Learn to share

"Being confident of this very thing, that He who has
begun a good work in you will complete it until the
day of Jesus Christ" Phil 1:6

God is intimately involved in our spiritual growth. The God
who began a good work in us continues it throughout our
lifetime and will finish it when we meet him face to face.
God's work "for" us began when Christ died on the cross
in our place. His work 'in' us began when we first believed.

Now the Holy Spirit lives in us, enabling us to be more like
Christ every day. Paul is describing the process of Christian
growth and maturity that began when we accepted Jesus
and continues until Christ returns.

God will keep working even when we are discouraged. Do
you sometimes feel as though you aren't making progress
in your spiritual life? When God starts a project, he completes
it! As with the Philippians, God will help you grow in grace
until he has completed his work in your life. When you are
discouraged, remember that God won't give up on you. He
promises to finish the work he has begun. When you feel
incomplete, unfinished, or distressed by your shortcomings,
remember God's promise and provision. Don't let your present
condition rob you of the joy of knowing Christ or keep you
from growing closer to him.

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BROWNIE CRUMBS

Mrs.Baughman was my 6th grade Sunday School teacher.
One morning, she brought a pan of brownies to our class.
As the goodies sat over by her chair, she gave each child
a slip of paper marked with a household expense: house
payment, utility bill, phone bill, entertainment, etc.

My slip had a car payment. Before long, Mrs. Baughman
picked up the tray of brownies and began naming the
expenses written on the papers. As we gave her our
expenses, she redeemed each one for a brownie.

"Car payment" she announced. I jumped up to get my
brownie from the pan. Finally the last brownie had disappeared.

But one boy named Donald still held his unredeemed slip.
"God!" called Mrs.Baughman. Donald came forward hoping
the teacher had one more brownie hidden some where.

With a knife Mrs.Baughman scraped the crumbs from
the bottom of the pan into Donald's napkin. He got a
pretty raw deal, I thought just crumbs.

"The brownies represent your money," the teacher explained
to us. "If you don't give God his share right away, He probably won't get anything except maybe the crumbs."

I never forgot that illustration. The day my friend Donald
got only the brownie crumbs, even as a child I learned
that God should have the first right to everything I have.

In the years since Mrs.Baughman class I have struggled
with giving and priorities, but whenever I recall the "Crummy
Sunday School Lesson," I know who should and must always
come first in my life!
Author Unknown

"Lord, send out your spirit, and renew the face of the earth!" ~Psalm response for Pentecost

It is good for me to help others all I can. Every troubled soul that God puts in my path is the one for me to help. As I sincerely try to help, a supply of strength will flow into me from God. My circle of helpfulness can widen more and more. God hands out the spiritual food to me and I pass it on to others. I need never say that I have only enough strength for my own need. The more I give away, the more I will keep. That which I keep to myself, I will lose in the end.

I pray that I may have a sincere willingness to give. I pray that I may not hold back the strength I have received for myself alone.