Prayer For A Cheerful Giving Heart

Scripture Prayer for Success and Provision

by Cindy Vander Haar

Scripture Prayer

Thank you for visiting Scripture Prayer for Success and Provision.  To fully understand the principles of praying scripturally, please read the teaching “Why Pray Scripture?” .

Hearing God: As it is rare to hear an audible voice from God, one of the ways God will speak to us is through His written Word and a small still voice inside us.

  Before reviewing the scripture references below that address what the Bible says about success and provision ask the Holy Spirit of revelation to join you.

  When certain verses capture your attention more than others, meditate and  incorporate those into your personal daily prayer life.

Heavenly Father, we ask You to give complete knowledge of Your Will to this reader, and to give him/her Your spiritual wisdom and understanding as they seek You with all their hearts and lean not on their own understanding.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

Success and Provision Scripture References

(All scripture is quoted from the King James Version unless otherwise noted.)

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and (that your body) may keep well, even as (I know) your soul keeps well and prospers. In fact, I greatly rejoiced when (some of) the brethren from time to time arrived and spoke (so highly) of the sincerity and fidelity of your life, as indeed you do live in the Truth (the whole Gospel presents). 3 John 2 (AMP)

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 6:38

Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for the grass they will soon wither, green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.

 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine the dawn, the justice of your cause the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.

Psalm 37:1-11 (NIV)

If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God (Who gives) to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him. James 1:5 (AMP)

No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. Isaiah 54:17

And he shall be a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Psalm 1:3

Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Psalm 37:4

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105

Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. Psalm 35:27

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:  That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:13

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

Proverbs 3:5-10

The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands. Psalm 138:8

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

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

But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. Deuteronomy 8:18

Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established. Proverbs 16:3

The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. Proverbs 10:22

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. Joel 2:25-26

Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures. Proverbs 8:17-21

He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he. Proverbs 16:20 

He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good. Proverbs 19:8 

The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. Proverbs 11:25 

Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the  firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and they presses shall burst out with new wine. Proverbs 3:9-10  

Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, “How do we rob you?” In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you- because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.

 Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land, says the Lord Almighty. Malachi 3:8-11 (NIV)  

He who hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor. Proverbs 22:9  

Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. Hebrew 10:35 

It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. Psalms 127:2  

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

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    

He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. Daniel 2:22  

Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God… Deuteromony 28:1 

I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.  However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Luke 10:19 (NIV) 

…Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Philippians 2:13  (NIV) 

Dear Lord,

I come before You in the name of Your son, Jesus Christ, and I praise you and thank you that You are Jehovah Jireh, my God and provider. I thank you for the many ways You have provided for me and my family and that it is Your desire that we would prosper and be in good health even as our souls prosper.

 Help me to prosper my soul in Your Word and to listen to Your instruction and acquire wisdom. Thank you that Your blessings bring wealth and You add no sorrow to it as You fill our treasuries for Your glory. Your gifts are better than the purest gold, Your wages better than sterling silver.

  I ask for wisdom and Godly counsel so that I can work wisely and prosper and be satisfied.

Lord, You have said that You will show me a way my problems. I ask for that now. Forgive me where I have been fearful, greedy, or foolish in my work and my finances.

Help me to have integrity and wisdom and to persevere in righteousness. Forgive me for idolatry to the things of this world and help me to love You more. And I ask that You mercifully restore my losses.

 I choose to walk in righteousness, in paths of justice, and to love and honor You, Oh Lord.

 Lord, I will seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness. I will praise You for the wonderful things You do. I will not throw away my confidence in You, Lord. My hope is in You and I will persevere and receive Your promises in my life.

 And I will honor and serve You all the days of my life.

I chose to be a cheerful giver and to be generous for that is Your heart, and You have said that a generous man will prosper.

I will give ten percent of my income to You, Lord, and I will watch the windows of Heaven open and poor out a blessing just as You have said.

 Give me Your heart for the poor that I would joyfully give offerings and gifts to those in need. And thank you that as I give, it will be given unto me.

Thank you that I am a tree that’s planted by the rivers of water and whatever I do will prosper by Your grace because I belong to You, and You take pleasure in the prosperity of Your servants. You give me the ability to produce wealth for Your kingdom without shame or sorrow. If You are for me, who can be against me? You are awesome and I am humbled by Your love and grace.

I am thankful that Your love for me endures forever and Your plans for me are always for good and not for calamity. Thank you for Your great and precious promises that I can inherit through faith and patience.

 I am so grateful that You are at work within me to cause me to desire and to do Your will.

I thank you, Jesus, that on the cross You set me free from the curses of the law (Deuteronomy 28) of sickness, poverty, and eternal death. In Your name, I believe these things are broken off my life. Show me how to walk the habits of them.

 And I receive the blessings of health, prosperity and eternal life that are mine through Your shed blood on the cross. I thank you, Lord, that You will reveal the things that are unseen and You will show me the way to prosperity and success as I honor You. I love you, Lord.

 Your grace is truly amazing and all the glory is Yours.

 In Jesus’ mighty name,  Amen

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Scripture Prayer for Success and Provision was written to lift up and encourage the body of believers; sharing your testimony is one of the ways that we continue to overcome the enemy.

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7 Offering Prayers For A Church Service

Money, any topic, is an issue that needs to be addressed in the church.  Jesus talked more about money than anything else in the Bible.  If you are leading an offering prayer in your congregation, read through these seven different short prayers you can pray to God before you take up the offering.

The Cheerful Giver

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Father in Heaven,

We thank You today for Your blessings that you bestow upon us all.  Father, I pray for our congregation today.  Lord, may we all give with gladness and sincerity.  Father, no one ever gives a present to someone with reluctance and we should never give You what already belongs to You with reluctance either.  Bless these tithes and offerings this day.  We love You, Father!  Amen

Watch What I Will Do!

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. (Malachi 3:10)

O Lord,

We thank You for Your steadfast love and mercy on us.  Father, we believe that every word in the Bible was breathed out by You (2 Tim 3:16), and we believe Your promise that You will bless us when we are obedient to Your Word.  And so, without hesitation, we gladly give to You what is Yours.  Bless these tithes and offerings, Father.  We love You, Lord!  Amen

You Reap What You Sow

One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. (Proverbs 11:24)

Heavenly Father,

We thank You for bringing us all to Your house safely today and we are so blessed by Your presence here today.  Thank You for Your love and mercy on us, Father.

  May we give not to become richer, though, may we give because we simply love You!  Accept these tithes and offerings today.  We love You, Lord!  Amen

Obey

Honor the Lord with your wealth. (Proverbs 3:9a)

Father,

We praise Your Almighty Name!  You have blessed our nation with immense wealth and opportunity.  Lord, You have commanded us to honor You with our wealth, and I pray that You will be honored greatly this day as we give to You what is already Yours.  Bless these cheerful givers and bless the tithes and offerings that they give.  We love You!  Amen

His Eyes See Your Intentions

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21)

O Lord,

There are some of us here today that didn’t want to come here.  There are some of us today that will give to the offering with bitter hearts.

  Father, I pray You will soften the hearts of those who are worried about giving You their money instead of spending it on themselves.

  Father, I pray that You will bless all who give today and show them Your love in a mighty way because of their obedience.  Bless these tithes and offerings, Father.  We love You!  Amen

The Tithe Belongs To The Lord

Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord. (Leviticus 27:30)

Father,

We come to Your throne with humble hearts as we are so thankful for the blessings You give us daily.  Lord, We believe in the Book of Leviticus.

  Father, I pray that as we give You our offerings and tithes this morning that we all will think about the fact that the tithe is Yours.  It belongs to You.  May we never withhold what is Yours.

  Please accept these offerings and tithes with gladness, Lord.  We Love You!  Amen

Love Is Essential

If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:3)

Dear Lord,

We thank You for another chance for us to meet together in Your house to worship You.  Father, we believe in the Book of 1 Corinthians and I pray that all offerings given today are love.

  We experience Your blessings every day and Your blessings are always given to us freely and with ultimate love.  Father, You loved us all of the way to the cross!  May we love You enough to give You what is already Yours.

  Bless these tithes and offerings today.  We love you!  Amen

Conclusion

Giving back to God is commanded, and is something that should be done with joy and cheerfulness.  As you approach your next church service, consider tithing if you don’t already.  You will be amazed at how God makes everything work out.  May God continue to bless you as you live a life worthy of the calling!

10 Prayers for Thanksgiving Or Praise

“Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

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as: Church Service, giving, Money, Offering Prayers, Prayer

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11 Encouraging Prayers for Your Son

We love our sons so much and desire God's greatest blessings and guidance on their lives. We spend endless hours caring for, teaching, helping, training, protecting and encouraging that we often miss out on one of the greatest resources God has given us to lead them – prayer.

The below prayers for your son cover many topics such as self worth, protection, purity and wisdom. These will equip you for the battle against Satan's attacks and give you discernment for handling situations that arise.

You can cast your cares on Jesus and find peace in God's favor and love for your son as you speak these prayers!

1. A prayer for your sons discernment

Lord, I pray that my son will develop an eternal perspective and purpose, not an earthly one.  Help him to see life–and every challenge–through Your eyes, eager and unafraid to share with others the good news of Jesus wherever he goes.

I pray that they will set his minds on things above, not just what’s going on here, and that he will be rooted and grounded in Your love. I pray that he will come to understand the extent of Your own love for him–that it surpasses all the head knowledge they will acquire in school.

I pray he will be filled up with You from morning ’til night.
~ Rebecca Barlow Jordan

2. A prayer for your own wisdom

Lord, Your Word says “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). Lord, I need that kind of wisdom to know when to speak to my son and when to be silent.

“Do not let any unwholesome talk, lecturing, judging, or accusing come of my mouth, but only what is helpful for building my son up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Eph. 4:29).

Let me also be “quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for my anger doesn't bring about the righteous life that God desires” (James 1:19).
~ Cindi McMenamin

3. A prayer for a son who has turned from God

Dear God,You know our hearts, you hear our prayers, and care about all that concerns us.  You understand the burden we carry and how we want, more than anything, to see our loved ones come to you.  Help us to remember that you love them more than we ever could.

 And you desire to extend your great love and forgiveness, your mercy and hope. Thank you that nothing is too difficult for you.  Thank you that your power is unlimited and you came to set the captives free.

 Thank you that you wait, arms open, for the prodigal to return, that you look for his arrival to lavishly celebrate that he’s come home. We praise you for you are Redeemer and Rescuer, Savior and Lord.

Lord, we ask that you would halt the plans of the enemy over these we love as we bring them before you right now.  We pray that his schemes be demolished and that your plans for good, for a future and hope, would prevail. Would you open blind eyes that they might see your Truth. Would you rescue those walking in darkness and heal the deep wounds of those who’ve been hurt.

We pray for the miraculous intervention of your Spirit to draw them to yourself, to work strong on behalf of our loved ones who are lost and wandering.

For you came with good news, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for captives and release for the prisoners.

Though we deserved penalty for our wrong, you stood in our place and took the blows on our behalf.  You choose to die, so that we can live. Forever and free.

Lord, forgive our unbelief.  Forgive the times we’ve doubted that you could ever change a distant heart.  Forgive our hard-heartedness, our weariness, or forgetfulness to “pray continually.” Thank you that you never give up on us. Remind us of how you’ve changed our own hearts.

How your miracle of life and hope has sprung up deep within our souls. We love you Lord, we need you, and we thank you that you hear our prayers and are at work even now. Powerfully. Faithfully. Miraculously. Thank you for the gift of our Savior, God with us. Thank you for your goodness and love.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
~ Debbie McDaniel 

4. Scriptural prayers for your son

1. Create in my son a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within him (Psalm 51:10).
2. May my son walk after You, God, and fear You and keep Your commandments and obey Your voice. May he serve You and hold fast to You (Deuteronomy 13:4).
3.

May my son be strong and courageous and not fear or be in dread, for it is You, Lord, our God, who goes with him. You will never leave him or forsake him (Deuteronomy 31:6).
4.

Timothy, may my son be an example to believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity (1 Timothy 4:12).
~ Brooke McGlothlin, Proverbs 31 Ministries

5. A prayer for your sons relationships and influences

First, oh Lord, forgive us for the times when we have misplaced our priorities so that we haven’t been available to model a strong relationship with You in front of our kids.

Help us to understand the power of our influence in our children’s lives and to reorder our schedule so that we can be available to both directly and indirectly offer the godly influence that our sons desperately need. 

Second, while we do pray that our sons would be protected from negative influences, we also pray that you would surround them with friendships and mentor-type relationships that portray what it means to have an authentic relationship with Christ.

In turn, we pray that you would raise our sons up to be the influencers of the next generation.

We pray that you would allow godliness and righteousness to dwell in their hearts so richly that these evidences of your truth spill them and to every person they encounter. 

Through it all, we pray that they would not be prone to laziness or complacency, but that they would believe that even a single candle burning in the dark makes a difference and would boldly stand up for truth, even when it’s unpopular.
~ Alicia Michelle

6. A birthday prayer for your son

Dear Lord, on this day that we celebrate ________’s birth, I pray for blessings and joy over ________.

You knew everything about him before his birth and You have a plan of prosperity and hope for his life! Let him feel confident and ready for the year ahead knowing that You have an order to his steps and a purpose for his life.

Help him to find joy in every circumstance in life, knowing that You work all things out for good. I thank You for ________, for loving him with unconditional love, and for the promises You have spoken over his life. In Jesus Name, Amen.

7. A prayer for your sons body image and purity

Dear Jesus, we weep with you over the number of our kids who are buying into the lie that sexual pleasure is something to experiment with.

We pray that our sons would treasure their sexuality as a true gift from You, and that they would honor that gift by saving it as a precious treasure to give their future spouse.

We ask that you would help them to be strong in the face of their own desires and that they would choose purity in the face of temptation. 

We pray you’d protect our sons from that kind of destructive thinking, and that if they’re tempted to take these kind of drastic measures, that you’d send someone in their lives to stop them.

Help them to remember over and over that their identity is not in how they look on the outside but what you see as their potential and worth on the inside.

We pray that our children would treasure their health as a gift from God and that they would have a passion to eat nutritious food and to stay active in order to do their part to take care of this treasure.
~ Alicia Michelle

8. A prayer for your sons self worth

Dear Jesus, help my son know that we are all born as sinners and separated from God because of our wicked hearts. However, at an early age, him grasp the life-transforming concept that he does not have to live as a sinner under that condemnation. 

Teach my son that he has the opportunity to accept a new, beautiful identity that is called “good,” not because of what he has done or what he looks , but because he is secure in who YOU say they are: treasured, delightful, known and protected. Let him not place their self-worth in accomplishments he may or may not achieve, but let him discover these deeper truths about who You believe he is and build every decision he makes on that sure foundation. 
~ Alicia Michelle

9. Prayer for your sons purity

Lord, I pray that You will create in my son a clean heart and that You would constantly renew a right spirit within him, keeping his thoughts and actions pure and motivated by love.

Guard him from temptation, and let him know You are always faithful to give him a way out and help to endure. May the words of his mouth and the meditations of his heart always please you and edify others.

~ Rebecca Barlow Jordan

10. A prayer for protection over your son

Lord, I pray Your emotional, physical, and spiritual protection over my son. Keep evil far from him, and help him to trust You as his refuge and strength. I pray You will guard his mind from harmful instruction, and grant him discernment to recognize truth.

I pray You will make him strong and courageous in the presence of danger, recognizing that You have overcome and will set right all injustice and wrong one day. Help him to find rest in Your shadow, as he lives in the spiritual shelter You provide for him.

Let him know that the only safe place is in Jesus,and that his home on earth is only temporary.
~ Rebecca Barlow Jordan

11. A prayer for your sons view of money and possessions

Heavenly Father, help us to model a healthy example of how to handle possessions and money. Help us to work hard, but to not wear ourselves out in order to get rich so that our children can witness a positive, godly view of hard work and the pursuit of success. 

We pray that our sons would persevere in whatever vocation you give them and that they would work with cheerful hearts as if they were serving you directly. 

We pray that our sons would see at an early age that money and possessions are a gift from You and thus must be always held with an open hand so that You can use those gifts to bless others. 

We ask that our sons would find their value in their true identity as a child of You, not in the possessions they do or do not have.

We pray for contentment and gratefulness in whatever situation they’re given—rich or poor.

We pray they would have a steadfast commitment to work hard with the talents you’ve given them so that they could support themselves, their families and use their money as a way to bless others in need. 

Ultimately, we pray that they would discover that the greatest “wealth” they could possess would be in relationships, especially in a relationship with You. In Jesus' name, Amen.

~ Alicia Michelle

We hope these prayers have been able to guide your thoughts and calm your soul as you seek God's will for your son. Join other moms who are praying for their sons in the comments below and experience the power of a praying community. Gain support and encouragement for the work that God has called you to!

This article is part of our larger Prayers resource meant to inspire and encourage your prayer life when you face uncertain times. Visit our most popular prayers if you are wondering how to pray or what to pray. Remember, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and God knows your heart even if you can't find the words to pray.

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Title: Stewardship Series- The Heart of Giving

Scripture: Mark 10:17-27; 12:41-44

Target Age Group: 3rd-5th grade

Main Point: God loves a cheerful giver.

Supplies: Penny, nickel, dime, quarter, $1 bill, white board and marker, paper and pencils, optional love of money coloring page

Lesson Opening

Supplies: Penny, nickel, dime, quarter, $1 bill

Show the coins and ask the kids to tell you how much each is worth.

Ask: What does it mean to be rich?

Ask: Can someone be rich even though they don’t have much money? Can someone with lots of money still be poor?

Say: Today we’ll hear two stories about two very different people. One had lots of money and the other was very poor. We’ll learn how God wants us to be cheerful givers because giving (whether it’s our time or money) is an act of worship when we do so with the right attitude.

Pray that God would open our hearts today to His Word and that He would give us hearts that desire to worship Him through our giving.

Tell the Story

Ask: Have you ever had a hard time sharing something you really love? Maybe a toy or video game, or even your favorite snack! How did it make you feel to have to give up something you , even if only for a short while? Did you do so cheerfully or did you whine and complain? (Give kids time to share.)

Say: Today we’re going to hear two stories that shows us how God loves it when we give with a cheerful heart. Our main point today is God loves a cheerful giver. Let’s stand up and say it together!

Say: Our stories come from the book of Mark in the New Testament.

The first story is about a rich young man who came to Jesus and asked, “What do I need to do to have eternal life?” That sounds a great question doesn’t it? Jesus told the man that he must follow the 10 commandments.

The man responded that he had obeyed all of God’s laws! So Jesus said, “There is one other thing you must do. Go and sell everything you own and give the money to the poor.” When the man heard this he went away from Jesus feeling sad.

Ask: Why do you think the man was sad?

Say: This young man had a lot of money, and he loved being rich! Jesus knew that in his heart the man didn’t want to share what he had. His heart was not cheerful at the thought of having to give up all that he had. In fact, he loved his wealth more than he loved God!

Say: Let’s say our main point again: God loves a cheerful giver.

Say: God doesn’t want us to be sad when we give to Him. He wants us to have happy hearts because giving to God is one way that we worship Him! Our next story is about a woman who was happy to give to God.

Say: A little while later in the book of Mark we read that Jesus was in the temple with his disciples.

From where they were sitting they could see the offering box and watched as people came to give their offerings.

They saw very rich men put in many gold coins, and they saw an old woman put in nothing but two small copper coins. When they saw the woman Jesus said something amazing. Let’s read from God’s Word to find out what.

Read Mark 12:43:   “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.”

 Say: The disciples were amazed. “But Jesus!” They said, “She only put in 2 coins! That’s not nearly as much as those men who put in many gold coins!”

Say: But Jesus responded, (Mark 12:44) “They all gave their wealth; but she, her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

 Say: Not only did the woman give everything she had, but she did so with a cheerful heart. She wasn’t worried that she wouldn’t have money to buy the things she needed to live on. She trusted that God would provide. The woman worshipped God by giving generously and with a happy heart. Remember, God loves a cheerful giver!

Say: God loves it when we give generously too! And God loves it when we give cheerfully! The problem is that our hearts naturally want to cling to all the stuff in our lives. We would rather have things than God. The good news is that we serve a generous God who wants to make us more Him.

Ask: Did you know that God has given us the greatest gift ever?

Say: God gave His very life to save us from our sin. He sent His Son Jesus to live a perfect life and die on the cross so we could be forgiven for our sin and live with God forever!

Ask: Did God whine and complain when he gave His own life for us? No way!

Say: God loves us so much that He gave himself up for us willingly and cheerfully. And now, when we trust in Jesus to save us, God gives us generous, cheerful hearts to give worship for Him!

Review Questions

• What was the main point from our lesson?
• How were the young ruler and the widow different?
• Why do you think the rich young ruler had a hard time giving up all he had?
• Is it ever hard for you to give what you have to someone else?
• Where do all of our gifts and blessings come from? (James 1:17)
• What did God give up to save us from our sin? (He gave His own life to save us)
• What are ways we can practice generosity this week?

Learning Activity 1: Prayers of Thankfulness                      

Supplies: Paper and pencils

• Explain that God knows the heart behind our giving when we bring offerings to Him. He knows when we give with stubborn hearts and when we give willingly and cheerfully.
• Encourage the kids to write out a list of the gifts that God has given them (money, talents, creativity, etc.). Allow them some time to write out a short prayer of thanksgiving to God for all the blessings they have.

Learning Activity 2: Stewardship Acrostic               

Supplies: White board and marker

• Write the word “Stewardship” vertically on the board in large letters.
• Ask the kids to think of words that describe God that begin with the letters in “Stewardship.” As they give you their answers, write them on the board.
• Spend a moment praying and thanking God for all His amazing attributes that He shows us.

Источник: //ministry-to-children.com/heart-of-giving-lesson/