This week, to finish off our lesson series on good works I've attached a sermon link and I really hope you will make time to listen
to it, with an open bible and an open heart!
The sermon is titled, "The Purpose of Your Good Deeds," it is presented by Andy Cantrell and was part of a Youth Series at Embry Hills church of
Christ in Atlanta, Georgia.
The things I would like you to focus on while you listen:
Good works are not about magnifying you, they are to magnify God!
(Matthew 5:16, Ephesians 2:8-10)
As Christians, your behaviours/actions/words directly influence what the
others perceive about God (Matthew 5:13-16)
You cannot be lukewarm! (Revelation 3:15)
You are the lens by which the world
sees God - do you increase His greatness (make Him look magnificent) or do you
decrease/minimize His greatness?
God's reputation is on the line! You represent Him to the world!
Throughout this week, if the Lord wills, take time to read and study the book of Titus! Ask God to help you "maintain good works," open
your eyes and heart to the opportunities that are all around you. Be a beautiful
representative of God!!
"...these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have
believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good
and profitable to men." (Titus 3:8 NKJV)
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live
soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed
hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave
Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for
Himself His own special people, zealous for good works." (Titus 2:11-14 NKJV)
You can do it! So can I!!
Link to listen to sermon "The Purpose of Your Good Deeds":
Good
morning! I hope you're having good days! As we continue in our Nature theme, let's consider how all creation praises the LORD and gives Him all the glory:
Psalm 148
PRAISE
the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens; Praise Him in the heights!
Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts!
Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him all you stars of light!
Praise Him, you heavens of heavens,
And you waters above the heavens!
Let them praise the name of the LORD,
For He commanded and they were created.
He also established them forever and ever;
He made a decree which shall not pass away.
Praise
the LORD from the earth,
You great sea creatures and all the depths;
Fire and hail, snow and clouds; Stormy wind, fulfilling His word;
Mountains and all hills; fruitful trees and all cedars;
Beasts and all cattle; Creeping things and flying fowl;
Kings of earth and all peoples; Princes and all judges of the earth;
Both young men and maidens; Old men and children.
Let them
praise the name of the LORD,
For His name alone is exalted;
His glory is above the earth and heaven.
He has exalted the strength of His people,
The praise of all His saints - Of the children of Israel,
A people near to Him.
Praise
the LORD! (New King James version)
This
psalm covers everything in the heavenly realm and in the earthly realm!
"Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!"
(Psalm 150:6)
Holman
Bible Dictionary defines 'praise':
"Praise
comes from a Latin word meaning “value” or “price.” Thus, to give praise to God
is to proclaim His merit or worth. Many terms are used to express this in the
Bible, including “glory,” “blessing,” “thanksgiving,” and “hallelujah,” the
last named being a transliteration of the Hebrew for “Praise the Lord.”
When we
are thankful to God, we are giving Him praise. We are acknowledging His
blessings, His majesty, and His dominion.
We are commanded through the New Testament to be thankful, to give thanks
always (1 Thessalonians 5:18). God has blessed us with a new life
through His Son, we are to proclaim, in sincere thankfulness and true appreciation, the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9)! When we open our eyes to God, His word, and the wonders of His creation our hearts should overflow with reasons to praise God, giving our lips a ready resource for declaring God's goodness to others (Acts 4:20)!
"I will bless the LORD at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make its boast in the LORD;
the humble shall hear of it and be glad.
Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
let us exalt His name together." (Psalm 34:1-3 NKJV)
Where can you begin? Read the whole of Ephesians 1 and 2 and meditate on the blessings found only in Christ! Take time to read Philippians to learn how to be thankful and full of praise in every circumstance. Step outside (or look out the window) and meditate on the plants, the trees, the animals that God created. Look at your own self, your senses, and your abilities; consider all the time God has blessed you with so far. Show true appreciation by thanking Him for all these things and by using your time, your words, and abilities to His glory!
Learn to
be thankful. Value the blessings God gives you.
Fill yourself up with gratitude for God and praise Him!
A simple song that reminds us of a vitally important part of our
daily life - giving of thanks to the Lord.
There are
33 verses throughout the Bible that include the term "give thanks." In Psalm 107 alone, it shows up 5 times in this way: "Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful
deeds for men." In every case, the thanks is directed to the Lord.
"Now
let the weak say, "I am strong""
Paul recounts his pleading three times to the Lord for a "thorn in the
flesh" to be removed, in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. Jesus answered Paul in
this way, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect
in weakness."
How does Paul respond to this?"Therefore most gladly, I
will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in
persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak then am I
strong." (NKJV)
When we wholly lean on God in our physical troubles, He shows us His strength
and upholds us and helps us. He makes us strong and able to endure!
"Let
the poor say, "I am rich""
James instructs us to not show partiality toward people. In Chapter 2, verse 5
he reminds, "Listen, my beloved brethren; has God not chosen the poor of
this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom of heaven which He
promised to those who love Him?"
"Let
the sick say, "I am whole""
Similar to the account of Paul and his physical ailment, we need to be able to
look past the temporary and see the big picture. If you are a Christian, a
child of God, you are whole. God has made you whole - spiritually. Your body
may fail, but it is only a tent/jar/vessel for your soul. Focus on keeping your
soul healthy and whole by reading, studying, and applying God's word and being
thankful to Him for the hope we have through Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10)!
"Let
the bound say, "I am free""
"For you are all sons of God though faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of
you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor
Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for
you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26-29) This neutralizes/does away with every "class" the world has ever
created to categorize/separate people - religious, social, and gender. God sees
His children. He has told us to see fellow Christians as brothers and sisters.
Equal. Joint heirs (Romans 8:16-17).
All of
these statements can be boldly declared because the Lord has provided us with strength (Ephesians 6:10-18), riches (Colossians 2:2-3, Ephesians 2:6-7), wholeness (1 Timothy 3:16-17, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 3 John 2), and freedom (Acts 2:38, Romans 6, Galatians 5:22-23, "against such there is no law")!
"The
LORD has done great things for us, and we are glad." (Psalm 126:3 NKJV)
I
encourage you to give thanks to the Lord this week - in abundance! He has blessed
us with so much, let's show appreciation for it!
"The
LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart safely trusted in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
and with my song I will praise Him."
(Psalm 28:7 NKJV)
Fill your
heart up with praise and thanksgiving and join in singing with understanding!
As we continue with the "Sing and Make Melody in Your Heart" series, the
song I have selected for this week asks us a question:
"Is
It For Me, Dear Savior?"
(by Frances R. Havergal, 1871)
Is it for
me, dear Savior, Thy glory and Thy rest,
For me, so weak and sinful? Oh, shall I be so blessed?
Chorus:
O Savior, my Redeemer, what can I but adore,
And magnify and praise Thee and love Thee evermore?
Is it for
me, Thy welcome, Thy gracious "Enter in."
For me They "Come, ye blessed", for me so full of sin?
(Chorus)
O Savior,
precious Savior, My heart is at Thy feet;
I bless Thee, and I love Thee, And Thee I long to meet.
(Chorus)
I'll be
with Thee forever, and never grieve Thee more;
Dear Savior, I must praise Thee, and love Thee evermore.
(Chorus)
This song
is written from the perspective of someone who is 'poor in spirit' (Matthew
5:3). They recognize their need for a Saviour ("me, so weak and sinful")
and with humble hearts they joyfully praise God for the gracious gift He freely gives
("...what can I but adore and magnify and praise Thee and love Thee
evermore," consider Ephesians 2:1-13).
God wants
us to recognize our need for Him. He wants us to seek Him and find Him (Acts
17:26-27), and that takes humility on our part! God wants us to humbly submit
to His will, acknowledging His love and care shown through His
commands. God does not want us to see ourselves as worthless rags, constantly
wondering if He hears our prayers or if we are worthy of His time and/or
blessings. I have heard true humility defined as, "not thinking less of
yourself, but thinking of yourself less." Humility is not berating
ourselves continually, it is thinking more of God and His goodness and giving Him all the glory for the blessings you receive!
God wants
us to joy in Him! He wants us to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our
Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). Does a plant that refuses to lift its
head toward the sun grow and flourish as it should? Lift your face to God, trust in His
love, trust in His forgiveness when you repent of your sins, trust in His
ability to help you and "make all things work together for good"
(Romans 8:28).
I
especially like that third stanza of this song:
"O Savior, precious Savior, My heart is at They feet;
I bless Thee, and I love Thee, And Thee I long to meet"
What does
it mean to "bless" God? We often think of blessed meaning "happy or joyfully content" - and it does mean that when Jesus
teaches the beatitudes in Matthew 5, but in this case, when used toward God
(ex: Ephesians 1:3), 'bless' means to "eulogize" - 'to speak
beautiful words (about).'
As
Christians, we are to bless God. Read Ephesians 1:3-14. Focus on the thought
repeated in verses 6, 12, and 14: "to
the praise and the glory of His grace" (v.6), "to the praise of His glory" (vv.12, 14). Also read and consider 1 Peter 2:9.
We are to
speak beautiful words about Him! We are to give Him praise, we are to give Him
the glory! How can we do that if we consider ourselves worthless? How can we
declare His greatness and the depths of His love, if we refuse to delve into
them ourselves?
So when
you sing this song and you wonder, "Is it for me? Is the dear Saviour's
glory and rest for me?" Let your mind and heart answer with a resounding
"YES!!! It is for me!!" And let your heart pour out its praise and
appreciation for God's love, mercy, and grace!! Let your mind and mouth fill
with beautiful words to speak about God and declare His wonderful goodness!
Good morning! As we continue in our "Singing and Making Melody in Your Heart" series, I've selected a hymn that helps us magnify God:
"I
Stand in Awe"
(Written by Mark Altrogge, 1987)
You
are beautiful beyond description,
Too marvelous for words,
Too wonderful for comprehension,
Like nothing ever seen or heard.
Who can
grasp Your infinite wisdom?
Who can fathom the depths of Your love?
You are
beautiful beyond description,
Majesty enthroned above.
And I
stand, I stand in awe of You;
I stand, I stand in awe of You;
Holy God, to whom all praise is due,
I stand in awe of You.
David
proclaims, in Psalm 33:8, "Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the
inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him."
I find
myself stuttering somewhat (in mind and mouth) when I've reached the limits of
my own vocabulary in trying to declare how wonderful God is! I feel
like David when he openly stated in Psalm 139:6, "Such knowledge is too
wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it."
How do we
comprehend God in all His glory?
Philippians
4:7 informs us that the peace of God "surpasses all understanding" -
but we can experience it! Paul's prayer for the saints in Ephesus was that they, "being rooted and
grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the
width and length and depth and height - to know the love of Christ which passes
knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:17-21). He finishes his prayer with giving praise and glory to God: "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask
or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be the glory in the
church by Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."
'the love
of Christ which passes knowledge'
'filled
with all the fullness of God'
'able to
do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think'
WOW! No
matter what lofty level of intelligence humankind can attain, God is able to do
exceedingly abundantly more than that!!
As
we grow in the Lord we begin to comprehend the glory of God and the love of
Christ. Throughout our lives we should continue to comprehend more and more
as we study and grow in our understanding of His word and in appreciation of
His gracious blessings.
Magnificent!
Majestic! All glory and praise to our glorious Father!!
Meditate
on the bible verses mentioned today and let prayer and praise flow from your heart! How
would you describe God and His glorious attributes? How do you describe
Christ's love? Share your descriptions in a comment below!
With the
words of praise in your mind, click on the link and join in singing today's
prayerful song!
"Remember
to magnify His work, of which men have sung."
We have
so much to be thankful for, don't we! As soon as we wake up in the morning, we have
already been showered with blessings: life, breath, a new day, eyesight, smell,
taste, feelings, touch... innumerable blessings!!
The song
I have selected for this week is "I Will Wake The Dawn With Praises" written
by Sarah J Fuhrman in 2001.
Dawn and
sunset, fierce and joyful,
Each reflects His mighty ways.
With the sea and sky before me,
I will give Him all my praise.
Chorus:
I will wake the dawn with praises!
I will speak His name abroad.
I will worship Him forever,
He my Lord, my only God.
Stars
will joy in praises from me;
"Lesser light" will know my voice.
When I give my God His glory,
Night will hear me and rejoice.
Shout His
glory, brothers, sisters;
Laud His name and do His will.
Like the sands upon the shoreline
Are the praises due Him still.
(Copyright
2001 Sarah J Fuhrman and Glenda B Schales)
In the
book of Psalms, David declared, "I will awaken the dawn. I will praise You, O LORD, among the peoples; I will sing to You among the
nations. For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens, and Your truth unto the
clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be above all the
earth."(Psalm 57:8-11 and 108:1-5)
To meet
each new day with a heart that is "steadfast" (Psalm 57:7 and 108:1),
whose constancy is in its gratitude for the Lord.
To approach each new day
with ready thanksgiving for the blessings you have received upon waking, the
blessings you have received that have brought you to this day, and the blessings
you trust to receive as you go through your day because you wholly
trust in God's promises for help, care, love, and provision.
To want to wake
even before the day has started to declare God's greatness, thank Him, and give
Him the glory due His name
What a beautiful way to begin any day!!
Pause and
thank God each day for as many blessings as you can list. May you praise Him for
His abiding love and glory and sing this song with love and understanding!
It's time for a new series of study: "Sing and Make Melody In Your Heart"
I've been
thinking of this for a little while now and thought, as we near Spring, it would be a great time
to run with it!
This week I chose a hymn of praise that happens to be one of
my earliest remembered favourites: "Holy,
Holy, Holy" written by Reginald Heber in 1826. This hymn is based on
the scene and song mentioned in the fourth chapter of the book of Revelation,
this song is one of beautiful praise to the "LORD God Almighty."
Holy,
holy, holy! LORD God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty!
God over all and blest eternally.
Holy,
holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee,
Casting downs their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Who wert and art, and ever more shalt be.
Holy,
holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful men Thy glory may not see;
Only Thou art holy, there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in pow'r, in love, and purity.
Holy,
holy, holy! LORD God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty!
God over all and blest eternally.
(As found
in the hymnal, "Psalms, Hymns, And Spiritual
In
Revelation 4:8 the four living creatures "do not rest day or night,
saying, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to
come!" and when the four living creatures give "glory and honour and
thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever" the
twenty-four elders "fall down before Him who sits on the throne and
worship Him who lives forever and ever" they cast their crowns before the
throne saying, "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and
power; for You created all things and by Your will they exist and were
created."
Read the
whole of Revelation chapter 4. Take the time to meditate on the beauty
described within that scene of praise and honour and glory! Take note of the
jewel-like description of the One who sits on the throne. Take note of the
rainbow around the throne, "like an emerald." The "sea of glass,
like crystal" that spreads out before the throne of God. It's
breath-taking!!
Pause for
a moment and think on Revelation 4. Picture it in your mind. Isn't it
wonderful? Now, sing this hymn of praise ~ I've attached a link, if you are in
need of the tune!
If the Lord wills, bring the
scene in Revelation 4 to your mind each day this week. Let the tune of this melody
flow through your heart as you consider the worthiness of God to receive glory
and honour and praise-filled thanksgiving!! Magnify Him in your heart as tune
your lips to sing His praise!
As we have worked to increase our FEELING of gratitude and
EXPRESSING gratitude to God, we have found wonderful words to describe God in
our thoughts and prayers, multiple reasons to be continually thankful to God,
and today I would like you to take time to truly think on these things:
Through Christ, YOU ARE:
Loved by God (John 3:16)
Called By the Gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14)
Saved By Grace Through Faith (Ephesians 2:1-10)
Delivered From the Power of Darkness (Colossians 1:12-14, 1
Peter 2:9)
Redeemed From the Hands of the Enemy (Psalm 107:2, Titus
2:11-14)
Forgiven (Colossians 1:12-14)
Created in His Image (Genesis 1:29, Romans 8:29)
A Child of God (1 John 3:1-3, John 1:12-13, 2 Corinthians
6:17-18)
A Dear Child (Ephesian 5:1)
A Child of Light (Ephesians 5:2)
An Heir of God and Joint Heir With Christ (Romans 8:17)
A Part of God’s Household of Faith (Galatians 6:10)
Partakers of the Divine Nature (2 Peter 1:4)
Elect of God (Colossians 3:12)
An Imitator of God (Ephesians 5:1)
Being Completed and Complete (Colossians 2:10, Philippians
1:6)
Heard (Psalm 34, Philippians 4:6-7, Hebrews 4:14-16, 1 John 1:9)
Able (2 Corinthians 9:6-11, Ephesians 2:10)
More Than A Conqueror (Romans 8:37)
Will Be Rewarded (Hebrews 11:6, 1 Peter 1:3-9, Romans
8:18, 28)
“’Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His, and give
thanks at the remembrance of His holy name…O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.” (Psalm 30:4, 12 NKJV)
Spend time in considering ALL THAT YOUR ARE in Christ, let
your heart feel the intensity of these wonderful blessings, let your lips speak
praise to God in thankfulness for His generosity! FEEL it, SAY it!! God is
worthy!!
“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts
with praise, be thankful to Him, and bless His name.” (Psalm 100:4 NKJV)
We have been learning how to FEEL gratitude for the things
we have been blessed with, our next step is to SAY thank you and express
gratitude to God for His lovingkindness and provision.
Through Christ we have been granted the opportunity to “come
boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help
in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). It makes sense then, that as we proceed to
God’s “throne of grace,” that we first“enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
and into His courts with praise”! Jesus taught His disciples (and us) how to
pray in Matthew 6:9-13, showing that prayer should begin (and end) with praise,
acknowledging God as holy and awesome.
I mentioned before in older posts that the word "bless" and "blessed" when used in reference to God and His name means "to speak beautiful
words about."So, going back to Psalm 100:4, we are to “be thankful to Him, and
[speak beautiful words about] His name.” It’s the perfect beginning point!
Sit down for a moment today and prepare your heart to
approach God’s throne. Imagine yourself entering His gates with thanksgiving
(think of at least three things you can thank Him for), now imagine yourself
continuing into His courts with praise (think of at least three things you can
praise Him for), and now as you approach His throne of grace, be thankful to
Him, and speak these beautiful words to Him! Let Him know that you know, that
you are aware and appreciative of His provision, and that you are happy to be
His child!
God is worthy of ALL praise and ALL thanksgiving!! The
blessings we receive from Him always outweigh our troubles! Tell Him today that
you are grateful for His generous gifts of love and care!
From wherever you are right now – BEGIN!
Photo Credit belongs to Chadwick Brewer. Used with Permission.
We are learning the importance of teaching ourselves to FEEL
grateful. God grants us such abundance each day and He simply wants us to
acknowledge His generosity and receive it with gratitude, thanksgiving, and
praise.
If you are still struggling with feeling grateful, I would
like you to consider these seven points that I have adapted from an online
article (by Debbie McDaniel, Fresh Day Ahead), and I have also added verses for
each point.
THE POWER OF A GRATEFUL HEART - SEVEN THINGS IT CAN DO:
It gets our eyes off ourselves, and helps us to
focus on God (Galatians 2:20, Luke 9:23)
It reminds us we’re not in control, but we serve
a Mighty God who is. It keeps us in a place of humility and dependency on Him,
as we recognize how much we need Him (Psalm 16:8; 113:1-9; 121:1-2; 147:4-5,
Ephesians 2:1-10, 1 Peter 5:6)
It takes our attention off of our problems and
helps us, instead, to reflect on and remember the goodness of His many
blessings; it helps us to recognize we have so much to be thankful for (Psalm 68:19, Lamentations 3:22-23, 1 Peter
5:7)
It reminds us that God is the Giver of all good
gifts. We are never intended to be fully self-sufficient in this life. [Even
Solomon in all his glory, with all his wealth, still desperately needed God!] A
grateful heart reminds us that ultimately God is our Provider, that all
blessings and gifts are graciously given to us by His hand (Acts 17:25, Matthew
6:8, 11, 25-34; 7:7-11)
A heart of gratitude leaves no room for
complaining; for it is impossible to be truly thankful and be filled with
negativity and ungratefulness at the same time (1 Corinthians 10:7-12,
Philippians 2:14-15, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
It makes the enemy flee.Our praises and thanksgiving will guard us
from darkness (Colossian 4:2, Philippians 4:4-8, 1 Peter 5:8-9)
It allows our spirit to be refreshed and renewed
in Him. God loves to give good gifts to His children. He delightsin our thankfulness and blesses those who
give honour and gratitude to Him (Isaiah 30:18; 40:28-31, 2 Corinthians 4:16, Philippians
4:6-7, Colossians 2:6-7)
We, as Christians, get to be called “the children of God”!!
He has granted us abundant blesses both physically and spiritually!! We have
hope beyond this life if we work at purifying our hearts through gratitude and
thanksgiving (1 John 3:1-3)! Heaven is worth every effort!!
"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear." (Hebrews 12:28 NKJV)
As we continue our series in taking a close and honest look at passages so we can make be sure we are doing what God has commanded, let's take time this week to consider Ephesians 6:11-18:
"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in
the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the
breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of
the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will
be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the
word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,
being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints..." (NKJV)
Do you wear the whole armour? Are you familiar with each piece and know how it
protects you? God wants us to put on the "whole armour" He has given us. Why?Does God want us to be burdened? Not at all! He wants us to put on His whole armor so that we "may stand against the wiles of the devil" and "withstand in the evil day".
Let's take a closer look at God's armor and better understand the benefits of putting it on each day:
Your heart is protected
when you put on thebreastplate of righteousness (living right before
God, 1 John 2:28-3:8)
The very core of your
being is guarded when you wrap your waist with truth (2 Timothy 2:15,
John 8:31-32; 14:6)
Your walk is secured
with the preparation of the gospel of peace (Ephesians 2:14-18; 4:1-3)
You are shielded with
faith and able to extinguish the devil's attempts to harm you (Ephesians
6:16, 1 Peter 5:8-9, 1 John 5:4-5)
Your mind is
safeguarded with thehelmet of salvation, as you meditate on God's
glorious grace and His abundant blessings while pressing toward the goal.
Meditating on these things also allows you readiness to talk about your
hope through Jesus (Titus 2:11-14, Philippians 3:12-15, 1 Peter 3:15)
You can defend yourself
with God's word, the sword of the Spirit. When you study God's word and wholly obey it, you will do
all that is good and profitable and no one will be able to bring an
accusation against you (1 Peter 2:11-12; 3:15-17)
Put these pieces of armor each and every day you are blessed with! Prove them and test them by using them! Know how they work, learn how they can help you!
Now, when you wake each day and put on every piece, pray! "Praying always with all prayers and supplication in the Spirit (according to God's word) being watchful to this end with all perseverance (constant
determination) and supplication (asking for supplies/needs/help) for all the
saints." Pray not only for your own strength to stand and withstand but also for your
fellow Christians strength to stand and withstand!! We're all in this together (Galatians 6:1-2)!
Prepare yourselves and bravely stand for Christ! It's worth every effort!!
Good
morning!! Today is another opportunity to prove to the world that doing God's
will really is the best way to thrive!! Consider these verses as you go about
your day:
"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)
“I
will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My
soul shall makes its boast in the LORD; the humble shall hear of it and be
glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us
exalt His name together.” (Psalm 34:1-3 NKJV)
When
we magnify God we declare His greatness! What
descriptive words come to mind when you think of God?
Sanctify
God in Your Hearts - Determine to seek God with your whole heart, your whole soul,
and your whole mind (Matthew 22:37, 1
Peter 3:15). Renew this determination every day!
Read
His Word - How can we know God without reading His Word? Dig in! (Psalm 119:11-16, 17-18)
Pray
- Get comfortable communicating with Him! Never give up on prayer! (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
Grow
Your Gratitude - The more you tune your focus to appreciating the blessings you receive
from God, the more likely you are be able to say, “His praise shall continually be
in my mouth.” (Psalm 34:1, I
Thessalonians 5:18)
Bear
the Fruit of the Spirit - Our actions indicate who we
belong to. If we bear the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), everyone will know we belong to God (John 15:1-8, 1 Peter 2:11-12)!
Make
Mention of Him - If our heart is filled with God’s Word, if we talk with Him
daily, are thankful for everything, and we are bearing fruit, the natural
outgrowth will be to declare His greatness to others! “...For out of the abundance of
the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke
6:45). People you interact with are bound to ask you about your positive
and patient attitude, your loving and helpful nature, and your firm faith (1 Peter 3:15). Give God the glory!!
Magnify His greatness!
God
is worthy of our praise! God’s greatness is worthy to be magnified!! What can you do today that will allow you,
like Mary, to say,“My soul magnifies the Lord” (Luke 1:46)? Magnify Him today!!
