Let Him Show You How Good He Is
How do we measure the goodness of God? Is it in the way the sun rises every morning, giving us a new day? Can it be found in the laughter of our loved ones? Do we see His goodness in the meals we enjoy? With each beat of our hearts and every breath in our lungs, can we feel His love?
When the sun is shining, His light is generous. In the night, His light still shines through the stars.
What about when dark clouds loom, the sun doesn’t shine, and the stars are nowhere to be found? How do we measure God’s goodness then? When our hearts feel heavy and the tears can’t stop falling, can we perhaps see the generosity of God when He wipes each tear from our eyes? When we fall time after time, do we see His love in the way He picks us up into His loving arms time after time again, never growing tired or frustrated of our flawed humanity?
Can we seek His goodness? Can we see His overflowing love in all He is and all He does?
Maybe God’s goodness is not meant to be measured at all. It’s meant to be trusted.
He is our generous Heavenly Father who withholds no good thing from us (Psalm 84:11, NIV).
2 Corinthians 9:11 tells us, “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”
Since God in His loving generosity does not hesitate to enrich us in every way, we do not have to hesitate in sharing His generosity with others. What does His generosity look like?
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8, NIV
Each breath in our lungs is His breath entrusted to us. Each beat of our hearts is pumping the blood He lovingly shed for us. In Him, we can find rest for our souls. In His arms, we can lay our fears of lack and scarcity down. We can rest in His abundance and thank Him for His faithfulness (Matthew 11:28-30, NIV).
Let His loving whisper of generosity be louder than the lie of scarcity. He trusts you with all His love. Will you trust Him?
With kind eyes and a loving smile, He is waiting for you, holding His strong arms open – will you take His hand? Will you trust Him to show you how good He is?
Caroline Chaiban
Inexpressible
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope today brings moments of joy, connection, and rest, but I also know that for many, this season holds both celebration and sorrow. Some of us come to Thanksgiving with full hearts; others arrive carrying burdens or memories that feel heavy. Wherever you find yourself, please know that God wants to meet you right there. It’s into all the complexity of real life that Paul invites us to lift our eyes and remember the deepest truth of all: “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (2 Cor. 9:15).
It’s a fascinating ending. Paul has been talking about giving; about cheerful generosity, willing hearts, and God’s promise to supply abundantly. But then he pivots from their gifts to God’s gift. It’s as if Paul is saying, “If you want to understand generosity, don’t start with what you give. Start with what you’ve been given.”
Paul calls God’s gift “inexpressible,” it’s quite literally beyond words. It’s the kind of generosity that breaks language. Why? Because God’s greatest gift isn’t a thing we can hold but a person who holds us. It is Jesus himself, God’s self-giving love made flesh. And this gift is not just a past event, it’s a present reality. In Christ, God gives us grace that abounds, peace that holds, strength that sustains, forgiveness that frees, and hope that doesn’t run dry. The same God who supplies seed to the sower is still supplying everything needed to make generosity, gratitude, and joy flourish in our lives. Even then, we’re trying to give words to something that surpasses the ability of our language.
That’s why true thanksgiving demands more than a feeling, but a response. Gratitude is the echo of grace. When you trace every blessing you have back to its source, every breath, every relationship, every provision, every good thing, you’ll discover the same Giver behind them all. And the more clearly you see him, the more naturally your heart says, “Thanks be to God!”
So this Thanksgiving, as you gather around tables, as you reflect on the year, as you name the gifts God has placed in your hands, don’t miss the greatest gift he has placed in your life: Jesus, God’s generosity wrapped in human flesh. So this Thanksgiving, may your heart overflow with gratitude… gratitude that runs so deeply, it surpasses the words that you have. And maybe then, you join Paul in saying, with full hearts and open hands, “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” Amen.
Pastor Ryan Paulson
Happy Thanksgiving from our Devotional Team to you and your family!
Always Enough
Sufficiency in everything is a goal we all have in life, as expressed in the common thought, “Once I have this, then I’ll be happy.” Jesus even explored sufficiency in his parable in Luke 12:16-19: “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?… I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ That sounds like the good life, except God told the rich man, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’” (v. 20).
Why were the rich man’s actions wrong? Because his actions showed he thought only of himself and trusted in his resources rather than God. If those resources were gone, the rich man would not "relax, eat, drink, and be merry."
This thinking comes from the scarcity mindset, fueled by the fear of not having enough. However, as followers of Jesus, we are called to be generous, not selfish, just as He is. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9:6, “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” To be generous is to “sow”—give—bountifully. And there are no exceptions. Yet, it is hard to live the generous life with the scarcity mindset. We crave the guarantee that we won’t be left with nothing.
Fortunately, we do have that guarantee with God! Paul continues in verse 8, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” Not only does God promise sufficiency, He promises it in all, everything in every aspect of our lives, big and small! We just need to do our part by trusting God will come through with what we need in all situations.
For the next few minutes, sit in a quiet place, close your eyes, and invite God to help pinpoint what you’re afraid to be generous with. Allow God to reveal the reasons behind this fear. Then surrender those fears to God and let Him encourage you with His limitless love to give what He prompts you to with an abundance mindset.
Christina Chaiban
EFCC Attender
Multiplied Generosity - Pass It On
2 Corinthians 9:8-11
Remember the song “Pass It On”? I did a little research on the history of the song and learned that it was written by composer and pianist Kurt Kaiser in 1969. He and his wife were sitting by the fire in his den one Sunday evening and he was mesmerized by the flames. It occurred to him, “It only takes a spark to get a fire going and soon all those around will warm up to its glowing; that’s how it is with God’s love, once you’ve experienced it, you spread his love to everyone, you want to pass it on.” It became a song right on the spot and one of the most popular Christian songs of all time. I was also touched that Kurt's father taught him the importance of taking the gift[s] the Lord has given and then working to “burnish and shine it” and give back to the Lord.
The ripple effect of joyful giving is like a pebble dropped in a pool of water. The ripples from the place the pebble was dropped spread out bigger and bigger. God’s blessings are just like that. He blesses us with time, resources and gifts which we can choose to share with others. They in turn do the same, and soon God’s original blessing has multiplied–coming back to Him in the form of praise and honor. Whatever we give, if given joyfully as an act of worship, God will multiply for his purposes. A child who doesn’t have the means to go to camp can go, missionaries all over the world will live and be the light for people where there is darkness, ministries at church will meet in a safe place, and children will learn about Jesus’ unconditional love for them. God gives us the opportunity to participate in some or all of those blessings, if not physically, through giving.
The truth is, giving transforms us. Each act of generosity softens our hearts and makes us more like Christ. When we choose to be givers, we discover joy no amount of receiving could ever provide. God has blessed each of us—not just for our own benefit, but to bless others. Whether you have much or little, you have something valuable to offer. Your smile, your prayers, your willingness to help carry someone’s burden—these are precious gifts. What if we become so infused with God’s extravagant love and generosity, it spills over onto every person and into each of the days he has given us?
Deb Hill
EFCC Member
Generosity Trumps Tithing
Malachi 3:10 is a favorite verse of mine. “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this says the LORD Almighty and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” Oh, the lavish generosity of God, I love it. Eager to open wide the floodgates of heaven and overwhelm me, nearly drown me in blessings!! Extravagant generosity from a good Father.
Funny thing is, before verse 10, the LORD God is blasting his chosen people for “robbing” him, for their disobedient selfishness and rebelliously ignoring God’s command. Under Mosaic law, tithing was not optional for a Jew. Israelites were legally required to pay a 10% tithe on everything! It was like a religious-national income tax to sustain the “government” of the Levitical priestly system God himself had put in place.
Oftentimes in churches today, we refer to our giving & generosity as “tithes and offerings.” But really, they are two very different things. Tithing was adherence to the Law, a mathematical equation. Tithing wasn’t generosity. Jesus came and said, I want more from you, and I want more for you. Luke 6:38, “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Jesus wasn’t impressed with regimented 10%, he’s after heart-driven generosity.
Jesus reiterated commands of the Old Testament, but never once did he command his followers to tithe as Jewish law demanded. I wonder why? Instead he spotlights examples, such as Zacchaeus, who upon meeting the Messiah, immediately decided to give one half of his money to the poor and pay back anyone he had wronged fourfold what he owed them. Time spent with Jesus had changed this “wee little man.” And Jesus confirmed that Zacchaeus indeed now was in a right standing with God as evidenced by his repentance, his change of heart, and generosity toward others.
In Luke 21, Jesus watched Jews putting their “tithes and offerings” into the treasury. He saw the rich give out of their wealth, as they were required to do. But what impressed Jesus was a poor widow who gave two copper coins, worth nearly nothing. But her heart was generous, because she gave all she had to live on.
God has generously given us His Son, His Holy Spirit, new birth into a living hope, eternal life, mercy, grace, love, peace and joy. In gratitude, may you and I also live lives of extravagant generosity.
Donielle Winter
EFCC Member
Have or Have-Not?
“For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” - Matthew 25:29
Whenever we interpret Jesus’ parables, we have to remember that two things are happening at once. On one level, there’s a story that works on its own. But on a deeper level, Jesus is inviting us to “have ears to hear” what he’s really saying. So when he tells the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25, he uses a story about money and investments, but the real question is: What’s the deeper meaning? I believe Jesus is revealing something profound about the nature of faith itself.
The story describes a master who entrusts three servants with varying amounts of money (a “talent” was a large sum) before leaving on a long journey. Two servants put their gifts to work and see them grow. The third buries his in the ground, afraid to risk losing it. When the master returns, he rewards the faithful two but takes the last servant’s talent and gives it to the one with the most.
If this story were only about money, Jesus’ conclusion, “whoever has will be given more,” would feel confusing. While it’s true that the rich often get richer, that’s not the heart of the parable, nor is it in line with a robust Jesus ethic (see Luke 6:30, Matt 6:1-4; 10:8; 19:21). We need to dig deeper and ask who the “haves” and “have-nots” really represent. A strong possibility is faith. Think about it. What if Jesus was suggesting that for those who have faith and put it to work, more will be given? These would be the people who trust the Master enough to take a risk. They see that what God has placed in their hands wasn’t meant to just be protected, but grown.
And this is exactly how faith works. It multiplies the more it’s used. The more you exercise trust in God, the stronger that trust becomes. Like a muscle, faith grows through movement, not maintenance.
The “have-nots” aren’t people given nothing. The unfaithful servant had something, but fear convinced him to do nothing with it. He buried it. He guarded it. And in doing so, he lost it.
Faith that is buried never grows and is in danger of disappearing altogether.
So when Jesus says, “whoever has will be given more,” he’s describing a spiritual reality: those who live by faith find an ever-expanding capacity for faith. But those who refuse to trust eventually lose even their desire to try.
Ultimately, what a person believes about God tells us whether they are a part of the “have” or “have-not” group. Those who have faith see God as trustworthy, and that frees them up to take bold steps of greater faith. Those who have-not faith see God as harsh or distant, and therefore tend to hide their gifts and shrink their impact
Josh Rose
Family Pastor
RISK!
Matthew 25:14-15, 24-27
Growing up, I was never the kind of kid who really enjoyed rollercoasters. I was not a thrill seeker or adrenaline junkie by any means. I tried to stay as far away from potential danger as possible. I remember being terrified of amusement park rides because they felt daunting and scary. Part of me knew they were perfectly safe, and there was no real risk, but I was overwhelmed with fear at the thought of them.
Maybe you’re like me and try to avoid any possibility of risk. If that’s the case, you might find the reality of risk in God’s economy difficult to accept. Much of the Christian life often feels risky. I’ve learned throughout my life that God often doesn’t deal in absolutes or guarantees, instead He offers opportunities to trust Him in new ways that often feel scary. With each new opportunity, faith and trust in the Lord and His plan are grown and strengthened. In the midst of these seasons, the fear and anxiety that things could go wrong are genuinely real. This passage got me thinking a lot about fear.
The fascinating thing about this particular servant and his one talent is that his perception of the master and his lack of understanding of the master’s true character is what compels him to act the way he does. My hunch is if this servant really knew the character of his master and the way that he would respond, he would’ve done the same as the two servants that precede him in this parable. The servant knew pieces of what the master was like, but he didn’t have a relationship with him. His mindset is if he ensures that his master’s money is safe, no harm is done and no consequences will follow. However, his master is not concerned with the money itself, he’s concerned with what the servants do with it.
Deciding to trade and invest the master’s money with the bankers feels like a risky move. Choosing to be obedient to what God is calling us to do also feels risky most of the time. What we might forget, is that there’s truly no risk where we cannot lose. If the author of our stories is calling us into something new, we can trust that He knows how the story plays out.
Kassie Lowe
YA Women’s Intern / Modern Worship Leader
It’s All His!
But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. Mark 25:26-27
This morning I woke up earlier than usual, but instead of getting up, I stayed under the covers when our two small dogs jumped on the bed, and cuddled up, keeping me warm and cozy. My husband was getting ready to go to the office, but my schedule didn’t require leaving the house until afternoon. Later, I felt lazy for wasting time that could have been used for bible study homework, finishing this devotion and many other things. I thought, how many times have I not been a good steward of the resources, time, and gifts God has given?
In this parable, we see the master entrusting his property to three servants while he is gone…Mark 25:15 says, To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. The servants entrusted with more of his property (money) took the initiative to invest wisely and returned to the master double the amount they were given. But the third servant did not, and then used excuses when he returned the talent with no interest. It seemed he didn’t know the master but the master knew him well and saw through his excuses.
Scott Hubbard, a pastor at All Peoples Church, and graduate of Bethlehem College & Seminary, is a former NASA astrobiologist who helped establish the NASA Astrobiology Institute. He says, an ordinary person becomes a "sluggard" (slothful) one small surrender at a time, and laziness is often a result of habitually giving-in to "just a little more.” He explains that while ‘giving-in’ may seem harmless, it dulls the senses and leaves one with less pleasure, dignity, and self-control.
Slothful or sluggard in vs.26, and in several places in Proverbs describes someone who is not only lazy but lacking wisdom. It refers to spiritual apathy or a failure to act and utilize one's talents, gifts and resources toward care, love, and faith – to be a light in the darkness.
Why did the slothful servant bury the talent? Was he fearful he’d unsuccessfully grow the master’s money–(just thinking of himself)? Was he lazy or apathetic, not wanting to do the work required to increase what he was given? Was he a procrastinator? What do you think after reading the parable of the talents? What was the sluggard servant's end result?
Prayer today: Father, thank you for your grace and patience. Please help me be a good and faithful steward of the time and resources you’ve provided.
Deb Hill
EFCC Member
Motive Matters
When reading the Parable of the Talents, it’s easy to applaud the first two servants for their wise investments and frown upon the third servant for the misuse of his gift. However, upon examining his motive, we can see that his actions are understandable—and even relatable.
In Matthew 25:24-25, the third servant explained, “Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.”
He buried what was entrusted to him because he was afraid. His motive was fear. He bought into fear because it was convenient ("...hid your talent in the ground") and safe ("Here, you have what is yours"). But in reality, it cost him everything and delivered the toughest punishment ("...throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" [v. 30]).
Where did this fear come from? The fault lies in the servant’s perception of the master. The Message paraphrase provides a detailed account of this viewpoint: “Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error. I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent’ (v. 24-25).
Oftentimes, we view God the same way. We don’t want to disappoint God, so we take on the day ourselves and play it safe. But just as the master gave one thousand talents to the fearful servant—the amount dependent on his work ethic (v. 15)—God still calls us in His love to partner with Him in building His Kingdom (1 Corinthians 3:9).
God is love, and with love, there is no room for fear. God's perfect love casts out all fear because fear deals with punishment (1 John 4:18). And God is not quick to punish (Psalms 145:8). In fact, He sacrificed His Son so He won’t have to punish us, washing away our sins with Jesus’ sinless blood (1 Peter 2:24).
For the next few minutes, sit in a quiet place and close your eyes or write in a journal to reflect on your perception of God. Invite God to show you how it ties to any fears you have. Then surrender those fears to God and allow Him to wash you over in His perfect love—your new motive to use the skills, possessions, and opportunities He has entrusted to you for His Kingdom (Philippians 1:6).
Christina Chaiban
EFCC Attender
Show me your Faith
Jesus began his ministry with these words, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” (Matthew 4:17)
My oldest son went to graduate school, so he’s smarter than me, I guess. He taught me a term I wasn’t familiar with but have come to appreciate—“Throughline” and it means a common element, theme or idea, consistently found from beginning to end of a person’s writings or teachings.
It seems, “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is near”, is Jesus’ throughline—the thread woven throughout his ministry years on earth. It was as if he was saying, “I am King. I’m building my Kingdom. I want you in it! Repentance is step one”.
When we get to Matthew 25 and the parable of the talents, Rabbi Jesus has been teaching for many many months. He begins with a word I don’t want you to miss. “Again….” As if to say, I’ve taught this before, you’ve heard this before, I’ll say the same thing another way to make sure you understand.
“A Man” had “servants” he trusted with “talents”—something of great value, and then he went away. When the man returned a long time later, his only concern was, “what did you do with what I entrusted to you?” He then judged the servants as either “good and faithful” or “wicked, lazy and worthless”. Ouch.
It reminds me of a letter written to the early church by Jesus’ little brother, James.
…Someone will say, You have faith; I have deeds. Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that and shudder.
“You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did….. a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.”
Jesus came preaching the Kingdom and Jesus came seeking faith-filled followers. At the close of another parable, in Luke 18 Jesus is spurring his disciples on to faith in prayer. He says, “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
Brothers and sisters, servants of the King, may we be faithful with Jesus—the gift God has entrusted to us. Your Savior is your greatest treasure. Will you speak of Him today? Will you share this precious possession with others? When “the Man” returns will he call us “good and faithful”?
Donielle Winter
EFCC Member