Proverbs 3:9 “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all of your produce”.

Have you ever considered how incredibly blessed you/we are? We take so much for granted. We have roofs over our heads (there was a time when I didn’t know where I would sleep, but even then God provided), we have food in our bellies (there was a time when I had no food and I had no money, but again, God provided), we have abilities that allow us to earn money (we just have to want to work).

God promises in Philippians 4:19, Mathew 6:31 & 32, Luke 12:22-31, that He will provide for our needs (not our wants, but our needs) and He has proven Himself faithful to that promise for me, even before Christ was Lord of my life and I bet if you look back over your life, you would see His provisions as well.

But we don’t seem to look at how abundantly blessed we are, we seem to see our lack. Our problem is that we let our flesh dictate our contentment. If we truly looked at how blessed we really are, instead of at the things that we would like to have but are lacking, I think that we would find it difficult not to be on our knees constantly thanking and praising God.

John 3:27 says that “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven”. Every good thing that we have comes from the Father.

Romans 14:12 and & 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 tell us that we will give an account for the way that we use the things that God has given us.

So, what are we doing with what God has given us? Are we using it for His glory and for His purposes? Or, are we using it for our wants, needs and desires? Because you will give an account for that.

I know that you are thinking right now that this is about money. Well, not exactly. Could we have this same conversation about money, certainly. Because, we earn NOTHING apart from God. You may think, you got your job on your own, or that you put yourself through school or that it is your hard work that you get paid for. Well guess what, God put you here, in this time and this place, He created that brain inside your head, He created that body that you have that does the work that earns the money. Remember, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven” (John 3:27).

But, again, this is not necessarily about money. It is about everything. It is about your abilities, maybe you are a good carpenter, landscaper or plumber. Could your church use your ability, could people in need use your ability? Perhaps you are a good singer or musician, could your church use your talent, could you join a group that performs at nursing homes or homeless shelters to bring joy to the down trodden? Maybe you are a person who is really good at math and calculations. Could you volunteer to help low income families do their taxes or set up budgets?

You have gifts and talents that you can use to minister to others and glorify God and that is the reason that you have them.

But, gifts, talents and money aren’t the only things that we have that we are given by God and able to use, to be His hands and feet. Our trials, and how God rescues and gets us through them, are also a testimony to God. Maybe you were abused as a child, do you think there is no one that needs to hear about how God has healed you? Maybe you had an addiction, again, don’t you think that there are others who would love to know your “secret” and hear about how God removed those chains that bound you? Maybe you just faltered, dabbled in drugs or drank enough that you made poor choices, others need to hear about the new you and how that transformation took place. Perhaps you have had an abortion and you know the pain and shame associated with that. There are hurting and broken young women out there that need to hear about God’s ability to restore you and that there is an opportunity for them to see that baby again!

The way that God redeems and restores us after a trial are some of the greatest tools that we have to glorify Him.

So, let me ask you are you using your gifts, talents, money and trials for the glory of God and his purposes… or yours? Or maybe, even worse, you are wasting them all together and not using them at all. You will give an account (Romans 14:12). Do you really want to stand before our Heavenly Father, who sent His Son to be beaten, rejected and crucified, for your redemption, and tell Him how you have been using (or not using) all the incredible blessings that He has given you?

Perhaps it is time to start prioritizing and decide who it is you are living for. Yourself or your Heavenly Father.

If you are one of those hurting groups that we previously discussed and you need prayer, please reach out to me at admin@Forgiven-N-Loved.com, I would consider it an honor to be in prayer for you.

If you don’t know Jesus as Lord of your life, please go to our Life Preserver page and pray the prayer outlined there and, again, please reach out to me at the above email and let me pray for you and help you get connected with a church that can assist you in growing in the Lord.

If you are a follower of Jesus and need to work on the way that you are using what God has given you, pray for wisdom and leading. James 1:5 says “if any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you”. But you too can reach out to me via email and I will begin to pray for you as well.

Today, lets, honor Him with all that He has given us. Let’s count our blessings instead of lack and use everything that God has blessed us with to grow the family of God and glorify and please Him.

Love ya!