A Guest Editorial from Our Heavenly Father
My dear children, blessings and peace be yours!
I know many of you are discouraged by financial matters. Your concerns are my concerns, because I care for you so dearly.[2] I want to encourage your faith, which is so very precious to me,[3] during these trying times.
First, you know that you have my personal promise to provide for you as you rest in me.[4] And you know I always keep my promises![5] After all, everything in all the world is mine, so economic cycles never hinder my ability to richly provide.[6]
In fact, I enjoy giving you even more than you need so that you will have plenty left over to give joyfully to others.[7] I delight in my children who are rich in good works, who give happily to those in need, always ready to share with others whatever I have given them.[8] Such gifts are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is highly pleasing to me.[9]
Just as I give seed to the farmer to plant, and later on good crops to harvest and eat, so I will give you more and more seed to plant and will make it grow so that you can give away more and more fruit from your harvest.[10]
Those who receive your gifts will break out into thanksgiving and praise to me for your help.[11] In this way, your generosity brings glory to me! And that's not all — they will pray for you with deep fervor and feeling because of the wonderful grace I have shown them through you.[12]
It's for your sake that I remind you of this. By your generosity, you will be storing up real treasure for yourselves in heaven — it's the only safe investment for eternity![13]
It's true that hard times deter some from giving. They take their eyes off of me and become fearful they won't have enough for themselves. I understand this, and I never want you to give more than you really want to. Cheerful givers are the ones I prize.[14]
If you are really eager to give, then it isn't important how much you have to give. I want you to give what you have, not what you haven't.[15] But giving from your scarcity is one way to prove that your love for me is real, that your trust in me goes beyond mere words.[16]
Jesus is your model. You know how full of love and kindness he was: though he was so very rich, yet to help you he became so very poor, so that by being poor he could make you rich.[17]
And this gets me to the heart of the matter: Jesus is not only your model, he's your true security and treasure. It is out of my glorious riches in Jesus that I have committed myself to supplying all your needs.[18]
I have blessed you with every blessing in heaven because you belong to Jesus. Long ago, even before I made the world, I chose you to be my very own through what Jesus would do for you. I decided then to make you holy in my eyes, without a single fault.[19]
My unchanging plan had always been to adopt you into my own family by sending Jesus to die for you. And he did this because he wanted to![20]
So I ask — what do you say in response to this? If I am for you, who can be against you?[21] What are your light and momentary problems in comparison to such blessings?[22]
I want your hearts to be flooded with light so that you can see something of the future I have called you to share! And that you will begin to understand how incredibly great is my power to help those who believe in my promises.[23]
May your roots go down deep into the soil of my marvelous love; and may you be able to feel and understand how long, how wide, how deep, and how high my love for you truly is![24]
So, take heart. You can come fearlessly right into my presence, assured of a glad welcome.[25] Know that my mighty power is at work within you and for you, and is able to do far more than you would ever dare to ask or even dream of — infinitely beyond your highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes.[26]
I am on your side — today, tomorrow, and forever!
[1] This letter is based on verses from The Living Bible. The footnote links below link to the similar New Living Translation since The Living Bible translation was not available.
[2] 1 Peter 5:7
[3] 1 Peter 1:7
[4] Matt 6:25-34
[5] 2 Cor 1:20
[6] Psalm 24:1, 1 Tim 6:17
[7] 2 Cor 9:8
[8] 1 Tim 6:18
[9] Phil 4:18
[10] 2 Cor 9:10
[11] 2 Cor 9:11
[12] 2 Cor 9:13-14
[13] 1 Tim 6:19
[14] 2 Cor 9:7
[15] 2 Cor 8:12
[16] 2 Cor 8:8
[17] 2 Cor 8:9
[18] Phil 4:19
[19] Eph 1:3-4
[20] Eph 1:5
[21] Rom 8:31
[22] 2 Cor 4:17
[23] Eph 1:18-19
[24] Eph 3:17-18
[25] Eph 3:12
[26] Eph 3:20
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