I pray in the name of Jesus that the understanding of this short message be received with an open heart for your glorification, Father, and the deliverance of your children.

Last night I was watching TV, and hearing this story about a Pakistan family that received their first Bible, and were all night reading it, taking turns to read the Bible all night long. They were so happy to have the Word, and craved it with an intensity that many of us could never imagine. This caused a little personal reflection and I thought about how much we look at things that others have, and if we had what they have, things would just be so great. "If I could sing like him/her; If I had that house, car, bank account; If I had her/his looks, style, etc." These are the types of riddles we tease our minds with, yet we fail to realize that there is someone else out there looking at our blessings thinking the same thing. Even worse is how we look at eachother like, "they take what they got for granted, if I had that I'd use it and take care of it." Yeah right! That's the same thing others are looking at us thinking too, and just like those people we are looking at, we are not being good stewards over what we have, which is why we are not getting any increase in those areas. These people in those foreign lands give everything they have, down to their own lives to get what we receive so easily (something as simple as a Bible), and when they do get it, they use it to the fullest, each day, everyday with full appreciation until they can use it no more, and we often times can't even pick up the free Bible someone gave us and read it, and even spare 30 minutes of our day to pray and talk with God; something so simple that they are over there losing their lives over. I challenge myself, and anyone who desires growth in Christ, to take invetory of all of blessings that you already have, the talents, the gifts, skills, and abilities, and to put those to use, take care of them, appreciate them, and continue to strive to make them better, and then watch them grow and extend your territory. Never get comfortable but always seek to be better tomorrow than you are today, and watch the growth. This is true sowing, and the reaping is endless, but don't even do it for that purpose, but let the primary purpose of your giving (your gifts, talents, time, money) be simply for the love and glorification of God. Once we get past that "always seeking for more when we are not even simply using and appreciating what we got mentality," then we will be revived.

By the grace of God,

Kelvin