Prayer Requests and Gratitudes

Showing posts with label abundant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label abundant. Show all posts

Thursday, October 16, 2014

All is Lavish...

~~~ Ephesians 1:1-10 ~~~ Psalm 98 ~~~ Luke 11:47-54 ~~~

In Christ we have redemption by his Blood,
the forgiveness of transgressions,
in accord with the riches of his grace that he lavished upon us.

There is nothing that Christ has not or would not do for us.
He saved us, he forgives us, and he lavishes us with grace.
Is it possible for him to do any more for us?
What more could we even ask?
He gives of himself completely out of love.
His own blood wiped away every one of our transgressions.
Daily we find ourselves struggling with forgiveness.

Whatever Christ passes down to us
was first granted to him from the Father.
All that comes from the Father is lavish, abundant, and rich.
All that comes through Christ from the Father
is overflowing with grace.


Lavish...using or giving in great amounts...extravagant.
One can be lavish with their time, their affection,
 their praise, their money.

You see God the Father has so rich in grace
 that he gladly pours it lavishly into our hearts and lives.
God lovingly gives to us all that he has...all that he is...
completely wrapped in love. 

How lavish are you?
Where can you improve?
We must not selfishly keep to ourselves what
God has so lavishly given to us.

God gives us more than what is necessary.
Certainly way more than we deserve,
which of course would be very little if any.

The IRS does not allow one to deduct
what they consider to be a 'lavish' expense.
God would not fair well when it comes to how
lavish he is with those he loves.
On the other hand, God would not consider
 his lavishness to be extravagant.
God would never consider
what he so generously gives to us as a 'deduction'.
Clearly there is no way to qualify what is given to us through grace.
The well of grace is never to run dry.

A word of warning here;
 we can sometime be too lavish and find ourselves stressed.
We can put too much in our schedule...being lavish with our time.
We can over extend our finances being too financially
lavish finding ourselves in debt.

There are opportunities for us to be lavish.
The grace of God makes it possible for us to share
 with Christ in love and forgiveness.

His lavish grace makes it possible for us
to be a better person today than we were yesterday.
Lavish his gifts on others through grace.

Lavishly Blessed.
~~~Peace~~~

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Agriculture of the Spiritual Life

~~~ 2 Corinthians 9:6-10 ~~~ Psalm 112 ~~~ John 12:24-26 ~~~
 
...bountifully...cheerful...abundance...gracious...lavishly...  
 
These five words are taken from today's readings.
Each one connects to the agriculture of our spiritual life.
 
Bountiful means generous...we are to give of ourselves
to the Lord without holding back any part.
Giving of ourselves freely;
 liberally bestowing our praise upon him.
What you send out to others will return to you plus more.
 
Cheerful...have you heard; be cheerful and pass it on.
God does not want us be sad and long-faced with our devotion to him
If we truly love the Lord how can we not be cheerful?
Be cheerful...people will wonder what you're up to.
 
Abundance...fullness to overflowing...extremely plentiful
God is giving us more than we would even know to request.
His grace is more than sufficient...it is overflowing upon us.
To have more than we need of God's love is meant to share.
 
Gracious...kind...pleasant...merciful...compassionate.
Being gracious in little ways carries over into the rest of your life.
It is the practice cultivated daily in how you respond to others.
God is always gracious, kind, and merciful with us. 
 
Lavishly...something done extravagantly.
 God has been lavishing his love, care, and protection on us since creation.
Everything about creation lavishly tells us about who God is.
There is not one thing that he will not give to you.
Ask and you shall receive...
 
Whoever serves me must follow me...
 
 If we are to follow Jesus we must practice these five spiritual precepts...
Learn to give from our bounty...
 with a cheerful heart...
out of abundant love...
always acting graciously toward others...
Lavishly serving in the presence of the Lord. 
 
 
 
Have you ever taken the time to carefully look at a seed?
They come in varied sizes and shapes.
They are even different in color.
What they do have in common
 is that each tiny seed holds deep inside the potential
to become a unique plant.
 
This wondrous energy for transformation is dormant until
just the right environment is provided.
 
Jesus uses the wheat plant for his analogy in the gospel,
but I invite you to consider the sunflower.
The sunflower formation consists of many seeds housed
 right in the center of the flower head.
It is the seeds that are important.
They are enhanced by the brilliant yellow petals
which frame them so perfectly.
The sunflower proudly nourishes the seeds
until they have stored enough nutrients to survive
without the support of the flower.
 
The beautiful flower surrenders its life...its beauty
so that more of its kind can continue to grow.
 
God is able to make every grace abundant for you,
so that in all things, always having all you need,
you may have an abundance for every good work.
 
Imagine the potential one seed holds...
what you sow today may last a lifetime.
Blessings come in releasing the seed...letting it go.