MULTIPLIED GENEROSITY
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Posted:Nov 13, 2017 5:19 am
Last Updated:May 17, 2024 4:7 am 20045 Views
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Multiplied Generosity
Read: 2 Corinthians 8:1–9
Bible in a Year: Lamentations 1–2; Hebrews 10:1–18
See that you also excel in this grace of giving. 2 Corinthians 8.7
Cheryl was in for a surprise as she pulled up to deliver her next pizza. Expecting to arrive at a home, she instead found herself outside a church. Cheryl confusedly carried the pepperoni pizza inside, where she was met by the pastor.
“Is it fair to say life hasn’t been easy for you?” the pastor asked her. Cheryl agreed it hadn’t. With that, he brought out two offering plates that church members had filled with money. The pastor then poured over $750 into Cheryl’s delivery bag as a tip! Unbeknownst to Cheryl, the pastor had asked the pizza shop to send their most financially strapped driver over. Cheryl was stunned. She could now pay some bills.
See that you also excel in this grace of giving. 2 Corinthians 8.7
When the first Christians in Jerusalem faced poverty, it was a church that rushed to their aid. Though in need themselves, the Macedonian Christians gave sacrificially, considering it a privilege to do so (2 Cor. 8:1–4). Paul cited their generosity as an example for the Corinthians, and us, to follow. When we use our plenty to supply another’s need, we reflect Jesus, who gave away His riches to meet our own spiritual poverty (v. 9).
Cheryl told all her customers about the church’s kindness that day, and, following its example, donated the rest of the day’s tips to others in need. An act of generosity multiplied. And Christ was glorified.
Lord, You meet our needs in surprising ways sometimes. Use us to do that for others as well.
Our generosity meets needs and glorifies Jesus.
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THE HAND OF COMFORT
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Posted:Nov 10, 2017 1:52 am
Last Updated:May 17, 2024 4:7 am 20144 Views
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Read: 2 Corinthians 1:3–7
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 48–49; Hebrews 7
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, . . . who comforts us in all our troubles. 2 Corinthians 1:3–4
“Patient is combative,” the nurse’s notes read.
What she didn’t realize until later was that I was having an allergic reaction as I awakened after a complicated open-heart surgery. I was a mess, with a tube down my throat. My body began shaking violently, straining against the straps on my arms, which were there to keep me from suddenly pulling out my breathing tube. It was a frightening and painful episode. At one point, a nurse’s assistant to the right side of my bed reached down and simply held my hand. It was an unexpected move, and it struck me as especially gentle. I began to relax, which caused my body to stop shaking so badly.
Thank You, Father, for the comfort You provide to us.
Having experienced this with other patients, the nurse’s assistant knew that a hand of comfort could minister to me as well. It was a vivid example of how God uses comfort when His suffer.
Comfort is a powerful and memorable tool for any caregiver, and Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 1:3–4 it’s an important part of God’s toolbox. Not only that, but God also multiplies the impact of His comfort by calling us to use the memory of the comfort He gives us to comfort others in similar situations (vv. 4–7). It is but another sign of His great love; and one we can share with others—sometimes in the simplest of gestures.
Thank You, Father, for the comfort You provide to us, either directly or through the acts of Your . Help us to see where we can apply that same comfort to others in and for Your name.
Simple gestures can bring powerful comfort.
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A GOOD ENDING
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Posted:Nov 9, 2017 2:52 am
Last Updated:Nov 21, 2017 2:33 am 20172 Views
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Read: Revelation 22:1–5
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 46–47; Hebrews 6
The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face. Revelation 22:3–4
As the lights dimmed and we prepared to watch Apollo 13, my friend said under his breath, “Shame they all died.” I watched the movie about the 1970 spaceflight with apprehension, waiting for tragedy to strike, and only near the closing credits did I realize I’d been duped. I hadn’t known or remembered the end of the true story—that although the astronauts faced many hardships, they made it home alive.
In Christ, we can know the end of the story—that we too will make it home alive. By that I mean we will live forever with our heavenly Father, as we see in the book of Revelation. The Lord will create a “new heaven and a new earth” as He makes all things new (21:1, 5). In the new city, the Lord God will welcome His people to live with Him, without fear and without the night. We have hope in knowing the end of the story.
God promises His people a good end to the story.
What difference does this make? It can transform times of extreme difficulty, such as when people face the loss of a loved one or even their own death. Though we recoil at the thought of dying, yet we can embrace the joy of the promise of eternity. We long for the city where no longer will there be any curse, where we’ll live forever by God’s light (22:5).
Lord Jesus Christ, give me unfailing hope, that I might rest in Your promises and welcome Your life eternal.
God promises His people a good end to the story.
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THINK BEFORE YOU TALK
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Posted:Nov 8, 2017 5:17 am
Last Updated:Nov 9, 2017 2:52 am 20366 Views
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Read: Psalm 141
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 43–45; Hebrews 5
Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. Psalm 141:3
Cheung was upset with his wife for failing to check the directions to the famous restaurant where they hoped to dine. The family had planned to round out their holiday in Japan with a scrumptious meal before catching the flight home. Now they were running late and would have to miss that meal. Frustrated, Cheung criticized his wife for her poor planning.
Later Cheung regretted his words. He had been too harsh, plus he realized that he could have checked the directions himself and he had failed to thank his wife for the other seven days of great planning.
Jesus, give us the words to say and the wisdom to know when to keep silent.
Many of us may identify with Cheung. We are tempted to blow up when angry and to let words fly without control. Oh, how we need to pray as the psalmist did: “Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips” (Ps. 141:3).
But how can we do that? Here’s a helpful tip: Think before you speak. Are your words good and helpful, gracious and kind? (See Eph. 4:29–32.)
Setting a guard over our mouth requires that we keep our mouth shut when we’re irritated and that we seek the Lord’s help to say the right words with the right tone or, perhaps, not speak at all. When it comes to controlling our speech, it’s a lifelong work. Thankfully, God is working in us, giving us “the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Phil. 2:13 ).
Dear Lord, help us always to think before speaking. Give us the words to say and the wisdom to know when to keep silent.
Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Proverbs 16:24
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SECOND CHANCES
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Posted:Nov 7, 2017 3:40 am
Last Updated:May 17, 2024 4:7 am 20698 Views
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Read: Ruth 4:13–17
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 40–42; Hebrews 4
He has not stopped showing his kindness. Ruth 2:20
“How can you be so kind if you don’t even know me!”
By making some wrong decisions, Linda had ended up in jail in a country not her own. For six years she remained in prison, and when she was set free she didn’t have anywhere to go. She thought her life was over! While her family gathered money to buy her ticket home, a kind couple offered her lodging, food, and a helping hand. Linda was so touched by their kindness that she willingly listened as they told her the good news of a God who loves her and wants to give her a second chance.
Dear Lord, thank You that You let us begin again and again.
Linda reminds me of Naomi, a widow in the Bible who lost her husband and two sons in a foreign land and thought her life was over (Ruth 1). However, the Lord hadn’t forgotten Naomi, and through the love of her -in-law and the compassion of a godly man named Boaz, Naomi saw God’s love and was given a second chance (4:13–17).
The same God cares for us today. Through the love of others we can be reminded of His presence. We can see God’s grace in the helping hand of people we may not even know well. But above all, God is willing to give us a fresh start. We just need, like Linda and Naomi, to see God’s hand in our everyday lives and realize He never stops showing us His kindness.
Dear Lord, thank You that You let us begin again and again.
God gives us second chances.
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OUR PRAYERS, GOD TIMING
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Posted:Nov 6, 2017 3:43 am
Last Updated:Nov 7, 2017 3:45 am 21191 Views
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Read: Luke 1:5–17
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 37-39; Hebrews 3
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. Ephesians 3:20
Sometimes God takes His time in answering our prayers, and that isn’t always easy for us to understand.
That was the situation for Zechariah, a priest whom the angel Gabriel appeared to one day near an altar in the temple in Jerusalem. Gabriel told him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a , and you are to call him John” (Luke 1:13, italics added).
When we cannot see God’s hand at work, we can still trust His heart.
But Zechariah had probably asked God for a years before, and he struggled with Gabriel’s message because Elizabeth was now well beyond the expected age for childbirth. Still, God answered his prayer.
God’s memory is perfect. He is able to remember our prayers not only for years but also for generations beyond our lifetime. He never forgets them and may move in response long after we first brought our requests to Him. Sometimes His answer is “no,” other times it is “wait”—but His response is always measured with love. God’s ways are beyond us, but we can trust that they are good.
Zechariah learned this. He asked for a , but God gave him even more. His John would grow up to be the very prophet who would announce the arrival of the Messiah.
Zechariah’s experience demonstrates a vital truth that should also encourage us as we pray: God’s timing is rarely our own, but it is always worth waiting for.
What are you praying for today?
When we cannot see God’s hand at work, we can still trust His heart.
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POWERFUL-BABY
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Posted:Nov 3, 2017 4:59 am
Last Updated:Nov 6, 2017 3:43 am 22357 Views
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Read: Psalm 13
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 30–31; Philemon
How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? . . . But I trust in your unfailing love. Psalm 13:1, 5
The first time I saw him, I cried. He looked like a perfect newborn asleep in his crib. But we knew he would never wake up. Not until he was in the arms of Jesus.
He clung to life for several months. Then his mother told us of his death in a heart-wrenching email. She wrote of “that deep, deep pain that groans inside you.” Then she said, “How deeply God carved His work of love into our hearts through that little life! What a powerful life it was!”
God can do the most with what we think is least.
Powerful? How could she say that?
This family’s precious little boy showed them—and us—that we must depend on God for everything. Especially when things go horribly wrong! The hard yet comforting truth is that God meets us in our pain. He knows the grief of losing a .
In our deepest pain, we turn to the songs of David because he writes out of his own grief. “How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?” he asked (Ps. 13:2). “Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death” (v. 3). Yet David could give his biggest questions to God. “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation” (v. 5).
Only God can bring ultimate significance to our most tragic events.
Where do I turn when a crisis hits me? Do I ever get angry with God when facing grief and loss? Am I afraid to share my true emotions with Him? Have I ever asked God for His peace?
God can do the most with what we think is least.
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LIVING ANONYMOUSLY
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Posted:Nov 2, 2017 4:50 am
Last Updated:May 17, 2024 4:7 am 22267 Views
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Read: Romans 12:1–13
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 27–29; Titus 3
Let us have real warm affection for one another as between [family]. Romans 12:10
My well-worn and often-read copy of Jane Yolen’s essay “Working Up to Anon” (Anonymous) was clipped from The Writer magazine many years ago. “The best writers,” she says, “are the ones who really, in their heart of hearts, aspire to the byline Anon. The story told is important, not the storyteller.”
The story we tell is about Jesus, the Savior, who gave His life for us. Together with other believers we live for Him and share His love with others.
“He must become greater; I must become less.” (John 3:30)
Romans 12:3–21 describes the attitude of humility and love that should permeate our relationships with each other as followers of Jesus. “Don’t cherish exaggerated ideas of yourself or your importance, but try to have a sane estimate of your capabilities by the light of the faith that God has given to you all. . . . Let us have real warm affection for one another as between [family], and a willingness to let the other [person] have the credit” (vv. 3, 10
Pride in our past accomplishments can blind us to the gifts of others. Arrogance can poison the future.
John the Baptist, whose mission was to pave the way for Jesus, said, “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30).
That’s a good motto for us all.
I admit, Lord, that I have a lot to learn about humility. Help me to see You for who You are so You and others have their rightful place in my life.
Always be humble before God and allow Him to be your all in all.
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WHO IS THIS?
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Posted:Nov 1, 2017 1:00 am
Last Updated:May 17, 2024 4:7 am 22149 Views
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Read: Mark 4:35–41
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 24–26; Titus 2
They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” Mark 4:41
“Remove everything from your desks, take out a piece of paper and pencil.” When I was a student these dreaded words announced that “test time” had come.
In Mark 4, we read that Jesus’s day, which started with teaching by the seaside (v. 1), ended with a time of testing on the sea (v. 35). The boat that had been used as a teaching platform was used to transport Jesus and a handful of His followers to the other side of the sea. During the journey (while an exhausted Jesus slept in the back of the boat), they encountered a swirling storm (v. 37). Drenched disciples woke Jesus with the words, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” (v. 38. Then it happened. The One who had exhorted the crowds to “Listen!” earlier in the day (v. 3), uttered a simple, powerful command to the winds of nature—“Quiet! Be still!”
(v. 39).
Jesus, please help me to listen to You and to trust that You are in control.
The wind obeyed and the wonder of fear-filled disciples was displayed with the words, “Who is this?” (v. 41). The question was a good one but it would take them a while to honestly and correctly conclude that Jesus was God’s . Sincere, honest, open-hearted questions and experience lead people to the same conclusion today. He is more than a teacher to listen to; He is the God to be worshiped.
Father, thank You for Your Word that helps us to see Jesus as Your . Please help me to listen to You and to trust that You are in control.
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“Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Matthew
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RUTH´S STORY
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Posted:Oct 31, 2017 5:46 am
Last Updated:Nov 6, 2017 3:44 am 22221 Views
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Read: Romans 10:1–13
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 22–23; Titus 1
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:13
Ruth cannot tell her story without tears. In her mid-eighties and unable to get around much anymore, Ruth may not appear to be a central figure in our church’s life. She depends on others for rides, and because she lives alone she doesn’t have a huge circle of influence.
But when she tells us her story of salvation—as she does often—Ruth stands out as a remarkable example of God’s grace. Back when she was in her thirties, a friend invited her to go to a meeting one night. Ruth didn’t know she was going to hear a preacher. “I wouldn’t have gone if I knew,” she says. She already had “religion,” and it wasn’t doing her any good. But go she did. And she heard the good news about Jesus that night.
Jesus redeems, transforms, and gives us new life.
Now, more than fifty years later, she cries tears of joy when she talks of how Jesus transformed her life. That evening, she became a of God. Her story never grows old.
It doesn’t matter if our story is similar to Ruth’s or not. What does matter is that we take the simple step of putting our faith in Jesus and His death and resurrection. The apostle Paul said, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9).
That’s what Ruth did. You can do that too. Jesus redeems, transforms, and gives us new life.
To learn about having a relationship with Jesus, read Following Jesus.
Belonging to Christ is not rehabilitation; it’s re-creation.
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