HARMONY AND CARING
1 Thessalonians 5:18 - "Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."
1 Corinthians 12:25
"This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other."
"This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other."
This past Saturday I got a lesson in Thankfulness. For those of you who don't know, Ronnie and I spent all day Saturday in the local E.R. That morning, sitting at my computer as I'm doing now, and typing up a pumpkin cheesecake recipe (now on the 'recipe page' of my website), I felt as though a knife had been forcibly thrust into my chest. I gasped, then tried to rearrange my sitting, thinking it a muscle spasm (remember that I said that). Instead of easing up, the pain increased until I stood, with thoughts of going to lay down in bed. Well, I made about one step, and ended up on the floor in a fetal position. Still trying to keep quiet, I attempted to remain calm and to not hyperventilate. Ronnie looked around from his computer and asked, "What's wrong?" It was when I realized that I couldn't answer I became somewhat more concerned. I calmly pointed to the aspirin bottle (which is for him since I'm not 'able' to take aspirin, etc.) and put one under my tongue. Ronnie persisted that he call 9-1-1, which I facially expressed, "Don't you dare!" When I realized the pain was not subsiding, I agreed for him to take me to the hospital, only after he said that we'd sit in the parking lot 'until' the pain eased up. After arriving and 'sitting', he phoned Ron Jr. (in Texas) who told him to get me into the E.R., which he insisted, and we did.
Of course, at first, they thought I may be having a heart attack, which I vehemently denied (remember that I said THAT). The EKG showed that #1, I DO have a heart, and #2, it was 'normal' (SEE !! ) Of course, then followed blood work, urinalysis (for what?), a chest x-ray, and an I.V. of morphine (nope, the pain was refusing to go away). Then the E.R. doctor said it could be a collapsed lung ... ???? Turns out that I was a tad short of bronchial pneumonia, and was, indeed, having a bout of fibromyalgia flare-up. They administered a HUGE shot of pain relief, and sent me home with prescriptions of Prednisone, antibiotics, and a couple of pain pills - just 'in case' (Nope, haven't taken them). Oh, also, 'take it easy' and use a Vick's laden humidifier. Anyway .... about my 'Thankfulness' ... well, duh !! Thank you Lord that it was NOT a heart attack, and that I'm feeling fine - just still a little sore, but that's all. THANK YOU, LORD !!! And 'thank you' to the doctor and the E.R. staff for their care and concern, and my prayers that they are blessed !!! (Jesus said in Matthew 25:36 - "...... I was sick, and you cared for Me....... .")
You know, we don't have to have a situation like that to feel grateful, or shouldn't. We are surrounded by God's gifts in our lives, just look around. One of the biggest gifts is the care one receives from others .... the feeling that we are cherished. But you know what the Bible says about 'bread upon the water'.....
Luke 6:38
"Give, and you will receive.
Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more,
running over, and poured into your lap.
The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”.
Luke 6:31
"Do to others as you would like them to do to you."
.
. and on, and on, and on. Jesus made it very clear that HE came to serve, not to 'be served',
. and on, and on, and on. Jesus made it very clear that HE came to serve, not to 'be served',
Mark 10:45
"For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others
and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
When He left for Heaven, He left us to do His work here on earth. (John 17:4 - "I brought glory to You here on earth by completing the work You gave me to do." Ephesians 2:10 - "For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.")
Hope you have a care-filled and harmonious day. Maggie
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Coffee Break
"Obey His Way"
"And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean." 2 Kings 5:10
Naaman almost missed his miracle because he didn't want to do what the prophet told him to do. Many of us are like Naaman. We want a "word" from the Lord concerning our situation but often that "word" will require something on our part. This is where we will "miss it" if we aren't careful. We want the word, we want the miracle, we want the need met, we want God to do something, but when He tells us what we are to do, we don't want to obey it because it involves doing something that we don't want to do. We want Him to do His part, but we don't want to do our part. Or we want to do something else besides what He tells us to do.
Is this where you are this morning? Are you struggling with doing something the Lord has told you to do? Do you want the miracle/answer to come in another form or through another way? God's ways aren't our ways. If we could do it our way we wouldn't need God. And if we aren't willing to do what He tells us to do in order to receive the answer, why do we even bother to go to Him?
The key to receiving is obedience and obedience often involves sacrifice. But we have to do the "sacrifice" when that is the condition that the Lord has placed on the receiving, if we want to receive-- we learned this from Naaman's experience also. He could have washed in another river, he could have washed only one or two times in the Jordan, he could have washed five or six times, but he still would not have received his healing, because it still would have been disobedience because he would have been trying to do it his own way instead of God's way.
Have a great day. Our answer often comes through God requiring us to do something, and the "something" may not always be what we want to do. But do it, if you want to receive.
For further reading:
2 Kings 5:1-5
1 Samuel 15:22
Isaiah 55:9
Proverbs 4:4
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Coffee Break is written by Lorraine Ezell
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
http://www.mastersbusiness.org
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