But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing
Matthew 6:3, ESV
Seeking God will lead us to want to help others the same way Christ helped us, not so much to bring attention to ourselves but to glorify God, to bring others to faith and salvation.
The people did not turn to him who struck them, nor inquire of the Lord of hosts.
Isaiah 9:13, ESV
At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.
We do horrible things to each other and against God.
We don’t like to believe that God punishes people, either. However, the Old Testament shows how often Israel disobeyed God, and God allowed and even sent disasters and armies to correct them and draw them back to Himself.
But we like to think we know better, so we refuse to go to Him or even blame Him for everything wrong in this life.
How could He allow such bad things to happen? How could a good God let evil happen to good people?
But He has told us that none of us are truly good, that we don’t seek our Maker.
He sends and allows because He has given us the choice to ignore, hate, and refuse Him.
Yes, God sends things that hurt but it to draw us in, and He also sends Himself to hold us.
May we seek the Lord who draws us in.
For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.
Isaiah 9:4, ESV
At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.
There are many times in this world that we burden and oppress each other.
We either attempt to force our own will on others, add our will (rules) to God’s will, or have the will of others forced on us.
We dare to put ourselves in God’s place or blame Him for the sin of others.
We willingly choose our own path, carrying the burden of our sin, thinking we are good in our own right.
The ways of this world drag us down, and we complain and try to fix things ourselves … or accept that we are nothing and hold onto this view.
And many times we lash out at each other, seeking comfort, even if through burdening others.
And if we blame God, we also say His ways must be more burdensome, not wanting to acknowledge that we have burdened ourselves.
We may still struggle with the problems of this world, but Jesus has promised that we will have troubles. He has given us His yoke of loving others.
May we seek to lead our world to theOne who ends sin’s oppression.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1, ESV
As we seek God, He gives us more faith and more reasons for faith. We may not see all of His promises in this life, but He has shown Himself faithful.
A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.“
Isaiah 40:3, ESV
We live in a wilderness of sin and darkness in this world.
Let us make every effort to remove obstacles to the gospel in our own lives and as we share the gospel with others.
May we seek the peace and light of God.
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.
Isaiah 9:2, ESV
At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.
We live in a dark world.
Sin entered the world when Adam and Eve broke the one command of God that should have been the easiest: “Don’t eat this fruit.”
Yes, sin means missing the mark, falling short, turning away from God.
Sin is ultimately separation. We are born separated from God because of our super-great grandparents, yet we also choose to remain separated by our own choices.
We live behind a veil that blocks His light, and that veil is too heavy to remove ourselves.
It is as if we blocked out the sun to stop it’s heat, and then we climbed into a steep cave, falling to the bottom, unable to climb back out let alone remove the barrier between us and God.
Yes, we still live in a darkened world full of sin and separation, but God has lifted the veil over us. As we go into this world, the people will see the light streaming through us from above.
May we seek to be that light as we take Him into this dark world.
I started my walk in a church that had two vans: one for kids who came from poorer and/or working parent homes and one for elderly.
Our current church, we don’t have vans or specific ministries, but there are a few people who get picked up for services by a few others. My wife and I often help, too, especially with getting one woman to prayer services on Wednesday nights. (She likes being able to grab a slice of pizza and some water from the youth dinner, too!)
I tell our families who pick up these folks regularly “Thank you,” because my wife and I have done it at so many churches, and we are too involved (kept busy?) at this church to be available most of the time.
Daniel
This Sunday at Church I want to encourage you to do the following: Express Gratitude for those who pick up the elderly to Church. Our church use to have a ministry where the church van would pick up members from the elderly homes to church. I think those who do such a ministry should get […]
This Sunday at Church: Express Gratitude for those who pick up the elderly to Church
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26, ESV
Seek the Lord, and He will bless You with His presence, His grace, and His peace.
But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
Isaiah 9:1, ESV
At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.
As humans, we have a tendency to let those around us influence us more than God.
Look at Eve with the serpent.
Look at the brothers of Joseph, even though Reuben had tried to save him, still going along with his brothers.
Look at Israel as a nation, constantly turning to the gods of their neighbors.
Zebulun and Naphtali were the same, living way in the north of Israel, what came to be known as Galilee, often overrun with Gentile pagans, and they frequently gave in to their practices rather than worship the one true God.
There is a reminder that we all fall short of God, that we need His help to be good, righteous, holy. We may wander far from Him, yet God comes to us. He makes a way for us. God comes and shares His glory.
If we are willing to see His light in our dark world.
So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Galatians 6:10, ESV
Let us give thanks to God for every opportunity we get to serve others, especially within our family in Christ: the Church.
a simple man of God 