BOGO

2 Corinthians 9:10-15

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%209%3A10-15&version=NIV;NLT

 Everybody loves a bargain! Maybe you’ve made a statement like one of these before.

    “My sister’s husband’s brother’s neighbor got me a great deal on my (fill in the blank).”

           “I bought these chairs dirt cheap at the auction house.”

 

My personal favorite bargain is a BOGO one, better known as Buy One, Get One. I’ve used that to buy Heath candy bars and mouthwash. It’s especially appreciated when eating out at a restaurant and you pay full price for your meal, but your spouse gets theirs for FREE!

 

Yes indeed, everybody loves a bargain! Even Paul said that the Corinthian believers were getting a BOGO deal.

 

¹² So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.          NLT

 

In this chapter, Paul was encouraging the Corinthians to make a generous donation to help the poor in Jerusalem. The verse above tells us that there would be two good results from the collection: people’s needs would be met and God would be thanked.

 

Paul was applying the principle of generosity to the offering. In reality, this principle can be applied to any offering of Time, Talent or Treasure. All three of these are a BOGO ministry.

 

After all, isn’t one of God’s characteristics generosity? He gives abundantly to us to provide for our needs so that we might provide for the needs of others. It doesn’t matter if it’s through the offering of our time, talent or treasure.

 

So go ahead and enjoy a bargain and give generously – BOGO.

 

 

 

 

It’s Mine!

Acts 4:32-35

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%204%3A32-35&version=NIV;NLT

 

What parent hasn’t told their child in a firm, authoritative voice, “You need to share with your brother or sister!”? And conversely, what parent hasn’t heard their child respond in a defiant, angry voice, “It’s mine!”?

 

Sharing doesn’t come easy for many of us. In fact, the old adage, “The one who dies with the most toys wins”, would seem to apply to America as a whole.

 

For the most part though, the first century church in Jerusalem didn’t have a problem with sharing. They pooled their resources so that everybody’s needs were met. Some even went to the point of selling their property or possessions and turning the proceeds over to the apostles.

 

There’s a familiar verse in Psalm 50 that states, ^“For all the animals of the forest are

mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills.” This reminds us that God owns everything. He is the creator and sustainer of all that was and is and will be. But is that all there is to it?

The context of Psalm 50 is not that God owns everything, but that His people are more interested in looking good by making showy displays of religious righteousness, rather than getting things right in their relationship with God. It’s the same complaint that Jesus had with the religious leaders of his day. And if we’re honest, the same issue continues today.

 

Therefore, you and I need to answer these questions. Am I the lord of my life, or is Christ the Lord of my life? How am I using the resources that God has given me; my time, talent and treasure? Am I helping to meet the needs of those less fortunate? Or am I in the competition to see who has the most toys?

 

³² All the believers were one in heart and mind… And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all ³⁴ that there were no needy persons among them.           NIV

 

The first century church has set an example for us to follow. The resources that God has given to us are intended to build His Kingdom; to meet the needs of others; to share God’s grace. Think of the impact we could have if we were all “one in heart and mind”.

 

 

 

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The Giving Tree

Proverbs 11:24-31

 

In the 1996 movie, Jerry Maguire, a slick sports agent has a crisis of conscience which results in him getting fired and starting his own agency. Desperate to salvage the only client/athlete that he has left, the agent shouts over the phone, “SHOW ME THE MONEY!” to show his client just how committed he is to him.

 

In the world, this is what it comes down to a lot of the time. Somebody somewhere is shouting, “SHOW ME THE MONEY!" As believers though, we’re to have a different view towards money; a different perspective for its use. Proverbs has this to say about it.

 

²⁸ A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump;
    a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree.           Proverbs 11 MSG

 

This verse paints a picture that reminds me of the children’s book written by Shel Silverstein titled “The Giving Tree”. It’s a story about a boy and a tree.

 

During his childhood, the boy enjoyed playing with the tree; climbing her trunk, swinging from her branches, and eating her apples. However, as he gets older he begins to use the tree for his own selfish pleasure; selling her apples, building a house from her branches and cutting her trunk to make a boat.

 

The tree gave and gave and gave of herself until all that was left was “a stump”. This is an interesting twist on verse 28. In “The Giving Tree”, the stump actually became “a flourishing tree”.

 

Every time that the tree gave another part of herself to the boy, the narrative states, “And the tree was happy”. This is similar to what Proverbs has to tell us about giving.

 

²⁴ The world of the generous gets larger and larger;
    the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.

²⁵ The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed;
    those who help others are helped.       Proverbs 11 MSG

 

THE Giving Tree of the Bible, gave and gave and gave of Himself to the point of sacrificing His one and only son whom He loved. Likewise, God calls us to invest ourselves in the lives of those around us; not just with our treasure, but also with our time and talents. If we do this, the result will be “a flourishing tree”.

 

 

 

 

(If God has spoken to you, or touched your heart through this devotional, please feel free to share it with others.)