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Monday
Read 1 Timothy 6:6-10
Faith and Finances
This week’s sensitive topic: money. The Bible does not give detailed instructions on every aspect of life, but it says a lot about money. Jesus talked more about money than about anything else except the Kingdom of God.
In The Challenge of the Disciplined Life, Richard Foster identifies two biblical streams of teaching about money. One focuses on the dangers—“the dark side”— of money. The other stream focuses on “the light side” of money: ways that wealth can be used positively.
The “dark side”: money can overwhelm devotion to God, warned about frequently in the Bible. Jesus said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24). He also declared, “Woe to you who are rich” (Luke 6:24), and “You cannot serve God and money” (Luke 16:13). New Testament letters also include such cautions; e.g., 1 Timothy 6:10: “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” If we don’t want to be “some people,” we need to be wary of money’s dark side.
The “light side” presents money positively, encouraging our use of resources for good. Jesus’ “Good Samaritan” story applauds one who spent money on lodging for a stranger in need (Luke 10:25-37). A description of the early Church reads, “… as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold … and it was distributed to each as any had need” (Acts 4:34-35). A group of women supported Jesus financially (Luke 8:1-3). Giving is listed as a spiritual gift (Romans 12:8). While money can be a root of much evil, it can also resource godly ends.
How do we reconcile these two streams of thought about money? Learn how to use money without serving it. Practice generosity. (Foster) This week we look at God’s generosity and how we might better reflect that generosity to others.
Reflective Questions
Take a moment to consider your financial situation. Thank God for all you have, whether it’s a little or a lot. Ask God to reveal new ways to use your money positively.
Prayers
Living Room International (LRMI)
Pray for the funding and construction of the 4-story Outpatient Center in Eldoret. Pray that it will be open to receive patients in early 2026.
Tuesday
Read 2 Corinthians 9
The Generosity of God
The Bible declares, “The earth is the LORD’s, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it” (Psalm 24:1). It also proclaims that our God “graciously gives us all things” (Romans 8:32). Consider the generosity of God. In addition to creating an amazing planet for us to live on (Genesis 1:1), God is the Source of both our physical life (Genesis 1:27) and our spiritual/eternal life (John 3:16). God watches out for our physical needs (Matthew 6:26) and provides “every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). Moreover, God provides wisdom (James 1:15), supernatural peace (John 14:27), and the gift of the Holy Spirit (1 John 3:24). You can probably think of a few more.
Generosity is a hallmark of God’s character; as God’s people, we are called to reflect that generosity to the world. Being generous shouldn’t be merely occasional, but a way of life. This is not easy if you were raised with a different mindset and taught to hold possessions closely.
I was fortunate to be raised in a home where generosity was the norm. When it came time to pay the monthly bills, our church tithe was always the first written check. One of my father’s favorite sayings: “You can’t outgive God!” He didn’t just say it, he lived it.
I once came home to find our refrigerator missing because dad had given it to a family in need. His comment was, “They needed it; we can buy a new one tomorrow.” While it was true that we had the means to replace the refrigerator, it didn’t happen without sacrifice. When my father passed away, it was no surprise to learn that he had been giving away almost half of his income for years despite his fixed income.
My parents believed that everything they had was a gift from God and that God was committed to our family’s well-being. I can’t say that I always appreciated having to go without things, but I did learn that I could rely on God to meet our needs. Trusting God with our finances makes it easier to hold less tightly to what is “ours.” We are able to be generous people who reflect a generous God to the world.
Reflective Questions
Look up a few of the verses listed in the first paragraph. What gifts are you especially thankful for in this season of life? Ask God to expand your vision of what it means to be generous this week.
Prayers
Living Room International (LRMI)
Support from USAID was halted for quite some time which impacted thousands of people in Kenya. While LRMI isn’t directly funded by USAID, our clients have been significantly impacted; some of those include our Kenyan staff. Pray that the people served will be able to receive medication and other resources in a timely manner.
Wednesday
Read Matthew 6:25-34
Do Not Worry
A 2025 survey of 1000 people found that 62% of the people surveyed shared that they were “concerned” or “very concerned” about their finances. Only 4% claimed to have no financial concerns at all. (Money and Mind Report 2025) While this small survey was UK-based, US statistics would likely be similar. We worry about the unknown that comes with the economy’s ups and downs. We worry about being financially independent. We worry about being able to take care of our families or our employees. Even people who have accumulated substantial wealth worry about money.
This is an age-old issue, and Jesus addresses it in His famous “Sermon on the Mount” found in today’s Scripture reading. Jesus insists that His followers deal with their financial anxiety. He tells them “Do not worry” (v. 25); then He asks, “Why do you worry anyway?” (v. 28). He then goes on to repeat “do not worry” two more times (vv. 31, 34). It seems that this is not a suggestion, but a command.
Jesus asks us to let go of our worries about material things like food, clothing, and shelter. Easier said than done, right? So, how do we do that? How do we “not worry”? The remedy for worry is found in verse 33: “Strive first for the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Jesus assures us that if we focus our efforts on things that have eternal value (people, relationships, ministry, service), we can trust God to handle the rest.
It’s interesting that in Luke’s account of this teaching (Luke 12:22-34), Jesus’ final instruction is worded a bit differently. Rather than “Do not worry,” Luke records Jesus as saying, “Do not be afraid … for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” It’s comforting to know that Jesus understands that our financial worries are often fear-based. If we want to be free of those worries, we need to ask God to help us overcome our fears. Also, we are reminded that God takes pleasure in taking care of us! What a reassuring truth!
Reflective Questions
Name any financial needs or fears that give you anxiety and lead to worrying. Ask for God’s provision and freedom from worry. If that is not an issue for you, consider how you might use your financial resources to further God’s Kingdom in a new way.
Prayers
Living Room International (LRMI)
The Kenyan national healthcare system changed in October. It has not been an easy transition. Pray for the Kipkaren and Eldoret sites as they continue to navigate the various challenges that have arisen due to the transition. Pray also that our ministry will receive the financial reimbursements as promised.
Thursday
Read 1 Peter 1:1-4
Abundance vs. Scarcity
Jesus knew that living simply and generously would bring His followers more joy and satisfaction in life than acquiring money and possessions. But that truth can be very hard to learn in a world that teaches us otherwise.
All day, every day, we are bombarded with messages that tell us we need to acquire more, invest more, save more, or protect our assets more in order to be happy. We can check our financial accounts on our phones. We get daily reports on how well (or not well) the stock market is doing. We read about rising prices, housing shortages, and slowing supply chains. If we don’t recognize how these messages are impacting us, we can become dissatisfied with what we have, or even fearful about the future. We may lose sight of the generosity of God in our lives and begin to take the abundance we have been given for granted.
In his Practicing the Way Course, Pastor John Mark Comer writes about two opposing ways of seeing the world that can help us with this challenge: a mindset of abundance and a mindset of scarcity. He writes,
“Those with an ‘abundance mindset’ see God as their Father-provider and the world as teeming with provision and blessing; everything we have is a gift, and there’s plenty for all. They live with gratitude toward God and generosity toward neighbor. Inside this worldview, the radical teachings of Jesus on money and generosity make perfect sense. And we are free to live generously and at peace.
“But those with a ‘scarcity mindset’ see the world as a bleak and godless place of danger: wealth is a zero-sum game; survival of the fittest is the top priority. In this way of seeing the world, Jesus’ sayings on money sound ludicrous. And we are enslaved to fear and greed.
“The practice of generosity is the pathway out—a spiritual discipline by which we index our heart away from a scarcity mindset to the abundance mindset of Jesus.”
Generosity is the pathway out of a mindset that tells us we have to hold on tightly to everything we have because there isn’t enough to go around. It can free us from anxiety and keep us grounded in the generosity of God.
Reflective Questions
In order to move closer to a mindset of abundance (or just as a daily reset), take some time to count your blessings. Thank God for all the ways He has provided for you this week.
Prayers
Living Room International (LRMI)
Pray for the physical, emotional and spiritual health of the Living Room International staff, the board of directors, and their families.
Friday
Read 2 Corinthians 9:6-12
Radical Generosity
There is a lot to unpack in this passage about generosity. Paul writes to encourage the Corinthians to give a generous offering that will be given to the Jerusalem Church. Let’s examine verse 11:
“You will be enriched [by God] in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” (2 Corinthians 9:11)
First, notice that Paul says they will “be enriched by God” to give. In other words, he wants them to know that God will provide what they need so that they can give. If you are ever in a situation where you want to give but don’t have the capacity, let God know that you are willing to give anything extra that comes and see what happens. Over the years I have seen this promise fulfilled many times over.
The original Greek word translated as “enriched” also has the connotation of being enriched spiritually. So, another way to interpret this verse would be that as we grow in spiritual maturity, our capacity for generosity also grows. However you interpret it, the bottom line is that God has a hand in the process of our becoming generous people. We are not on our own in this.
Paul also encourages them to be generous “in every way.” We have been thinking mostly about being generous with our finances, but there are many other ways to be generous. We can be generous with our time, our talents and abilities, our words, our thoughts, our friendship, our love. There are numerous ways to be generous over the course of a week. It might look like helping a neighbor, bringing someone a meal, encouraging parents of young children, or visiting someone who isn’t able to get out. In this time of transition at Glenkirk Church, we also have the opportunity to give above our regular tithe to help meet current budget needs.
In a “2019 TEDx Talk,” author Ami Campbell summed up the challenge for God’s people to be generous in this way: “Radical generosity is a way of living, not an act of giving.” May we grow to be generous people in every way as we continue to follow Christ along the path of discipleship.
Reflective Questions
What would need to change in order for your life to reflect radical generosity? Ask God to show you ways to incorporate acts of generosity into your daily rhythms.
Prayers
Living Room International (LRMI)
Pray for wisdom and discernment for LRMI leaders as they continue to seek the best ways to provide love, care, and support for the communities that they are a part of in Kenya.
Sources
- Richard J. Foster, The Challenge of the Disciplined Life: Christian Reflections on Money, Sex and Power (San Francisco: Harper and Row, 2015).
- Schroeder Personal Wealth, Money and Mind Report 2025. Accessed at https://www.spw.com/reports/money-and-mind-report/.
- John Mark Comer, Practicing the Way Course: Generosity Module, Session 01. Available at https://www.practicingtheway.org/course/.
- Ami Campbell, Radical Generosity Is a Way of Living, Not an Act of Giving. TEDx Talk, Wilmette, IL, 2019. Accessed at https://www.ted.com/talks/ami_campbell_radical_generosity_is_a_way_of_living_not_an_act_of_giving.
