Our Daily Bread – 4 January 2025 – Giving Back to God
OUR DAILY BREAD – 4 JANUARY 2025 DEVOTIONAL, SATURDAY ODB MESSAGE
Our Daily Bread – 4 January 2025 TOPIC: Giving Back to God
BIBLE IN YEAR: Genesis 10-12; Matthew 4
KEY VERSE: Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. – 1 Chronicles 29:14
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
1 Chronicles 29:10-16
TODAY’S ODB INSIGHT
David gathered “all the officials of Israel” (1 Chronicles 28:1) to address the temple project (ch. 28; 29:1-9) and to crown Solomon as king (29:21-25). David provided large amounts of the kingdom’s resources and also gave “[his] personal treasures of gold and silver . . . over and above everything [he’d] provided” (v. 3).
Following his example, the leaders also gave their resources “freely and wholeheartedly to the LORD” (v. 9). He then led the whole assembly in heartfelt worship—praising God and extolling His greatness, eternality, power, glory, and sovereignty (vv. 10-13). David humbly acknowledged that God owns everything! Whatever they gave back to Him was simply returning to Him what He’d generously given to them in the first place (vv. 14-16).
OUR DAILY BREAD – 4 JANUARY 2025 – SATURDAY ODB DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE:
One year, the leaders of our congregation invited us to give gifts, in addition to our regular weekly offerings, to build a new gymnasium—a space we could use to minister to the families in our community. After prayerfully considering the medical expenses caused by living with a disability, I asked my husband, “Are you sure we can do this?” He nodded. “We’re not giving God anything that’s not already His,” he said. “He’ll provide all we need.” And He did! Over a decade later, our church family still has the privilege of serving Jesus by serving people in that facility.
In 1 Chronicles 29, King David showed the leaders of Israel his commitment to support his son Solomon as his God-chosen successor and the builder of the temple (vv. 1-5). Everyone followed suit, “gave willingly,” and “rejoiced” (vv. 6, 9). David praised God and declared that “everything in heaven and earth” belonged to Him (v. 11). He prayed: “Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you” (v. 16).
As we consider all God has done and given to us, specifically the gift of a personal relationship with Jesus, we can express our worship and show our gratitude and love by simply giving back to God, the Giver of all good things!
REFLECT: How does acknowledging that all things belong to God change the way you view giving? How can expressing your gratitude through giving change you?
PRAY: Loving God, thank You for being a generous and faithful provider.
ALSO READ: Joyce Meyer Devotional – 3 January 2025 – Control What’s Under Your Control
Our Daily Bread Ministries (ODB) is a Christian organization founded by Dr. Martin De Haan in 1938. It is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with over 600 employees. It produces several devotional publications, including Our Daily Bread. our daily bread devotional for today audio our daily bread booklet
PRAYER OF SALVATION
Accept God’s free gift of Salvation Do you want to have a personal relationship with God? We invite you to accept His free gift of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)You can pray the following prayer right now to ask God to come into your heart so that you can receive the miracle of new birth:
‘Almighty God, I come to you today. I confess that I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus Christ came to this world, he died on the cross for my sins, and rose again triumphant on the third day. Right now I repent of my sins, and ask Jesus Christ to come into my life to be my Lord and personal Saviour. I believe according to your Word that I am now saved. Thank you Jesus for saving me from my sins. In Jesus Name, amen.’If you have prayed the prayer above – congratulations! There is much rejoicing in heaven!
