Community Devotions

All Abounding Grace

SCRIPTURE

2 Corinthians 9:8, “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."

OBSERVATION

The context of this verse is about generous giving i.e. as one has decided in his heart not reluctantly or under pressure. However generous giving is based in an all sufficient God. Notice the emphasis on the pronoun “all”: all grace, all sufficiency, all things, all times. When I decide in my heart to set out a good work, God who is ALL sufficient will make ALL grace abound to me in ALL things at ALL times. Where I am lacking and insufficient, his undeserved grace will compensate for all that I need. The Lord is my all sufficient shepherd, I lack nothing.

APPLICATION

What good work have I set my heart to do? Point of obedience: First, God has been speaking to me about being hospitable and really exercise the gift of welcoming strangers. I need to budget so that we can welcome people over our home for dinner and share life with them. Second, I need to financially support missionary work in Japan. It’s been in my heart to monthly support Mel and I’ll start doing that this month.

PRAYER

The Subtle Trap of Compromise

Judges 16:20, “And she said, “‘The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “‘I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know what the LORD had left him"

This has to be for me one of the top 10 most tragic verses in the bible. The tragedy of Samson is that through a series of compromises, he disqualified himself as God removed his presence and anointing on him. The divine call of God was undeniable in Samson’s life from his miraculous birth from a barren mother to his consecrated upbringing in the Nazarite vow. In fact it is said of his life, “And the young man grew, and the LORD blessed him. And the Spirit of the LORD began to stir in him.” (Judges 13:24-25). From the womb the Spirit of God was upon him. Yet through gradual and incremental compromises “the Lord had left him”. The subtle trap of compromise is that it first appears innocent, harmless and inconsequential but it suddenly leads to destruction. Proverbs 24 says, "A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like a robber.” It started small from eating unclean honey, then breaking the boundary of marriage—all of a sudden his eyes are gouged out as a slave. He took God’s anointing for granted and continued compromising until God’s presence eventually abandoned him.

What may seem harmless and appears to be inconsequential have very real and deep consequences. A compromise in time management or giving into laziness will lead to something greater down the line. A decision of compromise here and there can lead to a character and lifestyle of compromise. The craftiness of the enemy is to compromise an inch here and there, then a foot, then a yard and eventually it leads to miles and miles of compromise. Points of obedience:

 - Guard my heart to what I watch and listen to. 

 - Guard my time: The days are evil. Be where I’m supposed to be when I’m supposed to be there.

 - Guard my mind against entitlement and what I think I deserve.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you that your grace covers a multitude of sin. Thank you for your Son Jesus who paid all my sin: small compromises & major rebellion. Thank you for making me new and empowering me to live a new life for you. May your hand of anointing always be upon me, my family and my ministry. Holy spirit I need you! Every hour I need thee. I love you. Our Lord, come!