Good Morning Courageous, Generous, Very Blessed Stewards of All God's Blessings! Yes PTL for that and pray to be like that--always! This salutation flows from some of our devotionals and spurred me to share my and God's heart with you . Even though I am on vacation, I could not resist the urge from God to share these thoughts . They are stirring me strongly as God spoke, affirmed and wants to share His heart with you. The Lord is speaking and leading and has amazing plans for you and us to discover and step into. PTL! Abide the thrive! And steward well ALL His blessings including, time, talent, treasure, relationships, service and prayer-life.
Our Daily Bread discusses "Hospitable Generosity". God is using us to meet needs and to be hospitable and welcoming to those He is sending our way. He has provided and continues to do so as we trust and follow Him and His leadings. Amen! Many of us are involved with our serving ministries. Thank you! God has even sent outsiders and new servants our way. What a joy to bless and serve together! Love flows as we love each other and love like Jesus and many are being blessed and drawn. Many of you continue to pray for these ministries. Thank You! Keep at it and praying for provision, stewardship and His drawing many to Him through us. Thanks! We all have a part to play! Keep praying for generous, sacrificial givers too. And thank God for them.
This year your support team decided to tithe by giving Weis gift cards to some of the bread and evening attendees that could use a little help. Last year you had practice blessings others with the $50. we gave you. This year we are challenging you to do so out of your provisions. God does bless a cheerful giver and a sacrificial giver. Is that you? Ask Him how He wants to use you to be a blessing this season and ask who to bless. He will reveal, provide, guide and multiply your blessings as you bless. Amen and PTL! Maybe God wants some of you to partner together to do something. Pray about it and consult your teammates and then go live and love like Jesus--sacrificially and lavishly.
The Upper Room discusses "Courage to Speak." As we bless some will wonder why we are doing this. We get the opportunity to tell them about Jesus's blessing, love and prompting to bless. Ask Him for the courage and words to share. That is part of His provision for us to use and steward as we seek to bless Him and others and use what He's given. Talk to Him about that and ask the Holy Spirit to keep you aware and ready to share blessings and your hope.
Then meditate on Sarah Young's devotional about how God helps, leads, provides and directs. Process this with God and some friends. He is speaking to you and wanting to lead you to his best and perfect plans you are made to do. PTL! Seek first His Kingdom and yoke to Jesus and follow the Holy Spirit's lead. Then share the Good News and share your stories with us of God's faithfulness to your obedience. Contemplate Jeremiah 32:18-19 from my prayer calendar. I started with that and as I meditated on that and these devos, God threaded it all together to share with you. How cool, right! So, What's God saying to you and what will you do about it and this week? He does have some great things awaiting your willing heart and moving feet! Go! Live and love like Jesus and grow more like Him as you bless others. Amen!
ODB:
Hospitable Generosity
When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. Deuteronomy 24:19
A few years ago, our church hosted refugees fleeing their country because of a change in their political leadership. Entire families came with only what they could fit in a small bag. Several of our church families opened their homes, some with little room to spare.
Such gracious hospitality echoes God’s command to the Israelites before they inhabited the promised land. As an agricultural society, they understood the importance of the harvest. Every bit of food would be essential to get them through until next year’s harvest. God told the Israelites when harvesting not to go back to retrieve what they may have missed. “Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow” (Deuteronomy 24:19). They were to practice generosity not by giving when they knew they had enough but by giving out of a heart of trusting in God’s provision “so that the Lord [their] God may bless [them] in all the work of their hands” (v. 19). God always has enough.
The practice of hospitality also reminded them that they had been “slaves in Egypt” (v. 22). While we may not have experienced such oppression, we’ve all experienced being an outsider or being in need. As we give to others, we do well to remember our most basic need: freedom from our sin. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
When we’re hospitable, we celebrate our generous God, who “loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
By Matt Lucas
REFLECT & PRAY
What needy person or group has God drawn your attention to? What might you give to them?
Dear Father, please open my eyes to those in need.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Deuteronomy 24 describes the act of gleaning, which served as one means for the Israelites to care for the marginalized and poor. The Scriptures record some instances of this practice (the story of Ruth being a prime example), but their failure in this area was commonplace. The prophets charged the Israelites with not being hospitable and oppressing the poor. Ultimately, it was part of the reason God sent them into exile (see Isaiah 1:17; Amos 4:1-3; Zechariah 7:9-10; Malachi 3:5). , He still desires that we practice hospitality by serving those in need. As the Spirit helps us, we can look for ways to be generous to others and celebrate the generosity of God.
Matt Lucas
UR: Courage to Speak
Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. - Romans 10:17 (NIV)
Recently, while on vacation, I was talking with the young man who was setting out the beach chairs. During our conversation, I told him part of my faith story. He responded, “What a coincidence; this is the second time that someone has talked to me about God.” Then he told me that he was having a rough time and had moved here to get a fresh start — which led me to talk more about Jesus and the gospel. Eventually, I asked him if he felt that he wanted Jesus in his life. After he said yes, I called my wife over. The three of us prayed together, and he accepted Jesus right there on the beach.
God gives us opportunities like this one to witness. I also know I have missed opportunities or that I have seen them but did not have the courage to speak up. After all, even the apostle Paul, missionary that he was, asked for prayer to open doors and make his words clear when he spoke (see Col. 4:2-4). I am thankful that God bolstered my courage in this instance and provided me with the words I needed.
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's Prayer
Dear Lord, help us to share your love with others. Provide us with the words we need to say and the courage to say them. Amen.
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