Flourish in Giving Thanks to God

    God, through the apostle Paul, tells us that we are to use our words for good, specifically for giving of thanks (read and consider Ephesians 5:1-4), and we are instructed to give thanks always for all things (Ephesians 5:19-20) and in everything (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18), so it is certainly an area of giving in which we need to be flourishing!

“…in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV)

    What can we give thanks for?

    A beginning place is thanking God daily for “life, breath, and all things” (Acts 17:25) because He is our Creator, Sustainer, and our faithful loving Father, but I think it is important to always work toward thanking God (and praising Him) for specific things. When we think about specifics we are developing a real gratitude for His wondrous blessings, and we are tuning our eyes to see them and preparing our hearts to give thanks to Him for each one of them!

“I will praise the name of God with a song, and I will magnify Him with thanksgiving.” (Psalm 69:30 NKJV)

Give Thanks to God For His Provision

    For His spiritual provision:

    God daily loads us with benefits, namely our salvation (Psalm 68:19)! Read and think on John 3:16-17, 1 John 4:9-10 and give thanks to God for qualifying us “to be partakers of the inheritance,” for delivering us, conveying us, redeeming us, and forgiving us (Colossians 1:12-14, also read Ephesians 1:3-23). Don’t limit your consideration and giving of thanks for Jesus’ sacrifice to just Sunday when you gather with the church to take communion (the Lord’s Supper), think about it and learn to appreciate it even more each day. Let your heart declare: “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57), “Thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:14), and “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15)

    For His physical provision:

    God grants us ability to work and obtain an income (Deuteronomy 8:18) – have you thanked Him yet today for your job and your ability to do it?  Read and consider Matthew 6:25-34. God provides us with food, drink, and clothing when we determine to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. We are often taught as children to thank God for our meals, and most of us still purposefully pray in thanksgiving for our food, but how often do we pause in our closets and thank Him for our clothing? It’s another way to allow our thanksgiving to flourish!

    For His help in times of trouble:

    God is the Father of mercies and God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-4), and He grants us access to “come boldly to the throne of grace” – at any time, as many times as needed – “to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:15). He also wants to provide us with His peace – peace that guards our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus – all He asks of us is to give Him all our anxieties, make our requests known to Him through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6-7). We may be frequent in our asking for His help but do we follow up each help with a prayer of thanks?

Give Thanks to God For Our Brethren

    Paul provided us with many examples of proclaiming thanks to God for his brothers and sisters in Christ:

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you with joy…” (Philippians 1:3-4)

“We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all the saints…” (Colossians 1:3-4)

“We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers…” (1 Thessalonians 1:2)

“We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other…” (2 Thessalonians 1:3)

    See also 2 Timothy 1:3 and Philemon 4-5

    Have you given thanks to God for your brethren? They too are a provision from God – who help us in our walk (2 Timothy 2:22)!

Give Thanks to God For All People And Those in Authority

    God gives us clear instruction in how to speak about “all men, for kings and all who are in authority,” – this includes MPs, MPPs, Prime Ministers, Governor-Generals, Senators, Governors, Members of Congress, Vice Presidents, Presidents, and those campaigning for these positions – we are to make supplications (fervent, heartfelt pleas), intercessions (pray on their behalf), and giving of thanks for all of them. We, who know God, who know of His power and ability, who know of His goodness and love, are to be praying for these men and women – fervently, diligently, humbly, imploringly and thankfully! They too are a provision from God (read and think on Romans 13:1-7)!

Give Thanks to God Continually With Praise:

    Whatever we do in word or deed, we are to do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, and we are to give thanks to the Father through Him (Colossians 3:17) – thanking God for life, ability, mobility, His blessings (health, nourishment, clothing, our senses, transportation), His grace (forgiveness, His word to guide us, His help, etc.), and for opportunities to do good (Ephesians 2:10, Galatians 6:9-10, Titus 3:14).

“Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” (Hebrews 13:15 NKJV)

• If you awoke to this day – give thanks to God!
• If you have heard the gospel and obeyed it – give thanks to God!
• If you have obeyed God’s commands and discovered His wisdom in providing those instructions – give thanks to God!
• If you had food to eat, water to drink, and clothing to wear - give thanks to God!
• If you see His goodness in your day (Matthew 5:16) – give thanks to God!
• If you have been helped by your brethren – give thanks to God!
• If you were able to help another person – give thanks to God!
• If you have asked Him for help and been helped – give thanks to God!
• If you live in a country that has laws for your safety – give thanks to God!

    Give thanks to God often and always! Be specific – it will help you to remember and appreciate all that God has done, all that He continues to do, and all that He promises to do! Are you ready to flourish in giving? Give thanks to God!

You can do it! So can I!!

Flourish Even More in 2024 in Giving

    If the Lord wills, over the next few weeks I would like to dig into a study about giving, so we can flourish even more in it! God generously gives us all things (1 Timothy 6:17-19, James 1:5), and He does this so that we can give to others (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, 9:8)!

    How do we cultivate a generous, giving heart? I think we must first give ourselves to God. We need to know and trust God and His word, only then can we be imitators of God (Ephesians 5:1), and be generous, like He is, in all good things.

    Jesus said, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever cannot bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple… whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:26-27, 33)  

    We cannot let our parents ideas of what is right, our siblings notions of goodness, nor our own feelings come before serving God and obeying His word; even if it’s what our parents “have always done,” even if our siblings now call us a stick in the mud, and especially if we’re beginning to think we’ve already done enough/learned enough to be “okay.” As true Christians, we are part of the kingdom of God and Jesus Christ is our King (1 Timothy 6:13-16), are you willing to give up all other rule and authority in your life to follow Him in His way? Take time to read and consider 1 John 2:3-6.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2 NKJV)  

    God does not ask too much of us when He commands us to sacrifice our own notions, ideas, and desires so that we can be transformed into a new person created in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:17-24). Giving ourselves to Him, allowing His instructions and commands to transform us (so we no longer look, sound, nor act like the world), is the only way to prove to both ourselves and others around us that God’s will is good and acceptable and perfect!

    When we give ourselves to God we do not let anyone’s opinion sway us – no matter if they be family, friend, or self – we will compare words with God’s word; if what is said does not align with what God has said, we stick with God – we submit to Him, Our Creator and Father, not to the person in error. It will not be easy, but it will be worth it. What God commands us to give up is minuscule in comparison to what He gives us in return (Psalm 68:19, Romans 8:18, 2 Corinthians 4:17)!

    Please open your Bible and take time to think on these passages: Galatians 2:20, Matthew 16:24-27/Luke 9:23-26, and Romans 1:16-17   

“Therefore since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.” (1 Peter 4:1-2 NKJV)

    Are you ready to flourish in giving? God asks us to first give ourselves to Him, that we may do His will and be proof that it is worthy of doing! God is faithful and His promises are true! Trust His word – it is only ever for your good – obey His commands and give yourself wholly to Him!

You can do it! So can I!!

Flourishing in Peace - The Faithful Will Find Peace

“Mark the blameless man, observe the upright; for the future of that man is peace.” (Psalm 37:37 NKJV)

    Have you considered that fact that you can be at peace knowing that one day you will be at peace? This is not a “fake it ‘til you make it” idea, quite the opposite. Fully trusting in God, believing that no matter what you are going through, He will strengthen you and help you every step of the way, brings peace.

    My Mom had a phrase that became synonymous with her: “This too shall pass.” I know now that it was said as a reminder to both herself and the person she was speaking with to ‘be at peace, and trust that peace will come.’

    David wrote these words to show that those who are blameless in God’s sight, who walk uprightly in humble obedience, they will find peace. He closes this psalm with even more peace-providing facts for the righteous:

“…the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the LORD shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him.” (Psalm 37:39-40 NKJV)

    These verses remind me of the praise Peter offered to God in 1 Peter 1:3-9, please take the time to read this passage. Our faith is proven and our trust is fortified through various trials and in the end, salvation!

“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good, blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (Psalm 34:8 NKJV)

    Are you ready to feel at peace while you wait for peace to come? Dig into God’s word – start with the Psalms (31, 34, 40, are all good psalms to meditate on!), read the letter to the Ephesians – fill your mind with all the good God has done, all the blessings He continues to provide, all the promises of help and hope He has promised to those who love Him and faithfully serve Him! 

    Let your peace of mind, your “this too shall pass” mindset, be an example to those who are searching for hope and peace. Point them to God and His way, show them how to lead an upright and blameless life before Him, show them how to walk in peace, fully trusting our glorious God and Father to fulfill all that He has promised!

You can flourish in peace! God will provide! Trust Him and remain faithful to His way!

You can do it! So can I!!