Blessed2 - Beltway Park Church

Our Heart Matters

February 18, 2024 • Geoffrey Turner • Mark 12:41–44

God’s abundant blessing as we live generous lives is tied to our hearts (Mark 12:41-44). Jesus makes it clear to His followers, when He highlights a poor widow who gave all she had (two copper coins) into the temple treasury, that the amount of our giving is significantly less important than the condition of our hearts when we give. In seeking to live a life of generosity, it is not just the act of giving that we need to focus on. The position of our hearts as we give matters. If we practice generosity on any level (i.e., relationally, financially, in serving, etc.), we will experience blessing. This is the law of sowing and reaping, and it is undefeated and irrefutable. But how we reap, and the totality of what we reap is intricately tied to the heart behind it. God calls us to be a cheerful giver, not a bitter or reluctant giver (2 Corinthians 9:6-7). God offers more blessing, or fuller blessing, when we are generous with the right heart.

To Be Christ-like

February 11, 2024 • David McQueen

To be truly Christ-like is to excel in generosity (2 Corinthians 8:7). Jesus is (and has been) generous beyond what we can imagine. Out of His incredible love for us, He set aside His heavenly place to enter our sinfulness and messiness so that we could know Him and have eternal life (John 3:16; Philippians 2:5-8). Though He was rich, for our sake He became poor, so that by His sacrifice we could become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9). As His followers, we desire to be like Him in heart, character, and action. This is why we are encouraged in Scripture to excel in the grace of giving, to have the same mindset as Jesus, especially in generosity. Because of the generosity of those who gave to Beltway Park in 2023, we as a church were able to serve and bless countless lives within our church family, within our local community and region, and to the ends of earth.

We Can't Outgive God

February 4, 2024 • David McQueen • Acts 20:32–35

We cannot outgive God (Acts 20:32-35). Though it seems upside down from what is normal in our culture, we find provision and abundance when we embrace firstfruit generosity with our finances. From Malachi 3:10, firstfruit generosity means tithing 10% of our personal profit or income to the storehouse (e.g., your local church where you go for spiritual provision and mission). The giving of our finances and personal resources is the only place from Scripture where we can test God. His promise is that if you practice firstfruit generosity He will throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it (Malachi 3:10; Luke 6:38). We take steps of faith in this area by planning a percentage to give, making generosity a priority, and always prayerfully listening to how God may be leading you to be generous beyond tithing.

Tools in the Body of Christ

January 28, 2024 • Geoffrey Turner • 1 Corinthians 12:12–20

Every follower of Jesus is a tool – used in tandem with other Jesus followers – to be the church and reach people for Jesus (1 Corinthians 12:12-14). Or as Paul wrote, we are the body of Christ, made up of many parts. Each part as God’s workmanship has a significant role to play, created intentionally to accomplish good works. When any part does not function as it should, it affects and hurts the whole body. But when we discover what kind of tool God has made us to be and give of ourselves in serving as that tool, we experience fulfillment and become more blessed.

Saved People Serve People

January 21, 2024 • David McQueen • 1 Peter 4:7–11

Saved people serve people (1 Peter 4:7-11). The call for all Jesus followers, even at the end of the age, is not to simply hang on and survive. We are challenged to serve, to use a portion of our time, talents, and skills to give to others. In fact, Jesus taught His disciples that the greatest among His followers is the one who serves (Luke 22:24-26). It is what Jesus modeled, who did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:26-28). When we receive salvation through Jesus by faith, we accept it by following and emulating His life and heart of serving.

Found People Find People

January 14, 2024 • Geoffrey Turner • Acts 1:4–8

Found people find people (Acts 1:4-8). The world is desperate for all that Jesus offers, and it is our responsibility as His followers to be a witness to the people around us. If we truly care about them, we cannot keep the good news of all that Jesus has accomplished for us to ourselves. Even if being a witness looks weird, makes us uncomfortable, or even puts a relationship at risk, it is worth the possibility that someone lost be found. Thankfully, we can be witnesses for Jesus to those around us through the power of the Holy Spirit. He gives us strength, especially when we feel inadequate, unprepared, and afraid. And a helpful tool in being a witness is the acronym BLESS (Begin with Prayer, Listen, Eat, Serve, Share your Story).

Friendship

January 7, 2024 • David McQueen • Acts 20:16–38

It is more blessed to give than receive, especially in friendship (Acts 20:35). The research is clear: good relationships keep us happier and healthier. It is what Paul modeled and taught the elders of the church in Ephesus. We are not just blessed but more blessed (i.e., doubly blessed, blessed squared) when we give of ourselves for the sake of others. The way up is by going down, having a heart of a servant in total dependance upon God (Philippians 2:5-7). We find ourselves when we lose ourselves (Matthew 16:25), particularly in relationships. When we make friendships about us, with the intent to control the benefits and outcomes of the relationship, we become increasingly lonely. It simply does not work. But when we give in friendship with deep love, care, and affection – when our mindset is giving rather than receiving – it produces powerful and lasting connection (Acts 20:36-38).