Poverty

Proverbs 10:15
The rich man's wealth is his fortress,
The ruin of the poor is their poverty.

Most of our lives can be lived within a state of mind. The rich often have an easier time living a free life than the poor. It can be harder to see the other side of a situation when you are hungry. It can be harder to see the other side of the coin when you pockets are always empty.

In the United States, we make more money, even on welfare, then almost 99% of the rest of the world. Is it our fortress or do we still live in a state of poverty? Do we allow our wealth to lift us up and allow us to do for others or do we live as though we never have enough?

Wealth and Poverty are the states of mind we choose to live our lives in. All money aside, we are truly wealthy in all that Christ has given us. After a week of Proverbs that have asked me over and over about my behaviors in my speech, I need the riches of heaven. I need Grace. After a week of being reminded that I lack in wisdom and knowledge of the one God I serve, I need the treasure only He can give. I need Mercy.

Praise God that each day is given to us new. That His grace and mercy fill our cups. We are rich, abundantly. Build your fortress on the Rock. Stop living a life of poverty, you are Forgiven, your sins are covered. Live free and be willing to give the gifts you have overflowing to all those that still live separated from our Father.

Abba~I come with reverence today, Lord. In awe of the grace you poor abundantly into my life. Thank you Lord that when I lift my hands to you, you pick me up. Thank you for your comfort, thank you for you strength. Thank you that you have come and overcome this place. Remind me Lord that you are my Rock, my Salvation. ~In Jesus Name

Amazing Grace by Todd Agnew




Pray for healing for Bonita that is suffering with the flu.

Pray for Kameron's safety, pray for his living situation to change, pray for his emotional security. Thanks LEW

Thank you for praying for Sam Y this week. Please continue to lift Sam and her husband Julz up in prayer.

It is only 11 weeks until the Oligers leave for Africa. Pray for continued provision. Pray for peace in their hearts and minds. Pray for a renewing in their marriage and family as they prepare to follow God's calling in their lives.

Please pray for safe trips for everyone on Spring Break.

It is hard to believe after 6 months of preparing the Marathon is only a week away. Please pray for peace of mind and a strength that only comes from God. I will need it. ~Angela

I would like to say a special Thank You to everyone that takes the time to comment on our posts. Agree or Disagree with us, we love to hear from you. Please continue to make this a community by creating great conversations. God Bless you for the courage to say what is on your heart and mind.

Hands

Proverbs10:4
Lazy hands make a man poor,
but diligent hands bring wealth.

Have you ever met someone who always seems to be waiting for life to happen to them? They always seem to be waiting for the big score or stroke of luck. We have a lot of great politically correct names for this behavior but in truth, it is laziness.

Work hard. That is part of what we are created to do. We aren't called to wait for life to pass us by. We are given a small piece of time to create what we call our lives. Do we live it poorly, waiting for something grand? Do we live it with diligent hands, creating wealth not only in our own lives but in the lives of those around us?

Please continue to pray for Angela S this week.

If you have any prayer or praise from this week please be sure to let us know so we can add it to tomorrows devotional.

Beatitudes

Okay, so I want to get real with you if you do not mind.

When Angela and I talked about this great idea of Words of Wisdom, I was the first to say we needed to be open to the Holy Spirit and what He wants us to teach. However, when it came down to making the decision to what I was going to write about, I wanted to take the easy road. Being the first week in this new study on Words of Worship, I decided to write about Baptism, it’s an easy subject for me because I have studied it several times and I could pull something out of the “files” and no one would know. After all, I would not want to actually write about something this early on and have it not be received so well. The fact was that I did not even consider asking God to lead me to the Word for the week. Not because I did not know any better, but because I was afraid and I did not want to write about something I did not know much about. However, God had a much greater plan of accountability for me and if A had not already been used last week, I would be humbly writing about Accountability. Anyway, I thought I would share that I am human and have very real fears about being so open and trusted to provide you with God’s word. What I have learned is that God would not let me disappoint you. I hope that there is one person out there that asks themselves if God is speaking directly to them through this devotional this week. I pray you are open to whatever it is that He wants you to hear. I promise to ask Him for direction this entire devotional, since He seems to care a whole bunch about teaching you what you need and not what makes it easier on me. Even when there are times that I have no idea how it will be received, I will still write it. I just ask that you send out a praise or something so I know that I am on the right track, Deal?
With love and a new level of respect for our wonderful God, Heather.

Day 1

Beatitudes

God’s word for this week is Beatitude which is Greek for Blessed.

The meaning of this word is
1 - Spiritual well-being and prosperity
2 - deep joy of the soul

You will find the Beatitudes in

Matthew 5:3-12
3 “ Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Dear Lord, I thank you for the lessons I have learned through this devotional. I thank you that you are and always will be concerned about the health of myself and those that receive this email devotional. That you are in the midst of our spiritual, physical and mental well being. Lord, I praise you for the adoption into your family and because of our adoption, we are to experience the amazing gifts that only you can give. Thank you for loving us. Amen.




Day 2

A Closer Look

As we look closer at this passage, we find this
The word blessed means Happy
The poor in spirit are those who recognize their Spiritual Poverty
The mourners are truly sorry for their sins
The meek have disciplined strength
Those who search for Righteousness will be satisfied
The merciful will receive mercy. Mercy is God’s love that causes him to help the miserable. Those who are this way because they broke God’s law or because of circumstances out of their control.
The pure in heart will see and understand the heart of God
Peacemakers are God’s children
Those who endure persecution for doing God’s commands will inherit the kingdom.

Many writers of the last century called the Beatitudes “Integrity Builders” and the 8 declarations of blessedness.
The Beatitudes are recorded in Matthew 5:3-12, written in red, which means that Jesus himself said these words. The Beatitudes are best known as the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus began one of his most important public teachings with stating the way to happiness.
As we look at this piece of scripture we see that when Jesus states the way to happiness, he is speaking about how to share in salvation, the words describe entering the kingdom of God and experiencing a fore taste of heaven. It describes the ideal disciple and the rewards of both the present and the future. These character qualities are among those inside the Kingdom which differ from those of the World.

Day 3
Looking up the Beatitudes in my study bible, it references the verse

Matthew 7:29 “He taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.”
What does this say to you?

There are many teachings in this world. We must remember that the Word is our ultimate teaching and we should reference anything we hear with the Word before we consider it truth.
Have you mistaken something you have heard as truth in the past?

When you read about the blessed (the 8 beatitudes), how many of those qualities do you see in yourself? How many do others see?

Do you know anyone else that could be encouraged by this passage? How will you share it with them?

Does this passage give you hope? Direction?



Day 4

You can find the beatitudes referenced in

Luke 6:20-23
20 Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: “ Blessed are you poor,For yours is the kingdom of God.21 Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh. 22 Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man’s sake. 23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

The qualities found in the Beatitudes can be found in both the Old and New testaments. Here are just a few of those passages:
Psalms 1:1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

Psalms 34:8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

Psalms 65:4 Blessed is the man You choose,And cause to approach You,That he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Of Your holy temple.

Psalms 128:1 Blessed is every one who fears the LORD,Who walks in His ways.

John 20:29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas,[a] because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Romans 14:22 Do you have faith?[a] Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

Revelations 14:13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me,[a] “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”

You can also look up Sermon on the Mount and find several other passages.

Ask God to strengthen your qualities that are found in the Beatitudes.

Confess any resistance you have in sharing this passage with others. Don’t forget what you have experienced in your life to come to a loving and accepting relationship with God.

Reflect on the many ways that you have been blessed and how those blessings should be an outpouring in your life.

Praise God for His blessings in your life and for your blessing here and in the future.


Day 5

Promises in Scripture that relate to this passage are found in

Revelations 21:4
4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Will you commit with me today to vision yourself going to the best ever conference around? Imagine the headlines, posters, fliers and email notices about the famous Jesus coming to your area. What seats would you pay for. Would you come early to make sure you have the best seat. How would you have received the words that Jesus shared? Picture yourself hearing him say those words. Does it motivate you? Join with me this weekend in resting in his peace and presence. Attend a conference with him in scripture. Start with a favorite passage and let it speak to you as this one spoke to me. Allow yourself to be transformed and motivated to make a change in your life today. Share this with someone else as a witness of God’s amazing transformation in your life.

Praise Friday Praises

Dear Lord, I am in awe of your ways. I could probably study this topic for another year and still not fully understand all the dynamics of it. But one thing is true, you came here in human flesh and new what was to come, you gave us insight and direction and you have blessed us with your wisdom. Please continue to speak to us concerning your kingdom and the promise of our future. Please reassure us of the things which we do not fully understand and which we do not yet see. I praise you for your teachings and I am forever changed by your Sermon on the Mount. Please continue to use others to multiply your Kingdom and the multitudes of followers that will come because of those teachings. Lord, I pray that you will use me to reach and teach all those you put in my path. You are amazing. I love you. Amen.

The Widow With Two Coins

The Widow With Two Coins

Day 1

Her Character: Though extremely poor, she is one of the most greathearted people in the Bible. Just after warning his disciples to watch out for the teachers of the law, who devour widows' houses, Jesus caught sight of her in the temple. He may have called attention to her as a case in point.

Key Scriptures:

Mark 12:41-44
41 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. 42 Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites,[a] which make a quadrans. 43 So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”

Luke 21:1-4
1 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, 2 and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. 3 So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; 4 for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God,[a] but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”

Day 2

Money

Two tiny coins. Mark identifies them as two Greek Lepta, tiny copper coins worth less than a penny.

Roman coins (denarius), Greek coins (drachma, farthing), and Jewish coins (mite, pound, shekel, and talent) are all mentioned in the New Testament. The Israelites typically used the coinage of the nation that ruled over them, but they also developed their own local system of coinage.

Coins didn't actually come into use in Israel until after the people returned from exile between 500 and 400 B.C. Before that time people bartered, exchanging produce, animals, and precious metals for goods and services. A woman might barter a flask of oil for a new robe or the wool from a lamb for a new lamp.

By Jesus' day, a large variety of coins had come into use in Palestine. New Testament Jews used coins from Rome and Greece as well as their own Jewish form of coinage. The temple tax had to be paid in Jewish currency - in shekels. Money changers set up their businesses in order to change other coinage into shekels for temple worshipers. Jesus was not opposed to the operation of such businesses, but to their operation within the temple itself. He furiously scattered them, declaring that his Father's house was a house of prayer, not a business site (Matthew 21:12 - 13)

While money is necessary for life in most cultures, the Bible warns against placing more importance on it than it should rightfully have. The widow who gave all she had furnishes us with the best example of recognizing the need for money - she had money, although very little - but also the need to hold it lightly- she willingly and lovingly gave it away. Peter warns us not to be "greedy for money" (1 Peter 5:2), and the writer to the Hebrews admonishes us to keep our "lives free from the love of money and be content with what [we] have" (Hebrews 13:5). When writing to Timothy, Paul penned those famous, and often misquoted, words about money: "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs" (1 Timothy 6:10). A lover of money would have hung onto it more tightly than the widow and , when giving it away, would have made sure the gift was noisily apparent.

Our Life and Times
Money drives an effective and forceful wedge between our Saviour and us. Jesus knew that, and pointedly reminded us of money's power with these words: "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money" (Luke16:13)

Lord, how fitting that we have this devotional as the Holiday sales, bazaars, and endless catalog mailers fill up our mailboxes. Lord, I pray that this holiday season we remember your Word and that we must give freely to You. I thank you for the fact that I am an American and am so wealthy compared to so many. I know it is hard sometimes to imagine giving all that I have to you. Especially my last dime. Lord, please help your Word resonate in our lives, help us to give to those who have nothing.

Day 3

The Widow's Legacy in Scripture

Mark 12:41-44

Why would Jesus watch people putting money into the offering" What do you think he was looking for?

Picture yourself in this scene: You're in the temple, putting your offering into the receptacle. You don't know it, but Jesus is watching. What does he see?

The trumpet-shaped receptacles for offerings were made of metal. Compare the difference between the sound of the widow's offering with the sound of the offerings of the rich. Who do you think was most noticed by the crowd? Who did Jesus notice?

What did Jesus see about the woman that others in the crowd missed? What might Jesus see about you that others around you might miss?

What was significant about the widow's offering? Why do you think Jesus pointed the widow's offering out to his disciples? What did he want them to think, to understand?

How does the widow's offering compare to the offering Jesus was about to make? What was similar about it? What was different?

What has the Holy Spirit taught you through this story?

Day 4

Her Legacy of Prayer

Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything - all she had to live on."
- Mark 21:43

Reflect on Mark 12:41-44

Praise God for judging not by outward appearances but as one who sees the heart.

Offer Thanks for blessings of money, time, energy, and emotional resources.

Confess any tendency to act as though your security depends more on you than it does on God.

Ask God to make you a generous man or woman with the faith to believe that even small gifts are worth giving.

Day 5

This week, think of an area of your life that feels particularly empty or impoverished. You may be lonely, financially stretched, or worried about the future. Whatever it is, pray about it. Listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit. Is God inviting you to do something to express your trust? What kind of offering would be the most pleasing to him? Once you hear his voice, go ahead and give him what his heart desires.

Father, you are the source of every blessing. This week, help me to give, not only out of my wealth, but out of my poverty. Remind me that I belong to you, body and soul, hear and mind, past, present, and future.