I am currently working on my third book, Devotions From Exodus Part Two, and as I began my prayer to close out one of the devotions, the Lord took me to 2 Corinthians 9. If you are a member of a Southern Baptist church you probably, hopefully, have begun to hear a name bouncing around… Lottie Moon.
Our nation is right on the brink of the season of Christmas. As a matter of fact I have already noticed some Christmas trees in windows of houses, and Santa most definitely has already showed up in the stores.
Tis the season…
Tis the season for thanksgiving and tis the season for gift giving. Tis also the season for IMB Lottie Moon fundraising. Our church has a donation goal of $110,000. Now just in case your wondering why…
Why should we give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering?
Southern Baptists send missionaries from their churches, through IMB, to go into the world making disciples in the name of Jesus. In that partnership, Southern Baptists provide the funding to send and support these missionaries and their ministries. The more resources they provide, the more missionaries can be sent.
“As the body of Christ, we’re like an orchestra … each member is so vital, is so important for making beautiful music. So just like your giving is so important in us coming to Sweden, we can work together … through sharing his love with others,” church planter/musician Anissa Haney says.
Your giving has a place in God’s story!
As I read through 2 Corinthians 9 my heart was stirred to write this post to hopefully be used by God to stir the hearts of others to make a goal to give. It doesn’t matter the size of the gift as long as it the gift that the Lord moved your heart to give.
So I thought it necessary to urge the brethren that they would go on ahead to you and arrange beforehand your previously promised bountiful gift, so that the same would be ready as a bountiful gift and not affected by covetousness.
Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; as it is written,
“He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor,
His righteousness endures forever.”
Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God. Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all, while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you.
2 Corinthians 9:5-14
Here is some of the proof of the ministry of the IMB…
We can do so much more together.
As we prepare to give thanks and give gifts let us remember Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 9:15
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
Beloved of God, your contribution to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering allows more to go out and tell the world about the indescribable gift of our God.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:16
The Lord will not ask you to give what He will not provide. Would you commit today to begin to pray and see if the Lord moves your heart to make a contribution, a bountiful gift not affected by covetous, not given grudgingly or under compulsion, but simply whatever your heart moves you to give cheerfully?