Our Pastor has been sharing what it means to be generous. What it means to have an open handed~ open heart attitude and thought. He shared with us that God wants for us to become generous people. Dictionary.com says that generosity is to give or share liberally free from meanness or smallness of mind or character; to give abundantly with a ready heart without being stingy. Pastor began to teach us and say: “Generosity is not measured by our allowance, it is measured by our allowing.” Learning to give out of an ‘openness’ with no intention or desire to get anything back. Generosity is the outflow of an inflow of trust. Trust in a God who will take care of us in spite of our circumstances. Then he shared how comparing will always discount what God is doing in our hearts and lives. He said in Exodus the people began to resent the manna that God was providing. They began to grumble and complain and whine and say; “We remember when we had it all.” In Exodus 16:1-3 it says: The whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, “IF ONLY we died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death” verses 5-10 continue showing us the grumbling of the people. Pastor said Resentment and regret always starts with IF: “If only we were back in the old days when we had all the food all the drinks we could enjoy. Now we only have this manna.” Basically saying what God was providing for them was not acceptable to them. It wasn’t enough. Comparing our present provision to our past gets us no where and helps us miss our blessing in what HE is doing now. God provided for them every day exactly what was needed for that day. The instruction was to gather it daily, every day, they didn’t want it they wanted something more. Pastor then asked the question: “Can you trust God and be obediant to him?” Pastor said, “God’s faithfulness to you is not equal to your trust in Him. God is faithful even if you choose not to be.” It is a choice ~ it becomes a matter of our heart. Then he said, “Generosity shows the expiration of our heart.” I had to think about that one for some time to really grasp what it meant. Then he asked us,”What does it mean to be rich? if you define rich by how much money you have your definition is a moving target. Rich is not defined by money it is defined by heart condition.” He continued to teach, “Richness and wealth is not measured by what’s in your bank. You must redefine what it means to be wealthy and what it means to be rich. When we do that we begin to realize how truly rich we are.” How truly rich we are… we are very wealthy people. Are you feeling the convictions that I did? We are truly rich and wealthy people. It is only our discontented hearts condition that discounts the truth for what it really is. Lord God I pray for our hearts to be broken and to become more generous in the way that you desire. Help us to be grateful and generous with open hands and open hearts.
Changes in our lives often bring grief and loss. May we embrace and mourn our changes today. Let us not refuse them and loose what God has in store for us~ from John Eldredge a popular writer and speaker.
I am not one who likes change. My house is normally the same and my friendships too. Habits are generally the same over and over and food tastes too. When a change happens it is hard. I don’t generally adapt easy to it. This last month we have dealt with my husbands surgery and visits to the emergency room and then the visits to the various doctors and the inconvenience of his one arm in a sling. I have had to do more and be more patient. It has been good but also hard to be patient and remember he is frustrated at his ‘change’ of situation. It has been good for him to rest. To allow the arm to restore itself. As his body recovers from the trauma that has happened. I think the best thing we can do when these type of events take place is to EMBRACE them as John says. The energy it takes to deny or discount ‘the new’ situation is far worse than saying ‘ok I am not really liking this but I am resting in it.’ Change… is hard. Change is necessary. Each season we see change. Leaves fall and go dormant, bulbs rest waiting to bloom. It snowed last night and that change was pretty and white and also created inconvenience for many. The only real way to deal with change is to embrace it. Then rest in the knowing that soon the new change will be transformed into something we find comfort in. How do you adapt to change? do you embrace it or fight it? It is a good question for us all.
I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!
Can you even imagine the God of the Universe bending down to listen to the cries of those who are asking for mercy? (mercy means to have kindness or compassion)
Have you ever talked to a child and really got down to their level.
Perhaps bending a knee to get closer so you can hear them?
That is what this verse is saying.
He bends down to listen.
I would love the Lord even if I thought he didn’t listen
but isn’t it wonderful to know he does?
How powerful that is.
That we are important enough to have him listen.
He bends down to listen
when I whisper
when I cry
when I laugh
when I speak
when I sing
doesn’t it make your heart happy?
Oh that we can know and experience the deep love of God
Last night my husband made us a wonderful Irish whiskey flat iron steak dinner, baked potatoes with peas and little pearl onions. It was sweet and very good. He did it all by himself with his arm still in a sling and he even had the table set with a candle burning.
It was a wonderful Valentine treat.
Often times I tell him “I don’t want a card or gifts on Valentines day. It’s a day when Hallmark makes a ton of money and florist shops go crazy.”
I would rather have a simple evening together and a ‘surprise’ on another day when I ‘don’t feel good’ or when my heart is hurting or when I just need a bit of encouraging. Something nurturing for my heart and spirit not just ‘because it is the day to do it’ but because you want to lift my mood up a little. Thank you honey for a wonderful dinner and your surprise in planning it.
One Word 2018 Simplify/2019 Simplify/2020 Rest, 2021/Comfort
Simplicity
Subscribe
Subscribe Here!
Get encouragement and thought delivered directly to your inbox!
You have Successfully Subscribed!
my 2017 picture
Philipians 4:13
I can do everything through him who gives me strength. ==================== Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow." Courage is not the absence of fear but it's taking action in the midst of it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A diamond is a chunk of coal that made good under pressure.
It's your heart, not the dictionary that gives meaning to your words. Matthew 12:34 (msg) version.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Below you will find a few of my favorite websites or blogs. They have given me encouragement and challenged me on this journey.
Ann Voskamp's blog A holy Experience This image of a bleeding heart represents a journey of healing from brokenness to wholeness. Some of my favorite books: One thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
Married over 46 years and entered into my 65th year of life.
I am a mother of two and grandmother of six and mom to two very spoiled kitties. I love to worship and encourage and of course write whenever I can find a topic or subject to share about.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you for visiting my blog.
I hope you find it encouraging and that it gives you
'Something to think about'. The vision for this is to challenge the reader into a new and different way of thinking. I appreciate and always value your comments. Having others walk alongside and join in the sharing is part of the process.
Thank you for joining me... on this journey. As we get encouraged ~ Lord help us to encourage others. "And the day came when the risk to remain a tight bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." Anais Nin my blog button The crosses are found on a beach at Winema Christian Camp on the Oregon coast.. a place to relax and find God in the process. My favorite place ....to rest and restore my spirit.
/>PLEASE DO NOT COPY ANY PART OF THIS BLOG WITHOUT ASKING PERMISSION FROM THE AUTHOR FIRST. Thank you click onto picture for My etsy store:
