"More"

    Our newer readers may note that we frequently send forth a message on Saturdays (this past Saturday being an exception).  I do this despite the fact that technically, I consider the Specials in terms of a Monday through Friday, five day a week schedule.  We began accordingly, but not long after embarking on this journey together with you, I found myself often having subjects milling around in my mind on Saturdays that couldn't seem to wait until Monday (we do not send out messages on Sundays, by the way, primarily in respect to your church involvement, as well as to our busy Sunday schedule in which conduct three services in three different venues spread out over nearly 35 miles).

   I share this with you because I hope the Saturday message represents the Biblical principle of  "more."  

   "If any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.   And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain" (Matthew 5:40-41).

   "Having confidence in thy obedience, I wrote unto thee, knowing thou wilt do more than I say" (Philemon 1:21).

    In Christ, the love of God comes to us in a measure, "exceeding, abundantly above all we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20).  As we walk with God by faith, we thus experience a more than expected bounty of His gracious goodness and involvement in our lives.  In the trusting heart, this elicits the desire to do more than expected, more than required.  We do so in response to our Lord's working in our lives, and to honor Him as we joyfully seek to bless others with the blessing we ourselves have received.  In the giving, however, we experience much receiving.  The more we impart, the more our own hearts receive the blessedness known by the God who finds His joyous self-sacrificial giving.  "The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28).  "More" thus comes to us, flows through us in blessedness to others, and then back to ourselves as we discover the truth of our Lord's words, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35).

    We will never plumb the depths of God's heart of "exceeding, abundantly above."  Such love is lavishly resident in the hearts of all who believe, and is best known as it leads us to our own opportunities to give more than is required and expected.  A long eternity awaits the sons and daughters of God in Christ wherein the "wonders of His love" declared by the carol writer will fill and thrill our hearts in the receiving, but even more in the giving.

"The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus."

(I Timothy 1:14

Weekly Memory Verse

    Come ye and let us walk in the light of the Lord.

(Isaiah 2:5)