第九章

6還有，少種的少收，多種的多收。7各人要照著心裡所決定的捐輸，不要為難，不必勉強，因為捐得樂意的人，是神所喜愛的。8神能把各樣的恩惠多多地加給你們，使你們凡事常常充足，多作各樣的善事。9如經上所說：「他廣施錢財，賙濟窮人；他的仁義，存到永遠。」10但那賜種子給撒種的，又賜食物給人吃的神，必定把種子加倍地供給你們，也必增添你們的義果。11你們既然凡事富裕，就可以慷慨地捐輸，使眾人藉著我們，對神生出感謝的心。¹²   因為這供應的事，不僅補足了聖徒的缺乏，也使許多人對　神感謝的心格外增多。   ¹³   眾聖徒因為你們承認和服從了基督的福音，並且慷慨地捐輸給他們和眾人，藉著你們在這供應的事上所得的憑據，就把榮耀歸給　神。   ¹⁴   因著　神在你們身上的厚恩，他們就為你們禱告，切切地想念你們。   ¹⁵   感謝　神，他的恩賜難以形容。

 

默想

1. 神「給」，因為他「愛世人」。沒有任何給予的實例，比神將愛子主耶穌賜給我們，更崇高偉大。我們能像祂那樣給嗎？自由地、犧牲地、並喜悅地？哥林多教會留給我們一個好榜樣，保羅給他們寫道：我們的錢財是我們的延伸，唯一能夠使我們歡喜地捐獻，就是出于愛的給予。任何其他理由都會使給予者毫無喜樂。沒有喜樂的給予對基督的國度沒有什麼作用，對我們自己也沒好處。（看林前13：3）
2. 保羅提醒哥林多信徒以及我們，樂意捐獻的福氣：（1）捐獻使我們在物質和屬靈上都蒙福（8，10節）（2）捐獻使我們能祝福他人（11，12節）（3）捐獻激勵他人為我們禱告（13，14節）。
3. 我的捐獻是否是臨時心血來潮，還是事先計劃好的？我是個快樂的捐獻者，還是勉強捐獻者？我有沒有得到保羅提到的幾種捐獻的福氣？？在捐獻的事上，我是否需要從新調整？

 

禱告與筆錄：

繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在“靈程筆記”簿上面。

 

 

CHAPTER 9

⁶Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. ⁹As it is written:    “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” ¹⁰Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.   ¹²This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. ¹³Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. ¹⁴And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. ¹⁵Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

MEDITATION

1. God gave His Son because he “so loved the world”.  There is no higher motive for Christian giving than the example God set for us when he gave his only Son.  Can we give like he did – freely and sacrificially, even delightfully?  Yes, in fact, Corinthian church is one fine example.  It was to that church that Paul wrote of the highest motive for giving.  Our money is an extension of ourselves, he argued.  If the money we give isn’t delightfully given, it’s because we aren’t delightful givers.  The only way we’re going to give delightfully is to give out of LOVE.  Any other motive leaves one joyless.  In the long run, joyless giving does little good for Christ’s kingdom – and nothing for us (see 1 Cor 13:3)
2. Paul reminded the Corinthians and us of the blessings that make Christians giving such a joy.  (1) Giving benefits us materially and spiritually. (vv8, 10)    (2) Giving permits us to bless others.(vv11,12)  (3) Giving stimulates others to pray for us.(vv13, 14)
3. Do I give compulsively or with careful planning?  Am I a joyful giver, or a reluctant one?  Have I received the blessings Paul talked about?  In all the causes that I donate, is there a need for adjustment?

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the 2011 “Spiritual Journal” book.