In 1970, this song hit #3 on the charts. Stevie Wonder sang, “Signed, Sealed and Delivered I’m yours.”
The Bible says, Well, we are signed, sealed and delivered by the Holy Spirit.
"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory." Ephesians 1:13-14 (NIV)
If it’s true- that we abide in Him and His Spirit in us, then, when it says that the fruit of the Spirit is Love... Growing within us should be a harvest. A harvest that holds an endless resource of love.
If you were to measure the fruits of your love, what would it look like?
Would you be holding a brown lunch bag with only 4-5 love fruits to give out on a day to day basis?
You have to ration your very limited supply for love in the morning, because your kid is screaming. One for lunch time because your co-worker is driving you crazy. Two in the evening, one for your spouse and one for the dog.
Or do you carry a splintery, wooden crate with 20-30 love fruits to give out each day? You have enough for your family, you even have enough to share at work, but as you get to things at church and serving God, your supply starts to deplete quickly. You get burned-out. Your attitude becomes negative. People start to really get on your nerves. All because you ran out of love for the day.
Are you that special someone who always seems to have an endless supply of love? Do you know someone like this? It’s like a big dump truck full of love fruits. The truck backs up, unloads and love is scattered everywhere. Wherever you look there’s love -- Ready for the taking. Wherever you go, there’s this sign that follows you, Saying, “Need love? Come on over, I’ve got plenty to hand out!”
The Holy Spirit gives us the power to love others deeply- the power to forgive them often- the power to give abundantly to everyone we come in contact with. If God is love, and God’s spirit is within us- then we should never run out of the resource. If we do, then we need to see where the assembly line has stopped. We need to find where the connection was cut off. Because it’s not God holding back his love- it’s us.
"Love, like the human heart, needs to be exercised often in order to grow stronger." ~ HLJ
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Whenever my wife asks our 3 year old son, "Do you love me?" His response is, "Yes!"
My wife will say, "How much do you love me?"
In the mind of a 3 year old who doesn't understand how to measure the width and depth of his love (or maybe he does), will often answer by saying, "Three thousand worlds!"
"How much do you love me - three thousand worlds!" Boy, I don't need to tell you how that makes mommy feel! Her face lights up and she gets the biggest smile on her face every time. The warmth and the love she feels makes all the craziness- all the chaos of life worth while.
I believe when you ask God, "Do you love me?" He will always say, "YES!"
"How much do you love me, God?"
"More than anything in the entire Galaxy!"
I John 4:7-11 (NIV) Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
God chose it. Jesus died for it. We need to share it!
This story has been sweeping the internet. A few weeks back our Pastor presented this illustration in church. It is very uplifting and the truth of the matter is very powerful. Take time to read it- it will really make you think about how God sees and values you.
$20 Dollar Bill
"A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20.00 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, 'Who would like this $20 bill?' Hands started going up.
He said, 'I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this.'
He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill. He then asked, 'Who still wants it?' Still the hands were up in the air. Well, he replied, 'What if I do this?' And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. 'Now, who still wants it?' Still the hands went into the air. 'My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who DO LOVE you.
The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE. You are special- Don’t EVER forget it.' " ><>
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"The Christmas Story" told by a child. Pure, Simple and True.
"I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." And He took the children in his arms, put His hands on them and blessed them." Mark 10:15-16 (NIV)
Do you see Jesus through the eyes of a child? Child-like faith is full of wonder - full of hope - and full of promise.
Jesus came to this earth to save you. He wants to have an eternal relationship with you.
Pin all your trust on Him. This holiday season isn't about a decorated Christmas tree. It's about the tree, the cross that He decorated with forgiveness, love, and grace.
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A classic song released in 2000, by the Christian music group called Newsong.
The Christmas Shoes is a story about a young boy who wants to purchase a pair of shoes for his dying mother. He understood the sacrifices his mother has made for him in his short life. The boy was overwhelmed by his mother' to
When faced with not enough money he turns to a man who is standing in line behind the him. The man reaches in his wallet and pays for the shoes. These aren't just ordinary shoes, these are shoes that are a token of the boy's love for all that his mom has done for him.
The boy understood the sacrifices his mother has made for him. She went without so he wouldn't have to.
The stranger who gave sacrificially to the boy understood the importance of family, helping others, and the feelings of sacrifice and love.
Why the shoes? The boy wanted his mom to look beautiful when she meets Jesus in Heaven.
What does Christmas mean to you?
It's about sacrifice - it's about loving God. It's understanding that giving is a greater gift than receiving. God's greatest sacrifice - His greatest gift was sending His Son for you.
Share this video message with your friends, family, and loved ones!
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Jesus loves you more than the universe. He loves you so much that He gave up His life for you!
Mark 10:45 says, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (NIV)
What is ransom? Webster defines it as "a consideration paid or demanded for the release of someone or something from captivity."
You are being held hostage. You are a prisoner of sin. Sin is a term used to describe our thoughts and actions being an offense against God. Greed... lying... adultery... cheating... stealing... manipulating; these are just a few of the offenses (sins) we commit against God on a daily basis.
The Romans Road to recovery:
The Bible says in Romans 3:23, "For ALL have sinned and fallen short of His glory." Glory, the perfect splendor and beauty of God. None of us alone can be have a relationship with God, because perfection and sin do not mix.
On our own, no amount of great works or deeds will allow us into heaven or a relationship with our God. It says in scripture that the wage, the debt for our sin is DEATH. . .
The Bible continues to say in Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
There is a gift from God- His only son, Jesus.
You see, God is telling you, no matter how good we try to live our lives, no matter how much we give to people or good causes, it's not enough. Giving to non-profit organizations, churches, schools, feeding the hungry. . . these are all great and wonderful things and it can change our world, but it will not buy your way into a relationship with God. It's not the key to open the gates of heaven.
There is only one Key into heaven and that's believing in Jesus, the only Son of God. Believing He loves you so much that He died on the cross for you- rescuing you from your filth. You must first realize you cannot do it on your own. Good works won't get you there. Jesus says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me"
Let's go back to that word ransom. Jesus came to pay the price, the ransom, that has kept you separated from God. Through Jesus' brutal death He became the substitute to take our hell and to pay our penalty- to cleanse us of our sins.
How do I have a deep relationship with God? How do I secure a place in heaven?
Romans 10:9-10, "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." (NIV)
"Lord, I've been doing my life my way, and I've sinned. I know that I have hurt you. My only hope of being forgiven - of ever getting to heaven, is You. I'm pinning all my trust on You, Lord Jesus, beginning right now."
Jesus has gone the distance- He came from heaven to earth- and ultimately, stretched out His arms on the cross to reach out to you with His incredible love. Don't make life's biggest mistake.
Give your sins, your bad habits over to Jesus. Let Him cleanse you and transform your heart and mind- your very soul. Experience forgiveness today. . . and start a new life with Him!
* If you have some hard life questions that needs to be answered, please go to the "Answers to Life's Tough Questions" section of our blog.
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The other day I came across some love statistics on MSN. I thought this article was intriguing and interesting... and down right silly. I pulled some of the more "PG" rated statistics for your enjoyment. =)
"25 Fascinating Love Facts"
Exerpt By Laura Schaefer - MSN Dating
"Love is mysterious, fascinating, and when you find it with the right person, there's nothing better. . . Love is a many-splendored thing … and a very surprising thing, too. As if you needed proof of that, here are 25 funny little facts about love. Study them, scratch your head over them, and share them with someone you fancy.
* Men who kiss their wives in the morning live five years longer than those who don't.
*People are more likely to tilt their heads to the right when kissing instead of the left (65 percent of people go to the right!)
* Feminist women are more likely than other females to be in a romantic relationship.
* Two-thirds of people report that they fall in love with someone they've known for some time vs. someone that they just met.
* There's a reason why office romances occur: The single biggest predictor of love is proximity.
* Falling in love can induce a calming effect on the body and mind and raises levels of nerve growth factor for about a year, which helps to restore the nervous system and improves the lover's memory.
* Love can also exert the same stress on your body as deep fear. You see the same physiological responses — pupil dilation, sweaty palms, and increased heart rate.
* Brain scans show that people who view photos of a beloved experience an activation of the caudate — the part of the brain involving cravings.
* The women of the Tiwi tribe in the South Pacific are married at birth.
* The "Love Detector" service from Korean cell phone operator KTF uses technology that is supposed to analyze voice patterns to see if a lover is speaking honestly and with affection. Users later receive an analysis of the conversation delivered through text message that breaks down the amount of affection, surprise, concentration and honesty of the other speaker. * Eleven percent of women have gone online and done research on a person they were dating or were about to meet, versus seven percent of men.
* Couples' personalities converge over time to make partners more and more similar.
* The oldest known love song was written 4,000 years ago and comes from an area between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
* Forty-three percent of women prefer their partners never sign "love" to a card unless they are ready for commitment.
* People who are newly in love produce decreased levels of the hormone serotonin — as low as levels seen in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Perhaps that's why it's so easy to feel obsessed when you're smitten.
* Philadelphia International Airport finished as the No. 1 best airport for making a love connection, according to an online survey.
* According to mathematical theory, we should date a dozen people before choosing a long-term partner; that provides the best chance that you'll make a love match.
* Every Valentine's Day, Verona, the Italian city where Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet took place, receives around 1,000 letters addressed to Juliet.
* When we get dumped, for a period of time we love the person who rejected us even more, says Dr. Helen Fisher of Rutgers University and author of Why We Love. The brain regions that lit up when we were in a happy union continue to be active.
* People telling the story of how they fell in love overwhelmingly believe the process is out of their control.
* Familiarity breeds comfort and closeness … and romance.
* One in five long-term love relationships began with one or both partners being involved with others.
* OK, this one may not surprise you, but we had to share it: Having a romantic relationship makes both genders happier. The stronger the commitment, the greater the happiness!"
As simple or as complex- as crazy or as normal - as silly or as real-- Love is a wonderful thing!
This is a great story about four friends who didn't give up... before the four branches of US Military were invented, they believed in "Leaving no man behind."
Four friends who were the legs and strength for their paralytic buddy. There were obstacles in the way. There were crowds of people literally busting out of the house. His friends were desperate for him to be healed by Jesus. They did whatever it took to bring him to Jesus.
When was the last time you helped a friend? A friend in need of your strength, your commitment, and your love.
Mark 2, starting at verse 1: "When Jesus entered Capernaum, the people heard that He had come home. So many gathered that there was no room left, even outside the door, and He preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on." (NIV)
Can you imagine? Their determination was so strong- they were not going to let anything get in the way of their crippled friend and Jesus... not even a structure like a roof! They tore away at the shingles and they dug through the plaster. I am sure there were particles, dust, and pieces falling right beside Jesus. Jesus must have looked up and saw this pathetic man being lowered down from the ceiling.
That must have been a strange event then... and it would be a strange event now. Could you imagine sitting in church with people packed out to the brim of the church walls, and all of a sudden plaster, dust, and particles start to fall from the ceiling? Suddenly, you hear commotion with a visual of a man being lowered down from the ceiling in the middle of the service? What a humorous and alarming sight that would be!
Jesus knew these four were interceding for their friend. Jesus saw their faith and determination- and because of that, Jesus forgave and healed their crippled friend.
"We need to get him to Jesus- no matter the cost!"
When was the last time you interceded for a friend who was down? Who was spiritually crippled? A friend who lost the means of strength and determination and you interceded for him. Maybe there is a buddy or a loved one who needs you to carry him/her to the one true Hope- The one true Healer.
The true story goes on to say: "When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven' ... He said to the paralytic, 'Get up, take your mat and go home.' He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!" (NIV)
Is there a friend in your life right now that is saying, "I need Jesus. I want His healing on my life, but I don't have the strength to get there. There are too many obstacles... pains... regrets to get to Him by myself. Can you carry me? Can you help me to reach my Savior and Healer- Jesus Christ?"
Here was a man whose only hope was Jesus. There were all these people and obstacles between him and Jesus. His friends could have turned away, and this man would have never experienced the healing and the forgiving touch of Jesus Christ.
They didn't let the hindrances stop them. The man got to Jesus, no matter what it took, and he was healed. Be an ambassador for Jesus today. Represent Him by saying to your friend or loved one, "It's a hard road- but I will carry you. When we get there- I want to experience Christ's healing power and forgiveness with you."
Love at all cost. Love with reckless abandon and not even a building can stop you from entering into His presence.
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"I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing with a broken heart that's still beating In the pain there is healing In your name I find meaning So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on I'm barely holdin' on to you" - LIFEHOUSE
It's not just about romantic love. It goes deeper than that--it's about passion! It's about what "wowed" your wife when you were first dating. How your focus, your words makes her feel #1 in your life. I agree that in time a more deeper, mature love is built. A stronger bond and a firmer foundation on Jesus Christ is stablished. Just like a diamond, a marriage has many facets (sides) that can be touched on.
This post is touching on one facet- "Exclusive, Passionate Love." The fact that somewhere along the way, men start to get too comfortable- taking for granted what your wife does on a daily basis. She was once looked at as a blessing, now she looked at as 'expectation'. The gratitude is gone.
I remember when my wife first tried her hand in the kitchen. She didn't have a mom that taught her how to cook. She worked hard and tried new things. I remember thinking, "She is trying so hard to make a special meal for me." She was expressing her love in a tangible way. I remember making a big fuss at how good the food was (which it was and still is!) and being so thankful for her loving hands making dinner for me... and now our kids. Somewhere along the way, I stopped being so thankful. I mean, our family would bless the food, scarf it down like wolves and give an empty, traditional "thank you" to my wife after we were done eating.
Doesn't she deserve more? Doesn't God want us to always remember how much time and love she puts in to our lives?
Not just in meals, but in other areas of her life, I need to be specific in how I thank her. "Honey, the pork chops came out so tender- they're great!""Honey, thank you for always doing the loads and loads of never-ending laundry. I appreciate you doing that for me and the kids."
Ephesians 5:25-28: "Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church—a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ's love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness. And that is how husbands ought to love their wives. They're really doing themselves a favor—since they're already "one" in marriage." (The Message)
My wife, just like a little girl who dances around in her pretty dress, is saying, "Look at me. I want to be noticed. See how lovely I am."
I was losing my wife to the fact that I stopped noticing. I stopped pursuing her. I stopped loving her the way I did when we were dating. - The 5 second gaze and smile across the room to let her know I love her. - Long conversations where I would just listen and not give her advice... just listen to her frustrations. - To give her non-sexual touches. Kiss on the cheek. Reassuring hugs. Cuddling her on the couch or in bed. - Coming home with flowers or leaving a special thank you card on the table. - Tickling and laughing together.
If you don't continue to captivate your wife one of two things will happen: 1.) A long, empty life together. You will co-exist, but as Dr. Gary Chapman says, "Your love tanks will be empty." 2.) There will be bitterness, then resentment towards each other. Eventually, you will end in separation or divorce.
All I am saying is, as men there can be preventative medicine. The medicine is "Exclusive, passionate love." Growing and maturing together doesn't mean "child-like" passion or romance needs to fade away.
I would challenge any husband. If you started to do these things, you will find your wife coming back to you. Eventually, you will find her attitude and response towards you changing. The both of you will have a more secure love for each other. You will find her happier and wanting to do more for you, because you notice her- she feels loved and appreciated.
Mr. Webster(dictionary) defines the word 'Passion' as: intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction. From Latin pati; TO SUFFER.
Do you have intensified, driven love for your wife? Are you overwhelmed with emotion for your lover? Like Christ pursuing us with reckless abandon, we are told as husbands to do the same. Express your love with such conviction. Dazzle her with your words. Love her with such intensity that you will guard her and your marriage with your life- your whole being.
Pati; TO SUFFER.This means even when we don't feel like loving her or you don't think she deserves this kind of love- do it anyways! Fight for her. Bring her back to a place where there is Love and Respect in your marriage. Love her like no other and she will see a man worth respecting.
It's your calling by God to do "Whatever it takes"! The Passion of Christ has been to love us so greatly, to the point of emotionally and physically suffering on the cross. We don't deserve His love and many still reject Him and call Him names, but Jesus did it anyways! He took on brutality and pain-- ultimately, sacrificing His life because He loved us so deeply.
"Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."
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Somewhere along the way we as men stop pursuing our wives. A woman's design is to be pursued. They want to be captured by your love. Since the day a girl is about 7, they want a prince to rescue them. They want to feel like a beautiful princess. They need to feel special and lovely. They want to be rescued, feeling secure in your love for her. She wants to know your heart is soley for her.
It's the hunt of the game. When we first date and want to get to know a girl, we do whatever it takes to show how much we love them. We send them flowers, give them a card with words that exactly explains how you feel about them.
Do you remember staying up until the wee hours of the morning just talking? The world around you stops and all you can do is focus on the beautiful creation in front of you. Even if she talks for hours straight, you engage her with your eyes. Even if the conversation isn't that interesting to you, you know it means everything to her that you are listening. You would hold her and encourage her with positive words of affirmation.
Down the road you get married. You got your prize and the 'hunt of the game' stops. Why not? You got what you wanted. Then, everything about you that she loves starts to fade away. You have her now and the passion you once had for her diminishes. Your eyes start to wander around the room when she talks, or you won't look up from the newspaper(or computer) when she is talking to you. You brush her off with an "Uh- hum" or give her a quick answer so you can go back to what you were doing.
The flowers that would absolutely make her day- stops. The special message in a card- stops. The loving eye contact- stops. Her world of feeling secure and loved- stops. The girl who once felt like a beautiful princess, now feels second rate. She feels ordinary and feels taken advantage of.
Somewhere along the way, this princess you would guard with your life has taken on the role of a mother. Disheartened, she continues to cook, clean, and wash your clothes. Her passion for you starts to fade too. You once were a prince, now you are another 'responsibility' in her daily chores. The luster you once had in your marriage has turned into a "honey do" list and a discussion for the week's agenda.
Your wife, your lover, is your biggest ally. She is the help-mate God designed and gave to you. Just like Adam, God thought up the perfect match for your life. She desires to love you to her fullest. But, if you treat her like a mother, expecting her to keep up with the daily chores and take away the passion and the special gifts that once made her feel exclusive and important-- then no wonder her heart hardens and she starts talking to you like your mother. She becomes bitter, snappy with her words, demanding, and complaining often. Why is that? She's unhappy and is slowly dying inside.
She wants her prince back in her life. Your wife craves to be pursued again. She wants to know that you don't just see her as a 'cleaning machine', rather as a "help-mate".
Men, maybe you feel desperate and worn out. Maybe you feel like she doesn't appreciate you anymore. All you can do is fix the damage that is already done- before it's too late. Look back and see how you've failed as a loving husband. Look back and remember how you were able to capture your wife when you were dating-- and start doing them again.
Start with forgiveness. Let her know you've failed her. Let her know how much you appreciate her and love her. Let her know you will pursue her. Fulfilling her needs.
Never stop pursuing your lover. Guard her, fight for her love. . . do "whatever it takes"!
Honey, forgive me for failing you. I love you, but I can love you more. I will do "whatever it takes to turn this around". I haven't been the best husband and you deserve more. I promise to continue to pursue you and make you feel like the beautiful princess that you are. I will not stop fighting for our marriage. Thank you for your patience and endless love. Thank you for loving me for who I am and who I am becoming.
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—
6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
This passage is not for a discussion about predestination vs. free-will. Today it's to show how intimate and loving God truly is. This majestic, all-powerful God thought you up before the creation of the world. God's plan A: He loved you so much that He breathed life in to you. He found you important and special and wanted to have a relationship with you... God created you holy and blameless. God adopted you into His family.
God wants to talk to you and share His love and wisdom with you. He wants us to love Him back and share our thoughts with Him. In plan A: God wanted us to be a part of His family and wanted us to fellowship with Him.
EPHESIANS 2:1-9 (NIV)
1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,
2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—
9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Our plan B: Because of our sinful nature, we have chosen the things of the world. Craving lust, greed, selfishness, envy, hatred, and lying. We have chosen everything God is not. That is what has caused a wedge in our relationship with God.
The good news? God knew many of us would fall into the junk, the filth of this earth. He knew many of us would turn our backs on Him, even though He created us for the sole purpose of perfect fellowship with Him. God, being patient and loving- gave us a second chance. He has given us a special gift called Grace. Grace is not earned, it can only be given. He is saying to you if you pin all your trust in Christ, and believe He died on the cross to rid that wedge(sin) between us and God, then God will raise us up out of our dark, filthy place and bring us back home to Him. God always has plan A for our lives. It's a matter of us accepting His gift of grace, love, and eternal life with Him.
God loves you!
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I have a wedding I'm going to be in next month. I look at my waist line and it's growing a spare tire... for a semi-truck. It's embarassing to get your measurements and realize just 2 years ago, my waist was 4" smaller and now, the rest of me has bloated out of control!
One of my favorite things to do during lunch is order from the 99 cent menu at what we will call McKing Wendy. (Mc Donald's, Burger King, and Wendy's. Sometimes I order from Taco Bell too. That would come out as McKing Wendy Bell or... Wendy's McTaco Burger? Mmmm the McTaco Burger. Someone is going to steal my idea and make millions... just watch!)
Okay, back on the subject. Myself, along with tens of thousands of Americans enjoy the drive thru. The drive thru is convenient, fast, and the food is very affordable. I am too lazy or too busy to pack a lunch. So, one day I did the math. If I were to pack a lunch: 2 slices of bread, salami or turkey, cheese, condiments, snack chips, and a can of pop. It would cost me approx: $4.00 to make. (without a drink $3.50). If I go thru the Wendy's McTaco Burger drive thru, I will get 2 burgers and fries for only $3.00 / or a burrito and nacho supreme for $2.58. You see, I am an accountant now. I have successfully budgeted and I am saving myself and my family money! (Boy, I am a boarder-line martyr for helping my family by eating fast food instead of brown-bagging it!)
Seriously, you can save money eating off the .99 cent menu. However, drive thru food has so many calories and it's high in fat. Plus, I have a sit-down job. I am over-loading in calories and fat and I am not burning it off during the day. It does not come to a suprise that I have put on some poundage in the past 2 years. They say, "You are what you eat." I believe my body shape is looking more like a deluxe burger. . . or a gooshy burrito??!
The devotional for today is in Mark 12:41-44:"Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and He watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling His disciples to Him, Jesus said, 'I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything - all she had to live on." (NIV)
Where do you throw your change? What kind of giving does God honor? He doesn't care about the amount of giving, He cares about the sacrifice. Many of us will put money in to things that will "fatten us up".
How about that big, plasma, flat screened, high-definition television?
The point of the matter is, it's okay to have frills and thrills in your lives as long as it's controlled. It's okay to have a burger or a burrito now and then. If I keep on showing up at the drive thru, it will not only expand my waist-line, it will start to have bad effects on my heart.
God is asking us to give to Him sacrifically and generously. Do this and God will "fatten you up" with love, contentment, and happiness.
Food for thought: "Never say you are giving a widow's mite, thinking you are only giving a bit. For a widow's mite is a true example of sacrifice. A widow's mite is giving everything you have." (By me)
Have a great day and I hope this post will put some smiles on your faces!
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In 1970, this song hit #3 on the charts. Stevie Wonder sang, “Signed, Sealed and Delivered I’m yours.”
