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: giving
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
WHEN TO GIVE Poem Devotional
March 2
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On the first day of each week you should put aside a portion of the money you have earned. -1 Corinthians 16:2(NLT)
WHEN TO GIVE
A poem and essay by ILMA
To give is more blessed than to receive
We honor the Lord when we give
On the first day of each week
A portion of our wage we must give.
When you cheerfully give, you are praising him
It keeps you from selfishness and all kinds of sins
God is generous to provide us all our needs
Why don’t we make him first when we give?
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Billy Graham said “We have found in our own home, as have thousands of others, that God’s blessing upon the nine-tenths, when we tithe, helps it to go farther than ten-tenths without His blessing. Other Christians who tithe do so simply because they respect the Old Testament principle and find it a helpful place to begin in their giving. The matter of your giving is between you and God, and He always takes into account our circumstances. He knows when they are beyond our power to direct and control. The important thing is that we see giving as a privilege and not a burden. It should not be out of a sense of duty, but rather out of love for the Lord and a desire to see His kingdom advanced.”
When you prioritize giving to God’s kingdom, you are honoring him.
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PRAYER
Lord, give me a cheerful heart to give.
REFLECTION
What hampers people from giving generously to God’s kingdom?
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
GIVE ACCORDING TO WHAT YOU HAVE
July 24
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Give in proportion to what you have, and give according to what you have and not what you don’t have. -2 Corinthians 8:11,12(NLT)
GIVE ACCORDING TO WHAT YOU HAVE
A poem and essay by ILMA
The Lord gives you enough so you can share with others
Don’t be stingy to God’s people and your neighbors
Give in proportion to what you have, don’t be miserly
It will benefit others if you are giving accordingly.
Do not hoard what you have been given
It will bring you closer to reach heaven
The Lord your God is generous to provide
Give him your first fruits and always abide.
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There are some believers who do not actually give according to what God has given to them. They hoard what they have received thinking that it is theirs. The bible says in Psalm 24:1 that the earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. How come some Christians claim that whatever they possess is actually their own? I know some people who do not even acknowledge the Lord for whatever blessings and abilities they have been given. They think that they were born with it and some even believe that they have earned whatever they have acquired. When we are given something by God, he expects us to give in proportion to what we have received. We are not required to give what we don’t have.
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PRAYER
Thank you for all your gifts and blessings Lord.
REFLECTION
Why is it important to return to the Lord what you have received?
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
GIVING GENEROUSLY Poem Devotional
September 15
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The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers. -Psalm37:21(NLT)
GIVING GENEROUSLY
A poem and essay by ILMA
Those who are wicked borrows and never repay
The godly are generous givers each and every day
When you share what you have been given
You are acting like Jesus Christ who was risen.
Those who are able to bless others wholeheartedly
They are reflecting God’s heart to others so kindly
Give enthusiastically and you will reap rewards later
It blesses you, your family and your heavenly Father.
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There are many things we can generously share or give to others. It doesn’t have to be money. You could share your knowledge, talents, resources, time and whatever it is that God is asking you to bless others with. The problem with the world today is that we don’t go out of our way to give others what we are given by God. We think that we possess these resources on our own and need to hoard it or keep it to ourselves. This is dangerous for our spirits when we only think of ourselves. This is how the enemy wants us to behave. He wants us to be selfish and not give. Sometimes when we give, we expect to be given back what we have shared. This is not giving. It’s a business transaction. The bible says that the godly gives generously.
PRAYER
Lord, give me opportunities to bless others.
REFLECTION
What can you generously share to others that God has given you? What are the benefits of giving?
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
GIVING MORE THAN WHAT YOU CAN Poem Devotional
May 11
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For I can testify, they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. – 2 Corinthians 8:3(NLT)
GIVING MORE THAN WHAT YOU CAN
A poem and essay by ILMA
God is pleased with those who give generously
He wants you to prioritize him faithfully
Those who give far more than they can afford
They will have blessings and have an overflow.
The Lord wants someone who gives cheerfully
For it shows that you love him dearly
When you give beyond what you have
It will multiply many times when you get it back.
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There was a movie a long time ago entitled “Pay it Forward.” The boy decided to give back what he got to two or three more kids and asked them to pay it forward to three others. The network grew so big and eventually the act of one kid who gave beyond what he had became a chain of love for all those who participated in that giving circle.
2 Corinthians 9:7 says that we shouldn’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure for God loves a person who gives cheerfully. The next verse gives us the blessings and bounty we can reap from such generous giving. Paul stressed and gave credit to those who gave far more that what they could afford. He was astounded that they gave from their own free will.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to remember that I’m giving to you when I give to others.
REFLECTION
What do you feel whenever you give beyond what you have?
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