The widow's gift gave God the opportunity to multiply. - Why Give - Week 3 - Day 15

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1 Kings 17:13, 15 (NIV)

¹³ Elijah said to [the widow], “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said… ^15 “She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family.

Today we begin the third week of our “Why Give?” journey.  John Devries’ focus today is the Old Testament story of Elijah and the widow.  In the middle of a devastating drought and famine, Elijah asks the widow to use the little remaining flour and olive oil she has to make a small loaf of bread for him.  Elijah tells her that the God of Israel says the jar of flour and jug of oil will not dry up until the Lord sends rain on the land.

Elijah is asking the widow to trust that God will provide for her and her son.  The petition “Give us this day our daily bread” comes to mind.  The widow desperately needs every bit of the flour and oil she has, but now God is asking her to give some of it to this man of God, Elijah.  I wonder what was going through the widow’s mind as she prepared the loaf of bread.  How confident was she that this was all going to turn out the way Elijah said it would?

This account of Elijah and the widow reminds me of thoughts I have had regarding giving.  The widow was essentially being asked to give away everything she had, even though there wasn’t much to start with.  There are other similar stories in the Bible; the account of Jesus’ encounter with the Rich Young Man is one of them.  Each time, the individual is asked to give everything away and trust God to provide.

This makes me think - would I do it?  Would I give away everything I have if I sensed God calling me to do that?  There are a number of things I own that would be easy to give away – I’ve been itching to have a giant garage sale for quite some time now.  But would I really give EVERYTHING away?  I believe that anything I would not be willing to give away is an idol.

The part that Devries speaks about – giving God the opportunity to multiply our gift – for me, that is all in God’s hands.  I tend to focus on my giving: What am I holding on to?  What is the condition of my heart toward giving?  What are the idols I am placing before God?

What about you?  Would you respond to Elijah the same way as the widow did?  Is there anything you are holding on to?  Are there any idols getting in the way of your love and trust in God?

May God grant us the strength and courage to trust Him the way the widow did!

Mark

We give the comfort of Christ's return - Why give? - Day 14

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Welcome to the POG Blog!

Today is Sunday which means YOU get to start the discussion on today’s devotion and scripture!  What is it saying to you today?  How does it relate to your life right now?  Enjoy listening, reading, meditating, and sharing your thoughts with others today!  

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.   I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.   And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.   ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4)

We give the comfort of Christ's eternal reign - Why give? - Day 13

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Welcome to the POG Blog!

Today is Saturday which means YOU get to start the discussion on today’s devotion and scripture!  What is it saying to you today?  How does it relate to your life right now?  Enjoy listening, reading, meditating, and sharing your thoughts with others today!  

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose...What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:28, 31-32)

We Give Christ’s Resurrection – Why Give – Day 12

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John 11:25-26 (NIV)

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Today’s meditation points us to the promise, hope and comfort of Christ’s resurrection. It is the incredible gift each of us receives when, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we put our faith and trust in Jesus. It is a gift that each one of us has the privilege of giving to others.

I was touched by the two stories that were shared in today’s meditation. The faith of the little boy who was confident that his sister was in heaven and the dying Indian boy who was ready to occupy the ‘mansion’ that he knew awaited him after death, helped me to understand how God enables us share His resurrection gift.

The stories brought to mind an incident that Sally and I experienced when our son Tim was a small boy. He developed a rather severe case of pneumonia and the antibiotic prescribed was taking a long time to eradicate the bug. The doctor suggested that some inhalation therapy might be the boost needed to restore his health. We took his advice and scheduled a session for the following morning.

Sally was in tears as she drove Tim to the hospital for the treatment. As they approached the hospital Tim asked, “Are they going to do the treatment before or after I die?”

The incident came to mind this morning as I reflected on today’s meditation. Tim’s question helped me to understand two things about possessing and sharing the gift of resurrection. First, when the gift of the resurrection has been received it produces a peace about death. Tim was more concerned about the treatment than about dying. Second, when the gift of the resurrection has been received, sharing it with others is often an unconscious, spontaneous and effortless activity.

Lord, thank you for the gift of resurrection and for the peace that it gives. Provide us with opportunities to share your gift with others as we live out our lives. Amen

jhf

We give the gift of Christ's perfection - Why Give - Day 11

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Romans 3:21-22 Living Bible (TLB)

^21-22 But now God has shown us a different way to heaven^[a]—not by “being good enough” and trying to keep his laws, but by a new way (though not new, really, for the Scriptures told about it long ago). Now God says he will accept and acquit us—declare us “not guilty”—if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like.

Unconditional Love!  Well, that is an interesting idea.  You mean I am supposed to love with no conditions?  I know Christ did.  But I am human!  Can I actually love without any questions, problems or requiring my needs to be met?  Again that is me being human.  It’s not about me!

I find that it is easy to forgive.  But it is really hard to forget.  When people ask me to forgive them for something they did, I say no problem, I forgive you!  But then I find myself thinking about what they did to me.  I might tell others what that person did or said to me & how I was offended.  I might even make snide comments to that person about what they had done or said to me.

So did I really forgive?  If I can’t forget then I really didn’t forgive despite what I may have said.  Yet Christ forgave me & all of my sins by His death on the cross.  He continues to forgive me daily without holding it against me or waiting for an opportune time to use it against me.  As the text says “He obliterates our (my) sin.”  The text even says through Romans 3:23-24 “yet now God declares us “not guilty” of offending him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in his kindness freely takes away our sins.”

Christ clothes me in His Righteousness.  If HE can forgive me (no questions asked), then what a perfect gift!  I need to try harder at forgiving and forgetting.  I CAN FORGIVE and then allow GOD to restore that person (and me) to perfection.  What a Gift!  The gift is given freely to me, all that I need to do is accept it and offer my love and forgiveness to others and pray that they might receive God’s gift as well.

Lord please help me to forgive and FORGET.  Please remind me that your gift to me is my forgiveness and that I should freely give my forgiveness and forgetfulness.  Please help me to give my love unconditionally as You gave yourself unconditionally on the cross for me and continue to unconditionally forgive me and restore me to perfection   Amen

Jerry

We give Christ's provisions - Why Give - Day 10

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We give the power of Christ - Why Give - Day 9

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“We Give the Gift of Christ’s Presence” – Why Give – Day 8

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“We Give the Gift of Christ’s Presence” – Why Give – Day 8

Matthew 1:23 (NIV)

²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”^[a] (which means “God with us”).

When Jesus came to earth as a baby he left the glory, beauty and majesty of heaven to come to earth to be with us, to be with me.  He came to be present with us.  God is always with us.  Psalms 139 tells us that we cannot flee from God's presence. No matter where we go or where we try to hide He is always with us.  Jesus came to be with all people, no one was excluded.  To be included is very important to us. We all like to be in the in crowd and not feel left out. We like to feel comfortable walking up and joining in a conversation without fear of being rejected. We like to know we are included.

I once belonged to a group where I felt accepted and welcome. After I'd been there for a while I heard rumblings that there was an inner group but I rejected the thought. After a while I realized the rumblings were true. There was an inner group and I was left out. I was hurt and wondered why others were included and not me.

Everyone is always accepted in God's presence. Jesus came for all. He came to talk with us and to walk with us. Some people may feel God is not with them. They feel alone.  When I choose to write a card that God is nudging me to write or make a phone call that He has placed on my heart to do I can be the vessel God's presence is flowing through to them.  God's presence can encourage and bring joy. In God's presence there is peace, calm, order and acceptance. We can come to God with our worries, struggles, hurts, and our “to do” list.  He welcomes us, tells us He's glad we came and tells us to set our burdens down right here by my feet. He tells us to come, sit by him and talk to him. We can pour out your hearts to Him. He listens and then, as we sit quietly and listen to him, we find peace, love and joy. We realize that in the presence of Immanuel our troubles vanish and our hearts are mended. We are with God. Our circumstances haven't changed but our hearts have. Being with Jesus changes everything. We are not locked out of His presence.  He came for all. He came to be present, to do life with all people. Some people will welcome Him, some will fear Him and others will reject Him but He is here for everyone.

Dear Jesus,

We love you and we adore you. You are Holy, Holy, Holy.  We thank you that you came to us. We thank you that you are Immanuel, God with us. Lord, thank you that your presence can flow through us to others. Help us obey you and to allow your presence in us to affect those around us.

In Jesus name we pray,

Amen

Charleen

The results of our river - Why give? - Day 7

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Welcome to the POG Blog!

Today is Sunday which means YOU get to start the discussion on today’s devotion and scripture!  What is it saying to you today?  How does it relate to your life right now?  Enjoy listening, reading, meditating, and sharing your thoughts with others today!  

Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.  Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds—like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea.  But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt.  Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.

The mysterious increase of our river - Why give? - Day 6

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Welcome to the POG Blog!

Today is Saturday which means YOU get to start the discussion on today’s devotion and scripture!  What is it saying to you today?  How does it relate to your life right now?  Enjoy listening, reading, meditating, and sharing your thoughts with others today!  

As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross.  (Ezekiel 47:3-5)

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20a)

 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.  (Philippians 4:19)

"The Direction of Our River" Why Give? - Day 5

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“…and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east…” Ezekiel 47:1

So the direction of the flow of the river is definitely “OUT”!

Outlets are important!  Without outlets we become stagnant!  This is one of the great points that John Devries is making in “Why Give?” and certainly in this chapter!  I like the contrasting terms – the Kingdom of Get (Satan’s domain) and the Kingdom of Give (God’s domain)!  One has an outlet – outlets cause flow – flow brings life!

My wife is out of the country for a couple of weeks!  She has been gone 8 days!  I had to do dishes this morning!  It’s been busy – the dishwasher is on the blink – so dirty dishes had accumulated in the sink.  I had filled the sink with soapy water a day or two ago – the dishes were soaking!  But, this morning I noticed some unique fragrances in the kitchen!  Don’t you hate having to put your hand down in the slimy, cold, stagnate liquid to find the drain plug.  I pulled the plug!

My sink needed an outlet so the stagnant water could flow out and fresh clean water could flow in and the dishes could get clean!!

Outlets are important!

I was talking with someone yesterday who shared that she was a little down last Sunday coming to worship – a little “ho-hum” about life!  Then God touched her concerning the plight of persecuted Christians and refugees in Syria - our topic last Sunday.  As she heard of tangible ways to help through putting together “action packs” of supplies to be sent to Syria she turned to her friend and together they committed to getting involved and giving to this noble purpose.  She said that from that moment on her demeanor began to change and attitude began to shift.

The plug was pulled – life began to flow!

That is the way it works!  God has given us life in Jesus and continues to fill us with life by His Spirit.  We receive Him and begin to flow with life as God’s grace flows from us through outlets of action.  We are by nature citizens of the Kingdom of Get but are transformed by Jesus, filled by His Spirit to live in the Kingdom of Give!

Let’s flow!

delton

The origin of our river - Why Give? - Day 4

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Water [was] coming out from under the threshold of the temple…from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar.  (Ezekiel 47:1)

For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS one and only SON, that whoever believes in HIM shall not perish but have eternal life.  (John 3:16)

At some point just about every kid leaves the nest.   But approximately 40 percent of us don’t move far from it, living our entire lives in the city or town of our birth.  It was a difficult decision for me but one I thought was economically in the best interest of my family.   My parents and my wife’s parents were not thrilled about us leaving and taking their grandkids hundreds of miles away from them, but what could they do?

Our plan was to stay with friends a few weeks while looking for our own place and as such we left most of our belongings behind in storage and took only what was of necessity.  It wasn’t easy but we knew the inconveniences were temporary so we made the best of things.  Finally after several very long weeks we both had new jobs and a new place of our own (although without furniture) in a brand new city.   Of course, that was when the bottom fell out.

Our move was being financed in part by funds I was withdrawing from a savings account I had with my previous employer.  On the day it was supposed pay instead of receiving a check I received a notice that there had been an error in my submission request and that payment would be delayed.   Calls to the company gave me assurances that the payment would be made but not for several weeks.  We had operated pretty much on a shoestring budget to get to where we were and that delay was devastating.  Since we had just moved and just started new jobs we did not qualify for a loan from the standard lending institutions.  The circle of friends I could ordinarily depend on in such situations were now hundreds of miles away and going to them just wasn’t an option.  So I did what I had always done when things seemed desperate.  I called home.

After carefully laying out the problem and swallowing most of my pride I asked for a temporary bailout.   Imagine how stunned I was when I was told that this time I was on my own and would have to figure it out myself.  In shock I just barely heard my parent’s offer to help us return home if things got too bad as, almost simultaneously there was a knock at the door.  It was my new landlord holding the note I left her explaining the rent might be a little late.  She very calmly but firmly explained that they did not accept promises for rent, just cash or checks.

The following morning at work one of my trainers noticed that I seemed a distracted and a little down and began to bug me about it.  Finally I snapped that I was having a few financial issue but it would not affect my production.  He told me to stop working and took me into the boss’s office and went to get the boss.  I was starting to panic.  I didn’t think I had been disrespectful in the way I responded, but maybe he took it that way.  The very last thing I needed was to now lose this job.  My boss came in and with a no nonsense look immediately asked me to explain what was going on.  When I started to tell him about my conversation with the trainer he waived that off and said no, what kind of financial issues are you having?  I sheepishly began to explain about the delayed savings payment and before I could finish he asked how much was I expecting.   He then left the room briefly and when he returned he had a check for the amount of the savings payment.  He gave it to me and said go home and take care of your business.  Come back tomorrow no distractions ready to work.

From this experience I learned my most treasured lesson about giving.  My parents had always been my safety net, the resource I could always count on.  Denying this request was the best gift they ever gave me.  If forced me to recognize and depend on the real source of all gifts, “the ORIGIN of our river.”

Great and glorious FATHER of all, thank YOU so much for the greatest gift of all, YOUR SON and HIS unselfish sacrifice given to an undeserving world.  Teach us YOUR ways of love and generosity so that we may participate in a life of joy and abundance.  In CHRIST name we pray, amen.

Jim L.

Gushing torrents of living water - Why Give? - Day 3

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John 7:38

 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams (torrents) of living water will flow from within him.

Why give?  We live in such a self-centered society.  We are inundated with messages every day that encourage us to take care of ourselves – it’s “me first”, so that THEN we can take care of others.  I must be happy, secure, calm, safe, etc., before I can help others.  That is what this world tells us.  It is a lie, and Jesus reminds us that our only hope is through Him first.  We cannot do anything on our own, without Him.  Jesus in John 7:38 also reminds us that this gift of love, hope, and life doesn’t end with us – it’s supposed to flow through us, to others.

The paragraph that points out that Christ has moved out of stone temples into us made me pause.  I am all too often ready to give, but I tend to wait until there is some organized effort through my church, or a volunteer organization, or a group of friends before I share Christ with others, before I give.  We should be waiting and watching for everyday happenings to share Jesus with everyone we encounter.  What a gift Jesus has given us, expecting us to give and declare his love and sacrifice!  And what a beautiful example, living water, to remind us that giving is constant motion… a river doesn’t stop, it continually flows.  In my life, waiting to participate in organized giving is just a sad little excuse.  He has promised us His love and eternal life with Him, another unending river, so how can we NOT share that gift, over and over, day after day?

There are so many ways we can give… our money, our possessions, our time, our humor, a smile, a helping hand, an encouraging word.  The list goes on and on.  And because we are so uniquely made by God, our gifts to others will always be specially unique, one of a kind.  That’s an endless flowing river too! J

Father God, help me to daily think of myself (with Your help) as an unending river of Your love.  Send your Holy Spirit to help me recognize the opportunities in my daily life to be a stream of giving for You that never ends! In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

kristi

God as a River - Why Give? Day 2

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This meditation provides an awesome way to look at the creation narrative of Genesis 1-3.  It is as if God organized the scriptures in such a way that from the beginning, the very first things we would learn about the character of our Creator is His "abundant generosity"!

I need to dwell on this reality a moment - a lot of moments.  I am just looking out the window- observing my world and realizing yet again God is abundantly generous.  The natural world around me gives constant testimony of His generosity.  I am so much happier, joy filled, generous and alive when I allow my heart and mind to be consumed with this truth, "God is very generous to me!" Today's meditation was full of great insights but this is the one that jumped all over me.

Take, for instance, my Jack Russell puppy (8 months) - "Sparky!"  God has wired Sparky "abundantly generously" with joy, zeal, energy, affection and sheer life that when it all comes pouring out at me as I walk out in the morning or come home at night - well it is over the top love from a little dog to a simple guy like me.  That is God's "abundant generosity" flowing through His created world to me!  Sparky gives more than I can take in at one time.  God does too - all the time, everyday!

I know that is a simple example but I am reminded through this "Why Give?" meditation today that God's abundant generosity is all around me all the time and as I realize that every moment of every day I will be less likely to be "miserly and miserable" and more likely to be "a river of generosity" more fully alive.

What did you see in this meditation that caught your attention?

Join the conversation!

delton

Biblical Rivers

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Day 1

When I first saw the cover of the “Why Give?” devotional, I was immediately drawn to the image of the water cascading through a series of moss-covered stones.  I love moving water of all kinds – an ocean, a sea, a mighty river rushing past, a bubbling stream, a tinkling fountain….. There is something infinitely soothing to my soul when I am near water.  As a young girl, I spent many happy hours sitting next to a little stream that bubbled through a wooded area near my home.  Sometimes the sound was a gentle gurgle, other times a loud torrent after a rain but always a sound that lifted my heart and soothed my soul.

As a follower of Christ, I am called to allow his love and grace to well up within me.  As his goodness flows into me – will I be living, moving water?  Reflecting on the image of a bubbling stream, I wonder if I will be the follower who is so in love with her Savior, so full of his life-giving streams of water that I bubble over with joy.  Will I dance and sparkle in the light of his presence?  Will I allow God to use me to minister to others; sometimes as a torrent of love spilling over them; other times as a gentle gurgle enfolding them?  Will others see me as full of life and joy or am I stagnant, murky, and dark with the cares and worries of this world?

I also love the lap of the waves against the shoreline – the rhythmic beat of the ocean’s heart. Will I allow myself to be the rhythmic ocean, faithfully coming ashore into the presence of Jesus?  Returning each morning and evening to be replenished by his grace and mercy in preparation for the work he calls me to do?  Or will my faith be challenged by moving currents that toss me to and fro in the deep, sucking me down into the depths of selfishness and self-absorption?

Abba Father, teach me the ways of your son, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Empower me to be filled with streams of love and mercy, flowing from YOU through ME.  Walk with me, Jesus, as I begin this forty day journey of learning how to give to those precious people that you will place in my path.  Help me, Jesus, to always seek YOUR truth in Word and prayer. 

Amen

Kelly