UPON US WITH THANKFUL HEARTS. 12-7-97 ROMANS 12:4-5HAVE YOU EVER WORKED A JIGSAW PUZZLE? EACH PIECE IS UNIQUE AND NO TWO WILL REALLY FIT IN THE SAME PLACE. WITHOUT EVERY PIECE THE PUZZLE IS INCOMPLETE. BUT WHEN EACH PIECE IS SLOTTED IN THE RIGHT PLACE, THEY MAKE UP AN AMAZING LOVELY PICTURE.GIVING TIME OFFERS US ONE REMINDER OF THE VITAL IMPORTANCE OF EACH PIECE—EACH MEMBER OF THE CHURCH FAMILY. EACH ONE OF US MAKES OUR CONTRIUTIONS TO THE PICTURE! EACH ONE OF US IS REALLY IMPORTANT! BUT THEN IF ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE—ONE OF US BECOMES BENT, TWISTED, DISTORTED N ANY WAY AND CANNOT FILL THE SLOT, THEN THE CHURCH IS INCOMPLETE AND KINDOM BUILDING NOT SO LOVELY IF WE FAIL IN OUR PART.EACH OF US SHOULD ASK RIGHT NOW, “AM I FILLING MY SLOT”? AM I MAKING A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE? IN WHAT WAYS CAN I MAKE A FULLER PICTURE? ONE WAY COMES IN THE SHARING OF THAT PART OF OUR FAMILY’S LIFE THAT IS EXPRESSED IN OUR GIVING OF TITHE AND OFFERINGS. 12-14-97 LUKE 2:32WHEN JESUS WAS BORN, HIS PARENTS BROUGHT HIM TO THE TEMPLE, AND SIMEON SAID, HE IS “A LIGHT TO LIGHTEN THE GENTILES.”EACH MONTH EACH OF US RECEIVES A LIGHT BILL. IT ALWAYS HURTS A LITTLE TO PAY IT, BUT WHO WOULD RATHER LIVE IN THE DARK? WE CHOOSE NOT TO, AND WE ARE WILLING TO PAY THE LIGHT BILL.AT CHRISTMAS TIME WE USE EVEN MRE LIGHT, KNOWING THE BILL WIL GO UP; BUT WE WOULD NOT WAND TO CELEBRATE THE COMING OF THE SAVIOR WITHOUT LIGHT. AND SO WE LET THE LIGHT SHINE AND PAY THE BILL.THERE IS A GOSPEL LIGHT BILL TOO, BUT, BECAUSE SOMEONE ELSE PAID IT YEARS AGO FOR US WE LIVE IN THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL INSTEAD OF IN SPIRITUAL DARKNESS. AND NOW WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO PAY IT FOR SOMEONE ELSE. WE COULD LET THEM LIVE IN DARKNESS, BUT IN THE NAME OF JESUS WE GIVE TODAY, THAT HIS LIGHT MAY SHINE FARTHER, EVEN TO THE UTTERMOST PART OF THE EARTH, AS WELL AS HERE AT HOME. AMEN… ...
