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Monday, June 28, 2021

A Cheerful Giver

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill famously said: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” I don’t know of a better description of the generosity God desires in the lives of those who trust Him than Churchill’s statement; “We make a life by what we give.” Jesus was a giver. He gave miracles, food, forgiveness, encouragement, healing, and purpose to people. The Apostle Paul quotes Jesus’ statement; “It is better to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35 NLT) Paul encouraged the disciples in Corinth, writing: “God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7 ESV) Generosity pleases the heart of God. God’s heart is pleased because people make a life by what they give. Preachers sometimes encourage followers of Jesus to live generously promising financial blessings in return. God often blesses generosity in monetary ways, but not always. Life is better because of the spiritual, emotional, and psychological rewards. A generous person’s life is better spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically than a stingy person’s life. The return on generosity is often peace, joy, fulfillment, and purpose because the spiritual truths are “it is better to give than to receive” and “God loves a cheerful giver.” Receiving might be good but giving is BETTER! I would rephrase “God loves a cheerful giver” as “God is pleased by a cheerful giver.” God loves. He can’t help but love. God doesn’t love a cheerful giver more than a grumpy giver. BUT HE IS DEFINITELY PLEASED WITH A CHEERFUL GIVER AS OPPOSED TO A GRUMPY GIVER. Giving is giving, but cheerful giving is better. When you are challenged to give, when you have the opportunity to give, when you decide to give, do it cheerfully knowing you are making a life for yourself and for others. Jesus, make us cheerful givers for your pleasure! Amen

Monday, June 21, 2021

Keep Talking

During almost every graveside or memorial serve I’ve officiated; I spend a few minutes giving my thoughts about “What do I do now?” I hope people will consider what they should do as they walk away. THOUGHT #5 - LOVE ONE ANOTHER. THOUGHT #6 - LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO BUILD WALLS. DON’T BUILD WALLS. TEAR DOWN EXISTING WALLS. THOUGHT #7 – KEEP TALKING The idea of “cancel culture” is not new. People have been “canceling” others from the beginning of time. Walking away from others, breaking off friendships, not talking, and not listening is as old as humanity! People have “canceled” siblings. Remember, the first murder recorded in the Old Testament was Cain “canceling” Abel. Joseph’s brothers sought to cancel him. (Genesis 37-50) Aaron and Miriam, in jealousy, sought to cancel Moses, his leadership and speech. (Numbers 12) If we are honest, we too, have canceled people. Someone says something we don’t like so we give them the silent treatment. Someone disagrees with us, and we don’t invite them into future conversations. If someone doesn’t like an idea we have, we hide that idea from them. The better way is to listen, continue talking, invite those who disagree into the discussion, talk with the person who is angry and find out the source of the anger. This is the better way. “Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.” Romans 12:17-18 (NLT)

Monday, June 14, 2021

Don't Build Walls

At almost every graveside or memorial serve I’ve officiated; I spend a few minutes giving my thoughts about “What do I do now?” I hope people will consider what they should do as they walk away. THOUGHT #1 - DEATH IS THE DESTINY OF EVERY PERSON. WE WILL ALL FACE DEATH. THOUGHT #2 - LIVE AS IF TODAY IS YOUR LAST DAY ON EARTH. THOUGHT #3 - ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER AS IF YOU’LL NEVER BE ABLE TO ENCOURAGE THEM AGAIN. THOUGHT #4 - PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER. THOUGHT #5 - LOVE ONE ANOTHER. THOUGHT #6 - LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO BUILD WALLS. DON’T BUILD WALLS. TEAR DOWN EXISTING WALLS. You and I both know that people get offended. I’ve gotten offended. You’ve been offended. One of the primary themes of Jesus’ teaching was forgiveness. The Lord’s Prayer, the prayer Jesus taught his disciples, contains the line; “forgive us our debts as we forgive others.” Jesus expected the need to forgive others would be a regular occurrence in people’s lives. The only topic in that prayer that he revisited was forgiveness. “If you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV) Rehashing each offense is like adding bricks to the wall between you and the person who offended you and the wall grows larger and more impenetrable. The walls create an emotional and relational barrier between people. Walls make life into a “maze” of confusion and misdirection. Walls of offense don’t come down without work. It requires serious effort to dismantle them. Dismantling walls can be terrifying, complicated, and unsettling. Don’t let the stress and strain of pulling the wall apart stop you. If there is a wall between you and someone else, pray for wisdom and get to work pulling the wall apart. It may happen one brick at a time, but with the wisdom Jesus promises, the wall can come down. Forgive. Don’t build walls. Tear down existing walls. Walls make a maze course what it is. Remove the walls and the maze will disappear. Life is too short to live a “maze life”.

Monday, June 7, 2021

Love One Another

At almost every graveside or memorial service I’ve officiated; I spend a few minutes giving my thoughts about “What do I do now?” I hope people will consider what they should do as they walk away. THOUGHT #1 - DEATH IS THE DESTINY OF EVERY PERSON. WE WILL ALL FACE DEATH. THOUGHT #2 - LIVE AS IF TODAY IS YOUR LAST DAY ON EARTH. THOUGHT #3 - ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER AS IF YOU’LL NEVER BE ABLE TO ENCOURAGE THEM AGAIN. THOUGHT #4 - PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER. THOUGHT #5 - LOVE ONE ANOTHER Jesus commanded his followers to “Love one another.” In the early evening before his execution, He told the disciples, gathered for their last meal, “I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:34-35 (NLT) Love is a verb. Love is choosing the best for your friends, neighbors and enemies. Love doesn’t mean you always feel good about someone else. Love means you want the best for them. Love is a sacrificial word. Jesus modeled love and then described it. “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13 (NLT) Tell other people you love them. You might not get another opportunity. Don’t waste your last chance. I remember a friend of mine whose son died after a long battle with cancer telling me about a conversation he had with his older brother. His older brother’s son had died instantly, with no warning. My friend’s older brother was jealous because my friend had time to tell his son goodbye and of his love for him. Don’t waste an opportunity. We express love by forgiving each other. You can’t love someone and hold a grudge against them. Forgiving is a sacrificial act of love. The other person doesn’t deserve forgiveness and you sometimes don’t want to give it. Make a choice for their best and your best and forgive them. A principle to live by: You reap what you sow! (Galatians 6:7) Take the time and effort to sow love. You will reap it in return. Love might not always reap love, but hatred almost always reaps hatred. Obey Jesus and, “Love one another!”

Tuesday, June 1, 2021

Pray For One Another

At almost every graveside or memorial serve I’ve officiated; I spend a few minutes giving my thoughts about “What do I do now?” I hope people will consider what they should do as they walk away. THOUGHT NUMBER ONE - DEATH IS THE DESTINY OF EVERY PERSON. WE WILL ALL FACE DEATH. THOUGHT NUMBER TWO - LIVE AS IF TODAY IS YOUR LAST DAY ON EARTH. THOUGHT NUMBER THREE - ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER AS IF YOU’LL NEVER BE ABLE TO ENCOURAGE THEM AGAIN. THOUGHT NUMBER FOUR - PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER. Every person in your life needs someone praying for them. What if you are the only one praying for someone in your circle? You might be the link between the person you are praying for and God’s work in their lives. There is a mystery to prayer. Jesus said, “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Matthew 6:8 ESV If your Father knows before you ask, why ask? Praying causes openness, receptivity, and an attitudinal change in a praying person. Prayer transforms the person who prays. Prayer also enables God to work in ways that He wouldn’t otherwise. Because of our prayer, God works in the lives of other people, families, and nations. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” (Philippians 4:6 NLT) “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7 NLT) “We are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.” (1 John 5:14-15 NLT) Pray, pray, pray for the people in your life. It’ll change you; God will change them.