WOW: another relevant Word 4 Today from
http://www.anchorlife.org
Thought for the Day
April 21, 2006
Growing in Your Relationship with God
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Today
* When You Give
* Today's Read through the Bible Passage
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When You Give
So when you give to the needy, do not announce it
with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the
synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by
men. I tell you the truth, they have received their
reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do
not let your left hand know what your right hand is
doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then
your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will
reward you. (NIV) Matthew 6:2-4
When we give there are at least 3 possibilities for our
motives:
1) We want others to praise our actions,
2) We attempt to be anonymous in our giving, but
secretly we're quite pleased with ourselves,
3) We desire for God alone to receive the
congratulations.
When you give who gets the attention? Do you like
to see your name on the list of givers?
How many other people know what you give and who
you give it to?
Do you enjoy the attention that fundraisers give you?
Do you feel that you "control" some organizations or
churches because of what you give?
How do you pride yourself with where you give and
how much? Do you compare what you give to what
others give? and do you think you're doing pretty
fine?
And lastly, how much would you give if it was
guaranteed that only God would know? After all, in
the scheme of things, He's the only One who matters!
Written by Marji "Mike" Kruger
For more on a relationship with God. . . -
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=uqyczubab.0.ggg ... http%3A%2F%2
Fwww.anchorlife.org%2Fhtml%2Fwhy_bother.htm
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Today's Read through the Bible Passage
Today's Reading: Psalm 98 & Deuteronomy 23-
25
The Read through the
Bible reading calendar (
http://rs6
.net/tn.jsp?t=uqyczubab.0.hggapobab.w5bnoobab.4027&p=http%3A%2F%2Fanchorlif
e.org%2Fcgi-bin%2Fcalendar%2Fcalendar.cgi)
Read the passage online... -
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=uqyczubab.0.sgj ... 4027&p=htt
p%3A%2F%2Fwww.anchoryourlife.com%2Fcourses%2Freadthroughbible%2Fmarchrd.htm
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It reminds me of a frequent question as an ex-pro entertainer
1 often put to Sir Cliff Richard, who best exemplifies the answer
I've read 4 bios of Cliff, but it's common knowledge that he gives as much as he can to TEAR Fund - when I was in OM's team who did mobile Christian book/music exhibits for a series of TEAR Fund gigs @ Royal Albert Hall ('74/'75) - Cliff did more TEAR Fund gigs & whole tours than anyone - he would do a TEAR Fund tour every year
1 of the bios lists all the gigs he'd ever done & his work rate was phenomenal!
Anyone recall him duet with the lead singer of the Seekers?
She said, "I know U R all Christians here tonight"
& Cliff said, "Oh no - cancel the show!"
She was mistaken, of course: Cliff's cross-generation popularity is legendary
OH: nearly forgot his advice at Arts Centre Group workshops - which he helped to set up, so that Christian performers could train each other & skill-swap
It was straight from the Bible - the principle of putting God first & caring only what God thinks @ you
fOLK MY AGE MAY RECALL HOW cLIFF WAS ONLY 16 WHEN HE HAD HIS 1ST BIG HIT - "mOVE iT" KINDA EXPRESSED THE BIG FX OF ALL THAT ADULATION ON ONE SO YOUNG
As Proverbs says, "The praise of man is a snare"
But since his conversion at a Billy Graham rally in '66, he has consistently been voted the most admired & respected Christian in public life
God bless!
Ian
Ian