Amos 5:21 “I hate, I despise your feast days, and I do not savour your sacred assemblies.

I used to hate coming home and smelling tripe being cooked; to me it was a smell that turned my stomach and not one that encouraged me to eat!

Just as we really do hate some smells, God does not like what we bring to Him unless we are bringing it from our hearts.

If we do it just because that is what has been done before, we may as well offer tripe instead of a nice joint.

God would rather we gave less, but more quality and with more love and feeling than give bucket loads of rubbish!

Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

Children copy us. Don’t ever think that children don’t see what we do, hear what we say and take it all in. If there is one thing that I have learned as a youth leader is that children imitate!

God wants us to be more like children in that respect, picking up the righteous things He has shown us and copying them; not picking up what the world does but what He does.

Being imitators of the world will only get us into trouble and not into Christ’s arms. Be more of a sweet aroma and a sour stink to the people around you!

John 13:15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.

When you get yourself settled into a position of authority or power, one of the hardest things to do is to throw all of that authority and power away and become like a servant again.

We tend to keep hold of the blessing we gain and not share them with others. We tend to take and not give back.

But when we acts as a servant, following how Christ was willing to wash His disciples’ feet, we then give the love back into the world that we take out.

Love is two way, but must start from you to be effective.