All around the world we have been celebrating the birth of Christ. We see Jesus as He put on human flesh, so that we can see what Father looks like. Jesus came to give the world an eternal “upgrade” of love and generosity.
Heaven shows us the importance of living a generous life. Heaven’s first family lives out love and generosity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father sent the Son, the Son came and gave His life, the Holy Spirit was sent, and He gives us life, comfort, counsel, wisdom, strength, spiritual gifts and much more. The godhead is our example. They demonstrate for us what love and generosity look like.
In Deuteronomy 6:4-5 we read, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”
We are also told in Leviticus 19:8, “You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”
Jesus was asked about this issue of “love”. (The religious men of His day were trying to trick him.) In Matthew 22:35-40, “Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
Yet we see Jesus takes love to a higher level as we read John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Generosity is about love; having a heart of love for others. Generosity is not about loving your neighbor as you love yourself.
God’s generosity is about loving others as He loves us. That’s an upgrade! How does He love you? Unconditionally, wholeheartedly, withholding nothing you need to live a life of righteousness and blessing.
In order to live as sons and daughters in God’s Kingdom we are given grace to love others wholeheartedly just like God loves us! We can tell the world with our words that we are disciples of Christ’, but our actions of loving one another as God loves us will have far greater impact. Others will know we are true disciples by our love for one another. Generosity is love with hands and feet. Generosity is love in action. Your heart is where generosity begins.
God’s standard for generosity requires us to rely on His supernatural grace to live it out. We are given a free “Upgrade” to love generously as He loves us! Jesus paid in full the cost for this upgrade, and He gives it to us freely.
We say, “Oh, if I had more time, more money, more stuff, better talents, better at encouraging others I would be more generous. That’s a lie. The truth is God wants to see us NOW faithfully loving and being generous with others, in the Kingdom and then He will entrust us with more.
How many of us want greater miracles, greater power in our lives? Let’s be faithful with what we have already been given and live lives of love and generosity. Increase will come into every area of our lives.
Have you gotten the upgrade? It’s available to you. We need an “upgrade” to walk in Kingdom love and generosity to transform our world. The world is about to be impressed and overwhelmed with the greatest love and generosity they’ve ever seen.
Are there any blockages in my heart Lord? Are there any lies that I believe that are blocking Your health and wholeness from flowing generously through me? Am I fearful, unthankful, independent or rebellious?
Father, I want to have a healthy heart. I want You to fill my heart with Your love. I want to be so full from knowing You that there is no room in my heart for fear or lies about You.
I want you to examine my heart. I raise my hands and heart in surrender to Your control in every area of my life. My heart, my time, my words, my finances, my career, my family, my ministry is Yours. I am your son, your daughter. I choose to live as you’ve created me to be. I declare I will live a life as you live, a life of love and generosity.
Help me to be giving and generous with my heart, my time, my gifts, my words, and my finances. Thank you for the upgrade to live my life with Your love and generosity. Thank you that I am changing the world around me by my acts of generous love! I am more like You in 2020 than I have ever been before! Thank you for this amazing upgrade!
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