The Everyday Prayer

Re:Verse passage – 2 Corinthians 9:6-12 (day five)

Last week, we read about the early church and how they lived in community with one another. That blissful picture of the church devoting themselves to fellowship and meeting each other’s needs almost sounds like a utopian society, out of reach to us. But I think our passage this week sheds light on how they managed to live together in this way. They were generous.

This image Paul paints of sowing and reaping shows us that generosity is meant to be proactive, not reactive. Planting a seed is a proactive act, you sow the seed in faith that it will grow into a harvest. The same is true with generosity, we proactively sow generously into our relationships, and we have faith that God will turn that into abundant, life-giving community.

Paul is talking about finances here, and we certainly must be proactive in giving financially, but the rule also applies to our relationships.
We can sow generously into a relationship by giving that person our time, our attention, our prayers, giving encouraging words, and sharing our lives in a way that might feel vulnerable. If we want the kind of life-giving fellowship, unity, and joy that we see in the early church, we have to be proactive and sow generously into our relationships, knowing that God is faithful to turn that into a plentiful harvest, just like He did in the early church.

Re:Verse passage – 2 Corinthians 9:6-12 (day four)

These verses are a favorite proof-text for health and wealth preachers.  “If you give abundantly to our church, God will give abundantly to you!”  Wrong.  It is as if God is obligated to give you a lot if you give the church a lot.  The only ones who get wealthy with this kind of theology is the preacher giving the message!

God wants us to be generous and cheerful givers.  Notice in verse 10, God gives on both sides of the equation.   God supplies the seed and then, when we sow it, He brings a bountiful harvest.  From God’s supply, others are blessed.  It is never about personal enrichment, it is about producing thanksgiving to God.  For God, it is always about the heart…what is the motivation of the heart?  Ananias and Sapphira gave a nice gift to the church, but out of a deceitful heart.  (Acts 5)  Give out of a grateful heart of thanksgiving!

Re:Verse passage – 2 Corinthians 9:6-12 (day three)

“Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion.”

Tugging at heart strings, appealing to feelings of guilt, and priority-shaming have all served as tools for attempting to bend the will of people toward open-handedness. Sometimes it works. Coercion of any kind, though – even “benign” – will result only in short-term gain, not long-term transformation. Nobody says, “that time I gave more money to the church in order to feel better about my extravagant vacation has made me a person of joyful generosity.” Instead, straightforward and transparent statements of need, reports of gratitude, and questions that ask directly, “What are you willing to do with your treasure?” will place the church in unity with Paul’s declaration that all the forcefulness we can muster is no match for the whisper of the Holy Spirit.

Re:Verse passage – 2 Corinthians 9:6-12 (day two)

Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Vs. 6

Have you ever been asked to run for office? Whether student council or some other position it takes effort on your part to succeed. You have to talk to people, invest time in the campaign, and show why you would be worthy of the office. When we don’t invest greatly it is not a surprise if the outcome is defeat. Losing hurts, no doubt, but being convinced of our purpose should cause us to double down and give of ourselves to the effort. Nobody wants to spend time and energy in something only to have it not work out, and that is why we sometimes hold back. We don’t want to be hurt.

We shouldn’t approach our faith journey with the same mindset. We are loved by Jesus, the victory is won. That doesn’t guarantee there won’t be challenges, but it should hopefully reframe our mindset. Love big, serve with abandon, and trust fully.

Re:Verse passage – Acts 2:42-47 (day seven)

And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common. vs 44

“You have more in common with a Christian living in a village in Kenya than you do your non-Christian friends that live right down the street.” I often say things like this to our students. You may not be able to talk about the latest Marvel movie or the hottest new song, but there is something unique that brings us all together as Christians. Christ living in me relates and connects to Christ living in you. That commonality creates a bond that is tighter than any friendship the world can offer. This indwelling of the Holy Spirit bridges languages, race, color, and creed. We are brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, and even if it may seem that we are miles apart in interests, hobbies, or politics, we can know that we are Better when we are Together because Christ is our commonality.

Re:Verse passage – Acts 2:42-47 (day six)

…having favor with all the people. Acts 2:47

The church, in it is earliest days, experienced favor with all the people. Immediately there was a visibility to their faith and practice that was unavoidable; they gathered in the temple to talk about Jesus among themselves and with others in the temple courts. People from all walks of life couldn’t help but see the beauty in their convictions about Jesus, their unity of mind, and the fruit it produced. It was contagious.

The church experienced favor like this,… until it didn’t. Favor would soon be replaced with direct opposition. Opposition arose when the faith and practice of new Jewish Christians threatened the power and influence of the status quo.

And the new growing church (like wild fire) did not cower, but rose in response, not with worldly force, returning efforts in kind, but with truth put on full display with Holy Spirit led grace and extraordinary sacrificial love,…like Jesus.

Re:Verse passage – Acts 2:42-47 (day five) 

“And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

Make no mistake, in this early church, it was the Lord who was at work. It was the Lord who was adding “saved” people to the church. Yes, the people were engaged and actively worshipping, giving, praying, and sharing their faith. Yet, Luke rightly gives the credit and glory to the Lord.
Also, take note, it was happening every day and everywhere. In the temple and in homes. Not just Sundays. Not just weekdays. The gathered church has the same mission and ministry potential as the scattered church. Discipleship. Worship. Evangelism. Fellowship. Ministry. There is significant opportunity when we gather. There is just as much potential as we “scatter” across the city. Every day. Everywhere. It will be the Lord who is at work!

Re:Verse passage – Acts 2:42-47 (day four)

Multitudes were added to the church!  Before that growth took place though, the Holy Spirit did a mighty work in the hearts of the believers.  Much preparation was made before growth took place.  First, the believers were listening to the teachings of the apostles.  They were seeking personal, spiritual growth (aka maturity) on a daily basis.  They also spent time in fellowship and eating together as a church.  Time spent together creates an opportunity to practice the character of Christ as well as to be held accountable for living a Christ-like life.  The final church community activity they joined in was prayer.  Listening and communicating with God to know His mind and will.

Without the preparation in the Spirit that the early church participated in, the addition of new members (aka church growth) would never have taken place.  Have you desired growth to take place in your church?  Have you been willing to put in the time for your personal maturity to prepare for this revival?  Or maybe you have asked God to grow the church, but have neglected your own Spiritual growth.  Ask God to mature your faith and He will take care of the rest!

Re:Verse passage – Acts 2:42-47 (day three)

“Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe.”

“Everything is awesome,” as the hilarious song declares in The Lego Movie. Gradually in that storyline, as in real life, one comes to the understanding that no, everything is not, in fact, awesome – at least in the sense of good and beautiful. Perhaps you’ve known of or been part of groups that proclaim with such forceful insistence that their organization is awesome that you wonder whether they might be trying very hard to convince themselves that it is, because they couldn’t bear the truth that it’s not. But here, we find a group of people who lived with a continual sense of joyful astonishment at their life together near God. They had discovered that the Savior called them – not the rulers of this world – to have the last word as they taught Christ to the nations.