Gracious Acceptance

"As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith."  Galatians 6:10

For as long as I can remember, my brother has helped others.  Family, friends, neighbors, strangers.  Now that he is Retired, he fills his days helping his neighbors.  When he mows his lawn, he will mow the lawn of his neighbors.  When he places his trash receptacle at the curb, he does the same thing for his neighbors. Whether it's raking and blowing leaves, picking up scattered trash, or just taking the time to talk with them, he is a blessing to all those around him.

My brother helps his neighbors because he loves His Lord, with no thought for receiving anything in return; that's why the other day he was kind of caught off guard.  He texted me to tell me that while he was out leaf vacuuming from one end of the street to the other, one of his neighbors just got back from the grocery store and had bought a $90 prime rib as a gift to him in appreciation for all he does for her and all their neighbors.  At first, he told her that he just liked helping people; when he sees a need he just likes to take care of it, and that her gift to him was too much. 

But she insisted, so in humble gratitude, he thanked her.

I told my brother that by receiving this gift, he blessed the giver. 

I would never want someone to refuse a gift from me, so why would I want to refuse a gift from them?

The next time someone wants to bless you, let them...

    if you don't, you will be robbing them of a blessing...

            But that's just me!

"Gracious acceptance is an art-an art which most never bother to cultivate. We think that we have to learn how to give, but we forget about accepting things, which can be much harder than giving.  Accepting another person's gift is allowing them to express their feelings for you."

Alexander McCall

His Gift, Our Gift

"What can I give Him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb,

If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part-

Yet, what can I give Him? Give my heart." Christina Rossetti

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." Matthew 1:21

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11

"The Greatest Gift in all the world, is Jesus!" Ron Hamilton

"Christmastime is here...." Charlie Brown

There is always a lot to think about during this time of year.  The world thinks about time off from work and holiday vacations, giving and receiving extravagant gifts; standing in long lines so their children can tell 'Santa' what they want to find under their decorated Christmas trees.

Oblivious to the true meaning of Christmas.

Christians prepare for Christmas Programs, exchange Christmas Cards, pin 'Jesus is the Reason for the Season' on our jackets and look forward to our time spent with family; often so busy, that we too, can be oblivious to the true meaning of Christmas.

But if we were to pause, take a deep breath, and really meditate on The Gift of Christmas, nothing else will really matter.  We would realize that all the hustle and bustle was unnecessary.  Instead of feeling 'stressed' we would remember how 'blessed' we really are.

It's amazing when you really think about it.  How God so loved the world, that He became man.  Born of a virgin, wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a manager.  God, leaving the Throne of Heaven to spend His first moments on earth in a stable.  And then to grow, age to age, being tempted like we are tempted, and yet remained without sin, for the sole purpose to pay for our sins on the Cross of Calvary. To redeem us back to Himself.  But His life did not end there.  No, He rose victorious and is once again seated on God's Right Hand in Heaven.

So, what are you thinking about this Christmas?

    God help us to remember God's Gift to us...

        and may it encourage us to do more for Him...

            But that's just me!

"Our life is a gift from God.  What we do with our life is our gift to Him."

A.R. Bernard

    

I Know Why, So Can You

James 1

vs 2-My Brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

vs 3-Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

In the margin of my Ryrie Study Bible it says, "Trials faced with joy result in patience, (endurance), which leads to maturity (being perfect) and full (entire) development.

Divers=Various.

David Guzik commented on these two verses from James as well.  He writes, "James regarded trials as inevitable.  Trials are occasions for joy, not discouraged resignation, because they are used to produce patience.  Faith is tested through trials, not produced by trials. Trials reveal what faith we do have, not because God doesn't know how much faith we have, but so that our faith will be evident to ourselves and those around us.  If difficulties are received in unbelief and grumbling, trials can produce bitterness and discouragement."

All true.

I will confess.  When I go through a trial, I'm not always joyful.  I think to myself, 'I just can't seem to get a break!'  Or 'Why does this have to happen to me?' Often times, it seems like one thing happens right after the other.  Just when I think I'm back on calm seas, another storm hits.

I wonder if I'm rocking the boat on my troubled sea because I have not learned to be joyful in my circumstances.

Have I allowed my trials to produce what God has purposed to produce in my trial?

In the midst of my trial, what do others see?  Am I fighting and resisting what the Lord has allowed in my life?  Or can they still see joy in my Lord?

We are told that all we need is a mustard seed of faith, but sometimes I wonder if I even have that.

Trials are to help us grow and to help those around us grow.  I think the key to having joy in the midst of trials is found in verse three.  We have the 'so that' to our question of 'why?'

It is the 'What' our trial produces...

 It's to complete our faith, to make our faith perfect...

    I find comfort in that...

        But that's just me!

I wish we could know the 'why' behind everything we go through, but if we did, we would miss what we need the most:  FAITH.

Who Will Go To THEM?

" Electing love has selected some of the worst to be made the best."

Charles Spurgeon

"And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled." Words of Jesus; The Parable of the great supper.  Luke 14:23

"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world..." Ephesians 2:1-2a

"And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."  1 Corinthians 6:11

An interesting encounter occurred at the bank the other day.  While standing at the Teller's Window, what appeared to be a homeless man walked inside.  He was disheveled, dirty, and he reeked.  Instead of waiting in line for his turn, he approached the counter where I stood, almost elbow to elbow.  I looked at the bank Teller silently imploring him to say something to this man, like, "I'm helping someone right now, can you please step back, and I will gladly help you in a moment."  

But he said nothing.

The Teller continued to count out the money from my withdrawal transaction as if no one else was there.  I quickly placed the money into my wallet and walked away.  Before I could exit the bank, the Lord reminded me of what I had just read that very morning during my devotions.  Isn't God good that way?

The devotion was written by Charles Spurgeon, based on Acts 18:10b.  "For I have much people in this city." Words of Jesus. From his Morning & Evening Devotional, March 2021, Hendrickson Publishing, Charles Spurgeon writes:  "This should be a great encouragement to try to do good, since God has among the vilest of the vile, the most reprobate, the most debauched and drunken, an elect people who must be saved. When you take the Word to them, you do so because God has ordained you to be the messenger of life to their souls. They are as much redeemed by blood as the saints before the eternal throne.  They are Christ's property, and yet perhaps they are lovers of the ale-house, and haters of holiness; but if Jesus Christ purchased them He will have them.  Nay, more, these ungodly ones are prayed for by Christ before the throne. "Neither pray I for these alone," saith the great Intercessor, "but for them also which shall believe Me through their word." Poor, ignorant souls, they know nothing about prayer for themselves but Jesus prays for them.

It's easy to witness to those who look 'morally' good, act good and smell good; to witness to those who have the same interests as you.

But what about those who don't look so nice or smell so good?  Who will go to THEM?  Who will go to the prisons, the homeless shelters, the hedges, byways, and streets?  Who will go to the run-a-ways, the drug addicts?

Jesus did.  Because he knew that one of His was still there, in the mire, waiting to be told the Truth.  Waiting to be redeemed.  Just like you, and just like me.

I learned something about myself the other day, and I didn't like what I saw.  I had to ask God to forgive me.

Instead of turning a blind eye and a cold shoulder...

   I will look the person in the eye to let them know that they matter...

        not only to me, but they matter to God...

            But that's just me!

"Walk the streets by moonlight, if you dare, and you will see sinners then. Watch when the night is dark, and the wind is howling, and the picklock is grating in the door, and you will see sinners then. Go to yon jail, and walk through the wards, and mark the men with heavy-over-hanging brows, men whom you would not like to meet at night, and there are sinners there. Go to the Reformatories, and note those who have betrayed a rampant juvenile depravity, and you will see sinners there. Go where you will, you need not ransack earth to find sinners, for they are common enough; you may find village and hamlet. It is for such that Jesus died."  Charles Spurgeon