Daily Treasure

“….It is more blessed to give then to receive”  (Acts 20:35b).

Paul didn’t just depend on the generosity of others in his ministry. He worked hard as a tentmaker.  It enabled him to pay his bills. He willingly gave of his means to help others when he could.  In doing so he understood the meaning of today’s verse.  As blessed as he felt when others gave unto him, he considered it more of a blessing to give.

The classic song, “Thank You for Giving to the Lord”  always brings tears to my eyes. We never know this side of Heaven what an impact we make on the lives of others.  Be prepared to see those whose lives were changed because you cared to give.

As we end this study, I trust you now see the benefit of stretching. It’s needful if we desire to reach the lost of the world.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for Diana Bryant as she presides at the Florida WAC business meeting today and prepares to lead her first national convention as WNAC president.

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

Seeing today’s reference, you may have been thinking, “I knew this Scripture would show up somewhere in our study.”  Matthew 6:33 is so familiar to us. However, do we take it personally?  Do we practice what it says? Earlier in Matthew 6, we find all the things we shouldn’t have to worry about.  Then God tells us what happens when we seek Him first.

I like what The Living Bible has to say concerning this verse. “But your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well what you need. He will give you what you need if you give Him first place in your life and live as He wants you to.”  With this in mind, we should be able to find some way to budget in giving to missions. We may not feel the Lord leading us to go, but  we still must pray and give.  We may feel we can’t give much, but God can make that stretch farther than we can imagine.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for Florida Women Active for Christ meeting together today and tomorrow in Jacksonville.

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians  4:19).

Paul was grateful to all who helped support him as he went from place to place preaching the gospel. He never felt in want. He didn’t have the means to repay his supporters, but he gave this assurance to them: ”My God shall supply all your need…”  Paul wanted the people to know if they trusted God as he did, He would provide for their every need. This would be done through the riches of His mercy.

Through the glory of His Son, we can have access to the help we have to have when faced with a need. The words of today’s verse are just as relevant for us today.  When we trust God and put Him first in our lives, He will supply every need. Like Paul, we will never feel in want.

I didn’t have much growing up, but, there was always food on the table. We had what we needed. I often reflect on that. I can testify that Psalm 37:25 is true. It seems as we give more of ourselves and our means to God, He does a “stretch” to make it go farther. Praise God for His providential care.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGTHER:  Pray for WNAC Executive Director Elizabeth Hodges as she travels today to the Florida State WAC meeting.

“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver”  (2 Corinthians 9:7).

As I look at today’s verse, I think of the words “free will offering.”  If we give because we think we have to, what blessing do we expect to receive?  God lovingly provides for us.  As we continue to trust Him, He will take care of our needs and make sure there is something left to give to others. Shouldn’t that make us cheerful in our giving?

If we give out of obligation, it’s obvious to God our heart just isn’t in it  To sum it all up, we must not give because we feel we have to, but because we get to.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray that we as Women Active for Christ will see giving as an act of worship to our God who provides us with resources and enables us to give.

“And there was a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples and saith unto them,  Verily I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast more in than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all she had, even all her living” (Mark 12:42-44).

This last week of our April study features the giving stretch.  Our writer states, “We are willing to see and look beyond our borders.  We may even be willing to spend more time in specific prayer. But when it comes to our money, most of us invite those who want more of it to ‘forget it.’”

In today’s verses we see a picture of sacrificial giving.  Many who put money into the temple treasury gave out of abundance.  The widow could have kept one of those mites, but she didn’t.  She gave all she had. God commended her for her giving. She gave sacrificially with no thought of how she was going to be able to survive.

According to Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary we find these words:  Christ’s standard of commendable offering is not our superfluity (abundance), but defiency—not what will never be missed, but what costs us some real sacrifice, and just in proportion to the relative amount of that sacrifice.”

The giving stretch may, at times, hurt more than any of the other stretches. We must examine ways we can give more of our means to further the gospel. As we start to give more, we will find that stretch start to hurt less.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray that first time givers to yesterday’s WMO will grow to become consistent contributors to global evangelism.

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men”  (1 Timothy 2:1).

The word, “exhort” in our verse denotes a sense of urgency. What Paul admonished Timothy to do is also needful for us today. John Wesley states: “But true prayer is the vehemency of holy zeal, the ardour of divine love, arising from a calm, undisturbed soul, moved upon by the Spirit of God. Intercession is prayer for others. We may likewise give thanks for all men, in the full sense of the word, for that God willeth all men to be saved, and Christ is the Mediator of all.”

To close out this week of study, if we need to do a “prayer stretch” it will mean giving more time to prayer. Praying for our needs, the needs of others, and the requests of those serving at home and abroad,  will mean adjusting our time and priorities. From experience, I don’t think fifteen minutes will suffice.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Spend devoted time in prayer today for the WMO this Sunday, asking God to burden and equip His people to give to world evangelism.

“Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified even as it is with you:  And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith”  (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2).

Paul was never too proud to ask for prayer. In our verses we see Paul was specific with his requests. If you have ever written to any of our missionaries, they would be quick to tell you their greatest need is for people to pray for them. Your prayers will help as they face daily challenges wherever they are serving.

Our hotline requests for international missions and prayer and praise for home missions we receive on Wednesdays help us to pray for specific needs. We can add the requests Paul gives for all God’s messengers.  They depend on all of us to daily do a “prayer stretch.”

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for North Carolina Women Active for Christ as they meet tomorrow and Saturday. Pray for State president Diane Bridgman as she leads this group.