gotandem "Wisdom and Giving" for Thursday, 15 December 2016

gotandem "Wisdom and Giving" for Thursday, 15 December 2016

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Do you see giving as an act of wisdom? Check out today's Bible Minute from Proverbs 3:7-10.
"Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones. Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine."
Wisdom says, I have to learn where money comes from, how to get it. And secondly, I have to know why God gives it to me.
Luke 6:38 talks about "giving and it will be given back to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over." In other words, the more we give, the more God is pleased with the way we give, so He gives more for our hands.
Giving is a wise move.
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"The Advent: Day 19"
But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.[Galatians 4:4-5.]
Why did God send his son? To buy us freedom. To adopt us. I can't think of a better reason to celebrate Christmas than the idea that Christ came to set us free.
Today's Homework: Think about how God's gift has set you free and write down a list of ways you've been able to benefit from that freedom.
T The Holy Holidays - goTandem
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"Worn-out Servants"

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Serving others can wear you out. Many you serve will question your motives. If you work behind the scenes, many will wonder if you do anything at all. If you serve up front, some will accuse you of "performing." And over time, it just plain wears you out.
In Galatians 6:9-10, Paul has a message specifically for all worn-out servants:
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."
Remember, ultimately, we serve Christ who sees all and rewards those who serve Him. So don't give up! In the right time, the harvest will come.
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"Greater Than and Less"

Click here to listenIn John 3:26 we see the followers of John the Baptist come to their leader with a problem. They tell him: "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan--the one you testified about--well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him."
That other man was Jesus and He was drawing a bigger crowd. But John understood his own calling. He was a trailblazer for Jesus. When Jesus arrived, he stepped aside.
In verse 30, John replies, "He must become greater; I must become less." Now that is revolutionary service.
"He must become greater; I must become less." Let's make that our motto.
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"The Advent: Day 18"
When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.
After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.”[Matthew 2:12-15.]
This is essentially the end of the Christmas story. They end up having go on the run until Herod dies. We don't really sing about this part in the Christmas carols. But it's important to remember a couple of things. First, this fulfills prophecy. I can't think that any of the Biblical scholars back in the day could have anticipated the way this prophecy would be fulfilled. But Jesus and his family were fugitives. Second, it allows us to understand that Jesus life was not perfect. Although he never sinned, sin was constantly committed against him. He was persecuted as an infant. Which is a hard thing to think about.
Today's Homework: Think of the ways that you've suffered persecution, and rest in the knowledge that Christ has been there too.
T The Holy Holidays - goTandem
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"Those Who Are Good"
The LORD approves of those who are good, but he condemns those who plan wickedness.[Proverbs 12:2]
What do you think it means by "those who do good?"
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"Wisdom First"
"The LORD formed me from the beginning,
before he created anything else.
I was appointed in ages past,
at the very first, before the earth began.
I was born before the oceans were created,
before the springs bubbled forth their waters.
Before the mountains were formed,
before the hills, I was born--
before he had made the earth and fields
and the first handfuls of soil.
I was there when he established the heavens,
when he drew the horizon on the oceans.
I was there when he set the clouds above,
when he established springs deep in the earth.
I was there when he set the limits of the seas,
so they would not spread beyond their boundaries.
And when he marked off the earth's foundations,
I was the architect at his side.
I was his constant delight,
rejoicing always in his presence.
And how happy I was with the world he created;
how I rejoiced with the human family![Proverbs 8:22-31]
Why is it significant that wisdom predates the earth?
What are some ways you can see wisdom work in how the world was made?
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"The Advent: Day 17"When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.[Matthew 2:10-11.]
A lot has been made of these gifts. We make sure our wise men are holding them in the nativity scenes we see around town and on our mantles. We give each gift a different meaning in sermons. But one of the things we don't really talk about is their reaction to meeting the Christ. They met him with joy and then they bowed down and worshipped. These are educated men. They are prestigious scholars. And they don't give it a second thought. They bow down before an infant. It's hard to imagine someone doing that today.
Today's Homework: Do your best to encounter Christ with joy today. When you read your Bible or you are praying, do your best to do it joyfully.
T The Holy Holidays - goTandem
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"Burning Coals"
If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the LORD will reward you.[Proverbs 25:21-22]
How do you deal with people who don't like you?
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