Good Morning Hearing, Singing, Serving Body of Christ! Thank God for music, being able to hear His still small voice, mouths and hearts to praise, bodies willing and able to fulfill their part in God's Good News Deliver Co. and for Jesus' sacrificial, saving love! Rejoice! Tis the season to be busy, anxious, sad, mad, frenzied or it can be the season to relax, receive, rejoice, refresh and enjoy as you share love and do what you can with what you got! Even though God's love was expensive beyond measure and came to us through Jesus' blood, sharing His and our love can be shown at very little or no expense. PTL! Repent of the materialistic thinking and striving and just show love with your presence, help, encouragement and sharing what you got. Choose shalom, joy and love this season as you share Jesus and His love. Help us Lord!

Check out the UR below. What's your part in our Good News Delivery Co.? What has God gifted you to do and is providing for you to use? We all matter and we all have gifts, talents, abilities, encouragement, prayers and yes maybe even treasure to share. Live and love like Jesus this holiday season. You are blessed to be a blessing and then blessed back for blessing. How cool! Thank you all for being a blessing and doing what you can with what you got to bless God, others, and our fellowship! May God abundantly bless you with His peace and joy! Remember the reason for the season! And remember, Jesus offers rest to the weary!

Keep dreaming BIG! God has great plans for you as you continue to listen, follow, grow, and do what you can with what you've been blessed with! Shalom!

UR: The Fifth String

God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. - 1 Corinthians 12:24-25 (NIV)

One Sunday I gave the children’s message during my church’s worship service. Since I enjoy playing the five-string banjo, I used it as an example of the church, the body of Christ. I showed the children that the banjo has five strings, but that the fifth string is much shorter than the others — just as they are shorter than the adults in our church. Also, the fifth string usually is not noted or fretted as often as the others, so it gets a little less attention — just as they, the children, may not get as much attention as the other members of the church.

But this doesn’t mean that they are any less important to the life of the church. I showed how that shorter, fifth string is tuned to the highest pitch of the five strings, which enables it to sound a bright, cheerful tone — without which any tune played would not be nearly as pleasing. I played a short tune without striking the fifth string and then the same tune using the fifth string. What a difference!

All members of the church are important in spreading the gospel message, as well as in the many other functions of being the church. The talents of all members, children included, should meld with others to spread the love and joy that Christ gives to everyone.

TODAY'S PRAYER

O God, keep us mindful that we are all vital to you and your work on earth. We pray and serve in the name of Jesus. Amen.