GIFTS

This morning, I had the privilege of listening to about gifts that you have received that have impacted your life.  As I reflected on this, I have thought about the gifts that have impacted my life.  Today, I am going to share three of the many gifts that I have received.  Some of them are recent, some not so recent.

The first gift that I want to talk about is the gift of being grounded.  I received this from a friend of mine that I often dream and talk about future goals with.  He doesn't come right out and say it but based on what he says, at the end of the day, his decisions remain grounded on his faith and values.

In 2 Timothy 2:15, we are told, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." If we ground ourselves in the values of God and present ourselves as individuals that are working in His word, His truth, then the rest will take care of itself.

The second gift to share is of a positive attitude.  The friend that I received this from, sees positivity in every situation, even when others don't see it.  It's not jus the fact of having the positive attitude but sharing it and getting others to buy into that vision.  It's one thing to have positivity, but if you can find a way to share it with others, that is when something awesome can happen.

In Philippians 4:8, we are told, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."  People waste so much energy and time on thinking and living in a world of negativity.  We need to start thinking positively and things will change for the best.  In Philippians, they tell us to think about the positive things, yet we still choose to think negatively, it doesn't make sense.  We can either be fertilizer or Round-Up.  Let's stay positive and help others grow, and not be the Round-Up in people's lives.

And the last gift that I am going to talk about, is the gift of faith.  I received this gift half way around the world from a group of people shining light in a dark place.  These people, that have become great friends, live their lives in faith.  All things are going to happen though Jesus, and we have to trust that.  My wife recently shared with me after being gone for 10 days that she noticed a change in me.  She shared that no matter the situation, I stay calm, that I have faith that things will work out. 

Mark 11:22-24 tells us, "And Jesus answered them, 'Have faith in God.  Truly, I say to you, whoever says to a mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.  Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.'"  We need to have faith, not only in God but in God's Word.  But even when we believe it, we have to pray on it in prayer and in thanksgiving.  Huge factor, give thanks for the things you have already received.

Now, these are not all the gifts I have received in my life, but what I am asking you to do is to reflect on some of the gifts that you have received, and in gratitude, think about those have impacted and changed your life.  If you have moved away from those gifts, get back to them.  They were given to you for a reason, so use them.

The Return

Recently, I was out of the country for 10 days.  It was the first time I had been that far from the comforts of Faribault, MN, and the first time I have been away from my wife, Tami, for that amount of time.

After the jet lag settled, Tami and I finally had time to process my return.  While out for dinner, Tami mentioned that I seemed different.  I went on to ask her what exactly she meant by that.  She responded by saying, you just seem so at peace, so calm.  You appear that no matter what happens, you have faith that God will guide you through.  Strangely as it seems, I had to agree.  While I was gone, something happened to me.  I was filled with a faith that was like no other.

That night, I really focused on Phillipians 4:6.  In that verse, we are told, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."  Man, this couldn't be any more true.  If we just spend time each day, thanking God for the things he has given us, and asking him for his hand in any troubles we would have, then we could stay more relaxed and just let faith guide us.



After we finished talking about my faith, I shared with her that I too felt a difference.  I told her, "Before I left, I thought I loved you as much as possible.  But now that I am home, I love you so much more."  It's something that you cannot explain but only feel.  Once you truly feel the loving hand of Jesus in our lives, we are able to love so much deeper.  There is so much more possible.



In 1 John 4:16 we are told, "So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us.  God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in Him."  We cannot be afraid to let Jesus guide our love.  Because of the time that I have spent with Him and felt His love, I am able to love much greater.  



If we let our love guide us and our faith comfort us, there is no telling to what differences we can make in our lives.