LOVE GENEROUSLY

PROVERBS 15:17 (MSG)
Better a bread crust shared in love than a slab of prime rib served in hate.

LUKE 21:2-4 (MSG)
Then he saw a poor widow put in two pennies. He said, “The plain truth is that this widow has given by far the largest offering today. All these others made offerings that they’ll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn’t afford—she gave her all!”

SUMMARY
True generosity and hospitality is less about show and more about loving sacrifice.

DAILY FODDER
What do you think the poor widow of Luke 2 had for breakfast the following morning?

PRAYER
Generous God, you've called us to join you in lives of sacrificial giving. We confess that our stinginess still shows up at times. Sometimes it even surprises us. Mold my heart so that I'm ready to be genuinely generous with my time and money when the opportunities pop up. My hero is that widow in Luke 2. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

SUCCESS

NEHEMIAH 2:20 (CEV)
I answered, "We are servants of the God who rules from heaven, and he will make our work succeed. So we will start rebuilding..."

2 THESSALONIANS 2:16-17 (CEV)
God our Father loves us. He treats us with undeserved grace and has given us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope. We pray that our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father will encourage you and help you always to do and say the right thing.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Any sucess we enjoy can be traced back to the hand of God. 

DAILY FODDER
How does knowing that our sucesses can be traced back to God change the way that you handle challenges? 

PRAYER
Omnipotent Father, you created us for your good pleasure. When we accomplish something, we automatically think it's our accomplishment  alone. When things fail, we blame you. Forgive us. We humbly return to you, wanting only to do your will. Give us your perspective in all that we do and say, bringing glory and honor to your name. Amen. (Daily Texts, Ground Up Grace edition)

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

DOXOLOGY

PSALM 150:6 (CEB)
Let every living thing praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!

JUDE 25 (NLT)
All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.

SUMMARY
There is nothing more basic to life than praising God.

DAILY FODDER
"Doxology passed into English from Medieval Latin doxologia, which in turn comes from the Greek term doxa, meaning 'opinion' or 'glory,' and the suffix -logia, which refers to oral or written expression. It's logical enough, therefore, that "doxology" has referred to an oral expression of praise and glorification since it first appeared in English around 1645. The word ultimately derives from the Greek verb dokein, meaning 'to seem' or 'to seem good.'" (Merriam-Webster)

PRAYER
All glory is yours, God. Help me make my life a doxology. It is the least and the most I can do. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

FLIPPING EVIL

The 21st Sunday after Pentecost

GENESIS 50:20 (CEB)
You planned something bad for me, but God produced something good from it...

Luke 6:28 (CEB)
Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you.

SUMMARY
God wants you to join him in his  business of flipping evil into good. 

DAILY FODDER
Praying for those who mistreat you implies a measure of preemptive forgiveness.

PRAYER
Gracious God, your ways are so different from anything that happens in this world apart from you. In our "wisdom" we're so set on keeping our enemies as enemies. But you're bent on dismantling our pride motivated system. I not only need your forgivenss, which I now realize you've already given, but I need your help in getting on board with your approach. I'm going to extend the same grace that you've given to me. Amen

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.