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CONTENTS

My Pulpit Message notes | God Who Gives 3 - 4

My Devotional: The Body of Christ | 6

King’s Inspiration: How Do you Love When...? |7

A Desiring God article: Find Your Way to Help the Hurting | 8 - 9

My Entrepreneur: Why It’s Important to Let Go of Pride | 10

My Health: Becoming more physically active linked to higher pain tolerance | 11-12

My Kitchen: Quick chicken curry | 13

My Sports: Djokovic, Alcaraz cruise at French Open as Stephens lays down marker |14

My Pulpit Message Notes

GOD WHO GIVES

5 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ 7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Apparently the Bible refers to the Holy Spirit as a Gift. And we want to see this gift and the Father has used very strong words of how evil men give good gifts and how much will He give the gift of the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.

Three things for us to understand the gift of the Holy Spirit

1. The Giver.

2. The Gift.

3. The Condition.

The Holy Spirit is the person of the Trinity most misquoted and misrepresented.

1. The Giver

He is Faithful

Luke 11 opens with the Giver of the Gift who compares Himself with other givers, earthly givers i.e the fathers. We need to appreciate who God is as we engage with the Gift of the Holy Spirit. The Giver of the Spirit of God, the Giver as said in Luke 11 is faithful in His promises.

He is not like few of us who make promises and don’t keep them. He is not a guy who changes his plans halfway. He is not someone who promises because of emotions because of excitement bonus has come who promises the children, ill take you out next

week then in the course of the week you pay the debt that you needed to pay and you change the story to the children.

God the Giver is faithful. When He says He will do it, He will do it.

Psalms 45 tells us, ‘He is faithful in all His promises. But you find that this Giver has promised the Holy Spirit in many other portions of the Scripture.

Acts 1:4 “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.

Acts 2:33 “Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.”

He is Able

This Giver is also able. There are people who promise what they can’t deliver. The One who promises this Gift is able. He created everything.

He is Kind and Loving

As opposed to the earthly fathers, the One who promises He is kind and loving. He is more kind than the evil fathers who know how to give good gifts. He is a loving Father. It is that love and kindness that made Him send His only begotten Son to redeem you who sinned willingly in the Garden of Eden through you father Adam. He loves you so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die for you. So He is giving this Gift out of kindness and love.

In chapter 11, It is not just giving because others give, no. He loves you. The Gift is out of kindness and love.

As parents we know that our children give us gifts, but we would tell that many times it is because they will want something after that. There are people who give gifts because they want something in return. But we need to understand the Gift of God. He actually may not be needing anything in return from you. It is you who needs Him, so He is giving it out of love.

There is nothing good like a gift given in love. Those who are married know it. You can know when your spouse is giving a gift out of love, or when it is for saying sorry.

2. The Gift

You can talk about the Holy Spirit and people don’t understand Him. We must understand the Holy Spirit because He is out of the three persons of the Trinity, God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,

in my own assessment, He is the most misquoted, misjudged and misrepresented person of the Trinity. You find people have personal interests and the say, ‘It is the Holy Spirit who told me.’ In the ongoing case of Shakahola I suspect that in the whole experience the Spirit of God must have been invoked and said, ‘I was told by the Holy Spirit of God. You find that the Holy Spirit, most Christians are in extremes. We find those who everything for them is the Holy Spirit, even the dress to wear it is the Holy Spirit to tell them. The food to eat, it is the Holy Spirit.I have seen some among the students where even greetings is in tongues.

Then in the body of Christ there are those who are averse to the things of the Holy Spirit. They are on the extreme. Any mention of the Holy Spirit and they switch off. They are scared of the Holy Spirit and we find that extreme even in churches.

Who is this Gift who some put in the centre of everything they do, or some are completely averse to?The Holy Spirit is not power. The Holy Spirit is a person who gives power. He is God. He is equal is in dignity.

I find it a bit unique, and I find it in several texts that God calls the Holy Spirit a gift. Why is the Scripture talking about fathers giving eggs and fish to their children, then God instead of giving you material things in the same context is talking about the Holy Spirit, why? Acts 1:4 we read about the Gift of God that He promised. We see the same in Acts 2:38 “ Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

I know there are secessionists who are arguing the work of the Holy Spirit ceased then. No. The text says the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off and for all whom the Lord our God will call, those who are saved, this Gift belongs to them.

Why is the Holy Spirit a gift? The way we long for gifts, why don’t we long for Him the same way? Three things that help us appreciate why the Holy Spirit is a gift that we should all long for, and should ask God, please allow me to have this gift of the Holy Spirit.

The Indwelling Presence of God

John 14, the whole chapter talks about the presence of the Holy Spirit, because at this point Jesus is leaving and going to the Father and He says, I will not leave you as orphans, I will send you a Helper, the Holy Spirit, the promise of the Father that Peter talks about and Jesus is talked about and Paul equally.

My Pulpit Message Notes are transcribed and edited from the sermon preached at the Nairobi Baptist Church (NBC) Ngong Road on Sunday, 28th May, 2023. Preacher - Pastor Simon Kande, National Director, Fellowship of Christian Unions (FOCUS). Scripture: Luke 11:11-13. Topic: The God Who Gives

My Pulpit Message Notes

What does it mean indwelling presence? God is promising to render the heavens come stay with man. The Holy Spirit is God. He is one of the three persons of the Trinity. And as Jesus is going back to heaven, He is simply saying, I will give you a gift to have God stay with you. That is a gift. Imagine God staying with you.

In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit used to come momentarily and go back, He would for example come and empower Samson, he does his things and goes back. But this promise now, God is saying, I will come stay with you 24.7. Wherever you’ll be, I will be with you. No wonder He is saying create room for me. I want to dwell in your body which is My temple.

Imagine God, the creator of the heavens and the earth coming to stay in this poor, wretched Simon Kande, 24.7. That must be a gift from God. Imagine that person who you long so much to be your mentor, imagine them saying I want to spend one month with you, I’ll pay the bill, we’ll be together. How will you feel and it is only a month?

Now God is saying, i want to stay with you, not for a month, but forever, inside you, the indwelling presence of God.

Godly character

The Holy Spirit is the One who helps you have the godly character. He produces and manifests godly virtues and character in a believer. The Holy Spirit as a person in the Holy Trinity, His work is to bring conviction of sin, righteousness and judgement according to John 16:8. When He is with you, He will convict you even those digital lies, e.g. on phone and WhatsApp, you are telling people you are in Mombasa, yet you are in Kisumu.

He will help you develop a godly character. I know in the world we are in, we emphasise more on the gifts of the Spirit and we need to because they are given to us for the work of the ministry. But we seem to like the gifts more than the fruit of the Spirit. It is the same Spirit, the One who gives the gift of prophecy, of working miracles, speaking in tongues and we need them, He is the same One who produces fruit found in Galatians 5:22. How come this fruit of the Spirit is so scarce even amongst the men of God today? The fruit of the Spirit according to Galatians 5:22 is so scarce even in our marriages, in our families. Joy is scarce. Peace, where is peace in the world? Patience - we are becoming more impatient with each other. Kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and the last one, the most important, self-control.

We need self-control against simple gadgets like the phone. You want to pray, but you can’t because a WhatsApp message has come, or a Tiktok message, reel. Some of us pray when the phone is near. You need self-control to keep the phone in the next room. Actually it is more easier to fast nowadays from food than from phone.

Some of us cannot control ourselves against money/ mammoth. You are in that position of working in an office somewhere and any money you see, a tender, you start thinking of how you can eat and eat. Even if you had money to build ten houses, how many can you sleep on in a night. If you want to sleep in all of them you wont because you will be travelling from one house to another. Even if you can afford all food and chicken in the world, how many can you eat. Actually the more money you, get, the more doctors tell you what you cannot eat. That is the irony of life. When you are poor, people tell you eat everything. The more I can afford red meat, I am told I should not eat it, etc.

Divine Empowerment

The Holy Spirit is a gift because He gives divine empowerment. God knew, these disciples of mine will be worked on by Satan and unless I empower them divinely. They are in a world that is not there’s. They are passersby, sojourners. That world there is an enemy there, and He says, I will give you a gift who will empower you divinely.

The Holy Spirit is a gift and a gift Giver. When you allow Him into your life, He will empower you, He will give you gifts. We see in the Old Testament, He give gifts, some of them unique. I know the Pentecostals today specialise on a few gifts, but they are many. There are gifts of leadership, skills and wisdom, found in Numbers 27:18. There is even the gift of artistic skills, given to a guy called Bezalel in Exodus 31 in the construction of the Tabernacle.

In the New Testament He gives gifts and many of them starting with Jesus who said in Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.” Anoint to preach. We need it today. Most christians are not preaching today. They cannot even preach to their children. What will happen to their roommates if they are in campus, or to their workmates if they are working?

The Holy Spirit empowers us. The early Christians were empowered to do miracles and the same is needed today. And friends where in a level today, the levels of atheism, critics of faith, secularism is on the rise, we cant keep talking of miracles that can’t be verified, e.g. stomach aches it is only you who can verify if you had a stomach ache or not. I am looking for a miracle where a critic of faith cannot refute, where there was no leg, the leg has grown, everyone has seen it growing. That one you cannot argue. I am talking of this because there is taking of advantage especially of tele-evangelists if only they had worked some miracles behind the scenes.

There are real miracles and we need it because arguments will come to an end. Some of these guys are very smart, you start arguing about some very difficult things, ‘why is pain on earth?’ It becomes very difficult and you tell God to perform a miracle, let this blind man see, then scientifically if they cant prove it they will believe.

He empowers us to preach the gospel with boldness and power. Acts 4:8 we have lots of depth in the Scripture, when the Spirit of God came, they did not just speak in tongues, but spoke the word of God boldly. This gift is needed today. We are becoming more mild about our faith. We are becoming like chicken rained on. God is the big God. Our young people can’t stand up and say I am a believer in Jesus and unashamedly Christian. People come to their workplace and they are not known as believers.

Prayer

The Holy Spirit empowers us for prayer and makes it effective. Romans 8:26 “We do not know how to pray, but the Holy Spirit empowers us. When the Holy Spirit is upon you prayer will be sweet.I discovered it. No one will force you. The more I get filled with Him, the more I want to pray, the more I want to walk with Him.

Overcome Spiritual Opposition

The Holy Spirit empowers us to overcome spiritual opposition. In the preaching of the gospel and God’s work, Jesus said in Matthew 12:28 “If by the Spirit of God, I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” I joke that some of us are being terrorise by demons on internship. Tiny demons who are trained to harass Christians, they are messing your life so much and actu-

ally they are being trained. What about Lucifer himself, what if he lands on you? And you have been a Christian for long. When the Spirit of God is upon you, and you take the Word, Ephesians 6 becomes real. The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. You will not fear any demons, you will not fear Satan, and in Africa, I think we need to be taught that more.

3. The Condition

To get this gift of God there is a condition;

a. Ask - This is the easiest of all conditions. Luke 11:9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you.” But I see an aspect there which was read earlier of boldness in asking, consistency in asking. Jesus said, because of the boldness of this friend who went to his friend at night, he was given. Luke 18 talks about that boldness of a widow who was consistent.

b. Faith - Have faith. By faith we shall receive the promise of the Spirit. Galatians 3:14. This gift of the Spirit we receive it by faith. It is not gymnastics. It is pure faith to receive the Holy Spirit.

c. Obedience and holiness - repentance is critical. Acts 2:38 Peter says, repent so that you can receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. I find that the Holy Spirit and yourself is like water and oil. They can’t be together. You have to kill the self for the Holy Spirit to get space in you. No wonder Romans 8 says It is by the Spirit of God put to death the cravings of the sinful nature.

d. Personal choice and willingness. The Holy Spirit does not force Himself to you, or to the people. He can be resisted. In Acts 7:51 Stephen rebuked the Jewish leaders, ‘You are always resist the Holy Spirit.’ You can resist the Holy Spirit. He doesn’t force. He is not like a bouncer who comes to your life by force and gets you by the throat and tells you I’m coming. No. He is gentle. Allow Him.

As we pray and ask the LORD to give us this Gift, I know there are many theological debates out there about how and when does one get filled with the Holy Spirit, I did not want to dwell too much on that, but I pick a critical verse in Ephesian 5:18 which simply says “Be {continually} filled with the Holy Spirit.” This is in present tense imperative verb, which can be translated, be continually filled with the Holy Spirit. It is not a one time event. Even if you were filled in the seventees you can be filled again. We see in the book of Acts over and over again in the day of Pentecost, Peter and the team they were filled, but after that in chapter four we see again when they were praying they were filled again, and again. You can be filled again. You can never be full of the Spirit and say that I don’t need any more. Every time we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit as you work on the flesh and create space for Him.

Like I said, the Spirit and your flesh is like water and oil. They don’t mix. Either one is away or One is present. That is why you need to work on that self and create space, let that be the temple of the Holy Spirit and let the Spirit of God, that is God Himself come and dwell in you.

My Life

How to get saved and spend eternity with God

His Love

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.

John 3:16 (NASB)

My response

that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Romans 10:9-10 (NASB)

My prayer

Lord God Almighty, thank You for Your love for me. Thank You that You sent Your Son Jesus Christ to die for my sins. Please forgive me for all the sins I have committed against You. I believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and that He died on the cross and You raised Him from the dead on the third day. Please write my name in the Lamb’s book of life. Help me to live a life that is holy and pleasing unto You. In Jesus’ Name I pray and believe. Amen

THE BODY OF CHRIST

https://sportsspectrum.com/

“If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.” — 1 Corinthians 12:17-18

Teamwork is an essential concept in sports. The stars of a team need to understand the importance of the bench players, and the primary scorers should appreciate the shot blockers who provide defense. Rowing is a great example too — every part is necessary to efficiently move the boat. If each member isn’t in sync, the boat won’t get where it needs to be. If only one person is rowing, it may never get where it needs to go, at least not without utterly exhausting that person. Each member is necessary, and is part of the whole unit.

Just like each team has important parts and players to keep it efficient and effective, we can look to the many parts of the human body to see how the various parts cooperate so well. Each part is integral to the team. The brain, heart, lungs and kidneys all work together in harmony. Bones provide structure, support and protection for the whole body. The eyes, ears, mouth, hands and feet do their own unique duties. The whole body operates as a unit, but each individual member is valuable and should be treasured and handled carefully.

In the Bible, the individual church members are compared to the parts of our physical bodies. Just as fingers and toes are useful in their own way, every person is an important part of the church. “If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be” (1 Corinthians 12:17-18). Every member should be appreciated and treated well. Jealousy and rivalry is not acceptable within

churches.

As the brain sends signals to the hands and feet to perform tasks, Christians should communicate in a helpful way to do God’s work in communities and throughout the world. It doesn’t matter who gets the most attention as long as we do the Lord’s work well. “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers” (James 2:8-9).

Each part of the body does its part, but no part can do it all. We should understand our limits and not try to do everything. That’s why Moses was told to divide the work and let others share the load. “Moses’ father-in-law replied, ‘What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone’” (Exodus 18:17-18). When Moses did too much, it was wrong, unhealthy and not good for his family or the people he served. How often do we find ourselves in a similar position to Moses, even finding ourselves on the edge of (or already experiencing) burnout? That isn’t God’s design or desire.

Each one of us has an important role in building God’s Kingdom, and we must learn to appreciate that others are called to build too. We are all on His team, and that means we should respect the nature of teamwork: working together for the same goals. This isn’t something we can — or should even try to — take on ourselves. We are called in unique ways, so let’s each shine for Him!

— Bill Kent, Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, Sylvania, Georgia

King’s Inspiration

By william King |

I think we all want to love well, be kind and giving but how do you love at all when somebody says something about you that isn’t true or a friend walks. How do you love when a coworker does things to keep you from a promotion or a relative shares with other family members what you told them that was confidential. Jesus says, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you” (Luke 6:27).

But how do you do that when it’s easy to get bitter, hold a grudge, talk badly about them? In reality, the only way we can walk in love is first to allow the love of God into our lives. We may try to love, but we don’t have the capacity to love on our own. It’s like trying to pour water from an empty glass.

Jesus made this clear in His answer to the Pharisees’ question: “What’s the greatest commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God

with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind...And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39).

The Pharisees thought that if they could keep this law, they would be right with God. But Jesus was saying, “You can’t keep the law. You need a Saviour, which is why I’m here - to make it possible to keep a continual flow of love coming into your life.”

Jesus is the only source of love that never runs dry. The Bible says, “God is love.” When you come to Him, you’re coming to divine love. When you receive His love, your capacity to love will be full. If we want to love well, it is all sourced from God. That’s why we need to let God transform us. We have to let go of the hurts and offenses done to us.

Find Your Way to Help the Hurting

| By Marshall Segal, Staff writer, desiringGod.org

Recently, our family was staying with a family we love when they suffered a miscarriage. The wife had just finished her first trimester. The baby would have been number six for them, their second son, a boy they all loved deeply without meeting him. The family wept for hours.

Now, I could say more about the quiet and common pain of miscarriage (my wife and I suffered one early in our marriage), or about what I learned about grief as I watched this family lose this baby together, as a family. But one of the things that struck me most was how the church showed up and loved them in their loss. Because we happened to be staying with them that week, we saw more than most would ever get to see.

The ears were the first to come, leaning in and listening well. But the feet weren’t far behind, arriving early and ready to run errands. Then came the hands, carrying flowers and Starbucks drinks and donuts for the kids. And with them, the arms that wrapped themselves tight around the family and wouldn’t let go. The noses followed, with some of their favorite meals. The mouths were slower than normal to speak, but came with meaningful words of courage and hope. And sprinkled among the rest were the eyes, attentive and filled with tears.

A Hundred Roads to the Hurting

The tangible love we witnessed exposed a profound oneness in that unusual church, but the expressions of that love were anything but uniform. Some came right away; some the next day; some later in the week. Some could swing by for only a few minutes; others stayed longer. Some just dropped something off with a note, to give the family space to rest. Some brought food; others brought an iced macchiato or a taro milk tea. Most of them cried.

It’s hard to describe how unusual and heartbreaking and beautiful the whole scene was. This church had learned how to grieve together, to carry each other’s

burdens, to show up in hard moments. So where does this strange, otherworldly love come from? From a strange and generous kind of people.

The apostle Paul saw a scene not unlike the love my family witnessed. He writes to the church at Corinth,

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. (2 Corinthians 8:1–2)

The apostle is calling the believers in Corinth to give to the desperate needs of the embattled church in Jerusalem. He’s asking them to find their way to move toward the hurting, even if, in this case, the hurting are eight hundred miles away. To help inspire their generosity, he shows them just how much God can do when a church leans into suffering.

Unlikely Help and Generosity

The churches in Macedonia were not doing well by worldly standards. They were afflicted themselves, bearing the pain and weight of their own hardships. And not just normal affliction, Paul says, but severe affliction — the kind that cuts deeper, spreads further, and lasts longer.

And in the midst this awful affliction, making their valley even scarier and more upsetting, they were running out of money. Again, this wasn’t typical poverty; it was extreme poverty, some of them perhaps putting hungry kids to bed, their hollow eyes searching for hope that tomorrow might be different. Can you hear their parents pleading, through tears and stomachaches, “Lord, give us this day our daily bread”?

Yet, in the storms of affliction and the shadows of scarcity, we find an outstretched hand, a bright and warm light beating back the darkness, a wealth of generosity. And behind that outstretched hand, an even more surprising smile — an impossible smile, really. An abundant joy. With God, a people without any earthly wealth had found a way to be wealthy toward others. A people burdened with their own needs found more than enough to meet someone else’s.

If even the severely afflicted and seriously needy could move toward the suffering, how about the lightly afflicted and the rarely hungry? How might we find and experience what stirred up such unlikely help and generosity? Before holding out our hand, we first lift up our eyes to God.

Godward Otherness

The kind of people who are ready to move toward suffering when it comes — even in affliction, even in poverty, even when everyone would understand if they focused on themselves — are the kind of people who are always moving toward God. Paul continues,

They gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints — and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. (2 Corinthians 8:3–5)

The saints in Macedonia were not only willing to give, but begged to give. They had tasted the deeper pleasures of sacrifice (see Acts 20:35), and they wouldn’t surrender that joy without a fight. How did they arrive there? What path took them to such happy selflessness? “They gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.” They gave beyond their means, they gave far more than anyone expected, because they had given themselves to God.

“An unusually generous life will always be an unusually Godward one.” They had not set their hope on the possibility of better, more comfortable circumstances. They weren’t tempted by the uncertainty of riches. No, they had set their hearts on God. And a heart set on God learns to define words like wealth, poverty, risk, sacrifice, and security differently. As they surrendered their claim on their earthly possessions, they stumbled into a treasure that could not be counted (1 Timothy 6:18–19). An unusually generous life will always be an unusually Godward one.

Marriage of Abundance and Need

Faithful Christianity, however, is never merely God or people, but God then people. “They gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.” The sweetness of enjoying God drove the Macedonians to bravely step into the sorrows and loss around them (in this case, in the church at Jerusalem).

Some of us need to be reminded to begin with God. Others need to be exhorted to regularly, tangibly emerge from communion with God and meet some real need. Notice how God allows abundance and need to dance in the church:

I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.” (2 Corinthians 8:13–15)

In any given church — in your church — God has married real abundance and real need. Just like the needs, the abundance comes in various kinds, at various times, to various people. In some seasons, you’ll be especially needy, and in others, especially supplied. You’ll be needy in ways others aren’t, and rich in ways others lack. And this marriage is a shadow of an even greater love, when the God of infinite abundance took on need to make us truly wealthy: “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).

Love in the local church, Paul says, should look a lot like the manna that sustained God’s people in the wilderness. Except instead of sending it from the clouds, God now delivers and provides through the body of Christ, the local church — more specifically, through you and me.

In Every Good Work

The kind of generosity Paul has in mind isn’t only financial. In fact, most generosity in the church isn’t financial. It’s costly, for sure, but often not in dollars and cents. Listen to the apostle summarize his burden for the church:

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:6–8)

“Whoever you are, and whatever you have, God will give you enough to overflow to others, especially those in need.”

In every good work. Not only in coins delivered to Jerusalem, but in homecooked meals and familiar living rooms, in notes of encouragement and unexpected phone calls, in pots of coffee and thoughtful questions, in visits to the valleys of grief. Whoever you are, and whatever you have, God will give you enough to overflow to others, especially those in need.

So find your way to move toward the hurting. Don’t assume someone else is checking in. Don’t assume someone else will send a meal. Don’t assume they’re overwhelmed with messages and visits. When the trial comes — when sickness falls, when the job disappears, when the marriage collapses, when a loved one dies — assume God plans to meet one of their many needs through you.

Marshall Segal (@marshallsegal) is a writer and managing editor at desiringGod.org. He’s the author of Not Yet Married: The Pursuit of Joy in Singleness & Dating. He graduated from Bethlehem College & Seminary. He and his wife, Faye, have three children and live in Minneapolis.

Entrepreneur

Why it’s important to let go of pride

www.biblicalleadership.com

| By Eric Daniel

After Josiah had finished restoring the Temple, King Neco of Egypt led his army up from Egypt to do battle at Carchemish on the Euphrates River, and Josiah and his army marched out to fight him. But King Neco sent messengers to Josiah with this message: “What do you want with me, king of Judah? I have no quarrel with you today! I am on my way to fight another nation, and God has told me to hurry! Do not interfere with God, who is with me, or he will destroy you.” But Josiah refused to listen to Neco, to whom God had indeed spoken, and he would not turn back. Instead, he disguised himself and led his army into battle on the plain of Megiddo. But the enemy archers hit King Josiah with their arrows and wounded him. He cried out to his men, “Take me from the battle, for I am badly wounded!”

~2 Chronicles 35:22-25

Heartbreaking hymns were penned unnecessarily. Songs of praise and thanksgiving could have been scored instead but for one little word with outsize consequences: Pride.

Josiah did almost everything right. However, pride led him where he did not belong and took him where he did not want to go. He failed because he confused God’s invincibility with his own capability. He expected God to bless him in whatever he did, a promise God never makes. His failure to seek God and to follow his directions cost him his life.

The most important question we can ask in moments of decision is, “What does God say?”

The most important action we can take is obedience to God’s will done God’s way in God’s timing.

Josiah died earlier than he had to because of his pride.

The question must be asked: Where will your pride lead you today?

Let your pride serve as a reminder to go to God first, next, and last. Seek his will, way, and timing.

Trust him to empower you for whatever he asks. Know your force of personality, your knowledge, and your wisdom never ever compare to God’s assessment and direction.

Trust God from the bottom of your heart. Lead your heart to him in all things at all times.

Who is in the driver’s seat today? Who sets the GPS?

Live with less lamentation. Let God be in charge of the journey and the pace. Our Father, where do you want me to go today? What do you want me to accomplish? Who will you have me serve? Whatever you ask, I say Yes. Amen.

My Health

Becoming more physically active linked to higher pain tolerance

New research shows physically active people have higher pain tolerance compared to those who are sedentary.

The researchers found that people who are more physically active don’t experience as much chronic pain.

Benefits of physical activity include weight management, better mental health, a stronger immune system, and a longer lifespan.

Engaging in physical activity on a regular basis is associated with improved overall health.

According to new research published in the journal PLOS ONE, people who were physically active had higher pain tolerance compared to those who were sedentary. Also, the more active people were, the higher their level of pain tolerance was.

Since previous studies on physical activity and pain tolerance were conducted on a small sample size, researchers from the Anders Årnes University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, examined data from 10,732 Norwegian adults for this study.

Participants reported levels of their physical activity and pain tolerance, which were measured with a test that required placing their hands in cold water.

How physical activity affects pain tolerance

“Pain tolerance is subjective, and the way that it was measured in the study was hand immersion in cold water,” said Dr. Nathan Kadlecek, physical therapist and owner of Kadalyst Wellness and Physical Therapy in Monterey, who was not involved in the study.

“This is really just a proxy to how much pain someone can tolerate. The reasoning behind this is that you are physically active and exercise frequently. Theoretically, you are used to putting your body through very difficult situations and feeling uncomfortable, voluntarily,” he told Medical News Today.

It’s important to note that the more physically fit a person is, the less likely they are to experience pain or injuries through physical activity.

“[I] think what this research is trying to convey is that people who are more physically active don’t have as much chronic pain. And while this is true, it’s probably not due to higher pain tolerance but more so that physical activity in frequent exercise, has systemic metabolic effects that reduce the risk of developing chronic symptoms. It doesn’t eliminate the risk, but it reduces it.”

— Dr. Nathan Kadlecek

My Health

Endorphins released through exercise may also play an important role.

“Engaging in physical activity is associated with the release of endorphins, which are natural pain-relieving chemicals in the brain,” said Dr. James Walker, a physician, and contracted medical advisor for online pharmacy and well-check service Welzo, who was also not involved in the study.

In addition, since people who are more physically active tend to have better blood flow, lower inflammation and better heart health, this results in the ability to endure more pain.

“Regular physical activity can also improve cardiovascular health, increase blood flow, and reduce inflammation, which can contribute to an individual’s pain tolerance. It is likely that the combination of these factors contributes to the higher pain tolerance observed in individuals with higher levels of physical activity,” Walker added.

Why physical activity is important for overall health

When you don’t move your body on a regular basis, you increase your risk of developing various chronic health conditionsTrusted Source such as obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Kadlecek explained the different benefits of physical activity:

Improves cardiovascular health: Regular exercise strengthens the heart and improves circulation, reducing the risk of heart disease.

Controls weight: Physical activity helps control weight by burning calories, which can help prevent obesity—a risk factor for many health issues.

Enhances mental health: Exercise stimulates various brain chemicals, which may leave you feeling happier, more relaxed, and less anxious. It can also improve sleep and cognitive function.

Builds stronger bones and muscles: Weight-bearing and resistance exercises strengthen bones and muscles, reducing the risk of osteoporosis and frailty as we age.

Increases lifespan: Regular physical activity is associated with a longer lifespan by reducing the risk of chronic diseases.

Boosts immune system: Regular exercise can help boost your immune system and fight off infections and diseases.

Limitations of this study

The researchers’ method for measuring pain may not be the most accurate. “Testing pain tolerance by putting your hand in a cold bucket of water is probably not the best proxy for how much pain somebody can tolerate,” said Dr. Kadlecek.

“And, I’m not sure how much real-world applicability this has to everyday life.

I know many people who can’t stand even 10 minutes of that exercise but can withstand the pain of working 12-hour days. So pain tolerance really does depend on the task, whether it be physical, or cognitive,” he said.

Also, the data is self-reported, which can skew results.

“The data appears to rely on self-reported levels of physical activity, which can sometimes be subject to bias or inaccuracies,” said Scott McAfee, a physical therapist, who was also not involved in the study.

“For instance, people can overestimate or underestimate their actual levels of physical activity when self-reporting. Secondly, pain tolerance was measured using a cold-water test. This type of test may not reflect the pain experience in daily life or in conditions of chronic pain,” he explained.

My Kitchen Quick chicken curry

https://www.delicious.com.au/recipes/

Keep curry leaves handy for casual entertaining ideas, like this quick chicken curry.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

500g skinless chicken thigh fillets, cut into 3cm pieces

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 long green chillies, seeds removed, finely chopped

2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger

2-3 tablespoons mild curry paste (such as tikka masala)

400g can chopped tomatoes

400ml coconut milk

2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter

2 tablespoons chopped coriander

Pappadums, to serve

PILAF

1 3/4 cups (350g) Basmati Rice

20g unsalted butter

1 tablespoon sunflower oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

8 green cardamom pods, lightly bruised

1 cinnamon quill

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

12 fresh curry leaves (see note)

METHOD

1.Preheat the oven to 190°C.

2.Heat the sunflower oil in a flameproof casserole dish over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, onion, garlic, chilli and ginger and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until chicken starts to brown. Add curry paste and cook, stirring, for a further 1 minute or until fragrant. Season, then stir in tomato, coconut milk and peanut butter until combined. Cover and bake for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Stir through chopped coriander.

3.Meanwhile, for the pilaf, wash the rice under cold running water to remove any starch. Drain and set aside. Heat the butter and oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened but not coloured. Add washed rice, spices and curry leaves, and stir for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add 2 cups (500ml) cold water and 1 teaspoon salt, increase heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stand, without removing the lid, for 5 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked.

4.Fluff the rice with a fork and serve with chicken curry and pappadums.

My Sports

Djokovic, Alcaraz cruise at French Open as Stephens lays down marker

https://www.reuters.com/sports/tennis

PARIS, May 29 (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic launched his quest for a record-breaking 23rd men’s Grand Slam singles title with a no-nonsense 6-3 6-2 7-6 (1) win over debutant Aleksandar Kovacevic in the opening round of the French Open on Monday.

World number one Carlos Alcaraz also came through with flying colours as the Spaniard crushed Italian qualifier Flavio Cobolli 6-0 6-2 7-5 in his first Grand Slam match since winning the U.S. Open title last year.

Twice Roland Garros champion Djokovic breezed through the first two sets before encountering resistance from the 24-year-old American whose lack of experience then showed in the tiebreak on the world’s biggest clay court.

Djokovic ended the contest with a sizzling service return on his first match point and will face Hungarian journeyman Marton Fucsovics for a place in the third round.

“It’s always a pleasure to come back here, one of the best tournaments in the world,” said Djokovic, who made his Roland Garros debut in 2005.

“I’m very motivated to go far here, all the way I hope.”

Djokovic did not have an ideal build-up to the claycourt Grand Slam, missing the Madrid Masters and being eliminated in the last eight in Rome, but he looked in good form in windy conditions.

On court Suzanne Lenglen, Benoit Paire was beaten in five sets by British 14th seed Cameron Norrie. Paire, given a wildcard, was up a break in the decider but could not close out the match.

“I’m happy with all the efforts that I’ve been making for some time. So today it was a great match,” said

world number 149 Paire, who has not won in the main draw in a top tier event since August.

Dominic Thiem took his main draw spot after the withdrawal of 14-times champion Rafa Nadal - his conqueror in the 2018 and 2019 finals but the injury-plagued Austrian fell to Argentine Pedro Cachin who won 6-3 6-2 6-7(1) 4-6 6-2.

Italian veteran Fabio Fognini showed he was still a force to be reckoned with as he dismissed ailing 10th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4 6-4 6-3, making the Canadian the first top-10 player in the men’s draw to crash out.

WAWRINKA THROUGH

Stan Wawrinka also made his way into the second round after the 2015 champion beat Albert Ramos-Vinolas 7-6(5) 6-4 6-7(2) 1-6 6-4 in an epic battle lasting more than four hours.

Zhang Zhizhen later became the first Chinese man in the Open Era to win a main draw match at the French Open as Dusan Lajovic retired while down 6-1 4-1.

Two former runners-up made quite an impression in the women’s draw.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova celebrated her return to Roland Garros with a dominant win over Czech Linda Fruhvirtova after fearing for her career a year ago due to a knee problem.

The 31-year-old enjoyed her best run at a Grand Slam in the 2021 tournament when she reached he final, and skipped last year’s edition as well as the second half of the season to nurse an injury.

Sloane Stephens, runner-up in 2018, dismantled for-

Tennis - Italian Open - Foro Italico, Rome, Italy - May 21, 2023 Russia’s Daniil Medvedev poses with the trophy after winning the men’s singles final against Denmark’s Holger Rune REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

mer world number one Karolina Pliskova 6-0 6-4.

Although everything went smoothly on court for the American, she said racist abuse of players had got worse.

“Yes, it’s obviously been a problem my entire career,” said Stephens, who is Black. “It has never stopped. If anything, it’s only gotten worse.”

Former world number three Elina Svitolina celebrated a winning return to Grand Slam tennis with a 6-2 6-2 victory over Italy’s Martina Trevisan following her one-year maternity break and the Ukrainian quickly waded into a debate over the war in her country.

She said since her return to the tennis tour in April the focus had not been on the suffering of Ukrainians following Russia’s invasion last year.

“What I found is... a lot rubbish is happening around the situation where we have to focus on what the main point of what is going on,” Svitolina said when asked what she had been hearing on the tour since her comeback.

Caroline Garcia, who is carrying French hopes for a first Roland Garros singles champion since Mary Pierce in 2000, fought her way into the second round by downing China’s Wang Xiyu 7-6(4) 4-6 6-4.

It was the end of the road for Olympic champion Belinda Bencic, however, as the Swiss player lost 6-3 2-6 6-4 against lucky loser Elina Avanesyan.

Additional reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar and Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Ed Osmond and Toby Davis