The GIFT of Giving

One can look up the definition of gift and it will explain that a gift is something that is given without any expectation of payment. Recently I was able to share that to understand the depths of what a gift is we just have to remember the acronym, G.I.F.T.

As in the definition of a gift it has to be “Given, Intentionally, Free-willing,” with some “Feeling, Thought, and Time” put into it. The greatest gift ever given was from the Creator of the universe, nature, and all things which are all gifts to enjoy as well, but still the greatest is the One who fulfilled hundreds of prophecies, the Messiah.

A recent headline in the news is that the Bible has picked up in sales in the past few months and since 2020 with people looking for purpose. The Bible has been a number one selling book of all times because within it one, if they are willing to find it, will find their purpose between it’s pages. This is not only a gift for yourselves, but others in your life.

John 3:16 is a verse within the Bible that most have heard about even if they have never read it for themselves. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Within this verse it lets us know that God “gave.” To give us His Son is a gift that was intentional, because He has the feeling of Love for us. He also put thought and time into the gift.

He knew that from the beginning that Jesus would be given to a broken world as it states in Revelation 13:8 that Jesus is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” This means that God foreknew that once He created the people, in the garden, in the world, that was in the universe He spoke into existence was tempted they would fall into sin and need a Savior.

This shows He was intentional and thought about how to bring the “Ultimate Gift” to the earth in order for us to have an opportunity to receive it. Just like any gift that is given to us we have a choice of whether to accept it or not. You may have heard about this gift and know it is there waiting for you to open, but it will be your choice of when this gift is opened in your own life.

It is only repentance that opens this gift. A gift that can never be repaid. Our gift back to God is giving of our will to Him which also has to be intentional with love. For the greatest thing we can do is to love the Lord God with all our heart, mind, and soul and love our neighbor as ourselves. Receiving this gift will change the way we feel and the way we think and the more time we put into this “GIFT” the more giving we will be.

~TRS 12/22/24

Breaking Cycles Through Transformation

Breaking Cycles Through Transformation

It was a while back in another time and another place when a young woman being the oldest gained the responsibility of solely taking care of all the siblings, plus waiting on her father after her mother died. At fifteen she was no longer in school. At sixteen she began looking for a way out. At seventeen she met a rebel who promised to deliver her from the bondage her life had become. At eighteen she had handed over the responsibility to the next eldest girl and she was married with a child and a new set of responsibilities. Her husband, the rebel, had lessened the load a little and he often reminded her of that. However, within a few years she had two children and an alcoholic rebel to care for. Times were tough, but she managed to make the most of it as best she could.

Some years passed and she had become a widow. She never dreamed she would be a widow so early in her life, and the life the rebel had promised her he was never able to deliver. It’s not that he was a very bad person, but his habits were hard to break. Actually, his habits had broken him and his family. Being a widow with two teens was no easy task either. If the road wasn’t a hard one many times she thought she was on the wrong one. Her son, the eldest of the siblings, unfortunately began to follow in his father’s footsteps. Many times she had bailed him out of trouble. She began to believe that it must be her gift to help “save” her family from hard times. Never realizing that her help oftentimes just enabled her family to continue going down the wrong paths of life.

Being responsible is an important quality for all to have but it was demanded of her from an early age to take on more than her share. Therefore, she came to believe that she had to be responsible for practically everyone. This belief had turned her hair grayer way before her time. Plus, her children then were never able to suffer the consequences of their wrong actions. Her children never learned to take responsibility for the choices they made.

Her daughter had it easy compared to her when she was her age. However, at sixteen her daughter already found her way out. Her mom didn’t hear from her for nine months and then her daughter came back and she had become a grandmother. Grandmother was now busy filling her day with the responsibility of raising another baby. Raising a child was very different now than when she was younger. Her daughter didn’t feel the great weight of responsibility of raising a child, because Grandmother did everything. Therefore, over the next few years her daughter had two more children by different men.

The fathers of the children lacked just as much responsibility as the mother, but Grandmother kept enabling them to be that way. Eventually the daughter met another man and moved away leaving her three children in the care of the one who had been caring for them anyway and the cycle continued. Cycles continue when no change happens. Allow God to transform what our choices can’t seem to change.

Originally written 24 years ago. ~ TRS

Taking Control To Stop Identity Theft

Rays of Hope ~ Tim Stockton

A continuation from the last article that can also be read from the blog timstocktonraysofhope.com is about how it is God who defines us and gives us our identity. Living in the present people have to be aware of the fact there are dishonest, crooked, and manipulative people who are out to steal as many identities that they can. The very first identity theft came soon after the beginning and the original two people had their true identities stolen by the “father of lies and deception.”

When sin came into the world it changed the human relationship to God from that point on. From even before that point God knew and made a plan to bring restoration. In a somewhat comical, yet serious explanation Jase Robertson, from the Duck Dynasty family in a YouTube short from Truthimus.com states, “We can know the entire Bible in 60 seconds. From Genesis to Malachi it tells that Jesus is coming to earth in human form because we humans are flawed. The four gospels tell of when Jesus; God in human form came to the earth. Then Acts through Revelation lets us know that Jesus is coming back.”

Revelation 13:8 states that Jesus is the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the earth.” This means God knew what the human race would do to need salvation even before He created them, yet He did anyway and therefore made a plan on how to bring salvation to all those who choose to believe.

As explained in the Defined study from the Kendrick brothers, “God’s love for us, His desire for a relationship with us, and our identity as His image bearers never changed.” God is always calling us closer but we have to have “ears to hear.” The deceiver is still out to “steal, kill, and destroy” any and all opportunities that are given to accept and know Truth. Jesus explained in the parable of the sower about how the same seed (the Word of God) was sown on the different types of soil and how if it doesn’t take root the enemy will “snatch it away.”

We do all we can to protect our identity from being stolen like hiding our pin numbers, using passwords, securing our devices, and using privacy controls. Likewise, we need to do all we can to protect our true identities God designed within us and become the Light bearers that we were always meant to be.

11-17-24 ~ TRS

Living On Purpose

Have you ever thought about if you could have been born in another time and place, when and where would it be? If you put too much thought into it though you will realize that if “you” could be in another time and place you wouldn’t be you. It took all the ancestors from the parental bloodlines of your parents to make you who you are. So, if we were born at different times and places we wouldn’t be the persons we are today.

I recently have been doing a study and then turning it into a preaching series as well based on a book written by the Kendrick brothers called, “Defined; who God says you are.” The first lesson is to focus on how we each are uniquely created and that God knows each one of us from the moment of conception when He gives life to us.

We are created in His image as it is recorded in Genesis 1:27, “He created them in the image of God; He created them male and female.” Many believe that God has been from the beginning, because He created time and made the beginning. Psalm 139 lets us know that God has been there since our own individual beginnings as well. “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You. When I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed and in Your book they all were written…How precious are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! (Ps 139:13-17).

To be fearfully made is to be made with respect and reverence. To be wonderfully made is to be made in a way that it inspires delight and is seen as extremely good. When something is made with skill it is being created with a purpose. This is how the Creator has masterfully sculpted each person. For Him to have “precious” thoughts about us means that He sees us as valuable.

Too often many will discount their beginnings and not realize the value of their life. We were created with intention and purpose; on purpose to become a light bearer of the One in whose image we are created, yet with our own uniqueness in that no two people have ever been, nor will be completely alike.

Take time to thank God for your beginning and seek to live for Him on purpose.

~TRS 10-27-24

The Dangers of Favoritism in Relationships

We all may have a favorite ice cream, or a food to eat. We might have a favorite car to drive or a favorite place to visit. However, it is not good to have a favorite person. You may enjoy someone’s company and have a great love towards someone, but if we choose to treat some better than others we could fall into the entrapment of favoritism. This practice is continuing to give unfair preferential treatment to one person or group at the expense of another. This type of treatment though the one getting it may like it all the others may feel treated unfairly.

Showing favoritism is the opposite of being in unity which the best selling book of all time, The Bible teaches. In Galatians 3:28 it reads, “neither Jew nor Greek, male or female, slave or free, but all are one in Christ Jesus.” One can also read in several instances of those who were called of God but then chose to do the opposite of what they knew to do and showed partiality and reaped the consequences of that. Abraham favored Isaac over Ishmael, Isaac favored Esau over Jacob, and Jacob favored Joseph over his brothers. In each one of these cases the outcomes had devastating impacts on others.

The apostle Peter once said as recorded in the book of Acts, “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality, but in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.” In the book of Romans it is encouraged to “let our love be without hypocrisy. To abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good and be kindly affectionate to one another, in honor giving preference to one another…be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all. If it is possible, as much as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”

“If it be possible as much as it depends on you” is a choice. It could be a very difficult choice that is why it says, “if it be possible.” But, with God’s help He will give us His mercy and grace to at least not show partiality and treat others unfairly. We are to be the “hands and feet” of Christ and if our faith is placed in Him we will be moved by compassion to help those in any need, whether it be physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. The best way to do that is to never show favoritism or partiality.

~TRS 10-6-24

Words of encouragement

Letting Maturity Shine

Letting Maturity Shine

I had recently written about joyful tribulations and that seems impossible to ever refer to a time of trouble as a time to experience joy. It’s because most may see joy as just a “feeling” when it isn’t really that, but it is a fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22 states, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” These are all evidence of living in the Spirit, or walking after the ways of God.

For most, as the older we get we are able to look back over our lives and see the good and bad times. Some may have more of one than the other, but no matter how many “bad times” they can learn to be endured. We keep on keeping on and learn through those times we can’t wait to get out of. The half brother of Jesus who came to faith in HIM after His death and ascension became one of the first writers to the early church as most historians will tell to encourage the early “beginning” church to walk the walk and talk the talk if you are going to call yourself a believer in Christ.

In James 1:3 he writes, “you know the testing of your faith produces endurance and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” In our society and culture to hear the word perfect is a standard that none can really live up to and a belief that some mistakenly think they are without spot or blemish. The Word lets us know that there are none who are perfect, but we all fall short of God’s glory. God has a certain standard and we none can reach it. This is the reason for salvation and yes we all need it, but it is a choice. You don’t have to receive it. Yet, it is still a gift that is offered to all.

Once the gift is accepted then we can be made perfect, but not in the way we see the word. The word can actually mean becoming mature. As children grow we hope that they get more mature. I’m sure we all know some that no matter their chronological age they are not so mature. Maturity is something that takes effort to demonstrate.

As we live through the good and bad times and learn how to navigate through life we can only hope that we learn to be more mature than we were the day before. Even Google explains that maturity is being able to take responsibility for your own actions, having the ability to listen, being willing to have accountability, and respecting others. All of these are also evidence of walking in the right Way and along with the fruits of the Spirit we can gauge our maturity and growth in Christ. The closer we are to God and living in His light the brighter our lives will shine.

~TRS 9-14-24

Joyful Tribulations

Just writing the title of this article seems like an oxymoron. How can a tribulation, trial, or bad life circumstances be something to bring joy. First one needs to realize that joy does not mean happiness. Just to look it up online one can read that according to the Bible, “Joy is a lasting emotion and an enduring attitude of the heart and spirit that is rooted in communion with Christ and the soul’s peace.” It is more than and different from what some call happiness. True joy is a “fruit of the Spirit” which means without trusting and believing in the Spirit there can be no receiving in that which you don’t believe in.

However, when a person chooses to trust in God who they choose to believe in, joy can be a lasting emotion that simply comes from trusting in the promises found in the Bible. Jesus explained in John 15 about abiding in the vine. This means to continue staying connected to God through the good times and the bad. Often it is bad times that lead people to God, but when things start going well again people choose to forsake the way.

The parable of the soils is very evident that people can choose to stray away from the good news of the Gospel of Christ they hear about. Some hear and it starts to take root but the troubles of life (bad times come) or the pleasures of life distract (good times) cause the person to turn back and go the way that leads away from true joy.

Though none typically would volunteer for hard times when they do come as they will to all at some point we can learn from the experiences we have to endure. Jesus’ half brother, James writes about it in James 1:2-4, “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience, but let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

We need to understand that being “perfect” doesn’t mean one who is without fault, but perfection means one who is mature and growing. This is how abiding in the vine causes us to grow and mature in our faith, able to produce the fruits (attitudes, actions) that are evidence of the faith we have.

It means that when life happens and our human reactions want to scream or react in negative ways we allow the Spirit of God to produce joy within us to give us patience (the ability to wait without becoming angry), in order to ride out the bad times. In that way it doesn’t seem as much of a contradiction to have joyful tribulations.

~TRS 8-18-24

Wisdom Creates Positive Perspectives

Rays of Hope ~ Tim Stockton

Some may say that they see the glass half empty while others will say it is half full. Those who see it almost gone are typically labeled as more pessimistic. They tend to believe that things will always work out negatively for them. However, those who see the glass half full are said to be a little more optimistic and hopeful. They try to see how some good possibly could come out of bad things that have happened.

In the book of Job we can read about a righteous man that had some very traumatic events happen in his life. He became very distraught and full of grief, yet he kept his faith and belief in God. His wife even told him to just “curse God and die,” but he knew that was a foolish statement and he would not give in.

Another person who suffered horrendous and unfortunate events was Joseph. He had a belief from a young boy that God would use him in some great way but I’m sure he never thought that he would have to endure terrible things in order to get to the place where God then did use him in mighty and powerful ways.

His brothers hated him and wanted him gone. They threw him in a pit and eventually sold him into slavery. Then he was a slave for a time until he was falsely accused and then thrown in prison for years. Being human there had to be times as he was sitting in his jail cell wondering why such atrocities had happened to him.

However, even through the bad things he had to endure he realized that God was with him and was blessing him. The day finally came that the impossible happened. A former slave and prisoner who had been hated by his brothers and wanted dead was now second in command over all of Egypt.

When Joseph finally revealed his true identity to his brothers he made a statement that needs to become a perspective we choose to live by. He explained that what they had meant for evil, God was able to use for the good. When things don’t seem to be going well in your life, or in the world just continue to trust in God. Realize in His timing we will be able to look back and see how His hand and His will was able to work through all the negative things that others or Satan himself tried to destroy us with. When we trust in the Lord and place our faith in Him then we will be able to look at life from a Godly perspective that will help us have rays of hope.

This was true a couple of years ago when I originally wrote this and it is still true today. A few more positive quotes, “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude” (Maya Angelou). “Keep your face always towards the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you” (Walt Whitman). “I never lose. Either I win or learn” (Nelson Mandela). “Remember, no one can make you feel inferior without consent” (Eleanor Roosevelt). “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you figure out why” (Mark Twain). “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity” (Albert Einstein).

God explained that when Solomon asked for wisdom when he could have asked for anything that no one before and no one after him would be as wise as God made him to be and he said, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.” These will be the ones who are always pessimistic and never learning, nor making opportunities.

7-24-24 ~TRS