Enjoy some brief daily thought-stimulators for each picture.

TUESDAY, MARCH 22: SHARE

Do you consider yourself a generous person? Is it easy for you to share your blessings with others in need? Does it matter to you whether you get the tax deduction or not? Are you quick to offer hospitality?

Some seem to possess generosity as a gift of the Spirit, no matter what their financial circumstances are, while others struggle to lend a hand, even when it is easily within their means to do so.

When you’ve shared with someone in need, do you make sure others know what you’ve done?

Matthew 6:3-4  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. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23: NEED

Revelation 3:17  For you say I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

Who me?

Which is worse?

(a) pretending to be well-off and putting on airs, pretending to be something you’re not or

(b) always looking for a handout, wanting something for nothing, and taking more than you need?

Accurate self-examination isn’t easy. We may not see ourselves as we really are. Sometimes others may have tried to give us some honest feedback, but we didn’t want to hear it. It’s hard to admit our need.

The Lord knows what you need. Bring it to Him. Open yourself to the Spirit’s conviction in pointing out those areas. Be ready for your prayers to be answered by whatever means He chooses.

THURSDAY, MARCH 24: FILLED

Psalm 71:8  My mouth is FILLED with your praise, and with your glory all the day.

Psalm 72:19  Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be FILLED with his glory! Amen and Amen!

Psalm 104:28  When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are FILLED with good things.

Psalm 126:2  Then our mouth was FILLED with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.”

Habakkuk 2:14  For the earth will be FILLED with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

Matthew 27:54  When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were FILLED with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

FRIDAY, MARCH 25: ENOUGH

Church, as we know it now, is puzzling. It is fractured. It is imperfect. It can be frustrating. This is the visible, human institution. But He is working out His purposes through us anyway because He is ENOUGH.

During the Passover Hagaddah, our Jewish friends sing Dayenu, which is Hebrew for ENOUGH. Each of the many verses cites each step of what God did for and through them in delivering them from slavery in Egypt. The chorus following each verse repeats with gratitude, “It would have been ENOUGH.”

Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection were ENOUGH for us – “a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice for our redemption.”

So could we clean ourselves up ENOUGH or do ENOUGH good to earn or buy this salvation? As the old gospel group, The Archers sang, “It Wouldn’t Be Enough.”

SATURDAY, MARCH 26: COMPASSION

I hope you aren’t one of those people who sees “the God of the Old Testament” as a vengeful, unmerciful Deity.  There are people who separate Him from the “New Testament God” as shown in the life of Jesus who is repeatedly shown to have COMPASSION.

Mark 6:34  When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had COMPASSION on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.

But we’re talking about the same, one and only, Almighty God here. Why have those folks skipped over all the passages that talk about the compassion of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? The word is often paired with His chesed, steadfast love, and other forms of COMPASSION.

Exodus 34: 6 -7  And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the COMPASSIONATE and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,  maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; (NIV)

So is His compassion and forgiveness conditional in the Old Testament?  Is it the same or different in the New Testament?

SUNDAY, MARCH 27: CELEBRATE

During the somber time of Lent, Sundays are mini-Resurrection Day celebrations, as we build up toward the culminating celebration of Resurrection Day on Easter.  And in this life, we can’t possibly celebrate as big as we will when we experience our final, forever Resurrection Day! Hallelujah!

MONDAY, MARCH 28: RAISE

One of the reasons I have enjoyed studying Hebrew is the depth of meaning crammed into the words. For instance, the word transliterated into English as nasa, is translated several ways. I’ve “lifted out” the first few from Strong’s to make my point.  But don’t think with Greek precision, asking, “Well, which is it?”  It’s all of them at the same time. Think of broad concepts.  The word RAISE is also a synonym for this nasa concept.

    to lift, bear up, carry, take

1. (Qal)
   1. to lift, lift up
   1. to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure
   1. to take, take away, carry off, forgive
2. (Niphal)
   1. to be lifted up, be exalted

Please don’t overlook the irony of our National Aeronautics and Space Administration acronym.

As you read these verses about Jesus, can you see these meanings from the Hebrew concept of nasa?

John 3:14  Just as Moses RAISED the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be LIFTED UP,

John 12:32  But I, when I am LIFTED UP from the earth, will draw all men to myself.”

For this, I will RAISE a hallelujah!

Yall have a great week.

Shalom, Dottie