Blessed to Bless Somebody

And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive - Acts 20:35

The Christian has a distinct duty to support the needs of others. It is part of what the faith upholds as we espouse to be of one accord and having all things in common. How we treat others is an indication of what we think about God's creation. It says a lot about us, too.

Download our FREE tip sheet on giving to the poor & needy

The Book of Proverbs offers us an indication about the blessing of the Lord. "The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it" (Proverbs 10:22). It is a blessing that indeed offers to make "one rich," but it "adds no sorrow with it." All the worry and fuss that consumes our time is worthless and pointless. Our blessing from the Lord is not meant to serve as a burden to us.

Giving is a key to understanding the truth about the blessing of the Lord. You can freely give of what you have been given if you have the proper perspective and understanding of God's blessing on your life. Combine that with the passage from Acts where the Lord is quoted as saying that it is more blessed to give,

Have you been blessed by the Lord? If so, then you are one step closer to becoming a blessing. 

Coffee & Chat with Rev Bruce today includes a special guest Mz. Sharifah, a cancer survivor who advocates for and supports other cancer patients along their cancer journey. Her fundraisers include raising funds for chemo kits that are designed and delivered to local hospitals and cancer canters for patients undergoing treatment for cancer. Tune in live at 10 AM PST and hear more of her story and you can help her help others by being a blessing.

Here is a short list of tips on blessing others:

• Prepare your hearts before you place it in another's hand.
• To freely give, you must release what you are giving from both your heart and your head as much as from your hands.
• No blessing is meant for you to boast or brag about your wonderful work; offer praise to God for blessing you.

He who gives to the poor shall not lack . . . – Proverbs 28:27

Your Best You Have to Offer

And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the Lord.

And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the Lord, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord.

- 1 Kings 8:62-63 (KJV)

What ever you have to offer the Lord, let it be your best.  Give Him the best that you have to give.  Let Him bless you like you have never been blessed before based on your willingness to give Him of your best, not just what you decided to part with.

And at that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt, before the Lord our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days.  On the eighth day he sent the people away: and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the Lord had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people.

- 1 Kings 8:65-66

The king led the people in offerings and prayer.  Then, after all of that was done, he led them in celebration for an extended period of time.  You see, when you offer God your best, you can enter into His rest.

Daily Deliverance

22Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,

for his compassions never fail.

23They are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness

Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV)

God offers His children new mercies morning by morning.

That should satisfy us.
New mercies "every morning" mean that we can experience God's love with a daily newness.  We do not have to do anything but accept His gracious love and mercy for us.

That should sustain us. 
We are "not consumed" because of what He offers us and does for us.  He makes it possible for us to remain here due to His faithfulness, love and compassion.

That should strengthen us.
His preserving us with new mercies daily should give us strength.  We should become strengthened due to what God has to offer.

For the Love of Money

Those who love money will never have enough.

How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness!

- Ecclesiates 5:10 (NLT)

If you want true happiness, don't put all of your trust in money.  The Bible says so.

Do not trust in oppression, Nor vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, Do not set your heart on them. - Psalm 62:10 (NKJV)

He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like foliage. - Proverbs 11:28 (NKJV)

Rather than do things for the love of money, the Bible instructs us: Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17).

Other believers have said so, too.

"A preacher always loses out when he gets his mind on finances." - Smith Wigglesworth

"Economy is half the battle of life; it is not so hard to earn money as to spend it well."

-Charles Haddon Spurgeon

"God has given us two hands -- one to receive with and the other to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding; we are channels made for giving."  -Billy Graham

"Every spending decision is a spiritual decision." - J.C. Ryle

Let us learn how to maintain a proper perspective on what God provides to us.  We must learn to do what we do for the love of the Lord, not for the love of money.

Happy is the man who finds wisdom. - Proverbs 3:13 (NKJV)

Find more Christian quotes on money. . .

Little by Little

Dishonest money dwindles away,

but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.

- Proverbs 13:11 (NIV)

You have a choice.  You can do things the right way or not.

If you go about things the wrong way, you will see how fast what you have can dwindle away and disappear.  The wrong way has consequences of its own.  The right way always outweighs the wrong way.  Don't get it twisted.

The Bible speaks of exercising patience.  Proverbs keeps speaking about prudence and wisdom.  This verse echoes much of the same line. 

Gathering money little by little requires accumulation.  You may not start with much, but you need to start.  You need to start somewhere.  You need to start with something.  You need to start small.

Don't be afraid if things look tiny at the beginning.  You have to start somewhere to get from zero to something.  Just put it away bit by bit and month after month.  Make it work for you and let it grow.

Say Something about the Savior

"Let the redeemed of the LORD say so. . ." - Psalm 107:2

We who have been saved by the grace of the Lord need to say so.  We need to share about the Savior and the salvation that He offers us.  We owe Him at least that much for all that He has done for us.

As we move towards Easter and the celebration of the Lord's resurrection, let us recall all that He has offered us through His saving grace.  He has not only risen.  He has bought us with a price through His precious blood.  He has brought us into a right relationship with God.

Say something about the Savior through the way you celebrate His resurrection this year.  Share your testimony with others.  Don't let this year go by with you simply blending in with the world rather than standing out by saying something about the Savior.

Promote the Positive

Look at how Norman Vincent Peale breaks down some common challenges for people.

Positive thinking is powerful.  It has both blessings and benefits.  The power of positivity can carry you through some unbelievable storms.  Don't think that bad things don't happen to good people.  We all encounter various challenges day by day.  the difference is made by how we handle those challenges.

Embrace a positive mindset.  Don't let negative thinking invade your mind.  Keep a positive outlook and expect positive outcomes.

Let the Lord and His Word work on you.  Let His Word sink in and enrich you.  Let it take root in your willing soul.

I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.- Philippians 4:13 (NASB)

Dreamers Dream

"We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are."- Max de Pree

God gave you a vision. (They don't call them "dreams" any more, I guess.  I still get mine through dreams.)  Others go so far as to say that they have had a revelation from God.  I will not indulge an argument over the semantics and working definitions of any or all of these words.  However, I will share the simple fact that all require some form of response.  If it is believed to be something given from God, the Most High, the Almighty One, then the believer has a responsibility to respond.
Dreams can reveal to us what the Divine wants to do with us, either now or further down the road of time.
 
Jacob's son Joseph had dreams that revealed his future.  He even went so far as to interpret the dreams of others while in prison and before the throne of the king of Egypt.  Joseph was a dreamer.
 
Dreamers need to recall their dreams.  Don't let them become dead.  Keep your dreams alive with remembrance.
 
Dreamers refer to their dreams. Don't be afraid to toot your horn.  Share and let others hear about your dream.  Keep it in mind as you draw closer and closer towards it becoming a reality.
 
Dreamers respond to their dreams.  Dreamers should eventually evolve into doers.  Be sure to have an accurate response.  Be sure to have an appropriate response.  Be sure to have an active response.

Gaining by Giving

Give, and it will be given to you... - Luke 6:38 (NASB)

You may not be getting much because you are not giving much.  It may simply boil down to a simple survey of two major things:

• What you have done
• What you haven't done

Unfinished business is simply that; it is unfinished and incomplete.  You do not gain anything by starting and stopping.  In addition, you surely will not gain anything by never starting at all.

Look at it from another perspective.  What do you have to offer? If you offer of what you have, that is related to stewardship and sacrifice.  Stewardship requires some discernment as well as discretion.  Sacrifice requires you to commit and contribute.  Let your sacrifice be in order and through obedience to God.

Give where you can and give what you can. Wait and see what comes of it.  Don't expect your return on your blessing to come from the same source that you have blessed.  God may use some unconventional means to supply you.  The expectation of being "repaid" for what we give in the "same measure" does not mean it will be paid back to use in the same manner.  you may not receive money back for an offering or gift.  You may not receive the same thing back in the same way, but you may receive repeat business for sponsoring a Little League team.  You may receive new prospects for the volunteer work that you have done with social service agencies.  You may become connected to new business relationships for the table you bought for that gala fund-raising event for a worthy cause.

You just never know where your business blessing may come from next.  You just need to be sure to give and know that you should give freely.

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.- 2 Cor. 9:7 (NIV)

Seeing the Significance in the Insignificant

The words of Amos, who was among the sheepbreeders of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.- Amos 1:1 (NKJV)

The Book of Amos unveils the burden laid upon Amos, one of the 12 minor prophets of the Old Testament.    Oddly enough, Amos is wedged somewhere between the joyous coming of the Lord, the Messiah, in Joel and the obscurity of Obadiah.  Amos reveals to all of us that God could take any of us and use us to deliver His message or to exemplify His love through social justice. 

This OT prophecy opens with the seemingly insignificant.  Yet, if we know anything from reading opening verses in the Bible, we learn how captivating an opening should be to its reader.  An opening should reveal the significance of what's about to be read.  Unfortunately, Amos didn't get that memo. 

Amos was a sheepbreeder, also known as a herdsman, not a son of some priestly order like many of his predecessors and peers.  Amos was from Tekoa near Bethlehem.  That's not a region known for its production and promotion of prophets.  He may have served during the reigns of two great kings: Uzziah and Jeroboam.   That didn't matter much either.  He even pointed out that this prophecy came about  two years before the earthquake, making it clear that it wasn't due to the earthquake in question.  The opening of the Book of Amos seems to shed light on the insignificant.

Whether you see these events and activities as one big list of insignificance or not, you have to see the significance that it does bring out about Amos and his times.  Consider that the shepherd heard from God concerning Israel  during the reigns of Judah being split from Israel.  God called a herdsman from Tekoa to deliver His message to Israel.  He did so two years prior to a significant event in the region- the earthquake.

That's in the Bible.  What about how you open your messages concerning your business and brand?

• How about your conversations with people? Do you stir up interest in your business?
• Do people feel that your company stands out or just blends in?
• If someone overheard you speaking to a client, could they pick up on your depth of how-to knowledge combined with your genuine concern and compassion for those with whom you serve?
• Despite outside events like earthquakes and other tragedies, could your business withstand a financial storm or a family storm?

Use what seems insignificant to stress the significance of what you do and how you do it differently from the crowd.

Productive and Prosperous

He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.- Psalm 1:3 (ESV)

As believers, we are expected to be both productive and prosperous. We are to produce fruit and prosper. The same can be said for our endeavors, whether they be business or ministry. God wants us producing fruit and prospering.

Productivity is more than just sheer numbers. You can be productive by serving a small niche and spreading the love of Christ though your service quality. People will see your light. What you produce by providing quality service becomes evidence of your earnest efforts. You produce fruit and become known by your fruit.

Prosperity should not become confused with wealth and riches. That stems from a flawed and narrow view of what God offers us when we are faithful and obedient. We receive countless blessings from God based upon His grace and mercy. Yet, we prosper by growing. We are to grow closer to God and deeper in our faith for starters. As we increasing become more and more blessed, we must increase in our thankfulness and joy for being blessed with even the so-called "little" things.

Psalm 1 provides a pathway to productivity and prosperity. The blessing is reserved for those who delight in the law of the Lord and meditate on it day and night. Those who do not live like the ungodly, scornful and mockers are on the path towards productivity and prosperity. Such a person will not only be fruitful but he or she shall prosper.

Get on the path. Become productive and prosperous day by day, mediating on His Word and staying clear of the wrong path in life.

Enlarging Your Territory

Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request.- 1 Chronicles 4:10 (NIV)

Jabez's prayer became quite popularized some years ago when a book by the same name was written by Dr. Bruce Wilkinson. The whole phenomena went off wildly beyond the book itself, with t-shirts, Bible covers, journals, and the like. What is amazing about the whole Jabez craze was the focus so many put on enlarging their territory rather than identifying what made Jabez the character stand out from among his brethren.

Verse 9 tells us that Jabez was "more honorable than his brothers." That speaks volumes when you see that his mother named him for her pain during giving birth to him. We do not have to study and search too deep to know that this verse alone shows that Jabez was not living out a self-fulling prophecy based upon his naming. Jabez cried to the Lord and was blessed because the Scriptures tell us that "God granted his request." Many of us would love to simply had that phrase alone attached to the story of our lives.

Are you seeking to enlarge your territory? I looked at these two verses and saw the simplicity of what God does with us when we are honorable and humble.

Enlarge your territory like Jabez. The prerequisite is to start off by not allowing circumstances or conditions to dictate your outlook. Your outlook can influence the outcome. What do I mean? Your perception of how things are and how things turn out can impact how you live with situations in your life.

Live an honorable and humble life regardless of how others are acting around you. Be sure to keep your eye on the prize without stepping on and over everyone on your way to the top. Failing to be humble and honorable can cost you.

Ask God for what you want and need. You need His provision as well as His protection. Before you go to God, see how He will get the glory from blessing you. God may not be blessing you right now. He may be trying to see what's the benefit if He blesses you.

Lazarus Mode

Dear Pastor/ Bishop/ Elder/ Reverend XXXX:

The church that God has blessed you with is sick.

Sincerely,
Concerned Christian

Can you imagine that popping up on your Blackberry Messenger app right before Sunday services? How about if it was a note passed up to you via the ushers or deacons just as you are getting ready to start prayer meeting? Either way, it is alarming. In either case, you are taken aback at least for a moment. You may even be startled.

Someone didn't send you an instant message on your mobile. No one within your church or outside of it scribbled you a message about it. God didn't set a bush on fire nor did He send an angel to deliver you the news. It's been swimming and swirling around in your gut for some time now. It has preoccupied your sermon preparation and personal devotion. The signs are all around. There's something drastically wrong with your church and your ministry. In fact, it may not just be sick. It may be debilitating to the point of near-death. It may very well be in Lazarus Mode.

When I posted Signs of a Dying Church, I was already prepared to go further into it by addressing Lazarus Mode. The scenario is similar to the story. There are plenty of churches who are like Lazarus. The Lord loves them, but they are "sick" and closer to death than they think. Unfortunately, unlike Lazarus, this sickness may not glorify God at all. Such churches and ministries are in need of a "spiritual wake-up call." You don't want to look up and discover that your ministry has been declared dead by the Divine.

Keep aware of the signs. Be sure to make the necessary changes. Stay on fire and keep blessing and boasting on the Lord.

Ideas into Innovations

Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise!

- Proverbs 6:6 (NLT)

Some people are full of ideas. Ideas just pop into their head all of the time. Inspiration and creativity spark inside their minds and they jot down something in a notebook or journal, even on their Blackberry or iPhone. They're simply full of ideas.

I empathize with such people, for I am one of them. However, as I reviewed some notebooks from a few years back and got drawn in deeper and deeper into my own notes and ideas, I realized that I was full of ideas and need to convert more of my ideas into innovations. I would imagine that that's the case with many others who share my flaw.

The Bible is full of verses that speak of productivity. Yes, I said productivity. Look at Psalm 1:3, John 15:8 and others that speak of fruitfulness, prosperity and service. Even as salt and light, we are called to produce something that leads to others glorifying the Father based upon what they see in us. Proverbs points out that the "lazybones" should look at the ant and take in the wisdom of such a creature who needs no supervisor or manager and is productive, being considered wise.

Here are some steps for converting your ideas into innovations:

• Find Initiative: Get an idea about how to get started, but by all means get started and soon.
• Focus Intensity: Keep your focus on doing and doing it right. Don't get so intense that you get distracted or detoured doing other things. Keep your intensity focused on the right things.
• Fortify Infrastructure: Build beyond a "one hit wonder." Dream about other ways to enhance or expand your idea. Broaden the scope of your vision and build a structure that allows for it to grow and expand into a possible enterprise.
• Formulate Innovations: Could your sermons become podcasts on iTunes or articles for online e-zines? Could you write a how-to article for your church or community newsletter on the topic? Could you blog or tweet regularly on related and relevant subjects centered around your idea? Think it out, and then plan it out. If you plan on going anywhere but where you currently are, you are going to need a map.

I pray that this is helpful to those who are full of ideas and inspired to convert those ideas into innovations.

Count Your Blessings

Quick Tip: Count Your Blessings

Here is a quick tip you can use with your co-workers, at weekly parent empowerment sessions, or in other areas of your work beyond Freedom School. Do this exercise called "Count Your Blessings." In this exercise, you will have everyone present identify their various blessings in life. Each person should reflect on their blessings such as children, spouse, personal experiences, etc. Give people about 1-2 minutes. Then, have each person share what they consider their most important blessing and why. Complete the exercise by thanking everyone for sharing and asking everyone to keep in mind the blessings that came to mind for them and hold on to what's most important. This exercise helps put what really matters in perspective and allows you to get to know those who share at a different level.