11/26/2025 – “Why Give?” / “You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:11 (“The Cheerful Giver” section: 2 Corinthians 9: 6 – 15)
For those of you who have Alistair’s devotional book, this is the November 26th devotional:
“God is not a cosmic kijoy. He doesn’t ask us to bear with some disappointing existence in which we sit around and fake happiness. Instead, He richly provides for us. We don’t have to apologize for what He gives us; but we do have to share it.
The reason why God gives us all that we need (and oftentimes more!) is so that we can in turn give to others. When we are “enriched in every way,” Paul tells us, it is in order “to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” What we have received as a gift from God we are to give us a gift from God. James picks up this idea in challenging form when he asks, “What good is it… if someone says he has faith but does not have works?” (James 2:14). The answer is clear: it’s no good at all! In fulfilling our responsibility to help those in need, we not only prompt praise for God, but we give evidence of the reality of our faith in God.
God supplies us not only with resources but also with the grace we need to be truly generous — to go without ourselves so that others may be blessed (2 Corinthians 8: 1-3). He is the one who “is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” (9:8).
A generous heart protects us from selfishness and the desire to amass significant wealth for ourselves. The joy of God’s blessing isn’t found in laying up a firm financial foundation so that we can retire to somewhere fantastic, pass on a greater monetary inheritance, or find comfort in a savings account. Rather, we are called to share the wealth He gives us now so that as others enter into its enjoyment, they’ll find true satisfaction in God the Provider.
If we’re honest, the very reason we often hold back from sharing generously is that we think God might just leave us high and dry after we give stuff away. Yet Scripture assures us that the same God who cared for us in our infancy will provide for us in our old age (see Isaiah 46:4).
Joy is be found in unshackling yourself from enslavement to what you own. It is your privilege and your responsibility to be rich in deeds and eager to share, whether you’ve been given much or only a little. (*A -comment below). Ask God for the grace to cheerfully give without reluctance, and remember this: you cannot outgive God.”
2 Corinthians 9: 6-15
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Insert:
“The Cheerful Giver (2 Corinthians 9: 6 – 15) “:
“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
As it is written,
“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”
He who supplied seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiple your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for his impressible gift!”
Note – The concluding verse 15 is a prayer of thanksgiving and praise to the Lord.
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“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows for heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.” Malachi 3: 10 – 15 (section: “Robbing God”)
Note – God forbid we should interpret these verses into “prosperity gospel” as other self-professed christians have , the heresy that translates this as a promise from the LORD to increase our “worldly” wealth. Worldly wealth is chaff. How much do we leave behind as we enter the kingdom? Answer: That would be all of it without exception!
See “The Rich Ruler” section – Luke 18: 18 – 18-30:
Verse 22 – Jesus to the rich young ruler: “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” This is not a command for all of us, of course. For the rich young ruler, I highly suspect his riches were a “stumbling block”, without selling all of his riches, he wouldn’t be able to repent and accept Jesus , ‘all-in”, as His Lord and Savior. Wealth was his god. Note Jesus concluding statement to Peter, verses 28 through 30.
Lastly, Alistair references James 2:14: This is not a “good works will save you” doctrine! No one can be saved by “good works”! Notice the verse notes: “… if someone says he has faith,…” The concluding verse of the section: “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” Good works evidence saving faith. It is impossible to have true saving faith without good works, regardless of how many altar calls we participated in. True faith leads naturally to “the deer panting for water”, through the Holy Spirit.
If I give all my riches away, so that I can be self-gratified by my performance for the Lord, I have missed the whole point. I am a “good” person! Sorry, only God is good!
I read a “financial guru’s” spiel this past week that submitted the true family poverty line for Americans is $ 140k per year. Really? Let’s talk about the global poverty line. Let’s take an average baby boomer couple, within one standard deviation from the median: What percentage have and will bequeath basically their entire inheritance to their children? Warren Buffet might be a leftist, but he has shown his wisdom over the years for the getting the most out of his investments. Many years ago, he was asked how much he was going to leave to his kids. He responded: “Not enough that they will be able to live on it!” I submit: Wise response, he loves his kids!
Finally, see “The Widows Gift” , Mark 12: 41 -44: “Summoning His disciples, He said to them, “I assure you: This poor widow has put in more than all those giving to the temple treasury,” She gave out of love alone!
Thoughts? Reflections?
Soli Deo Gloria!