Acts 20 (excerpts)
Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders ...he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
25 “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
36 When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.
22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
25 “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
36 When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.
Praise God!
Give.....give.....give.....
Our Loving God haven't stopped giving, from the time He created heavens and earth, till the time He let His son- Jesus Christ walked here on earth, even the times of our great great ancestors....He gives, and continues to give with open arms and loving heart.
That is how He shows us the meaning of "giving;" it is love in action, He showers us abundantly-- great and small, wondrous and basic, magnificent and simple, but nevertheless abundant gifts :)
And how I thank Him, overly grateful to Him, humbled by all I received and will receive, though sometimes I feel I am not worthy of it.
He truly delights in giving all what we need and what we desire, but have we been thankful enough? Admittedly, sometimes I fall short on being thankful to Him. There are still times that I see the glass half-empty rather than half-full, but I thank Him because at the end of the day, He let me realize that I am truly blessed with a life dedicated to Him.
Jesus, as my mentor and my role model, showed what giving is until His last breath. He never thought even once about Himself, everything He exemplified is how to love, how to give, and He did not just say it, He acted it out. How I wish I can personify even a littlest of His character.
In my heart, selflessness is achievable through His grace. Yes, I truly claim that it is more blessed to give than to receive, and all of us can be a giver-- even small things like a heartfelt smile that brighten one's day, a genuine hello that shows we truly care, a hug, a firm embrace, words of comfort, a pat in the back, "I love you's", time and attention, financial help, etc........when it originates from the heart, it will truly be an overflow of God's abounding, deep-penetrating love, and that is how we give back glory and thanks to Him :)
God bless to all (".)
Prayer for Impact (InTouch Ministries):
Our Loving God haven't stopped giving, from the time He created heavens and earth, till the time He let His son- Jesus Christ walked here on earth, even the times of our great great ancestors....He gives, and continues to give with open arms and loving heart.
That is how He shows us the meaning of "giving;" it is love in action, He showers us abundantly-- great and small, wondrous and basic, magnificent and simple, but nevertheless abundant gifts :)
And how I thank Him, overly grateful to Him, humbled by all I received and will receive, though sometimes I feel I am not worthy of it.
He truly delights in giving all what we need and what we desire, but have we been thankful enough? Admittedly, sometimes I fall short on being thankful to Him. There are still times that I see the glass half-empty rather than half-full, but I thank Him because at the end of the day, He let me realize that I am truly blessed with a life dedicated to Him.
Jesus, as my mentor and my role model, showed what giving is until His last breath. He never thought even once about Himself, everything He exemplified is how to love, how to give, and He did not just say it, He acted it out. How I wish I can personify even a littlest of His character.
In my heart, selflessness is achievable through His grace. Yes, I truly claim that it is more blessed to give than to receive, and all of us can be a giver-- even small things like a heartfelt smile that brighten one's day, a genuine hello that shows we truly care, a hug, a firm embrace, words of comfort, a pat in the back, "I love you's", time and attention, financial help, etc........when it originates from the heart, it will truly be an overflow of God's abounding, deep-penetrating love, and that is how we give back glory and thanks to Him :)
God bless to all (".)
Prayer for Impact (InTouch Ministries):
Please pray with me,
Dear Loving Father in Heaven, praise and glory to You! As we commemorate Thanksgiving, teach us to be grateful always all the days of our lives. May we remember to give thanks to all your blessings- big or small. May you continue to bless us abundantly. May our lives reflect a deep longing for You, a relationship to value more than what we have, and may You are dearest Creator, the giver of all good things, keep as strengthened and renewed as we wait for You with joyful and grateful living. These we pray in Jesus name, Amen.(WEEK 3 (NOV.) Prayer Impact)
Glory to GOD!
Dear Loving Father in Heaven, praise and glory to You! As we commemorate Thanksgiving, teach us to be grateful always all the days of our lives. May we remember to give thanks to all your blessings- big or small. May you continue to bless us abundantly. May our lives reflect a deep longing for You, a relationship to value more than what we have, and may You are dearest Creator, the giver of all good things, keep as strengthened and renewed as we wait for You with joyful and grateful living. These we pray in Jesus name, Amen.(WEEK 3 (NOV.) Prayer Impact)
Glory to GOD!
May Jesus' love abounds in us all everyday (".)
Bible in a Year:
Read the Bible in One Year- Here's a reading plan where you and I can focus on God's Words everyday....to make it a habit, make it a practice, Amen :)
Read with me; God speaks to us through His words :)
November 20, 2011- Leviticus 22-23
Today is the day :)
If you have not received Jesus Christ yet in your heart, today is the day. May you embrace His love and His gift :)
"Lord Jesus, I believe You are truly the Son of God. I confess that I have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed. Please forgive all my wrongdoing, and let me live in relationship with You from now on. I receive You as my personal Savior, accepting the work You accomplished once and for all on the cross. Thank You for saving me. Help me to live a life that is pleasing to You. Amen." (ref prayer by: Mr. Charles Stanley)
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