Giving
1. From Thanksgiving To Christmas Giving
I read and pray, and meditate and pray, with each new devotional theme. I try to use topics that will encourage my readers during times that may be prevalent with each new season of their lives. My prayers today have brought me to the idea of giving. I thought of several examples in the Bible that illustrate different things we can give in our lives. Also, Thanksgiving is just over two weeks away and some are making a point to give God thanks each day between now and November 23rd. This is a great way to help us be more thankful. I hope to look at some of the scriptures to help us look at this type of "Giving". Thanksgiving will be followed with Christmas, the time of year when we celebrate the greatest gift of all time, and celebrate in giving gifts to our loved ones. This is a very busy time of year for most of us, and a very giving time of year. I hope we can find peace and joy in God's Word to help us have less stress and distress.
2. The Source Of Giving
Let's begin our look at "Giving" with The Giver. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." (James 1:17) If we want to know the joy that comes from giving, then we need to understand that all that we have comes from God, our Father in heaven. "For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof." (Psalm 50:10-12) Not only does God own the world, "and the fulness thereof", but I Timothy 6:17 tells us to trust in "the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;" So, when we give, we are only giving what God has first given to us. Later in our study we will talk about God's greatest gift, the ultimate sacrifice.
3. The Children Of Israel Gave More Than Enough
I want to begin our look at giving with examples in the Bible who gave. After the Children of Israel were delivered from their Egyptian bondage God led them through the wilderness. God spoke to Moses and showed him that He wanted them to build a tabernacle to serve Him. In Exodus 25 we see the things God asked the people to bring as an offering to Him.
"1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.
3 And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,
4 And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair,
5 And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood,
6 Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense,
7 Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate.
8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them." (Exodus 25:1-8)
The people gave of their substance, and they also gave of themselves to do the work and when we come to Exodus 36, we see that they had willingly given more than enough for the work.
"1 Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the LORD had commanded.
2 And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it:
3 And they received of Moses all the offering, which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, to make it withal. And they brought yet unto him free offerings every morning.
4 And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made;
5 And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make.
6 And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.
7 For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much." (Exodus 36:1-7)
If we need an example to follow in how much to give to the Lord, this is a great one to follow. We need to give, as the Lord gives unto us, to fill the need.
4. When We Don't Have Much To Give
I have heard people pray before the offering is received at church, "Lord, please bless those who have it to give, and bless those who don't have it to give." Some have criticized these prayers, saying that we give to God first and we always have something to give. I can remember times when a missionary or evangelist came and spoke at our church and I wanted to give, but I really had nothing to give. Our God is a loving God and He knows what we have, and how we use what we have. I believe that the Bible teaches us to be good stewards of our money, and even when we are doing the best we can, sometimes sudden unexpected expenses come up and we don't have enough. God knows our hearts and I am thankful that we won't be judged by man's standards.
"41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.
42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." (Mark 12:41-44)
When we have more, we can give more, and when things are tight, God understands.
5. Giving Our Tithes
If you have read many of these devotionals then you probably know that one of my favorite verses is Malachi 3:10. "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." This verse is so special to me because I have "proved" it in my heart and life and I can say, "God is faithful to keep His promises!" Yesterday I talked about how sometimes we don't have much to give, as the widow who only gave her two mites to the Lord. There are other times when we have more from which to give. Then, there are times when God is trying to strengthen our faith, when we don't have much to give, but we give anyway. God rewards our faithfulness and He has often opened the windows of heaven and rained special blessings on my life. Sometimes it is in the form of finances, but always in the form of spiritual blessings. I would like to encourage you today to look not only into your pocketbook, but look into your heart and see if you can find something to give during our season of giving.
6. Giving Our Talents
In the Bible the word "talents" can mean money, but today I want to look at giving our talents, as giving of our gifts that the Lord has blessed us with. Jesus told a parable in Matthew 25 which in part reads...
"14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." (Matthew 25:14-21)
Although in this passage "talents" refers to money, I believe that we can also see the parallel of giving our gifted talents to the Lord. A great Bible example of someone who gave her talents to the Lord is Tabitha, or Dorcas. "Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did." (Acts 9:36) Dorcas was sick and died. "Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them." (Acts 9:39) Peter prayed and God raised her up and Peter presented her to the widows alive. She used her talents of sewing, or weaving, to make coats and garments for these people and God used her to be a blessing to others. I want to encourage you today to use your talents and gifts for the Lord. It may be singing, cooking, or being a help to others. In the parable above, the one who only received one talent buried it in the ground, and it was taken from him. You may feel like you only have one talent, or that your talent is too small to be used by God. God can take what you give and use it when you give it for His glory. Don't hide your talents.
7. Giving Our Troubles To The Lord
I want to go in a different direction in giving to the Lord. We can give our tithes, our talents, and even our time to the Lord. And each of these things may cost us a little, or more, depending on the amount we choose to give. There is something we can give to the Lord that costs us nothing... ready for this... our troubles. We can give our problems to the Lord. As the old hymn says, "Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there." Our verse is I Peter 5:7, "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." I have seen preachers demonstrate this as casting a fishing net. While that analogy explains the casting, the problem is that we may cast our troubles as a net, then pull them back in, with more dirt and debris than we had to begin with. When we take our problems to the Lord in prayer, we need to leave them there, with the assurance that God can handle them. With all the preparations for Thanksgiving and Christmas I know that I will be like Martha, "careful and troubled about many things" and I will have to remind myself to be like Mary and sit at the feet of Jesus, because He cares for me.
8. Giving Our Time
If you stop and think about it, time may be the most valuable thing we have. Yet, we never know just how much time we have. We are reminded of this in James 4:14. "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." It is so important that you be saved today. Don't put it off. I have heard people say that they want to "live" first and then be saved. Even if we live 80 or 90 years, what is that compared to eternity? It would be so much better to be saved now, and give the rest of your life to the Lord.
"16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:16-18)
Won't you believe on the Lord Jesus to save you today? This may be the only time you have.
9. Giving Thanks
In our thoughts on giving, we have come to "Giving Thanks". For the next week and a half we will focus our energy into preparing our Thanksgiving celebrations. Let's take just as much time in bringing our minds and hearts into giving thanks to our wonderful God. “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.” (Psalm 100:4) We have so much to be thankful for. We could spend all of our time thanking Him for His mercy and saving grace. But not only has Christ saved us, He loads His blessings on us every day. We can say with David, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation…” (Psalm 68:19) God has blessed our homes, our churches, and God has blessed our nation. We have religious freedom and modern conveniences that make life easier. Our travel, communication, and even food preparation is faster than ever. We need to take time to thank Him and praise Him for all He has done for us, not only during this holiday season, but everyday of our lives, “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;” (Ephesians 5:20)
10. Giving Thanks For Those Who Gave Their All
I don't want to miss this opportunity to say, "Thank You" to all who served or are serving our country, at home and abroad. Jesus said, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13) Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice, in giving His life to save fallen man. There are countless men and women who were willing to give their lives fighting for our country. Saturday was Veteran's Day and I enjoyed all the posts on facebook of the many people who shared pictures of their family members who served and again I want to say, "Thank you!" Our thanks should not stop there. I am also thankful for the first responders who put their lives on the line day by day. It is sad that so many stand against those to whom they should be standing for. I want to stand up and be counted as one who appreciates those who continue to give their all.
11. Giving Thanks For All Things
Several months ago I received a phone call telling me that Michael had been in a car accident. He was sitting at a stop light and a woman hit him from behind, pushing him into the car in front of him. About a week earlier we had talked about how we hoped that we could keep driving "PawPaw's little blue car" (as the grandchildren called it) although it had many miles on it. As I rushed to go pick him up, since the tow truck had to take away his car, I prayed. I thanked God that he did not seem to be badly hurt. I thanked God that the air bag did not break his right hand, (to match his broken left hand). I also thanked God for being in control and the peace He gave me in knowing that He was in control. Sometimes things happen in our lives that we don't understand. It can be hard to give God thanks during those times, but I believe that God allows things in our lives to help us grow spiritually. The Bible teaches us to give thanks always. Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;" (Ephesians 5:20) As we look back over that last five months it is easy now to see how God was working in our lives. It had been our plan to hold onto the little blue car, but God had bigger plans for us. We used the insurance money for a down payment and we now have a bigger car that will hold more of our grandchildren. Isn't that grand! I am thankful that God is always in control and that He leads us in the right way. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9)
12. Thankful I Was Found
Mom and I went shopping today and we had a very productive day. I had several small items that I was looking for, around $2 to $5 each, but we had to go to several different stores to find them. We went into the Greensboro Walmart and I am not familiar with where things are in that store. I was looking for a Zip-It Tool to help with my sluggish drain. I went past the automotive, the sports, and the paint departments, but I could not find the plumbing section. As I circled around to look again I heard the lines from the song that was playing in the store... "I still haven't found what I'm looking for..." I don't know the song, but that line was so appropriate at that moment. I finally found what I was looking for, and Mom found all the things she was looking for, so we continued on to the next store. Have you found what you are looking for? Have you found the peace and joy that comes from knowing Jesus? "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:" (Matthew 7:7)
In chapter 15 of the book of Luke Jesus told parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. Today, I am so thankful that Jesus found me! I was the lost sheep whom the Great Shepherd found. I am the child who once was lost but not I'm found. "For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry." (Luke 15:24) "Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." (Luke 15:10)
13. Giving Thanks That God Hears And Answers Our Prayers
I wanted to share another story about my shopping trip with Mom. As I mentioned yesterday we had several stops to make, so when we went to Walmart she told me that she and a friend with us would go look for a present, and I could go to the plumbing section to get what I needed. "Where are you going to be?", I asked. "I don't know, just call me." I found what I needed, and called. No answer. She was looking for a gift and could be in any part of the store so I started through the store. When I reached the other side I called again, hoping she would hear it this time. Still no answer. After I made a lap around the store and was almost ready to have her paged, my phone rang and she said, "Where are you?" We found each other and she apologized that she couldn't hear her phone in her pocketbook. As I thought on this little episode I wondered how many times we pray for God to hear us and answer our prayers, and then we get busy and don't listen for His answer. He may be longing to speak to us through His Word, but our eyes are too busy looking at other things. He could be calling to us, but our ears are filled with the sounds of this world and we don't take time to "Be still..." He may be reaching out to us and we are too far away to feel His touch. I am thankful that God is patient and longsuffering with me. I am thankful that He hears and answers my prayers, and I want to spend more time in His Word and draw closer to my Lord so that I can hear His still small voice. James 4:8 tells us, "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you..." Let us say with David, "Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek." (Psalm 27:7-8)
14. Giving Praise
I started to leave the house this morning and I could not find my keys. I remembered having them at church Wednesday night, so after our errands, Mom took me to church to look for my keys. I have a "MeMaw Bag" with small books, gummies, and a few small toys for Elsa and Jedidiah, and I had dropped them down in my "MeMaw Bag" instead of my pocketbook. I want to praise the Lord for helping me find them so quickly. God wants us to praise Him.
“Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.” (Psalm 107:21&22) This Psalm tells of many wonderful works God has done for His people. It begins, “O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;” (Psalm 107:1&2) The chapter tells of many of the struggles the children of Israel faced as they wandered in the wilderness. The Psalmist reminds the children of Israel how the Lord fed them and delivered them from their enemies and calmed the storms. With each hardship we read, “Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.” We read this again and again in verses 6, 13, 19, and 28. In response each time, we read, “Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” (Verses 8, 15, 21, and 31). The writer seems to be begging us to shout aloud in praise for the goodness of God. How many times has God delivered you out of your distresses? Take every opportunity you have to declare the goodness of God. Rejoice and be thankful unto Him.
15. Hannah Gave Thanks For Answered Prayer
As the book of I Samuel begins, we read of a man named Elkanah who had two wives. Peninnah had children but Hannah had no children. Each year they went to the house of the Lord to offer the yearly sacrifice and Peninnah provoked Hannah because she had no children. I Samuel 1:10 tells of Hannah, “And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.” Hannah vowed that if God would hear her prayer and give her a child, she would give him to the Lord all the days of his life. “Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.” (I Samuel 1:20) “And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.” (I Samuel 2:1 & 2) She kept her vow and took Samuel to the house of God. “And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD. For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.” (I Samuel 1:26-28) Then Hannah rejoiced in the Lord and praised His name. And the Lord blessed her and gave her more children. Have you ever prayed earnestly to the Lord? Did you make vows and promises to the Lord? Did you keep those vows? As we look forward to Thanksgiving, have you given thanks and praise to the Lord? Remember to always thank God for answering prayer in your life.
16. Personal Thanksgiving
If you were sick and the teacher of your Sunday School Class brought you a fruit basket and you said, “Please tell everyone ‘Thank you’ for me”, the teacher would go back and give thanks on your behalf. It would be considerate of you to also thank the class for the fruit basket when you were able to be back with them. In our society it is even customary for someone to write a personal “Thank you” note to show appreciation for gifts or kind deeds. Paul told the Corinthian believers, “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ”. (I Corinthians 1:4). This is commendable of Paul. We should thank God for our fellow church members. But, we should not depend on others to do all our thanksgiving for us. Today is the Lord’s Day. When you got up this morning, did you thank God for giving you health and strength to get up another day? Did you go to God’s house and thank Him for the freedom to worship and serve Him? When you sat down to eat did you thank Him for the food and blessings He gives to you daily? If you are invited to a birthday party and you spend a great deal of time searching for the perfect gift, you expect the recipient to thank you. I have seen the parents of a child give each one thanks as the gifts are opened. But it means a whole lot more if the child takes the time to express thanks for the presents. Is someone else giving thanks on your behalf? Make sure you take time today to give thanks to the God who loves you and watches over you always.
17. "Where Are The Nine?"
Pastor Jack Tripp preached a wonderful sermon Sunday morning on "Where Are The Nine?" The text was from Luke 17:11-19.
"11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole."
I want to share just a few of his thoughts...
The Lord provides more than we give Him thanks for. (He gave His life to save us, and continues to bless us with food, clothes, our homes, family, and so much more than we thank Him for.)
More people pray and ask God for something, than those who give Him thanks. (Ten lepers asked Jesus for help but only 1 returned to say, "Thank you." Many times we ask God for things and seldom thank Him.)
More people obey religious rituals than praise Him. (All ten went to the priest. People want to follow religious rituals and they feel like it makes them better people. We need to follow God and not forget to praise Him.)
More people believe than praise. (These ten men believed God enough to ask Jesus to help them, but only one returned to praise Him.)
We need to spend more time thanking and praising our wonderful God and Savior.
18. Giving Thanks Through Song
One of the greatest blessings of Thanksgiving is being together with family and friends. The Miller family was special to our church for many years and since two of the daughters married and moved away we don't get to see them very often. The whole family was in for Thanksgiving and came to our church last Sunday. It was great to hear them sing together again. And this time, there were many young children singing with them. What a blessing! Many children learn to sing, "Jesus Loves Me" when they are small. We need to keep on singing about the love of Jesus even as we grow older. God gives us so much to be thankful for, and one way we can give Him thanks is to praise Him through songs of praise. "I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me." (Psalm 13:6)
19. Giving Thanks With A Reverential Bow
We serve a wonderful, awesome God. We can give Him thanks in our prayers and songs, but there are times when we need to “worship and bow down” and “kneel before the Lord our maker”. We read of His creation in Genesis and we see His creation all around us.
"1 O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
3 For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.
5 The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.
6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker." (Palm 95:1-6)
When I was growing up there was a reverential fear of God. Today many people are not afraid to vandalize churches or use God's name in vain. But, when we see Him in all His glory, and how great God really is, we bow in humbleness because we see how really small we are. Many great men in the Bible bowed before God. “And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face:…” (Genesis 17:1-3) In the book of Nehemiah 7:66 & 67 we read that “The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore, Beside their manservants and their maidservants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and they had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing women.” And chapter 8 begins, “And all the people gathered themselves together as one man unto the street…” (vs 1) “And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.” (Nehemiah 8:6) We can choose to bow before God Almighty now, or wait until we face Him at the judgment, but we will bow. “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” (Romans 14:11) We are all going to bow before God. Now is a good time to start… bow to Him with thankfulness of heart.
20. Thanksgiving Day
“For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.” Nehemiah 12:46
When we think of the first Thanksgiving, we think of the early settlers, Pilgrims, and Indians sharing their feast in giving thanks to God for their harvest. In 1782 George Washington made Thanksgiving an official holiday with the Thanksgiving Proclamation.
"It being the indispensable duty of all Nations, not only to offer up their supplications to ALMIGHTY GOD, the giver of all good, for His gracious assistance in a time of distress, but also in a solemn and public manner to give Him praise for His goodness in general, and especially for great and signal interpositions of His providence in their behalf. They do further recommend to all ranks, to testify to their gratitude to GOD for His goodness, by a cheerful obedience of His laws, and by promoting, each in His station, and by His influence, the practice of true and undefiled religion, which is the great foundation of public prosperity and national happiness."
--George Washington, 1782
But thanksgiving goes back even farther than that. Our scripture tells us that in the days of King David there were songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. We can go back even farther in time, all the way back to Leviticus 7:11-13 and read of thanksgiving. “And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace-offerings, which he shall offer unto the LORD. If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried. Beside the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace-offerings.” We have more to be thankful for than any other people in any other time in history. Make sure you take time today to give God thanks for all He has done for you.
21. Continue Giving Thanks
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. All five of our children and their spouses came to visit with our nine grandchildren. Mom and Mike's Mom and Dad also came over for a while. We talked and laughed and remembered old times. The table has been cleared. The refrigerator is filled with leftovers. So, what do we do now? Paul tells us in Colossians 4:2, "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;" We are to continue in prayer and thanksgiving. Our families will go back home. Our refrigerators will eventually be cleaned out. We will go back to working, and doing the daily chores that we need to do. But, even though our lives will return to normal, let's continue in prayer and thanksgiving for all the Lord continues to do for us. Let's make thanksgiving part of the normal, and not just a once-a-year celebration.
22. Anna Gave Thanks For The Redeemer
After Jesus was born Mary and Joseph took Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord and offer a sacrifice according to the law. Luke 2 tells us of two people at the temple who knew who the Lord Jesus was. We read of Simeon, “Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.” (Luke 2:28-32) Anna also knew that this small child was the promised Redeemer and she spread the word that He had come. “And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age,… And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.” (Luke 2:36-38) As we begin to enter into the Christmas season we too, can give thanks for the Christ Child, who is the Light, not only to the Jews but also to the Gentiles and “whosoever”. But just as the people of that day did not know the Lord, there are multitudes today who don’t know our Savior. Anna not only gave thanks for the Savior, but she told others. This Christmas, be sure to thank God for sending His Son to die in your place, and don’t forget to tell others so they too can know that “Jesus is the reason for the season”.
23. He Gave Them Their Inheritance
I want to spend a few days looking at Biblical examples of gifts. Our first example begins with a certain man who had two sons, "And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living." (Luke 15:12) I believe that we are not told why the young son wanted to leave home, because there are so many who could find themselves in his place. Maybe he was tired of being in the shadow of his older brother. He knew that the blessing and the place of honor would always be for his brother. Maybe he was tired of working hard for a home that would never be his. Whatever the reason, he asked for his inheritance, and his father gave his sons all that he had. So, the older son stayed there and worked, after all it belonged to him now. "And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want." (Luke 15:13-14) After he spent all his inheritance he took a job feeding pigs, and he sank so low he almost ate the pigs food. But then "he came to himself." People used to say they went somewhere "to find themselves". This young man found himself and he didn't like what he found, so he went back home, willing to be a servant. His father watched for his return and received him with joy and open arms, clothed him and put shoes on his feet. The older son was angry that his father accepted his younger brother and would not come home.
"29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found." (Luke 15:29-32)
Think about these two sons this Christmas. If you have wandered far from home, there may be someone waiting for you to come back home. Or if you have a loved one that left, don't make it hard for him or her to come back home again. Rejoice when a lost child comes home.
24. Our Awesome God
Several years ago my Grandchildren gave me a book in which the title begins, "Happiness Is..." In the front cover I asked each person in my family to write, "Happiness is..." and finish the statement. Each year I ask them to write something new on one of the pages and put the year. It has been fun to read what they write year after year. Some of my grandchildren saw the book while they were at the house for Thanksgiving and I told them they could go ahead and write their happy thoughts for this year. Nate is four and we asked him what made him happy. He was sure with his answer and his Mom spelled out each letter for him to write, "Everything is awesome." I thought about how we, as Christians, should have this attitude towards our loving Savior. He has blessed us with so many things, most of all coming to give His life for us. "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation." (Psalm 68:19) All that we have comes from God. He is an awesome God and nothing can separate us from His love.
"31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:31-39)
25. "I Already Have It"
Little Elsa was sitting on my lap before church Sunday night and my Uncle Larry asked, "What do you want for Christmas, Elsa?" I thought she might say, "A new baby doll", but to my surprise she said, "Me already have it." He tried again, "Don't you want something for Christmas?" And again she replied, "Me already have it." At just two years old she doesn't remember last Christmas, so I am not sure what she thinks Christmas is. People had been telling her at church that morning that she looked so pretty in her Christmas dress. And she has a Christmas tree. Maybe those two things are the "Christmas" she already has. It is refreshing to see a child who has not been bitten by the greedy bug or touched by all the commercialism of Christmas. We are happy to display our "Jesus Is The Reason For The Season" pins, but He is often crowded out by the decorating, shopping, cooking, and gift wrapping that fills our lives during the month of December. I like Elsa's answer. In fact, I wish I had thought of it myself. When someone asks me what I want for Christmas I am going to reply like Elsa, "I already have it." Jesus came to this cruel, sin-sick world to give His life on the cross. Almost fifty years ago the Holy Spirit showed me that I didn't want to die in my sins, and I asked Jesus to forgive me and save me. He became my Lord and Savior and that is the greatest gift I ever received. Today I want to praise my Lord and say, "Thank You!" Do you already have this wonderful Christmas gift? You can! Accept the fact that you are a lost sinner and the only way to God is through His Son, Jesus Christ. Believe that He died to pay for your sin and rose again on the third day. Confess your sin and ask Him to forgive you and save you and you can have this unspeakable gift. Only Jesus can take away the sin and guilt that darkens your life because He gave His life to take the punishment for your sin. Believing on Him can bring the love, joy, peace, and hope that everyone talks about at Christmas. If you have received this wonderful gift this would be a great time to share it with others.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:16-18)
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23)
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation... For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:9, 10 &13)
Please Share.
26. What He Didn't Give Them
Do you remember the Old Testament story of Joseph. His father loved him and gave him a coat of many colors, which made his eleven brothers jealous. They took his coat from him and sold him into slavery, and convinced Jacob that his favorite son had been killed by beasts. Joseph was a slave in Egypt for many years and ended up in prison for a crime he didn't commit. But God was with Joseph and after some time he became an important ruler in Egypt. A great famine came and Jacob sent his sons to buy food in Egypt and although they did not recognize Joseph, he knew them. He knew how badly they had treated him and he could have sentenced them to be slaves, as they had done to him. He could have given them prison terms, as he had suffered. He could have told his father Jacob how evil they had been to him when he was just a youth. But Joseph didn't give them revenge. He gave them forgiveness. He sent wagons of food and supplies to bring their families to Egypt. He didn't repay them with hatred, but he gave them love. Jacob's family loaded onto the wagons and went to Egypt and he saw his son before he died. After his death Joseph's brothers were afraid of him, but he still gave them forgiveness. When someone does us wrong, do we give them hatred and revenge in return, or do we give them kindness and forgiveness?
"15 And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.
16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,
17 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
18 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.
19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them." (Genesis 50:15-21)
27. Ruth Gave And Ruth Received
I like the story of Ruth. Her father-in-law died, and then her husband died, and when her mother-in-law decided to go back to Bethleham she went with her. "And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me." (Ruth 1:16-17) Ruth gave of herself to take care of Naomi. And because she was willing to give so much for her mother-in-law, the Lord gave back to her through Boaz.
"8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens:
9 Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.
10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?
11 And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore.
12 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.
13 Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.
14 And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left.
15 And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not:
16 And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.
17 So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley." (Ruth 2:8-17)
I like the way Boaz told his reapers to let fall "handfuls of purpose for her". Boaz also became Ruth's kinsman redeemer and if I counted correctly she became the great grandmother of David. (Ruth 4:21-22) I believe that when we are kind and give of ourselves to others, the Lord will let those "handfuls of purpose" fall down from heaven for us. Our rewards may not come at the time of harvest here on earth, but the Lord will reward our faithfulness. "And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." (Revelation 22:12)
28. God Can Use Our Little In Big Ways
While thinking about Bible stories of people who gave, a very familiar story came to mind. It may be the only miracle of Jesus that is recorded in all four gospels. I want to look at the book of John because he tells where the five loaves and two little fish came from.
"5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,
9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten."
A little boy had a little supper, and he gave it to Jesus. Jesus used it to feed the multitude and had twelve baskets of left-overs. When we look around at the need, and we look at what we have, we may be prone to say like Andrew, "what are they among so many?" But, when we give our little to the Lord, He can use it in big ways.
29. The Good Samaritan Gave To One In Need
First of all I want to share the scriptures about the Good Samaritan.
"30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise." (Luke 10:30-37)
I want to help others but often when I see someone begging on the side of the road I don't know what to do. One year our youth made gift bags for this situation. We filled small bags with packs of peanut butter crackers, warm socks, juice boxes, the gospel message and a few other things that might be helpful. The youth met and filled the bags and gave them to the church members to keep in their cars to give to those asking for money. Many times I don't feel comfortable handing money to strangers, but I do want to be a good neighbor, so I think I will try to make a few of these bags to keep in my car. We don't have to give money to help someone in need.
is the time of year when we see men and women on the street corners asking for money. I am often reminded of the story of the Good Samaritan and how he helped the man in need, but I don't usually know what to do in this situation. Some have been exposed as using the public to make a lot of money.
30. The Gifts Of Christmas
During the months of November and December the pages that receive the most hits on the devotional web site are the pages of the Christmas plays. One of the plays that we did many years ago was titled, "The Gifts Of Christmas." I want to continue our theme of "Giving" with parts from this Christmas play...
Christmas is a time of giving. We give each other gifts in celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Tonight in our play, we will present gifts that God gives us through Christmas.
Angels go onstage.
The Gift of Prophecy
First we have the Gift of Prophecy. The birth of Jesus was planned from the very beginning. Bethlehem was chosen as the birthplace of Christ many years before He came to earth. In the Old Testament, Micah prophesied, saying, “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” (Micah 5:2)
Two angels open Bethlehem scene, center stage on platform.
Song: "Beautiful Star of Bethlehem" or "O Little Town of Bethlehem"
Mary joins angels onstage.
Just as Bethlehem was the chosen place, Mary was God’s chosen woman. In Luke 1, we read, “And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” (Luke 1:26-33) Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled, as was mentioned in Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” The Gift of Prophesy shows us of our Savior’s humble beginnings and how He brought himself from the majesty of heaven to the lowliness of earth.
Song: "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" or "What Child Is This?"
31. The Gift Of A Savior
The Gift of a Savior
As the birth of Jesus was prophesied, so it was fulfilled. This is the Gift of a Savior, because Jesus was God’s Gift to us. Luke 2:1-7 says, “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”
Song: "Away In A Manger"
32. The Gift Of Joy
The Gift of Joy
Our next gift is the Gift of Joy. As people on Earth rejoiced over Jesus, angels rejoiced as well. Luke 2:8-14 says, “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
Song: "Angels We Have Heard On High"
Shepherds go towards manger.
“And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.” (Luke 2:15-20)
Song: "We Three Kings"
33. The Gift Of Worship
The Gift of Worship
“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. … And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.” (Matthew 2:1-12)
Wise men go towards manger.
This gift shows us that is important to worship and give things to God. While we do not give gold, frankincense, and myrrh, other possessions are very valuable to God, such as our prayers, time, and tithe. We are even instructed to give our entire life and body to God. Romans 12:1 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
Song: "How Many Kings?"
34. More Gifts Because Of Christmas
That completes the sections of our Christmas play, but we have so much more through Jesus. One of the first themes I wrote about on the web site was taken from Matthew 19:27, "Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?" Today I just want to share some of the things from that page to remind us of what we have since Jesus came that first Christmas day.
We have...
Everlasting Life - John 3:16
An Advocate - I John 2:1
A Heavenly Father - Galatians 4:6-7
A Comforter - John 14:16-17
An Anchor - Hebrews 6:19-20
Forgiveness - Ephesians 1:7
A Home In Heaven - John 14:2-3
A Friend - John 15:13
Our Need Supplied - Philippians 4:19
Compassion - Jude 22
Living Water - John 1:41-42
A Good Shepherd - John 10:11-14
A Sure Foundation - II Timothy 2:19
Church Fellowship - Acts 2:42-47
Armor - Ephesians 6:11
The Word of God - Psalm 119:105
The Seed - Psalm 126:6
Hope - Romans 8:24-25
A Crown - Revelation 3:11
Joy - Jude 24-25
A Testimony - Hebrews 11:5
The Power Of Prayer - Jeremiah 33:3
A Lily In Our Valleys - Song Of Solomon 2:1
Promises - Hebrews 10:23
So Much More -
"17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." (Ephesians 3:17-21)
35. The Greatest Gift
It has been a joy to write about "Giving". We looked at things that we can give to the Lord, our tithes, talents, time, thanks, and even our troubles. We went through the Thanksgiving season and focused on giving thanks to God. We saw examples of men and women in the Bible who gave to others. Finally, we mentioned some of the gifts we received through the birth of Jesus. I want to close this series with the greatest gift ever given. God looked down at the fall of man, and offered a way to lift him up. He gave the ultimate sacrifice, His only begotten Son. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) We celebrate Christmas, a time of great joy, when Jesus was born. But the greatest gift was given in His death, as He gave His life to pay for my sin and your sin. He rose again on the third day, and because He lives, I live. I pray that you have accepted His great gift of salvation and everlasting life.
