When we think of generosity, we often think of giving money freely, randomly, exuberantly, and at no real cost to our livelihood. Many are paralyzed by this definition, using it as an excuse to hold tightly to their finances until they can "afford" to give. Yet, living generously is not solely about money. First and foremost, it is about the heart. In today’s devotional, Dr. Michael Youssef explains the concept of “heart giving.”
If you would like more insight into today’s devotional topic, listen to Dr. Michael Youssef’s sermon Living Generously, Part 1: WATCH NOW | LISTEN NOW
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[00:00:00] You are listening to My Devotional, the daily devotional from Dr. Michael Youssef and Leading
[00:00:06] The Way. Giving That Pleases God by Dr. Michael Youssef
[00:00:12] When we think of generosity, we often think of giving money freely, randomly, exuberantly
[00:00:17] and at no real cost to our livelihood. Many are paralyzed by this definition, using it
[00:00:24] as an excuse to hold tightly to their finances until they can afford to give. Yet living
[00:00:30] generously is not solely about money. First and foremost, it's about the heart.
[00:00:35] In Luke 21, 1-4, Jesus highlights the beauty of a poor widow's offering. The woman's gift
[00:00:42] encapsulates what it means to live generously, for she did not give out of her abundance.
[00:00:47] She sacrificed and gave all she had to live on. Two copper coins and in her poverty live generously.
[00:00:54] There are many people today who give lots of money, yet do not live generously. They are stingy
[00:01:00] with their time, their resources and even their gratitude. However, those who live generously are
[00:01:06] preoccupied with questions like, how does God want to use me? And where is God leading me?
[00:01:12] The widow in Luke 21 didn't just give her part, she gave her only. Her beauty of soul led her to
[00:01:19] sacrifice and give the smallest yet greatest offering that day. Through her story, we see the definition
[00:01:26] of heart giving. Giving not just based on quantity, but on quality. First, heart giving is what matters
[00:01:34] to God. Tax collectors do not care if you're angry or happy about paying taxes. They only care
[00:01:40] that you pay your dues. Unlike the tax collector, God is more interested in the attitude of the hearts
[00:01:46] as we give. Second, heart giving is sacrificial. When giving to God, we must challenge ourselves with
[00:01:53] the question, what have I given up in my giving? What have I gone without in my giving? God is not
[00:02:01] impressed with all our evangelical talk if we remain unwilling to sacrifice anything for him. He's searching
[00:02:09] for the heart that is completely committed to him. Giving that pleases God costs us something. It is not
[00:02:15] the sacrifice itself that pleases God, but the position of surrender and trust we demonstrate
[00:02:22] that pleases him. Let's pray together. Heavenly Father, help us to give sacrificially, not just out
[00:02:28] of the abundance of what we have. If there's anything we are withholding from you, help us to surrender it
[00:02:35] today. We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
[00:02:39] If you enjoy listening to the My Devotional Podcast, would you consider partnering with us to proclaim the
[00:02:45] hope of Christ to a world in darkness by giving a year-end gift? This month, your gift will have
[00:02:52] double the impact through our December Gift Challenge. Leading the way is reaching the lost
[00:02:57] in equipping the saints 24-7 through television, radio, online outreaches, discipleship resources,
[00:03:05] evangelistic events, field teams, and more. Dr. Youssef's biblically-based messages are broadcast in 28
[00:03:12] languages to audiences across six continents, passionately proclaiming uncompromising truth
[00:03:20] worldwide. Join us by giving a gift at ltw.org today. My devotional is a ministry of leading the way
[00:03:30] with Dr. Michael Youssef. To learn more, visit ltw.org today.