September 3
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ON GIVING GENEROUSLY
A poem by ILMA
A farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop
But the one who plants generously will get a generous yield
You must each decide in your heart how much to give
Don’t give reluctantly or as if it is a burden
For God loves a person who gives cheerfully
And our Lord will generously provide all that you need
You will always have your essentials met
And still plenty left over to share with others.
As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor
Their good deeds will be remembered and He provides seed for the farmers
He gives them bread to eat and increase their resources
The Heavenly Father then produce a great harvest of generosity in you
Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous
And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God
Two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express gratitude to God.
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MEMORY VERSE
Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully. – 2 Corinthians 9:6
Read: 2 Corinthians 9
In this chapter, Paul gives us the secret of generosity. Sadly some Christians do not follow this principle. The more we give, the more blessings are poured on us. The stingier we are with giving, the more we won’t have an abundance.
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REFLECTION
• Why does God want us to be stingy with our money and resources?
• Why do we need to be cheerful when we give?
Tag Archives: Generosity
GIVE IN PRIVATE Poem Devotional
November 22________________________________________
Give your gifts in private and your Father, who sees everything will reward you.
– Matthew 6:4(NLT)
GIVE IN PRIVATE
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you want to supply and help someone in need
Make sure that you do in secret your good deeds
Your Father in heaven don’t want you to boast
You’ll forfeit your reward from Him when you do so.
Give your gifts in private and you’ll be rewarded in heaven
Announce it and you will lose your points in the kingdom
Give a lending hand but do it out of love and be discreet
Don’t make it about you, it will not be pleasing to his Spirit.
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It is easy to make a big deal out of every good deed we do. Only God’s Spirit can give us the humility to make it about Him and not about us. The enemy wants to trap us into thinking that it is always a venue to show off our actions, especially when it is doing good. The gospel of Matthew cautions us to watch out that we don’t make a performance of the things we do for others or for God.
When I came to Canada, I was surprised to see a gift giving tradition of reading aloud the cards we receive and to open the gifts that we get. For me, it seems like waiting for the person to thank me for what I got them.
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PRAYER
Lord, let me have discretion whenever I do a thoughtful or generous act to someone.
REFLECTION
Why are we cautioned from showing off our generosity?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s poem devotional or go to www.ilmaarts.com posts. To receive emails of my poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com
ON GIVING FREELY POEM DEVOTIONAL
November 18
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Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything.
-Proverbs 11:25 (NLT)
ON GIVING FREELY
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you easily share what you have with others?
Or are you stingy to your sisters and brothers?
The Lord blesses those who give freely
He gives them favor and make them wealthy.
To those who are selfish and greedy
They lose what they have easily
Give generously and cheerfully
He expects you to serve others selflessly.
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There are many people who only think of themselves and never go out of their ways to give to someone. My mother was a very giving person. She had over 50 godchildren and they all come to see her on Christmas for gifts. That was a tradition in t.he Philippines. Most godchildren would come and kiss the hands of their godparents and they’d get gifts. This was how I learned to wrap presents because she taught me how to giftwrap properly. By the time I became an expert gift wrapper at age 9, I would be asked to stay in a room full of her gifts for almost all her godchildren, her children and all her relatives. She was almost like a Santa Claus. This was how I learned to become generous and give gifts freely. I thought all mothers were like her and I was shocked to find that only few were. The bible tells us to give freely.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to think of others more than myself.
REFLECTION
Why do you think God blesses those who give freely and generously?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s poem devotional or go to www.ilmaarts.com posts. To receive emails of my poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com
UNCONDITIONAL GIVING Poem Devotional
January 15________________________________________
Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.
–Matthew 5:42 (NLT)
UNCONDITIONAL GIVING
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you give to those who ask from you?
Do you respond right away or think it through?
Don’t turn away from those who want to borrow
Do it now and don’t wait until tomorrow .
Give unconditionally and expect nothing
You will reap God’s reward if you are giving
Look forward to the fruit of your generosity
You will be given blessings and have victory.
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I grew up in a third world country and people where I come from have to work very hard to be able to afford the basic necessities in life. We take care of what we earned and usually there is nothing extra to save. Sometimes, many people live in deficit for many years. Only those who are well off can actually afford to lend money or things. When I wasn’t a born again Christian yet, I cared much for things I worked hard for and rarely lend anyone my stuff. God changed me.
Do you weigh many things before you lend or give someone something? The bible tells us to give to those who ask. It didn’t specify that we have to scrutinize the situation before we give. We are also asked never to turn our backs to those who want to borrow something from us.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to be generous like you.
REFLECTION
Why do you think God wants us to be generous?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s poem devotional or go to www.ilmaarts.com posts. To receive emails of my poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com
BENEFITS OF GENEROSITY Poem Devotional
August 6________________________________________
The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
–Proverbs 11:25 (NLT)
BENEFITS OF GENEROSITY
A poem and essay by ILMA
Have you blessed someone by giving?
Do you know that you are also receiving?
The generous will prosper and be blessed
They will reap a harvest and will be refreshed.
God will bless you if you give from your heart
He will reward those who obey and never depart
You will always be provided with your needs
He will give you what you ask and even exceed it.
________________________________________Do you know that God expects you to give? He is a very giving God, so we are also expected to do the same to him and to our brothers and sisters. Just make sure that you do not give in order to receive. Otherwise, you have already been paid for what you gave. 2 Corinthians 9:7-8 tells us that God loves a cheerful giver and he always provide generously if you give unconditionally. You will have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.
I know of someone who is very stingy. He never wants to give to anyone. He hoards his resources to himself and as a result, he lives a very hard life. The law of sowing and reaping is talked much in the bible. When we saw seeds of generosity, we will sow blessings and prosperity from God.
PRAYER
Lord, give me a generous heart.
REFLECTION
Who have you blessed lately with giving?
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For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s poem devotional or go to www.ilmaarts.com posts. To receive emails of my poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com
THE REWARD OF GENEROSITY Poem Devotional
March 29
She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.” – Mark 14:8-9 (NLT)
THE REWARD OF GENEROSITY
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you treat the Lord with reverence and majesty?
Are you faithful in spending time with Jesus regularly?
The woman who anointed Christ’s feet was remembered
She became an example of bigheartedness and was awarded.
Generosity is an act of veneration and honoring the Lord
When we bring what belongs to him, we give him applaud
Everything we have comes from our gracious heavenly father
Let’s praise him by giving back what he gave us and be kind to others.
Are you a giving person? The act of giving is the whole theme of a Christian’s life. Abraham became the father of all believers because of his faith and generosity. He was tested by God to give his son, Isaac as an offering for him and he never doubted what God requested. He passed the test of faith and kindness.
The bible tells us the story of the woman who anointed Jesus’ feet with very expensive perfume. Jesus rewarded her reverence by ensuring that she was remembered throughout the world where the Good News was preached. Jesus gave back to her the respect that she gave to him.
PRAYER
Lord, stir my heart to generously give always.
REFLECTION
How has God paid back your generosity to him?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotional, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotional, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com