Key Verse: Deuteronomy 15:7
If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother…

The generosity mentioned in our key verse will be rewarded. We will be blessed when we open our hands wide to anyone who has need. There is ample evidence that God keeps His promise to the giving person. In verse ten of this chapter it states, “For this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand.” This exhortation is repeated in chapter 16:17, “Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you.” The Apostle Paul refers to the instruction given by the “Pillars” of the Jerusalem church. “They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do” (Galatians 2:10). To practice this as Jesus did, we may want to read Matthew 5:38-48.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord Jesus, by the Holy Spirit and the reading of Your Words, please grow in me a generous spirit. You are the greatest Example, by far, when it comes to giving. You gave Your very life for poor humanity. For starters, I give my life to You by giving my life for others. Please bring across my pathway, every day, someone I may help. In Your generous Name I pray. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:
I’m meditating just now on God’s promises found in the Words of Jesus: “Give, and it will be given to you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over…” (Luke 6:38). When I read from the Hebrew Scriptures, I recognize that, in His humanity, Jesus is Jewish. No doubt He read the words of today’s reading as a boy. Jesus, as no one else, practiced generous and sacrificial giving. I’m thinking about what Jesus has received as a result. Amazing!!! IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE GREATEST POVERTY IS TO LACK THE KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS AS SAVIOUR AND LORD!!! I try to watch the 100 Huntley Street telecast daily, sometimes twice a day. While I was in hospital I would watch online at 100huntley.com. Lorna, our CEO, reminded me recently that when I was hosting 100 Huntley Street, I called for one or two invitations to receive Jesus on each telecast. Lorna was my co-host from 1994 to 2002. She doesn’t know I’m writing this. I have a burden of prayer for Lorna, the Board, the entire team and all of you who support us. Will you help me do something extra as a sacrificial, year-end offering to Crossroads? The quickest way to do this is to make a toll-free call to 1-800-265-3100 with a credit card in hand (or give online HERE). I know that you, my blog reader, are doing your best.

Yours to help us all to give as God has blessed us,

David