From: "Dwayne Savaya" <[email protected]> God's Work Ministry E-mail
Dear Friend, We should always be quick to lend a helping hand towards those who are in need and do all that we can to improve their life. We will soon find that the blessings that we intended to bestow upon them will in effect be returned to us and make our life better than it was before. That's how the Lord works. We will reap exactly what we sow. Whether we sow financially, spiritually, emotionally or personally, we will receive a just reward for the seeds that were planted into the lives of others. Never think of holding back what you possess simply because you think you will lose it. We can never lose what we give to the Lord. That is the opposite of how God works. He will take our best gifts and return them to us multiplied many times over. Be encouraged to have a giving attitude in your daily life. You will be blessing your own life as well as helping someone else to become better. (Romans 12:9-21) (James 1:27) (1 John 4:7-13) (Proverbs 4:1-13) I hope this message encourages and inspires your heart to be quick to bless someone else in need. You will find that it is by giving that we receive and it is by blessing others that we become blessed. THERE’S MORE TO LIFE Here's a story about something I learned during my teaching days for Medicine Hat College. It seems so often when we go to teach somebody something, things get turned around and the lesson becomes ours. When I was challenged to teach a blind singer to dance, I had no idea I would become the learner. I was a dance teacher for a local college and had been learning a series of new dances to introduce into the communities in the area. My friend and I decided it would be fun to practice to a live band at a lounge. We didn't know we'd been the topic of interest where the band was concerned until they approached us during one of their breaks. Admiring our footwork, they asked if we could spend time with the three female singers in the group and teach them some of our steps. It was felt the steps would enhance their singing routines. Thinking it would be a fun morning and give us more practice we agreed to meet at their motel the following day. My friend was interested in working with two of the singers and suggested that I work with the third singer, Gail. The challenge for me would be to accurately describe each move for Gail. She had the greater challenge, to process, interpret and simulate. Being blind, Gail had never seen us dance but she exuded confidence. She also trusted her fellow singers that the steps would be fun and a great addition to their act. I went from feeling sympathy for Gail to admiring her. She was able to accomplish all that her sighted colleagues had in the same amount of time. She was an amazing woman and the session with Gail taught me more than I realized. A few weeks later, while I was teaching a group of adults a country western Line Dance I noticed that most of them spent a lot of time looking at my feet, or the feet of someone in front of them. I wanted them to feel confident on the dance floor, but I could see that they were relying too heavily on others. A memory of Gail came to mind and as I thought of her, I realized she had learned so quickly because she did not use her eyes. The message went from her brain straight to her muscles. I told the group about Gail and suggested we try something new; to pretend we couldn't see. We went over the steps a few times and I matched each combination of moves with a trigger word or phrase. Then we focused on a spot on the wall, never looking down and went through the dance again using only the trigger words to remind our brains of what we wished our feet to do. Invariably and with unbelievable consistency the students learned the dance quicker than usual. I never saw Gail again yet her dance lessons taught me something I would use again and again over the years. The lesson eventually helped hundreds of students to learn better and to thereby feel more confidence. Without Gail, I doubt that I would have discovered a new method for teaching dance. Her attitude showed me that we should not be afraid of the things we cannot see and do not know. Gail didn't see herself as courageous, learning to dance in spite of blindness; no instead she accepted new challenges as an opportunity to taste more life. Gail laughed at her mistakes. She lived in the moment. By Ellie Braun-Haley Read and meditate on these scriptures: 1 John 4:20-21 “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus declares “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Romans 13:10-14 “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible. Today’s Selected Poem: MORE THAN ENOUGH Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/inpoem108.htm Today’s Selected Testimony: HEATHER'S TESTIMONY Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony124.htm =================================================== God's Work Ministry E-mail Dear Friend, It is important in life that we remain humble and gentle in spirit no matter how accomplished we may become. Many times people change the way they see themselves because of their great accomplishments and instead of remaining humble and giving all of the thanks and praise to the Lord, they accept their accomplishments for themselves and in turn become “puffed up”. This should never be the case for any of us. We should always portray a humble attitude and never allow ourselves to become arrogant and think of ourselves more highly than he ought to think. (Romans 12:1-3) The Bible tells us to be humble because God resists the proud, but He gives grace to the humble. We are to recognize God’s superiority and know that it is in Him that we receive our strength and ability. Be encouraged to have a humble attitude in life. Be gentle when dealing with others and never allow yourself to accept too much praise from those around you. The Lord alone deserves the praises of His people for the great things He has done for us. (Genesis 3:19) (1 Peter 5:5) I hope this message ministers to your heart to always portray a humble attitude in life. Letting God see that our life is meaningless without Him is sure to keep us in His perfect will and lead us towards our victory. BAREFOOT PASTOR The pastor of the church I attended as a young man was a distinguished, dignified and always impeccably dressed man who also happened to have a warm and compassionate heart. He was so formal and well-groomed that newcomers would expect this tall, handsome man with a PhD from an Ivy League school serving a large, affluent suburban church to be cold and distant. But he wasn’t; he was warm and sincere. Then I had one lesson in how he remained that way. I signed on to serve as Scripture reader, and on the first Sunday sat on a chair behind the pastor’s podium. It was a rather large, semi-circular pulpit with a chair directly behind it. The pastor entered and sat down. He was, as always, impeccably dressed: blue pinstriped business suit, silk tie carefully knotted, starched white shirt with cufflinks, and on his feet, black shoes polished like mirrors. This was not a man who wore a Rolex or drove a Porsche. But he was always careful to dress well, from his pocket handkerchief to his tiepin. Then, just before the sermon, I watched the pastor reach down and untie both of his expensive leather dress shoes. He slid his feet out of them, and then reached under the cuffs of his tailored suit. He pulled off his black dress socks as well. I was completely bewildered. He then pushed both shoes and socks to the side and stood up for his sermon. No one else knew it, but our dignified, dapper, classy pastor preached his sermon barefoot, in his tailored suit and silk tie. When the sermon was over, he unobtrusively pulled on both shoes and socks, and left the podium. I said nothing and just assumed he had reasons of his own. Perhaps his feet hurt? I forgot about it, especially as it did not happen again for the next few Sundays. Then, two months later, I noticed the pastor sliding his feet out of a pair of spit-polished tasseled loafers, followed again by the socks. I was again confused and slightly amused by the contrast between the fancy business suit and the soles of his bare feet which appeared when he leaned forward with enthusiasm. After the service ended, I went up to the still barefoot minister and respectfully asked why he did this. The pastor looked slightly embarrassed, picked up the shoes and socks and told me a story from his student years: “My seminary professor told me I was a fine preacher, but that I had one fault. I was too arrogant. Too proud. I remembered that. And I remember my roots, too.” He then told me that he had grown up as a janitor’s son and took his shoes off when he visited his Dad. Those were his roots. In the years since, he had earned several degrees and his gifts had brought him to this church. He was successful and praised, but he never wanted to forget where he came from. “Whenever I start getting too proud and smug, I look down at my shiny Brooks Brothers shoes and fancy socks and realize it’s time to take off my "successful well-dressed suit-and-tie pastor" feet and put on the feet of a janitor’s boy. It keeps me humble. It’s hard to be smug when I’m barefoot.” And with that the pastor grinned, put on his Italian tasseled shoes and socks and left the pulpit. “Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” Proverbs 11:2 By Ken Wells Read and meditate on these scriptures: Philippians 2:2-3 “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” John 13:13-15 Jesus declares “Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” Proverbs 22:4 “By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.” Colossians 3:23-25 “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.” 1 Peter 3:8-11 “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.” All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible. Today’s Selected Poem: MY VERY BEST GIFT Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/enpoem166.htm Today’s Selected Testimony: DELIVERED FROM AN ACCIDENT Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony152.htm In Christ’s Service, Dwayne Savaya God’s Work Ministry Please feel free to visit the Website to read more Encouraging and Inspirational stories, poems and testimonies. Our E-mail Archives are available as well to read the messages that have been sent in the past. You can now hear our stories and poems right on our website. Volume One contains 15 messages that can be heard and enjoyed at Godswork.org. To hear our messages, please click on this link: http://www.Godswork.org/Audio.htm You can also send Free E-cards to friends and loved ones with the many choices available. You are also welcome to post your prayer requests in our Prayer Forum. All this and more available at --- http://www.Godswork.org You can also send prayer requests to --- [email protected] Add your E-mail address if you'd like correspondence with the prayer partners.
