Giving Thanks on Thanksgiving Day

 Yesterday, I started writing out a list of the things that I am most thankful to God for. I didn't have much time & thought, "Oh, I'll come up with twenty-five things I'm thankful for." Well, God used that time to show me just how merciful & gracious He has been to me this past year. It brought me to my knees in thankfulness & gratefulness to Him! He has been SOOOOO good to me!!!

Below is part of the list (in no particular order). May it encourage you to reflect on the great blessings the Lord has given you this year!

1) God Himself
2) The blessing of a relationship with Him
3) For giving us His Word, so that we might know Him (Acts 17)
4) Salvation
5) Family (loving me no matter what)
6) Friends (who aren't afraid to tell me the hard Truth!)
7) Food!!! :)
8) Still being in a relationship! God is Faithful!
9) Pain with a Purpose
10 (Dancing in the) Rain

11) Spring's flowers
12) Autumn's colors!
13) A job  that pays my bills
14) Hope, in the Storm
15) A future, even when I don't see it at the time
16) The unchanging nature of God's character, His Word & Promises
17) Music!!!!
18) Memories
19) Good books
20) The Countryside! :)

21) Beauty all around me (creation)
22) Relationships
23) Accountability
24) Shelter
25) Undeserved blessings, favor & grace!
26) Wisdom & knowledge
27) Sanctification
28) Late night conversations
29) Long drives & walks in Countryside
30) FREEDOM!!!!

31) Good gifts from above
32) Technology hehehe :)
33) Life
34) Good health
35) God's justice & mercy!
36) Citizenship in Heaven ("This is not my home...")
37) An end to the Pain (Revelation 21:4)
38) Joy
39) Fellowship with fellow believers
40) Dreams

 

41) A home of my own, someday

42) Inspiration 

43) Nature

44) Flowers (especially roses!)
45) Laughter

46) Sweets! haha

47) Mountains

48) Giggles!

49) Photography

50) Peace & quiet!

51) Simple pleasures in life
52) Smiles
53) Children

54) Unconditional love
55) Passion
56) History
57) Holy Spirit

58) Pilgrims

59) Zeal

60) Godly parents

60) Jesus!

61) His birth, death & Resurrection, that we might be raised "in the newness of life"

62) A Multi-generational Vision

63) Homeschooling!!!!
64) Mom's continued good health! Praise the Lord!!!

65) Adventure

66) New sights, sounds, tastes & smells

67) Trips & vacations to new places!
68) Surprises! :)

69) Pilgrims
70) Martyrs
 

71) The Persecuted Church
72) A family-integrated Church

73) A Pastor that faithfully preaches the Word

74) Mentors

75) Blogging! hehehe

 Be blessed today!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

"Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
    Come into His presence with singing!

Know that the Lord, He is God!
    It is He who made us, & we are His;
    we are His people,& & the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving,
   & His courts with praise!
    Give thanks to Him; bless His name!

For the Lord is good;
    His steadfast love endures forever,
  & His Faithfulness to all generations."

- Psalm 100

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, y'all! I hope you have a great day today, celebrating with your friends & family! Remember: Thanksgiving is a lifestyle! It is SO much more than just being 'thankful' to the Lord one day of the year! Let us rejoice & be glad, praising & thanking Him every day of the year!

“When we bless God for mercies, we usually prolong them.
When we bless God for miseries, we usually end them.
Praise is the honey of life which a devout heart extracts
from every bloom of providence and grace.”
~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834 – 1892)

 

 The Bible commands us to give thanks in every situation, no matter what.
This the Will of God for our lives. And yet, I wonder, why do we choose
to not thank Him for the hard times, in the middle of the storms of life?
Romans 8:28

 "A nation that stays on its knees in thanksgiving to God enjoys the blessings of God."

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE! :) Be blessed today!

God Keeps His Promises

 Yesterday, in our family Bible study, Dad was teaching us about the legacy of faith that Caleb had. His text for yesterday was Joshua 14:6-15.

Dad gave some background on the story, about how Caleb & Joshua had given a glowing report about the Promise Land (Numbers 13), saying that the inhabitants of the land were large, but that the Israelites could overcome them, with the LORD's help, even though their fellow spies had doubted the Lord. The Lord made a Promise to Caleb, that he would inherit the Land, because of his hope, faith & trust in the Lord (Numbers 14:20-24).

Then he told us how Joshua moved up in the ranks, becoming Moses' right-hand man & then assumed leadership over the nation of Israel when Moses passed away (Joshua 1). And how Caleb was right beside him, in all of this. Still serving the Lord. Still doing His Work.

Dad read to us from Joshua 1: 

"After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the
son of Nun, Moses' assistant, 'Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over
this Jordan, you & all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people
of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you,
just as I promised to Moses... No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of
your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake
you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land
that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being
careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn
from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and
night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you
will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded
you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed,
for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.'”
- Joshua 1:1-9

Dad pointed out (from the text above) that God had given all of the Promise Land to the Israelites (verse 3- "every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you"), that no man could stand against them (verse 5). That God was still with them, even though Moses had died (also verse 5). That the Israelites must be very careful to follow the Path that the Lord was Calling them on (verse 7-8). 

That took us to our text for yesterday (Joshua 14:6-15). Caleb asks Joshua to remember the Promise that the Lord made to him forty-five years earlier. Caleb had served the Lord faithfully all this time & was now ready to received the Promised Inheritance. Joshua rewarded Caleb's faithfulness in serving the Lord, how He blessed Caleb for following Him wholeheartedly. Now the Lord remembered His Promise to Caleb, made forty-five years earlier.

This reminded of 2 Samuel 7- God's Covenant with David. How God promised some very specific things that David didn't receive in his lifetime- a multi-generational Promise. But how David understood that & continued to trust in the God of his Salvation. And also of Hebrews chapter 11- the Hall of Faith. 

"These all died in faith, not having received the things promised,
but having seen them & greeted them from afar, & having acknowledged that
they were strangers & exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it
clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that
land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return.
But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not
ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared for them a city."

- Hebrews 11:13-16

 This is not our Home. We are seeking a better home, in Heaven. And God always keeps His Promises- both years later & in future generations. His ways are not our ways. He has a Plan & a Purpose for this. No Promise He has made will ever return void. The Word of the Lord will stand forever. There will always be a Remnant. God is Sovereign over the affairs of man. He is still on His Throne. Be a faithful steward of all that the Lord has entrusted you with. You will be blessed. Trust Him. Do not lose heart. Be strong & courageous!

 "Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up..." 

- Galatians 6:9

The Election Tomorrow

Yesterday, at Church, Pastor Serven preached an "Election Sermon" out of Psalm 33. With today being the eve before the Election, I thought this would be a fitting topic to post. Below are my notes & thoughts about his sermon.

"A man with God on his side is always a majority." - John Knox

Because our citizenship is in Heaven, we always keep an eye on eternity’s expectations while we deal with earthly issues. God has a Means to accomplishing His Purposes. The Lord is Faithful to His Promises & keeps His Covenants. He doesn't compromise nor does He change. God is Sovereign- He controls all of history in His Hand. No Word of the Lord, no Promise of His, will ever return void, without accomplishing what He sent it out for. His counsel will stand forever- it does not change. God will raise up leaders to accomplish His Purposes, even if we don't know what those purposes might be.

"' For My Thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways',
declares the Lord. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are My ways higher than your ways & My thoughts than your thoughts."
- Isaiah 55:8

"The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand forever."
- Isaiah 40:8

 "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people whom He has chosen as His heritage!"
- Psalm 33:12

 "Unless the Lord builds the house,
    those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
    the watchman stays awake in vain."

- Psalm 127:1

"If My people who are called by My Name humble themselves,
& pray & seek My Face & turn from their wicked ways,
THEN I will hear from Heaven & will forgive their sin & heal their land..."
- 2 Chronicles 7:14

"At the Name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven & on earth & under the earth, 

 & every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father."

- Philippians 2:10-11

"The king's heart is a stream of water in the Hand of the Lord;
He turns it wherever He wills."
- Proverbs 21:1

Worry is a lack of trust in the Lord. God has not failed you yet. Why do you doubt Him now? O you, of little faith! We must ask the Lord to raise up strong, godly leaders who will turn our Nation around. We must stand firm & speak boldly on our convictions & values. The greatness, prosperity & protection of America lies in our faith in the Lord. Remember the LORD & His past mercies upon your life, your family & your Nation. Nothing is impossible with God. Resolve today to serve God alone.

" The Lord has established His throne in the heavens,
    & His kingdom rules over all."

- Psalm 103:19

Pastor Serven had 5 final points in his sermon yesterday-
1) God is Sovereign in History, over all things. Nothing happens without His knowledge
2) God's Truth nor His Church will ever be extinguished
3) God blesses the nations who follow His Law
4) Christians honor God when they consistently follow His Word, rather than settle for pragmatic results
5) There is no neutrality for Christians. You can't serve God & the State.

“I met those of our society who had votes in the ensuing election, and advised them:
1) To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy.
2) To speak no evil of the person they voted against.

3) To take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side.”

-John Wesley, October 6, 1774

   

 No matter what happens at the polling booth tomorrow, God is on His Throne & prayer changes things. God will still be holy, sovereign, just & merciful always, no matter who our President is or what circumstances we are going through in life. He is always worthy of our praise. His Kingdom will prevail; it is always going forward, even when we don't see it.

The Power of the Tongue

 This is a post I have been wanting to write for more than a month now. These past several months, God has been revealing to me the Power of the Tongue.

Here are some of the reminders He has given me through Scripture-

"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths,
but only such as is good for building up,
as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear." 

- Ephesians 4:29

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits"

- Proverbs 18:21

"Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent"

- Proverbs 17:28

"When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent"

- Proverbs 10:19

"Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin"

- Proverbs 13:3

"Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble"

- Proverbs 21:23

"Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him"

- Proverbs 29:20

  "I tell you, on the Day of Judgment, everyone will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified,
& by your words you will be condemned.”

- Matthew 12:36-37

" There must be not even a hint of sexual immorality & all impurity
or covetousness among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking,
which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving."

- Ephesians 5:3-4

"Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything
in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks
to God the Father through Him."

- Colossians 3:17

" Let no one despise you for your youth, but set an example for the believers
in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity."

- 1 Timothy 4:12 

"The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence."

- Proverbs 10:11

 "Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks & this defiles a person.For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder,
adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander."

- Matthew 15:18-19 

"But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven,
for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool,
or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King...
Simply let your 'Yes’ be 'Yes" & your 'No" be ‘No’;
anything more than this comes from evil"

- Matthew 5:34-37 

 The Bible has much to say on this topic. These are just a few of  the verses that God used to speak to me. We should be speaking His Words of Life into our situations. Not stirring up trouble, lying, concealing the Truth, exaggerating. Desiring to glorify the Lord in all that we say, do & think.

Waiting Patiently for the Lord's Timing

Four weeks ago, my best friend sent me some encouragement concerning the story of Abraham & his maidservant Hagar. Last Sunday, Pastor Serven mentioned the story again (speaking on God's Sovereign Choice- his text was Romans 9:6-13, also referencing Genesis 17:15-27 among other passages). So apparently this was something I needed to hear.

The background on the story is this- Back in Genesis 12, God had Called Abram. In chapter 15, God established His covenant with Abram & his seed.  In chapter 17, God confirms His covenant with Abram & changed his name to Abraham (meaning, "the father of a multitude"). In chapter 18, Abraham & his wife are are promised the birth of their son Isaac.

In between those chapters, we have chapter 16- the chapter in which Abraham fails to trust the timing of God's Plan & takes things into His own Hands. You see, God had promised a godly seed, a son, a legacy to Abraham. But he was in his late eighties & his wife Sarah was in her late seventies. They had never had children before & Abraham thought they were too old to have children. He trusted the Lord's Promise, but thought he might "help" the Lord a little. Bad idea.

To that which God Calls us to do, He also Equips us to do. Nothing is impossible with God.

In Genesis 16, Abraham's wife Sarah gives her servant Hagar to Abraham, to bear him a son. When Hagar was pregnant with Ishmael & saw that Sarah still could bear no children, this caused enmity between the mistress & the maidservant, which led to more drama, hate & mistreatment. Hagar fled from Sarah's wrath into the desert. There the Angel of the Lord met Hagar & gave her a Promise concerning her son Ishmael & his legacy.

One man's decision has affected the course of nations. Ishmael (Abraham's son through Hagar) is the Father of Islam. Judaism comes from the line of Isaac (Abraham's son through Sarah). The strife in the Middle East, in Israel, in Jerusalem all results back to this one bad decision made by Abraham. Think how much pain, killing, strife could have been avoided if Abraham had simply waited for the Lord's timing!

And that is the reminder that my friend Megan & Pastor Serven have given me. If we really trust God, this means that we are willing to wait for His Timing. To trust Him & wait for Him to do things His Way. Do not rush ahead of God or His Plan for your life.

May we learn, like the Apostle Paul, to be content in every situation-

"I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.
I know how to be brought low, & I know how to abound.
In any & every circumstance, I have learned the secret
of facing plenty & hunger, abundance & need.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
- Philippians 4:11-13

I will leave you with this Scripture-

"Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
    His understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint
& to him who has no might He increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
    & young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run & not be weary;
    they shall walk & not faint."

- Isaiah 40:28-31

As Megan said to me a month ago, "Are you going to take what man is offering & create generations of problems? Or are you going to wait for GOD to deliver on His Promises?"

May you be encouraged today!

Guard Your Heart



 

When it comes to the matters of the heart, the popular advice is to "follow your heart." I would like to contradict that trend & say "guard your heart with all diligence..."

 

At a graduation ceremony that I attended this year, the speaker gave a Charge to the Graduates that included the words "follow your heart." In my eyes, this is a direct contradiction to Scripture, where it says-

"Guard your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life..."

- Proverbs 4:23

 

I believe that

 

"The heart is deceitful above all things & beyond cure. Who can understand it?" - Jeremiah 17:9

 

I would like to encourage my readers to trust God & wait for His Timing in bringing you a spouse. It will be worth the wait.

"Be still, and know that I am God." - Psalm 46:10

But I also encourage you- do not fritter away your time idly. Use this season of singleness to serve the Lord, your family, friends, Church etc. Learn all that you can, in preparation for marriage.

"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him." - Colossias 3:17

And again, from the same chapter...

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.
You are serving the Lord Christ." - Colossias 3:23-24

 

Along with King Solomon, I would encourage my readers to "not awaken love before its proper time"- 

 



  "Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you:
Do not arouse or awaken love before its proper time"
- Song of Solomon 8:4 (& also in SoS 2:7)

Another reminder-

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God & His righteousness,
& all these things will be added unto you as well..."
- Matthew 6:33

"Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart."

- Psalm 37:4

This verse does not mean that if we pretend to find our delight in the Lord, that He will grant us every wish, whim or passing fancy that we have. This verse means that as we truly learn to delight ourselves in the Lord & find all of our joy, contentment, identity etc in Him, then He will shape, mold & fashion our small desires into His big-picture Plan for our lives...

So... Some questions for you-

* Would you say that you are guiding your heart? Or following it?
* Are you trying to glorify God in all of your speech, thoughts, deeds & dress?
* Are you seeking God's Will, His Kingdom & His righteousness first?
* Are you content with where God has you in life?
* Are you "working while you wait," in preparation for your future?
* Are you "fully surrendering your precious dreams" to God?
* Are you trusting God with the outcome?
* Does your soul truly delight in the Lord?
* Are you happy to rest & wait for His Timing?

I encourage you to let there be "not even a hint of... immorality" in your life (Ephesians 5:3). In His own good, perfect Timing, "all things will work out for our Good & His Glory" (Romans 8:28). God's thoughts are not our thoughts nor are His ways our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). Trust in His good, perfect Will. Remember- no Promise of the Lord returns void (Isaiah 55:10-11)! God has a perfect Plan in mind for your life, far better than our wildest dreams, if we wait patiently for His Timing & do things His way! It IS worth the wait...

" Let us not become weary in doing good,  for at the proper time we
will reap a harvest if we do not give up." - Galatians 6:9