GIFTS OF GOD
GIFTS OF GOD, “WORTH CONSIDERING” 11/13/20 From Ken Smith<><
Today’s Scripture (Across my desk this morning from a church in Texas.)
Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (Acts 8:26, NIV)
It’s the Hand of God
Philip was having great success preaching the gospel in Samaria. It must not have made sense when an angel told him to go out to that desert road, but there was a man, the treasurer of Ethiopia, traveling by there in a chariot who was reading the book of Isaiah. When Philip explained to him that Isaiah was talking about how Jesus came as the Savior, the man believed, was baptized, and had his life changed forever.
Like this man, because you honor God, right now there’s a Philip chasing your chariot. There are blessings that God has ordained to track you down, people who will use their influence, their knowledge, and their experience to push you forward. When you take time to put God first, to go to the house of the Lord, don’t be surprised if on your way home, if sometime this week, sometime this month, Philip shows up—something unusual happens, an unexpected blessing. It’s the hand of God.
A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that You know where the good breaks are, the right connections, the opportunities that will thrust me into my purpose. Thank You that when I keep You first, Your goodness will rain down with blessings. I believe that Philip is already on the way. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
Ken’s Comments: There are 180 + scriptures concerning gifts in the Bible most of them are noted in the New Testament. James has ONE that come to mind as he writes his little, but very profound letter, in the New Testament: James 1:16-18 ” Do not be misled, my beloved brothers and sisters. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow [a] cast by His turning [for He is perfect and never changes]. 18 It was of His own will that He gave us birth [as His children] by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of His creatures [a prime example of what He created to be set apart to Himself—sanctified, made holy for His divine purposes]. And also in James:4:5-7 “Or do you think that the Scripture says to no purpose [a] that the [human] spirit which He has made to dwell in us lusts with envy? 6 But He gives us more and more grace [through the power of the Holy Spirit to defy sin and live an obedient life that reflects both our faith and our gratitude for our salvation]. Therefore, it says, “God is opposed to the proud and haughty, but [continually] gives [the gift of] grace to the humble [who turn away from self-righteousness].” 7 So submit to [the authority of] God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him] and he will flee from you.
So we have a very loving Creator who has created us to live with HIM if we will ask for HIS help in changing us. That change comes through faith, humility and loving obedience in seeking HIS light and righteous presence in our lives. The closer we get to HIM the more like HIM we become. The adage in the world is that we tend to become like the people with which we are comfortable in associating with. For God or Evil. For Light or for Darkness. And as each of us has been give a freewill God will not manipulate our decision. We can easily see HIS hand in the things that are created. And so if we seek, ask and knock He will share HIS wisdom & power with us. Problem is that we need to return to the source. We have been led off of the path by the godless traditions of men who seek to have their own little religious kingdoms. And so most of us have thrown out the BABY with the bathwater and totally missed the boat.. Better take another look at the source GOD gave us…!!!!
( Add/Delete, ken@trinity-aloha.org “Worth Considering” Library as link found: Homepage.
There is but ONE Church of Christ Jesus, all who Love, Honor and Obey HIM are members.
REVIVAL List <prophetic@revivalschool.com>
“Men are God’s method. The Church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men.” – E.M.Bounds
“Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer
“Let us beware lest the things we own come to own us.”- Anonymous
“‘Why are we not more holy?’ asked John Wesley, addressing his preachers. ‘Chiefly because we are enthusiasts, looking for the end without the means.'” – John Wesley
“God can part with nothing of His own power, and therefore I can experience the power and goodness of God only so far as I am in contact and fellowship with Himself; and when I come into contact and fellowship with Himself, I come into contact and fellowship with the whole omnipotence of God, and have the omnipotence of God to help me every day.” – Andrew Murray
“The devil has a counterfeit for nearly everything.” – Anonymous
“The Book of books is called the Holy Bible because it has a holy author, and aims at a holy purpose, the production of holiness in its readers.” – Daniel Steele
“Are we jealous for God’s glory? To me that is what revival is all about.” – Leonard Ravenhill
Worthy Brief <worthybrief@worthynetwork.com> Chinese security forces harass Christians of an independent church in western China because they still worship after their building was destroyed, and the pastor jailed, friends say. President Trump signed an order on Thursday barring U.S. investments in Chinese companies owned or controlled by China‘s military, as he tees up a series of executive actions on school choice, immigration and other conservative priorities before Jan. 20 that would force presumptive President-elect Joseph R. Biden to work to reverse next year. President Trump’s legal team scored their first court victory in Pennsylvania in one of several lawsuits challenging voting issues in the Nov. 3 presidential election. From nondescript buildings in the industrial nucleus of Wuhan, across wavy seas to dusty tented super laboratories in the heart of Mexico, and then across the jagged southwest border and dispersing like a wild bomb ripping through every crevice of the United States, the growing presence of Chinese drug lords and cartels below the southern border is one that is killing an unprecedented amount of Americans.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!