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!!

Nature Praises God - So Should We!

    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!

Praise the LORD! 

You can do it! So can I!!

Sing and Make Melody - Give Thanks With a Grateful Heart

    This week let's think on a simple song of praise:

"Give Thanks With a Grateful Heart"

(written by Henry Smith, 1978)

Give thanks with a grateful heart;

Give thanks to the Holy One;

Give thanks because He's given

Jesus Christ, His Son.

(Repeat)

And now let the weak say, "I am strong",

Let the poor say, "I am rich",

Because of what the Lord has done for us.

And now let the sick say, "I am whole",

Let the bound say, "I am free",

Because of what the Lord has done for us.

Give thanks (give thanks),

give thanks (give thanks),

give thanks!

    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!

You can do it! So can I!! 

Link to hymn:

Sing and Make Melody - Is It For Me, Dear Saviour?

    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! 

You can do it! So can I!!

Link to hymn:

Sing and Make Melody - I Will Wake The Dawn With Praises

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! 

You can do it! So can I!!

Ways to SHOW God Your Gratitude

    How do you SHOW God gratitude and thankfulness for what He has provided to you this day?

    Well, He has blessed you with today, use it to His glory!

• Work joyfully! In whatever you do, “do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men” (Colossians 3:23)!
• You are loved by Him, be loving (Ephesians 5:1-2)!
• You are forgiven, be forgiving (Colossians 3:13)!
• You can speak, choose your words wisely (James 3:9-10, Ephesian 4:29)!
• You can see and feel, do what you can to help others (Galatians 6:1-2, 6-10)!
• You live in God’s light, reflect it into the darkness (Romans 13:11-14, Matthew 5:14-16)!
• God shares His abundance with you, be generous to others (2 Corinthians 9:6-11)!
• God cares for you, care for others (1 Peter 5:7, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
• God is faithful, TRUST HIM (Psalm 31:14,19, 33:4-5, Hebrews 11:6, 2 Thessalonians 3:3)!
• You have hope, live in hope (Hebrews 6:17-19, 2 Timothy 4:8, 1 Peter 1:3-9)!
• You have freewill, behave like a Christian (Ephesians 5, Romans 12)!

    SHOW God that you appreciate the benefits He daily loads on you (Psalm 68:19) – use all your blessings to bring glory to Him! Behave in such a way that “God is not ashamed to be called [your] God” (Hebrews 11:16)!

    How can you keep a grateful mindset that helps you to FEEL gratitude, discover more and more reasons to SAY 'thank you' to God, and gives you more opportunities to SHOW God that you are full of appreciation for His abundant blessings?

“Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth…” (Colossians 3:1-2, keep reading the whole chapter, it’s great!!)

From wherever you are right now – BEGIN! 

Learning to SHOW Gratitude

    Over the past several weeks we have been looking at “The Three Thank You's” and how they will help us develop proper gratitude.  First, we should FEEL thankful, second, we should SAY thank you, and third, we should SHOW how thankful we are. 

    We have already studied the first two, so this week let’s consider how to SHOW gratitude toward our heavenly Father.

    When you have planned for the perfect gift, you have made sacrifices in order for the recipient to have it, you have put so much thought into it and worked tirelessly in putting it together and wrapping it. It seems like you’ve been you’ve been looking forward to giving it since forever and when you finally do, the recipient is happy and excited by the gift – it makes your heart overflow! But a few months later you visit them and see your gift still sitting in the box on the floor, gathering dust… now how do you feel?

    We can often do the same to God. We may in the moment of receiving a gift/blessing FEEL thankful and we may even say ‘Thank You’, but do we always SHOW God how grateful we are by using that blessing for His glory?

    Grab a Bible and turn to Ephesians 5; I would like you to think on three points from this chapter that will help us do better in SHOWING gratitude to God.

WALK IN LOVE   (Ephesians 5:1-7)

    God has given us the gift of love. He loved us SO much that He gave us His Son. He continues to show us love through His mercy, grace, help, comfort, and forgiveness. We SHOW appreciation and gratitude for this gift by walking in love, just as Christ did, showing love toward God the Father and all people. We deny self (along with our selfish lusts and desires) and instead imitate
God. SHOW God that you appreciate His love by learning from it how best to love others!

WALK IN LIGHT (Ephesians 5:8-10)

    God has given us the gift of light. We were once in darkness (sin) but now we are “light in the Lord” (v.8, see also 1 Peter 2:9). In His light we see, we can know His way, we can find out what is acceptable to the Lord. How do we show that we appreciate the light He has brought us into? By walking as children of light! We learn, we obey, we grow, and we guide others toward God’s light by reflecting His light in our day-to-day tasks and interactions!

WALK IN WISDOM (Ephesians 5:15-17)

    God gives us the gift of today. How do we show appreciation and gratitude for today? By using it wisely; walking in wisdom. We do that by first understanding what the will of the Lord is (v17) and then asking Him for wisdom, which He gives generously (James 1:5). Walking in wisdom involves being careful of our words and actions (Ephesians 4:29) and looking for opportunities to do good works (see Titus 3:8,14), which keeps us walking in love and as children of light!

    Are you ready to SHOW God how much you appreciate His gifts and blessings? USE THEM!! See their amazing value by using them as God desires! Show gratitude today by imitating Him in love, basking in and reflecting His light, and being wise and careful in all that you do so as not to hinder His light and love!

From wherever you are right now – BEGIN! 

You can do it! So can I!!

Gratitude For What You Are in Christ

    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!!

From wherever you are right now, BEGIN!

You can do it! So can I!!

Gratitude For God's Blessings

Last week we looked at words that we can use to describe the goodness and majesty of God, this week I would like to begin a list of the things we can be thankful for, so that our eyes are opened to the benefits God gives us daily (Psalm 68:19):

• His lovingkindness (Psalm 92:1-2, Ephesians 2:1-10)
• His faithfulness (Psalm 89:1-2, 2 Thessalonians 3:3)
• His enduring mercy (Psalm 107:1)
• His goodness (Psalm 135:3)
• His generosity that allows us to be generous (2 Corinthians 9:6-11, 1 Timothy 6:17-19)
• For hearing our prayers (Psalm 116:1-2, Psalm 34, 1 John 1:9)

Side Thought: Consider the joy of Abraham’s servant, who, as soon as he realized it, proclaimed God’s goodness in answering his prayer (Genesis 24:12-27, 48). Do you stop and thank God when you realize the same?

• Hope in heaven (Hebrews 6:17-20, 1 Peter 1:3-9)
• Salvation through Christ (John 3:16-17, Romans 5:6-11)
• Protection from the devil (Ephesians 6:16, James 4:7)
• Forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38, 1 John 1:9)
• Help in time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16, Philippians 4:6-7, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
• All God’s wonderful deeds (Psalm 9:1)
• All spiritual blessings in Christ (Ephesians 1:3-14)
• Senses: ability to see, touch, taste, hear, smell (Psalm 139:14, Proverbs 20:12, Psalm 34:8)
• Life, breath, and all things (Acts 17:25)
• Ability to earn money (Deuteronomy 8:18)
• Abilities/talents/stewardship (1 Peter 4:10-11)
• Family/children (Psalm 127:3)
• Husband (Proverbs 31:11-12, 28)
• Church family (Philippians 1:3-5)
• House/Residence (Isaiah 32:18, Proverbs 3:33)
• Daily provision: Food/Drink/Clothing (Matthew 6:8, 25-34)
• Government/All Men (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

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

"What if you awoke this morning with only the things you were thankful for yesterday?" Think on that for a moment; it's a good thought to consider and it should motivate us to open our eyes even more to God's wondrous blessings! Let this list - and all that you can add to it - help you to SAY thank you to God, to express your gratitude to Him, for all He has done and continues to do! May our praise and thanksgiving rise up to Him daily as a sweet aroma (Revelation 5:8)!

You can do it! So can I!! 

Learning to Express Gratitude

“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.

  

Give Thanks to God EVERY Day!

    This week, each day you are blessed with this week, take time to pause and say thank you to the Lord.

• When you wake up - thank Him for watching over you through the night; thank Him and praise Him for His lovingkindness in bringing you into a new day (Psalm 92:1-2)
• When you pick up your Bible to read - thank God for preparing and preserving His Word so you can have your own copy to read it anytime, anywhere. Thank Him for your ability to gain knowledge, comfort, and strength from reading and study (2 Timothy 2:16-17, Romans 15:4).
• When you get up and walk from one place/room to another - thank Him for your health and your ability to move (Acts 17:28).
• When you get in your car and drive from one place to another - thank Him for your prosperity (Deuteronomy 8:18a).
• When you take a forkful/spoonful/handful of food - thank Him for the abundance (Psalm 136:23-26). 
• When you step outside and feel the searing heat or the pelt of raindrops - thank Him for shelter (Isaiah 32:18-19). 
• When you have a negative interaction with a friend/co-worker - thank Him for giving you trials to strengthen you and opportunity to apply His instruction (1 Corinthians 15:58; 16:13-14, Matthew 5:11-16). 
• When you have positive interaction with a friend/co-worker - thank Him for the joys that give buoyancy to your spirit (Proverbs 16:24). 
• When your husband/kids ask (or you ask yourself), 'What's for dinner?' for what feels like one too many times - thank Him for your spouse, your children, and your ability to prepare a meal for them (Proverbs 31:15, 26-31).
• When you clean your house and do the dishes - thank God for the abundant stewardship He has granted you and the ability to fulfill it (Luke 16:10a, Proverbs 11:13, also consider 1 Timothy 6:17-19, 1 Peter 4:9)
• When you finish your day and you bow your head in prayer - thank God for His faithfulness (Psalm 92:1-2). He was there every moment you needed Him, His help and HIs promises remained true the whole day! Thank Him, praise Him, and then thank Him all the more!!  

    Thank God today, for each and every thing that you do today and again each day this week! See how that changes your day, your week. See how that helps your perspective. See how that helps you reflect God's light each day!

You can do it! So can I!!

~ Photo credit belongs to Meagan Fairchild ~

Thankful For God's Faithfulness

    Have you considered God's faithfulness? Have you thanked Him for His constancy? Have you praised Him for being your Rock?

    GOD IS THE ONLY CONSTANT in this temporal life!

    I encourage you to read the whole of Psalm 139, but right now please consider these statements selected from that psalm:

    "O LORD, You have searched me and known me, You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off, You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.... Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?... Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well... How precious also are your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You...."

    God is ALWAYS. God is FOREVER ALWAYS.

• Thank Him today for His faithfulness - it never fails! (Psalm 36:5-7)
• Thank Him for the truth of His promises - they are real! (Psalm 18:30)
• Thank Him for the readiness of His help - it is constant! (Hebrews 4:16, Acts 17:27)
• Thank Him for being the only true source of help and encouragement - help and encouragement from an untainted source! The help you receive from the Lord is pure and holy! The guidance you receive from His word is pure and peaceable! (James 3:17) 

    With that in mind, please consider this:

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV)

• 'Trust in the LORD with ALL your heart' - Trust Him! Do things His way and see how blessed your days become!!
• 'Do not lean on your own understanding' - we only know part of the story, we don't have the complete understanding of all things as God does. Do not think that you know better than God - that is an impossibility! Simply understand that you don't know (and don't always need to know) the whole of any situation, but God does know the whole and he asks you to submit in trust to Him!
• 'In all your ways, acknowledge God' - thank Him for His care, His help, your hope. Thank Him!! Acknowledge His provision - life, breath and all things! (Acts 17:25)
• 'He will make your paths straight' - God's way is the best way. You have heard me say this time and time again, but it is true! When we envision the path to God there are many opportunities (provided by the world) to tempt us to step off the path, but when we truly acknowledge God as our Rock, our Provider, and our Salvation, the desire to step off the path is minimal to non-existent! (James 4:8)

Thank God today!! Thank Him for His constancy! Thank Him for His care! Thank Him for His instruction and guidance!

"It is good to give thanks to the Lord, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night..." (Psalm 92:1-2 NKJV)

Thankful For The Men in the Church

    We've been blessed with another new day - let's use some it in thinking on reasons to be thankful to God!

    Today I am thankful for the men in the church.

    I am thankful that there are men who love God enough to want to worship Him as God instructed - in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). They desire to worship Him and study His word with others enough to attend whenever the church gathers together.

    These men step out of their quiet comfort zones to...

•     ...lead our thoughts in prayer (1 Corinthians 14:15-16)
•     ...help us prepare our minds to partake of the Lord's Supper each Sunday (1 Corinthians 11:23-29)
•     ...lead our congregational singing (Colossians 3:16)
•     ...teach our Bible classes (Ephesians 4:11-15)
•     ...prepare thought-provoking talks, encouraging those in attendance to live right before God (Ephesians 4:29, 2 Timothy 3:16-17) during midweek meeting times
•     ...prepare sermons week after week that prick our hearts, help our service, inform us more and more of God, His holiness, and His blessed way (2 Timothy 4:2-5)!

    I am thankful for their example, their dedication, and their faith. May God bless each and every man who diligently seeks Him (Hebrews 11:6, James 1:21-25)!

"My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up. ...let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You. For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; with favour You will surround him as with a shield." (Psalm 5:3,11-12 NKJV)

Pause for a moment today, and each day this week, as the Lord wills, and say a prayer for the men in your congregation. Pray for their spiritual strength and integrity, that they may have steadfast hearts that diligently seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33) all their days. Thank God for them and ask that His wonderful care be upon them as they humbly obey His instruction for leadership and service.

You can do it! So can I!!

Thankful for God's Unchanging Truth

    With it being a new month, I would like to begin a new series: Thankfulness. We have so much to be thankful for! Over the next few weeks, if the Lord wills, we will look at passages that express thankfulness and take a closer look at all the things we need to appreciate and give thanks for! 

    If you are reading this, God has already blessed you with a new day, sufficient health, eyesight, ability to use your hands, a mind able to function and understand!! God is SO good!! To Him be the glory forever and ever!!

"Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!

For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding."

(Psalm 47:6-7 NKJV)

    Thinking about this new topic made me consider my family history - relatives who changed our family for the better because of their choice to seek God and follow His truth! Today I am thankful to God for the people in my family history who, when they found God’s truth, embraced it as truth, and chose to follow Him the rest of their days.

Let me begin at the beginning…

    Around the age of 17, my Grampa (Victor) Sullivan was desperate for shelter/work (it was the 1920’s) and he became a hired farm hand for his Aunt Lizzy (Elizabeth (Eller) Brown) and Uncle George Eller. He was given room and board and was firmly informed by Aunt Lizzy that “You’re going to church with me on Sunday.”

    So Victor went with Aunt Lizzy to church services each Sunday and heard God’s truth, straight from the Bible. Later, Victor obeyed the gospel by being baptized into Christ and began his walk as a Christian.

    Grampa married a beautiful Anglican girl, Mary McDonough. They eventually studied the Bible together with Art & Lillian Corbett (my husband’s grandparents!) and my Gramma discovered God’s truth in the Bible and was baptized into Christ. Together they worshipped with the church in Jordan (when they met in a building that stood where Snure Cemetery is now), and helped build the current meeting place on Hwy 8.

    The church grew to well over 150 members in Jordan and the elders at the time decided to see if other congregations could be started around Ontario. So they placed ads in newspapers offering free Bible Correspondence Courses (Bible studies via mail), to places like Haliburton, Bancroft, South River, and Wellandport.

    An ad was placed in a Dunnville newspaper (to find people near Wellandport), a paper which my Great Aunt Pearl Nicholls read. My Great Aunt answered the ad and shared the course with her husband Glenn and her sister-in-law (my grandmother) Marjorie (Nicholls) Gare.

    My grandmother was a Free Methodist and had been married to a well known Free Methodist preacher until his death. When she studied the Bible, she realized that it was God’s Word, and she desired to do what she read there, and she was baptized.

    My Grandmother Gare worshipped with the church in Wellandport (when they met in the rented Oddfellows Hall) until her passing a few years later.

    My mother and father met each other while worshipping with the church in Wellandport. And the rest, they say, is history! smile emoticon

    The same truth that convinced my Grampa’s Aunt Lizzy, was the same truth that convinced him and my Gramma Sullivan, it was the same truth that convinced my Grandmother Gare (and my Great Aunt Pearl & Great Uncle Glenn Nicholls AND my Great Aunt Sis & Great Uncle Allen Nicholls), it was the same truth that convinced my Dad and my Mom, it was the same truth that convinced me (and my siblings), and my husband (and his siblings), and it’s the same truth that convinced both our daughters that they needed to obey God’s Word by being baptized into Christ!

“...the word of the LORD endures forever.” 

(Isaiah 40:7-8, 1 Peter 1:24-25 NKJV)

    I am thankful for my Great Aunt Lizzy and my Great Aunt Pearl! I thank God for them, as well as the elders at Jordan who wanted to spread God’s word province-wide… I’m thankful for gospel preachers like John Whitfield, Norman Midgette, Hubert Showalter, and John Witt, who preached God’s truth and studied with many people, showing them God’s way, straight from the Bible!

    Thank you Heavenly Father for Your enduring Word!!

“I thought about my ways, and turned my feet to Your testimonies.

I made haste, and did not delay to keep Your commandments.”

(Psalm 119:59-60 NKJV)

    What is your family history? Are you from a long line, a short line, or are you the one who changed your family for the better by being the first to obey the gospel? No matter which it may be take time to appreciate those who helped you learn the Truth so you could obey the gospel; thank God for them and thank Him, also, for His unchanging, powerful Word!!

You can do it! So can I!!