Daily Treasure

Proverbs 27:27

“And thou shalt have goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens. ”

My college-aged daughter loves goats. Her affection for them has heightened through the years. She bleats with them, she imitates them. She’s named each one that grazes in a field near our home. So she was ecstatic when she opened her present Christmas morning and discovered we’d got her goat. Her small box contained a round, glass, billy-goat Christmas ornament and a card explaining that somewhere in a third world country, an impoverished family would now have “goats’ milk enough for [their] food, for the food of [their] household, and for the maintenance for [their] maidens.”  We gave our sons similar World Vision gifts, specifically related to each one’s personal interests.

For several years we’ve been downsizing Christmas at our house. (WNAC’s Central Asia Christmas Joy fueled our fervor.) This year, more than any in the past. we were weary of the stuff. So we settled on one family gift, a charitable gift for each of our children (with a related token gift for them) and another small present for each. It was wonderful. And surprise, surprise…one of our children had the same idea. His Christmas gift to all of us was an envelope filled with cash and a challenge for the family to creatively decide and unaminously agree where the money should be given.

Christmas should be all about giving. God gave His Son. Christ the King exited the ivory palaces and entered the stable, born alongside sheep and cattle and maybe even a goat. God gave His abundant life to a world in need. Should we not follow His example? Christian relief organizations provide ample opportunities (world vision.org; smallestseed.org; biblemission.org —to name a few).

This year of the goat confirmed our plans for future seasons. By the Chinese calendar, 2008 is the year of the rat. No, we probably won’t be wrapping up that one under the tree, but we’ve already begun exploring possiblities.

Sarah Fletcher
Tennessee

PRAY TOGETHER: Remember Richard Adams, longtime Home Missions representative, as he grieves the loss of his wife Carolyn, promoted to glory November 10.

Well, here we go again. It goes by quicker each year. But, we have new plans to make for 2008. When setting your goals or resolutions this year, be sure to include your spiritual goals as well as your physical ones.

We all need to take care of our spiritual health and needs. Try setting new goals such as: reading through your Bible, regular devotions, and prayer time. Don’t make them unattainable, but something that will be easy to accomplish. Start with a short devotion, just two or three minutes. Do not overwhelm yourself.

May God give you preserverance in reaching the goals you set for yourself.

PRAYER TOGETHER:  Make plans for 2008; live as if christ will return for His church today.

I was thinking just now about Mary. She was away from home that Christmas night when she gave birth to the Christ child. I’m sure she missed her mother. I’m sure she missed the comfort and familiarity of home. But she knew that she had been directly asked by the Lord to fulfill His plan for her life, and for His Son. And she knew that he would see her though! There’s no doubt that’s what kept her going when she felt weak and tired from her journey, or when she felt anxious and unfit for the assignment. But that night, I feel certain that deep inside her, she felt a peace that can only come from holding tightly to the hand of Jesus, and keeping him close to your heart.

Wherever you are this Christmas, and whatever this holiday brings, remember to hold tightly to the hand of Jesus, and carry Him close to your heart!

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray that playground equipment will get through customs and be ready for set up in Kazakhstan when the Hanna Project team arrives in April.

“He is not here, but is risen: remember how He spake unto you when He was yet in Galilee” (John 24:6).

Upon the first day of the week, the women took their spices to anoint the body of Jesus. His mother, Mary, most likely suffered the sickening emotions that accompany the loss of a loved one. When they got to the tomb they were told He had risen! How elated and happy she must have felt to know that her precious baby boy wasn’t dead. God hadn’t forgotten; He had kept His promise. The little baby she had given birth to and then watched die on that fateful day, was alive. What a wonderful feeling we experience when we are going through tribulation and God at the eleventh hour brings us through! He will always keep His promises. Praise His holy name!

PRAY TOGETHER: That God for the freedom we have in Him. Pray we never take it for granted.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

As mothers, we can feel the pain when we have a child that is suffering. It is deeper than if we were having a trial of our own. We would gladly take whatever the problem and bear that pain ourselves. Can you imagine how poor Mary felt as she saw her precious Son tormented and tortured innocently? The grief and pain she must have endured. Yet, there is consolation. If we truly trust in God Almighty, we don not have to understand the reasoning behind the affliction. We can know that He has a purpose. I read a poem about trials and the suffering we go through. It stated there was a reason, but most of all, He knows the reason. What a wonderful promise, that even if we don’t understand and we continue to trust Him, He will direct our paths.

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for new FWB missionaries Cindy Hall and Paige Autry who plan to leave for Brazil in January.

“Redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16).

Jesus made good use of His time here on earth. He did not waste any of it. He knew He didn’t have long to work and He had plenty to do. Life is short. Some of us may stay here on earth longer than others. God has a plan for each of our lives. We need to make full use of the time here that He has given each of us. There is so much for us to do and so many lost souls that need to be witnessed to. I find myself wasting time on things that are really meaningless. Each of us need to take some time for ourselves to be refreshed and rested, but we also need to make the best use of the time and opportunities with which God has blessed us. Do you while away hours on the computer, shopping, watching television, etc? We all do things of this nature and it is not wrong to take a little time for ourselves. Let us pray and ask the Father to help us to wisely use our time that is may bring glory to His name and be a blessing to our brothers and sisters in Christ and benefit the lost and dying world.

PRAY TOGETHER: What a wonderful time to renew our commitment to our Savior.

“And the two disciples heard Him speak, and they followed Jesus” (John 1:37).

Jesus was on a mission to find the twelve men that were chosen to work closely with Him during His short ministry here on earth. As I read this portion of scripture, I noticed that these men just heard Him speak and they gave their lives to Him and followed Him. Some went almost immediately and found others to bring with them. In my mind, I compared what I read to us as Christians. When I hear God speak to me, whether through preaching or by reading His precious Scripture, am I that quick to follow Him? Do I let what I’ve heard or read just linger for a short time in my mind and then let it go away without really applying it to my life personally? Am I trying to get others to follow Jesus with me or am I just trying to slide into eternal life the easiest way possible? My prayer to God is that I may hear His word and apply it to my life daily. I want to truly do His will and I want to help others see the need of a Savior. I want to show them to the best of my ability, may it be by word, deed or example, the way to Heaven, through and by our precious Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus. May we all make that a goal in our walk with God.

PRAY TOGETHER: Praise God for the Gift He gave us many years ago.