Thanksgiving Time...

Today, I want to take a few moments and reflect upon the things that I am most thankful for in my life. That includes my family, friends, church and many others!

First off, I am thankful for a Savior that doesn’t ask for us to clean up to come into our lives. He is there with arms open wide, waiting for the sinner to see the need of an all-sufficient Savior. I am thankful for His forgiveness, even when others in our lives would have written us off because of our past failures. Like 1 John 1:9 states… “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” There is no qualifying factor here…it doesn’t say if this is the first time you’ve made that mistake…just confess and He forgives.

The next thing I would share being thankful for is my family. I am thankful to have been raised up in a Christian home, where we learned what the Bible taught and how to apply that to our lives. Though many times I strayed, the teachings I was brought up with stayed as a reminder of what was good and right. I am also blessed beyond measure to have parents who have always been there, regardless of the trouble I was in, and were willing to dust me off and point me the right direction, whether that was what I wanted to hear or not.

My wife and children are a blessing that I cannot believe God found favor enough in me to bless me with. I can’t believe that I actually have a teenager, who will be in 9th grade next year. I also can’t believe that my little girl is soon to be five. Time flies by so quickly. And the love of my life, Lindsey, who has gone through her share of trials and tribulations in this thing we call marriage. Many times she could have folded under the pressures, but has stayed strong and committed to what God has brought together. I thank the Lord for you everyday, my love!

I am also thankful for the numerous friends I have across the world. Over the past couple years, I have been able to re-connect with many of them. They have been a constant encouragement, even by simply writing a short note via Facebook, Twitter, text message, email, or even a card in the mail. Philippians 1:3 states it perfectly... "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you"

There are numerous things I am thankful for in our church. First and foremost is the openness to let God’s will be made evident and lead in every ministry opportunity that presents itself. The main goal of every venture we come into is…“Will this help lead others to Christ?” Another point that I am thankful for is the willingness to welcome the “unlovable” and reach out to the “untouchable”. That was how Jesus loved and we, to so many out there, are the only version of Jesus they will ever see.

I am also truly thankful to be ministering under a pastor who is not afraid to preach what God lays upon his heart. He also lives the words that he preaches. In a world that says “Do as I say and not as I do”, it is a blessing to see a God-centered life showing how to live by his daily example.

I am thankful also for a congregation who forgives and shields one another in their times of greatest need. I have so much to be thankful for…and am blessed to have been placed where God has led me.

Now, I would like to hear from you…what do you have to be thankful for? Who has been there for you when you needed them? Please take a few moments and leave a short comment of Thanksgiving to those who matter most to you.
And, as always, please let me know if you have a special prayer request I can word on your behalf today!!!

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 3

As we draw a day closer to Thanksgiving, I wanted to leave things open for your thoughts a bit. I would like to know maybe a Thanksgiving memory that might stick out, a time you reached out and helped someone in need during the holiday, or just simply what this time of year means to you...

This question brings many things to mind...going to Indiana while growing up and spending time with dad's side of the family. It seems like there were a thousand relatives at those get-togethers. I also remember the years my parents served as missionaries to the Sioux Indians in Ft. Thompson, South Dakota. I remember how thankful the Indians were when we had our Thanksgiving meal and service at the church.

Then, I remember one of the most touching moments ever...last year, I was able to deliver a Thanksgiving basket from our staff to a family in need right here in town. I took the turkey and some items for them to have the traditional "Thanksgiving Meal". The joy in the kid's eyes that they were gonna have a Thanksgiving meal was what will stick in my mind for every Thanksgiving to come.

What Thanksgiving means to me is much what it means to you...being thankful for being blessed with more than I deserve. Having family, friends, and loved ones who care for us. The Lord has provided for all our needs...He has never left or forsaken me, regardless when I have turned from Him.

Before I relinquish control of this post, let's 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." I want to make sure that I give thanks for all He has done for me.

Please take a few moments and share what thoughts come to your mind about Thanksgiving...and "thanks" for your input!!!

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

Thanksgiving thoughts...part 2

First off today, I would just like to say how well our worship services went yesterday. We had a great time of food and fellowship, with a great number of visitors attending our Thanksgiving meal and stayed for our Music and Praise service.

The music service was great, even though it was longer than the usual hour-long service. We had about 10 specials by various individuals in our church. I was amazed by the piano special performed by one of the teens. She has never had lessons, and taught herself to read music and play the piano. It was her first time to play in public and I believe it will be only the first of many more!!!

The ending of the service was the video entitled, "That's My King" with pictures and music and the message of S.M. Lockridge dubbed over, and we followed it in closing by "Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)" and prayer. With the time of year centering around being thankful, I want to express my thankfulness to all the members and visitors who make our church the special place it is!

Thinking on thanksgiving and giving our thanks, our memorization verse for this week comes from 1 Chronicles 16:34..."O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever." I am setting my mind this week on the things that God has done that I am thankful for. Not that I don't the rest of the year, but especially now. I am so thankful that His mercy endures FOREVER, regardless of what we do. If I turn to Him, He is always there!

Continuing on with the Thanksgiving theme, we look to a couple more verses today. The first comes from 2 Corinthians 9:11..."Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God." This verse reminds us that we are provided abundantly for in everything and that causes, or makes us show thanksgiving unto God. Think about that...our being blessed should make us show thanksgiving! Do the blessings in my life make me show thanksgiving? Sobering thought!

The next verse comes from Philippians 4:6..."Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." This is a reminder to make everything known unto God and shows me that not only through asking for it, but also making sure that I am thankful to Him in everything!

I pray that your thanksgiving week is a time of reflection on what God has done in your life and the life of your family (church and relation)...

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