We’re wrapping up the final days of fasting, praying and seeking God during The Power of Everyone Series.    Our Celebration Offering and Commitments are tomorrow, so I hope you’ve sought God’s direction in what you should do.  Janet and I have already turned in our sacrificial gift and commitment for the next 3 years and are pumped about it!

I also hope you’ll ask God to reveal to you what this passage means in your life and how you should apply it.  Would you pray and ask God to speak to the hearts of all the people in our church about this particular passage concerning what they should do too?  I believe we’ll experience a miracle tomorrow; Sunday, November 23.         Bless you – Pastor BJ

Nov. 22                 2 Corinthians 9:7

7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Can you imagine being the object of God’s love?   Of course God loves the whole world and demonstrated that powerfully in what He did with His only Son (John 3:16).  And the Bible clearly tells us God has a more specific love for those who are a part of His forever family – those who are followers of Christ.  But here, the Bible says God has a special love for those of us who are cheerful in our giving.  Have you ever thought about that?  Did you realize that you become the special object of God’s love when you give generously?  WOW!

When Paul says each man should give what he has decided in his heart, he is talking about something that has been preplanned.  In other words, this person has thought it through, prayed about it and made the decision to give a certain amount.  In addition he did not do this with a sense of sorrow or regret, and it wasn’t because there was any kind of legalistic outside pressure put on him.  He simply gave out of the joy of his heart and was able to do so happily; realizing it’s a hilarious privilege to be able to give back to the God of the universe a small portion of what God has given him.

As we prepare to give our Power of Everyone Celebration Offering on Sunday and turn in our commitment to give over the next 1-3 years, I pray this verse is an expression of your heart.  I hope you know the joy that comes when you can’t wait to give to God’s work.  I hope you’ve prayed about what God would have you do – have made a decision – and will come not with regret or sorrow, but with incredible joy at the thought of giving back to God in this way on Sunday.  God loves a cheerful giver!