Daily Devotions |
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33 |
1 Kings 17:13 We discussed that withholding your tithe and offering is robbing God but it is so important that we see the importance of giving. There are many examples in the Bible where God requests his people to give. God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac; Jesus required the young boy to give his lunch to feed the multitude; but at no point does he fail to reward those who willingly gave to him.
One of my favorite examples of giving in the Word is the widow who Elijah requests to give her last. In 1 Kings 17: 10-24, Elijah has her bake the last cake she has flour for him. The woman is obedient and because of her giving, she and her son were given a miracle of provision. But her obedience is rewarded again, because many days later her son is resurrected from the dead. If she had failed to give Elijah her all. If she had refused to trust the God that Elijah spoke of, she and her son would have starved to death, and she would have never known that God is a healer. Obedience in giving is paramount. Only giving your tithes is just as bad as not tithing at all. Only giving your offering is just as bad as withholding everything from God. It isn't bad because God needs your money; it is bad because God needs your trust. Following the principles of tithing and giving show God that you trust him with what you have. If you have failed to give God what he is owed repent, and make the decision today to get on the blessing plan.
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Malachi 3:8 Remember I said that God requires our action for him to bless? Well, the most important action you can take to receive God's favor over your finances is tithing. Not only does it allow your church to operate and function but it shows God you trust him with your financial decisions. Giving God his 10% is not optional for a person who wants an excellent walk with Christ. In fact, the Bible says that you rob God if you don't adhere to tithing and offering.
What's funny about the principle of tithing is that we adhere to it willingly in the world. We pay taxes without failure but we skimp God what he is owed. If you don't complain and withhold your state and federal taxes, don't complain or withhold your tithes. If you don't protest to Uncle Sam's 10% at the bottom of your purchase, don't protest tithing. Failing to pay tithes has bad consequences just like failing to pay your taxes. While you won't have the IRS on your back, you will live in lack. God can do more with your obedience than you can do with your money. Trust that as you honor the principle God lays out concerning your finances that he will bless. Malachi is the place that all believers should turn to brush up on how to do finances the God way. It details what Jesus expects of us and our pockets. If you won't tithe then don't expect God to bless you financially. You will be living in a curse. Luke 12:24-26
Romans 1:28 By this point on the journey, you probably have acquired an understanding of the habits you will need to complete your first goal. Four days in and you are well on your way to the first goal. But, what happens when we get to the point where we switch focus to the next goal? You are to retain what you have learned. God is in the lessons and knowledge that you will attain during this challenge. And keeping what he teaches you is essential to remaining changed.
In Romans, men and women refused to keep their eyes on God. They failed to retain and God let the enemy take their minds and hearts. Giving up is not an option Excellent Challengers. In fact, it is blatant disrespect. We must follow Christ, glorify God and give all that he requires of us back to him. Today's passage is Romans 1:20-28. It depicts how God equips us with the knowledge we need to hang on to his word. Ask yourself this, "How do I plan to retain the spirit of excellence?" On this journey, you will find that you will have to recover. Maybe, you forget to rise in prayer. Or maybe, you can't resist the temptation to eat something outside of your diet. Whatever way you fail, understanding the way to get up again is essential to continue. The Bible speaks clearly about recovery. Over and over, we are implored to repent from our sins. One of the most common scriptures that people refer to about recovering from sin is Romans 8:1. The word says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." This passage does not excuse our sins. It makes it clear that if you walk after the flesh, you don't have to be condemned.
The word condemn means to express complete disapproval of, typically in public. It is to sentence someone to a particular punishment. When decided to allow God in our lives and accept Jesus as our savior, we gave up the burden of punishment. Jesus paid the price for our failures. Yes, even the failure of your workout schedule. As long as you continue to seek him in spirit, repent for your sins, and work toward the higher calling he has for you, the blood of Jesus will cover you. The reason why I like the scripture in Romans 8 is because it reminds me that if I'm walking in the spirit, I don't have to take on shame, guilt or condemnation. I can trust that the blood is enough for my wrongs. Now, don't go doing what you want in the impression that you are covered in the sacrifice of Jesus. The scripture makes sure to point out that you must not walk after the flesh to receive the reward of a free conscience. I implore you to give all of your shortcomings to Christ. Whatever way you failed to be excellent yesterday, an hour ago, or even just now, is covered in the blood. Give your burdens and your wrongs to him. He is just and faithful to keep you. Check out this prayer as a reminder that God is for you. Ever heard the phrase, "Put your dukes up?" It's an invitation to fight. Every morning that God gives you another opportunity to seek excellence, you are literally saying that phrase to the enemy. Bold, right? Little old you wants to fight the devil. Like David to Goliath, you seem very small. But, when you allow God to step into the battle for you, you will be victorious. Period. That's it! No battle is too hard to conquer when God is doing the duking or combatting. But, if you try to fight on your own, you will fail.
Today, during the prayer call, I opened up the floor for prayer request. And it became immediately clear that some of you may want to put your prayer requests in as well. Fill out the form below, and we will put your request before the Lord during our next prayer call. I hope you didn't wake up yesterday thinking that your life was going to be magically rearranged. Hopefully, you woke up committed to your purpose and the habits to make it your reality. So often, we can want God to be our genie. We want him to answer us, before we even work to meet the requirements he has on us. Every blessing we receive from God will require something from us. Sometimes, it's merely our faith. Others, God will send us into action. Regardless, to whom much is given, much is required.* The changes you want to see God work in your life will require you to be committed. You must make a vow to yourself to fulfill this plan and your goals. Don't worry! God will help you. His son Jesus will direct you. The Holy Spirit will guide you, just as the disciples were guided in Acts 16. I suggest that you read the entire chapter. (Don't worry, it's short lol) As you do, pay attention to how committed the disciples were. Be sure to observe how God directs them. Timothy was circumcised, even though he didn't have to because of the Law of Grace through Christ.** God tells them where to go and where not to go. He gives them vision. AND THEY FOLLOW IT.
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About the ChallengeThe 100 Days of Excellence challenge is a 100 day journey to completely rearrange the course of your life. It is about seeking the thrown of God to hear what his plan is for our lives. It is a commitment to carry out every action in your future in the spirit of excellence. Archives
December 2016
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