Hubby (and me) was taken out to dinner last night by our middle child and some of his family. It was a great time (for us) and we both enjoyed so much being with them and enjoying great food too. (Thank you again, son.)
Today is Sunday and our plan is to go to church this morning. I awoke with a dull headache so am still flipping if I will go or not. Could it be that I just want to stay home and sit in God's presence - quietly - this morning? Where is my joy in going to church? I think COVID played a great part in stealing the joy of going to church. We got lazy; got used to staying home and 'watching' church and being disconnected. It really is hard to get involved, especially when one starts at a 'new' church. We love our church; we love the people.... inside I feel like we belong, and yet, not connected. Does that make sense? I mean, we are connected in that when we had missed a few weeks we got a text from our Pastor's wife asking if we were ok - we were missed! And yet.... I just feel like I'm missing a connection somewhere. I have gone to the women's things - and am going to a women's conference next weekend, although it isn't put on by our church, but some from our church is attending. Where am I going with all this? I have no idea. I think it is my head is hurting enough to distract my thoughts and make them wander all over the place. Moving on.
Ms. Vicky did get home yesterday. She said she loved the way I fixed up her patio and the plants. I didn't stay to talk with her as she still had her friend there and I was leaving to head to Big Lots to look for some things. I told her that I knew she had told me 'no' when I had asked before she left, and if she wants me to remove everything, I would. But she came back with "I secretly wanted you to do it, but I didn't want you to feel you needed to." I'm glad I went ahead and did it. Got a couple chairs out of our way that we didn't need anymore. I had so much fun fixing this up for her.
Jentezen isn't preaching this morning but a Dr. Robert Morris is. He's telling the story of the feeding of the 5,000 (men). But he is making it a dialogue with Jesus. Dr. Morris has written a book titled The Blessed Life and he is sharing how when we give all we have to Jesus, He blesses it and blessing us. More people need to hear that - and believe it. I know that God has blessed us trememdously over the years. Wow - he just said something profound. It isn't in scripture = but what if Jesus prayed over the food and gave back to the disciples and said "I have blessed it, now you give it all away." The miracle did not happen in the Master's hands, but in the giving away by the disciples. So how much more would we have if we gave away what has been given to us. It has to be blessed before it can be multiplied. It gets blessed when we give it to God; then when we give it to God to be blessed first (our tithe) it will multiplied. It has to be given away before it can multiply.
Psalm 89:1 (NKJV): "I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever; with my mouth I will make known Your faithfulness to all generations."
We do not serve the God of subtraction; we serve the God of multiplication. I love that. God has blessed us truly more than we deserve. He has shown His mercy and grace to me, to us, in so many ways. He is still working on both of us; probably me especially, cause I can be really hard-headed and heart-hearted at times.... but one thing I have learned over the years is that our God is Faithful. And because He has been faithful to me, to us, He will be faithful to my children and my grandchildren, and our future generations.
When we give what we have - no matter what it is - to God first, He will bless it. Give our job to Him; it is blessed. Give our ideas to God, and watch what He will do with them. Give our resources to Him, and watch what He will do. Give our children to Him and see what He will do through them. Give our finances to Him, watch Him multiply all that you give.
I have tested Him, and He has proven faithful. I will sing of the love and mericies and grace of the Lord forever, for He has shown His faithfulness to me. Thank You, Jesus! I praise You, O God, for Your faithfulness to us. Hallelujah!
Give with a cheerful heart; let God bless you.
Blessings!
