Tuesday, February 24
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GIVE YOURSELF FIRST
Paul held up the Christians at Macedonia as an example to his Corinthian friends. The Macedonians (who had little) had given
liberally to the Jerusalem church...and the Corinthians (who had much more) had promised aid, but done nothing. But Paul's
most convicting description of these generous believers was not about money, but about heart. "They first gave themselves,"
he said.
God is not honored when we "tip" Him with our money but withold from Him our selves. The gift without the
giver is bare. Those Macedonian givers climbed into the offering plate with their gift. They didn't just nod at God with a few
coins...they put their very lives at His disposal. What a radical act of faith! Jesus illustrated this best when He instructed His
disciples to "render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's...and to God the things that are God's." Well, what is God's? We
are!
Jesus picked up a coin to drive home His point, saying, "Whose picture is on this coin?" They answered the
obvious: "Caesar's." What has God's picture on it? You and I do. We are made in the image of God, and His picture is etched
on your life and mine in an indelible way. When we give ourselves along with our gifts, our offering is sacrificial, spontaneous
and spiritual. And we can be sure that God is honored by it.
Memory Verse
II CORINTHIANS 8:5
And this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us.
Read Through The Bible
Deuteronomy 19; Matthew 15-16