Tag Archives: Blessing

Message In A Minute: He Is The Source

Our favorite local Mexican restaurant serves free meals on Christmas Eve.

They don’t advertise this at all.

On that day, when you finish eating, you are handed a bill like every other day. When you take the bill to the register so you can pay, the employee says “Merry Christmas”, then the ticket is discarded. Many of the locals know its coming and are very appreciative.

It’s a wonderful surprise for others.

We know the restaurant does this every Christmas Eve, so we go there and tip our waiter extremely well.

A couple years ago, we noticed another local pastor and his wife taking there bill up front. I assumed they were familiar with the procedure, so I made the not so witty joke “I paid for yours.” What I didn’t realize is the Pastor and his wife didn’t know about the reoccurring free Christmas meal.

Later, on social media, my wife and I discovered that we were credited with paying for the couple’s meal. They didn’t mention our names, but their post expressed gratitude towards “anonymous” people meeting our description. Since we weren’t directly named in the post, I thought I’d simply clear up the misunderstandIng the next time we saw the couple.

Since then, we forgot about the incident. As far as we know, we received credit for something we didn’t do. We were shown gratitude for a gift we didn’t give.

That’s no big deal in the grand scheme of things. It was a meal not a miracle.

In your life, don’t let there be a misunderstanding about the source of every good thing in your life. God is the source, He directly blesses or indirectly blesses using other people or circumstances. Express your appreciation to others for their kindness, but realize ultimate credit goes to God. Let Him know you are aware of His goodness.

It’s not that God will be angry about losing out on any credit. It’s more relational than that. It is about each of us learning to trust God in every area of our lives. It is about understanding the source of every good gift is God. That strengthens our faith.

Think about all the good gifts.

Life, from God.
Grace, from God.
Blessings, from God.
Forgiveness, from God.
People we love, from God.

Your strength, mental capacity, unique talents, work ethic, and fortitude are all God’s design.

You may or may not view life this way, but I encourage you to be sincerely open to this perspective.

Whether the blessing drops down from heaven, comes through your own hard work, is delivered through a kind person, or seems like it was all a coincidence. Trust that God is in control. He is the bestower of all that is good.

See God as the author of creation, the sustainer of life, and the giver of every good gift. Show gratitude to others if they played a part in the good gift. But know in your heart that God is the source of all blessings.

He is the spark of creation, the catalyst for life, the impetus of grace, and the inspiration for every act of good will.

The credit is His alone.

-Tom Wise

Message In A Minute – Make A Blessing Happen

When I was a teenager, my family didn’t have a lot of money. 

I really wanted “stone-washed” jeans.

My mom figured out how to take some reasonably priced blue jeans and make them look like the popular stone-washed variety.

She gathered a scrub brush, some bleach and a few other items. Using our bath tub as a makeshift science laboratory, she worked on the jeans for quite a while. I can still see her on her knees, leaning over the tub, scrubbing the jeans.

It was equal parts ingenuity and frugality.

But I remember it to this day mostly because she put a huge amount of effort into giving me something I really wanted.

You don’t have to have an abundance of money, time, or talent to bless another person.

But you will have to put some thought and effort into how you can make a blessing happen.

There are many people in your life with way bigger needs than the most current clothing trends.

You can’t meet every need, but you have a chance to creatively bless another if your heart is committed to it.

Who could you creatively bless today?

Tom Wise

Message In A Minute – Searching For Good

When my wife and I bought our home, we were told that the previous owner was known to stash small bundles of cash in the house. 

The man owned a small business and was a widower. He apparently didn’t trust the banks with his profits, so he would hide money away in the attic, or under furniture.

You can guess what I spent some time doing. I searched all the obvious places. I spent time looking through the not so obvious places. 

Still to this day, every time I go up in the attic, I will look around just in case.

In life there are some things worth searching for and other things that aren’t worth the time.

Make sure what you spend time pursuing is going to be worth it in the long run.

I will likely never find a bundle of cash in my house.

But, I can determine to spend the time I’ve been given searching for the good in people and the good in the world.

Because what you look for you, you will start to see.

If you are looking for problems, excuses, and roadblocks. You will be able to find them.

But if you are looking for blessings, opportunities, and kind hearts. You will see them all around you.

Message In A Minute available on Kindle through Amazon March 1st 2019.

TW #findingwonder #messageinaminute
#encourageminute


BE THE BLESSING

Counting your blessings can be a great way to understand gratitude. Thinking about the people who bless you can bring great joy. Remembering the positive experiences you’ve been through can usher in a new perspective. Understanding God’s grace in your life can fill you with tremendous peace.

Being thankful for the blessings in life is an indication of maturity.

Being a blessing to others is a sign of a Christ-like heart. Continue reading

28 WAYS TO EXPERIENCE GOD | #27: BLESSINGS

28 WaysDid you know you may be closer to God than you think right now?

You probably remember the verse that says “I will never leave you or forsake you.Hebrews 13:5

How about the one that says “nothing can separate you from the love of God.” Romans 8:38-39

In this series, we’ve given you a lot to think about, some ways you can take action and some changes to consider in your life.

But, at this moment, where you are sitting, you can Experience God. Here is a simple way to realize how close He really is. Continue reading