OVERFLOWING EXPRESSIONS OF THANKSGIVING

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others 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 you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

2 Corinthians 9:12-15

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

God is the great Giver of all things, the divine Source of provision and blessings. The world would have someone think that what they have is of their own doing but the truth is that God is at the center of every good and perfect gift given (James 1:17). This is one central message contained in this ninth chapter of 2 Corinthians which we have studied over the last few messages.

Another point the scriptures want us to embrace is that God grants us an abundance so that we may in turn give to others. We aren’t to keep what we have been given to ourselves, choosing to not use it for someone else’s benefit. Rather, we are to freely give to others just as freely as God has provided for us so to supply the needs of His people. In the closing verses of chapter nine which form our passage for today, we see the reason why we are to provide the service of giving to those in need.

We do so to produce overflowing expressions of thanks to God.

These overflowing expressions of thanks to God come from those who receive generosity as they witness first-hand how a believer backs up their confession of the good news of Jesus with obedient response to His call to care for “the least of these” (Matthew 25:31-46). The person who has received the blessings prays with thanksgiving for the goodness they have received, ultimately showing gratitude to God for His indescribable gifts.

As a giver in Christ, I can honestly say that I find myself feeing thankful to God for the way He has empowered me to give through His word, His Spirit, and, of course, through the affluence He has blessed me with. Without His goodness, I would never be able to give as much as I do. And I know when I am giving in ways that please Him because He always resupplies what I have given out. It’s like a well always filling up with gifts to draw from to give to others. This is how God works. He continues to bless those who give Him a return for His blessing investment. The more you give, the more He supplies.

This is refreshingly counter to the world’s view of how people should handle their riches and this adds just one more layer of thanksgiving for us. We can be grateful that we are following the Lord’s ways which are grounded in righteousness instead of the world’s ways that lead a person into sin.

In the end translation, we serve a good God who uses those who follow Him to extend His goodness to others. I’m grateful to be counted in that number and I pray that you feel the same.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to Gods4all@aol.com