Give Thanks

Well, it is no surprise that this time of year has us evaluating our lives and what we have to be thankful for. This year has been difficult for many. The economy is bad, tragedies have struck, lives have been forever changed. But please be encouraged…our God is the same as he was in the roaring 20’s, the boom of the 80’s, the day you married the love of your life, the day you welcomed your babies into the world. He is still there and He still reigns! Remember that this world is not our home. And the things we possess or don’t possess are just “stuff.” With each trial comes opportunity for growth and for the power of God to be made perfect in us! That is why we are told to rejoice in trial! Anyone can be happy when all is well. But a person who can stand under tremendous pain, loss, and struggle and boldly say, “God is in control, and I will rejoice in Him.” is a person who can make a tremendous impact for the kingdom.

Christ told us we would have tough times. But He also told us He has overcome this world! It doesn’t mean that bad things won’t happen to us, but it does mean they can’t rob us of the power and joy and peace that He has placed in our hearts. The world, the enemy, can only take from us what we allow it to. So stand firm. Be bold. And decide that what Satan intends for evil God will use for good!

Now, I know we are not all going through tough times, but let those who aren’t encourage and intercede for those who are. Let us remember as we take an inventory of what we can be thankful for this year to start with the gift of salvation and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Please take a minute to read the passages below and just take some time to sit a while with your Father this Thanksgiving.

1 Thes 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

James 1:2-12 “Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. ³Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. ⁴But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing. ⁵If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of ^[a]the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him. ⁶Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind. ⁷For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from the Lord, ⁸[For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides]. ⁹Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his elevation [as a Christian, called to the true riches and to be an heir of God], ¹⁰And the rich [person ought to glory] in being humbled [by being shown his human frailty], because like the flower of the grass he will pass away. ¹¹For the sun comes up with a scorching heat and parches the grass; its flower falls off and its beauty fades away. Even so will the rich man wither and die in the midst of his pursuits. ¹²Blessed (happy, ^[b]to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor's] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.

1 Cor 10:13 “For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not ^[a]adjusted and ^[b]adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to ^[c]a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.”

Faith Vs. Worry

Well, for those who haven’t yet heard…we are expecting a precious new addition to our family in the spring! J I’ll be 4 months on Tuesday and all is going well. God is so good! (Please join us in praying for a healthy baby and a routine, full term pregnancy.)

I have a peace about this pregnancy, and am believing God for this fulfillment of a promise, this restoration of what we lost. But having lost the last baby, there are days when worry begins to creep in for no good reason, and I have to work overtime to take every thought captive. (2 Cor. 10:5) Yesterday was one of those days.

I was in the kitchen doing some cooking and cleaning and my mind was going round and round. I was earnestly trying to not worry, but it was a battle. Then, the Lord spoke to my spirit and this phrase came to my mind, “Your worry can accomplish nothing. Your faith can move mountains!” WOW! I instantly went to write it down. It is so amazing when God gives you one of those “moments of awe.”

I hope that you will take this phrase with you this week and into the rest of your days as I hope to do. Write it down somewhere where you will see it often. This phrase is yet another example of how the Truth can set you free!

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:6-8 (AMP)

“…Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Reasons to Relax: #10

Reason #10 – If you are continually in His Word you will grow!

And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you--and more [besides] will be given to you who hear.” Mark 4:24 (AMP)

I love this promise. And I may have already blogged about it, but it bears repeating. Christ himself was perhaps the first to implement the “You get out of it what you put into it” policy. Only, in true God-like fashion, he went a step beyond and promised that not only would we get out of it what we put into it, but even more, because that’s just the kind of God He is. J

I know that many times in my journey I have been shown a new weakness (not new as in recently occurring, but new as in recently brought to my attention) and in my disgust I have grown impatient to see the desired change in myself on my time-table. In other instances I have had questions plague my mind, things I just don’t get. (Often times non-believers think they are the only ones who have questions and doubts, but as humans, especially my fellow analytical reasoners, questions are just part of it.) In times such as these I can find wonderful peace and guidance in scriptures like Mark 4:24, John 14:26 and James 4:8.  

Just remember, God is not trying to hide Himself from you. He delights in a growing relationship with you and He promises that “you will find Him when you seek Him with your whole heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13) So keep on keeping on and remember, the growth comes in the journey not only in reaching the destination.