2 Corinthians 8:1-3 New International Version (NIV) And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. I don’t know about you, but I find myself identifying with the people of the Macedonian churches. In my life, I’ve gone through a lot in this past year. Many things have happened that have been challenges in my personal and family life. Several of you have gone through your own challenging trials during the past year. Health issues, job instability, fiascos in relationships – you can identify with these or other trials. Yet, regardless of what we’ve been through, we know that the grace of God abounds in our lives. I am forever grateful that I have continually felt God’s presence, despite the circumstances in my life. God’s grace has brought me an immense feeling of peace and joy, because I know who I am, and whose I am. It’s because of that joy and peace that I give of my time to work with The Baby Fold and its Festival of Trees. It’s because of God’s grace actively working on me that even though finances have become tight, I can still give generously to support the church and its ministries. I do whatever I can to show appreciation to God, because God’s grace is enough for me. Prayer: O God in whom we live, and move, and have our being,

we thank you that your grace is at work in our lives. We know you are present with us in all times and circumstances. Help us to respond to the grace you so freely give by pouring ourselves out with generosity. In Jesus’ name, amen.

September 3, 2012

2 Corinthians 9:5-7 New International Version (NIV)

So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given. Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. I’m not a master gardener, by any stretch of the means. We had a large garden growing up, and I have some raised planting beds now, in which I try to grow some fledgling vegetables. I must say, though, that I’m never sure how to plant seeds. I tend to be very liberal in my sowing of seeds, often planting them to close together, or too many in a row. I don’t do it on purpose, but I’m not a good judge on how to sow well. This year, I have a bumper crop of carrots, due in large part to the fact that I planted a lot of seeds. What we plant, we reap. Paul reminds the church at Corinth of this truth. If we sow the gifts God gives us sparingly, we won’t reap much. However, if we sow richly, we will also reap generously. What we do with God’s gifts matters, and we know that God abundantly multiplies the gifts we bring. May we feel encouragement to give of the gifts God has given to us cheerfully, and from the heart; when we do, we sow generously, just as God has done for each one of us. Prayer: Generous God, thank you for each gift you give us. You

entrust us with much; may we plant seeds of hope and faith with what we’ve been given, so that at the time of harvest, we will see abundance in your kingdom. We pray in the name of Christ our Lord, amen.

September 4, 2012

Mark 12:41-43 New International Version (NIV) Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.” I have long been amazed by this passage. This widow approaches the treasury. She’s not rich; some speculate that she has come with these two copper coins, which weren’t worth very much, but were all that she had. People often talk about proportional giving, or giving a percentage of income, time, or talents. Large amounts are put in the treasury by rich people, but they were likely proportional gifts, with the giver putting in what was required of them. In contrast, this widow puts in all that she has. Her gift is not a token or a proportional gift. Her gift is sacrificial, because now she needs to trust that God will provide for her and for her needs. In the same way, isn’t that what Jesus did for us? He didn’t give a token or proportional gift; he gave his very life for us. As people who follow him, shouldn’t we be willing to do the same with our time, talents, and treasures? Prayer: Self-giving God, we too often do not understand what it

means to follow Christ. Help us to give all of ourselves for the building up of your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

September 5, 2012

Matthew 16:24-25 New International Version (NIV)

Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” What does it mean for one to deny himself or herself? I recently went to see the optometrist after three years. I knew that I needed to go, since my prescription had changed dramatically in three years, but I had felt that providing for my children was more important. Is that denying oneself? Some may think so, but I’m not sure that it is. When Jesus tells the disciples that they must deny themselves, and take up their cross and follow him, I think he is talking about something much greater than waiting a few years to get new glasses. Jesus is asking the disciples to make huge changes in their way of living. It’s hard to imagine, sometimes, that Jesus may call us to do the same thing – to give up those things that bring us comfort or joy. Imagine that God asks us to deny ourselves the things that are most precious to us – our home, a car or boat, our family, our friends, our health, or material possessions. The things we think we cannot do without may very well be the things that God asks us to deny, because they ultimately inhibit us from following Jesus. What things do you need to give up in order to follow Jesus, grow in God’s grace, and become more effective in your discipleship? Prayer: Loving God, this call of discipleship is hard. We have

many things competing for our time and attention. Ultimately, if we are to follow Jesus, we must wrestle with these competing things. You want all of us, God – our time, talents, and treasures, so that we can focus on you. Give us grace to follow you more closely. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, amen.

September 6, 2012

Matthew 19:23-25 New International Version (NIV) Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” I can honestly say that this is a hard passage to digest. Each of us has been given a number of gifts. Some of us have more material possessions than others. Most of us enjoy the material possessions we do have. So what do we do with a passage like this? A rich man comes to Jesus and wants to know what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus tells him to keep the commandments, and the man says that he has kept all of them. Jesus asks him to sell his possessions and give it all to the poor, and the man walks away saddened, because he has much. What are we to do with what God has given to us? Everything we have is a gift from God, whether we recognize it or not. If our finances, our possessions, and our very lives belong to God, why is it so hard to give those things away? Having treasures on earth does not guarantee that we will have treasure in heaven. We cannot take those things with us. Each of us ought to wrestle with this teaching of Jesus as we move further on the path of discipleship. Prayer: Giver of every perfect gift, we pray today that you might

help us wrestle with the things we have, the things you have entrusted to us. Help us to be generous with these gifts you give us, because they belong to you. In the name of Christ, who gave us the ultimate gift, we pray, amen.

September 7, 2012

Ephesians 2:7-9 New International Version (NIV)

…in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable

riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

not by works,

so that no one can boast. Do we take our salvation seriously? God has given each of us an incredible gift through Jesus Christ. We have life through the unmerited love of God in Jesus. Without Christ’s death and resurrection, we would be separated from God. This gift of God is very costly, and yet God gave it to us freely. We are saved by God’s grace. There is nothing we can do it about it. We cannot earn God’s merited favor. We cannot do good things to earn it, or keep it. We are saved through faith in Jesus Christ, by grace alone. What we do with this free gift is up to us. How we respond to God’s gift of rich grace is up to us. God’s grace comes freely, and there’s nothing that we can do about it; but because God pours out grace on us, there is much that we can do. Our works do not earn us grace, but come as a response to God’s great gift. How do you respond to God’s free gift? Prayer: God of grace, and God of glory, on your people, pour

your grace. Guide us, so that we will not take this grace for granted, but have faith in you. As a result of our faith, and your grace working through us, may we respond with works that draw us closer to you, to our neighbors, and the world. Amen.

September 8, 2012

1 Peter 4:9-11 New International Version (NIV)

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. Serving – it’s a very important part of discipleship. Serving is a spiritual gift, and many people exercise that gift within the church. Frankly, though, every spiritual gift is a gift of service. If you have a gift of mercy, it is used to support people – a gift of service. If you have the gift of generosity, it is used to support people through funding ministries – a gift of service. The same concepts holds true for all spiritual gifts. The question then, for us, is how are we using the gifts God has given us? How are we serving others? Are we being faithful stewards of God’s grace? If all that we have, and all that we are belongs to God, we ought to be using these gifts – and not for ourselves, but for the work of building up the kingdom of God. Prayer: God, in your wisdom and in your gifts of grace, you have

been abundant. Tune our hearts and lives so that we use the gifts you give us to serve others. Help us to be faithful, so that all might praise you. In the name of Christ we pray, amen.

September 9, 2012

September 10, 2012

Luke 17:11-19 New International Version (NIV)

Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy

met him. They stood at a distance and

called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

Most of us have been healed before. We’ve broken a bone, been injured in an accident, had surgery, a fever, or had some other sign of recovery. Since most of us have been ill, and become well, we can understand the feeling of the lepers in this story. Many of us have cried out to God in prayer for mercy and healing, for ourselves or for loved ones. We want to be healed. We want to be transformed. We want to be renewed and made whole.

What, then, is our response when that healing occurs? Are we like the nine who go on with life, oblivious to what God has done? Do we develop amnesia when we could be grateful for God’s gifts? Or, are we like the one leper, who, when he was healed, came back and praised God?

You may have heard it said that we need to develop an “attitude of gratitude.” That’s the attitude of the one leper who came back after being healed. He responds and thanks Jesus for what he has done. If God has done something for you – healing or otherwise – shouldn’t we also have that same attitude of gratitude?

Prayer: God, for all that you give us, and for all that you do for us, we thank you – not just on this day, but every day. Help develop in us an attitude of gratitude, that we might give you thanks and prays each day of our lives. Amen.

Isaiah 55:1-3 New International Version (NIV) “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.” A song that was written in the last 50 years is fairly familiar to some of us: “Like the woman at the well I was seeking for things that could not satisfy…” The lyrics go on to describe a quandary we find ourselves in; seeking to satisfy our desires with material things. Isaiah asks the same question as the song’s lyrics: “Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?” We understand that question intellectually, but the question may not have pierced our souls. Yet, we all know the implication is true; how many of us buy an iPod, iPad, or some technological gadget, only to become tired of it within weeks? The things we want, especially in terms of material possessions, cannot satisfy our deepest needs, no matter how much we try to justify having those items. Only God can satisfy those deep desires of our hearts. Does that tell us something about discipleship, and about stewardship of our resources? Prayer: God, we hunger and thirst for many things in this world,

but the only thing that can truly satisfy us is your love. It is more than enough for me, but teach me how to be content with it, and to fully rely on you to provide for my every need. In the name of Christ I pray, amen.

September 11, 2012

Matthew 21:11-13 New International Version (NIV)

Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” Have you ever gotten upset over some injustice that it stirred you to action? Perhaps you were robbed, cheated, or hurt. Jesus has encountered an injustice; people have been misusing the temple, making money off of people who have come to make appropriate offerings and sacrifices to God. It upsets Jesus terribly, so much that he turns over the tables and benches of those selling goods and changing money, and he drives them all out of the temple. If you were to take stock of your temple, what would you find in it? What would you discover about your life and the way that you live it? Are there areas that need to be turned over, that aren’t being used for God’s purposes? What needs to be cleaned out, scrubbed down, gotten rid of, or repaired? If we were truly honest, we would all say there are things we need to differently in order to make our lives align with Jesus. May we have the courage to make those changes and refocus our lives so that every aspect of them focuses on developing our relationship with God and our neighbors. Prayer: God, help us to let go of the things that keep us from

you. Give us courage to face the future without fear, knowing that you are guiding us and ordering our steps. Make us more like you, and less like ourselves. In the name of Jesus, who has cleansed us from our sins, we pray, amen.

September 12, 2012

Matthew 25:14-18 New International Version (NIV)

“Again, it [the kingdom of God] will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.”

Discipleship is tough stuff, isn’t it? Jesus means business when he invites his disciples to follow him. In this parable in Matthew, a man entrusts his servants with his money. Each of them receives an amount, based upon his ability. Two go off and invest the money; the other digs a hole in the ground and buries the money. The end result: those who invested and grew the funds were praised, but the opposite was true for the one who buried the money.

What do we do with the gifts God has given to us? Are we investing them for the kingdom? How are we using our time, our spiritual gifts, and our finances? Do we bury them in the ground, expecting others to give of themselves, but not ourselves? Part of discipleship is making an investment with the gifts God gives us. What does that look like? When you’re asked, be a confirmation mentor, a Christian formation teacher, a chaperone for a youth event. Provide food or go to serve at Home Sweet Home. Work toward a tithe in giving, and give generously to causes and ministries beyond the church. With every gift you make, the kingdom will grow.

Prayer: Gracious God, you invested in us when your son Jesus died on the cross for us. We need to invest in your kingdom, even though it is sometimes hard to do so. Stir us to give generously of our time, talents, and treasure, in response to the gifts you give us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

September 13, 2012

Proverbs 3:27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it is in your power to act. God wants us to do good when it is in our power to act. But notice what this verse does not say. It does not say you have to be good at whatever is being asked or presented as an opportunity. It does not say you have to be responsible for resolving issues. I so clearly remember being asked to help care for a dying friend. I had absolutely no experience doing this, so I was a bit apprehensive. However, Andy deserved to be cared for in his home as long as he was able, and Sue deserved to have help in doing so. Because God gave me the gift of compassion, it was in my power to act. God gives each of us gifts. It is our choice to use them or not. We do not have to be proficient – we simply have to be willing. God will work through us. Do not let fear deny you the blessings God has in store – and give Him all the glory for the gifts you have. Prayer: God, so often we withhold good because we feel inept or

we are afraid. Please forgive us for not acting when it is in our power to do so. Help us to take notice of the opportunities that are presented to us. We will give You all the glory and praise You for the blessings that will be poured out on us when we give of ourselves freely. In Jesus’ name - Amen

September 14, 2012

Proverbs 11:24 One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

Giving freely – just what does this mean? How many times have you truly given freely? Not out of a sense of obligation or to keep up appearances, but because you sincerely have a desire to give. God loves it when we give of ourselves, whether it be our time, our talents, or our financial support. He loves it even more when we do so “freely.” In fact, I have learned in my life that the more I give, the more I seem to have. I’m not exactly sure how that works out in the financial world, but I do know that it seems that when I give to God first, I always seem to have enough. I’m also unclear how that works in the time continuum, but I’ve also discovered that when I give my time to helping others, I tend to have plenty to be productive in my personal life, too. It is during the times when I hold back that I seem to find myself with less. God is generous with us when we are generous with Him.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank you for the promise to us that

when we give freely, You will make sure we have

enough. What a blessed assurance that we can give of

our time, talents and money to help further Your

kingdom, and know that You will give back to us. We

ask that You give us peace as we consider how we can

best give. In Your precious name we pray – Amen.

September 15, 2012

Proverbs 22:9 A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.

We are a blessed congregation! We tend to be generous in feeding the poor in our monthly contributions of food and time to serving at the Home Sweet Home Mission. We bring in food for the Park UMC Food Pantry. When we know that there are those among us who are going through difficult times, we offer to deliver a meal to help out. We organize potlucks for funerals. Sharing food with those going through difficult times not only blesses those receiving the food, it also blesses those giving the food. For those who have ever worked at a food pantry or served food at a homeless shelter, you know exactly what this means. I would strongly encourage those of you who have not yet had the experience to give it a try. There are many food pantries and some homeless shelters in the area; call one and offer to give of your time. God promises that you will be blessed!

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for your blessings. We are so

quick to look at our deficits that we forget about our

abundance. We ask that you guide our decisions in how

we spend our time and money in serving those that are

hungry. We also pray for those who are poor and

hungry – please bless them and guide them to make

decisions that will lead to a closer walk with You. In

Jesus’ name - Amen

September 16, 2012

Malachi 3:10 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”

Have you ever found yourself paying the bills and finding that there is just not enough to give to God? I can remember days when I wondered how in the world I would ever be able to keep up on paying the mortgage, the electric bill, the water bill, the gas bill – and then still be able to buy food for the kids and put gas in the car to get to work. I know, and so does God, that we sometimes get ourselves into situations from poor choices before we started paying attention to what God wants from us. But, I also know that everything we have belongs to God anyway. I did “test” God, and so can you. In fact, I encourage you to follow God’s suggestion here. Choose to start paying God first – before you even pay one other bill. You may have to work up to the 10% goal, but choose what you will give and do it. Wiser spending choices may need to be made, but God will throw open the floodgates. When we are generous to God, He promises to be generous to us. And, great news – He keeps His promises!

Prayer: Dear God, I come to You with some fear, but with an

open heart to hear what it is You want me to give. You

know that we have earthly bills to pay, but You promise

that we will be blessed when we give to You our “whole

tithe.” Please help me to be wise with my spending

choices so that I may give freely, and be open to the

generous blessings You promise. In Your precious

name – Amen.

September 17, 2012

Matthew 6:3-4 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.

Feeling convicted? How many times have you wanted to be sure that your giving was noticed? It is our human nature to desire accolades for our good works, but God does not want that for us. In fact, He really does not want us to even pat ourselves on the back, let alone looking to others for an “atta-boy.” When we give to others or spend time helping those in need, we need to ask ourselves what our true motive is. Do we secretly want someone to tell us we are doing good? Are we just trying to make ourselves feel better? Do we want to be noticed? If the reason for doing good deeds or tithing to church is anything other than the fact that we love God, we must look into our hearts and pray for God’s help in changing our focus. God is good – He will reward us for doing things simply for our love for Him.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, We so often fall short in this

area. It feels good to get praised for doing good deeds;

it feels good to have someone notice our generosity.

Please help me to keep my focus on You. Help me to

remember that You are the one who is the provider of all

that I have, I am simply the steward. I will give You the

praise and glory as I generously give – in secret. In

Jesus’ name I pray – Amen.

September 18, 2012

Mark 12:41-44 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on.”

Can you even imagine putting all you had to live on into the offering plate on Sunday morning? What an act of faith! This poor widow was so grateful that she was willing to give all she had. Even if we are not able to give large amounts, even the small amount we give can be used to further God’s kingdom. It is so easy to justify to ourselves that the small pittance we can afford would not really make a difference, so we do not give. And, for those who have much, it may be easier to give more, but are we willing to give sacrificially to show God our gratitude? The point of this passage is to remind us that it is not the amount we give, but the spirit in which we give it. Are we so grateful for God’s love and sacrifice for us that we will give sacrificially for Him?

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, You know the spirit in which I give.

At times, that is a difficult thing to think about because I

know my heart is not always in the right place. Help me

to be grateful for all that You have provided for me. I

want to give generously. I want to give out of gratitude.

Please help me to know Your will for me as I prayerfully

consider what I can give of my time, talents and

finances. In Jesus’ name – Amen.

September 19, 2012

Psalm 116:12 How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me?

God speaks through music, doesn’t He? The Johnny Appleseed prayer came to mind as I read this verse, “Oh, the Lord is good to me, and so I thank the Lord.” A mere thank-you seems inadequate for all that God has given to and done for me. While I can never repay Him, I can show my appreciation. How is it that I can do this – or that you can do it? Yet another song answers this question. “Freely, freely, you have received. Freely, freely give.” It is as simple as that. Give your time, give your love, give help, give financial gifts. Give freely, not out of guilt or obligation, but out of love and appreciation for what God has done for you.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are so very generous, and I

cannot even imagine being able to tell you or show you

how grateful I am. Thank you for all the blessings You

have poured out on my life even though I am so

unworthy. I ask that you help me to show my

appreciation by giving freely to others. Open my eyes

that I might see the opportunities to give to others, to

help others, and to lead others to You. In Your precious

name I pray – Amen.

September 20, 2012

Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Have you ever stopped to really think about what this verse means? In the verse right before this, Jesus tells us to store up for ourselves treasures “in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy.” Where do you spend your time and money? I have to be honest and say that this passage is difficult for me. I spend way too much time wasting time, being unproductive and not furthering the kingdom of God. What if I stopped playing computer games for one hour each day and spent that time in prayer and journaling to listen for God’s guidance? I waste way too much money on unnecessary things like diet coke and entertainment. What if I gave up even one diet coke each day and put the money towards furthering God’s kingdom in some way? Now it is your turn – where is your heart according to your daily life? What can you do to turn your heart toward God?

Prayer: Precious Father, You convict us with such simple words.

I want to honor You and glorify You with my lifestyle, and

I fall short all the time. Please give me the strength and

courage to make the changes necessary to show that

my heart truly is with You. I want my treasure to be in

heaven, and I want others to be able to see that in my

life so they, too, can share in Your love. In Jesus’ name

– Amen.

September 21, 2012

Acts 20:35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

We often think of these words as a way to be reminded that we are to give help in some form to those who need it. I encourage you to look at this verse in a different light today. If you are one who is in need of assistance, are you not in a weak position of some sort? If you are able to give, are you not blessed already? There are times, I have to admit, that I look at this verse and think, “Just how much can I give? When is enough going to be enough?” Rather than looking at this as a reminder to give today, look at it as a reminder of how blessed you already are that you are able to give. I am blessed because I can give. Because I am blessed, I want to give more. When you do give out of love for God, you will continue to be blessed even more. Isn’t our God amazing?

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, You are so generous and loving,

and I praise you for that. I am blessed beyond measure

in ways I often take for granted. I ask that you open my

eyes to see the ways I am blessed, and that you open

my heart to see what a blessing it is to give. In Jesus’

name – Amen.

September 22, 2012

Romans 12:6a, 8a We have different gifts, according to the grace given us…if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously… Each of us has been given spiritual gifts. Yes, I do mean everyone! We often compare ourselves to others and feel we are not as gifted able as our sister or brother in Christ. To be honest, we are not all equally gifted, and that is a good thing! If you have not taken a spiritual gift inventory, I would encourage you to do so. It is our responsibility to use the gifts God has given us to serve Him. THAT is what stewardship is all about. Is your gift encouraging those who are troubled? Encourage in God’s love. Is your gift giving? Give abundantly in God’s love. There is much work to be done in our fallen world to spread the news of God’s love, and that work takes gifts of all kinds. Find your gift, prayerfully consider how God wants you to use that gift, and use it in God’s love. God does so much for us, using our gifts to glorify Him is the least we can do to show Him our appreciation. Prayer: Precious Lord, You are the Giver of all good gifts, and I

praise your name for the gifts You have given me. I admit that I do not always pay attention to those gifts, and I do not always use them for Your glory. Please help me to hear your guidance and to use my gifts to further Your kingdom. I want others to know You and Your love, and I am willing to use my gifts out of my love for You. In Jesus’ name - Amen.

September 23, 2012