Saturday... So do I need to receive and give this gift?

I really do love to give gifts. I have some problems with getting gifts but I love to give gifts. Christmas is truly a celebration of giving. I know some have trouble with Santa Clause but he truly is a human example of giving.

Now Proverbs 23:6-7b (NLT) gives some wise advice. It says, "Don't eat with people who are stingy; don't desire their delicacies. They are always thinking about how much it costs." Some have major problems with this matter of giving.

Now God is such an unbelievable giver. Psalm 143:8 says, "Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you." And that is a gift that we can in turn give to God for all he has given to us. "for I give myself to you."

Now Jesus over in Matthew 6 gives some thoughts about giving to people who are in need and he really wants us to do that but for the right reason. He says in verses 2-4, "When you give to someone in need, don't do as the hypocrites do - blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all they will get. But when you give to someone in need, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you." Yes, giving to those in need has it's reward if we do it for God.

Now he tells of another gift that is very important, very, very important but it is a gift that so many don't want to give and they will reap consequences if they don't give.

There is a gift that so many need to give. There maybe someone in your family who has really hurt you and you can't forgive them and it will be every evident to all those around you.

Right in the middle of the Lord's prayer in verse 11 it says for us to pray, "Give us today the food we need." He wants to give that, provide that if we ask. But it goes on in verse 12, "and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us." He will forgive us if we forgive them.

He goes on in verses 14-15, "If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your heavenly Father will not forgive you." Did you notice that the word give is emphasized by the word for, forgive? That could be the greatest gift that you give this year and the greatest gift you receive but you must give it in order to get it. It is so, so important. It could make all the different in your life and the lives of your family if you would forgive and then ask God to forgive you. That is why He gave us the most important gift that has ever been given when he gave us his Son. Just give it and ask for it and accept it.

So do I need to receive and give this gift? Yes this is truly a celebration of giving. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

Monday... He did it by Himself

Isaiah 44:24b (AMP), "I am the Lord, Maker of all things. Who alone stretches out the heavens, Who spreads out the earth by Myself." Monday... He did it by Himself. Many have a tendency to think very highly of themselves and what they can do. Oh we do have great ability but we are not the source. Yes it is important to have self-confidence but we are limited. The prophet Isaiah in 44:9-10 (NLT) says, "How foolish are those who manufacture idols. These prized objects are really worthless. The people who worship idols don't know this, so they are all put to shame. Who but a fool would make his own god - an idol that cannot help him one bit?" Now later in verse 24 (AMP) he writes, "For the Lord, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb says, 'I am the Lord, Maker of all things, Who alone stretches out the heavens, Who spreads out the earth by Myself.'" I love that. "By Myself." Now we do need confidence but we are foolish to ma...

Friday... We have this hope of expectancy.

Psalm 5:3 (NLT), "Listen to my voice in the morning Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly." Friday... We have this hope of expectancy. Now David found a great way to start his day. He says in Psalm 5:1-3 (NLT), "O LORD, hear me as I pray." And that is a great place to start. It really is. Morning sunrise He goes on, "Listen to my cry for help, my King, my God, for I pray to no one but you." And that is so important. We don't try to pump ourselves up by ourself. No, we pray to no one but you, God, my LORD, my King. Now this relationship with God is so, so very important. And then David says, "Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you" And that is so great. And then he says, "and wait expectantly." Yes, we have this hope of expectancy. We are experienced. That is what a relationship with God and a moment by moment connection does. It makes a difference in our daily wa...

Friday... Yes, we can know this to be true.

Psalm 12:6 (NLT), "The Lord's promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over." Friday... Yes, we can know this to be true. Maybe this is what you want to say in this day in which we live. Psalm 12:1-2 (MSG) says, "Quick, I need your helping hand! The last decent person just went down, all the friends I depend on gone. Everyone talks in lie language; lies slide off their oily lips. They doubletalk with forked tongues." Do you ever feel that way?" Have you found that to be true? Well David the writer of this Psalm continues and says in verse 6 something to encourage us, to lift us up, to give us hope. Psalm 12:6 (NLT) says, "The Lord's promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over." The Message Paraphrase says verses 6-8 this way, "God's words are pure words, pure silver words refined seven times in the fires of his word-kiln, pure on earth as well as in heaven, God, keep ...

Todays Beginning

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