The Bible Prayer Line – Bible Lesson
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Bible Lesson: Marks Of Godly Character Versus Marks Of Non-Christian Character: Generosity Versus Stinginess.
Bible Texts:
Generosity:
Acts 4:32-35 NLT (The Believers Share Their Possessions)
32 All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had.
33 The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of The Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all.
34 There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them
35 and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.
Stinginess:
Ecclesiastes 5:13 NLT
There is another serious problem I have seen under the sun. Hoarding riches harms the saver.
The Word, Generosity:
Psalm 112:5,9 NLT
5 Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly.
9 They share freely and give generously to those in need Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor.
Proverbs 11:24,25 NLT
24 Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything.
25 The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
Proverbs 19:17 NLT
If you help the poor, you are lending to The Lord— and He will repay you!
Proverbs 21:13 KJV
Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.
Proverbs 22:9 NLT
Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor.
Proverbs 28:7 NLT
Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed.
Malachi 3:10 NLT
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in My Temple. If you do,” says The Lord Of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put Me to the test!
Matthew 6:1-4 KJV
1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret Himself shall reward thee openly.
Matthew 10:42 NLT
And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of My followers, you will surely be rewarded.”
Luke 6:38 KJV
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Luke 12:33 KJV
Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
Luke 21:1-4 NLT (The Widow’s Offering)
1 While Jesus was in the Temple, He watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box.
2 Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins.
3 “I tell you The Truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them.
4 For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”
Acts 20:35 KJV
And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of The Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
II Corinthians 9:6-11 NLT
6 Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.
7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.
9 As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”
10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, He will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.
11 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.
Galatians 6:2 ,9,10 KJV
2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil The Law Of Christ.
9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
I Timothy 6:17-19 NLT
17 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.
18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others.
19 By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.
Hebrews 13:16 KJV
And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.
The Word, Stinginess:
Deuteronomy 15:7-11 NLT
7 “But if there are any poor Israelites in your towns when you arrive in the land The Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tightfisted toward them.
8 Instead, be generous and lend them whatever they need.
9 Do not be mean-spirited and refuse someone a loan because the year for canceling debts is close at hand. If you refuse to make the loan and the needy person cries out to The Lord, you will be considered guilty of sin.
10 Give generously to the poor, not grudgingly, for The Lord your God will bless you in everything you do.
11 There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need.
Job 11:16-20 NLT
16 “Have I refused to help the poor, or crushed the hopes of widows?
17 Have I been stingy with my food and refused to share it with orphans?
18 No, from childhood I have cared for orphans like a father and all my life I have cared for widows.
19 Whenever I saw the homeless without clothes and the needy with nothing to wear,
20 did they not praise me for providing wool clothing to keep them warm?
Proverbs 11:24-27 NLT
24 Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything.
25 The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
26 People curse those who hoard their grain, but they bless the one who sells in time of need.
27 If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you!
Proverbs 16:2 NLT
People may be pure in their own eyes, but The Lord examines their motives.
Proverbs 28:22-24 NLT
22 Greedy people try to get rich quick but don’t realize they’re headed for poverty.
23 In the end, people appreciate honest criticism far more than flattery.
24 Anyone who steals from his father and mother and says, “What’s wrong with that?” is no better than a murderer.
Matthew 25:31-46 KJV
31 When The Son Of Man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon The Throne Of His Glory:
32 And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as A Shepherd divideth His sheep from the goats:
33 And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall The King say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave Me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed Me: I was sick, and ye visited Me: I was in prison, and ye came unto Me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And The King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me.
41 Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave Me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took Me not in: naked, and ye clothed Me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited Me not.
44 Then shall they also answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall He answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to Me
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Romans 12:8 NLT
If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
II Corinthians 9:7-10 NLT
7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.
9 As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”
10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, He will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.
I Timothy 6:18,19 NLT
18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others.
19 By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.
I Peter 4:8-10 NLT
8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.
9 Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.
10 God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.
I John 3:17 KJV
But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
Prayer:
Psalm 136:1-3 NLT
1 Give thanks to The Lord, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to The God Of gods. His faithful love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to The Lord of lords.His faithful love endures forever.
