Category: Thanksgiving Series

Be on the Thankfulness Track!

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Thankfulness

This week as we draw nearer to Thanksgiving, I wanted to focus my thoughts on being thankful.  It is a state of mind and being that pours out of us because of who we are in Christ and what He did for us on the cross.  In Paul’s letter to the Colossians, he wrote, Col 2 7“ And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him.  Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7 NLT

Look at the key steps Paul gives in these verses that result in thankfulness.   1- You accepted Jesus as your Savior,   2-You are committed to following Him, 3- You are growing in the knowledge of who He is and what purposes He has for your life 4- You are striving to live for Him and build your life on Him, 5- Your faith is growing and you are learning more and more about His truth.   All of these steps lead to *** overflowing thankfulness in your life!   The result of having Jesus in our lives will be thankfulness.  If you are not experiencing thankfulness- at which step above are you faltering?  Do you know Jesus as your Savior?  Are you committed to Him or is your faith just a Sunday thing?  Are you taking time to get to know Him-through Bible Study, prayer and fellowship with other Christians?  Are you trying to apply God’s truths to your life by letting the power of the Holy Spirit work in and through you?   Jesus knew commitment was hard and spoke of our need to be single minded and focused on His kingdom in Matthew 6:20-21. “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart [your wishes, your desires; that on which your life centers] will be also.”  AMP  

What does your heart reveal?  When you look inside yourself, do you see thankfulness?  If not, turn to Jesus today and get back on the thankfulness track.  It is never to late to step back into the steps Paul outlines and head towards overflowing thankfulness!

thankful peopleBlessings of thanks,

Linda

Praising Him

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Psalm 145: 1-10 gives a beautiful word picture of our Thanks to God.

psalm 145A psalm of praise of David.

1 I will exalt you, my God and King,
    and praise your name forever and ever.
2 I will praise you every day;
    yes, I will praise you forever.
3 Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
    No one can measure his greatness.

4 Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts;
    let them proclaim your power.
5 I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor
    and your wonderful miracles.
6 Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue;
    I will proclaim your greatness.
7 Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness;
    they will sing with joy about your righteousness.

8 The Lord is merciful and compassionate,
    slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
9 The Lord is good to everyone.
    He showers compassion on all his creation.
10 All of your works will thank you, Lord,
    and your faithful followers will praise you. (NLT)

 

32312-next-door-praise_edited-1This will be my last post in this Thanksgiving Series.  It has brought me greater appreciation for Jesus and what He did and does for me and leads me towards greater thankfulness.  This poster sums up our continual need to be thankful regardless of our circumstances. I hope this sentiment is now a part of you after spending these weeks talking about thankfulness.   Our hearts need to be set on thankfulness.

Advent begins December 1 and I will be blogging about the people involved in the Christmas Story of our Lord Jesus’ arrival on earth and how they each exhibited godly character that God would like to see in each of us.  I believe it will be an uplifting perspective on Christ’s arrival.  See you Friday December 1.

Linda

ABOUNDING in Thanks. Is that you?

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What causes you to be thankful?  There are lots of sites, things and people that bring a smile to my face but what gives you the most gratitude in your heart?   God’s Word gives us the ultimate reason to give thanks in Colossians 2:6-7  “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,  rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”   Paul was teaching the Colossians that the freedom they have in Christ will cause them to be grounded and not easily swayed by the world.  They will be able to live full lives because God lives within them and empowers them to live for Him.  By faith in Jesus they can walk with Him daily.   Paul reminded them and us that the result of an empowered and indwelt life would be thankfulness.  Having Christ with you 24/7, guiding, protecting, building you up, and loving you would result in great thanksgiving.

Is that true of you?  Do you live with thankfulness in your heart because of what Jesus did and continues to do in and through your life?  Ask yourself-am I  abounding in thankfulness?  Abounding means having thanks in great quantity, being rich in thankfulness,  being filled, teeming with thanks.  If you are struggling to abound in thanks think on a few of the things Christ did and is doing for you:  He provided the way for my salvation from God’s wrath through His death on the cross, calls me a member of His family, gave me eternal life, is accessible to me 24/7, will never leave me nor forsake me, gave me citizenship in heaven, intercedes for me before the Father,  gave me His Holy Spirit to indwell me, and He promises a life that is full, abundant and rich in love.  AUTUMNTake a minute today to thank Him for being the reason for your abundant and abounding thankfulness.  He is worthy.

Linda

Contagious Thanks

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A lesson and truth I received from the scripture we studies this month on cultivating a habit of thankfulness in our lives was this:  Thankfulness has a powerful affect on me and all those around me.

How have you seen this to be true this season of thanksgiving?  Is your mindset towards thanks contagious?  “How we thank God for you! Because of you we have great joy as we enter God’s presence.” 1 Thessalonians 1:9  Paul felt that the thanks he had for his fellow believers, for their faith and love for God, caused him to rejoice.  He saw God working in their lives and this brought joy and thankfulness to his own worship.  I would call that contagious thanks.  Have you ever been thankful for someone or something and it caused you to give thanks to God?  As we live our lives, we need to look for those things that God gives us that create ‘contagious thanks’ within our hearts.  As we give thanks to Him in these situations, God will faithfully create in us a thanks that will be contagious and will result in our being in a constant state of thankfulness and joy.  Paul left the Thessalonians with these words in 5:16-18  “ Always be joyful.  Never stop praying.  Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”  

blessings jarDevelop that attitude of gratitude and watch it grow in your own life and then watch it rub off into the lives of those around you.

Linda

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

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happy thanksgiving

Blessings on this Thanksgiving Day to you and yours!  We have much to be thankful for personally, as a family and as a nation.  Thanks be to God for His provision and love as we gather around our tables.  May we offer Him praise and honor from our lips.

Linda

 

Is God personal to you? Give thanks!

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Who is God to you?  To King David He was a personal God, one who saved, loved, protected, helped, restored,cared for and directed him throughout his life.  In Psalm 118:28-29 David desires to give thanks to his God.

thank you godYou are my God, and I will give thanks to you;  you are my God; I will extol you.                                                                                                       Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    for his steadfast love endures forever!

David had a relationship with God and knew who He was and that he could depend upon Him.  I too have a relationship with God that was made available to me through Jesus.  Knowing Jesus as my savior opened the door to having God’s indwelling Spirit within me.  Jesus put it this way in John 14:23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”  Jesus told Martha in John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,”  I don’t have ‘religion’;  I have a relationship with God.  I am His daughter.   Paul described our new relationship with God in Romans 8:15 “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”    Is God your Father?  Do you claim your status as adopted son or daughter of God through Jesus? 

personal godMake God personal today and move into a relationship with Him.  Know Jesus, 1 John 1:9 tells us how-  “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”   Make this your first Thanksgiving with Him- ask for His forgiveness and invite Jesus into your life.  Like David, you will have a personal relationship with God.  That relationship is worthy of all our thanks and praise to Jesus who made it possible.  Thank you Jesus.

Knowing Jesus will change your life!  Praise and thank Him this Thanksgiving for this new life.  Share your thanks with someone this year.

Linda

Who is God to you? Are you thankful?

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psalm 7 17Psalm 7:17  “I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness;
    I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.”

Psalm 100:4-5 “Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;  give thanks to him and praise his name.   For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

David was thankful for the very character of God.  He praised Him for his righteousness, sovereignty, goodness, love, eternity, and faithfulness.

I am thankful that God is good and that He intends good for me.  In all situations I can depend upon His goodness and know that He alone can work all things for His good and mine.  Nahum 1:7 “The Lord is good,  a refuge in times of trouble.  He cares for those who trust in him,” and Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

What about you?  What attribute of God’s character do you hold most dear?  Are you thankful that He never changes and is not whimsical or fickle about who He loves and when?  Are you thankful that He is accessible 24/7 in prayer and He can and does always hear you?  Spend a few minutes today thinking about God’s character and how your life would be different if God was not who He is.

God's characterThanks be to our immutable, accessible, holy, redeeming, protecting, all-knowing, loving, faithful and righteous God.  Praise and thank Him today!

Linda

 

I am thankful for…… What is your reply?

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Yesterday in Sunday School I was asked to have each child write a letter expressing what they are thankful for.  I am thankful for……    Sometimes on Thanksgiving we will go around the table and say what we are most thankful for that year.  Here are a few of mine for this year:  I have loved this year’s blogs as I have been able to express my love and devotion to God leading up to Lent, my growth in understanding of what He has given me through my identity in Christ and my inheritance and now expressions of thanksgiving all month long.  I will end the year with Advent blogs focusing on His Grace and Mercy in sending Jesus to save us from our sins.  I am blessed with family, friends, ministry, purpose and Hope in Jesus.

give thanksWhat about you?  How would you fill in the blank- I am thankful for_______.   David was described as a man after God’s own heart.  He had a great sense of love and appreciation for all that God had done for him.  He was a simple shepherd boy, Mighty in faith, that God used to lead the nation of Israel.  Here is his proclamation:   1 Chronicles 16:8-9

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness.
    Let the whole world know what he has done.
9 Sing to him; yes, sing his praises.wonderous works
    Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.

David knew what God had done for him and praised Him for His gracious provision.

Will you follow his lead and proclaim the wonders that God has done for you this year all this week?

Praising Him who blesses me beyond measure,

Linda

Thankful Trust, David’s response

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psalm 57David was the anointed king of Israel and God’s choice but not the crowned king.  Saul was still on the throne and pursuing David desiring to kill him.  David fled into the desert area of En Gedi and hid in a cave.  He penned this Psalm in remembrance of this time and the strength he received from the Lord.  Let David’s prayer and praise bring you strength and create in you a spirit of adoration and trust in God.

Psalm 57

For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time he fled from Saul and went into the cave. 

1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy!                Do you need mercy today?
    I look to you for protection.
I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings
    until the danger passes by.
2 I cry out to God Most High,
    to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.
3 He will send help from heaven to rescue me,
    disgracing those who hound me. Interlude
My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness.

4 I am surrounded by fierce lions                                    What fierce ‘lions’ seek to
    who greedily devour human prey—                            destroy you?
whose teeth pierce like spears and arrows,
    and whose tongues cut like swords.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens!
    May your glory shine over all the earth.

6 My enemies have set a trap for me.                     Is someone trying to defeat you?
    I am weary from distress.
They have dug a deep pit in my path,
    but they themselves have fallen into it. Interlude

7 My heart is confident in you, O God;
    my heart is confident.
    No wonder I can sing your praises!
8 Wake up, my heart!
    Wake up, O lyre and harp!
    I will wake the dawn with my song.
9 I will thank you, Lord, among all the people.                David’s answer- praise God
    I will sing your praises among the nations.                   in thankful song.  
10 For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens.
    Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.
    May your glory shine over all the earth.love-psalm-57-10

Have a blessed Lord’s day- giving thanks for God’s mercy, love, care, protection and provision.  Just as He rescued David, God is able to meet your needs. Trust in Him.

Linda

Overflowing Thankfulness

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peace thankfulWhat comes from thankfulness?  Colossians 3:15  “And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.” (NLT)  We know from this verse and many others that Christ is our source of peace and He desires to rule in our hearts.   John 14:27 really touches the heart of the matter and describes the peace Jesus gives. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”   Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (ESV)   Having Christ’s peace in our hearts- guarding our hearts and minds- leads us to unity in Christ and thankfulness.  Having Christ in our lives leads to peaceful relationships with others, unity with other believers and thankfulness.

Why does having Christ in our hearts and minds lead us to thankfulness?  Being of like minds with Christ, sharing His spirit within us bring us such peace and contentment within our souls there is nothing we can do or say other than Praise Him with all our hearts.  We overflow with love and gratitude for all He has done for us through His magnificent grace and mercy.  Thankfulness is our pure and authentic response.   May you feel this gratitude as you commune with Christ in prayer and worship this weekend.  May it overflow to your family gatherings for the next several days.

A-thankfulheartThankful,

Linda