Verse of the Day:
"Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain." Psalm 127:1
"I used to ask God to help me.
Then I asked if I might help him.
I ended up by asking God to do his work through me."
Hudson Taylor
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Day 9 - Why 40?
Verse of the Day:
"Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry." Matthew 4: 1-2
40 is an important number in the bible. It almost always proceeds new birth. Noah had to endure 40 days and 40 nights of rain as the world was made new. Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai as he received the 10 commandments birthing the people of the covenant. The Israelites wandered the desert for 40 years before entering the land they were promised. And Jesus? What did his forty days mean? LIFE!
As we spend these 40 days giving, we should also be preparing for new birth. When these forty days have passed, Three Bridges will be getting a new Pastor and a new birth for our congregation. Spring will have arrived with flowers blooming and no more snow. After spending 40 days of giving we might find that we have changed. Tomorrow you will be a fourth of the way done. Don't give up! Remember the reason people give something up for lent is to be reminded of the sacrifices that Jesus had to endure.
As we spend another day in the snow, think about a new birth waiting just around the corner.
"Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry." Matthew 4: 1-2
40 is an important number in the bible. It almost always proceeds new birth. Noah had to endure 40 days and 40 nights of rain as the world was made new. Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai as he received the 10 commandments birthing the people of the covenant. The Israelites wandered the desert for 40 years before entering the land they were promised. And Jesus? What did his forty days mean? LIFE!
As we spend these 40 days giving, we should also be preparing for new birth. When these forty days have passed, Three Bridges will be getting a new Pastor and a new birth for our congregation. Spring will have arrived with flowers blooming and no more snow. After spending 40 days of giving we might find that we have changed. Tomorrow you will be a fourth of the way done. Don't give up! Remember the reason people give something up for lent is to be reminded of the sacrifices that Jesus had to endure.
As we spend another day in the snow, think about a new birth waiting just around the corner.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Day 8 - On Forgiveness
The Lord's Prayer, Matthew 6:9-13
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day or daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
In the Lord's Prayer, we ask for a lot of things from God. We ask that he come again, that we are taken care of, that we are kept from doing evil, and we ask to be forgiven. In keeping with the theme of thinking outside the box for gifts, today I present to you the only thing we promise to do in the Lord's prayer- forgive our debtors. So often, forgiveness is the one gift so terribly hard to give. It is simple by no means, but it is one of the most meaningful gifts a human can give to another.
Today, think about who has wronged you lately and do the one thing you promise God each Sunday that you will do and forgive them. In a way, this is three gifts in one- one to whomever you are forgiving, one to yourself for letting go of the ill feelings you had toward that person, and one to God on finally fulfilling what is so often an empty promise.
The gift of forgiveness may not be easy, but the value is much greater than anything money can buy.
Kelsey
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day or daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
In the Lord's Prayer, we ask for a lot of things from God. We ask that he come again, that we are taken care of, that we are kept from doing evil, and we ask to be forgiven. In keeping with the theme of thinking outside the box for gifts, today I present to you the only thing we promise to do in the Lord's prayer- forgive our debtors. So often, forgiveness is the one gift so terribly hard to give. It is simple by no means, but it is one of the most meaningful gifts a human can give to another.
Today, think about who has wronged you lately and do the one thing you promise God each Sunday that you will do and forgive them. In a way, this is three gifts in one- one to whomever you are forgiving, one to yourself for letting go of the ill feelings you had toward that person, and one to God on finally fulfilling what is so often an empty promise.
The gift of forgiveness may not be easy, but the value is much greater than anything money can buy.
Kelsey
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Day 7 - You'll Understand in Heaven
Verse of the Day:
"From the fruit of his words a man is satisfied with good, and the work of man's hand comes back to him." Proverbs 12:14a RSV
In heaven you will see how the Lord has used that testimony, that word of comfort you gave today. God's Word never returns void.
When you enter the beautiful city,
And the saved all around you appear,
What joy when someone will tell you,
"It was you who invited me here."
Lord, we like to see results from our labor, but it is not necessary that we do. We trust you to complete the work you are doing in and through us.
From Each New Day by Corrie Ten Boom Page 205.
"From the fruit of his words a man is satisfied with good, and the work of man's hand comes back to him." Proverbs 12:14a RSV
In heaven you will see how the Lord has used that testimony, that word of comfort you gave today. God's Word never returns void.
When you enter the beautiful city,
And the saved all around you appear,
What joy when someone will tell you,
"It was you who invited me here."
Lord, we like to see results from our labor, but it is not necessary that we do. We trust you to complete the work you are doing in and through us.
From Each New Day by Corrie Ten Boom Page 205.
Monday, February 22, 2010
What is a gift?
Today was a difficult giving day for me. At night, as always, I sat at my desk to do homework, and realized I hadn't given a gift today. That got me thinking. What should be considered a gift? There is a poem that I have hanging by my bed and I read it each morning before I get up. It inspires me to not get bogged down in the drama of day to day life which can be depressing but rather to look on the bright side. It's called the Definition of Success by Harry Fosdick and here it is,
To love often and love much
To gain respect of intelligent people and the affection of little children.
To earn the approval of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends.
To appreciate beauty always.
To search for the best in others.
To leave the world a better place than you found it, whether by nurturing a child or a garden patch, or working to redeem a social condition.
To have played with enthusiasm, lauged with exuberance, and sung with exultation;
To know that the world is a little better and that even a single life breathes easier because you have lived...
Well, that is to have succeeded.
While reading it today, I realized that if I can do just one of the things it mentions, then I have successfully given a gift- although not a tangible one- to someone without ever knowing it. Keep this in mind if, like me, you struggle to find a meaningful gift to give. By simply loving your neighbor, smiling at someone you don't know, or picking up a piece of trash that isn't yours, you are giving the simplest and often most meaningful gift.
If all else fails, be like Mary and give of what you have, yourself.
Hope this helps because it made me feel a lot better!
God Bless and love you all,
Kelsey
To love often and love much
To gain respect of intelligent people and the affection of little children.
To earn the approval of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends.
To appreciate beauty always.
To search for the best in others.
To leave the world a better place than you found it, whether by nurturing a child or a garden patch, or working to redeem a social condition.
To have played with enthusiasm, lauged with exuberance, and sung with exultation;
To know that the world is a little better and that even a single life breathes easier because you have lived...
Well, that is to have succeeded.
While reading it today, I realized that if I can do just one of the things it mentions, then I have successfully given a gift- although not a tangible one- to someone without ever knowing it. Keep this in mind if, like me, you struggle to find a meaningful gift to give. By simply loving your neighbor, smiling at someone you don't know, or picking up a piece of trash that isn't yours, you are giving the simplest and often most meaningful gift.
If all else fails, be like Mary and give of what you have, yourself.
Hope this helps because it made me feel a lot better!
God Bless and love you all,
Kelsey
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Day 5 - Monday, Feb. 22, 2010
Verse of the Day:
"She did what she could." Mark 14: 8a
I recently read a book entitled "She did what she could". The book studies the story of Mary of Bethany (Martha and Lazarus's sister) and her anointing Jesus with perfume (Mark 14:1-9). The book looks at what Mary did for Jesus just days before the Passover celebration and his betrayal. It then discusses what our world could look like if we all did what we could. In total devotion to Jesus, Mary takes an alabaster jar which was a beautiful and expensive carved vase filled with Nard, an expensive perfume, and poured it on his head. The vase and perfume were worth more than a year's wage. Others rebuked her for the waste of the gift. Jesus praised Mary for her unselfish act of worship and said to the disciples to "Leave her alone" (Mark 14:6). "She did what she could".(Mark 14:8a). The passage ends with "what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."(Mark 14:9).
Imagine what our world would be if everyone did what they could! This adventure of forty days of giving is a effort to do what we can in honor of what Jesus did for us. God has already supplied us with whatever we need to do what he calls us to do. Mary alway put Jesus first. I tend to be more like Martha. Today put Jesus first and as the passage says - give your gift in memory of Mary.
"She did what she could." Mark 14: 8a
I recently read a book entitled "She did what she could". The book studies the story of Mary of Bethany (Martha and Lazarus's sister) and her anointing Jesus with perfume (Mark 14:1-9). The book looks at what Mary did for Jesus just days before the Passover celebration and his betrayal. It then discusses what our world could look like if we all did what we could. In total devotion to Jesus, Mary takes an alabaster jar which was a beautiful and expensive carved vase filled with Nard, an expensive perfume, and poured it on his head. The vase and perfume were worth more than a year's wage. Others rebuked her for the waste of the gift. Jesus praised Mary for her unselfish act of worship and said to the disciples to "Leave her alone" (Mark 14:6). "She did what she could".(Mark 14:8a). The passage ends with "what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."(Mark 14:9).
Imagine what our world would be if everyone did what they could! This adventure of forty days of giving is a effort to do what we can in honor of what Jesus did for us. God has already supplied us with whatever we need to do what he calls us to do. Mary alway put Jesus first. I tend to be more like Martha. Today put Jesus first and as the passage says - give your gift in memory of Mary.
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