Word for Today, Mon, 07 Aug 2006: Every Little Bit Counts!

#1 · August 6, 2006, 11:22 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on August 6, 2006, 11:22 pm
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Word for Today, Mon, 07 Aug 2006: Every Little Bit Counts!
Dear friends,

I remember quite a few of Larry Davies' messages that he has
written over the years, but this particular one will always be
one of the ones I remember best. I even have a copy of the
follow up message to this one in Larry's book, "When A Used Car
Salesman Becomes A Preacher, There Must Be A God"!

Larry and I go quite a way back, but not quite thirteen years
back, ONLY about eight, going on nine years... an ETERNITY in
Internet time. Larry and I were both pioneers of a sort. I
wrote a daily devotional series, Larry wrote devotionals, too,
and turned them into books. We both also had a keen interest in
prayer, and actually, THAT is how we first met. I had a prayer
need and shared it in Larry's Sowing Seeds of Faith Prayer Needs
letter, then I prayed for others there. Today, I edit that very
mailing list for Larry, so he can concentrate on his primary
ministry, a thriving local church.

By the way, I want to take a moment to mention the local church.
God makes it clear in His Word that the local church is to be
the primary means by which God's people gather, both to worship
Him and to encourage one another. It always was that way, that
is why we read in the Bible about the temple in the Old
Testament and about the various local churches that the
disciples and apostles started - as commanded by Jesus Himself!

God's Word tells us that it is important to take time for
others, and it is especially important to take time for Him - to
put Him first in every area of our lives. May this message
remind us of these truths always.

If Jesus said it, that means it is important!

Yours in Christ,
Brian

Sowing Seeds of Faith...

I wrote this article thirteen years ago but every now and then,
I brush the dust off and use it again. Why? Because I once had a
God given opportunity to help someone but in my busyness, missed
it. Truthfully, you and I miss or take advantage of similar
opportunities every day. So every few years I pull out this
story as a painful reminder that I too make mistakes and I need
to listen more closely to God's guidance. Don't we all? Don't we
all.

"Seven Dollars and Forty-Three Cents" -- Larry Davies

The checkout at the local grocery store was long and I was in a
hurry, as usual. Seeing another line nearly empty, I slipped
over and stood behind the only customer still to make a
purchase. A young twenty-something woman was holding a small
basket with fifteen to twenty jars of baby food. There was
nothing else in the shopping cart: just baby food.

"This is great," I thought. "She'll only be a minute and I can
be on my way."

The clerk took the woman's check for seven dollars and
forty-three cents, efficiently typed in the numbers and slid it
into the proper slot on the register. At this point the cash
drawer was supposed to open while a receipt was printed, but not
this time. A light began to blink: "See Manager." The clerk
called on the intercom for the supervisor while running the
check through again on her register. The same sign kept
flashing: "See Manager."

"Oh no!" I thought. "Not another delay. I'm in a hurry and don't
need for the cash register to break down."

When the supervisor arrived, however, he didn't look at the cash
register but instead picked up the check, pulled the customer
aside and began whispering to her. I could feel the muscles in
my stomach tighten as the reality of what was happening became
abundantly clear.

The check for seven dollars and forty-three cents was no good
and the manager was quietly saying this young woman could not
buy her baby food here. The clerk quickly and efficiently set
the groceries aside, closed her account and began to ring up my
purchase.

"She should manage her money better!" I tried to convince myself
while leaving the store. "She's probably an alcoholic or a drug
addict." But my flimsy excuses would not erase the picture in my
mind of a grocery basket filled with jars of baby food... baby
food.

Jesus teaches: "You are the light of the world...we don't light
a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead we put it on a stand and
it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let
your light shine so they may see your good deeds and praise your
Father in heaven." (Mat. 5:14-16)

Every day, you and I receive opportunities to help someone in
need. Our light shines when we use those God-given opportunities
to witness our faith by reaching out and getting involved. There
is nothing dramatic about these day-to-day encounters but more
than anything we could possibly preach these encounters
emphatically tell the world what kind of Christians we really
are.

At this point, I want to finish the story by writing how I
approached the manager and offered to pay for the purchase of
the baby food. It was the right thing to do. I don't have much
money but I can afford seven dollars and forty-three cents worth
of baby food. Instead, hiding God's precious light under a bowl,
I turned my head and walked away. There are no acceptable
excuses. I had a great opportunity to help someone and walked
away.

Next time... I will do better. God taught a valuable lesson.
What we believe as Christians only works if we turn our faith
into action. In the years since writing this story, I have
sponsored many ministries to help others. More importantly, I
have become more alert to the needs around me and quietly helped
wherever and whenever I could.

How about you? How many opportunities have you missed to let
God's light shine and help someone in need but instead walked
away and hid God's precious light under a bowl?

Next time... you are in a check-out line at your local grocery
store. Instead of worrying about your schedule, look around you.
Maybe God will give you the opportunity to help someone who
needs seven dollars and forty-three cents to buy baby food.
Please, in the name of God, let your light shine brightly and
give them a helping hand.

Read Sowing Seeds of Faith... everyday! Click here:
www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/Devotions.htm

Are you receiving prayer concerns from around the world? Join
our prayer team today. Check it out by clicking here:
www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/sign-up.htm

How can I regularly support your ministry? Become a Sowing Seeds
Ministry partner. Click here:
www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/ministry_partner.htm

Jesus said: "You are the light of the world -- like a city on a
mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don't hide your
light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it
shine for all." (Matthew 5:14-15)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

--
Brian Masinick, masinick at yahoo dot com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
mail.yahoo.com

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Word for Today, Mon, 07 Aug 2006: Every Little Bit Counts!
Dear friends,

I remember quite a few of Larry Davies' messages that he has
written over the years, but this particular one will always be
one of the ones I remember best. I even have a copy of the
follow up message to this one in Larry's book, "When A Used Car
Salesman Becomes A Preacher, There Must Be A God"!

Larry and I go quite a way back, but not quite thirteen years
back, ONLY about eight, going on nine years... an ETERNITY in
Internet time. Larry and I were both pioneers of a sort. I
wrote a daily devotional series, Larry wrote devotionals, too,
and turned them into books. We both also had a keen interest in
prayer, and actually, THAT is how we first met. I had a prayer
need and shared it in Larry's Sowing Seeds of Faith Prayer Needs
letter, then I prayed for others there. Today, I edit that very
mailing list for Larry, so he can concentrate on his primary
ministry, a thriving local church.

By the way, I want to take a moment to mention the local church.
God makes it clear in His Word that the local church is to be
the primary means by which God's people gather, both to worship
Him and to encourage one another. It always was that way, that
is why we read in the Bible about the temple in the Old
Testament and about the various local churches that the
disciples and apostles started - as commanded by Jesus Himself!

God's Word tells us that it is important to take time for
others, and it is especially important to take time for Him - to
put Him first in every area of our lives. May this message
remind us of these truths always.

If Jesus said it, that means it is important!

Yours in Christ,
Brian

Sowing Seeds of Faith...

I wrote this article thirteen years ago but every now and then,
I brush the dust off and use it again. Why? Because I once had a
God given opportunity to help someone but in my busyness, missed
it. Truthfully, you and I miss or take advantage of similar
opportunities every day. So every few years I pull out this
story as a painful reminder that I too make mistakes and I need
to listen more closely to God's guidance. Don't we all? Don't we
all.

"Seven Dollars and Forty-Three Cents" -- Larry Davies

The checkout at the local grocery store was long and I was in a
hurry, as usual. Seeing another line nearly empty, I slipped
over and stood behind the only customer still to make a
purchase. A young twenty-something woman was holding a small
basket with fifteen to twenty jars of baby food. There was
nothing else in the shopping cart: just baby food.

"This is great," I thought. "She'll only be a minute and I can
be on my way."

The clerk took the woman's check for seven dollars and
forty-three cents, efficiently typed in the numbers and slid it
into the proper slot on the register. At this point the cash
drawer was supposed to open while a receipt was printed, but not
this time. A light began to blink: "See Manager." The clerk
called on the intercom for the supervisor while running the
check through again on her register. The same sign kept
flashing: "See Manager."

"Oh no!" I thought. "Not another delay. I'm in a hurry and don't
need for the cash register to break down."

When the supervisor arrived, however, he didn't look at the cash
register but instead picked up the check, pulled the customer
aside and began whispering to her. I could feel the muscles in
my stomach tighten as the reality of what was happening became
abundantly clear.

The check for seven dollars and forty-three cents was no good
and the manager was quietly saying this young woman could not
buy her baby food here. The clerk quickly and efficiently set
the groceries aside, closed her account and began to ring up my
purchase.

"She should manage her money better!" I tried to convince myself
while leaving the store. "She's probably an alcoholic or a drug
addict." But my flimsy excuses would not erase the picture in my
mind of a grocery basket filled with jars of baby food... baby
food.

Jesus teaches: "You are the light of the world...we don't light
a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead we put it on a stand and
it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let
your light shine so they may see your good deeds and praise your
Father in heaven." (Mat. 5:14-16)

Every day, you and I receive opportunities to help someone in
need. Our light shines when we use those God-given opportunities
to witness our faith by reaching out and getting involved. There
is nothing dramatic about these day-to-day encounters but more
than anything we could possibly preach these encounters
emphatically tell the world what kind of Christians we really
are.

At this point, I want to finish the story by writing how I
approached the manager and offered to pay for the purchase of
the baby food. It was the right thing to do. I don't have much
money but I can afford seven dollars and forty-three cents worth
of baby food. Instead, hiding God's precious light under a bowl,
I turned my head and walked away. There are no acceptable
excuses. I had a great opportunity to help someone and walked
away.

Next time... I will do better. God taught a valuable lesson.
What we believe as Christians only works if we turn our faith
into action. In the years since writing this story, I have
sponsored many ministries to help others. More importantly, I
have become more alert to the needs around me and quietly helped
wherever and whenever I could.

How about you? How many opportunities have you missed to let
God's light shine and help someone in need but instead walked
away and hid God's precious light under a bowl?

Next time... you are in a check-out line at your local grocery
store. Instead of worrying about your schedule, look around you.
Maybe God will give you the opportunity to help someone who
needs seven dollars and forty-three cents to buy baby food.
Please, in the name of God, let your light shine brightly and
give them a helping hand.

Read Sowing Seeds of Faith... everyday! Click here:
http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/Devotions.htm

Are you receiving prayer concerns from around the world? Join
our prayer team today. Check it out by clicking here:
http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/sign-up.htm

How can I regularly support your ministry? Become a Sowing Seeds
Ministry partner. Click here:
http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/ministry_partner.htm

Jesus said: "You are the light of the world -- like a city on a
mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don't hide your
light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it
shine for all." (Matthew 5:14-15)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

--
Brian Masinick, masinick at yahoo dot com
Home page: http://www.geocities.com/masinick/

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
mail.yahoo.com