Search Results for: blog using gods gifts

How to Make Christmas Gifts with a Toddler and Preschooler

Last night we decided to wander around a few area stores to see if the rumored discounts were really as good ad we were lead to believe. One of your stops was Target, where we scoped out some gifts for our youngest child, who always seems to get the shortest end of the stick when it comes to new toys and clothes. I also needed to pick up a secret santa gift. Our middle child, the preschooler, really wanted to pick out some gifts for the rest of the family. Some of the ideas she had included a new bed … Continue reading →

Watch Your Words

Whether we like it or not, our words define us. They reveal out thoughts and heart attitudes. Jesus knew this. See Matthew 12:34-37 and Mark 7:15-23.You know it too. Listen to someone you know talk. It is easy to pick up clues about the type of person they are from the words they say and the tone of voice in which it is said. Impatience stubbornness, anger, impatience, jealousy will all show up in a person’s words or tone. So will love, gentleness, generosity, patience. Before you jump in and add your thoughts to a conversation, can I suggest you … Continue reading →

A Common Problem in Churches

In just about every church I’ve ever belonged to there is a common problem. Too much is left to too few people. But then it’s not just a problem with churches but a problem with any organization. What happens is a person become overcommitted, overworked and can end up burning out. So what is the solution? Maybe it’s as simple as learning to say ‘no.’ The whole problem is people can end up with a false sense of responsibility and think ‘but if I don’t do it, who will?’ No-one is indispensable. If one person does not do the job … Continue reading →

A Unique Way to Make Friends

It’s funny how one things often triggers another. I’ve just posted my first post recently on the home blog about gardens and it made me think of a couple I used to know. This couple had a prolific vegetable garden. They grew far more than what they needed. They did that for a reason. Why? They then used the produce from the garden to give to neighbors. This couple didn’t want to stay unconnected to their neighbors, so they made a visit to the neighbors taking some of the excess vegetables. As a result, over time, they built up a … Continue reading →

Part of the Problem

There are dangers in our churches. Are you part of the problem? I’ve heard so many cases of people being criticized lately for the way they are doing things or for their attitudes. We’ve probably all heard of people who have left the church because they have been so badly hurt by others. Maybe that has been your experience. This is something we were talking about other night at our home bible study group. It came up in our study of Mark’s gospel. Even the disciples had problems in this area. Earlier in Mark’s gospel, Mark 9:34 the disciples had … Continue reading →

Two Kinds of Workers

The other day we looked at the way Jesus used a parable to teach something about God. We saw How God, the landowner, called workers into his vineyard and they obeyed. God calls people to work for Him. Have you obeyed? In the parable we saw some of the workers were not called to work until the eleventh hour. In other words, they had not been given the opportunity to work earlier. There are people like that in our churches. They don’t just see a job and get in and do it. They wait till they’re asked. Perhaps there are … Continue reading →

Working Together

Church was always intended to be a number of people working together, using their gifts and talents for the common good, 1 Corinthians 12:4-31. Sadly this is often not the case. Too often a few people are left doing too much. And then sometimes too, people refuse to delegate or let go of jobs, allowing others to do them but want to keep control. It’s a situation that can work both ways. Notice how different the picture is in Nehemiah 3. Each family group had their own specific area of work and expertise. They all knew what was required and … Continue reading →

There’s a Need – So What?

In my last blog we looked at how God wants workers not shirkers. So you’ve been asked by someone in your church or community to take on an area of ministry or service. Should you dive right in, even if you’re not sure about it, because you have been asked and because there is a need? I know some churches would advocate that if there is a need you should fill it. But and as far as I’m concerned it’s a big BUT… Never mind what someone else thinks you should be doing, is it what God wants you to … Continue reading →

Learning from Children

How often when you’ve given a gift does the person say,‘You shouldn’t have?’ But have you ever watched children when they receive a gift? They never say that! They don’t worry about whether they deserve the gift. They just can’t wait to rip open the paper and find out what’s inside. I watched my grandchildren doing just this on the weekend. Like children, we need to be willing to receive what God wants to give us. Yesterday we looked at what God wants us to pray for. But we need to be ready to receive God’s gifts when they come. … Continue reading →

Learning from Joshua

Joshua is one of my favorite characters in the bible, because of his unwavering trust in and obedience to God. We might ask, ‘How can this story of Joshua help us in our lives right now?’ Here are some thoughts from Joshua chapter 1. In Joshua 1:1 we see that it is after the death of Moses that God commissioned Joshua. But God had been preparing him before that. For a long time he was an assistant to Moses, learning from him, Exodus 17:9-14, 24:13, Exodus 33:11, Numbers 11:28, Numbers 27:18. In verses 1-5 God commissioned Joshua, promising land and … Continue reading →