Veteran’s Day.. A Tangible way to offer Thanks

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Who do you know that you can honor today?

Today is Veteran’s Day in America. It is a day to remember those who have died fighting for freedom for our country and for those that are living and serve or have served in the military. It is a day of remembrance and thanksgiving for the end of a brutal war, WWI, on the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour when the armistice was signed in 1918. It was originally called Armistice Day but the name was changed by Congress in 1954 to Veteran’s Day.

Why remember? Throughout scripture we are told to remember the things God has done so we don’t forget His goodness, so we can be more diligent about our faith and the way we live, so we can gain appreciation and love for God and His faithfulness towards us. The same could apply to remembering our brave veterans. Jesus said in John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” We owe our Veterans, both the living and the dead, a debt of gratitude and thanks for their sacrifices on our behalf. They do not even know me and are willing to put their lives at risk for all of us. I am humbled by their service and dedication.

Who do you know that you can thank and honor today? Maybe a friend, a neighbor or loved one serves or has served. Take time to say a word of thanks, send them a card or email, text them…. Let your thanks be put into action as you seek to express your gratitude.

Gratitude from the heart is honoring to God,

Linda

How Long? Forever in Faith

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Have you ever thought about How long you intend to praise God? Is it just a fleeting thing for you when times are hard? Or do you intend to worship Him forever? The psalmist wrote in

Psalm 79:13 “But we your people, the sheep of your pasture,
    will give thanks to you forever;  from generation to generation we will recount your praise.”

Israel was going through a time of discipline from the Lord when this psalm was written. They had been taken captives in Babylon for their idolatry and rejection of God. The psalmist was questioning how long the Lord would have them suffer for their sins at the hands of the ungodly who did not know Him. The psalmist emphatically concludes with verse 13 and gives his proclamation that His people would give thanks to Him forever, each and every generation to follow.

We are finite and cannot see God’s plan for mankind in detail. We know He wins! He redeems and saves! He will reign in heaven for all eternity. But, we do no know the exact timing… So the life of a believer is one of trust, obedience and resolve. Just as the children of Israel proclaimed, we need to live trusting God knowing He is sovereign and has good plans for His people from generation to generation for all eternity! Will you give thanks to the God who knows the beginning from the end and has each detail within His control? How long will you thank Him? May it be in and by faith, forever! Praise God!

Linda

Need a Name to Praise All Day Long?

nofearlindaLeave a comment

What is your favorite name of God? He reveals himself and His character to us in scripture and shows himself to be just what his people need, all that they need !

Psalm 44:8 O God, we give glory to you all day long
    and constantly praise your name. 

Here are few names God gives Himself:

El Shaddai- The All-Sufficient One He is the Lord God Almighty and nothing is beyond His control. His power and might are sufficient for all our needs. Abraham first encounter God Almighty in Genesis 17:1-2 “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. 2 I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.” The Apostle Paul knew God Almighty to when he wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:9  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

El Elyon– The God Most High He is the sovereign ruler of the universe. Abraham was thanking God for his deliverance in Genesis 14:20 and used God’s name, “And blessed be God Most High,  who has defeated your enemies for you.” Psalm 78 is a psalm of remembrance and used God’s name in verse 35 “Then they remembered that God was their rock, that God Most High was their redeemer. Where do you need Him to be your God most High?

Yahweh- LORD, Jehovah He is the Self-Existent One. God is God and there is no other. He alone exited before time began and was not created. Moses encountered God in Exodus 3:14-15 “God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.

Which name of God do you need to minister to you today? Will you give thanks for Him constantly? God is worthy of all our praises as He is indeed the All-Sufficient One, The God Most High and Lord. Thank you Jesus for being all I need no matter the place or the circumstances. God is enough!

Linda

Songs of Thanks…but I can’t Sing! No Worries.

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Psalm 33:1-3 tells us to give thanks with musical instruments.

“Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous!
    Praise befits the upright.
2 Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre;
    make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!
3 Sing to him a new song;
    play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.”

Does this sound out of your comfort zone? I know I haven’t touched a piano in years. However, I don’t think that is what the psalmist was aiming at. He says “Praise befits the upright” the NIV puts it this way, ” it is fitting for the upright to praise Him.” Believers are to give thanks joyfully and not do it quietly. We are to be exuberant in our joy-filled worship. The question is how do you worship the Lord? Do you have an attitude of joy? Do you raise your voice in praise to God? David liked to praise God with songs and even dancing. He let his JOY in the LORD be known. Everyone around him could see his joy in coming before God in worship. Our worship needs to be joyous, from the heart and filled with thanksgiving.

As you ponder this psalm, think about your style of worship. Is it honoring to God? Are you actively giving thanks? Let your shouts be heard before Him today as you actively give thanks for who God is and what He has done.

Linda

In this song, Chris Tomlin answers the question of God’s worthiness and why we worship Him. I pray his words bless you and lead you to deeper worship.

Why will you Praise Him today?

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Psalm 100 is one of my favorites. Looking at this through the lens of thankfulness to God- what attributes of God do you see in David’s song?

Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
2     Worship the Lord with gladness.
    Come before him, singing with joy.
3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
    He made us, and we are his.
    We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
    go into his courts with praise.
    Give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good.
    His unfailing love continues forever,
    and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

I see that David is coming to worship with gladness in his heart and the joy of singing on his lips. His reasons are various: God is God, God is creator of all heaven and earth, we belong to Him, He is our shepherd, we can come into His presence to worship Him, God is good, His love is unfailing and unending and God is forever faithful generation to generation. Join David in praise and worship today of Almighty God. There is much to be thankful for!

Linda

Strength, Shield, Safe Fortress all Yes in Him

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Psalm 28:7-8 is part of a psalm where David cries to the Lord for help as his enemies seem to be assailing him. He has been contending with people who are two faced and deceitful. He knows they do not know the Lord but thankfully David knows that God is his strength and defender. Here his words:

“The Lord is my strength and shield.
    I trust him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
    I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. The Lord gives his people strength.
    He is a safe fortress for his anointed king.”

Could this be our song as well? Do you know God as your shield, strength and safe place? Do you trust Him with all your heart? David was convinced. He had walked with God from a young age and seen how God was always with him as his perfect shepherd. God had kept him safe from the lion and the bear. God had been with him though the fight with Goliath, kept him ahead of pursuing King Saul and given him prosperity and victory as Israel’s King. David knew and trusted his Lord and called upon Him for strength and protection.

If God is your strength, shield and safe fortress, then you have much to be thankful for, just as David did. May your cries of thanksgiving and praise reach to the heavens today. May you extol God Almighty and put your trust in Him!

Linda

Holy God, Thank You!

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Today’s thank-filled verse comes from Psalm 30:4

“Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,
    and give thanks to his holy name.”

In Hebrew the reference is to giving thanks and worshipping God because of His holiness. Have you ever thought about why we should give thanks that God is holy? Holy means pure, blameless, set apart. Only God is without sin and perfect. I like the definition given in my Bible Study Fellowship manual for explaining God’s attribute of holiness to the children; “God is high and lifted up. He is set apart from His creation. Our English word “holy” is from the same root word as “whole.” God is whole – perfect in goodness and righteousness. No one is like God. Even God’s holy angels tremble in reverent worship before Him. God sets apart His children for Himself and commands us to be holy as He is holy. Being holy makes you whole– what God intended you to be.”

Thinking about Holy God creates in me a sense of humility and unworthiness followed by extreme thankfulness. How is it that Holy God cares for me? Repeatedly in scripture we are assured of God’s love and care. Nahum 1:7 is one of my favorite verses “The Lord is good,  a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him,” God has compassion upon me and seeks to draw me unto Himself. God loves me so much that He sent Jesus to die for my sins so that I can be brought into a relationship with Him. My faith in Jesus restores me and covers me in His righteousness. What a marvelous gift from our Holy God! Because of God’s love and Jesus imputing his righteousness to me, I can seek to live rightly before Him and honor Him in all I say and do. We can be ‘whole’ before Him and that is something to praise, sing and honor God for! Thank you Jesus for giving me a way to be right with God through faith in you.

Linda

A New Heart and Spirit = Thanks to Jesus

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Today’s verse is 1 Chronicles 16:35-36

“Save us, O God of our salvation,
    and gather and deliver us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
    and glory in your praise.
36 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting!”

This scene takes place when David was rejoicing at the arrival of the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem. The ark was the object containing the mercy seat on top and inside the 10 Commandments, Aaron’s rod budding rod and a jar of manna. All these objects were precious to the Israelites and reminded them tangibly of their unseen God’s provision and mercy. The attribute David is extolling God for is being their Savior. He was remembering how God saved them from slavery in Egypt, brought them through the wilderness and led them to conquer the promised land. God had delivered them repeatedly and their eternal God is worthy of all their praises.

When has God saved you? If you are a believer, you were saved from the penalty of sin which is eternal death, when you accepted Jesus as your Savior. Perhaps you have also had other experiences in your life where you have been threatened physically or spiritually and God rescued you from harm. When God saved us by faith in Jesus, it was for eternity and we will belong to Him forever. All the benefits of knowing Him are ours by faith and we can claim the promises He has for us in His Word. The fact that Jesus Saves is worthy of rejoicing and giving thanks. Where would you be without Him? You would be eternally lost and separated from God which are the consequences of disbelief. Thank you Jesus for saving me from that horrible eternal fate and giving me a new life with a new heart and spirit within me. In Ezekiel 36:26 God promises us both. “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”

Dear Lord, I am so grateful for your Spirit within me that gives me life, hope and guidance as I seek to honor and serve You. Thank you.

Linda

Christ Alone, His Righteousness for me

nofearlindaLeave a comment

This morning I was studying about the righteousness of God made manifest in Jesus the Son. Then Psalm 7:17 jumped out at me as I was reviewing passages on giving thanks. “I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
 and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.”

What greater reason do we have to give thanks than that we stand on His righteousness and not our own? The Bible tells us in Romans 3:10 “None is righteous, no, not one;” We are all born sinners. You only need to look at yourself and you will realize that every day you cannot do everything right, say everything correctly, hurt no one, be kind at all times, etc. It is not possible. But, Jesus tells us that in Him all things are possible. Having His Holy Spirit within us, empowers us to live rightly for Him. I love the way Titus explains this in 2:11-13 “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,” Through Christ alone we obtain our right standing with God. Paul writes in Philippians 3:8-10 “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,”

Knowing then that our right standing before God is all because of Christ and His sacrifice on the cross, shouldn’t that lead us to thankfulness? Without Christ, we are condemned, lost and would be eternally separated from God. Thank you Jesus! Due to your righteousness, I am healed, loved, freed from the power of sin, saved, cherished as God’s child, cared for, protected, provided for, and blessed. The list of what Jesus has done for me is endless! May these facts cause us to be living in thanks to Him. Giving Him praise and honor for all He has done and will do! May the words of Psalm 7:17 be on your lips today in praise.

“I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
    and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.” Psalm 7:17

Linda

Thankfulness = the Truth of God’s Love

nofearlindaLeave a comment

What attribute of God am I most thankful for? When I pondered this question, the first thing that came to mind was God’s love for me. He loved me so much He sent Jesus, His only Son, to die for my sins so that I could be brought into a relationship with him through faith in Christ. John 3:16 says it so well. ““For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” God wants me to be with Him for eternity and be freed from the power and presence of sin. What an amazing gift we have in His love! Thoughts of God’s love lead me to think about the perfection and purity of His love. In our world we don’t know love that is not motivated by some selfish desire. It is part of our world and our nature no matter how hard we try. God is pure love. His love is not short lived but longsuffering and eternal in nature. His love is steadfast and we can always count on it. Multiple scriptures express the truth that God’s love is steadfast, everlasting, eternal and forever. Here are a few:

1 Chronicles 16:34 “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    for his steadfast love endures forever!”

Psalm 136:1-26 repeatedly says, “
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.”

God’s love is steadfast, true, pure and will be with me for eternity. I can rely upon God’s love always as God is faithful.

Today as you consider reasons for your thankfulness, I pray that God’s love will be ever present in your heart and mind. His love is an eternal truth we can always be thankful for in every circumstance.

Praise God!

Linda

Take time to read Psalm 136. Read it aloud and let the truth of God’s love sink into your soul.