May 18, 2009 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Hello hello!!!
Here I catch myself apologizing again for not continuuing to do my blogs...I'm sorry!!!
I hope all of you have started out a great summer! It's already been 1 full week!!!! Ahhhh!!!
I have already started working, since last Wednesday...booooooooooo. Anyways, today's blog is on 2 Corinthians 9:6-15, about Sowing Generously!

Sowing Generously~2 Corinthians 9:6-15
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written, "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given to you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

So...yet another passage on joyful giving! haha!!!
Paul starts out this passage by giving an analogy to a farmer and his crops. Sowing and Reaping...if we are stingy in giving, then we will receive just as much as we gave, but if we're generous in giving, we will generously receive. Another point is to give generously, not under compulsion, but with a giving heart. Giving generously not only glorifies God, but also benefits us. We are able to share God's resources generously, we are able to be blessed by God, although it may not be materialistic things that we are given in return for our generosity, somehow we will receive an abundance of blessings from God. Paul also mentions that the more we give, the more God is able to reach us and bless us. The more stingy and selfish (Scrooge-like) we get, the less room for God to reach out to us, because we are less open to God. Furthermore, we can be more God-dependent instead of on ourselves, being self-sufficient. That is spiritually enriching. Finally, the end of the passage states, "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" That verse literally sums up the entire passage. God has already set the example of generously giving. And we need to take after His character of giving...we pray to become more and more like Jesus, like God. That means we need to follow after his characters, one being, a heart of giving. It's never too late, Scrooge was always a stingy, selfish, closed-in kinda guy, but he became a new person...he was able to see things through new eyes because he had a new heart. He started giving, and through that he warmed up, he was joyful, he was hopeful! We need to learn to give away ourselves and our resources for the joy/sake of others and to further the Kingdom of God!