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In times of trials and tribulations or if we just find ourselves
discouraged and unmotivated, we should remember again why we are on this
Earth. The Lord has given us life and breath so that we may use what
we've been given to be a benefit to those around us. When someone asked
the Lord Jesus what is the greatest commandment, He answered the man and
said “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all
thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
When we find ourselves questioning our life and believing the lie that we
have no purpose, we should remember these two commandments. Our main
purpose is to love God with all of our heart, soul and mind and the second
which is equal to it is to love our neighbor as ourselves. That simply
means to go above and beyond to be helpful, giving, encouraging and simply
do for them as we would have someone else do for us in our time of need.
When we help to do for our neighbor, God is well pleased and proud that
selfishness has not taken root in our hearts, but He sees that love and a
giving heart is at the forefront of our being. Life is too short to only
want for ourselves. Before we know it, our long life will have passed
before us and all that we will have is what we have given to others. If
we strive only to collect things, whose will they become when we die?
Isn't it better to leave this Earth having been a giver than to be known
for only being a collector? Let us remember then our main purpose in
life; to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves. When we do, we
will not allow the dangers of greed and selfishness to take hold of our
lives and we can use our life to make a difference that will never be
forgotten. (Matthew 22:37-39) (Romans 15:1-4) (Luke 12:16-21)
I hope this message inspires and encourages your heart to be a giver in
life. No matter how big or small your gift or good deed; it can be used
to make a difference to someone in need of it.
FILLING THE BARREL
I love it when God blesses us with bright, shining opportunities to help
others. God always uses these opportunities to help us become better people
as well. Sometimes, however, these opportunities come with difficulties.
And they are the ones that challenge us the most.
I had just arrived at the grocery store the other day. My shopping list was
long and my cash was short. It seemed like we had run out of everything at
once. It looked like there was no way that I would be able to get all the
food I needed for my family that week with the money I had. As I walked in
the store I noticed a big, blue barrel. On the side was a plea for food
donations for the local food bank to help the needy. I glanced inside it.
It was completely empty. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one struggling to
make ends meet that week.
As I walked through the store, though, I couldn’t get that barrel out of
my mind. With each food item I put in my cart I thought of all the people
who couldn’t even afford to feed their own children right now. Finally, I
picked up some extra boxes of noodles and put them in my cart. I prayed
they would fill at least a few empty bellies that week. I knew if I had to
I could put back something of my own to make up the difference. I paid for
the groceries and had just enough to get them all. I smiled and walked to
the barrel with an empty wallet, but a full heart. As I dropped the boxes
of noodles in the barrel, I noticed too that it was slowly starting to fill
up. I wasn’t the only one who had decided to help the hungry that day.
Every opportunity to help others is a gift from God. Every time we do help
others, God is helping us as well to become better and more loving people.
We are here, after all, to love each other and to help each other. We are
here to fill both empty barrels and empty hearts. We are here to live as
God’s Children. May we always do so.
By Joseph J. Mazzella
Read and meditate on these scriptures:
Ephesians 4:29-32 “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth,
but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace
unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are
sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and
anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all
malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one
another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”
Galatians 6:2-4 “Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of
Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he
deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall
he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.”
Romans 15:1-4 “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the
weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour
for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not Himself; but, as
it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on Me. For
whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning,
that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”
All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.
Today's Selected Poem: PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/inpoem84.htm
Today's Selected Testimony: HE WANTED ME
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony88.htm
In Christ’s Service,
Dwayne Savaya
God’s Work Ministry |
