Hi Brian!
The word for this week is "giver". We find it in the New Testament only in 2 Corinthians 9:7.
7 Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver. KJV
This is the Greek word "dotes" (dot' ace). Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: a bestower. He who gives cheerfully. Just as WE love because HE first loved us (1 John 4:19), WE can GIVE because HE first gave TO us! The first part of today's Charles Spurgeon evening devotional says this:
"And they gave Him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but He received it not." — Mark 15:23
A golden truth is couched in the fact that the Saviour put the myrrhed wine-cup from His lips. On the heights of heaven the Son of God stood of old, and as He looked down upon our globe He measured the long descent to the utmost depths of human misery; He cast up the sum total of all the agonies which expiation would require, and abated not a jot. He solemnly determined that to offer a sufficient atoning sacrifice He must go the whole way, from the highest to the lowest, from the throne of highest glory to the cross of deepest woe. This myrrhed cup, with its soporific (inducing sleep or drowsiness, thereby dulling the pain) influence, would have stayed Him within a little of the utmost limit of misery, therefore He refused it. He would not stop short of all He had undertaken to suffer for His people.
The Classic Amplified Bible says this in 2 Corinthians 9:7:
7 Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, "prompt to do it") giver [whose heart is in his giving]. AMP
When we give like that, we LOOK LIKE JESUS! You and your family are tremendous givers! You have blessed so many in The Spoken Word Church with your giving! You also give of your time and energy to so many. You have given to us of your beautiful, peaceful and love filled home many times! My prayer is that this coming year will see you all BLESSED beyond measure in every area of life! We love you all SO very much! Here is another song from Brandon Lake's "Tear Off The Roof - LIVE" album called "Your Love Is Strong" with Jon Foreman:
Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!
