Prayer Request - February 1, 2013

It's a new year. My "More Than The Gift" website isn't functioning. My iTunes podcasts aren't working. I've been quiet. Yet, while I stand still God is moving and pursuing His purposes. I see glimpses of Him (even in the darkness) and hear His rustling (even in my silence). If He comes at midnight, will I be ready? I need your prayer.

Colossians 4:2-4

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ , ..... Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.

Generosity-Ownership-Stewardship

Here's something that just came to me last week and I wanted to share it even though I'm still researching it. The issue of stewardship versus ownership presents an interesting quandary regarding what our generosity reflects. Sometimes a discussion regarding generosity can seems to focus on the benevolence of our heart.

While God's end goal is the transformation of our hearts. The first step in that process may be our simply obedience. If we accept the fact that God is the owner and we are simply stewards of His possession, then our primary job is to be responsive to His directions, preferences and prompting for the use of his possession.

Faithful stewardship requires that we manage His possession in manner that reflects the heart of the owner, even if that does not yet reflect our own heart. The owner is generous. While we are getting there we should still act as faithful stewards. The priority of our giving should be to respond to God's will rather than our own.

However, God desires that over time our heart would reflect His heart. It is far easier to execute one's stewardship when your heart is in it. God gives His possession to us as part of His plan to transform us to become like Him, to make us generous. He enriches us that we may abound in good work. He enriches us to increase the harvest of our righteousness. He enriches us that we would become generous.

2 Cor 9: 8-11

Larry

Internet Bible Study - May 2011 - Giving That Gets God's Attention

The Biblical account of a widow’s offertory gift of two mites is examined from the perspective of its proportional magnitude. Readers survey several Biblical accounts where individuals were willing to render their all. The decision to surrender all to the Lord always gets His attention and such giving is memorialized in scriptures.

Reference Scripture:

Mark 12:41 – 44 (widow’s mite)

Supporting Scriptures:

Genesis 22:11 – 18 (Abraham… you have not withheld from me your son)

Romans 8:31 – 32 (He who did not spare His own son)

Philippians 2: 3 – 8 (He humbled himself and became obedient to death)

Click on the link to the Internet Bible Study (located in he right margin of this blog) to review the full text of the lesson.

Don't study alone. This is the worldwide web. Invite a family member, friend, someone from another state or another country to join you.

Ask questions! Make comments! Let's create a worldwide conversation.

Praise Report - God Tube

I've had a presence on God Tube for a little over a year. God Tube is the Christian version of You Tube. I uploaded 4 promos in 2009 but had uneven success with the audio upload. However, this year I have been led to pursue anew some long-standing technical problems with this ministry effort (the iTunes podcasts, the link for the downloadable brochures & the God Tube feed). Initially, each of these problems baffled me and I failed to find a solution but this year I felt a prompting in my spirit to try again. As I respond in obedience, God is "parting the Jordan" before me. As I move forward, one-by-one the problems are being resolved. I reference the parting of the Jordan River because at the Jordan the waters only receded as the Israelites moved forward, only as their feet touched the water did it back up. I believe in God's timing, not my own. I am sensing His move this year and I'm looking forward to what He will reveal to me and accomplish through.

I encourage each of you to remain sensitive to the move of God's Spirit in the midst of your circumstances. Don't be afraid to step forward in response to His prompting yet one more time. As you do, you will be moving forward in His power (rather than your own) and to His Glory. You may be surprised by what He chooses to do.

Larry

Internet Bible Study - August 2009 - A Love problem

Internet Bible Study
A LOVE PROBLEM
This lesson examines the traditions surrounding Valentine’s Day and then draws parallels to Christian practices in offertory giving. It suggests the premise that our relationship with God is a love affair and that giving is a fundamental expression of love. Trouble in our attitudes toward offertory giving reflects problems in our love relationship with God.
Reference Scripture:
John 3:16
Supporting Scriptures:
Mt. 20:28 (Jesus gave his life)
John 15: 13 (greatest love – give life for friend)
Ephesians 5:25 (husbands love wives like Christ who gave himself for the church)
Romans 8:32 (God gave his son for us)


Click on the link to the Internet Bible Study to review the full text of the lesson. The link is contained in the "Additional Resources" section of this blog.


Don't study alone. This is the world wide web. Invite a family member, friend, someone from another state or another country to join you.


Please keep praying for this ministry.

Larry

Monday's Meditation - January 19, 2009 - Positioned For Greater Blessing

A new podcast has been published to the More Than The Gift website and iTunes Store:

Positioned For Greater Blessing


The Holy Scripture is full of rich and wonderful promises for the believer. They are exciting to uncover and humbling to ponder. Each promise reveals the matchless nature of God’s love for us and the benefits He wants us to experience through our relationship with Him. Some promises are simply our birthright, as we become daughters and sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Others promises are rewards or blessings that flow from our actions. In this spirit, God has ordained that abundant blessings flow from our giving. As a result, our giving actually positions us for greater blessings than we would otherwise experience. I am reminded of the Old Testament account of the widow from Zarephath. When Elijah met the widow, by her own admission, she and her family were positioned to die. Their circumstances had brought them to the point of starvation. Then God sent Elijah with a word of hope, but this word of promise was preceded by a request that the widow give from the very last of her provision. As she gave, she and her family were repositioned. Rather than being recipients of death, they became recipients of an increase in their food supply, an increase in health and an increase in faith. Greater blessings flowed from her giving than she ever imagined.


This podcast is a continuation the series of podcasts regarding the theme : "What Our Giving Accomplishes".

As always, I invite you to receive Monday’s Meditation as “food for thought “ for the week, then let it become “fuel for action” for the weekend and beyond.

The is audio podcast is available on my website: morethanthegift.net and the iTunes Store. Links are provided in the "Additional Resources" section of this blog. if you don't have iTunes on your computer, a link is provided below to download the iTunes software.

After listening to the podcast in the iTunes Store, I encourage you to offer a review and to send an invitation to a friend or loved one to listen also.


A separate link for the podcast website is also provided .

Use this blog for your comments, questions and testimonies regarding the episode.



Keep praying with me!

The Midwest Book Review

This week, the workbook received a " 5 Star" rating (highest rating) from the "Midwest Book Review". The review can be viewed on Amazon.com or my website: morethanthegift.net .

God has called me to plant seeds, but deep inside I also long to see the effort bear fruit. I have to admit, I'm a little tired. So, I needed that. Praise God for His grace. Thanks for your continued prayers and support.


Larry