Text:
Philippians 4:14-17 (HCSB)
14 Still, you did well by sharing with me in my hardship.
15 And you Philippians know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone.
16 For even in Thessalonica you sent ⌊gifts⌋ for my need several times.
17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that is increasing to your account.
Observation:
There is a blessing in store for those who pay attention to others, and are willing to help others.
I read something recently, I don't remember the source, but it pointed out that the people who are encouragers are people who also need encouraging.
I can't think of a better example of this than the Apostle Paul. The Apostle Paul preached encouragement, he practiced encouragement, and he received encouragement.
Notice what Paul wrote to the church at Philippi earlier in this letter. Think about this encouragement, and allow it to speak into your heart.
Philippians 2:3-4 (HCSB)
3 Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.
4 Everyone should look out not ⌊only⌋ for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
I encourage you to take inventory of your life. How have you been blessed by the Lord? Look at the people near you. Pay attention to their needs. Don't be like the person who said, "I'm too poor to pay attention".
What you give to others will come back to bless you. Notice what Paul said to those who had given to meet his pressing needs.
Philippians 4:16-17 (HCSB)
16 For even in Thessalonica you sent ⌊gifts⌋ for my need several times.
17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that is increasing to your account.
Be encouraged by the hymn written by Doris Akers.
"You can't beat God giving,
No matter how hard you try
And just as sure as you are living
And the Lord is in heaven on high
The more you give the more He gives to you
But keep on giving because it's really true that
You can't beat God giving,
No matter how you try."
Prayer:
Father, we thank You for all the blessings that You have given to your children.
Father, I ask that you would open our eyes to see the needs of others, and stir our hearts to be willing to share with them what you have given to us.
Father, help us to be like Jesus in our attitude toward others. Father, help us to know the blessing of giving, and receiving. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
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