God's Blessings

Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.

Luke 6:38 NLT

The picture running through my mind reading this was me in the kitchen last night, trying to fit a five pound bag of flour into my canister. Its just one of those things for me...I can't stand having an open bag of flour in my cupboard. So I shake and pour, shake and pour, trying to get as much in as I can. Often it pours out on the counter and all over the place!

What a great verse! The New Living Translation amplifies the quantity with which God blesses our lives...pressed down, shaken together to make room for more...running over, and poured out...We are full to overflowing (kind of like the closets in my house, and my garage)!

But read it again in a different version

Luke 6:38 (New International Version)

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

During our Wednesday night class, we have worked through a couple of Angela Thomas' studies. Notes I took one particular night are still tucked inside my Bible, because something she said really made an impact. She says her worst fear is getting to heaven, looking in God's eyes, and him saying, "Oh daughter, I had such plans for you." God has an amazing set of plans, and blessings, just waiting for us if we will USE them!

Using God's plans for our lives is not always easy. We've also been studying Esther recently. Esther was called by God to do something extremely difficult and dangerous. But out of her obedience came great blessings. Sometimes our greatest "blessing" is having Him walking us through what he has called us to do!

My prayer for you and for me today is that we recognize opportunities in our lives to give and receive God's blessings. Let's not miss out on all he has planned for us!

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