[Membersandfriends] Saturday, October 30, 2004

Fri Oct 29 22:02:41 PDT 2004

The Upper Room Daily Devotional -- E-mail Edition
Brought to You by Upper Room Ministries
Saturday, October 30, 2004

_________________________

E-Mail Alert

If you receive an e-mail purporting to be from The Upper Room and it contains an attachment, do not open the attachment. The Upper Room never sends unsolicited mass e-mails containing attachments. Delete without opening e-mail claiming to be from The Upper Room if it's unexpected and if it contains attachments.  Learn more:
http://www.upperroom.org/ur_home_viewer.asp?item_id=196356
_________________________

LITTLE THINGS
_________________________

1 Corinthians 4:1-2 (NRSV)

Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God's mysteries. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.

_________________________

Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.
-- 1 Peter 4:10 (NRSV)
_________________________

LITTLE things, done one at a time, are just that, little.  But done faithfully, day after day, to the glory of God, they may accomplish something great.

I am not blessed with the ability to speak or to sing in public or to do anything else on a grand scale.  Instead, God has led me to pen and paper, and I enjoy writing.

Hardly a day passes that I do not send notes or cards to friends and shut-ins to show I care.  Some need a word of encouragement or a note of congratulation.  Others need sympathy because of a loss.  I often write only a few words; but as I try to bring joy to the people who receive them, I find my own spirit lifted as well.

Each one of us possesses some special ability.  Maybe we have only a smile to give or a pat on the back, but these little things, done often, become a positive force for God's kingdom on earth.

Prayer:  Help each of us, dear God, to discover the special abilities you have given us and to use our gifts faithfully.  In Jesus' name. Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
What is the one thing I can do day by day to further the kingdom of God?

-- Betty Norman (Texas, U.S.A.)

PRAYER FOCUS: To discover and use our gifts

_________________________

RELATED READING ...

In REDISCOVERING OUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS, author Charles Bryant reminds us that the gifts of the spirit are for the purpose of building up the church.  He offers a helpful approach to discovering one's gifts and provides a questionnaire to help us name and apply the gifts in our own lives.  A workbook for group use is also available.
http://www.upperroom.org/bookstore/desc.asp?ep_id=30&item_id=12492

PLEASE SHARE THIS MINISTRY with a friend. Invite them to sign up for the free E-Mail Devotional by visiting: http://www.upperroom.org/devotional/email/.

_________________________

QUESTIONS?  If you reply to this e-mail, you'll receive an automated message answering our readers' most frequently asked questions.  If your question remains unanswered, please write to us at the special "help" e-mail address you'll find in the automated message.

TO UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.upperroom.org/unsubscribe/

TO CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS: Visit the My Account page: http://www.upperroom.org/myaccount/. Log in, using your current e-mail address and password. Once logged in your account, click on the "Edit Personal Information" link. Edit your e-mail address and any other information, and click "Update" to complete the change.

FORGOTTEN YOUR PASSWORD? Visit the My Account page: http://www.upperroom.org/myaccount/. Click on "Forgot My Password." Enter your e-mail address, and if there is a password associated with it, the password will be e-mailed to you immediately.
_________________________

The scripture quotation is from the NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION of the Bible, copyright (c) 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.