Fast Day 5
Day 5 - January 15
“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” - 2 Corinthians 9:7,8
Giving Cheerfully
Paul wrote these verses to encourage the Corinthian church to give to the believers in Jerusalem who were in need. Giving is to be done cheerfully. It is a blessing to be able to give, because God has blessed us. This verse tells us that God’s grace abounds to us so that we have ALL sufficiency in ALL things at ALL times. That is a promise we can count on as His children. As we believe this promise, we know that God has and will provide all we need and more. So when we are asked to give help to others in need, we can give freely and generously.
My husband has been to many countries in Africa. He has been in small villages where the people gather in the open air to worship and hear of the Savior’s love for them. When they take an offering, the people sing and dance and bring their offerings of sweet potatoes and chickens to the Lord. They give freely from the abundance of what God has given them. They not only give cheerfully, but with joyful singing and dancing. This is a picture I often think of in my mind when I give. I want to give freely and joyfully.
Do you give freely and joyfully? If we remind ourselves of the abundance we have received both physically and spiritually from the Lord, we are filled with thankfulness that will overflow into a desire to give back to Him by giving to others. We give out of the overflow of gratitude and give cheerfully and freely.
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for giving me the gift of salvation, the fullness of your Holy Spirit, my family, my church family, my home, food, and clothing. You have provided for me in abundance. Show me today how I can give freely and cheerfully.
Sherry Hartley
Prayer Team, College of Prayer, Lilburn, GA
“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” - 2 Corinthians 9:7,8
Giving Cheerfully
Paul wrote these verses to encourage the Corinthian church to give to the believers in Jerusalem who were in need. Giving is to be done cheerfully. It is a blessing to be able to give, because God has blessed us. This verse tells us that God’s grace abounds to us so that we have ALL sufficiency in ALL things at ALL times. That is a promise we can count on as His children. As we believe this promise, we know that God has and will provide all we need and more. So when we are asked to give help to others in need, we can give freely and generously.
My husband has been to many countries in Africa. He has been in small villages where the people gather in the open air to worship and hear of the Savior’s love for them. When they take an offering, the people sing and dance and bring their offerings of sweet potatoes and chickens to the Lord. They give freely from the abundance of what God has given them. They not only give cheerfully, but with joyful singing and dancing. This is a picture I often think of in my mind when I give. I want to give freely and joyfully.
Do you give freely and joyfully? If we remind ourselves of the abundance we have received both physically and spiritually from the Lord, we are filled with thankfulness that will overflow into a desire to give back to Him by giving to others. We give out of the overflow of gratitude and give cheerfully and freely.
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for giving me the gift of salvation, the fullness of your Holy Spirit, my family, my church family, my home, food, and clothing. You have provided for me in abundance. Show me today how I can give freely and cheerfully.
Sherry Hartley
Prayer Team, College of Prayer, Lilburn, GA
Posted in 2026 Breakthrough Fast
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