Thanksgiving Challenge: Day 2

"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built in him and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving."

Colossians 2:6-7

I just got home so I know I am cutting it close with this post but tonight I am thankful for Friday night Bible study.  

When I was in high school, I attended a home Bible study with some friends of mine and I loved it!  I like having plans every Friday.  I like having another opportunity to study God's Word and be around God's people.  

A couple of years ago, we decided to start a home Bible study at my brother's house.  As soon as I heard about it, I knew I wanted to be involved.  

We are now into our 3rd year (I think) and it's going strong!  It's great to look back and see how it's grown and changed and developed.  We studied the foundational doctrines of Christianity, the Tabernacle and other religions.  This fall, my brother started teaching the book of Colossians and once again, I am getting so much out of it!

I thought of the verses above, which we went over tonight, particularly the "as ye have been taught" part of verse 7.

That's the main reason why anybody shows up every Friday.  We all want to be taught something.  Something that will help us.  Something from the Bible, not man's opinion or thought but truth. 

I'm thankful for my brother being willing to study and then teach us and be a guide to us as we study the Bible.  I have been able to observe and learn from him for years now but it has just been within the past year or so that I really started to notice something...he is a teacher.  God has developed that within him and that excites me.  It excites me to see God's work in and through him and to see it in action and to see the fruit of that.  He's doing what God wants to him to do and that's the best thing any Christian can do.

I'm thankful for his wife, who prepares and opens her house each week to our group and makes it a warm, inviting, comfortable and fun environment.

I'm thankful for what I get out of Bible study.  Not only do I get a vast amount of stuff from God's Word that helps deepen my love for the Book and for God and helps and instructs me, but I get so much more.  I get Christian fellowship each week.  I get an opportunity to pray with and for these people.  I get the opportunity to "sharpen" and be "sharpened".  

It's a great way to end my week and start my weekend.  I'm very thankful tonight for our Bible study and everyone who comes.  It's a highlight of my week.

Monthly Challenge: Be thankful!

Well, the first thing I did this morning when I got to work was flip the month on my calendar.  November.  It's finally here!

I love November.  I love the weather, crisp and cool.  I love the smell of November, mulled cider candles burning (or brewing cider on the stove!).  I love the sound of November, the crunch of leaves under my feet.  I love the sight of November, usually the first real snowfall comes this month.  I love the taste of November, thanksgiving meal!

Which brings me to my point: thanksgiving.  The blessed day we have set aside to think upon all the things we are most thankful for and all the wonderful food we consume that day.  I don't know about you but I can't fit all my gratitude into just one day.  I like to try to be thankful everyday, especially during the month of November.  For the past few years, I have kept a list of what I am thankful for and add something new each day of the month.

This year, I'm gonna share that list with you!

I want to focus not just on the things God has blessed me with, which is a lot, but I also want to take some time this month to focus on some of the characteristics of God that I am most thankful for.  Please join me and I encourage you to make your own list!  You'll see just how much God gives to us and it'll help you take time each day to be thankful for something.

So today is November 1st.  I think I'm going to start this month off with being thankful for my salvation.  Last month I had the privilege to share my salvation testimony.  What a blessing!  It had been a long time since I had shared my full testimony with someone.  It was great.

It made me think back though to how I was before I got saved.  I was such a different person.  Different, desires, different attitude, different language, different perspective, different goals.

"Therefore, if any many be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."  2 Corinthians 5:17

I am so thankful for the new things He has given me.  He gave me a new life, a new mind, a new home in eternity, new desires, new things to say.  I'm also thankful that the old things are passed away and gone!  Woo hoo!  Man, I love that!  He didn't have to do that, but He did.  Because He's God and He can do that stuff.

So I'm thankful for my salvation.  I'm thankful that I accepted His free gift for me and that He took my place and paid my debt of sin so that I wouldn't have to.  Amazing!

I'm looking forward to this month!  There's so much to be thankful for...I'm just getting started!

Happy November!

My debt

I was struggling last week.  I have a tendency to go through streaks of contentment.  Last week, I had an emotional weak moment, or day actually.

It wasn't pretty.

I've been asking God to give me some of that "peace that passes all understanding" because frankly, I am tired of this fleeting contentment that seems to come and go from time to time.

So yesterday I was praying and talking with God about this whole contentment/peace thing and He gave me a thought: God doesn't owe me anything.

I know that it is not ground-breaking or profound but I needed the reminder and the Lord really struck a cord in me with it.  It was one of those thoughts that God plants in your mind and then continues to stir it around until it can settle and sink in.

It's a true statement though.  God doesn't owe me anything.  However, I think Christians (trust me, myself included) can often convince ourselves that He does in fact owe us something.  We can convince ourselves that since we have trusted Him and are now saved, we are entitled to His blessings.  We can begin to think that the more we do for Him, the more we deserve from Him.  We can begin to believe that He owes us a spouse, a child, health, wealth, happiness, a nice home, a nice car, comfort or even peace.

HA!

He showed me how absolutely ridiculous that is!  

He doesn't owe us anything!

He gave us everything 2,000 years ago when He freely laid his life down for me and shed His blood for me and paid my debt of sin.  He overcame death and Hell for me.  What more could I expect or even ask from Him?! 

God continued to stir that thought last night.  My pastor was preaching about why Christ's return will be glorious and the fact that when we get to Heaven, we will have perfect, immortal bodies, made like Him.  The point he was trying to get across was that God gives us his very best, which is so true.  In response to that, we ought to give Him our very best.

That fit right in with the thought that God doesn't owe me anything but rather, in reality, I owe Him.

I owe God everything. 

I owe him my time, not the very end of my day after everything else has been done but I owe Him the very first part of my day.  I can't be selfish with my time.  If He wants me to give it to others, then I have to obey that.  It's not my time anyways, every moment, every day, every week and year have been given to me by God and He can bring it to an end whenever He wants.

I owe him my thoughts.  Last week in Bible study, we read Proverbs 16:3, "Commit thy works unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established."  That verse really struck me.  Every action begins in the mind.  We contemplate what we are going to do.  I best not be day dreaming or filling my mind with thoughts of this world or of temporal things.  I need to focus and think on things of God. 

I owe him my service.  I shouldn't have a bad attitude about any opportunity I have to service God or to serve His people. 

I owe him my heart.  The whole thing.  I need to keep my heart pure and protected and I want Him to have it.  There are plenty of things in the world vying for it and for my affections, my attention, my thoughts but I need to set my affections on things above because "where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Luke 12:34)

I owe him my life.  In my last post I talked about the one purpose we have in life is to please God, since that is the whole reason why we were even created, for his pleasure (Revelation 4:11).  He gave his life for me, the least I could do is attempt to return the favor.

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man ay down his life for his friends."  John 15:13

I owe him my all.  It may not be much, but I owe him everything I've got.  Any gifts, any talents, any time I have has been given to me by Him and it is only reasonable for me to offer that back to Him.  I owe it to Him.

"He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God?"  Micah 6:8 

God doesn't owe me anything.  I owe Him everything.

One purpose

"Thou are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."  Revelation 4:11

"For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure."  - Philippians 2:13

"Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men."  Acts 5:29

The entire reason I was created was to bring Him pleasure.  To please Him.  The top priority is not to make money, not to do good, it's not even to be happy.  The top priority is to please Him.

It has to remain my top priority.  Every year, every month, every week, every day, every hour, every moment, I need to be focused on doing what He wants me to do.  I need to be focused on doing what He created me to do.  I need to focus on pleasing Him and Him alone.

I struggle with that.  Not that I don't strive to please Him, because I do.  I pray every day to see the opportunities He brings me to please Him.  But I struggle with keeping the focus on pleasing Him first and foremost.

I am a people-pleaser.  I enjoy making people happy.  (honestly, who doesn't?) But it's not right and its not a good thing when I aim to please people before I aim to please my Savior.

God has been teaching me that lately.  He's been making verses pop out at me, like the 3 verses above.  He's been showing me situations in my life recently when I made it a greater priority to please people before pleasing Him.

It's shameful to look back on my actions in the past few months and see myself doing that.  Shameful but needful.

For the past month or so, verses about "serving God rather than serving men" have been leaping off the page.  God is trying to drill into my think head and my stony heart that I need to not be so focused and consumed with what others think - the only thing that matters is what He thinks.

He knows how much I struggle with that.  I had some big decisions to make recently and I feel as though I asked anyone and everyone for their opinion.  I just wanted someone to tell me what to do.  I don't make decisions very well.  I flip-flop.  I can't commit.  I think "road A" is the right decision and an hour later, after rolling it around and around my mind, "road B" seems to be the clear choice.

Ugh.

I hate that about myself.  It drives me nuts.

But the first person I took it to was the Lord and I made the decision I felt He wanted me to make.  Even though I know some may disagree with it.  Even though some may think it was the easy choice (which by the way, it wasn't) or the safe choice, it's what I believe God wanted and I hope He is pleased.

What I want - doesn't matter.  What other people think is right for me - doesn't matter.  He created me.  He loves me.  He gave his life for me.  He has a plan and a will for my life and that is what I desire more than anything.  My greatest desire is to do what He created me to do.

"Thou are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."  Revelation 4:11

A defining moment

"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." - Joshua 1:9

"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."  - Hebrews 13:5

Do you ever have an experience that makes you look at some of these verses totally differently?  I had one of those experiences this summer.

Last week, I was catching up with a friend and talking about the past year or so and the different events that have happened.  I was telling them about something that happened really unexpectedly and was kind of a painful ordeal.

It happened late in the summer and without going into all the details, it was one of those defining moments.  One of those moments that you'll remember every painful detail of for a long, long time.  One of those moments that you know will change and alter the course of your life and your relationships.  One of those moments that you don't choose, but it chooses you.

The moment happened.  It involved tears and confusion, sadness and heartache.  I didn't know how to handle it.  I was overwhelmed with emotion and so unsure of what just happened and trying to comprehend that it actually did just happen.

I needed comfort.

I came home and did what I always do when I need comfort.   I went to bed.  Just crawled right in, covered up and cried.

But that doesn't help, not for very long at least.

I needed a hug.

I needed someone to hold me and make me feel protected, make me feel loved, make me feel cared for.  I needed someone to console me.

But I didn't have anyone to get that from.  Yes I could have called a friend but I would have felt like I was a bother or interrupting.  Besides, they would probably ask what was going on and I didn't even understand it enough to explain.  It was an awkward situation and I didn't need someone to talk to, I needed someone to comfort me.

So I turned to the Lord. 

He already knew the situation.  He knew the pain in my heart.  I asked Him to comfort me.

He did.

I don't know if I can fully explain or describe it, but He comforted me with His supernatural comfort.  I literally felt as though He was right here with me, holding me and comforting me.  He made me feel protected, loved and cared for.  It was unlike any kind of comfort I have ever experienced before.  It was indescribable.  It was wonderful.  It was miraculous.  It was tender.

I read those verses in Joshua and Hebrews now and man, they have a whole new meaning.  I have experienced them.  I have experienced the fact that when you literally have no one around, I always have God.  ALWAYS!

Oh the comfort that that brings!  It makes me tear up just thinking about it.  He doesn't have to do that.  He didn't have to be there for me that night.  He didn't have to allow me to feel His comfort and His presence, but He did anyways.

I also realized that night that I am very thankful for this time of being single.  I don't know how long it will last or if it will ever even end.  But I realized that night that if I were in a relationship, I would have sought out comfort from them (boyfriend/husband).  It's the natural thing to do.  But since I don't have that, I have God.

And that is all I need.

It doesn't surprise me at all that Hebrews 13:5 talks about contentment and not being covetous.  To me, that verse speaks to the fact that God is here - always here - and He is enough.  We ought to be content with Him and Him alone.

I sure am.  He continues to amaze me and reveal Himself unto me and all it does is cause me to desire more and more of Him!  Lately, I feel like I just can't get enough of Him.  (and I am loving it!) 

I'm thankful tonight for those defining moments...for those moments that choose us because it's through those moments, that God can really work and we can really grow closer to Him!

What it's all about...

A couple of weeks ago a group of us from church went out street preaching.  We just gathered together, sang a song, spread out over the intersection with scripture signs and the guys preached.

I was holding a sign with the following verse on it:

"For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord" 2 Corinthians 4:5a

That verse has stuck in my mind and in my heart for the past few weeks.   God's been reminding me that it's not all about me.  It's not about what I want, it's not about what I do or don't have, it's not about what I am comfortable with. 

It's about Him.  It's about what He wants, what He desires for me, where He wants me, doing what He wants me to do.  He created me, placed me where He has placed me.  I need to look around and see what He wants me to do rather than poke around and see what I want. 

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."  1 Corinthians 10:31

Boy, have I ever needed that reminder. I have allowed myself to take my focus off Him and instead followed whatever it is that I want. 

Wrong. Wrong.  Wrong.

God doesn't want me to be unhappy but I know that I will be most happy when I am following Him and His guiding and directing of my life, not following my own selfish desires and wants.

"Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.  Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass." Psalm 37:4-5

I'm sorry for not being committed to you like I ought to, Lord.  Thank you for reminding me that I was created for Your pleasure.  I was put here to serve You.  Thank you for the opportunity to get back on track.

"He must increase, but I must decrease."  John 3:30

Help me, Lord, to be decreased.

A broken heart

God broke my heart the other night.

It needed it.

I didn't realize it needed it, but God knew. 

I was at a special prayer meeting at church on Friday night.  We had 3 different rooms, different things to pray for in each room and 45 minutes in each room.  I really enjoy these nights.  They are good for me.  It reminds me of how much I fall short in my prayer life and it's also a good opportunity to pray with church family.

But something unexpected happened on Friday night.  I was in the room where we pray for leaders and also give thanks.  In this room we broke off individually and prayed - just one on one with God.  When I came to the part of things to give thanks for the first thing on the list was salvation.  As I began to pray and thank God for saving me, I really began to consider and reflect on what it really entailed.

I became overwhelmed.  Overwhelmed with gratitude.

He was mocked. scorned. rejected. spit upon. beaten.    for me.

I am so completely and utterly unworthy and undeserving of Him and of the gift of salvation. 

I sin and neglect Him and His Word and His teaching and His guiding and directing in my life so often.  He brings opportunities to me and I ignore them or refuse them.

And yet, He still went to the cross - not only went to the cross but actually carried it - for me.

My mind was blown.  That is incomprehensible love.

I thanked Him for loving me.

He doesn't have to.  I'm not easy to love.  I disappoint.  I can hurt and can cause pain.  I do and say the wrong thing far too often.

Yet, He loves me.  He loves me more than I can understand.  He loves me unlike anyone else can love me.  He has loved me from before I was ever created and He will love me forever.

I thanked Him for my health.  He healed me.  He healed my leg. 

I had given up hope.  I knew God could heal it but I had given up faith that He would heal it.  I had convinced myself that it was something I had to live with and I did, for 3 years.  I figured it would eventually get bad enough where it would just have to be amputated and I had been preparing myself for that result.

But God had other plans.  I know I didn't deserve His healing but He gave it to me despite my unbelief.  Words cannot not begin to express my gratitude for that.  When you come to a point of convincing yourself you may lose your leg and instead God heals it within  weeks - trust me, it takes awhile for it to set in.  I'm still trying to believe it - seems too good to be true sometimes.

But that's God and that's why He is more than worthy of our thanks.

I also thanked God for being my friend.

Honestly, I struggle with loneliness sometimes.  But Friday night, He reminded me that He is always there and He brought to mind all the different times when He has always come through for me.  He is always there to listen.  He always cares.  He's always interested.  He doesn't interrupt.  He lets me go on and on and on about the silly things but He listens.  He cares.  He's always there.  He's my Friend.

I was broken down and weeping by this point.  I couldn't control it.  He had broken my hard and unthankful heart. 

But He was right there to pick up the pieces and to hold it in it's fragility.  He broke it so that I might be able to offer it to Him to fix and to fill with the right things.

I know He was there.  The Bible tells us in Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

He was in that church.  He was in that nursery room.  He was knelt down next to me and had His hand upon me.  I know He was because I felt Him.  I felt His presence. 

I needed that.  I hadn't realized it, but it had been too long since I had felt closeness of that caliber with Him.  He didn't have to allow me to feel His presence, but I am thankful for it.  I'm thankful He was that close because I could no longer vocalize my prayer.  I was too overwhelmed and had to finish praying simply from my heart.

I'm so thankful for that time I got to spend with Him.  I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.  But one thing I am most thankful for is that I can have that with Him at anytime.  The God of the universe, who spoke life and earth and created the stars also, Him, I get to talk to Him, whenever I want. 

I'm glad God saw the state of my heart, when I didn't.  I'm glad He broke it and emptied it of all the pride and selfishness.  I'm glad He has since refilled it with His love and desires to please and serve Him.