Know your flocks!

"Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and look well to your herds; for riches are not forever; does a crown endure to all generations?" Proverbs 27:23-24, The Amplified Bible

Today's challenge is to keep tabs on the money coming in and out of your hands. You probably know well how much you get from working, but how much do you spend in various areas? If you have manageable or no debt, is your cash in an investment account or is it making little interest in a holding account? "Know the state of your flocks!" Money is a resource from God - for what do we have that has not come through His hands?

Good stewardship?

Today marks the start of holiday shopping for many. I find myself hunting out the best deals to be a good steward of the money I have with the needs my family has. Really though, I find bargain-shopping fun.

Today's challenge is to not make shopping into a full-time sport. With the internet and television expanding shopping directly into our homes, as a community, let's not shop full-time or let shopping wear us down into stressful wrecks. Think about meaningful ways you can convey your love this year with less expensive, home-made or written gifts!

Thanks: the theme of the day

"O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods." Psalm 95:1-3, KJV

Many of our readers are in the United States - and we indeed have much to be thankful for. Today's risk is to be thankful for what we have relationally, spiritually and in our possession, and to not look to our own needs and desires first this season. Now, that is a challenge with "Black Friday" coming up!

Down and give me 10

Kneel (if you can) in reverence and pray for at least 10 minutes today.

Fearing man vs Fearing the Lord

Here's a refresher on why we should fear God instead of man:

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." Proverbs 1:7, NIV

"The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe." Proverbs 29:25, NIV

Today's challenge is to fear man less. Less worrying about what people will think of how you look and act, less work to imitate culture for the sake of just blending in, and more recognition of how we try to keep up with the Jones's. Be different! You are a Christian!

Wait on Him

This week, wait on the Lord. We all have something we are looking forward to or wish would happen quicker. Let us give thanks for where He has us now. And where we have taken action but seen closed doors that seems His doing, let us pray then wait for the Lord to re-open those doors.

"Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!" Psalm 27:14, NIV

More 1st John

In these challenging economic times, those who have goods stored up, let us keep our eyes open and hearts ready for those who are in need - from the person stuck on the side of the road to the orphan across the world.

"But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?" 1 John 3:17

Christian brothers and sisters, let us pour out our lives like a drink offering -- for the glory of God!

1st John

"My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth." 1 John 3:18, NKJV

Today's challenge is to not go past words to portray love - but to also take action to show our love for others. Jesus' sacrifice was far greater, after all, than what we will give!

Finally

Ponder this verse today: "Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous." 1 Peter 3:8, NKJV

Beat the Christmas rush!

The first Christmas - Jesus' birth - was not about a rush. It was about the precious, humble birth of our Savior. If you haven't already, try to break the "bad traditions" of Christmas that drive up personal debt, increase stress and make giving obligatory. Today's risk is to plan ahead and thus not be frantic around Christmastime. For Christians, Christmas is a wonderful time to share God's gift of Jesus with those in a hurting world.

Would wisdom help?

Consider how having more wisdom could help you with your walk and your challenges this week. If you want wisdom, seek out truth in the Bible relating to wisdom.