Thank You God!!!

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I thought I would share one of my favorite newer videos that sums up the season. May we truly be thankful in all things because of what He has done for us! Enjoy the video...then take a moment to share what you are thankful for today.

For more information or to pick the video up for your personal or church use, stop by Igniter Media.

I'm So Thankful!!!

This morning in our Men's devotion time, we were talking when my mind was brought to Psalm 46:10..."Be still and knwo that I am God"... From that, I began thinking this morning as to what scripture would we look at and looked at the beginning of that very chapter.

Let's read in Psalm 46:1-3..."God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (2) Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; (3) Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof."

Let's take a look at the same passage in The Amplified version, it reads..."GOD IS our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to temptation], a very present and well-proved help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains be shaken into the midst of the seas, 3 Though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling and tumult. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!"

Obviously, we are in the holiday season and our minds are on giving thanks. What better to give thanks for than the One who is "our refuge and strength"? When we go through the valleys of life, we have a Helper! I did capitalize that because He is not a helper in the sense we normally use that word. In this sense, He does the work through us. Not the way you normally think of a helper is it? Usually, we think of a helper as a "gopher" or maybe a "go-fer" go for this or that...

In this case, He tells us the comings and goings, or at least He should be doing the leading...right? The following verses just remind us that we have NOTHING to fear when our hope is in the Lord. I wanted to share the Amplified version, because it just makes the words "jump" out, if you will. I like how the parenthetical phrasing states...[pause, and calmly think of that]...if we think on it, we may be a bit more thankful for what we have in Him!!!

I am so thankful for all that God has blessed me with! This week leading up to Thanksgiving has been a time of reflecting, not only on memories of family get-togethers, but also what God has done in my life this past year. The circumstances could have been different, but I bless His name for the wonderful work that has been done...My eyes have been opened to His love and guidance. The year may have been personally, emotionally, and spiritually taxing, but I wouldn't change the way God has taught me to rely on, cling to and trust in Him...Yes, I did get that from Brother Boyd, as well:)

I want to express my sincerest appreciation to my church family, my friends, and my readers. I have learned much from each of you! I would like to send thanks to my worship leader friends for your ideas and devotions shared. I also want to thank my parents for the teaching that was taught not by telling me to follow the Biblical principles, but by watching you live them out. Yes, I strayed from time to time, but you were there to help bring me back! Thanks to my wife for her neverending support, regardless of the circumstances! I am also so thankful and proud of my two children, Tyler and Trinity...you will never know how much you mean to your dad!!! And finally, I am eternally grateful for a pastor who has shown me how to minister to others...in every word and action, you light the way pointing to Jesus. Thank you for your fine example!

Okay, now that I have gotten all the emotional stuff out of the way, let's take another look at our memory verse for the week from 1 Chronicles 16:34..."O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever."

May you be thankful for all you have been given!!! Not just this week, but every day, week, month and year of your future...Blessings!

If there is a special prayer request I can word on your behalf today, please let me know...

Thanksgiving thoughts...part 1

I know it seems a bit early, but Thanksgiving is coming next Thursday. In the realm of church, we have our dinner and music night this Sunday. So, this week, the Thanksgiving theme has been very much on my mind. In thinking about Thanksgiving, I looked up the references to the word on YouVersion. I want to look at a few of the references today, and will look at a few each day until the holiday itself. Thanks for bearing with me on this!

The first verse I look at today is from Psalms 26:7..."That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works." When I think about Thanksgiving and thankfulness, am I thinking more about what people have done that benefited me? That seems odd to say, but, unfortunately, I feel that I've been trained to think that way. It is a battle to keep focus on the One who should receive thanks for what He has done. There should be no better time for me to be thinking about His works, not only in my life, but in His creation of the world and the history that has been made because of Him.

Psalms 69:30..."I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving." Every year, I look so forward to our Thanksgiving meal and special music service. It seems like such a great time of "letting our hair down" and just focusing on praising God and even sharing some testimonies of what God has done in our lives. It means so much to be able to lift our songs and words of praise in a relaxed setting...the real challenge is trying to sing after filling up on turkey, stuffing, desserts, etc.

Psalms 95:2..."Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms." All worship leaders know this verse by heart, I am sure. We are always asking everyone to make a joyful noise. But with my voice, am I giving Him thanks, or just giving my best performance? Sometimes, I get so focused on the order of our worship service that I lose focus of the object of our worship...

At this time of year, we focus on giving thanks to our families, friends, and co-workers for what they have done for us and our lives...please don't forget to give thanks to the one who gave you life!!!

Let's take a quick look at our verses to memorize this week from Romans 8:1 & 2..."There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."

Keep working on your learning of the scriptures...God will give you opportunity to share them with others if you take the challenge to learn them!!!

Please let me know if there is a special prayer request I can word on your behalf today...

Be grateful...

First off this week, let's take one more look at our previous memory verses from Ephesians 5:15 & 16..."See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, (16) Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Was this as much a challenge for anyone else this past week as it was for me? Not that it was two verses, hard to remember, or extremely time-consuming...the issue is that since I have committed to memorize scripture, Satan is doing all he can to keep me from it. Has this been happening to you? Each time you try to go over verses we have learned the past couple weeks, does it seem like something pulls you away? Believe me, it's no coincidence.

We also have two more verses to take a look at...Acts 6:4...""But we give ourselves continually to prayer, and the ministry of the word." and John 3:30..."He must increase, but I must decrease." Have you memorized all three of these yet? or maybe one of them? or two? Are you still on board with the challenge? Will you continue on with me?

This week, I am led to Romans 8:1-2..."There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."

This verse fits with the grand theme of things during this time of year. We are thankful to be under "grace" and not under the "law", right? I am so glad for the grace that has been offered, because in so many ways I fall short of the law. And, if I offend in any one part of the law, I am guilty of all!!!

How do you feel about that? Would you rather be judged by what you have done, or by what Christ did for you?

Now, this doesn't stop there...if we are in Christ Jesus and walk not after the flesh, we will be abiding in His will. Am I abiding in His will every moment of every day? Say that again to yourself...Am I abiding in His will every moment of every day? To answer quite simply...No, I am not. That is why I am so glad for God's grace.

I'm not sure how many of you have heard it put this way, but our pastor puts grace this way...

G od's
R iches
A t
C hrist's
E xpense

So, I am grateful..."For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." Look over this week's verses...think on them...ask God to speak to you...and share with others...

Please let me know if there is a prayer request I can word on your behalf today!!!