O
THE
vercoming
Happiness Begins In Giving
SERIES
‘IF YOU GIVE, YOU WILL RECEIVE. YOUR GIFT WILL RETURN TO YOU
IN FULL MEASURE, PRESSED DOWN, SHAKEN TOGETHER TO MAKE
ROOM FOR MORE ...’ LUKE 6:38.
Did you hear about the preacher who was told by one of his members, ‘Pastor,
you’re becoming one of today’s greatest expositors’? Driving home he told his wife
Father if I am self about it, and asked, ‘I wonder just how many great expositors there are in the world
centred, please today?’ Unable to resist, she replied, ‘One less than you think, dear!’
forgive me, and
The truth is, wrapped up in ourselves, we make a pretty small package, don’t we?
teach me how to
Too many of us live in little worlds bordered on the north, south, east, and west
develop a Kingdom
by us. If you want to be miserable without even trying, do these 12 things; they’re
perspective in Life,
guaranteed to work. a) always think and talk about yourself b) always use the
that seeks to bless
personal pronoun ‘I’ c) always mirror yourself in the opinions of others d) always
and touch others.
listen to everything people say about you e) always demand consideration and
Help me notice the
respect f) always insist that people agree with you g) always sulk if they don’t show
people who need
appreciation h) always be suspicious i) always be sensitive to slights j) always be
encouragement and
need help, that go
jealous k) trust nobody but yourself l) never forget the good deeds you do, or the
un-noticed every
criticism you receive. On the other hand, if you want to be happy, begin to give to
day. Show me how
others, and God will multiply it back to you, over and over again. Try it!
working for others is
a real investment in
A Life-Changing Lesson
Your Kingdom, that
produces everlasting
‘THE ONE WHO BLESSES OTHERS IS ABUNDANTLY BLESSED ...’
fruit. Thank You
PROVERBS 11:25. TM
for the opportunity
to bless someone
It was their 25th High School reunion. Ted and Joe hadn’t seen each other since
today!
graduation. Ted, the school basketball star, had gone on to become the director
of a huge company. Joe, who’d captained their undefeated team, had gone into
the ministry. ‘Joe, I want to thank you for making me the success I am today,’ Ted
if you
said. ‘I didn’t think I had anything to do with it,’ Joe replied in amazement. ‘ Well,
want to be you probably never knew this,’ Ted said, ‘but it drove me crazy that I was never
happy,
elected captain of the team. So just before graduation, I asked the coach why the
team voted for you instead of me. What he told me changed my life. He said, ‘Ted,
begin to
you were the best player on the team, but Joe was the best player for the team. You
give to wanted to be the best player in the State, Joe wanted to make us the best team in
others
the State. That’s why he became captain and you never did. It’s a lesson I’ve never
forgotten,’ Ted said. ‘As I became more like you, I was voted captain of my college
team and went on to climb the corporate ladder. The ‘old me’ would have wanted
my company to be the best company in the world. Now I strive to make it the best
company for the world. That’s why I want to thank you.’ ‘And I want to thank you
too,’ Joe said. ‘For what?’ asked Ted. ‘For giving me next Sunday morning’s sermon!’
he replied.
4
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