Good Morning! ~ Spiritually Dead, Hungry for Knowledge

On my honor: I will be courteous, kind, and generous

Read: Acts 28:7-16

Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous. I Peter 3:8

A courteous, kind, and generous Christian

Are you a good driver? Or are you an erratic driver? The fast and furious driving of many can cause you to lose your religion.

Are you a pew hoarder? The person hogging the end seat and refuses to slide down or get up making it hard for others to sit.

Do you double park? You take two parking spaces because you don’t want anyone to touch your car.

The question is “are you a courteous, kind, and generous Christian?”

Acts of kindness

Acts chapter 28 is filled with many life lessons but one teaching that touched me most was the islander’s kindness. As you read this week’s lessons you quickly learn that a shipwreck landed Paul and other prisoners on the island of Malta. One has to assume Malta knew these men were prisoners since there were Centurion guards tagging along. There were no preconceived notions. Malta was welcoming, courteous, and kind to complete strangers. Even the chief official of Malta invited Paul to stay in his home. Their compassion for the castaways was not temporary, it lasted for three months! Upon leaving Malta, the castaways received a ship to continue their journey.

Being Christ like

One of my goals for 2014 is to take on a Malta Spirit and be Christ like. That means reading God’s word and making every effort to apply the word. So the life lesson is to do as Peter said be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous.

So how does Paul’s encounter with Malta have to do with Driving, pews and double parking? Kindness and Generosity begets Kindness and Generosity. When we activate these good tendencies we receive them in return. I think that is called Karma?

Opposed to flipping out the driver who cut you off and my catty remarks to the pew hoarder or living a nasty not on the double parkers learn to start each day praying and reading the word. It will better equip you to DRIVE like a Christian, be KIND like a Christian and PARK like a Christian daily.


Prayer


Father God in Heaven,

Thank you for being a caring and loving God. Thank you for the spirit of compassion and love. Lord I know sometimes I have fallen short and have not been the most courteous person. Forgive me for being careless. Lord I ask that your caring and loving spirit be reignited in me! May I share it with others all the days of my life! This I pray in Jesus name. Amen

Angels of Secret Generosity, the meaning of Christmas

O Christmas Tree
Photo: Tigner J.

When man gives from the heart, and not grudgingly God will make all grace and blessings abound toward them. 2 Cor. 9: 7-8

What is Christmas

Christmas is a picturesque season of happiness, good cheer to all men and women. It is a festive season when people annually decorate homes with trees, lights, ornaments and front lawns with huge blow up dolls, which really don’t make sense.  



Black Friday and Scrooge

There are bright colors, reindeer, some old man in a red suit and an over abundance of God forsaken Christmas sweaters and vest. Christmas is perceived as a time where people “want a whole lot of this and a whole lot of that” while fighting for bargains on Black Friday. Loved ones are bestowed with expensive toys, gadgets and clothes to neatly wrap under a Christmas tree. Before you call me a cold hearted Ebenezer Scrooge please continue reading there is a reason for the season.

Christmas and Christ

Christmas is suppose to represent the Birth of Jesus Christ, the greatest present ever given to mankind, God coming to earth as man atoning our sins. His existence was a journey of teaching humility; how to give, and be a blessing to others yet somewhere along the way got it twisted thinking that our hands should always be on the receiving end. Christmas is a time for praising, singing of songs glorifying His name and most importantly serving our fellow man.

The general public has become numb or even skeptical of extending a helping hand to family let alone strangers until now. During this Christmas season we have witnessed thousands of spectacular incidents of unexplainable altruistic behavior from complete strangers’ nationwide - individuals paying off 
lay-a-ways for strangers, to a man in Waycross, Georgia who bought $500 worth of McDonald’s gift cards - in $25 increments to distribute to needy families.  

This kind gesture inspired the McDonald’s owner, Brian Fey, to match the donation by giving half the gift cards to the Pierce County Food Bank and half to a local homeless shelter. Paying it forward, random acts of kindness are actions which really embody the true spirit of Christmas and should transcend beyond one month but include 365 days a year. Giving can be contagious! 

Jesus Christ told his followers it’s more blessed to give than to receive. He also stated for with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Luke 6:38.  Sorrowfully, we often hoard God’s possessions opposed to giving to those in need. Contrary to popular belief, all things under the sun belong to God; he has blessed us with custodianship of earthly belongings we so often times cherish. Looking back over 2011, we had good times, faced some bad, and not to forget many blessings. I challenge you to take on the “I can’t help it disease” and begin showing random acts of kindness in 2012 and beyond by making yourself available as a giving vessel to others. Take time to recognize God’s blessings in your life and pass the blessings forward!   With your new mindset of giving, who can you bless today?

Tigner Rand

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