Acts 8:18-19

Acts 8:18-19

"And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, 'Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.'"
NKJV

In this passage, Simon thought he could buy the power of the Holy Spirit. Simon wanted this power so that he could impress others. That is not what the power of God is for. The power of God is given that we may live for Him. We have the power of God that our lives might demonstrate God's work changing us. We should be good stewards, using our power and resources to reach people. We should want to encourage people in their faith. Throughout the bible, we see Jesus using His power to touch lives, and He did so without weird displays. I believe this gives us our model of what using that power looks like. Why do you desire supernatural power? Hopefully it is to bless others. How do you use your God given resources? Is it to bless and reach others? I hope that it is. With what we have been given, we can make a difference in the hereafter, by making a difference in the here and now.

Life Lesson: God has given us power and resources to reach others.

Lord,
All the good things in my life have come from You. My life, my strength, my wisdom, and all that I am or hope to be is a gift from You. I want to use my power, strength, and resources to reach a lost and dying world. We know from Your life, Jesus, that You cared about people. As I follow You, help me to care for others. Help me to use what You have given me wisely as a good steward to reach others. In the name of Yeshua, Jesus, Amen.

Living to tell what He died to say,
Pastor David McGee

My Comment: My hubby and I were talking about the issue when we left church on Sunday. Amazing how God has things like that occur in our lives? There are many ways one can work and help in the body, community and world as well.

As my main concern is the body we work in several ministries and have worked in others. That way we give of ourselves and our time. We tithe and we give to charities and that is using the finances the Lord has entrusted to us. And in this area the Lord has impressed on me more and more the giving up of the things that are unnessary in my life so I can use His money to a better use. Not that we have ever done a lot of stuff for ourselves.

We have never been the ones to go out and buy lots of "toys". Yet we have been selfish and used the "extra" we have had to go to meals out or movies though we go to the price reduced and the inexpensive restaurants we have spent on ourselves often in the past in this manner.

This past year because of many surgeries and Dr. copays and medications our savings was depleted which caused us to take a closer look at how we were spending the money. So we did some cutting including meals out and movies (including the popcorn and drink unless we earn them for free on our card). As we get used to our new lifestyle we will hopefully find extra money that we can use to better account for the Glory of the Lord.

For me I have used my fb site to share the Word of God with my loved ones and this year a friend set up this blog for me to share the Word of God and my thoughts with the world. My thoughts do not matter yet as I read the Word I try to apply it to my life and putting it down helps me flesh it out.

I pray the Lord will continue to shape me and grow me in the use of my time and finances and expecially as they pertain to the growing of His Kingdom. Amen

Shortly after I accepted the Lord Jesus as my Savior (which was just before 911)  I asked the Holy Spirit to dwell in me because I thought one had to and did not know that as one accepts the Lord's gift they are indwelt. Yet what I really was asking for was to be able to speak in tongues. He gave me that gift yet I learned later that it is not important whether ones speaks in tongues as that is not the greatest gift and all do not do it (It is also, something that should usually be done in private as it is really prayer to my heavenly Father); I am thankful for all the gifts the Lord has given me and know He knows which ones I need and will supply others if needed for His glory.

As I related before my baby daughter was dieing and my Aunt and 8 year old cousin laid hands on and prayed for her and she was healed. One would never had known they had the gift of healing. They never bragged about it. In fact they never said anything about it up to the day the passed on the be with Our Lord.

We do with our gifts as the Lord wishes us to do not for our glory or praise. It is all only for His glory and praise!

Friend use your gifts as He guides you and remember to give Him all the Glory and Praise and take none for yourself.