Monday-PLEASE READ

Hey guys PLEASE READ
you have have the OPTION to do the guideline devos OR you can do your own devos (for example, bible chapters) but can you guys still post it on the site? so if your using the bible post the book and chapter and then write your devos ight guys?

Generosity Keeps You Healthy
Many people think the Bible is only filled with commands labeled "Thou shalt not" They assume the Bible is all about restrictions and making you lead a boring life.

But God wants you to live a joy-filled, healthy life. Giving generously is good for my health. Every time I'm generous, every time I'm giving, it improves my health. You know there are more promises in the Bible about giving than anything else because God wants you to be like him. God is a giver.

Everything you have is a gift from God -- He's generous and he wants you to be generous too. The Bible says, "A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." (Proverbs 11:25 NIV) Doesn't that verse just make you smile? There's a reason why it always feels good to help others, whether you're giving financially, giving materially, or giving of your time.

I definitely agree with this message. The past two weeks I was working on something for a friend and I was so excited every single day to work on it. At school all I could think about was getting home and doing more stuff to make it better and more meaningful. I know its cheesy, but I felt like I had a purpose in life and it was making me so much happier. I always feel more fulfilled when I'm giving to another person, and I'm not saying this to seem like a super godly, generous person- I just think that it really is true that if you bless others, you will be blessed as well. That being said, you shouldn't bless others just so you can receive blessings in return. The blessing you receive is the feeling of happiness that comes from making someone else smile. Another thing to keep in mind is that we should never give to others with a bitter heart. If we're feeling greedy or like we just want to look good in front of others when we give to another person, that gift is meaningless and instead of being generous, you are being selfish. Always be generous because in reality, no amount of things or time we give to others can even compare to what God gives us.

I'm gonna do Thessalonians this week.

Chapter 1;
2-6: We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God
and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,
because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.
You've became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message
with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

Verse 2 really challenges to me to ALWAYS be thankful, as it's definitely hard as we may encounter hardships within our lives.
It's inevitable that God will test us from time to time, as He'll take away for our own greater good.
Also, Paul acknowledges the presence of the Holy Spirit as the Thessalonians turned their hearts to God from idols.
Personally, I disregard the presence of the Holy Spirit time to time, not realizing how it moves within all of us. But through its works, it does miraculous things.
Furthermore, The Thessalonians used to live their lives as Pagans, idolizing many different Gods.
Because of this, the Thessalonian church was known everywhere because of their faith. They've become role models and the ideal church that Paul had envisioned.
If you were a missionary and had planted a church, wouldn't you be happy that they've grown in their faith to the exact way God had wanted?
Something I got out of this chapter was that there should be a God-honouring incentive behind ALL our actions.
Whatever the church had done, it was for the greater picture.

I have to admit, I do at times think that the Bible is all about restrictions. But after reading this, I do realize that if I follow these restrictions, I can improve my health. Pastor Sam mentioned that he doesn't restrict us because he wants to give us a boring life, but because he loves us. That he wants us to be like him. The Bible says that a man who refreshes others will be refreshed. If we start thinking about other people's needs, then we can be like God. And whenever we give something to others, it is guaranteed that God will give something back to us. So I should refresh others, in any type of form, as God will give me something in return.

This devo talks about how giving generously is good for your health. Giving is a great thing to do, because when done for the right reasons, teaches you to be humble, generous, loving, and more like God. God is a giver, and always is willing to give His everything for us. He wants us to be more like Him, and what better way then to give to others what little we have to glorify Him? Giving to others is very beneficial to both the giver and the receiver. The feelings are almost unexplainable when you give to others, when you get to see them become overjoyed not necessarily at the gift, but the fact that you care enough to give them the gift. Personally, I love giving to others more than receiving gifts, especially to the ones I love and care for most. Although giving is very important, we should remember the whole reason why we give. Not for our own benefit to get recognition, but for us to please God and become more like him.
Psalm 37:21
21 The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously...
               

1 Peter 2:19-21 (NIV):
19 For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

Verse 19: I think that this verse kind of spoke the most to me. Unjust suffering frustrates me deeply. I just feel so angry at the fact that people who do good, receive an unfair punishment of some sort when in fact, they deserve positive recognition for what they've done. However, this is the same that Jesus had done for us when he bore all our sins and shame on the cross. Jesus bore under the pain of unjust suffering, he did nothing wrong yet he felt immense pain, shame, and a million things otherwise. But, through this verse I'm able to see that suffering for doing good, although painful and uncomfortable, is worth it and something that should be done. Even though one may be undeserving of all this hurt, one can have the conscious that they did not do anything wrong to endure this suffering.
Also, others may not be able to see the suffering you're enduring for God, but for sure you can know that God sees what you're going through. I think suffering unjust pain is in a sense something that could be potentially used to humble ourselves. Acknowledging that we will not always receive encouragement and appreciation from others for doing good or doing the right thing, helps to keep us grounded. We shouldn't always seek praise from others when we do something godly moral.

1 Peter 3:8-9 (NIV)
8 Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another, be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

I think the first instinct that a lot of us have when someone else hurts us, is to think of ways to give payback to the other person. We want people to feel the same pain they gave us when they hurt us, and we want them to know how much it hurts. However, if people are constantly trying to seek revenge against the other, then what good does that really do? It just ends up becoming a highly vicious cycle where we're always trying to find the best sort of revenge to hurt another more. This cycle should be stopped before it can continue to carry on it's cruel course. If someone hurts you for whatever reason, do not go on the lookout for revenge, forgive them, pray about how you're feeling to God, and let Him take care of the rest. Revenge and holding grudges against another person ends up hurting you more than it hurts them. Let God take over, God will take care of it (surrender with complete trust).

This devo is really similar to the message we heard on Sunday in that God has these "restrictions" only because he cares for us so much and wants the best for us. Pastor Sam compared this to how a parent allows and doesn't allow their child to do certain things for their own safety and good, likewise as God is our Father He looks out for us and guides us away from evil and towards Him. The second half of the devo explains how giving to others improved your health as God blesses those who give. The two messages seemed a bit unrelated to me but both are important lessons that I've gotten out of today's devotional

When i first read this, i immediately thought back to Sam's sermon.
He talked about how God gave us rules to follow and these rules do restrict us HOWEVER, these restrictions are rules to make us happy and are guidelines to live a life according to God.
I think back to my past and i was retarded when i was little. Whenver my parents would restrict me from playing my games or going out or doing what i wanted to do, i hated them and was angry. But now that i think about it im SOOOOOOO glad they did it because if they didnt restrict me, im sure that id still be addicted to games and be spoiled. Restrictions make sure that we are not walking down the wrong path.

Going back to the devo, generosity is something we all have and should be giving away frequently. a say goes like "treat others the way you want to be treated"
It is soo important to know that you are not above anyone else in the ministry just because your on the praise team. Being on praise team means that you are guiding others INTo worship and it doesnt matter if your talented or not because its all about the heart. Id much rather appreciate some who is okay but giving it there all rather then someone whos really talented but is putting in half the effort.

More and more, I've come to learn the powerful generousity is. I feel that it changes and impacts our perspective, heart and the situation being faced.
I'm going to be completely honest with you guys:
I remember being pretty spoiled when I was little. What I mean by this is that I didn't know when to give.
but anyways, one action after another changes everything. Eventhough there are so many better and easier things to do, listen to that part of your heart where it's telling you to make that bold move.
It might even catch then by surprise.
Although it may feel like you're loosing something, you're gaining something even better. Trust and good relationships go a long way.

Sorry in posting so late.
~Audrey~

Like everyone else mentioned - I agree with this & thought back to Pastor Sam's sermon & his whole talk on how the bible doesn't restrict us but simply protects us.

The act of giving & helping really is something that makes me feel good sometimes - I always go overboard with my friends' birthday gifts or souvenirs because I really like making then happy. However if I could be kind to everyone around me all the time then I wonder how my life style would change. Also being thankful for the gifts God has given me & being able to worship as I am is something we should all constantly think about

Sorry this is super late :/

Ct246c409d2be164e127318e947063759cb3561c13546c409d2be164e127318e947=PmiX5JvngG
nXgBShlIrzvDSoZ4OuO7eK1hudNGY68/Fkn6EZePaLs8xPS9EsdE4Lt+3rS428NBT05SG9q5YJt8TcVQ
tDsPU1NZVb5+sFqVSo7+osmP3F/cWYv2O8u5sxY6lrgr6kJteXgzKm2LOAQQ3ZDkcGC8FcXBv6bu6drr
ZHrxUWrsz77VTbPagx3B0p9pfCf7ny7eOyPPtar/m9rM5eDjA6GHPywToj27p0Ge2TNsA5CZxs9iz2Wb
p9psaiXqMLimPbiPN/DTpC+hOcqiBeOrV3sBOe5ROGeIS/3H1RoACqqA=IwEmS