Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube of images and lyrics from the group Casting Crowns singing … If We Are The Body … powerfully singing of how we, as disciples of Christ, should be reaching out in His Name and for His glory to serve others.
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Highlight Verse[s]: 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15 [NKJV] … 14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.
… Giving is so much more fruitful and productive than receiving/taking.
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Highlight Passage [context]: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24 [NKJV]… USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru Paul, exhorts Christians to selflessness and away from selfishness.
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Reference Passage : … Acts 20:32-35 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK ...
… Luke, quoting from Paul, exhorting Christians to give to one another and build up, rather than tare down our relationships, quoting especially from Christ, who said “It is more blessed to give than receive.” (v. 35)
Reference Passage : … Galatians 6:6-10 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK ...
… God, thru Paul, exhorts His disciples (i.e., all of us) to be generous and do good for others … for we will reap what we sow. Note especially v. 9-10 on giving.
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Leslie Koh, teaches on the old Jesus taught truth that giving is better than receiving. The ODB author wrote: It was a dreary week. I had been feeling lethargic and listless, although I couldn’t figure out why. Near the end of the week, I found out that an aunt had kidney failure. I knew I had to visit her—but to be honest, I felt like postponing the visit. Still, I made my way to her place, where we had dinner, chatted, and prayed together. An hour later, I left her home feeling upbeat for the first time in days. Focusing on someone else rather than myself had somehow improved my mood.
Psychologists have found that the act of giving can produce satisfaction, which comes when the giver sees the recipient’s gratitude. Some experts even believe that humans are wired to be generous!
When Jesus said that giving is better than receiving (see Acts 20:35), He certainly already knew what neuroscience and psychologists are just now determining behaviorally and thru research; and that is that acts of generosity produce chemicals in the brain which give us joy and peace and reduce stress … and even give us more energy (as in the ODB read above). If you want to read about this from Psychology Today, ... GO TO THIS LINK.
So, even if you have trouble just following the exhortations of Scripture in the Pauline writings cited above, perhaps you science types should just believe what research is teaching that it’s far better to give than to receive and you’ll be a lot better off in this life.
But I, for one, just believe what Jesus said; and will do it because I follow Him.
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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Lord, Jesus, thank You for showing us the better way to live by giving rather than by taking.
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My Prayer Today: Abba Father, … King Jesus, … Precious Spirit … Show me ways/places where I can give of myself today. … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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