رسالة إلى العبرانيين 11

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Giving is a powerful act that reflects the heart of God and His desire for us to live generously. Throughout the Bible, we find numerous teachings that emphasize the importance and impact of giving. Whether it’s through offering our time, resources, or love, the act of giving not only blesses others but also enriches our own lives. Here are seven Bible verses that highlight the power of giving and encourage us to embrace a life of generosity.

1. Acts 20:35 “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

When we give to others, especially those in need, we are not only helping them but also experiencing the joy and fulfillment that comes from generosity. It reminds us that true happiness is found in selflessness.

2. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

The emphasis on giving cheerfully reminds us that our attitude matters. God values a heart that gives freely and joyfully, knowing that our contributions can lead to abundant blessings.

3. Proverbs 11:25 “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

Generosity is not just about meeting the needs of others; it also brings personal renewal and prosperity. When we give, we often receive in return, not necessarily in material wealth, but in spiritual and emotional well-being. The act of giving refreshes both the giver and the recipient.

4. 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 emphasizes the abundance that comes from giving. The imagery of a generous measure being returned to us illustrates that our giving will not go unnoticed or unrewarded. When we give with an open heart, we can expect God’s blessings to overflow in our lives.

5. Matthew 6:3-4 “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

We should give quietly and humbly, without seeking recognition or praise. The focus is on the sincerity and purity of our giving. God sees our acts of kindness, even when they are done in secret, and He will reward us accordingly. It reminds us that true giving is done for the benefit of others, not for personal glory.

6. Hebrews 13:16 “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

Sharing what we have with others is a sacrifice that pleases God. This verse highlights the importance of being mindful of others’ needs and taking action to meet them. It serves as a reminder that our acts of generosity are not just good deeds; they are expressions of our faith and love for God.

7. James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

All we have comes from God. Recognizing that every gift we receive is from Him encourages us to be generous in sharing those gifts with others. When we give, we are participating in God’s work, distributing His blessings to those around us.

Conclusion

The Bible teaches that giving is a powerful way to express our faith, love, and gratitude. These verses reveal that generosity not only impacts those we help but also enriches our own lives, bringing us closer to God and His purposes. Whether through our resources, time, or compassion, giving allows us to reflect God’s love in a tangible way, creating a ripple effect of blessings that extend far beyond what we can see. By embracing a spirit of generosity, we open ourselves up to experience the fullness of life that God desires for us.

الإيمان

Unlocking the Spiritual Essence of AFRICA:

As we journey through the spiritual essence of AFRICA, let us embrace its blessings, celebrate its diversity, and honor its heritage. For in this vast and vibrant continent, we discover echoes of God's faithfulness, reminders of our shared humanity, and glimpses of His divine purpose for all creation.

1 الإيمانُ هوَ الوُثوقُ بِما نَرجوهُ وتَصديقُ ما لا نَراهُ، 2 وبِه شَهِدَ اللهُ لِلقُدَماءِ.

3 بالإيمانِ نُدرِكُ أنّ اللهَ خَلَقَ الكَونَ بِكلِمَةٍ مِنهُ، فصَدَرَ ما نَراهُ مِمّا لا نَراهُ.

4 بالإيمانِ قَدّمَ هابـيلُ للهِ ذَبـيحَةً أفضَلَ مِنْ ذَبـيحةِ قايـينَ، وبالإيمانِ شَهِدَ اللهُ لَه أنّهُ مِنَ الأبرارِ عِندَما رَضِيَ بِقرابـينِهِ، وبالإيمانِ ما زالَ يتكَلّمُ بَعدَ مَوتِهِ.

5 بالإيمانِ رفَعَ اللهُ أخْنُوخَ إلَيهِ مِنْ غَيرِ أنْ يَرى المَوتَ، فما وجَدَهُ أحدٌ لأنّ اللهَ رَفعَهُ إلَيهِ. والكِتابُ شَهِدَ لَه قَبلَ رَفْعِهِ بأنّهُ أرضى اللهَ، 6 وبِغَيرِ الإِيمانِ يَستَحيلُ إرضاءُ اللهِ، لأنّ الذي يتَقَرّبُ إلى اللهِ يَجِبُ أنْ يُؤمِنَ بأنّهُ موجودٌ وأنّهُ يُكافئُ الذينَ يَطلُبونَه.

7 بالإيمانِ اَتّعَظَ نُوحٌ فبَنى فُلْكًا لِخلاصِ أهلِ بَيتِهِ عِندَما أنذَرَهُ اللهُ بِما سيَحدُثُ مِنْ أُمورٍ لا يَراها. وهكذا حكَمَ على العالَمِ وورِثَ البِرّ ثَمَرَةً للإيمانِ.

8 بالإيمانِ لبّـى إبراهيمُ دَعوَةَ اللهِ فخَرَجَ إلى بلَدٍ وعَدَهُ اللهُ بِه ميراثًا، خرَجَ وهوَ لا يَعرِفُ إلى أينَ يَذهَبُ. 9 وبالإيمانِ نَزَلَ في أرضِ الميعادِ كأنّهُ في أرضٍ غريبَةٍ، وأقامَ في الخِيامِ معَ إسحقَ ويَعقوبَ شَريكَيهِ في الوَعدِ ذاتِهِ، 10 لأنّهُ كانَ ينتَظِرُ المدينةَ الثّابِتَةَ على أُسُسٍ واللهُ مُهَندِسُها وبانيها.

11 بالإيمانِ نالَتْ سارَةُ نَفسُها القُدرَةَ على أنْ تَحبَلَ معَ أنّها عاقِرٌ جاوَزَتِ السّنّ، لأنّها اَعتَبَرَت أنّ الذي وعَدَ أمينٌ، 12 فولَدَتْ مِنْ رَجُلٍ واحدٍ قارَبَ المَوتَ نَسلاً كثيرًا مِثلَ نُجومِ السّماءِ ولا حَصرَ لَه كالرّمالِ التي على شاطِـئِ البحرِ.

13 وفي الإيمانِ ماتَ هَؤُلاءِ كُلّهُم دونَ أن يَنالوا ما وعَدَ اللهُ بِه، ولكنّهُم رَأَوهُ وحَيّوهُ عَنْ بُعدٍ. واعتَرَفوا بأنّهُم غُرَباءُ نُزَلاءُ في الأرضِ، 14 والذينَ يَقولونَ هذا القَولَ يُبَرهِنونَ أنّهُم يَطلُبونَ وطَنًا. 15 ولَو كانوا ذكَروا الوَطنَ الذي خَرَجوا مِنهُ، لكانَ لهُم فُرصَةٌ لِلعَودَةِ إلَيهِ. 16 ولكنّهُم كانوا يَشتاقونَ إلى وطَنٍ أفضَلَ مِنهُ، أي إلى الوَطَنِ السّماوِيّ. لذلِكَ لا يَستَحي اللهُ أنْ يكونَ إلهَهُم، فهوَ الذي أعَدّ لهُم مدينةً.

17 بالإيمانِ قَدّمَ إبراهيمُ اَبنَهُ الوحيدَ إسحقَ ذَبـيحةً عِندَما اَمتحَنَهُ اللهُ، قدّمَهُ وهوَ الذي أعطاهُ اللهُ الوَعدَ 18 وقالَ لَه: «بإسحقَ يكونُ لَكَ نَسلٌ». 19 واَعتقَدَ إبراهيمُ أنّ اللهَ قادِرٌ أنْ يُقيمَ الأمواتَ. لِذلِكَ عادَ إلَيهِ اَبنُهُ إسحقُ وفي هذا رَمزٌ.

20 بالإيمانِ بارَكَ إسحقُ يَعقوبَ وعيسو لِخَيراتِ المُستَقبَلِ. 21 وبالإيمانِ بارَكَ يَعقوبُ، لمّا حَضَرَهُ المَوتُ، كُلاّ مِن اَبنَي يوسُفَ وسجَدَ للهِ وهوَ مُستَنِدٌ إلى طرَفِ عَصاهُ. 22 وبالإيمانِ ذكَرَ يوسُفُ عِندَ موتِهِ خُروجَ بَني إِسرائيلَ مِنْ مِصْرَ وأوصى أين يَدفنونَ عِظامَه.

23 بالإيمانِ أخفى والِدا موسى اَبنَهُما ثَلاثةَ أشهُرٍ بَعدَ مَولِدِهِ، لأنّهُما رأيا الطّفلَ جَميلاً وما أخافَهُما أمرُ المَلِكِ. 24 بالإيمانِ رفَضَ موسى، بَعدَما كبِرَ، أنْ يُدعى اَبنًا لِبنتِ فِرعَونَ، 25 وفَضّلَ أنْ يُشارِكَ شَعبَ اللهِ في الذّلّ على التّمتّعِ الزائِلِ بِالخَطيئَةِ، 26 واَعتبَرَ عارَ المَسيحِ أغنى مِنْ كُنوزِ مِصْرَ، لأنّهُ تَطلّعَ إلى ما سيَنالُهُ مِنْ ثَوابٍ.

27 بِالإيمانِ ترَكَ موسى مِصْرَ دونَ أنْ يَخافَ مِنْ غَضَبِ المَلِكِ، وثَـبَتَ على عَزمِهِ كأنّهُ يَرى ما لا تَراهُ عَينٌ. 28 بِالإيمانِ أقامَ الفِصحَ ورَشّ الدّمَ، لِئَلاّ يَمَسّ مَلاكُ المَوتِ أيّ بِكرٍ لِبَني إِسرائيلَ.

29 بالإيمانِ عبَرَ بَنو إِسرائيلَ البحرَ الأحمَرَ كأنّهُ بَرّ، ولمّا حاوَلَ المِصْرِيّونَ عُبورَهُ غَرِقوا.

30 بِالإيمانِ سَقَطَت أسوارُ أريحا بَعدَما طافَ بِها بَنو إِسرائيلَ سَبعَةَ أيّامٍ. 31 بِالإيمانِ نَجَتْ راحابُ البَغِـيّ مِنَ الهَلاكِ معَ العُصاةِ، لأنّها رَحّبَت بِالجاسوسَينِ.

32 وماذا أقولُ بَعدُ؟ الوَقتُ يَضيقُ بـي إذا أخبَرتُ عنْ جِدعَونَ وباراقَ وشَمشونَ ويَفتاحَ وداودَ وصَموئيلَ والأنبـياءِ. 33 فهُم بِالإيمانِ أخضَعوا المَمالِكَ وأقاموا العَدلَ ونالوا ما وعَدَ بِه اللهُ وسَدّوا أفواهَ الأُسودِ 34 وأخمَدوا لَهيبَ النيرانِ ونَجَوا مِنْ حَدّ السّيفِ وتغَلّبوا على الضّعفِ وصاروا أبطالاً في الحَربِ وهزَموا جُيوشَ الغُرَباءِ، 35 واَستَعادَ نِساءٌ أمواتَهُنّ بالقِـيامَةِ. واَحتمَلَ بَعضُهُمُ التّعذيبَ ورَفَضوا النّجاةَ في سَبـيلِ القيامَةِ إلى حَياةٍ أفضَلَ، 36 وقاسى آخَرونَ الهُزءَ والجَلْدَ، بَلِ القُيودَ والسّجنَ. 37 ورُجِموا ونُشِروا وقُتِلوا بِحَدّ السّيفِ وتَشَرّدوا لابِسينَ جُلودَ الغَنَمِ والماعِزِ مَحرومينَ مَقهورينَ مَظلومينَ، 38 لا يَستَحِقّهُمُ العالَمُ، فتاهوا في البَراري والجِبالِ والمَغاوِرِ وكُهوفِ الأرضِ.

39 وما حصَلَ هَؤُلاءِ على الوَعدِ معَ أنّهُ مَشهودٌ لهُم بِالإيمانِ، 40 لأنّ اللهَ أعَدّ لنا مَصيرًا أفضَلَ مِنْ مَصيرِهِم وشاءَ أنْ لا يَصيروا كامِلينَ إلاّ مَعَنا.

Faith

1 To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see. 2 It was by their faith that people of ancient times won God's approval.

3 It is by faith that we understand that the universe was created by God's word, so that what can be seen was made out of what cannot be seen.

4 It was faith that made Abel offer to God a better sacrifice than Cain's. Through his faith he won God's approval as a righteous man, because God himself approved of his gifts. By means of his faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.

5 It was faith that kept Enoch from dying. Instead, he was taken up to God, and nobody could find him, because God had taken him up. The scripture says that before Enoch was taken up, he had pleased God. 6 No one can please God without faith, for whoever comes to God must have faith that God exists and rewards those who seek him.

7 It was faith that made Noah hear God's warnings about things in the future that he could not see. He obeyed God and built a boat in which he and his family were saved. As a result, the world was condemned, and Noah received from God the righteousness that comes by faith.

8 It was faith that made Abraham obey when God called him to go out to a country which God had promised to give him. He left his own country without knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he lived as a foreigner in the country that God had promised him. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who received the same promise from God. 10 For Abraham was waiting for the city which God has designed and built, the city with permanent foundations.

11 It was faith that made Abraham able to become a father, even though he was too old and Sarah herself could not have children. He trusted God to keep his promise. 12 Though Abraham was practically dead, from this one man came as many descendants as there are stars in the sky, as many as the numberless grains of sand on the seashore.

13 It was in faith that all these persons died. They did not receive the things God had promised, but from a long way off they saw them and welcomed them, and admitted openly that they were foreigners and refugees on earth. 14 Those who say such things make it clear that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 They did not keep thinking about the country they had left; if they had, they would have had the chance to return. 16 Instead, it was a better country they longed for, the heavenly country. And so God is not ashamed for them to call him their God, because he has prepared a city for them.

17 It was faith that made Abraham offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice when God put Abraham to the test. Abraham was the one to whom God had made the promise, yet he was ready to offer his only son as a sacrifice. 18 God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that you will have the descendants I promised.” 19 Abraham reckoned that God was able to raise Isaac from death—and, so to speak, Abraham did receive Isaac back from death.

20 It was faith that made Isaac promise blessings for the future to Jacob and Esau.

21 It was faith that made Jacob bless each of the sons of Joseph just before he died. He leaned on the top of his walking stick and worshiped God.

22 It was faith that made Joseph, when he was about to die, speak of the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, and leave instructions about what should be done with his body.

23 It was faith that made the parents of Moses hide him for three months after he was born. They saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king's order.

24 It was faith that made Moses, when he had grown up, refuse to be called the son of the king's daughter. 25 He preferred to suffer with God's people rather than to enjoy sin for a little while. 26 He reckoned that to suffer scorn for the Messiah was worth far more than all the treasures of Egypt, for he kept his eyes on the future reward.

27 It was faith that made Moses leave Egypt without being afraid of the king's anger. As though he saw the invisible God, he refused to turn back. 28 It was faith that made him establish the Passover and order the blood to be sprinkled on the doors, so that the Angel of Death would not kill the first-born sons of the Israelites.

29 It was faith that made the Israelites able to cross the Red Sea as if on dry land; when the Egyptians tried to do it, the water swallowed them up.

30 It was faith that made the walls of Jericho fall down after the Israelites had marched around them for seven days. 31 It was faith that kept the prostitute Rahab from being killed with those who disobeyed God, for she gave the Israelite spies a friendly welcome.

32 Should I go on? There isn't enough time for me to speak of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. 33 Through faith they fought whole countries and won. They did what was right and received what God had promised. They shut the mouths of lions, 34 put out fierce fires, escaped being killed by the sword. They were weak, but became strong; they were mighty in battle and defeated the armies of foreigners. 35 Through faith women received their dead relatives raised back to life.

Others, refusing to accept freedom, died under torture in order to be raised to a better life. 36 Some were mocked and whipped, and others were put in chains and taken off to prison. 37 They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were killed by the sword. They went around clothed in skins of sheep or goats—poor, persecuted, and mistreated. 38 The world was not good enough for them! They wandered like refugees in the deserts and hills, living in caves and holes in the ground.

39 What a record all of these have won by their faith! Yet they did not receive what God had promised, 40 because God had decided on an even better plan for us. His purpose was that only in company with us would they be made perfect.