Seems like the topic "abortion" stirs quite a bit with people so I would like to hear from you what are your comments on the issue of abortion ?
Please add a comment - I would like to publish all comments received as my next blog post - feel free to stay anonymous or to leave your name - Thanks
Matthew 6:25-27
'Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
Yesterday (friday 17th) i wrote on the topic of generosity and love and this morning (Saturday 18th) part of my bible reading contained 1 Timothy 6:17-19 which i felt fits in quite well with what i wrote yesterday:
"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life".
I have decided to write this post on generosity and love as I do believe that love needs to be present within our lives for someone to be able to be generous towards someone else.
What does it take for someone to be generous ?
I have asked myself this question after seeing how strangers are willing to help other strangers - I decided to do some research in my Study Bible (NIV) on the topic and this is what I have found:
What is generosity ?
Generosity is basically sharing with the needy - this sharing could be anything from offering someone a lift who perhaps has no transport of there own, it could be supplying food or shelter, it could be just assisting where some form of help is needed - there are so many ways a person can show generosity its almost endless and I am sure one could write an entire book on the subject and there are probably many available to read. I however will just highlight what stood out for me.
As I started doing some reference checks in the Bible the first verse that stood out for me was Hebrews 13:16 which says "Don't forget to do good and to share what you have with those in need, for such sacrifices are very pleasing to God." - note that in this verse it does not just say it pleases God - it says "very pleasing" and therefore I believe it is something that God really enjoys seeing - Its awesome to see that it pleases God tremendously when we help people in need.
The Bible also however does not say that you must always help someone in need as many of us are not always able to be generous and we can determine this in Deuteronomy 16:7 which states "All must give as they are able, according to the blessings given to them by the LORD your God." - This verse shows us that sometimes we are perhaps blessed more in certain areas than others and this will result in us being able to be generous in a way that we perhaps have been blessed more than someone else - generosity occurs when we ourselves share things with the needy when we are able to based on our blessings.
So now you probably asking yourself the question - ok, I understand and can see what it means to be generous based on biblical principles but how does Love fit into this ?
Well love fits into this very easily for it is impossible for anyone to be generous towards another if there is no love within ones heart - GOD IS LOVE and when the holy spirit fills your heart with Love people do some pretty amazing stuff. Romans 5:5 says "God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with love."
Love is proof that GOD exists because GOD IS LOVE and if GOD is LOVE then it is only GOD that can place a desire on your heart to be generous towards someone else when you are able to.
Its been an awesome few days for me to see the generosity of others towards a stranger and I dedicate this article to family, friends and to Lyttelton Methodist Church (Samaritan project) who have been generous and who have helped and those who were willing to help someone else that is in a time of need.
Thank you for your generosity and willingness to help - it is appreciated and most importantly IT PLEASES GOD.
When I meditated on the word Guidance,
I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word.
I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.
When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.
The movement doesn't flow with the music,
and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.
When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead,
both bodies begin to flow with the music.
One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back
or by pressing Lightly in one direction or another.
It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully.
The dance takes surrender, willingness,
and attentiveness from one person
and gentle guidance and skill from the other.
My eyes drew back to the word Guidance .
When I saw "G": I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i".
"God, "u" and "i" dance."
God, you, and I dance.
As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust
that I would get guidance about my life.
Once again, I became willing to let God lead.
Matthew 28:2-7
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you.
Hebrews 4:12-13 NIV
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
How do we maintain hope in situations that seem hopeless ?
Psalm 18:4-6 "The ropes of death surrounded me; the floods of destruction swept over me. The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death itself stared me in the face. But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry reached his ears."
Hope is trusting in God to act in His timing - NOT OURS
Jeremiah 28:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. They are plans for Good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
I pray that if you find yourself in a situation that seems hopeless to you at this stage - remember never to loose or give up on your faith and REMEMBER there is always HOPE no matter what the circumstances are.
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A man was exploring caves by the seashore.
In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls.
It was like someone had rolled clay balls and left them out in the sun to bake. They didn't look like much, but they intrigued the man, so he took the bag out of the cave with him.
As he strolled along the beach, He would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean a s far as he could.
He thought little about it, until he dropped one of the clay balls and it cracked open on a rock.
Inside was a beautiful, precious stone!
Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls.
Each contained a similar treasure.
He found thousands of dollars worth of jewel in the 20 or so clay balls he had left.
Then it struck him. He had been on the beach a long time.
He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves.
Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he could have taken home tens of thousands, But he had just thrown it away!
It's like that with people. We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, And we see the external clay vessel.
It doesn't look like much from the outside.
It isn't always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it.
We see that person as less important than someone more beautiful or stylish or well known or wealthy
But we have not taken the time to find the treasure hidden inside that person.
There is a treasure in each and every one of us.
If we take the time to get to know that person, and if we ask God to show us that person the way He sees them, then the clay begins to peel away and the brilliant gem begins to shine forth.
May we not come to the end of our lives and find out that we have thrown away a fortune in friendships.
Because the gems were hidden in bits of clay.
May we see the people in our world as God sees them.
I am so blessed by the gems of friendship I have with you.
Thank you for looking beyond my clay vessel.
