GOD BLESS YOU!
Suggested Reading: Deuteronomy 15-16
(click scripture link to read online)
A despondent man sits among the ruins of ancient Philippi.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Deuteronomy 15:7
If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother…
The generosity mentioned in our key verse will be rewarded. We will be blessed when we open our hands wide to anyone who has need. There is ample evidence that God keeps His promise to the giving person. In verse ten of this chapter it states, “for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand.” This exhortation is repeated in chapter 16:17, “Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you.” The Apostle Paul refers to the instruction given by the “Pillars” of the Jerusalem church. “They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do” (Gal. 2:10). To practice this as Jesus did, we may want to read Matt. 5:38-48.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord Jesus, by the Holy Spirit and the reading of Your Words, please grow in me a generous spirit. You are the greatest Example, by far, when it comes to giving. You gave Your very life for poor humanity. For starters, I give my life to You by giving my life for others. Please bring across my pathway, every day, someone I may help. In Your generous Name I pray. Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
Back in 1999, I stood before a complex of high-rise buildings in London, England, called The Canary Wharf. Inside were the offices of a TV satellite company, where I had an appointment. I was aware that these massive buildings were owned by the Reichmann brothers from Toronto (their company, Olympia & York, had become the largest property development and management firm in the world). I had just read an article in a Toronto paper about their generous giving. Every Friday afternoon at their Toronto office, a lineup of people with financial needs would form, and the Reichmanns would practice what I’ve learned from Scripture today. I thought, “God has blessed this Jewish family according to His promises.” I’m meditating just now on another of God’s promises found in the Words of Jesus: “Give, and it will be given to you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over” (Luke 6:38). When I read from the Hebrew Scriptures, I recognize that, in His humanity, Jesus is Jewish. No doubt He read the words of Deuteronomy as a boy from the Torah scrolls. Jesus, as no one else, practiced generous and sacrificial giving. I’m thinking about what Jesus has received as a result. Amazing!!!!!
Yours to help us all to give as God has blessed us,
David
Good Sunday Morning, David (and Norma-Jean):
Thank you once again for your faithfulness, David, in writing your daily blog. I had often prayed that the Lord would lead me to someone that I may be a blessing to them but I never thought (as you mentioned here) to ask God to send someone TO ME. I must change my prayer.
Blessed to be a blessing! Barb and Fred
Two scriptures in today’s reading stood out for me, “that you may remember the day in which you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life” and “Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you.” Your daily Blog has been written in the generosity of your spirit and prayers. Thank you for being an example to us all!
I think that in all 365 days of the year we as Christians need to be mindful of those who are less fortunate, but particularly at this time of year as we approach Christmas. Today’s scripture and blog reminds us to touch a life with the bounty by which we have been blessed. We would do well to also remember the lonely and the shut-ins; perhaps God has placed a person on your heart that is long overdue for a blessing through a good word or a visit. Perhaps you know of someone who has lost a loved one over this past year, remember them at this time for it’s probably a very difficult time of the year for them at this moment. Jesus came in part, to be an example to us all; there is no greater example of self-sacrificial love than that reflected in the life of Christ. The bottom line is that God wants us to be an extension of His love to others, and what better time to reach out to others with His love and charity than at Christmas. A small gesture of love, be it large or small, God can use them all.
David
You left us wondering whether or not your meeting was a successful one.
David: I have an acquaintance who scammed me out of money. She has never kept a job and seems to have no intention of ever doing that. She has alienated all her immediate family over the past few years and they are tired of giving her money that they will never see again.
I am on pension only and she promised she would pay me back the last bit of money, she still owes me $100.00 Social Services pays her rent themselves because she can’t be trusted to pay it herself. She acts like the world owes her a living!!
I guess I’ll just forgive her debt and forget it.
Tired of all these single mothers with the tax payers keeping them & they keep having more children, then they get given more money!!
What do you think about all that?
Nancy
Thankyou