It Begins with the Posture of Heart
Prayer 365 // Kingdom Generosity (Day 1)
More from this week:
Today's Scripture:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” - Matthew 6:19-21 NIV
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23 NIV
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23 NIV
Today's Devotional:
According to Merriam-Webster, generous is giving or sharing in abundance and without hesitation. This is a good definition, but it looks different in the context of the world as opposed to the context of Heaven.
The world is generous from its excess, however God is generous from His only. We do not love by the worlds standards but by the standards of God, by the Kingdom of Heaven. Because of this, as believers, we do not operate in worldly generosity but in Kingdom Generosity which is to be generous in giving even with your only. This means to give generously; not just when your resources are abundant and it’s within your comfort but even when they are limited and it’s considered sacrificial. This is Kingdom Generosity.
The first principle of Kingdom Generosity is it begins with the posture of heart. When talking about the posture of heart, this refers to both its position and condition. Both are important to flow in the Rhythm of Generosity.
Let’s first look at the position of the heart. Jesus makes it clear in Matthew 6:21 that wherever your treasure is that’s where your heart is. Treasure is normally defined as something that is precious and stored up, often a resource of some sort. As humans, two of our most valuable resources are time and money. Time being the most important because we can never get it back. Based on Jesus’ statement about treasure, just by taking a look at how you manage your resources will tell you a great deal about yourself.
What I encourage you to do is perform an audit of those two valuable resources: time and money. This means take an in-depth look at your schedule and your bank accounts. There are three things to look at when doing an inventory of your resources :
After you’ve done an audit of these resources, I want you to examine how you’ve stewarded you’re heart and then take a moment to locate the Source. Where is God located in all that you do? Is He the first? Is he an after thought? Does He have any place in what you do? I must warn you, the results may be concerning but they could very well be worth celebrating. However, if they are not, don’t be discouraged because this can be changed.
Now that you’ve got the data from your audit, I want you to see that the data tells a story. Beyond the numbers, places and behavior, it reveals something much deeper about the heart, it reveals the condition. Proverbs 4:23 NIV says “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” The results of your audit reveals the flow of your heart. For instance if my heart is filled with the joy of the Lord, I will manage my resources joyfully, knowing that my joy is not based on the conditions of the world but on the presence of God because in His presence is the fullness of Joy. If my heart is filled with bitterness, unforgiveness, fear or guilt, it will reflect in how I manage my resources. A bitter and unforgiving person is often selfish and tight-fisted. A person dominated by the fear of rejection will unwisely empty their resources to be accepted by people (not knowing they’ve already been accepted by God). A person who is crushed by weight of their guilt will give as an attempt to pay for their forgiveness (not realizing that their forgiveness has already been paid for by the blood of Jesus). You should never give from guilt but from gratitude. Something similar happens with those who have trust issues, self-esteem issues, and identity issues. The condition of your heart determines the condition of your giving – both in your time and your money.
Remember Kingdom Generosity begins with the posture of the heart and posture consists of position and condition. God desires His children to be as He is, generous. If you’re having trouble with being generous, I encourage you to prayerfully examine the position and condition of your heart and allow God to heal and reposition you as it is necessary so that your might walk in Kingdom Generosity.
I'm Praying for you and with you,
Pastor Enrique Brooks
The world is generous from its excess, however God is generous from His only. We do not love by the worlds standards but by the standards of God, by the Kingdom of Heaven. Because of this, as believers, we do not operate in worldly generosity but in Kingdom Generosity which is to be generous in giving even with your only. This means to give generously; not just when your resources are abundant and it’s within your comfort but even when they are limited and it’s considered sacrificial. This is Kingdom Generosity.
The first principle of Kingdom Generosity is it begins with the posture of heart. When talking about the posture of heart, this refers to both its position and condition. Both are important to flow in the Rhythm of Generosity.
Let’s first look at the position of the heart. Jesus makes it clear in Matthew 6:21 that wherever your treasure is that’s where your heart is. Treasure is normally defined as something that is precious and stored up, often a resource of some sort. As humans, two of our most valuable resources are time and money. Time being the most important because we can never get it back. Based on Jesus’ statement about treasure, just by taking a look at how you manage your resources will tell you a great deal about yourself.
What I encourage you to do is perform an audit of those two valuable resources: time and money. This means take an in-depth look at your schedule and your bank accounts. There are three things to look at when doing an inventory of your resources :
- Location (Where our time & money goes)
- Amount (How much — Spent/Invested)
- Behavior (Habits, patterns)
After you’ve done an audit of these resources, I want you to examine how you’ve stewarded you’re heart and then take a moment to locate the Source. Where is God located in all that you do? Is He the first? Is he an after thought? Does He have any place in what you do? I must warn you, the results may be concerning but they could very well be worth celebrating. However, if they are not, don’t be discouraged because this can be changed.
Now that you’ve got the data from your audit, I want you to see that the data tells a story. Beyond the numbers, places and behavior, it reveals something much deeper about the heart, it reveals the condition. Proverbs 4:23 NIV says “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” The results of your audit reveals the flow of your heart. For instance if my heart is filled with the joy of the Lord, I will manage my resources joyfully, knowing that my joy is not based on the conditions of the world but on the presence of God because in His presence is the fullness of Joy. If my heart is filled with bitterness, unforgiveness, fear or guilt, it will reflect in how I manage my resources. A bitter and unforgiving person is often selfish and tight-fisted. A person dominated by the fear of rejection will unwisely empty their resources to be accepted by people (not knowing they’ve already been accepted by God). A person who is crushed by weight of their guilt will give as an attempt to pay for their forgiveness (not realizing that their forgiveness has already been paid for by the blood of Jesus). You should never give from guilt but from gratitude. Something similar happens with those who have trust issues, self-esteem issues, and identity issues. The condition of your heart determines the condition of your giving – both in your time and your money.
Remember Kingdom Generosity begins with the posture of the heart and posture consists of position and condition. God desires His children to be as He is, generous. If you’re having trouble with being generous, I encourage you to prayerfully examine the position and condition of your heart and allow God to heal and reposition you as it is necessary so that your might walk in Kingdom Generosity.
I'm Praying for you and with you,
Pastor Enrique Brooks
Did you know that Thryve Church prays together 365 days a year? Join us Monday-Friday at 6:30am & Saturdays at 8am for "Prayer at the Altar" by dialing 339- 207-7471 and then join us Sundays at 11am for Worship Service! Learn More