Be Blessed and Be a Blessing

 

Here I sit in the middle of Hurricane Harvey, high and dry in my house.

Work is cancelled and school too. What to do, what to do.

I see the news filled with people blessing others. I am so proud of my community.

I feel antsy just sitting and watching...

How can I use my time and not waste it?

How can I give back?

I know the Word of God,

I have an abundance of inspiration and creativity,

(Sometimes too much and time is too little!)

AND God has given me the time in this rainy week.

 

 God blesses us with gifts, talents and time?

Do you have a boat? Go rescue storm refugees.

Do you have extra clothes? Go give to the wet ones.

Do you bake? Make cookies for your flooded neighbor.

Do ALL THIS in the Name of Christ!

 

Parable of the Talents

Matthew 25:14-30

If God gives you talents, do not bury them in the dirt to keep them safe out of fear.

Invest them, use them, be brave to put them out there.

For if you use what God has given you, he will be happy with you.

^" For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance."

 

DONT IGNOTE WHAT GOD GIVES YOU TODAY!

or it can be taken away...

This was told to the rich fool that stored away all his harvest for the future,

instead of trusting God to provide him with daily needs.

When he finally had time to use it, he was gone.

See Luke 12:13-21

We cannot take our "harvest" with us, so share it today.

 

YOU ARE BLESSED!

It's not by Luck of Chance or some changing thing that you have the good things you have.

 

James 1:17

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Treasures in Heaven

¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

 

Hebrews 13:16

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

 

Galatians 6:9

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

 



Luke 6:38

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

 

 

Matthew 5:40-41

And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.

If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.

(Go the "extra mile")

 

IN your good works and deeds, do not expect earthly praise.

Let your Father in Heaven clearly see your work.

For he is the only one that needs to know.

At times this is hard because people may be around you when you work,

for instance: what if you are a preacher or helping flood disaster.

How can you do that in secret? You cannot.

The most important thing in these circumstances is to bring glory to your Father in the act.

For example, "I give you these cookies in Jesus's Name" or put a note on the cookies that says,
"In Christ's Love". Basically, put the spotlight on HIm and give HIm the glory. He is what the blessing came from in the first place, you are just giving it back.

 

Matthew 6:1-2

"Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

 

I hope these illustrations will stay in your heart and be an inspirational reminder to you that

YOU ARE BLESSED!

God wants to give you more and wants to see you share it with your

Brothers and Sister in Christ.

When your kids share the things you give to them, doesn't it make you proud?

Does it not make you want to do it more?

Be Blessed this week.