Like most people, I listen to music on my way to work. The type of music I listen to usually depends on my mood or what I feel like I need to hear before I step into the office. If I need to mellow out, I’ll listen to some light jazz or some old R&B. If I need to get amped, I’ll listen to some Hip-Hop (usually old school or Holy Hip Hop). If I’m facing struggles I listen to inspirational/gospel music. It really depends. I usually look for meaning and messages in the music.
This morning while I was flipping through the stations, I stumbled upon a traditional gospel song called “Do It”. No…the song was not about God telling Adam and Eve to be fruitful and to multiply. J I really wasn’t in the “mood” for this particular style of music this morning so I listened for about 3 seconds and turned it to another station where some Otis Redding was playing. Something in me said…turn it back to “Do It” so I did. The song retold of some of the Miracles that Jesus performed in the Bible. It told of Jesus healing the sick, giving the mute people the ability to talk, giving those that were blind sight etc. The chorus simply said “Whatever you need to do Lord do it…Like you did it way back then, I need you to do it again…Whatever you need to do Lord, Do it”.
As I was listening to this song the words hit me in a special way. God is still doing these miracles today to those who have put their trust in Him.
*I once was blind and lived my life only for "My" benefit. I couldn’t see the things of God or the potential death traps, dead ends or destruction that were ahead of me on the road that I was on in life, but God opened my eyes and now I can see my life through His eyes.
*I once was mute and could not speak of the goodness of God and His power to love unconditionally, to bless with “reckless abandon” and to deliver me from sin and from my self destructive ways.
*I once was lame and could not walk on the path of righteousness. I was not strong enough to walk God’s path for me. Now I walk though the power of God and I stand on God principles and Love as my firm foundation
*I once was sick in my spirit and I tried many of the “world’s” remedies to ease the pain that I felt in my soul, but once I turned my “illness” over to God He made me whole.
*I once was Dead to God and His will. After I put my trust in Him, I became alive and I now live with the intent to live a life that is pleasing to God and that fulfills His plan for me.
In a world filled with challenges and struggles many people find it hard to see God working in the lives of people. Some people don’t believe in miracles or think that they only occurred in “Bible Times”. I’m convinced that I am one of the many “walking miracles” that exists today. I bear witness to the fact that God is still in the “miracle business” because only He could have produced such a change in my life.
What is your story? Are you a walking miracle? Why not share the hope that is found in your “miracle story” with someone today? You may hold the key that unlocks the door to someone’s eternal destiny. Your story is unique to you and only you can tell it the way that it needs to be told and the way the people in your sphere of influence need to hear it.
Share your miracle…and watch a miracle happen.
Be Blessed,
B
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Can you Hear Me Now???
This weekend my wife and I attended a marriage conference entitled a “Weekend to Remember”. During most of the sessions, we were in the main conference room together, however during the last day; they separated the men from the women. There were probably about 750 couples in attendance and the hallway between where the men and the women were meeting was quite narrow. That being said, you can probably imagine the anxiety that I felt when the men were dismissed and we were told to find our wives. There were wall to wall people and just turning around was a task. It was very difficult to see around people. I tried to call her on the cell as I gazed through the crowd….but nothing…I thought to myself, if I could only hear her voice, calling my name. I know that I would be able to locate her through the crowd.
We have all had a similar experience. Whether it has been at a party, at an amusement park, at an arena etc…. no matter what the size of the crowd, we can pick out the voice of our loved ones if they are in “range”. Among the thousands of other voices that flood the surround background, the voice of our loved one is distinct to us. It triggers something within us that commands our attention. As long as I’m within the range of the reach of my loved ones’ voice, I will hear them calling.
God is calling out to us today. God loves us and we who are His children recognize His voice. The questions are:
*Are you within the range of His voice or are you “far removed” from the range of His voice?
*Are you too focused on the other voices in the room that you have no interest in responding to the call of the one who loves you?
*Do you hear Him calling you but are you choosing to ignore His voice?
*Are you afraid to heed to His call because you are ashamed to acknowledge that you know Him for fear of being rejected by your “friends” or family?
*Are you too busy to want to know what He wants or what he is trying to say to you?
No matter where we “hide” we can never hide from God and His voice. God will get His message to you. The choice is yours as to how the message is delivered and received. God can speak through the storms and God can whisper through a stillest of winds. Believe me…He knows how you get your attention.
If you are familiar with cell phones you know that cell phones have a meter on them that determines their signal strength. The closer you are to a tower and the fewer the obstructions that are between you and the tower, the stronger your signal strength. The same is true of our ability to communicate with God. God is like the cell phone tower. The farther we are from Him and the more we allow sin, situations and self to get between Him and us the poorer our reception will become and the weaker our signal strength will be.
God is on the phone right now. He has dialed the # to your heart….Today He is saying…
”Can you Hear Me Now????” What will be your reply?
Be Blessed,
B
We have all had a similar experience. Whether it has been at a party, at an amusement park, at an arena etc…. no matter what the size of the crowd, we can pick out the voice of our loved ones if they are in “range”. Among the thousands of other voices that flood the surround background, the voice of our loved one is distinct to us. It triggers something within us that commands our attention. As long as I’m within the range of the reach of my loved ones’ voice, I will hear them calling.
God is calling out to us today. God loves us and we who are His children recognize His voice. The questions are:
*Are you within the range of His voice or are you “far removed” from the range of His voice?
*Are you too focused on the other voices in the room that you have no interest in responding to the call of the one who loves you?
*Do you hear Him calling you but are you choosing to ignore His voice?
*Are you afraid to heed to His call because you are ashamed to acknowledge that you know Him for fear of being rejected by your “friends” or family?
*Are you too busy to want to know what He wants or what he is trying to say to you?
No matter where we “hide” we can never hide from God and His voice. God will get His message to you. The choice is yours as to how the message is delivered and received. God can speak through the storms and God can whisper through a stillest of winds. Believe me…He knows how you get your attention.
If you are familiar with cell phones you know that cell phones have a meter on them that determines their signal strength. The closer you are to a tower and the fewer the obstructions that are between you and the tower, the stronger your signal strength. The same is true of our ability to communicate with God. God is like the cell phone tower. The farther we are from Him and the more we allow sin, situations and self to get between Him and us the poorer our reception will become and the weaker our signal strength will be.
God is on the phone right now. He has dialed the # to your heart….Today He is saying…
”Can you Hear Me Now????” What will be your reply?
Be Blessed,
B
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Just Across the Room
Have you ever had the privilege of having someone come across your path whom you are prompted to help in a significant way, even though you may never see or hear from that person again? This happen to me with a gentleman named Mr. Charles that I met over a year ago. I met Mr. Charles as I was preparing to get ready to go to work. An unexpected knock on my door changed both his life and my life forever.
Mr. Charles was an African immigrant who came to America to make a better life for his family. His good intentions were met with evil opposition as the family that he came to live with, held him captive, abused him and refused to allow him to work other than to watch their kids and to cook and clean their home. One day he managed to escape and he reached out for help as he knocked on my door. I listened to his story and was almost brought to tears. I felt that I had to do everything in my power to help him and that is what I did (with the assistance of my neighbor…shout out to Mr. Green) for the rest of the day and well into the evening.
That day, I took Mr. Charles to get something to eat….we went to 2 police stations…we called several agencies and we reached out to a local Catholic Church (Mr. Charles had begged to go to a Catholic church as that was his denomination at home). We were turned away and rejected everywhere we went…until I took him to my home church. There my Pastor took time out of his busy day to sit and to talk with Mr. Charles and to make provisions for Mr. Charles going forward. I also had the privilege of leading Mr. Charles to Christ. As he invited God into his life to be his Lord, his entire appearance changed. His face lit up and he smiled as bright as the sun that was in the sky that summer day.
Mr. Charles’ plan was to go back to his homeland. Until then I would see him in the neighborhood off and on until I stopped seeing him at all. I often wondered what happened to him. I wished for the best, but I was not certain that he was alive and well.
That was until about 2 weeks ago. I received a phone call out of the blue one evening and it was Mr. Charles. He was calling me from back home in Africa. He said that he was so grateful that I took time out to allow myself to be used by God to help him. He expressed his eternal gratitude and said that he had been looking for my number for some time because he wanted to say thanks and to let me know that he was alright.
My heart was overwhelmed with joy as I spoke with him. It was amazing to me that just doing what was right and what I was led by God to do, made such an impact on someone else’s life.
I was reminded of this story last week at Bible Study. We are going through a series entitled “Just Walk Across the Room”. The focus of the study is evangelism. Some of the keys to successful evangelism are:
*Being yourself
*Being friendly
*Being available
*Taking a risk to help and to reach others
*Listening to and responding to God’s “prompts”
*Identifying the correct approach
In this case I “walked across the room” to help someone in need and he responded to the call of God. I was the only person at that time who could have done what I did through the power of God to reach Mr. Charles. My life experiences had equipped me to respond to this “interruption” in my life and to see God’s larger plan. My plan was to go to work. God’s plan was that He had work for me to do.
As you reflect on your life, think about those people who “walked across the room” for you. They didn’t consider helping you as an interruption…they considered it an opportunity. Think about where you would be right now if the people who have made the most significant positive impact on you in a personal way, were too “busy” to do so.
A seed of friendship (or an act of kindness) often blossoms and assists others in making life changing decisions to establish genuine relationships with God.
Someone walked across the room for you…Who is waiting on the other side of the room for you?
Be Blessed,
B
Mr. Charles was an African immigrant who came to America to make a better life for his family. His good intentions were met with evil opposition as the family that he came to live with, held him captive, abused him and refused to allow him to work other than to watch their kids and to cook and clean their home. One day he managed to escape and he reached out for help as he knocked on my door. I listened to his story and was almost brought to tears. I felt that I had to do everything in my power to help him and that is what I did (with the assistance of my neighbor…shout out to Mr. Green) for the rest of the day and well into the evening.
That day, I took Mr. Charles to get something to eat….we went to 2 police stations…we called several agencies and we reached out to a local Catholic Church (Mr. Charles had begged to go to a Catholic church as that was his denomination at home). We were turned away and rejected everywhere we went…until I took him to my home church. There my Pastor took time out of his busy day to sit and to talk with Mr. Charles and to make provisions for Mr. Charles going forward. I also had the privilege of leading Mr. Charles to Christ. As he invited God into his life to be his Lord, his entire appearance changed. His face lit up and he smiled as bright as the sun that was in the sky that summer day.
Mr. Charles’ plan was to go back to his homeland. Until then I would see him in the neighborhood off and on until I stopped seeing him at all. I often wondered what happened to him. I wished for the best, but I was not certain that he was alive and well.
That was until about 2 weeks ago. I received a phone call out of the blue one evening and it was Mr. Charles. He was calling me from back home in Africa. He said that he was so grateful that I took time out to allow myself to be used by God to help him. He expressed his eternal gratitude and said that he had been looking for my number for some time because he wanted to say thanks and to let me know that he was alright.
My heart was overwhelmed with joy as I spoke with him. It was amazing to me that just doing what was right and what I was led by God to do, made such an impact on someone else’s life.
I was reminded of this story last week at Bible Study. We are going through a series entitled “Just Walk Across the Room”. The focus of the study is evangelism. Some of the keys to successful evangelism are:
*Being yourself
*Being friendly
*Being available
*Taking a risk to help and to reach others
*Listening to and responding to God’s “prompts”
*Identifying the correct approach
In this case I “walked across the room” to help someone in need and he responded to the call of God. I was the only person at that time who could have done what I did through the power of God to reach Mr. Charles. My life experiences had equipped me to respond to this “interruption” in my life and to see God’s larger plan. My plan was to go to work. God’s plan was that He had work for me to do.
As you reflect on your life, think about those people who “walked across the room” for you. They didn’t consider helping you as an interruption…they considered it an opportunity. Think about where you would be right now if the people who have made the most significant positive impact on you in a personal way, were too “busy” to do so.
A seed of friendship (or an act of kindness) often blossoms and assists others in making life changing decisions to establish genuine relationships with God.
Someone walked across the room for you…Who is waiting on the other side of the room for you?
Be Blessed,
B
Thursday, February 5, 2009
L.I.P.
Stimulus….Bailout…Bankruptcy…War…Recession…Depression…
Foreclosure…Catastrophe…Loss…Unemployment…The Housing Market Collapse
These are just some of the “Buzz” words that I pulled from various headlines just today. It appears that the world is spinning out of control like Taz (the Tasmanian Devil) from the Looney Tunes cartoons. If you listen and believe everything you hear, you could almost compare the current world situation to being on a plane in which the pilot and co-pilot have had heart attacks and the plane is accelerating toward the ground and a deadly crash is imminent.
The pressures and the challenges that we face personally and collectively can seem overwhelming. We can easily get pulled in various directions by the cares of this world and these days…peace of mind seems so hard to find.
People are turning to all sorts of “temporary” fixes to “ease the pain”. Unfortunately some have even looked toward death as their only hope to find peace and to end their quest to find solutions to their problems. In doing so, they think that they will be able to “Rest in Peace”…but…
How can we live in peace???
Philippians 4:6-9 (The Message)
6-7Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
8-9Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.
True peace can only come through a relationship with God. Knowing that God’s power is superior to any problem that we face can give us the confidence and blessed assurance that we need to turn our problems into praise.
The key is to be grounded. Too many people build their lives on weak foundations that are centered on their own strength, intellect and abilities. So when the storms of life (like the one we are currently experiencing) start to rage, they collapse. A person who is grounded through an eternal relationship with God, can withstand whatever comes his/her way for it is not his/her strength that is allowing him/her to stand.
You may be facing what seems like insurmountable challenges in you marriage, in various family relationships, in you career, in your finances, in your community, in your church…etc and you may be searching for peace. I urge you today to evaluate your relationship with God. Many of us have tried it our way and already know where that will lead us. We have sometimes been the architects of the plans that lead to self-demise.
Why not try it God’s way? Why not shift your focus from your problems to God’s solutions. By having God’s perspective or take on your life you can begin to see how the “challenges” you face are just a small piece of the Great Masterpiece that is “You”. When you have His perspective you can have joy through uncertain and desolate times for you know that everything is working together for your ultimate good as you seek to love God more and more each day.
Let today be the day that you find peace through your relationship with God.
May you L.I.P. (Live in Peace)
Be Blessed,
B
Foreclosure…Catastrophe…Loss…Unemployment…The Housing Market Collapse
These are just some of the “Buzz” words that I pulled from various headlines just today. It appears that the world is spinning out of control like Taz (the Tasmanian Devil) from the Looney Tunes cartoons. If you listen and believe everything you hear, you could almost compare the current world situation to being on a plane in which the pilot and co-pilot have had heart attacks and the plane is accelerating toward the ground and a deadly crash is imminent.
The pressures and the challenges that we face personally and collectively can seem overwhelming. We can easily get pulled in various directions by the cares of this world and these days…peace of mind seems so hard to find.
People are turning to all sorts of “temporary” fixes to “ease the pain”. Unfortunately some have even looked toward death as their only hope to find peace and to end their quest to find solutions to their problems. In doing so, they think that they will be able to “Rest in Peace”…but…
How can we live in peace???
Philippians 4:6-9 (The Message)
6-7Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
8-9Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.
True peace can only come through a relationship with God. Knowing that God’s power is superior to any problem that we face can give us the confidence and blessed assurance that we need to turn our problems into praise.
The key is to be grounded. Too many people build their lives on weak foundations that are centered on their own strength, intellect and abilities. So when the storms of life (like the one we are currently experiencing) start to rage, they collapse. A person who is grounded through an eternal relationship with God, can withstand whatever comes his/her way for it is not his/her strength that is allowing him/her to stand.
You may be facing what seems like insurmountable challenges in you marriage, in various family relationships, in you career, in your finances, in your community, in your church…etc and you may be searching for peace. I urge you today to evaluate your relationship with God. Many of us have tried it our way and already know where that will lead us. We have sometimes been the architects of the plans that lead to self-demise.
Why not try it God’s way? Why not shift your focus from your problems to God’s solutions. By having God’s perspective or take on your life you can begin to see how the “challenges” you face are just a small piece of the Great Masterpiece that is “You”. When you have His perspective you can have joy through uncertain and desolate times for you know that everything is working together for your ultimate good as you seek to love God more and more each day.
Let today be the day that you find peace through your relationship with God.
May you L.I.P. (Live in Peace)
Be Blessed,
B
Monday, January 26, 2009
Not Easily Broken
This weekend my wife and I saw the movie, “Not Easily Broken”. Without giving it totally away, the movie tells the story of how various people cope with the challenges of life and the complexities of changing life situations. The story centered around a couple who on paper were perfect; yet life’s changing circumstances forced them to take a deep look inside to realize that they had ignored and neglected the true strength behind their relationship and the bond that they vowed to protect when they committed themselves to one another.
Life is filled with distractions. These distractions come in many forms and have may names. Careers, Friends, Family, Stress, Death, Loss, Success, Health, etc. Anything in your life that takes your focus away from you ultimate purpose or from your relationship with God is a distraction. As with the main characters in the movie, as they drifted away from their “1st Love”, the strength that came with putting God first also diminished in their lives. They began to drift apart and they tried to fill the void left by the absence of the Love of God with other things. They soon found out that the voids in their lives reserved for God to fill could only be filled by Him…nothing else would do.
Instead of relying on one another and on God, they became inward focused and tried to find fulfillment in themselves. God has not called any of us to be “solo artist”. Everyone has a purpose and function within God’s plan and each person is a contributing part to the whole. There is strength in numbers especially when God is in the “counted”.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says:
9-10 It's better to have a partner than go it alone. Share the work, share the wealth. And if one falls down, the other helps, But if there's no one to help, tough! 11 Two in a bed warm each other. Alone, you shiver all night. 12 By yourself you're unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A three-stranded rope isn't easily snapped
This was the basis for the movie and holds a simple truth. We are more apt to fail when we go it totally alone. We increase our chances for success when we partner with others. Furthermore, if we operate with the “three-stranded rope” mentality where we allow God to be the 3rd strand that binds together our partnerships/relationships, we will find that our relationships will be successful and fulfilling and our lives they will become “Not Easily Broken”.
Individually, we can easily find ourselves overcome and overwhelmed with our situations and circumstances. The strength of all of our relationships can and will be tested. It is those relationships that are fused together by God that will empower us to press on and to be victorious.
Take time today to reflect on your relationships. With God, with your spouse, with your children, with your siblings, with your friends, with your extended family, with your neighbors, with your co-workers… Have you gotten off track and forgotten your 1st love? Are those relationships suffering because you have allowed the “distractions” of life to dominate your thoughts, to dictate your actions and to put a strain on your relationships? Take time today to sincerely express your love toward someone who you have been too “distracted” to love. Let him/her know that the bond of love that you share is one that is “Not Easily Broken”.
Be Blessed,
B
Life is filled with distractions. These distractions come in many forms and have may names. Careers, Friends, Family, Stress, Death, Loss, Success, Health, etc. Anything in your life that takes your focus away from you ultimate purpose or from your relationship with God is a distraction. As with the main characters in the movie, as they drifted away from their “1st Love”, the strength that came with putting God first also diminished in their lives. They began to drift apart and they tried to fill the void left by the absence of the Love of God with other things. They soon found out that the voids in their lives reserved for God to fill could only be filled by Him…nothing else would do.
Instead of relying on one another and on God, they became inward focused and tried to find fulfillment in themselves. God has not called any of us to be “solo artist”. Everyone has a purpose and function within God’s plan and each person is a contributing part to the whole. There is strength in numbers especially when God is in the “counted”.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says:
9-10 It's better to have a partner than go it alone. Share the work, share the wealth. And if one falls down, the other helps, But if there's no one to help, tough! 11 Two in a bed warm each other. Alone, you shiver all night. 12 By yourself you're unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A three-stranded rope isn't easily snapped
This was the basis for the movie and holds a simple truth. We are more apt to fail when we go it totally alone. We increase our chances for success when we partner with others. Furthermore, if we operate with the “three-stranded rope” mentality where we allow God to be the 3rd strand that binds together our partnerships/relationships, we will find that our relationships will be successful and fulfilling and our lives they will become “Not Easily Broken”.
Individually, we can easily find ourselves overcome and overwhelmed with our situations and circumstances. The strength of all of our relationships can and will be tested. It is those relationships that are fused together by God that will empower us to press on and to be victorious.
Take time today to reflect on your relationships. With God, with your spouse, with your children, with your siblings, with your friends, with your extended family, with your neighbors, with your co-workers… Have you gotten off track and forgotten your 1st love? Are those relationships suffering because you have allowed the “distractions” of life to dominate your thoughts, to dictate your actions and to put a strain on your relationships? Take time today to sincerely express your love toward someone who you have been too “distracted” to love. Let him/her know that the bond of love that you share is one that is “Not Easily Broken”.
Be Blessed,
B
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Can I Have Some?
As a child I remember my Dad would sometimes intentionally test my character. These tests would come in several forms. One test was the “selfishness test”. This would often occur while I was enjoying my favorite snack, meal or desert. My dad would look at me while I was totally consumed by the pleasure that I was receiving from my treat and he would simply ask…”Can I have some?” Sometimes he would ask after he had finished his share of the same item, but other times he would ask when he didn’t. He wanted to see where my hart was and if I realized that the things that I had the pleasure of enjoying usually were a direct result of the sacrifices that he made. He would go without so that I could have. All that he asked on occasion was “Can I have some?”
On several occasions, after he made the request, he had something greater in store for me than what I was giving up. For instance, if I shared “my “ chips with him, he would surprise me and let me know that he had picked up my favorite drink or cookies from the store and they were in the kitchen just waiting on me. This was great, but it was not always the case or it would not have been a true test of selfishness. If you know you are going to be immediately rewarded whenever you act unselfishly, then you may not have the proper motivation for giving. Being selfless is not about earning future rewards it is about demonstrating love.
…so there I was with the choice.
Do I give up what I have in the hopes that I might get more???? Or do I just act selflessly and share with the one who has sacrificed himself for me. Looking at it through my eyes as an adult…it is a "no brainer", but as a kid this was tough stuff.
In this season of giving, we are also faced with a society that is telling us to cut back because the times are lean. They say…Help yourself because your employer and the market are not concerned with you. Hold and save every penny you can because you may need it tomorrow. I think that this is a time where we can lose track of the BIG PICTURE. People more than ever are in need. This is not the time to hold on to everything, but it is a time to help those in need. God through His love for us has given us so much. He has put us in a position to let His Kingdom come and His will to be done on Earth. He needs us to be His ambassadors of Love. One of the ways that we express His Love is by giving. God’s principle is that as we give we will be blessed.
Prov. 24:11-12 says:
24 The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller. 25 The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.
As we approach the thick of the holiday season, let us be mindful of the world outside the 4 walls in which we live. There are people that are hurting, dying and in dire need of just a portion of our excess. Why not choose to go against the tide and give to those in need this year? Go above and beyond what you have done in the past and truly allow God’s Love to be demonstrated to the World through your giving. Give your time, your talents and you $$$.
Remember, just as my Dad reminded me as a child….God is more concerned with what you keep for yourself, than what you give. The true spirit of giving is about sacrifice, for if you have not sacrificed, you have not even begun to genuinely give.
God is asking…”Can I have some?” The choice is now yours.
Be Blessed,
B
On several occasions, after he made the request, he had something greater in store for me than what I was giving up. For instance, if I shared “my “ chips with him, he would surprise me and let me know that he had picked up my favorite drink or cookies from the store and they were in the kitchen just waiting on me. This was great, but it was not always the case or it would not have been a true test of selfishness. If you know you are going to be immediately rewarded whenever you act unselfishly, then you may not have the proper motivation for giving. Being selfless is not about earning future rewards it is about demonstrating love.
…so there I was with the choice.
Do I give up what I have in the hopes that I might get more???? Or do I just act selflessly and share with the one who has sacrificed himself for me. Looking at it through my eyes as an adult…it is a "no brainer", but as a kid this was tough stuff.
In this season of giving, we are also faced with a society that is telling us to cut back because the times are lean. They say…Help yourself because your employer and the market are not concerned with you. Hold and save every penny you can because you may need it tomorrow. I think that this is a time where we can lose track of the BIG PICTURE. People more than ever are in need. This is not the time to hold on to everything, but it is a time to help those in need. God through His love for us has given us so much. He has put us in a position to let His Kingdom come and His will to be done on Earth. He needs us to be His ambassadors of Love. One of the ways that we express His Love is by giving. God’s principle is that as we give we will be blessed.
Prov. 24:11-12 says:
24 The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller. 25 The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.
As we approach the thick of the holiday season, let us be mindful of the world outside the 4 walls in which we live. There are people that are hurting, dying and in dire need of just a portion of our excess. Why not choose to go against the tide and give to those in need this year? Go above and beyond what you have done in the past and truly allow God’s Love to be demonstrated to the World through your giving. Give your time, your talents and you $$$.
Remember, just as my Dad reminded me as a child….God is more concerned with what you keep for yourself, than what you give. The true spirit of giving is about sacrifice, for if you have not sacrificed, you have not even begun to genuinely give.
God is asking…”Can I have some?” The choice is now yours.
Be Blessed,
B
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Give them what you "Got"
Fall is in full force and winter is right around the corner. This is the time of year that is famous for the flu, colds, stomach virus, pink eye etc... Those of you with kids know this season oh too well. The kids bring all kinds of germs home to “spread the love” all around the house to the rest of the family. In my house we take extra precautions to try to make sure that when someone is sick they and they alone are remain sick (until the illness has pass). To accomplish this we make the “infected person” wear a hospital mask and we quarantine him/her. The contagious person is confined to his/her bedroom and their bathroom. Once remarkable signs of wellness are displayed, we then allow the person back into the common areas of the house.
You may think this is cruel, but hey…it works for us.
Being contagious carries with it a stigma. If you don’t think so, the next time you are in a crowd place say the words “I’m contagious” in a voice that is slightly louder than your regular speaking voice and just watch people’s reactions. I’m sure they will frown, shy away from you or totally remove themselves from your presence.
As Children of God, we are called to be contagious. We should have a burning desire to spread the “affectious” (Jesse Jackson word of the day) nature of God around. We are called to “infect” those in our circle of influence. We should give them what we “got”. We are carriers of God’s Love, His Peace, His Strength, His Power, His Wisdom…etc. and it is only through us that His Kingdom can be brought forth and His “Good News” delivered.
Love is one of the most contagious “infections” that we carry. God loves His Son (Jesus), Jesus loves us (He died for us) and we are called to love one another. Jesus said:
"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love… 17This is my command: Love each other”. John 15:9, 17
Most people in the world will not hear the gospel if it is not delivered with love from a person that has demonstrated love toward them. Just think…if you are ministering to the hungry and you are offering them the “Bread of Life” but not meeting their physical need 1st, it will be hard for them to hear the “good news” over the roaring growl of their stomachs. True Love is the only way to have an impact on the lives of others. We must act in love at the direction of the Spirit of God.
What spiritual infection are you carrying? Are you keeping yourself quarantined? Are you keeping it to yourself? Why not make today the day that you “infect” those around you and boldly show that you are contagious? Make today the day that you “Spread the Love”.
Be Blessed,
B
You may think this is cruel, but hey…it works for us.
Being contagious carries with it a stigma. If you don’t think so, the next time you are in a crowd place say the words “I’m contagious” in a voice that is slightly louder than your regular speaking voice and just watch people’s reactions. I’m sure they will frown, shy away from you or totally remove themselves from your presence.
As Children of God, we are called to be contagious. We should have a burning desire to spread the “affectious” (Jesse Jackson word of the day) nature of God around. We are called to “infect” those in our circle of influence. We should give them what we “got”. We are carriers of God’s Love, His Peace, His Strength, His Power, His Wisdom…etc. and it is only through us that His Kingdom can be brought forth and His “Good News” delivered.
Love is one of the most contagious “infections” that we carry. God loves His Son (Jesus), Jesus loves us (He died for us) and we are called to love one another. Jesus said:
"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love… 17This is my command: Love each other”. John 15:9, 17
Most people in the world will not hear the gospel if it is not delivered with love from a person that has demonstrated love toward them. Just think…if you are ministering to the hungry and you are offering them the “Bread of Life” but not meeting their physical need 1st, it will be hard for them to hear the “good news” over the roaring growl of their stomachs. True Love is the only way to have an impact on the lives of others. We must act in love at the direction of the Spirit of God.
What spiritual infection are you carrying? Are you keeping yourself quarantined? Are you keeping it to yourself? Why not make today the day that you “infect” those around you and boldly show that you are contagious? Make today the day that you “Spread the Love”.
Be Blessed,
B
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
