Word for Today, Sunday, 27 Aug 2006: Sharing With Others the Right
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>
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Subject: Word for Today, Sunday, 27 Aug 2006: Sharing With Others the Right
> Word for Today, Sunday, 27 Aug 2006: Sharing With Others the Right Way
> Dear friends,
>
> The original story of $7.43 is among the first stories from the entertaining
> pen of Larry Davies that I can recall reading. I believe I read my first
> Sowing Seeds of Faith devotional message in 1998, so it has been quite a few
> years now. Larry has added follow up stories to the original story, such as
> this one here. The Web page links Larry provides in his Email devotion point
> to his Web site. IF you like Larry's stories, you can look into his ministry,
> including a prayer needs ministry, which I now manage for Larry.
>
> This story is always one of my favorites. Part 3 of the story goes on to
> strike a balance between carelessly giving away what we have, which really is
> not an example of good stewardship and the opposite extreme of ignoring or
> walking away from opportunities to serve. I've been guilty of both at one time
> or another. This message reminds me that there is a God-honoring balance to
> this, and I believe that Larry captures that balance well in this message.
>
> Our giving, whether in the gifts we return to God as the first fruits of what
> we earn, to the offerings we give above and beyond, ought to consider the
> principles in God's Word. We ought to be willing to give - to the church and
> to those in need, but we ought to be thoughtful and prayerful as we contemplate
> how our gifts can best be used. Clearly, if someone is hungry, it makes sense
> to feed them, whether they have done the right thing or not. Helping that same
> person become self sufficient, so they can feed themselves is an important
> second step. Feeding those in need the Word of God is an opportunity we should
> take whenever possible, too. People are starving for the truth and starving
> for "spirituality", but often the spirituality they seek is at odds with the
> Word of God and the truth they seek is actually a deceptive lie.
>
> I think God calls us to discernment and action, and our choices are best guided
> by a consistent diet of God's Holy Word, coupled with the communication of
> prayer. In asking God and seeking His Word, we may develop into both hearers
> and doers of God's Word, then we know what to do with $7.43 when the
> opportunity arises (and it most certainly will, again and again).
>
> Yours in Christ,
>
>
- --
Brian Masinick
masinick at yahoo dot com
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