Marked By Stinginess

# 401 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Sa 30:20-22, “Then David took all the flocks and herds they had driven before those other livestock, and said, "This is David's spoil." 21 Now David came to the two hundred men who had been so weary that they could not follow David, whom they also had made to stay at the Brook Besor. So they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near the people, he greeted them. 22 Then all the wicked and worthless men of those who went with David answered and said, "Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except for every man's wife and children, that they may lead them away and depart." (1 Sam 30:20-22) David and his men not only recaptured all that was lost, but they gained the spoil that the Amalekites had taken from their other raids. The spoil was declared to be David's to distribute it as he pleased. As they return to the Brook Besor, the 200 weary men who couldn't continue in the chase of the Amalekites come out to greet David. But there is dissension, as a group of men among them, called “men of Belial” in the King James, want to send the 200 stragglers away with only their wives and children. We have talked about the “children of Belial before, but let's refresh our memory. Children of belial (the devil) are marked by stinginess. They are not willing to share their money or goods with anyone. This is not to be a characteristic of those who follow Christ. Children of God are to be different from the children of the devil. 1Ti 6:18 says, “Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share,” God has opened up His hand and poured out blessing on you. Will you respond with a clenched fist, seeking to hang on to the blessing for yourself, or will you open your hand of generosity to others? Father, our attitude toward “things” tells us much about whose children we are. Help us to be ready to give and willing to share.

God Doesn't Love the Gift, He Loves the Attitude Behind It

# 341 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 25:9-12, “So when David's young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all these words in the name of David, and waited. 10 Then Nabal answered David's servants, and said, "Who is David, and who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants nowadays who break away each one from his master. 11 "Shall I then take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men when I do not know where they are from?" 12 So David's young men turned on their heels and went back; and they came and told him all these words. (1 Sam 25:9-12) David's men had just explained to Nabal how they had provided protection for his shepherds and played a role in the profits that he was enjoying today at his feast. And it says here.....”they waited.” Likening David to a type of Christ and these ten men as his ministers we could say the same thing about the church today. The ministers of the gospel often speak about financial giving in the church. They give good solid biblical reasons for giving, and then they and the Lord wait for our response. What will it be? A grateful acknowledgment of all that the Lord has afforded us? Will we thank Him with an offering for His salvation, His protection, His material blessings? Or will we be like Nabal (remember his name means dolt) and hang onto our blessings as if God had nothing to do with it? Indeed how foolish this Nabal really is in light of what the Bible says about generosity. We read in 1Ti 6:17-19, “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. 18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” I don't know where you are financially, but I do know that it is possible to be generous no matter where you are if you just make it a priority. God doesn't love HUGE givers, He loves the cheerful ones. Father, thank You for the blessings you have bestowed upon us, help us to make generosity a priority in our lives.