Reminder to Do Something

"Give freely and spontaneously. Don’t have a stingy heart. The way you handle matters like this triggers God, your God’s, blessing in everything you do, all your work and ventures. There are always going to be poor and needy people among you. So I command you: Always be generous, open purse and hands, give to your neighbors in trouble, your poor and hurting neighbors."

Deuteronomy 15:10-11 The Message

Galveston. If you do a Google search, it's all about the hotels and vacation rentals and attractions and events. And yet, I didn't find anything about the event that takes place every week. Same time, same location. 21st Avenue and Winnie Street, 8am-9am, on Saturday mornings.

It's an outside event - on a back parking lot, actually. Several canopies set up, a few benches. There are those who pull in and unload their tables and boxes, then park on the street. Promptly at 8am, Rick starts addressing the motley group that assembles every week. He talks for about 20 minutes or so, appeals for a response, then they serve breakfast and invite the attendees to the tables laden with various wares. At first glance, it looks like it could be an outdoor flea market. There might even have been a few fleas...

If you give it more than the perfunctory glance, you will recognize those who are up against hard times, some are in dire straits. All are in need - including the ones behind the tables. When I went, I wanted to fix all of it. The truth is, I cannot, but I can do something, which of course, reminded me of Matthew West's great song, "Do Something" (see link below). Actually, we can ALL do something.

No, we can't fix it all. I don't believe that we can in our lifetime because Jesus said, "There are always going to be poor and needy people among you." But don't let that stop you, because then He said, "So I command you: ALWAYS be generous, open purse and hands, give to your neighbors in trouble, your poor and hurting neighbors." [emphasis mine]

Your budget may be really tight, I know mine is at times, but let me give you an idea. Where I live, just $10 will buy enough peanut butter, grape jelly and bread to make 40 sandwiches. Or it could buy 64 bottles of water and 12 packs of peanut butter or cheese crackers. $5 will buy water and multiple snacks at a dollar store. $1 - just one - will buy 6 individual packs of peanut butter or cheese crackers. If you could have seen the gratitude on their faces for just a pack of snack crackers...

"Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity" (Luke 6:38 The Message).

Do Something
(Click on it for the link to the song.)

Prayer:

Father,
           Give us divine appointments to be generous with all that You have provided. Let goodwill, good seed and the Good News of Your Gospel be sown in the lives of those we touch. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Do Something

Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it. 
2nd Corinthians 13:5 The Message

So what should we do? What's the answer? No matter the question, God's Word is the answer.

If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask him, and he will gladly tell you, for he is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask him; he will not resent it. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to tell you, for a doubtful mind will be as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind; and every decision you then make will be uncertain, as you turn first this way and then that. If you don’t ask with faith, don’t expect the Lord to give you any solid answer.

A Christian who doesn’t amount to much in this world should be glad, for he is great in the Lord’s sight. But a rich man should be glad that his riches mean nothing to the Lord, for he will soon be gone, like a flower that has lost its beauty and fades away, withered—killed by the scorching summer sun. So it is with rich men. They will soon die and leave behind all their busy activities.

Happy is the man who doesn’t give in and do wrong when he is tempted, for afterwards he will get as his reward the crown of life that God has promised those who love him. And remember, when someone wants to do wrong it is never God who is tempting him, for God never wants to do wrong and never tempts anyone else to do it. Temptation is the pull of man’s own evil thoughts and wishes. These evil thoughts lead to evil actions and afterwards to the death penalty from God. So don’t be misled...

But whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God, the Creator of all light, and he shines forever without change or shadow. And it was a happy day for him when he gave us our new lives through the truth of his Word, and we became, as it were, the first children in his new family.

...Don’t ever forget that it is best to listen much, speak little, and not become angry; for anger doesn’t make us good, as God demands that we must be.

So get rid of all that is wrong in your life, both inside and outside, and humbly be glad for the wonderful message we have received, for it is able to save our souls as it takes hold of our hearts.

And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. So don’t fool yourselves. For if a person just listens and doesn’t obey, he is like a man looking at his face in a mirror; as soon as he walks away, he can’t see himself anymore or remember what he looks like. But if anyone keeps looking steadily into God’s law for free men, he will not only remember it but he will do what it says, and God will greatly bless him in everything he does.

Anyone who says he is a Christian but doesn’t control his sharp tongue is just fooling himself, and his religion isn’t worth much. The Christian who is pure and without fault, from God the Father’s point of view, is the one who takes care of orphans and widows, and who remains true to the Lord... James 1:5-27

Prayer:

Father,

          We want to be and remain solid in our faith. We ask for wisdom to know Your Word that will keep us there. We ask for the leading and correction of the Holy Spirit so that we don't stray. Cause Your Word to be alive in us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Do Something About It

Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it.
2nd Corinthians 13:5 The Message

So what should we do? What's the answer? No matter the question, God's Word is the answer.

If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask him, and he will gladly tell you, for he is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask him; he will not resent it. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to tell you, for a doubtful mind will be as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind; and every decision you then make will be uncertain, as you turn first this way and then that. If you don’t ask with faith, don’t expect the Lord to give you any solid answer.

A Christian who doesn’t amount to much in this world should be glad, for he is great in the Lord’s sight. But a rich man should be glad that his riches mean nothing to the Lord, for he will soon be gone, like a flower that has lost its beauty and fades away, withered—killed by the scorching summer sun. So it is with rich men. They will soon die and leave behind all their busy activities.

Happy is the man who doesn’t give in and do wrong when he is tempted, for afterwards he will get as his reward the crown of life that God has promised those who love him. And remember, when someone wants to do wrong it is never God who is tempting him, for God never wants to do wrong and never tempts anyone else to do it. Temptation is the pull of man’s own evil thoughts and wishes. These evil thoughts lead to evil actions and afterwards to the death penalty from God. So don’t be misled...

But whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God, the Creator of all light, and he shines forever without change or shadow. And it was a happy day for him when he gave us our new lives through the truth of his Word, and we became, as it were, the first children in his new family.

...Don’t ever forget that it is best to listen much, speak little, and not become angry; for anger doesn’t make us good, as God demands that we must be.

So get rid of all that is wrong in your life, both inside and outside, and humbly be glad for the wonderful message we have received, for it is able to save our souls as it takes hold of our hearts.

And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. So don’t fool yourselves. For if a person just listens and doesn’t obey, he is like a man looking at his face in a mirror; as soon as he walks away, he can’t see himself anymore or remember what he looks like. But if anyone keeps looking steadily into God’s law for free men, he will not only remember it but he will do what it says, and God will greatly bless him in everything he does.

Anyone who says he is a Christian but doesn’t control his sharp tongue is just fooling himself, and his religion isn’t worth much. The Christian who is pure and without fault, from God the Father’s point of view, is the one who takes care of orphans and widows, and who remains true to the Lord... James 1:5-27

Prayer:

Father,

          We want to be and remain solid in our faith. We ask for wisdom to know Your Word that will keep us there. We ask for the leading and correction of the Holy Spirit so that we don't stray. Cause Your Word to be alive in us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen