God's Gifts

Grace

A minute in God’s Word will change your life. Take a moment to read the text below and then answer the questions at the bottom of the post.

But because God was so gracious, so very generous, here I am. And I’m not about to let his grace go to waste. Haven’t I worked hard trying to do more than any of the others? Even then, my work didn’t amount to all that much. It was God giving me the work to do, God giving me the energy to do it. 1 Corinthians 15:10 (MSG)

What are some of God’s character traits described in this text?
What did Paul do with what he was given?
What will you do with the gifts you are given? What will you do with this extravagant grace?
No matter how hard you work, who does everything depend on?

In My Little Space

Each one repaired the section immediately across from his own house. Nehemiah 3:28 (NLT)

Our world is a messy place. All you have to do is read or listen to the news and you can see that sin is rampant. There are so many hurting people. There is so much that is broken. Paying attention to all that is wrong can be extremely overwhelming.

I am tempted sometimes to give up. There is too much to do. Too much pain and there is no way I can make a difference. How could I possibly help?

But this is Satan’s lie. As with Nehemiah, if we each would rebuild in our area, we’d make a huge impact on the war against evil. My neighborhood looks different than your neighborhood. The people I see every day are not the people you see. That’s the wonderful thing about sharing the Gospel and growing God’s kingdom.

If each of us would make an effort where we are in our little space, more and more people would be reached. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we will encounter people who need the gifts we have to offer. Not our spouse’s gifts, not our coworker’s gifts, not a fellow Christian’s gifts but our gifts. The perfect gift in the perfect place at the perfect time.

That’s what God does. He asks us to work right where we are and then he sends the people that need to be loved.

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!
2 Corinthians 9:15 (ESV)

Happy Birthday Jesus
I'm so glad it's Christmas
All the tinsel and lights
And the presents are nice
But the real gift is you!

Happy Birthday Jesus
I'm so glad it's Christmas
All the carols and bells
Make the holiday swell
And it's all about you!

Happy Birthday Jesus
Jesus I love you
Happy Birthday Jesus
Jesus I love you
Written By Carol Cymbala

Merry Christmas Everyone!

No Regrets

So she did as she was told.  2 Kings 4:5 (NLT)

The widow in our story today was in a desperate situation. Her husband died and left her with a lot of debt and no inheritance. Back in those days, if you couldn’t pay a debt your family would be taken as a servant to work off what was owed. In this case, it would be her two sons that were taken. Possibly, this was the only family she had left.

She went to Elijah and told him of her predicament. He told her to gather as many empty jars as she could. I wonder if any sarcastic thoughts were running through her head. Excuse me? What am I going to do with jars? How are jars going to help me? Empty jars are empty!

But the Bible says “She did as she was told.” Her sons gathered as many jars as they could and God worked a miracle to save her family. She sold all the olive oil, paid off the debts and had enough to live on.

What would have happened if she’d thought “This is crazy! What are jars going to do? And what will it look like if we are running around town asking everyone for spare jars? What will they say about me? It’s going to look like I don’t know what I’m doing.” Or maybe she could have gathered a couple of jars, not put a lot of effort into it. She could have rationalized that she was still doing what the prophet said.

In either case, whether she didn’t do it at all or if she did it half-way, she would have lost her sons. She would have lost the good gift God wanted to give to her.

How often do we do this? We may not be in as desperate a situation as the widow was, but God still wants to give us good gifts. When he asks us to do our part and we don’t because we don’t want to look silly or it’s just not logical or we do it half-way, we miss out on the good gifts he wants to share. What would happen in our lives if we listened to what God was telling us and followed, no matter what it looked like? I bet, just like the widow, we’d experience the good gifts of a loving Father.

I bet the widow never, for one second, regretted collecting all the jars in her village. I would also bet that if we “Did as we were told”, we wouldn’t’ regret it either.

A Minute In It - Helping Differently

A minute in Gods' word will change your life.  Read through the Bible text and answer the questions at the bottom of the post.

Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. 2 As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money.

4 Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. 6 But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene,[a] get up and[b] walk!”

7 Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. 8 He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them.

9 All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. 10 When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded! 11 They all rushed out in amazement to Solomon’s Colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John.  Acts 3:1-11 (NLT)

When you think of helping someone, do you always think of monetary help? How could you help someone without giving them money? What else do you have that you could share?

From the lame man's perspective, was what he received better? What was his response to God showing up in his life? Do you think God still shows up in such miraculous ways? Do you think he could? Do you trust that he will?

What Do You Want For Christmas?

What do you want me to do for you? Luke 18:41 (NLT)

What would you respond if Jesus asked you this question?  What do you want?

To me, this is a hard question to answer. I want a lot of things.  Even if you take out the material things, the healing for other people I know, the desire for my loved ones to be whole or to have the pain taken away or to have them know Jesus, even if you take out all of those things, I still get stuck.

Just say I focus only on me.  What do I personally want from Jesus? Even there the list is long. There are so many things......I guess then I wonder what really matters?

And then, another question. If I don't know what I want from Jesus, how will I ever know if I got it?

Maybe, we don't have to break it down to one answer. Maybe, it's about just wanting Jesus, the whole package and all that that brings to my life. The fullness and completeness of a relationship with him that looks different every day and accomplishes so much throughout a lifetime. Maybe it's about starting with the wonderment of a stable through the glory of a second coming and not trying to put it all in one box - one size fits all. One size doesn't fit all....and Jesus knows that.

So for now, for today, that is my answer.  I want Jesus. All of him and every wonderful, difficult, challenging, amazing, joyful, messy scenario that comes with loving him.

Appreciating What We Take For Granted

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT)

Maybe another way of being thankful is to not take something for granted. I can sit and think of things I am thankful for but if I think of things I take for granted, an entirely new list of things pops into my head...especially lately.

Here is a list of things I may take for granted and I shouldn't.  As I reflected on these things, I realized I am also extremely grateful for them.

Breathing
That my digestive system works
My Memory
My husband
That I have a job
That I can pay the bills
Changing Seasons (which means the Earth is spinning as it should)
A place to go when I am overwhelmed, Jesus
The Love of Family and Friends
The Ability To Give Thanks

What about you?  What do you take for granted that is a gift from God?

Happy Thanksgiving! May God pour out his Spirit on our hearts, our homes and our World.