1 John 3: 17-19
17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
These few scriptures can be summed up in the few words that Jesus spoke when one of the Pharisees ask him what was the great commandment. He told him to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all they soul and with all thy mind and to love your neighbor as yourself. As Christians we have an obligation to others. If we see someone in need, we are to help them if we can. Prayers are wonderful and they can reach heaven, but if you have the ability to do more and don't do it, then you are sinning against God. The bible teaches us in James 4:17
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. I do not believe that God means for you to be taken advantage of by these scriptures. He gave you a mind to think with and I don't know about you, but I know when someone is trying to take advantage of me because they know I am a Christian and when they are simply in need. God's spirit will lead you if you allow him. One of the greatest feelings in the world is feeling God's spirit lead you to help someone and then seeing the joy in that person, knowing that God provided for their needs. I encourage you today to begin to listen to the Holy Ghost and allow him to lead you. We have friends and neighbors all around us that are in need, we also have strangers that are simply friends and neighbors that we haven't met yet. If you want to be blessed of God, begin to bless someone else. My bible also teaches me that it is better to give than to receive. Acts 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. May God richly bless you this Holiday season as you reach out and begin to bless others and may you form a habit of blessing that lasts a lifetime. Blessed be his Holy name.
