Have you ever wondered why God has given you what He has given you?  The Apostle Paul spoke to the Corinthians about this very thing.  He was collecting an offering for the believers in Jerusalem that were under extreme persecution.  The Corinthians were giving generously to this help fund.  2 Corinthians 9:11  ^“Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.”  Their obedience in giving would produce thanks to God, be a witness to others of their generosity and faith in the gospel of Christ.  In return, the believers in Jerusalem would thank God and pray for them in love.  They would also praise God for His grace (unmerited favor) that God had showed them through the believers in Corinth.   9:14 “And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you.”   So, that which God gave you – you gave away and the giving gave glory to God and returned to you in grace and thanksgiving.  Wow! What a wonderful circle!  Paul exclaims in 9:15 “Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!”  The gift Paul is speaking of is Christ.  Because in Him and through Him all things can and do work for God’s glory.  Serving the gospel of Christ to others by giving monetarily or working in ministry gives glory to God and uplifts the name of Jesus.  He is worthy of our praise and thanks.  His gift of love and grace to us is indeed too wonderful for words!!

Where is your circle of generosity going?  God desires that we give generously just as He has given generously to us.  Create thanks today by giving something God has given you to someone else- it need not be money- a kind word, a smile, a helping hand are all things we can give to others that bring honor and thanks to God.

Looking outward today with thanks,

Linda

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I found this poster the other day and thought I’d make this “Thankful Thursday” as a prelude to next Thursday- Thanksgiving Day.  Here are some verses to ponder today to evaluate your thankfulness.

Breath- There is a story in the Old Testament book of Ezekiel 37 that describes God giving breath to dry bones!  5 “Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. ⁶ And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”   Do you feel like those dry bones today?  Let God breathe his breath of life into you anew as you praise Him for giving you life and the ability to live for Him.

Life-  I love this next passage from Matthew 6.  We are alive and valued by God. What worries us?  Live life being joyous and thankful for all things, God cares for us.  ²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

Blessing-  2 Samuel 7:18  “Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?”  David was amazed at what God had done for him and what his promises revealed.   What about you?  Are you amazed at what God has done in your life? 

God is good.  Learning that God is good and intends good for me all the time is a huge self-esteem builder and gives a believer confidence and assurance.  Nahum 1:7 gives me great comfort and peace.  “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble.  He cares for those who trust in him,”

Have a wonderfully Thankful Thursday as you consider how good it is to be alive and blessed by our Good God.

Linda

“Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.”  Colossians 3:16-17 (NLT)

Having an attitude of gratitude is what Paul is talking about in Colossians.  He commends us to be filled with Christ and be used to bless each others lives with thankful hearts.  The ministry we have with each other is to be done with thankfulness because we are being representatives of Jesus to each other.  That is a staggering thought that God considers me to be Jesus’ representative when I talk with my neighbors, greet strangers, do my job at work and talk with my family day to day.  Our Jesus ‘face’ is not just for Sunday or when we desire to be like Him but all day every day.  Paul is teaching us that everything we say and do reflects on Jesus.  His final words on this fact are that we should thank God for all these opportunities.

Why does God say we should be thankful for these opportunities? The answer is found in Christ alone, what He has done for us-creates thankful hearts within us.  “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”  Romans 5:8   “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 6:23  As believers our hearts are filled with thankfulness as we look to Jesus- for what He did taking the penalty for our sin and giving us eternal life.

So today– face the world with the Love of Jesus in your heart knowing that you represent Him before all that you meet.  Thank God for every person and opportunity that comes your way with an attitude of gratitude.  Now that is kingdom living at it’s best!

Have a blessed day filled with encounters for Jesus,

Linda

Can you honestly say you give thanks during adversity or when you know trouble is coming?  Pleas for help, comfort or rescue are surely on our lips- but thanks?   James tells us in 1:2  “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.”  He has a reason for telling us to be thankful or joyful because it produces godly character in us. 1:3-4 “Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace].  And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing.” AMP  This is pretty clear that the results of trials and suffering will produce and show our character for God.

Here’s an example from Daniel.  Daniel was a high official in the  Persian court, a Jew of good standing and character.  His enemies wanted to find fault with him so they could get rid of him.  They got the king to sign a law that for 30 days no one could worship anyone but the king.  Persian law once signed could not be changed even by the king.  Daniel 6:10 “When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.”   Daniel knew they were ‘out to get him’ but continued on with his regular worship, trusting God to deal with his enemies!  His enemies came, turned him into the king and the law had to be followed.  Daniel 6:12 Then the devious enemies of Daniel went to the king.  ““O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?”   Now the king was stuck and had to follow his own law.  “Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”  Daniel 6 16   The king had a restless and worried night as he liked Daniel.  In the morning the king went to find out what had happened to Daniel.  “ Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever!  My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” Daniel 6:21-22

Daniel was faithful in praying in all circumstances and let God deal with the problems.  His character was shown to be steadfast and honoring to God.  May we continue to praise God, give thanks and pray under all circumstances- rejoicing in the character God is building in us.  May we be like Daniel honoring God in our faith and actions.

Linda

Paul often opened his letters with thanks towards the people he was addressing.  I particularly love this passage in Philippians 1:3-6.  “Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. ⁴ Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, ⁵ for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. ⁶ And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” (NLT)

Paul was thankful for his Christian friends who worked alongside him in preaching, teaching, praying and witnessing.  They had been together in spreading the Good News about Christ for a long time.  They had a bond of friendship that was sealed by their love for their Savior, Christ Jesus.   Look at verse 6, Paul is saying that he knows Jesus will continue to work in their lives, no matter what.  He knows the faith they have will grow in Jesus until their death or Christ returns.

The friends I have that are believers are bonded to me in a very special way.  No matter how long we are apart, when we get together again it is like we never left.  We share the spirit that lives within us with Christ.  I am so thankful for the  brothers and sisters I have in Christ that work alongside me in ministry.  I know that the good work that Christ is doing in their lives and mine- molding and shaping us to be more and more like Jesus will continue into eternity.

Do you have special friends that come along side you and support you day in and day out?  If so, let them know how you appreciate them this week.  Send an email, call, send a card or go for a visit and tell them how much they mean to you.  Give thanks this week for friends and pray for them.

Eternally thankful for friends,

Linda

Psalm 95

Psalm 107:1-2  “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!  Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble “

Is this a scripture that describes you?  Do you give thanks for His goodness and love to you?   Do you tell others of God’s goodness and love?   This psalm reminds us that because God is good and loves us unconditionally, we should be shouting His praise and thanksgiving.  Because of God’s goodness and love, that we do not deserve and did nothing to earn, we should be overcome with gratefulness and proclaiming the goodness and love of God to all who will hear.

Make today one of proclamation and tell others about your good and loving God.  He will hear you and be pleased by your faith and glorified in your testimony.

Linda 

On numerous occasions scripture teaches us that Jesus gave thanks before eating.  Matthew wrote about the 2 times Jesus fed large crowds.  Matthew 14:15-20 describes the feeding of the 5,000 +.   “As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”  Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”   “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.   “Bring them here to me,” he said.  And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.  They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.”

Then again in Matthew 15:35-37 Jesus fed 4,000 +.    ^“He told the crowd to sit down on the ground.  Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.”

Jesus’ actions show his attitude of gratitude for the source of all power and provision which is God himself.  God promises to provide what we need.  We need to be grateful, like Jesus was, even before we receive.  His blessing of thanks was an act of thanking God for the gift of food or provision God was about to provide.

What about you?  Is there a lesson in the feeding of the 5,000 or 4,000 for you and me about thanks?  I am convicted by Jesus’ action and attitude.  He was thankful for God’s provision and confident that God was able to provide through him.  Do I show that kind of faith in God’s provision?  Jesus did not have to feed all those people.  He could have sent them away to get their own food but he didn’t.  He demonstrated God’s power and provision by turning a little into a lot.  Will you trust Him today to turn your little into a lot for Him?  Practice giving Him thanks before He acts, showing your gratitude and faith.

Looking to Jesus as our example and Lord,

Linda

Back to the basics is where Jonah takes us this morning.  Jonah was running from God as God wanted him to go to the people of Nineveh and preach repentance.  Jonah did not want to go, so he caught a boat and ended up overboard swallowed by a whale.  From the belly of the fish Jonah prayed:

“In my distress I called to the Lord,
    and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
    and you listened to my cry.  Jonah 2:1      Jonah knew the Lord was listening and he poured out his heart.  He ended his prayer this way:

“Those who cling to worthless idols
    turn away from God’s love for them.
⁹ But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
    will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
    I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”  Jonah 2:8-9    Jonah realized that God had a message for the people of Nineveh that involved salvation from their idol worship.  He repents and resolves to follow God.  Here’s what happened next:

 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.  Jonah 2:10   God heard Jonah’s repentance and resolve to follow Him, so God delivered Jonah.

What message of thanks is there in this prayer for you and me?  In his time of great distress, Jonah realized that God was Sovereign over all things, God had a plan of redemption that required repentance, he needed to repent, and joy and thanksgiving would result from following God.   Do you know these basic truths?  Do you know that God is in control of all things?  Do you know about Jesus, God’s plan of redemption?  Have you experienced the joy that comes from repentance?  Have you followed God and found so many things to be thankful for?   Think on these things and pray a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s mercy and love towards you.

Reaching upward with a thankful heart, being assured that God hears our prayers.

Linda