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. (Luke 6:38 NIV)
Government change often and seldom can get to the root of the problem of poverty, but the church does. This is according to an article ‘Christians Really Do Reduce Poverty’ published on March 8, 2012 at ChristianityToday.com.
“This week I have been eyewitness to the inadequacy of governments alone to solve the problems of poverty,” wrote Richard Stearns, president of World Vision US, and author of the article. “… over the past week I have visited the poor in Cambodia, and I can attest that while economic growth in Asia has been tremendous, government efforts are not enough to change the lives of the poor. The church and private nonprofits, on the other hand, can do exactly that.”
According to Stearns, World Vision spends roughly $2.8 billion annually to care for the poor, and that is just a portion of the American church's effort to alleviate poverty. In the U.S., private giving to international causes exceeds government humanitarian and development programs.
Yet poverty is extensive, and despite the progress toward the Millennium Development Goals, roughly 1.4 billion people live on less than $1.25 per day, according to the article by Stearns. Should we then be unconcerned for the poor in our midst and count on government policies alone to work their way toward meeting their needs?
Jesus said, "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" (Luke 6:38).
Are we among those who are doing well? If we are, then we ought to search our hearts and ask ourselves why we should hog the riches God has given us? Perhaps we do not have much and are thinking how we can help while we are struggling to make ends meet. Well, in whatever small ways we can, without reluctance or hesitation, we should give to those who have greater needs than us and to the ones who are dying of poverty.
As followers of Christ, let us consider carefully what we hear and should do, for in the same way we treat and judge others, we shall be treated and judged. By the measure we use to help the poor, the same will also be measured to us and even more (Matthew 7:2; Mark 4:24). Instead of just meeting the spiritual needs of others, therefore, let us take a step further to meet their physical needs as well, for all is lost if a person dies of hunger before receiving Christ as Lord.
Dear Lord, thank You for giving us good gifts. We know Lord that every good and perfect gift is from above, and it is of Your own we give to those who have greater needs than us. Help us Lord not hesitate to go beyond meeting spiritual needs to also meet physical needs as well. Bless us Lord that by the measure we give, the same will be measured to us and more.
and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they took the city. (Joshua 6:20b NAS)
On October 29, 2012, Terrence T. McDonald of The Jersey Journal reported at NJ.com chaos in Jersey City as flood waters rose, amid officials investigating reports of building collapses. Downtown Hoboken and most of the Jersey City waterfront had seen significant flooding due to Hurricane Sandy, and by evening, water was quickly spreading throughout the streets of both cities along with widespread power outages.
Fire Director Armando Roman told the press he was on his way to 31 Newport Parkway where there were reports that the building's facade collapsed between the sixth and 16th floors. His vehicle however got trapped in rising waters on his way to the emergency.
In a news update on January 1, 2013 at NJ.com, Eugene Paik and Erin O’Neill of The Star-Ledger reported that the October 29 storm battered New Jersey, causing tens of billions of dollars in destruction. It damaged more than 72,000 homes and businesses, uprooted the lives of Polites and thousands more. At least 50,000 households in New Jersey qualified for temporary shelter as a result of Sandy.
Despite the best laid plans of architects and engineers, it is not unusual for us to hear from time to time about houses and buildings collapsing. Some are destroyed by earthquakes, fires, floods, and other natural disasters. Some structures are destroyed by deliberate acts. Faulty design can also lead to structural collapse. This is according to the article ‘Disasters and Collapses—How and Why Buildings Fall Down’ at Architecture.About.com.
In Joshua 6, the Bible recorded for us the account of how the wall of the city of Jericho fell down flat after the priests blew the trumpets and the people of Israel shouted with a great shout (Joshua 6:20). This falling of the wall was not a result of architectural or engineering flaw but faith in action and obedience to the LORD’s instruction (Joshua 6:1-5; Hebrews 11:30).
Like the wall of the city of Jericho which became an obstacle to the Israelites getting to the Promised Land, we may at times also face obstacles in our lives. If the Lord’s instruction to us is clear and verified according to the word of God, we need not fear or turn away because of hindrances or obstructions. Jesus said, “… if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you” (Matthew 17:20).
Let us therefore listen to the words of our Lord and put them into practice, for such is like a wise man who builds his house on the rock. When the rain comes down, the streams rise, and the winds blow and beat against the house, it does not fall flat because its foundation is built on the rock (Matthew 7:24-25).
Grant us dear Lord the faith to obey Your instructions without wavering even when we face obstacles. Strengthen us Lord that we may not turn away from doing Your will because of opposing views or objectionable sentiments among the people we know or care about. Help us put in practice what You teach us O Lord that we may be wise to build our faith on You, our Rock and salvation.
How to deal with waiting on God
The fat, juicy tomatoes beckoned me from the garden in my backyard.
And even though some were finally ripe, it was taking me a while to get out there to harvest.
“Pick me, pick me!” their chubby selves would have chanted if they had mouths.
It was a wet day when I finally found the time. I donned my yellow slicker and braved the elements dropping glistening tomatoes into my collection bags.
We were into September already with our first frost quickly approaching. And less than half my crop was what I’d call “harvest ready.” This season has been a slow one for ripe tomatoes—even for me.
You see, I’m used to late tomatoes.
For some reason, mine always seem to ripen at a snail’s pace while my friends have long since “put up” their season’s best. And after several years of home gardening, I’ve learned that lateness is one thing I can count on with my beefsteaks, romas and cherry berries.
I have a friend who is new to the area who also enjoys home gardening, and I heard that he was having the same problem I was—waiting on slow-ripening tomatoes.
But, long before my tomatoes were ripe, I heard that his wife was busily canning and putting up loads of spaghetti sauce. I jokingly told her that I’d be doing the same … in about a month.
Recently, I was at my friend’s house and he showed me a table full of ripe tomatoes – offering them to me. He said that his tomatoes were being so slow that they went out and bought bushels of tomatoes for their canning. Now that they were done, their tomato crop decided to show up!
We’ve all had our own personal trials with waiting haven’t we? And sometimes when things don’t develop at the pace we want them to we choose step in and “help out.”
Something similar happened to Sarah. After hearing that she and her husband Abraham were going to have a child in their old age, Sarah waited … and waited.
And then she waited so more.
Finally, Sarah felt that she had waited enough. And she came up with a plan that would bring her husband a son a whole lot quicker. She took herself out of the equation and provided Abraham with a “substitute wife” (see Genesis 16).
But Sarah’s plan wasn’t God’s plan was it?
God wanted the promised child to come from Sarah’s womb. And Sarah would just have to wait.
Does Sarah’s “waiting game” sound familiar to you? I know it does for me. Sometimes I want to “help” God along in answering my prayers and sometimes, I just want to quit.
Florence Chadwick was the first woman to swim the English Channel in both directions. And in 1952, she set out on another long distance trek swimming from Catalina Island toward the California coast.
It was a 26 mile swim in numbing cold water.
But thick fog had set in and Chadwick, after 15 hours of swimming, asked to be taken out of the water. The shoreline was close, she was told, but, because of the fog, she couldn’t see it and gave up. Chadwick later found out that she was just a half mile from shore. And she told reporters that if she could have just seen land, she might have been able to keep on going.
Waiting on God is a lot like that sometimes isn’t it? God doesn’t always give us the “inside scoop” on how and when he is going to answer our prayers. And when we can’t see clearly how things are going to turn out, we are tempted to give up like Florence Chadwick.
Are you in a “holding pattern”right now? God’s saying wait and you’re wondering how long? Be careful not to move forward on your own or even quit without prayerful consideration.
Sometimes things, like ripe tomatoes, take time. —Debra Torres of MyChristianDevotionalBlog.com
Helpful Bible Verses on Waiting
Psalm 52:8-9; 62:5-6; 130:5-6
We all have those times in life when we find ourselves dealing with the ugly consequences of neglect and procrastination. Truth is we all have areas of neglect we need to deal with. The problem is realizing we have a problem! Our big neglect problem was our landscaping.
When we moved into our home many years ago, the hedge of Burning Bushes was below the fence line. Not knowing much about that particular type of bush, we were afraid to prune it.
Over the years, we’ve tried to ignore it. Consequently, it grew and grew and grew, until it was over our heads. Then we trimmed it lightly. Unfortunately, despite our pitiful efforts, it kept on growing taller and taller. Plus it started popping up all over the place! Every time we pruned a new stalk, it grew back with multiple branches!
Our Burning Bush is beautiful in the fall when its leaves turn scarlet, but it has been a major stress factor in our lives. It has symbolized all the other areas where we had neglected work that needed to be done.
This year we finally took the plunge and pruned this monstrosity almost to the ground. We were at the point where we didn’t care if it lived or died. It had to go or become more manageable!
After we discovered how easy it was to take a chain saw to cut it down to size, we kicked ourselves for being so timid and neglectful. This bush had not brought joy, but misery, for it was a constant reminder of our failure to maintain control over our landscaping.
The Bible says in Luke 16:10, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much …”
Neglect is not visible at first. In fact, it is easy to become neglectful because no one does notice at first. So many factors come into play when we start trying to figure out where we went wrong.
Neglect is not something we plan for; it’s a condition that occurs when we do nothing. Other activities take over our lives before we even realize what’s happening. It’s the small things that tend to trip us up the most. Then we begin to form a habit of procrastination and neglect of our duties. We are unfaithful in carrying out our responsibilities.
For some the biggest area of neglect is their spiritual life. Forgetting to read the Bible daily or to spend quality time in prayer contributes to spiritual neglect. We can’t attend church on Sunday and expect to have all our spiritual needs met.
If we want a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus, we must plan time with Him. When our focus is not on Him, we are prone to becoming entangled with worldly pleasures and entertainment, leaving no time for Jesus or His work for us.
It is time to repent of our sin of neglect, realizing that being faithful in all our ways is pleasing to our Lord. Let us discipline ourselves to take care of issues as soon as they crop up, lest we procrastinate and leave our duties undone.
Dear Lord,
We thank you for reminding us how important it is to be faithful in the seemingly small things of life. We ask your forgiveness for neglecting our relationship with You. We confess we have not been faithful to pray and read our Bible regularly. We haven’t relied on You, but have exercised our own will and failed miserably to accomplish all we must. Help us to prune out the sins of unfaithfulness and procrastination. Help us tackle our daily tasks with zeal and enthusiasm, refusing to allow ourselves to be tempted to put them off. Help us to be faithful servants in every aspect of our lives. We look to you, O Lord, for strength to persevere when we are tempted to seek our own way. Thank you for your constant faithfulness! —Linda Hull of Words of Encouragement
Who doesn’t enjoy receiving an unexpected word of encouragement, a pat on the back, or a reassuring hug? I certainly appreciate times I have received such. Even more thankful for them when I found myself watered my the praise and encouragement of others during intense seasons of drought or doubt in my life.
David in 1 Samuel 30:1-8 found himself in need of encouragement. Yet it was not to be found around him. After traveling for three days, he and his men returned home to find their homes demolished and their families kidnapped. Seeing the devastation, they all grieved but his men grief quickly became anger toward David so much so that they desired to stone him. Now that seems pretty bad—certainly nothing uplifting about his current situation. In the midst of loss of home and family, he now was facing abandonment from men, who were suppose to be on his side.
David was greatly distressed, for the men spoke of stoning him because the souls of them all were bitterly grieved, each man for his sons and daughters. But David encouraged and strengthened himself in the Lord his God. 1 Sam 30:6 (AMP)
Being distressed in such a situation is understandable but that last portion of the verse seems almost out-of-place when you first read it.
His situation was bad but …
He had experienced great loss but …
His soldiers now wanted to kill him but …
But he accessed something beyond his environment and beyond the people who accompanied him. David didn’t rely on the externals of life to be his source of encouragement. While most of us may never experience a loss to the extent of David, we have all found ourselves in situations that looked bleak. And we may have encounter voices of negativity rather than support from those closest in our circle. Even still we don’t have to allow ourselves to confined to distress, disappointment, or discouragement. The externals of our lives aren’t always rosy but internally we can find strength and encouragement in God just as David did. —Wanda Ward
So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. (Romans 14:19 NAS)
Living in the city has its ups and downs. While some of us find it convenient to travel by way of the subway train, there are times in the day we need to practice tolerance while onboard, especially during the rush hours. One of the ways to do this is to keep oneself preoccupied, such as to play a game on the smartphone or computer tablet. No doubt, not all of us are into electronic games, but sometimes such a practice can help keep one sane and less incline to pick up unnecessary tension that comes with the squeeze.
Like some of the people traveling onboard public transport, I too at times keep myself occupied on the smartphone texting messages or playing games. This practice of defocusing myself from the surroundings while onboard the subway train has helped me many a time to keep my cool and my blood pressure down. Nevertheless, I try not to become oblivious to my surroundings or be insensitive to the people around me. As a practice, I strive to live by the principle of Philippians 2:3-4 to do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard also the interests of others.
As much as playing an electronic game can help reduce tension, it can also destroy a person who keeps at it to the point of senseless living and insensitivity to others. Violence and crime resulting from ardent devotion to video gaming have been reported in the news and we know what worrying effects some games can do. As followers of Christ, therefore, we ought to always keep a watch of our loved ones, our attitudes and minds when it comes to playing online, video or digital games. Always be conscious not to indulge, become addicted, or be oblivious to our surroundings.
Having been called to freedom, therefore, we should not let our freedom turn into an opportunity for the flesh, for although everything is permissible, not everything is beneficial (Galatians 5:13; 1 Corinthians 10:23). We should instead pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another (Romans 14:19).
Dear Lord, thank You for keeping us calm even amid tense situations. We know Lord that while tools such as online and digital games can be helpful, they can also be harmful if we are not careful. Help us therefore Lord to know how we should keep the balance between enjoying a game and at the same time not fall into excessive indulgence or insensitivity to others. Protect our loved ones and our minds Lord that we may not come to a point of putting something more important than You. Wherever You place us O Lord, grant us Your peace at all times.
Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25 NIV)
When I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior some thirty over years ago during an evangelistic meeting, I was given a small booklet by a counselor on the first steps for new Christians. In the booklet, I got to understand the basics of how to stay assured of my salvation, grow in the knowledge of Christ Jesus by studying the Bible, and to pray.
Years later, God granted me the opportunity to serve as a counselor for several large scale gospel events, including those organized for speakers like evangelists Billy Graham, Luis Palau, and Reinhard Bonnke. During these events, the people in the crowd receiving the Lord were one by one directed to a counselor for briefing after prayer. My task as a counselor was then to go through with the new believer the steps to peace with God using a booklet that explained God’s plan, man’s problem, God’s remedy and man’s response. After that, it was all administrative stuff for follow up arrangements.
When the new believers were eventually assigned to the various participating churches, my role continued in following up to guide them in the first steps as new Christians. This systematic approach to follow up new believers before they join a Bible study or cell group had helped kept many in the faith.
The task of guiding new believers on the right steps to take to grow in Christ is critical, especially for those who were previously from another faith. As Christians, we have been called to make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey everything our Lord has commanded us (Matthew 28:19-20). To this we have been called, since Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example to follow in His steps (1 Peter 2:21). If we therefore live by the Spirit, we should also keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). And if anyone should fall or be caught in a sin, we who are spiritual ought to restore that person gently, keeping watch at the same time that we ourselves are not tempted (Galatians 6:1).
Dear Lord, help us not neglect the following up of new believers in the faith. Teach us to be sensitive toward them Lord that we may not be too quick to point a finger at them when they falter or fall into sin. Place within us a gentle spirit Lord that we may correct, restore and nurture those who are weak, and help them grow strong in You. We thank You Lord for readily suffering on our behalf to die on the cross to redeem us. Henceforth Lord, we purpose to walk in Your ways and keep in step with Your Holy Spirit.
The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. (Isaiah 35:1-2a NIV)
Crocuses are among the first plants to burst into bloom even while snow is still on the ground. According to an article at GardenersNet.com, these hardy flowers begin to grow with a warm spell in late winter or early spring, and blossom into bright colors of impressive beauty within a few days of growth.
One of the good things about crocuses is they are easy to care. Even if snow falls again before they bloom or during bloom, the crocuses remain unharmed and come back year after year to brighten up the winter gardens with colors in large display. Bumblebees and butterflies hungry after hibernation love to feed on the nectar from the crocuses. Yet despite such beauty and value, crocuses disappear soon after flowering and do not leave behind any ugly aftermath of dying foliage. This is according to Nigel Colborn in his article on the magical powers of crocuses at DailyMail.co.uk.
The crocus is described in the Bible as a plant that bursts into bloom and brings much rejoicing to a deserted land. The parched land exemplifies the ‘dried up’ lives we live in during the times we run away from God or are not walking in Him (Isaiah 35:1-2). Yet even then, God promises us if we are to turn from our wayward ways and return to Him, He will restore us. Our lives will be like water gushing forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool and the thirsty ground bubbling springs. Gladness and joy will overtake us and sorrow and sighing will flee away (Isaiah 35:6-7, 10).
Are we down and out feeling all dried up in our spiritual lives? If we are, let us come back to God that He may refresh us and quench our thirst. Like the crocuses that bloom to brighten up the gardens and feed the bumblebees and butterflies, let us also ‘bloom’ to reveal to the world the beauty and glory of our God in and through our lives. No matter how long or short our lives may be on earth, let us not leave behind anything with regret or sadness, but let us be found faithful to the end in showing faith in the way we live.
Dear Lord, thank You for not turning away from us even when we run away from You. Restore our souls O Lord and quench our thirst in our times of spiritual dryness as we return to You that we may with gladness and joy show to the world Your great mercy and love. Take our lives and make them wholly Yours Lord, for we desire to do Your will and live in You all the days of our lives through eternity—life forevermore.
There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven— (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NAS)
I am always not getting enough time to do the things I am supposed to do for the house. Having to work five days a week as an employee, I am almost always exhausted by the end of the day coming home. Saturday mornings are taken up by the need to run errands or follow up at the clinics, leaving the afternoons for visitations, household repairs and maintenance, or the updating and housekeeping of my blogs and websites. Sunday mornings are spent in church and the afternoons writing devotions for a writing challenge and a Christian blog.
Many of us, like me, are probably finding it hard to have sufficient time to do the needful as well as the necessary. Once in a while when something out of the usual demands our time away from our routines, we may think of it as disrupting our schedules for a good reason or for no good reason. At the end of the day, we may feel distressed or unhappy, having to rush to catch up with what we should have been doing. Perhaps it is someone in need that we have to give our time and go the extra mile to help or a friend who is trying to catch up with us. Are we always too busy to have the time to spare?
Some years ago in a seminar I attended, a video was shown with a voice over that said, "Time waits for no man, but man waits all the time. People were told to wait another six months for a solution ... The wait is over, the time is now ..." Obviously, what was being said in the video was targeted at getting the audience to make a purchase. Yet, there is some truth in the statement about timing.
Jesus said, “Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest '? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest” (John 4:35). We know the length of our lives is determined by God and the number of months we live have been decreed, set with a limit no one can exceed (Job 14:5). It is clear there is an appointed time for everything and every event under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Yet we must be wise to know the appropriate time to do what we are supposed to do and the time to do what is most important.
When we encounter disruptions in our routines, be aware that such interruptions may mean we should pause for the moment to deal with more important things. Never think of interruptions as spoiling our plans or upsetting our schedules. Remember, time well spent with the Lord and with the people God placed around us—including the time given to help a friend or a stranger—is worth its weight in gold (Matthew 25:34-36).
Dear Lord, teach us to number our days that we may present to You a heart of wisdom. Grant us Lord to know how to differentiate the things we are supposed to do from the things that have to be done. Help us not turn away people who need our help or want to catch up with in our busyness. Slow us down whenever necessary Lord that we may pause to listen to the voice of Your Holy Spirit, and do what is right, according to Your will.
When a stubborn fool is irritated, he shows it immediately, but a sensible person hides the insult. (Proverbs 12:16 GWT)
I work for a startup in a very small office, and it is important that I get along with my co-workers. Occasional conflicts however are inevitable, especially when it comes to the sharing of limited resources and managing personal differences like our working styles, behaviors, preferences, and sometimes even restroom practices.
Once in a while, tolerance is much desired despite feeling irritated, in particular, when faced with a colleague who persistently does things in the exact opposite of how I would have preferred. Maybe it is because of age barrier or maybe it is the fact we do not think the same. No doubt, the co-worker is younger and less experience than me, yet perhaps it is time I learn to adapt to new ways of doing things since everything else in the world is changing all the time.
So what should we do when we encounter a co-worker who we simply cannot get along?
"First look at yourself, then look at others," said Andy Selig, ScD, a management and organizational psychologist in the article ‘Work it Out: Getting Along with Co-Workers’ by Sonya Collins at WebMD.com. "We can't usually change other people, but we can change ourselves."
Selig said while a co-worker's behavior may feel like a personal affront we did nothing to deserve, he or she may feel affronted too. We should therefore first examine ourselves, are we moving too fast? If we are, Selig’s advice is we should not be too quick to hit the ground running, especially if we are new in a job. We should instead come in slow to ease the tension rather than start parenting right away as we need to earn the trust of those we work with in order for them to value what we have to say.
If conflict resolution demands that we talk to someone higher or with the co-worker whom we are facing problems with, the advice in the article by Collins is to first count to ten and not react to the co-worker’s most recent offense. Instead of confronting the co-worker asking “Why are you shooting down all my ideas?” consider saying “I think I may have gotten off on the wrong foot. Is there anything I can be doing differently?” Always keep conversations and attitudes professional, not personal.
Like the advice given in the article at WebMD, the Bible also teaches that we should not be like a stubborn fool to react insensibly when irritated (Proverbs 12:16). We should instead have self-control to persevere in the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus (Romans 15:5; 2 Peter 1:16). If we need to deal with a difficult co-worker or someone who is misguided, ignorant, or seemingly dislikes us, do so gently since we ourselves and the antagonist are also beset with weaknesses (Hebrews 5:2).
Always look within ourselves first to find out whether we have been difficult, rather than be too quick to point a finger in accusing others. Even if we are not in the wrong, we must be sensitive not to take offense or break the relationship when correcting the other. As believers in the Lord, let us demonstrate God’s love one to another, for by this all men will know we are Christ’s disciples (John 13:35).
Dear Lord, forgive us for sometimes taking offense instead of keeping our cool when irritated. Help us Lord not be like stubborn fools to insensibly react to people who irritate or insult us or be too quick to accuse them. Change our attitudes O Lord if there be anything in us that turns people away from You. Guide our ways Lord that we may do all things sensibly according Your will.
