SEPTEMBER 30 2011. TODAYS WORD FOR FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 30, 2011.
ARGUING
DEFINITION:
To present reason for or against a thing; oral disagreement; dispute; to persuade or compel by reasoning.
SCRIPTURE:
“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it, you kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight.” James 4:1-2.
“Pride only breeds quarrels.” Proverbs 13:10
“Do all things without complaining and disputing.” Philippians 2:14.
“But avoid foolish disputes --- for they are unprofitable and useless.” Titus 3:9.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
It seems that people do love to argue. Take the time to carefully watch people around you and listen carefully to their conversations. Listen to children, youth and adults and count how many times you hear people arguing about issues both large and small. This, you will find out, is true among family members, neighbors and friends. It is human nature for one to argue. Some people like to argue just to argue.
James asks the question, “What causes fights and quarrels?” He gives us a straight-forward answer, “You want something but do not get it.” These desires come from in us because of our sinful and corrupt natures. And in this “ME” generation arguing is a major cause of discord in the family, the community and in the world. Every one is looking out for self. In the heat of the moment we forget Jesus’ commandment “to love one another.” (John 15:17) Think about the truth in Paul’s admonition in Titus 3:9: “foolish disputes are profitless and useless.”
Even after we become Christians we have to contend with our sinful nature. Pride is a big factor in arguments. Both parties think they are right and they want it their way. Most arguments have bad endings. They lead to break up of marriages, loss of friendships and even in some cases physical harm.
Some argue to protect a past behavior. Children argue with parents and parents with children over choices made concerning their daily walk. The only way we can conquer our sinful desire to argue is to submit to God and ask Him to take away our pride and change our attitude.
When we know Jesus and put our trust in Him daily, we are expected to do all things without complaining or disputing. This frankly means that we must not put ourselves first in our personal relationships. By showing love and consideration to others we will avoid foolish disputes. When you look back on an argument, and if you are really honest with yourself, it was a foolish dispute. When arguments happen there is very rarely a winner. There is a saying that “prayer changes things.” More importantly, “PRAYER CHANGES US.” Arguments are futile but prayer is never futile.
With all that said, we need to work daily on our relationships with others so that an argument is not an option. It takes two to argue and we need to learn to respond to issues, even issues that normally would ignite an argument for us, with kindness and in love.
Starting today, seek to live a life that honors God and ask His help in dealing with situations that lead to arguments and broken relationships. Work today on living a life that honors God despite issues that may arise that usually lead you to an argument --- which in turn moves you away from God. Try arguing less and praying more. Remember, God hears the prayer of the faithful.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in I Corinthians 15:58.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
PRAYER:
Give me the strength today dear Lord, to avoid foolish disputes in my life. Help me to live my life today totally without complaining or arguing with someone. May others see Christ through my life and through my response to issues that in the past have led me into an argument. Give my family today wisdom and kindness to react with love to all they meet. Thank You dear Lord for making this day a day that I can look back on tonight saying that God has blessed me in a new and fresh way.
October 2, 2011
Abilities: September 29, 2011
SEPTEMBER 29 2011. TODAYS WORD FOR THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 2011
ABILITIES
DEFINITION:
Capacity to do or act physically, mentally, legally, morally, or financially; competence based on natural skill; talents; special skills or aptitudes.
SCRIPTURE:
“We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.” Romans 12: 6-8.
“And to one He gave five talents, to another two and to another one, to each according to his own ability.” Matthew 25:15.
“If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies.” I Peter 4:11.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
As Christians, we are all part of one body, the Church of Christ. We are put here on earth with one purpose and that is to build Christ’s Church. To accomplish this, God has given us different abilities and no one person has the ability to do the work of the Church all alone.
God expects us to be diligent in using our abilities for His service and not for our personal advancement or enjoyment. It is also important for us to not be jealous of the abilities that others may have. The scripture tells us that it is most important that we be faithful to use our abilities to glorify God because He is the one that has given us our abilities and has a specific purpose in giving us each one.
To those that God has given the ability to earn large amounts of money, God has a word of caution in Deuteronomy 8:17-18: “You may say to yourself, ‘my power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me. But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth.’”
If you have received greatness in life whether by your wealth or by a position of power or leadership, remember that God has given you this ability and you have a responsibility to use what you have accomplished to bring glory and honor to God.
We have noticed with our six children and 20 grandchildren that no two children are the same. God has given each child specific physical abilities and spiritual abilities based on their ability to use them properly. And as parents and grandparents we have a responsibility to guide our children to help them make the most out of the abilities that God has given them. We are to do this to bring honor and glory to God and to further His Kingdom.
Often we have seen children and adults with real talent and ability fail to use their God given ability to accomplish anything of merit. Worse yet, we have seen people use their talents that God has given them for evil purposes.
All children want to excel and be successful but for some, achievement comes much harder and more slowly based on the fact that they do not have the same ability as a sibling or a classmate. We need to give special encouragement and praise to the child that works hard to achieve what may come easy for others.
Parents have the responsibility to see that children that seem to have greater ability and are faster learners do not become lazy. They need to be stimulated with new challenges.
As Christians we need to strive daily to use the abilities that God has given us to bring glory to God and His kingdom. Are we using our abilities wisely? It is wrong for one to sit back and not use an ability that God has given you. God also expects us to reach out and nurture those who need help in finding their “niche” in life. Are you doing this?
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in I Corinthians 15:58.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
PRAYER:
Help me today dear Lord, to use the abilities that You have blessed me with for Your glory. May all those that I meet see Christ through me today. May each family member and each friend do all they can today to reach out to help someone in need. Help me to grow in You and be mature in my Christian walk.
ABILITIES
DEFINITION:
Capacity to do or act physically, mentally, legally, morally, or financially; competence based on natural skill; talents; special skills or aptitudes.
SCRIPTURE:
“We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.” Romans 12: 6-8.
“And to one He gave five talents, to another two and to another one, to each according to his own ability.” Matthew 25:15.
“If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies.” I Peter 4:11.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
As Christians, we are all part of one body, the Church of Christ. We are put here on earth with one purpose and that is to build Christ’s Church. To accomplish this, God has given us different abilities and no one person has the ability to do the work of the Church all alone.
God expects us to be diligent in using our abilities for His service and not for our personal advancement or enjoyment. It is also important for us to not be jealous of the abilities that others may have. The scripture tells us that it is most important that we be faithful to use our abilities to glorify God because He is the one that has given us our abilities and has a specific purpose in giving us each one.
To those that God has given the ability to earn large amounts of money, God has a word of caution in Deuteronomy 8:17-18: “You may say to yourself, ‘my power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me. But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth.’”
If you have received greatness in life whether by your wealth or by a position of power or leadership, remember that God has given you this ability and you have a responsibility to use what you have accomplished to bring glory and honor to God.
We have noticed with our six children and 20 grandchildren that no two children are the same. God has given each child specific physical abilities and spiritual abilities based on their ability to use them properly. And as parents and grandparents we have a responsibility to guide our children to help them make the most out of the abilities that God has given them. We are to do this to bring honor and glory to God and to further His Kingdom.
Often we have seen children and adults with real talent and ability fail to use their God given ability to accomplish anything of merit. Worse yet, we have seen people use their talents that God has given them for evil purposes.
All children want to excel and be successful but for some, achievement comes much harder and more slowly based on the fact that they do not have the same ability as a sibling or a classmate. We need to give special encouragement and praise to the child that works hard to achieve what may come easy for others.
Parents have the responsibility to see that children that seem to have greater ability and are faster learners do not become lazy. They need to be stimulated with new challenges.
As Christians we need to strive daily to use the abilities that God has given us to bring glory to God and His kingdom. Are we using our abilities wisely? It is wrong for one to sit back and not use an ability that God has given you. God also expects us to reach out and nurture those who need help in finding their “niche” in life. Are you doing this?
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in I Corinthians 15:58.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
PRAYER:
Help me today dear Lord, to use the abilities that You have blessed me with for Your glory. May all those that I meet see Christ through me today. May each family member and each friend do all they can today to reach out to help someone in need. Help me to grow in You and be mature in my Christian walk.
Dependence: September 28, 2011
SEPTEMBER 28 2011.TODAYS WORD FOR WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2011
DEPENDENCE
DEFINITION:
The state of relying on or needing someone or something for aid or support; reliance; confidence; trust; subordination or subjection.
SCRIPTURE:
“Who among you fears the Lord --- let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely (have dependence) upon his God.” Isaiah 50:10.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not depend on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
David went from being a shepherd boy to being the King of Israel. Throughout his life he was dependent on God. As a shepherd boy he had to kill a lion and a bear to protect his sheep. In each instance he gave the Lord credit for delivering him from the problem.
When David told Saul that he would go and fight Goliath, Saul was against it because David was just a young boy. David answered Saul by saying “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the jaw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of the Philistine.” (I Samuel 17:37)
This was the first of many battles that David had to fight in his life time, and through them all David never lost his trust in God. His dependence was always on his God.
David wrote many of the Psalms and in them he proclaimed how much he depended on God. For example:
“Find rest, O my soul in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor DEPEND on God! He is my mighty rock, my refuge.” Psalm 62: 5-7.
When we think of depending on God we remember visiting a mother with her new born baby in Honduras. She was reading to her baby from God’s Word. We asked the mother through our interpreter why she was reading the Bible to such a young baby. Her response was that she knew he did not understand now but she wanted to make sure that his earliest memory is the hearing the words from the Bible so that he would become totally dependent on God as he grew up.
Just as a young child depends on his or her parents for almost everything, we as believers in Christ need to depend totally on God. As the scripture above reminds us, we can not rely on our own understanding. God has given us the ability to think and reason but when we trust in our own understanding or wisdom, we often find that we do not have all the answers. Our wisdom is limited but God’s is not.
When we put our trust in God we will seek God’s guidance and be willing to correct our thinking and actions when they go against God’s Word. One needs to learn the independent side of dependence as one walks the Christian life. We need to show our independence in our day to day living by separating ourselves from the sinful activities of this world while depending every moment on the leading of the Lord in our lives.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in I Corinthians 15:58.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
PRAYER:
Help me today to learn more about trusting You. In all that I do this day help me to depend on Your leading and not on my own understanding. May each one in my family learn what it means to depend on You?
DEPENDENCE
DEFINITION:
The state of relying on or needing someone or something for aid or support; reliance; confidence; trust; subordination or subjection.
SCRIPTURE:
“Who among you fears the Lord --- let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely (have dependence) upon his God.” Isaiah 50:10.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not depend on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
David went from being a shepherd boy to being the King of Israel. Throughout his life he was dependent on God. As a shepherd boy he had to kill a lion and a bear to protect his sheep. In each instance he gave the Lord credit for delivering him from the problem.
When David told Saul that he would go and fight Goliath, Saul was against it because David was just a young boy. David answered Saul by saying “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the jaw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of the Philistine.” (I Samuel 17:37)
This was the first of many battles that David had to fight in his life time, and through them all David never lost his trust in God. His dependence was always on his God.
David wrote many of the Psalms and in them he proclaimed how much he depended on God. For example:
“Find rest, O my soul in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor DEPEND on God! He is my mighty rock, my refuge.” Psalm 62: 5-7.
When we think of depending on God we remember visiting a mother with her new born baby in Honduras. She was reading to her baby from God’s Word. We asked the mother through our interpreter why she was reading the Bible to such a young baby. Her response was that she knew he did not understand now but she wanted to make sure that his earliest memory is the hearing the words from the Bible so that he would become totally dependent on God as he grew up.
Just as a young child depends on his or her parents for almost everything, we as believers in Christ need to depend totally on God. As the scripture above reminds us, we can not rely on our own understanding. God has given us the ability to think and reason but when we trust in our own understanding or wisdom, we often find that we do not have all the answers. Our wisdom is limited but God’s is not.
When we put our trust in God we will seek God’s guidance and be willing to correct our thinking and actions when they go against God’s Word. One needs to learn the independent side of dependence as one walks the Christian life. We need to show our independence in our day to day living by separating ourselves from the sinful activities of this world while depending every moment on the leading of the Lord in our lives.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in I Corinthians 15:58.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
PRAYER:
Help me today to learn more about trusting You. In all that I do this day help me to depend on Your leading and not on my own understanding. May each one in my family learn what it means to depend on You?
Tithing: September 27, 2011
SEPTEMBER 27 2011. TODAYS WORD FOR TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 2011
TITHING
DEFINITION:
The tenth part of goods; to give or pay tithes on such as income.
SCRIPTURE:
“You shall tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year.” Deuteronomy 14:22.
“Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first fruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will over flow with new wine.” Proverbs 3:9-10
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Tithing is the setting aside of one tenth of all that God blesses us with to give back to the Lord. Tithing is of great significance in the life of those who are believers. Tithing is an important part of serving and honoring the Lord. The purpose of tithing is to demonstrate that we put God first in our lives. We are to give God the first fruits (the first and best) of what we receive. (Proverbs 3:9-10)
Giving God the first part of our earnings shows what we value most. It is a temptation to take care of everything else first and give the Lord something only if there is money left over. If the Lord is not a priority, we cannot expect Him to bless us. Proverbs 9:10 tells us that those who honor the Lord with their tithe will have their “barns filled with plenty.”
The Israelites were instructed by God through Moses to give God the first and best portions of their harvest and the best of their flocks to the Lord. It was a reminder to them that everything they had belonged to God.
From the time we were children our parents taught us the importance of tithing. They instilled in us that we were to give the first tenth of all the money we received before we spent it on anything else. I (Ken) can remember the cup and/or glass that sat on a table for us to put even our few pennies from our allowance in each week. My (Dottie’s) mother taught her three girls early on that if we received 10 pennies we should give the Lord the shiniest one signifying that we were giving our best to the Lord. It was a different day then, our allowance was in pennies.
This training helped us realize the importance of tithing as we got older. We believe today that because we were taught as children to tithe and then we have practiced tithing all of our lives that it may be the single most important reason that God has blessed us so abundantly.
If a tenth seems a lot, then remember two very important things. First, all we have belongs to God. Secondly, we can not out give God. We have found that the more we give the more God blesses us. We challenge you to tithe if you do not now. We could give you hundreds of examples of how God has blessed others just as he has blessed us. We learned to tithe even when it was difficult. We learned to give a tithe when we had to tighten an already tight budget. But every time when we needed help or came to a crises God provided far and beyond our need.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in I Corinthians 15:58.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
PRAYER:
Teach me today to tithe of all that You have blessed me with. Thank You, dear Lord for providing for me and my family in such a marvelous way. We honor You and thank You for being our God, our Lord and our Savior.
TITHING
DEFINITION:
The tenth part of goods; to give or pay tithes on such as income.
SCRIPTURE:
“You shall tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year.” Deuteronomy 14:22.
“Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first fruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will over flow with new wine.” Proverbs 3:9-10
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Tithing is the setting aside of one tenth of all that God blesses us with to give back to the Lord. Tithing is of great significance in the life of those who are believers. Tithing is an important part of serving and honoring the Lord. The purpose of tithing is to demonstrate that we put God first in our lives. We are to give God the first fruits (the first and best) of what we receive. (Proverbs 3:9-10)
Giving God the first part of our earnings shows what we value most. It is a temptation to take care of everything else first and give the Lord something only if there is money left over. If the Lord is not a priority, we cannot expect Him to bless us. Proverbs 9:10 tells us that those who honor the Lord with their tithe will have their “barns filled with plenty.”
The Israelites were instructed by God through Moses to give God the first and best portions of their harvest and the best of their flocks to the Lord. It was a reminder to them that everything they had belonged to God.
From the time we were children our parents taught us the importance of tithing. They instilled in us that we were to give the first tenth of all the money we received before we spent it on anything else. I (Ken) can remember the cup and/or glass that sat on a table for us to put even our few pennies from our allowance in each week. My (Dottie’s) mother taught her three girls early on that if we received 10 pennies we should give the Lord the shiniest one signifying that we were giving our best to the Lord. It was a different day then, our allowance was in pennies.
This training helped us realize the importance of tithing as we got older. We believe today that because we were taught as children to tithe and then we have practiced tithing all of our lives that it may be the single most important reason that God has blessed us so abundantly.
If a tenth seems a lot, then remember two very important things. First, all we have belongs to God. Secondly, we can not out give God. We have found that the more we give the more God blesses us. We challenge you to tithe if you do not now. We could give you hundreds of examples of how God has blessed others just as he has blessed us. We learned to tithe even when it was difficult. We learned to give a tithe when we had to tighten an already tight budget. But every time when we needed help or came to a crises God provided far and beyond our need.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in I Corinthians 15:58.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
PRAYER:
Teach me today to tithe of all that You have blessed me with. Thank You, dear Lord for providing for me and my family in such a marvelous way. We honor You and thank You for being our God, our Lord and our Savior.
Poor: September 26, 2011
SEPTEMBER 26 2011. TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2011
POOR
DEFINITION:
Having little or no money or goods; dependent upon charity; characterized by or showing poverty; lacking in ability or training; humble; modest; deficient in desirable ingredients or qualities.
SCRIPTURE:
“Blessed is he who considers the poor, the Lord will deliver him in his time of trouble.” Psalm 41:1
“I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinks upon me.” Psalm 40:17
“He who has pity upon the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what he has given.” Proverbs 19:17
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
I will never forget the little 12 year old girl that came to our warehouse at World Opportunities to pick up food. This warehouse was there to give food packaged in large quantities to food banks and churches. Our warehouse man asked me to come to the gate to explain to the mother and girl that they would need to go to a local church or feeding center to get help.
When I arrived at our gate and saw the tearful eyes of this little girl and heard the mother say that they had not had any food for three days, I had to respond. I asked one of our workers to gather several loaves of bread and food so we could give them a large box of items to take with them. When the little girl saw the bread she asked if she could open a loaf and have a piece. When she took that first bite her tears changed to a smile and in moments the piece of bread was all gone.
Some one once said that we can learn from the poor. I did that day and when I went home that night the story of this little 12 year old girl reminded our whole family what it meant to be poor. But more important we were reminded of two more things. First, to thank God for all that He has given us. Secondly, for us to have hearts that were open to help the poor whenever we had the opportunity.
Over the years we have seen so many instances of poor children living in dire poverty. The children who live on the garbage dump in Manila, the families who live in the slums of east Africa and the orphans (street children) who live in “lean to” houses in Guatemala. Each instance reminds us that we must dedicate ourselves to help poor people wherever they are.
We are reminded often in the Bible to remember and care for the poor. The real test of our Christian faith and beliefs is the way we treat people we meet whether they are rich or poor. Do we scorn the poor or do we have mercy on them and care enough to help?
Do we get awe struck by the rich and then forget the poor? In Matthew 25: 41 – 46, Jesus speaks of the final judgment when He will separate the believers from the pretenders. He lists in these verses the acts of kindness that sets apart nonbelievers from the followers of Christ.
There is an insightful verse found in Matthew 25: 35 that should motivate us to action: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” What Jesus is telling us is that when we do these things we are doing it for Him.
When we think that the way we treat others is as if we were treating Jesus in that same manner it puts a whole different perspective on what we do. The deeds of mercy we do is the real evidence of our faith. These acts of mercy that Jesus gives us in Matthew are simple things that we all can do. Our loving acts of kindness to others brings glory to God as it reflects our love for Him and the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
In Psalms 40:17, David tells us about a different meaning to the word “POOR.” He was feeling alone, empty, downtrodden and he was in a real need for spiritual help. When David felt down and out, he knew where to turn. David knew that even though we feel insufficient God is always aware of what those who trust in God are going through. David knew that God was with him in his hour of need. It is when we are feeling poor and needy that we are most likely to seek after God and that is when God is able to do his greatest work in us.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in I Corinthians 15:58.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
PRAYER:
Thank You for the many blessings You have given me and my family. Today I pray for those who have so little. I pray that You would lead me today to someone who is either physically or spiritually poor. Help others to see Christ in me in all that I do.
POOR
DEFINITION:
Having little or no money or goods; dependent upon charity; characterized by or showing poverty; lacking in ability or training; humble; modest; deficient in desirable ingredients or qualities.
SCRIPTURE:
“Blessed is he who considers the poor, the Lord will deliver him in his time of trouble.” Psalm 41:1
“I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinks upon me.” Psalm 40:17
“He who has pity upon the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what he has given.” Proverbs 19:17
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
I will never forget the little 12 year old girl that came to our warehouse at World Opportunities to pick up food. This warehouse was there to give food packaged in large quantities to food banks and churches. Our warehouse man asked me to come to the gate to explain to the mother and girl that they would need to go to a local church or feeding center to get help.
When I arrived at our gate and saw the tearful eyes of this little girl and heard the mother say that they had not had any food for three days, I had to respond. I asked one of our workers to gather several loaves of bread and food so we could give them a large box of items to take with them. When the little girl saw the bread she asked if she could open a loaf and have a piece. When she took that first bite her tears changed to a smile and in moments the piece of bread was all gone.
Some one once said that we can learn from the poor. I did that day and when I went home that night the story of this little 12 year old girl reminded our whole family what it meant to be poor. But more important we were reminded of two more things. First, to thank God for all that He has given us. Secondly, for us to have hearts that were open to help the poor whenever we had the opportunity.
Over the years we have seen so many instances of poor children living in dire poverty. The children who live on the garbage dump in Manila, the families who live in the slums of east Africa and the orphans (street children) who live in “lean to” houses in Guatemala. Each instance reminds us that we must dedicate ourselves to help poor people wherever they are.
We are reminded often in the Bible to remember and care for the poor. The real test of our Christian faith and beliefs is the way we treat people we meet whether they are rich or poor. Do we scorn the poor or do we have mercy on them and care enough to help?
Do we get awe struck by the rich and then forget the poor? In Matthew 25: 41 – 46, Jesus speaks of the final judgment when He will separate the believers from the pretenders. He lists in these verses the acts of kindness that sets apart nonbelievers from the followers of Christ.
There is an insightful verse found in Matthew 25: 35 that should motivate us to action: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” What Jesus is telling us is that when we do these things we are doing it for Him.
When we think that the way we treat others is as if we were treating Jesus in that same manner it puts a whole different perspective on what we do. The deeds of mercy we do is the real evidence of our faith. These acts of mercy that Jesus gives us in Matthew are simple things that we all can do. Our loving acts of kindness to others brings glory to God as it reflects our love for Him and the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
In Psalms 40:17, David tells us about a different meaning to the word “POOR.” He was feeling alone, empty, downtrodden and he was in a real need for spiritual help. When David felt down and out, he knew where to turn. David knew that even though we feel insufficient God is always aware of what those who trust in God are going through. David knew that God was with him in his hour of need. It is when we are feeling poor and needy that we are most likely to seek after God and that is when God is able to do his greatest work in us.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in I Corinthians 15:58.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
PRAYER:
Thank You for the many blessings You have given me and my family. Today I pray for those who have so little. I pray that You would lead me today to someone who is either physically or spiritually poor. Help others to see Christ in me in all that I do.
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