The Way DAY 30 - Follow the LeaderThe Way DAY 31 - Dinner with a PhariseeThe Way DAY 32 - Don't Be the HeroThe Way DAY 33 - God's GraceThe Way DAY 34 - The Grace You ShowThe Way DAY 35 - Our Sin and Our SaviorThe Way DAY 36 - Jesus and ParablesThe Way DAY 37 - The Farmer and the SeedsThe Way DAY 38 - The Seed and The SoilThe Way DAY 39 - The Good HeartThe Way DAY 40 - Who is Jesus, Pt 1The Way DAY 41 - Who is Jesus, Pt 2The Way DAY 42 - They Saw His GloryThe Way DAY 43 - Your Next StepThe Way DAY 44 - His DevotionThe Way DAY 45 - The Leadership of JesusThe Way DAY 46 - Pick Up Your CrossThe Way DAY 47 - Daily DenialThe Way DAY 48 - Forgive Like JesusThe Way DAY 49 - Trusting God
2023
June
COMING SOON! RevelationRevelation Day 1 - TAKE IT TO HEARTRevelation Day 2 - IN THE SPIRITRevelation Day 3 - Learning to SeeRevelation Day 4 - The VoiceRevelation Day 5 - A Faithful WitnessRevelation DAY 6 - Past, Present, or Future?Revelation Day 7 - PRESS ONRevelation 8 - Comfort and ChallengeRevelation Day 9 - Compromised CommitmentRevelation Day 10 - I'm Fine, ThanksRevelation Day 11 - Holy, Holy, HolyRevelation Day 12 - Who is Worthy?Revelation Day 13 - Don't Give Up!Revelation Day 14 - No ContestRevelation Day 15 - Worship WellRevelation Day 16 - The Problem of EvilRevelation Day 17 - When You Don't Know WhyRevelation Day 18 - The Limits of SufferingRevelation Day 19 - Is God Angry?Revelation Day 20 - Saved Through Suffering
July
Revelation Day 21 - The Cry for JusticeRevelation Day 22 - The Judgments of GodRevelation 23 - They Still Did Not RepentRevelation Day 24 - Don't Curse CorrectionRevelation Day 25 - Search Me, O GodRevelation Day 26 - You Shall ProphesyRevelation Day 27 - Eat This BookRevelation Day 28 - Fight!Revelation 29 - Let the Truth TalkRevelation Day 30 - Worship and WitnessRevelation Day 31 - Our EnemiesRevelation Day 32 - The Enemy's WeaponRevelation Day 33 - The Enemy's FallRevelation Day 34 - Our ChampionRevelation Day 35 - Our BattleRevelation Day 36 - Where the Wild Things AreRevelation Day 37 - The Sea MonsterRevelation Day 38 - The Antichrist?Revelation Day 39 - Ordinary FaithRevelation Day 40 - The Heart of Ordinary FaithRevelation Day 41 - God's Guarantee
August
Revelation Day 42 - The Ugliness of EvilRevelation Day 43 - God's WrathRevelation Day 44 - God's DelightRevelation Day 45 - God's Just-nessRevelation Day 46 - The Wild Woman on a DragonRevelation Day 47 - Why a Wild Woman?Revelation Day 48 - Why is Babylon So Bad?Revelation Day 49 - Get OutRevelation Day 50 - Renew Your Vows