Gratitude

 

     Today we take our upside down, last is first, less is more, honor in humility, weakness is strength, believer’s world into the topic of gratitude. Have you read, “Footprints in the Sand?” Looking back, I now recognize those times where Jesus was carrying me even when I did not sense His presence or feel His arms around me. I am still learning, but even during troubled times, I thank Him. When there are no answers, I thank Him for working. When things look hopeless, I know He will bring hope.

     My emotions and my need for control try to take over. I want to make it better, fix the problem, lash out at someone or something. The learning will never end, will it, until we are in heaven? Years ago, a sweet woman I visited in hospice, thanked God for every breath, even in the deepest pain, right up until her very last breath of life. I recently heard the story of an older woman of faith walking in circles around her daughter’s casket, praising and thanking God for allowing her to raise this beautiful child and praising Him for the gift of heaven. Trusting God even with our children? Thanking Him when the world is closing in? Believing in His timing when our patience is wearing thin? Thanking Him when the circumstances we are in will last for what seems an eternity? Practice gratitude. God’s grace is enough to get through the day.

     Can we learn to stop in the midst of an overwhelming day to thank God for our ordinary tasks and duties as we perform them one more time? Can we take a moment away from the seemingly endless urgent details to savor our most valuable God? Can we thank Him for working when we don’t see His hand? We can find a deeper intimacy with Jesus. We can! I thank God for each one of you today, no matter where you are in your journey with Jesus. He hears you. He will carry you. Give Him all of your cares with deep thanksgiving.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and yur minds in Christ Jesus, Philippians 4:6-7

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Dear Jesus,

Grant us an attitude of gratitude today for Your love, for Your mighty hand at work, for Your grace and mercy, for our loved ones and our homes, for our food and for our very lives. Thank You for the breath of life today, and thank You for the eternity that awaits tomorrow.

Amen

 

Humble Hearts

 

     The first time I really sought out God I was on my knees. It was a time of deep grief, confounding disbelief and overwhelming doubt. I fell to my knees, because I had nowhere else to go. When I hear of a loss, or a prayer request, a tragedy, or of someone’s suffering, my first prayer now, in addition to requests for healing or comfort or peace is to ask that the person gets to know Jesus.

     Going to our knees is not always a choice for us. Sometimes it becomes the only place left. For me, after all of these years, it is the place I choose to go first. There is nothing in the entire world better than being in the holy presence of God. Humility comes by recognizing who God is and how much we need Him.

     Do you remember what happens after we become filled with pride?

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.  Proverbs 18:18

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.  Proverbs 11:2

     When we fall or stumble, our merciful God has an answer for that, too.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.  James 4:10

      On the one hand, we can become puffed up with pride, saying, “Look what I did! I did an amazing job! I am wonderful!” Or, on the other hand, we can get to a place where we say, “I can’t do anything right. What is wrong with me? I am worthless.”

     Both of these attitudes are lies from our enemy, Satan. Both attitudes are, in reality, self-focused. With God’s help, we take the focus off of ourselves and put our eyes on Him and on others. That is all He asks of us. It is our purpose, it is our call. Serving God and serving others. Everything is upside down in God’s world. First is last, the least is the greatest.

Then He said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me and whoever welcomes me welcomes the One who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.” Luke 9:48

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.  Romans 12:10

    Impossible on our own? Yes. Possible with the One who lifts us up and sends us out? You betcha!

Dear Lord,

Give us humble hearts today. Take our focus off of ourselves and allow us to lift others up in Your name. We can do it with You!

In Jesus Name,

Amen

The Potter and the Clay

 

     I have shared this story with you before. It is worth sharing again. A water bearer, living long ago, walked to a well each morning to gather water for his master’s house. He hung a long pole across his neck with a pot on either end. One of the pots was perfect in every way. Over the years this perfect pot was puffed up with pride, congratulating himself on a job well done. The other pot, has a few cracks and flaws. He was growing more and more humiliated over time. 

     One day the cracked pot spoke up, “Sir, why do you continue to use me? With my large cracks, I am only half full of water by the time we reach the master’s house.” The water bearer looked at the cracked pot with kindness and compassion and said, “I knew you before I placed you on the end of my pole for the very first time. I planted seeds along the way. Notice the wide array of flowers on your side of the path. You have faithfully watered them and now the master has a beautiful view and fresh flowers for his table.” (Author Unknown)

     Isn’t this a beautiful story? And aren’t we all cracked pots? God uses our weaknesses and our flaws to show His glory. Through our weaknesses He is made strong. His light is visible through our weakest parts.

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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

     When we fall to pieces, when we accept our flaws, God begins to work. He is the potter. He just may leave a crack or two in place. That just allows His light to shine through. When other people see what you are doing, they will say, “How can he/she do that?” And the only answer will be, “It’s not me. It’s God. It’s Jesus at work.”  He is ready to make all of those dents and dings and holes and cracks work for Him. Our tests become our testimonies. Our messes become our messages.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7

     God chose me and He chose you. He chooses the cracked pots, the jars ready for the potter’s hand, the weak and the foolish ones to show Him off.

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  1 Corinthians 1:27

     Well, you cracked pots, you foolish and weak things, let’s go show off our new jars of clay, the ones with the light shining through. Let’s confound some of those perfect pots. We have an amazing God.

Dear Father in Heaven,

Only You can bring such beauty to these cracked jars of clay. Fill us with Your confidence as You create something beautiful out of our weakest parts. Create new treasures in these jars of clay. We can do it with Jesus.

Amen

Praise Him

 

     Jesus turns our world upside down. shakes a few things loose, sets us back up, and after the dizziness subsides, we look around and nothing is the same. This week, allow Him to show you a new perspective, a topsy turvy, inside out and upside-down new beginning. Let’s begin with praise. Thankfulness and gratitude to God is a great way to begin and end each day. Through it all.

     Praise Him to begin and end your day:

They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening. 2 Chronicles 23:30

     Praise Him through the darkness:

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:5

     Praise him for all He has created:

All the earth bows down to You. They sing praise to you, they sing the praises of Your name. Psalm 66:4

     Praise Him for hope:

As for me, I will always have hope. I will praise You more and more.  Psalm 71:14

      Praise Him as you pass it down.

Then we Your people, the sheep of Your pasture, will praise You forever from generation to generation we will proclaim Your praise.  Psalm 79:13

     Praise Him for His love:

Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good and His love endures forever.  Psalm 106:1

     Praise Him for His word:

May my lips overflow with praise, for You teach me Your decrees. Psalm 119:171

     Praise Him for your life.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. I know that full well. Psalm 139:14

     Praise Him for His power and greatness:

Praise Him for His acts of power, praise Him for His surpassing greatness. Psalm 150:2

     Praise Him with music and movement:

Praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise Him with the strings of the lyre.  Psalm 150:3

     He will replace your despair as you praise Him.

And provide for those who grieve in Zion, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor.  Isaiah 61:3

     Praise Him for His spiritual blessings:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.  Ephesians 1:3

     Praise Him when it is difficult.

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-the fruit of lips that openly confess His name.  Hebrews 13:15

     Praise Him today, even if it is difficult. Praise Him for His love, for His creation, for His Son, praise Him for everything in Your heart. He is worthy to be praised, this morning, this afternoon, tonight, tomorrow and forevermore.

Dear Father in Heaven,

We thank you for the gift of praise and thanksgiving. Remove our despair. Replace our mourning with joy. Replace our ashes for beauty. You change us as we focus on You.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Prayer

 

     A prayer begins our relationship with Jesus as Savior. It is a necessary part of life to keep our relationship with Him growing and active. Prayer changes circumstances, heals hearts, intercedes for friends and family.

     Do you find yourself trying to pray and something comes immediately to mind? Suddenly you remember an e-mail you have to answer or the phone just happens to ring as you begin your time with God. The quiet intimate time with Jesus seems impossible until it becomes a habit. The habit will eventually become the time you look most forward to, the quiet time to get to know and understand the voice of Christ.

     Jesus is always with us. That fact allows us to pray in the middle of a meeting, in a line at the post office, as we remember a sick friend, or witness an accident, or in the middle of a sleepless night. Praying can be habitual and part of our existence, as we practice the presence of God. 

Pray continually. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

     Satan would love to distract us enough, keep us busy enough, make us comfortable enough, make us worry enough, build our pride enough, keep us uncertain enough, to believe we don’t need to pray or believe we have no time to pray. Let prayer become a priority. Find a special time each day for prayer and Bible time. Those two things, understanding and studying God’s word and sitting in His presence in prayer will change your life forever. This relationship with Jesus gives us joy and hope. Don’t do this out of guilt or obligation, but because this relationship has become one of joy and anticipation.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12

     Prayer has great power, the power that first connected you to Jesus. The Holy Spirit within you will guide you into prayer, how to pray, what to pray and who should be included in your prayers. It is an honor to pray for others, and if someone prays for you, you are blessed indeed.

     I am pausing in my writing, right now, to pray for each reader. May Jesus fill your hearts and mind with blessings in the joy and hope of His salvation and love. And I thank you, dear friends, for the ways you have prayed for me and our family.

Dear Father,

Let each person reading these words feel Your presence in a new and powerful way. I pray those “Holy Spirit shivers” are running up and down as we unite together in praising You and in believing in the power of prayer and basking in Your mighty presence.

In Jesus powerful name we pray,

Amen

Power

 

     The moment we become believers we receive the power of the Holy Spirit. That spiritual power is beyond this world, beyond what we see with our eyes, or hear with our ears. It is a deep and abiding force that guides us through the rest of our lives. The breath and Spirit of Christ rests upon us. It is beyond our natural abilities. It is supernatural

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1;13

     Yes, that moment you first believed, the Holy Spirit was given to you. Are you ready to hear more about this great power? These next verses never fail to fill me with awe and wonder at what He offers freely when we believe that He exists and died and rose again for us. Paul is praying this prayer for his brothers and sisters in Ephesus. Let this be a prayer for you today. Let it soak into your heart.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at the right hand of the heavenly realms. Ephesians 1:18-20

     The same power that raised Christ from the dead is given to us?! Resurrection power. I could use a little of that each and every day. You, too? Feel that great power in prayer, through your struggles, beyond your circumstances and in trusting His ability to use all things for His good. We may not understand it all until we are in heaven, but all of this, every single thing in our lives will not go to waste. Every bit of it will be, somehow, in some way, used for His glory. Believe it!

Dear Lord,

We don’t see all things clearly now. It becomes muddled in our daily existence, but we trust You. One day we will see it all and understand how you used us in unexpected ways. Tune us in to our Holy Spirit power today and every single day for the rest of our lives. Teach us how to be in constant contact with You and to share the power of Your great love with others.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Plan

 

     There is no other person on the planet like you. God’s plan for your life is different from any other. You were born at just the right time, for just the right season, for just these moments. You are gifted with a certain personality type, with natural, in-born gifts to share, and when the Holy Spirit comes to live within you, God enhances all of our attributes with gifts of His own, gifts of the Spirit. These gifts are to be used for the common good. (See 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4 and Romans 12 for the gifts of the Spirit)

     God’s plan will fit perfectly, with great precision, with who you are and where you are and with what you do best. Do you make a plan or go with the flow? Are your decisions based on logical thinking or from the heart? Do you connect with the world with your five senses or intuition? Gifted in administration? Love to entertain? Are you quiet and prefer one-on-one conversation to a crowd setting? Love to teach or to stay behind the scenes setting up for the meeting? Are you meant to shepherd a small group or use your Biblical knowledge to help others? Are you a singer?

     All of these and more can be used to influence the kingdom of God. The community of faith works together as a body. Jesus is the head, and we make up the other parts. Just as our body cannot function without all of its working parts, so our communities cannot function without all of us working in unity.

     The beautiful truth, well, one of the many beautiful truths about the body of Christ, is that God gives special honor to the unseen, less-focused-on gifts. Do you pray for others continually? Maybe you sharpen the pencils in the pews. Or you come early and stay late before and after the meetings and no one knows what you are doing. You are highly honored by our God.

     God’s plan is just right. Not too much, not too little, a one-of-a kind blueprint that fits you like a glove. No guilt-ridden duty. No begrudging giving. Instead, our gifts will be used with joy and passion.

     He will give you the power to do what you are meant to do in ways that may seem impossible without our Creator. He will pull out all of the stops to influence His children on earth. He needs you, and we are in it together.

If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.  1 Corinthians 12:26-27

From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.  Ephesians 4;16

     Discovering your gifts and doing your part is an awesome adventure. As you read God’s word, He will show you the way you should go.

Dear Jesus,

We thank you for each part of the body of Christ all over the world. How you orchestrate all of us to work for Your kingdom is beyond our imaginings. Show us our part. Are we your eyes focused on a hurting world? Are we Your hands offering a loving touch to someone in need, or Your feet going to unsaved parts of the world? We all share Your great and powerful heart in love.

Amen