Psalm 17:14-15 - A Good Reminder

"from men of the world whose portion is in this life.  You fill their womb with treasure; they are satisfied with children, and they leave their abundance to their infants.  As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness."

As a new father, I cannot help but be so delighted and absolutely infatuated with my baby boy.  I seriously love him so much.  But this passage is a reminder and a warning: do not let anything or anyone replace your love for the Lord.  The passage talks about two different types of people: those who are of the world and who are satisfied with the things of this world, and those who are like the psalmist, who are satisfied with the Lord and long to be with him.  I pray that I would be the latter.

Praise God that we are justified by Christ and not by works...

I was reading Romans 12 the other day and I was struck by the number of commands that chapter had.  Paul starts off with an exhortation to respond to the amazing grace of God that he expounded on for the first 11 chapters.  He calls all Christians to be a living sacrifice as worship unto God.  The Old Testament saints had to continually offer up animal sacrifices to atone for sin.  Each time was only temporary, which is why they had to repeat it.  However, in Christ, we have full atonement of sin.  The perfect God-man paid for all of our sins, past, present and future, for those who trust in Him.  Paul says that in light of this, our response should be to live a life devoted to God.

So, you would think that since I know that I deserve eternal damnation, and yet, by God's grace, I have eternal life in Christ, that I would joyfully live every moment in complete obedience to God's word.  Sadly, I still struggle with my sinful flesh.  If anyone says they have no sin, they lie.  Especially me.  Here is a list of what Romans 12 commands us to do AND not do:

1. Present your bodies a living a holy sacrifice, acceptable to God
2. Do not be conformed to this world
3. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind
4. Do not think more highly of yourself than you ought to
5. Have sound judgement
6. Exercise spiritual gifts with zeal
7. Love without hypocrisy
8. Abhor what is evil
9. Cling to what is good
10. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love
11. Give preference to one another in honor
12. Don't lag behind in diligence
13. Be fervent in spirit as you serve the Lord
14. Rejoice in hope
15. Persevere in tribulation
16. Be devoted in prayer
17. Contribute to the needs of other believers
18. Practice hospitality
19. Bless those who persecute you
20. Do not curse those who persecute you
21. Rejoice with those who rejoice
22. Weep with those who weep
23. Be of the same mind toward one another
24. Do not be haughty in mind
25. Associate with the lowly
26. Do not be wise in your own estimation
27. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone
28. Respect what is right in the sight of all men
29. As much as it is possible, be at peace with all men
30. Never take your own revenge, but leave room for the wrath of God
31. Do not overcome evil by evil
32. Overcome evil with good

One note.  There tend to be two extremes.  One side is legalistic and think that they need to abide by every command of God in order to be acceptable to Him.  This is faulty thinking.  If we look back at what Paul says at the beginning, that "Therefore" is crucial.  It points to all of the truths laid out in the first 11 chapters.  How we are saved by grace alone.  How we are justified before God, not by our works, but because of the perfect and finished work of Christ.  Therefore, our obedience flows from a joyful and thankful attitude that we are already justified before God.

The other extreme is the libertarian response.  They think they can live however they want because they are already justified.  And they are offended by the mere mentioning of rules.  This is faulty as well.  Yes, we are saved by grace.  And yes, those who are truly the elect can never lose their salvation.  But it is equally true that if we are saved, we will live sanctified lives by the grace of God.  Salvation (and the subsequent sanctification) is never by our own works, but by God's.  So we must perish these faulty views and cling to the truth: saved by grace, sanctified by grace.

thankful to the Lord for my wifey

I can't imagine giving birth.  I mean, I guess I can imagine it, but I will never be able to understand the pain and everything that goes on during the process.  So really, I can't imagine it.  All I know is, I'm thankful to the Lord for blessing me with such a wonderful wifey.  It's so encouraging to me to see her love and care for both myself and lil' Mateo.

On a side note, some people were asking if "Mateo" was his real name.  I like nicknames, so I'll break it down for you.

Official name: Matthew Hojin Lee
What Korean people can call him: Matthew-yah, Hojin-ah, and apparently, according to my mom, Master Matthew.  Something about how the baby now controls the family.  Don't like the sound of that...maybe time for the rod of discipline
Other nicknames that I like for him: Matt, Matty (only when Patty is referenced: Patty and Matty), Mateo, and my personal favorite (but only for family use), Richino

Brief notes from Pastor John's Sermon on Luke 4:14-20

¹⁴And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district.

 ¹⁵And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all.

 ¹⁶And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read.

 ¹⁷And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written,
    ¹⁸"THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME,
         BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR.
         HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES,
         AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND,
         TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,
    ¹⁹TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD."

 ²⁰And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him.

I was so blessed by being able to fellowship with the body again.  As PJ would say, I was starving for fellowship with my fellow brothers and sisters.  I am thankful to have such loving brethren who care for us.

I loved how PJ closed the sermon today about how we should be most thankful if we can see ourselves as being the spiritually poor, those held captive by sin, blind to the truth, without hope because of the weight of our sin.  In my notes I wrote:

1. Poor = having nothing spiritually --> In Christ, treasuring the riches of the gospel

2. Captive = prisoner of sin/Satan --> In Christ, thankful for the freedom from sin

3. Blind = unable to see God's truth --> In Christ, rejoicing because we now have the truth

4. Oppressed = crushed by sin --> In Christ, having the hope of eternal life

What PJ said was so crucial because we need to see ourselves as these things so that the preciousness of the gospel will be more apparent to us.  It's not that the gospel ever loses any of it's actual value.  It's that we often forget it's worth because we see ourselves as rich, in need of nothing.  Or we don't see the trappings of sin.  Or we think we know it all.  Or that sin can't harm us.  We forget where God saved us from.  And that is to our shame.  It is my prayer for myself first, but for others as well, that we would recall from where God saved us.  He who has been forgiven much, loves much.

Introduction to Systematic Theology Part 1

As I said, I wanted to spend more time reading and learning about what the Bible teaches.  So I picked up Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem.  From my understanding, his book is the easiest to comprehend, though I'm sure that due to the nature of the topic, it's no walk in the park either.  Anywhoo, I'll be trying to read through and take a few notes here and there to give you some highlights of what I've read.  One thing really important that he points out is that "It is Scripture alone, not 'conservative evangelical tradition' or any other human authority, that must function as the normative authority for the definition of what we should believe." (page 25).  That's so crucial.  It's not about being of Dr. Macarthur, or Piper, or Mahaney. It's not about what camp you fall in.  It's about what the Bible teaches.  Sola Scriptura.

So, that being said, what is systematic theology?  It answers the question: what does the whole Bible teach us today about a certain topic.  Only Scripture has the final authority.  But it also includes application to life.  We can't be just knowledge junkies who sit around quoting Scripture but have not love.  What we learn about what we believe must always propel us to live in accordance to such doctrines.  We must not only pursue truth, but godly living as well.

Let us pursue both diligently, with all fervor and earnestness.

Matthew Hojin Lee

On November 5th at 4:04 am, the Lord graciously gave us the blessed gift of life in our first child, Matthew Hojin Lee.  We're so thankful to the Lord for His marvelous creation.  God was sovereign through it all.  My wifey was such a trooper.  I'm so thankful for them.

Looking at baby Matthew is such a wonderful reminder at the uniqueness of our being.  Not that we're so special in and of ourselves, but God did make us different from the rest of creation.

So, why did we choose his name to be Matthew Hojin Lee?  Well, the "Hojin" part was from my dad's side of the family.  Apparently we have a guy in Korea who comes up with names, and the more accurate we are in terms of date and time of birth, the better the name will be (don't ask me...).  Anyways, my dad calls me and tells me his Korean name is "Hojin" and explains that it means great grace of God (sounds good to me) who prospers.  Or something like that.

For his first name, we had thought of a few possible ones, but we always came back to Matthew.  He is one of the first Bible characters I came to really know, for some reason.  It always stood out to me that he was a tax collector name Levi, who became a disciple of Christ named Matthew.  Yet he never forgot where he came from, the sinful life he lived before Christ.  I liked that name because of that dual reminder of our sinfulness, yet God's amazing grace.

We are excited to raise him up in the fear and admonition of the Lord.  We pray that we would be godly examples of Christ-like love and devotion to our Lord.  It's been a pretty smooth transition.  Thankful to have such a wonderful wifey and very caring parents.  We praise and thank the Lord for this gift.

God is Sovereign

As I held baby Mateo in my hands for the first time, I could not help but marvel at God's miracle of life.  Later on I walked to the top of the parking garage roof and lifted of praises to God, the gracious giver of life.  As I sit here now reflecting on how this all came to be, how we got to this point, I cannot but again praise Him for being sovereign.

The birth of Mateo was not a normal one.  First off, we weren't expecting him until December 9th.  Well, God had other plans.  Before I knew it, we were at the hospital listening to the doctor telling us the baby was going to come sooner than planned.  Well, God's will not ours, right?

I want to take this time to give mad props to my wifey.  She got put through a lot, and she handled it like a rockstar.  I praise God for the extra grace given to her to endure through the process.  She's such a trooper. Please continue to pray for her as she recovers.   I'm so thankful for her.  She's already such a loving wife, and now she's a loving momma.

As I gaze at my beautiful baby boy, I thank God for him.  I pray for him.  I love him so much.  And I'm reminded of Matthew 10:30 which comforts us with the wonderful truth that God is sovereign.  He knows everything about us, even the number of hairs on our heads.  He watches over us.  This is not a guarantee of health, wealth and prosperity, lest we fall into the lies and Satanic deception of that heresy.  But it's a promise that God is in control and does all things for His glory.

Thanks be to the sovereign King of glory.

Systematic Theology

We are currently reading "What is a Healthy Church Member?" by Thabiti Anyabwile.  The last chapter I read was on being a biblical theologian.  In other words, to be a lover and student of God's Word.

This has been a wonderful challenge and encouragement to grow in this area.  It was one of those "duh" moments when it hit me: if I say that I love God, shouldn't I know Him as intimately as possible?  Shouldn't I want to know Him so deeply, walking with Him daily?  And how can I know God?  Through His word, illuminated by the Spirit that God gives permanently to indwell in genuine believers as a gracious gift.

An illustration to show the sad state of my own lack of understanding and knowledge of the Bible: I can tell you that Cedric Ceballos once wore a headband around his eyes during a dunk contest while he was on the Phoenix Suns.  I can tell you that Jeff Hornacek would wipe the side of his head before he shot every free throw.  I can tell you that Kobe Bryant was named after the meat, kobe beef, after his dad, Jelly Bean Bryant, ate it at a restaurant.  I can tell you all of these things and more, and yet I still have trouble finding certain books of the Bible, particularly the Old Testament.

Now some may argue, "Richard, Bible knowledge is for old, nerdy scholars.  I'm just a lay person," or "Richard, why do I have read/study/know the Bible to love God?  Can't I just live a good life, have positive feelings towards God, and go to church on Sundays?"  Well, what I'm starting to learn is that the Bible is the only way we can know God, and the only way we can love someone is if we know them.  the Bible is God's self-revelation.  We can't make up stuff about God.  The only truth about God must come from Him.  So if we truly love God, we would want to know Him more and more, and that comes from reading/studying/knowing God's word.

Another argument may be that it's too hard.  Well, my illustration above proves that if you love something/someone, learning things about that subject is not cumbersome or difficult.  It's not like someone forced me to go through the annals of basketball history to learn those random facts.  I enjoyed all things basketball, so it was simply a part of me as I grew up and understood more about the game and the players.  Honestly, I didn't even try to learn these facts, I just did.  Well, how much more so should that apply to knowing God?  I mean, basketball is just a game, a man-made sport that will only last for so long.  God is the infinite, all-powerful, omniscient One.  He is the Creator, Sustainer, and Provider.  He is the very essence of life, truth, joy and love.  He is the purpose in life.  He is the gift.  There is no one and no thing greater.

Lastly, one may argue that there's not enough time to really study the Bible.  Oh really?  Really, Richard?  So you can watch hours of football games, you can spend hours at the gym playing ball, you can waste hours doing nothing, but you can't spend a few minutes studying the Word of Life?  Mmmm.  Something's fishy, eh?  As they say, there's always time for the things you love.

Anywho, not to get too preachy, but if I am, please know that I preach to myself first and foremost.  I've owned "Systematic Theology" by Wayne Grudem for several years now, but I've never read it cover to cover.  I think now is a good time to try to do that.  Hopefully I'll be able to document the things I'm learning on this blog, more for my sake than anything else.  Till then, to God alone be the glory!

Funny but true...and kind of sad

Not sure who this was but he made some good points. We really do take so much for granted. I would take it a step further and say that really every breath we breathe we should be in awe and giving thanks to God.

Thankful for generous people...

I recently received a wonderful gift from a dear friend and true brother in the faith.  I won't embarass him by saying whom, but he's single and available so let me know if you're interested  :) 

Anyways, this book has been a treat to read.  I must admit, I enjoy a bit of history and I've always wanted to learn more about how the church service came together.  This book starts off by going over the history of church liturgy (how the service is organized, order of worship), and it's really interesting to learn about these things.  It helps me appreciate that what we do is purposeful and not just randomly thrown together.  It is good to be intentional in our worship.  As I read the book more, I'll try to update what I'm, but I'd definitely recommend this book. 

Thanks for the book, J, whoops, almost gave it away...

The Dangers of Feelings

Today I got to read Psalm 13 and it was such a blessed reminder about the deceitfulness of feelings.  Now, feelings aren't a bad thing in themselves.  In fact, I would argue they are a gift from the Lord.  However, they can easily become the deathtraps to worship.

We've all been there.  There are those times where we just don't "feel" like worshiping God for whatever lame reason we can think of.  But reading Psalm 13 helped me to remember that just because we don't feel like worshiping God, just because we might not feel like He's there, that does not take away the fact that our God deserves to be worshiped by all.

The psalmist begins the psalm in despair.  He's crying out to the Lord, asking Him where He is, how long He will forget him.  The psalmist is in danger.  The enemy is after him.  Obviously, the psalmist is in a situation where he might not feel God's presence.  But he doesn't stop there.  He ends by saying "But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.  I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me."  Wow.  That is some uplifting truth.  We can't always trust our feelings, but we can always trust our loving, sovereign and good God.

wow, it's been quite a while...still thankful!

I know it's been quite a while...to my faithful reader(s) (not so sure the (s) applies...but I know the wifey reads it because it gets emailed to her automatically), don't worry...I'm more thankful today than I was whenever my last post was.  That's because every day I get to know my Savior more.  Every day brings me closer to the Lord. 

So, what have I been up to during this unintentional hiatus?  Well, my parents visited!  My brother, Dave, visited!  And, I got some new music that I've really been enjoying.  I got Shai Linne's Atonement and Stories, both of which I totally dig.  I also got Jimmy Needham's Not Without Love, which is also really good.  Surprisingly, the wifey really likes Shai Linne.  She says she really likes the lyrics, but I think it's the beats  :)

A song we both really like is called "Simple Love Story."  The line that we both really like (and my bro too) was when he says:

A love triangle: on the bottom right is Jim
On the bottom left is Kim, at the pinnacle is Him
So the closer Jim gets to Him and Kim gets to Him
The closer Jim gets to Kim and that's the end

Doesn't that make your spine tingle?  Those lyrics are so true! 

Anyways, if you've never listened to him, check out his albums!

thankful for such a loving wifey...

I was so tremendously blessed and encouraged by my wifey yesterday.  For my birthday, she hid a wonderful card that reflected on the joys of our first year of marriage.  Praise the Lord for His grace working in us!

Then, before I got home, I get a call from my wifey to make sure to let her know when I get off the bus station.  When I got home, there was a note attached to the front door.  It was another card that was so beautiful.  The card and what she wrote perfectly summarized how we see each other, how we feel about each other...my heart was just overflowing

Then, I opened the door, and the house was decorated with balloons, signs, mini candles in the shape of a heart, and a path of roses.  She left a glass of apple cider for me to refresh myself.  The roses led upstairs, so I followed...it led to our room, so I knocked.  And when I entered, she was standing in a pattern of roses that were placed to the shape of a heart and she greeted me with a joyful "Happy Birthday!" 

After opening very thoughtful and useful gifts (she got me some additional tools for grilling...woohoot!), we proceeded downstairs for a delicious meal of meat loaf (made from turkey meat), orzo (sp?), pasta, and a veritable mixture of mediterranean greens and olives and feta cheese and onions and tomatoes...topping that off with some super tasty desserts from Whole Foods (mini eclair, mini oatmeal raisin sandwich, mini chocolate fudge thingy with a strawberry, and a mini lime tart - our new favorite dessert).

After that, I figured things were done, but wait, there's more!  While I was studying, I hear the doorbell ring, which was weird because it was getting late and we weren't expecting anyone...or at least I wasn't.  Well, I always check the eye hole, so I saw several people with a candle-lit cake!  I opened up and it was several peeps from our home group!  I was so blessed by their thoughtfulness, encouragement, and their love for me.

After a crazy day, I got to reflect a bit on how blessed I truly am.  And not because of all the things that happened...those are like cherries on the top of the world best dessert...because in Christ, I truly have the greatest blessing ever...and I praise God for His mercy and grace poured out everyday.  And I'm so thankful for friends that remind me of that truth.  And even more so, I am thankful for my dearest, most closest, bestest friend...my wonderful wifey...I praise the Lord for providing such an undeserved gift that she is.  I love you wifey!  And I love you Lord.













Thankful.

Thankful for Tedd Tripp

As I've shared before, the wifey and I are listening to "Shepherding a Child's Heart" by Tedd Tripp to help us prepare for raising a child biblically.  And although it's specifically tailored towards parenthood, more often than not, the things he teaches are applicable to every day life.  One thing he shared in a recent sermon that really hit me good was an example of understanding the heart.  I will paraphrase what he said:

"A person came up to me and told me how some person really wronged him and he said to me "Man, if I wasn't a Christian, the things I would've done..."  And I thought to myself, "Is that really all that distinguishes Christians from the rest of the world?  That we refrain from doing what is evil?"

I think a lot of times I pat myself on the back when I refrain from lashing out, even though my heart really wants to.  Umm, didn't Jesus say that it was from the heart that all wickedness flows?   So yea, no brownie points for you, Rich.

Christ regenerates our hearts...so it's not just that we refrain from reacting sinfully, but instead, our hearts ought to respond in a manner that honors the Lord.  And this is why our hearts and minds need to be filled, trained and controlled by the Word of God..."in His Law he meditates DAY and NIGHT."

Thankful for fellow believers...

What a blessing it is to sit around with fellow, like-minded believers. I'm seriously so thankful to be able to learn from older believers, especially in the area of parenting. I'm looking forward to the school of sanctification ad PJ likes to call it.

Thankful that our God is the wonderful Maker...

Today the wifey and I went to a 6 hour birthing class.  I gotta say, I learned a whole bunch of good stuff.  But the one thing that kept coming into my mind was simply worship unto our great and awesome and powerful and wonderful and good Maker.  It is so amazing to see how God created the woman's body to take care of and deliver the body.  Seriously.  Fearfully and wonderfully we are made.

"Fearfully and wonderfully I was made
Placed here by God's sovereign grace.

I was made to praise You.
I was made to worship and adore You."

Thankful for the ability to remember...

Well, that seems like an odd thing to be thankful for, but I really am thankful that God created us with this ability. But being able to remember things is such a wonderful gift from the Lord. I mean think of all the great things we can do with remembering:

1. Memories - those are usually fond to recall
2. Recalling God's faithfulness
3. Memorizing Scripture

I mean, even just those three things you can never exhaust or run out of things to think about. The problem for me is that I too often fail to use my mind for these things. And that's a shame, isn't it?

I've said this before, but it applies well here. O to be like the psalmist who meditates on God's Word day and night. How blessed is he?

Thankful for being a nobody...

What a wonderful reminder from PJ this past Sunday!  Christ was constantly preaching that those who think they are healthy, those who think they have no needs, those who are satisfied with the things of this world, those who think they are righteous in themselves...such people will never see a need for Christ.

I hope I never become so foolish as to think that I don't need Christ for even one millisecond of my life.  I need Him always.

That song, "I Need Thee Every Hour" should've been called "I Need Thee Every Possible Moment", though those lyrics probably wouldn't have worked out as well

Thankful for wedding sermons...

We just got to witness our dear brother and sister, James and Ellice, tie the knot this past Sunday.  Weddings are always a joy, but it's so encouraging to hear the wedding message as well.  These are usually very practical, very personal words of wisdom coming from the Word of God.  This past Sunday was no different.  I was gently reminded of the absolute necessity of encountering God every day.  No, not in some sort of mystical, new-agey kind of thing.  But in the sense that you contemplate on the wonders of the gospel, and you deepen your relationship with the Savior. 

Too often I rush off to work without giving God a second thought until I pray for breakfast.  That must change.  How can I live with the proper perspective on life without going to the source of life to nourish and strengthen me?  He is the true vine.  I am the branch that needs to abide in Him continually. 

Praise God for using faithful men like our dear PJ to remind us of such important things.

Thankful for God's Word...

I was reminded and challenged by Pastor John this past Sunday in regards to offering up thoughtless worship unto God. Pastor John is preaching on the book of Luke and he just finished Mary's Magnificat. What was so apparent was that Mary was such a deeply relfective person. She didn't just say religious-sounding words and do religious-type things. She really thought about God's character, His promises, His mighty deeds and then responded in worship. Nothing flippant or cliched. Simply genuine worship.

I love it when God's Word just whips my butt. But it doesn't stop there. It equips me with the ability to obey. Praise the Lord!

Thankful for prayer...

Prayer is one of those things that you can never have too much of. There is always something that needs prayer. So much could be said about prayer. In fact, many books have been written on that topic. I am no expert on prayer, so I won't be doing that. I simply wanted to share one of the really cool things about prayer that I really love. This isn't anything amazing, so don't get your expectations up.

I noticed that when I pray for someone or something, the Lord uses that to grow my interest in that person or that thing. So that leads me to talk to them more and see how they are doing. And I think that helps develop closer relationships.

Anyways. I just thought that was pretty cool how the Lord works through prayer to do many different things.

Thankful for 9 Marks Ministry

Mad props to 9 Marks Ministry.  I just started reading Thabiti Anyabwile's (I totally had to look at how to spell his name...) book, "What Is a Healthy Church Member?" and I was so encouraged by it!  I'm super excited for our church to go through this book.  I'm praying that we really see a deepening of our love for each other and for the Lord.

What's really cool is that they are going to take the 9 marks and write a book on each one.  I think that's going to be sweet.

Anyways, looking forward to how the Lord will use this book in our lives

Thankful for little walks with the wifey....

Last night the wifey (and perhaps the little one) were craving donuts. So we went out on a mini-date to the local donutry (is that a word?) and each chose two donuts. She chose an apple fritter and a maple glazed ugly. I don't know what to call that maple one. It's circular but is bumpy and you can break off the edges. Not sure if you know what I'm talking about. Anyways, I got a chocolate version of that and a cinnamon bun. MmmmMmmM. So good! My favorite from now on is the apple fritter. Crunchy and cinnamony on the outside soft and appley on the inside. Perfect. Thankful for tastebuds. Thankful to have the ability to walk somewhere and pick that up. Thankful that God has provided funds to enjoy those little things.

What are you thankful for?

One of the aims of this blog is to encourage my fellow brethren to be a thankful people.  So often we look at what other people have and get jealous (the whole grass-is-greener-on-Kobe's-football-field-sized-lawn thing).  This exposes three things (and maybe more):

1) A discontent heart
2) An unthankful heart
3) A prideful heart

A Discontent Heart
I have to represent my man, Job.  He has lost all of his livestock, most of his servants, and he just found out that his children were all killed.  It can't get much worse than that.  If ever there was a time to complain (and really, we complain for SOOOOO much less), this was it.  But look at Job's response:

He said,

"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
And naked I shall return there
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the LORD."

Wow.  That is a heart that understands that everything he has is a gift from God.  This is a man whose joy and satisfaction was not in the things of this world, not in his riches and wealth, and not even in his own family.  His joy was in the Lord.  We should echo the Psalmist who says in the 73rd Psalm:

Whom have I in heaven but You?

And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

This is the heart of someone who is content in God.

An Ungrateful Heart
I've talked about this before so I won't belabor it.  Just quickly want to say: HOW IN THE WORLD CAN WE, AS CHRISTIANS, AS PREVIOUSLY CONDEMNED PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN BOUGHT BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST AND NOW HAVE ETERNAL LIFE SECURED IN HIM, EVER BE UNGRATEFUL?  Just a thought.

A Prideful Heart
Now this last one may strike some of you as odd.  Just because I'm jealous/not thankful, how does that make me prideful?  Geez, you're just kicking me while I'm down, aren't you? 

Well, the reason I think this last point is pertinent is because what are we saying when we're jealous?  Yes, we're saying we like what that other person has.  And yes, we're saying we want that too.  But really, what we're saying is this: I like what that other person has, and I don't have it.  Why don't I have it?  I should have it?  In fact, I DESERVE IT because I'm such a great person.

Sounds prideful to me.

Conclusion
Please don't think that I'm this perfect guy who has this all figured out.  Trust me, I'm not.  I am most definitely an imperfect person.  I sometimes day dream about being a professional basketball player.  And while some may say it's fine to day dream a bit, really those dreams are fueled by a longing for having a comfortable life, a jealousy of the Kobes and Lebrons of this world.  A discontentment with all the riches that I have in Christ.  Really, when I look at what I have in Christ vs. what unbelievers have, there's no comparison.

Unbelievers, at best, have:
1. A "long" life - which goes by super quickly and will inevitably end in old age, broken down physical and mental capacities, and unavoidable death
2. Many riches, fame, popularity - which will all fade away into dust, forgotten, destroyed, all in VAIN
3. Pleasures and satisfaction - which are temporary, fake, leave you empty

Believers, regardless of how life is, have:
1. Eternal life in Christ
2. Eternal riches in Christ
3. Eternal joy, bliss and satisfaction in Christ

Why would I want the things of this world more than Christ? 

Every breathe that I take...

No, not the famous Police song. Last night I lay in bed listening to myself breath in and out and feeling my heart beat. And I was just blow. Away at how awesome and powerful my God is. He is the Creator of life and my Sustainer. Each breathe, each heartbeat is literally a gift from God. It reminded me of a song we sang in youth group. I think the lyrics go:

Every breathe that I take says I love You
Every beat of my heart says I'm Yours

Actually, I forget the rest but you get the idea. I was humbled and reminded that every moment belongs to the Lord and should be lived in joyful, thankful worship.

Thankful to see...(John 9)

There was a time in my life where I thought I knew best.  I looked to myself as the final authority.  If it felt good to me, do it.  If it seemed good to me, do it. 

During that time, I never really considered myself to be a bad person.  Sure I did things, said things, thought things that were probably bad, but man, compared to the rapist, the serial killer, the thief, I was a saint!  If someone were to tell me that I was a sinner, I would laugh at them, and then in my pride, show them how good of a person I really was.  I would point to how well-liked and well-respected I was by my peers.  I would point to my clean criminal/driving record.  I would tell them how I went to church all the time, even volunteered at different youth organizations and homeless outreaches. Essentially, I would point to myself.

Of course, I was not saved at that time.  I was like the Pharisees who saw themselves as these good, righteous people who loved and served God, when really they were legalists who loved themselves.  That was me.  I was so caught up with myself that I was blinded to my own sinfulness, blinded to how ugly and unacceptable I was before the holy God.  But by God's grace, He removed the dirt and grime that was covering my eyes, and He allowed me to see and taste that the Lord is good.  He allowed me to understand my wickedness and my need for Christ as Savior and Lord.

Now, if someone were to come up to me and say that I was a sinner, I would still laugh at them.  And I would tell them that they were absolutely correct in their assessment.  And instead of pointing to myself to try to defend my saintliness, I would point to Christ.

Shout out to Chimes Ginger Chews

My buddy Ben works for this company.  No, he did not ask me to do this.  And plus, I don't think too many people read this blog anyways.  haha.  (crying inside)

But these little bad boys are GOOD.  Like, really good.  They are flavorful, refreshing, help me with digestion, and I think (Ben would have to confirm or deny this) that they are good for you.

And there's like 10 different flavors or something.  Original is my favorite.

I don't think they're sold in big grocery markets yet, but you can definitely get them on Amazon.  Hope you decide to be adventurous and give it a go!

And since this is a blog dedicated to giving thanks to the Lord, why not give Him thanks for creating us with taste buds and the mental ability to experience the food we're eating?  It really blows my mind when I start to think about all the intricacies of food, and how God is the Master Designer of it all.  Amazing!

Thankful for life...

As many of you know, the wifey and I have a little reeechino on the way, Lord willing, due in December.  Up to this point the wifey has felt the baby move inside of her ("little flutters" she calls them).   Well, today, I felt the baby kick for the first time!!!  WOW!  that was so amazing and yet so weird at the same time.  We were both filled with a sense of awe and wonder for how awesome our God is.  He is the Creator of life. 

All creatures of our God and King

Lift up your voice and with us sing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam!

Let all things their Creator bless,

And worship Him in humbleness,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One!

- Francis of Assisi circa 1225 AD - "All Creatures of Our God and King"

Thankful for the joy of salvation, but...

I was reminded by PJ's sermon yesterday of one of the glaring differences between believers and unbelievers: joy.  I think there are two reasons I tend to forget about this.

1. Because of my own sinfulness, I focus on circumstances or feelings, not on the absolute word of God.  This incorrect placement of focus not only dishonors God, but makes my "happiness" dependent on situations and whether or not things are going well.  When my heart is engrossed in God's truth, circumstances may not be great, but my God is.  Circumstances may not be good, but my God is.

2. Unbelievers tend to put up a front that everything is all right.  But again, this is an issue that I need to recognize.  First of all, God's word tells us that unbelievers have no peace of mind, have no joy, have no lasting hope.  I get fooled into thinking that unbelievers are happy and thus have no need for the gospel, but that is such wrong thinking.  Even if circumstantially they are happy and things are going well, they still need the gospel, not just for their sakes, but for God's glory.  The other issue is that I lack the love to reach out to them and really get to know them and minister the gospel to them.  Because I lack that love, I don't bother in spending time with them, so how can I know what they are going through?  Regardless though, even if I knew nothing about someone other than they were an unbeliever, I should at least know that they need the gospel.  But I should also be motivated to get to know them as a means of promoting the gospel.

As PJ always shares, joy is not complete unless it is shared.  If something is so good, you want others to know about it too, right?  For me, the example that hits home is food.  I really like food.  And anytime I taste something that is really good, I have to tell someone about it.  I get excited to tell others.  Well geez, if I'm that excited to proclaim the gospel of food, uhh, shouldn't the life-altering amazing news of the gospel be infinitely more exciting and important to share?

Wow...I am seeing how much I lack love, not just for other people, but more importantly, my love for the Lord.  Praise God for His sanctifying grace!

Thankful for the body of Christ...

For so many reasons. The biggest is the genuine love that I've been such an unworthy recipient of. Honestly, I know i need to grow in love. I want our church to grow in this genuine love and care and concern for each other. And as mj said, I'm starting with the man in the mirror. But instead of asking him to make change his ways, I'll be asking the Lord to change me. I think that'll be better. :)

Thankful for hymns...

Every now and then (or maybe every Friday?) I'll post a hymn that really encourages me.  In general, I am so thankful to these musicians and authors for the work they have done.  God used them during their days, and now, He is still using them to teach and encourage us.  Or as Colossians 3:16 says

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Here is a hymn that I recently heard off the CD "Unceasing Worship", which is a compilation of songs from Grace Community Church.  I couldn't find it on Amazon, but it's really good.  Anyways, the song is called, "My Faith Has Found a Resting Place." 

The lyrics are wonderful, but I really love the chorus:

I need no other argument,

I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.

Sweet words.  Praise the Lord

Thankful that I'll never run out of things to give thanks for...

One of my most favorite verses in Proverbs comes from chapter 3 verses 5-6.  This verse says "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

Now I know the word "thanks" is not mentioned once there, but a HUGE part of "acknowledging Him" is giving thanks to Him.  To acknowledge someone is to recognize who they are, what they have done, your relationship to them, etc.  First of all, you don't acknowledge strangers in the same way you acknowledge your wife.  I mean, you might bump into a stranger and smile and say hello, but at that point, it won't go that much deeper.  But when you see your wife, your acknowledgement of her comes with so much more depth and meaning.  There's history, connections, memories, etc, that are tied to that acknowledgement, along with your understanding of who she is, what she means to you, how much you love her, etc.  In an even greater sense, then, that is how we ought to acknowledge God.  We recall all of His goodness.  We remember the cross.  We recognize that any and every good gift is from Him.

In other words, we are to be a thankful people.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Thankful for affection...

What a wonderful gift marriage is, and what a sweet thing it is to have affection.  For those who are married, I'm sure you can attest to those wonderful times of hugs and kisses with the wifey.

My favorite moments of affection with my wifey:

5. Good morning kiss
4. Good night kiss
3. Off-to-work kiss
2. Welcome home kiss
1. After dinner hug and kiss

I need to remember to be thankful for such times, as they are a gift from God.  It's so easy to forget.  Even such sweet moments as these.  Isn't it the same way with how we view God?  He has shown us the greatest love, the sweetest, most genuine, most amazing love...and yet we so often forget God, complain to God, disobey God.  O that we would recall daily the love of God demonstrated through Christ in the good news of the gospel!

A good CD to help remind us through songs to keep our hearts fixed on the gospel is the CD to the left.  One song that I really love to sing is "Glories of Calvary."  What a sweet sweet song of adoration unto God because of the cross.


And this book, I highly recommend.  Buy it.  Borrow it.  Get your hands on it.  And then read it and really strive to apply the biblical principles taught in it.  But of course nothing beats reading and meditating on the Word of God.

Thankful for times of corporate worship...

Very thankful...
Growing up, church was just a place to go to on Sundays, a social gathering of people with similar cultural background.  We all expressed a certain commonality in Christ, but that was purely superficial.  All of our discussions and interactions outside of church were about food, sports, entertainment...the things of this world.  I never saw church as this group of people, purchased by the blood of Christ, brothers and sisters fighting together, encouraging one another, loving and serving each other, glorifying God together.

I am so thankful that God has placed me here, equipping me to understand the biblical view of church.  I am not perfect.  My church is far from perfect because it's made up of imperfect sinners.  But we do have Christ.  We do have His perfect Word at the center, exalted high above any words of mere man.

Another part of corporate worship that I am growing in appreciation for is the times of singing together.  What a beautiful sound we make, not because we necessarily sound great to the ears, but because the hearts of those who love the Lord are joined together and overflow into joyous and thankful praise (the fruit of our lips) unto Christ, our Lord, Savior and soon and coming King.

My church is getting ready to read this book.  It seems to be a very biblical and practical book on what a healthy member of the local body of Christ looks like.  Avoiding the trappings of legalism, it hopefully will challenge and encourage us to be doing things that we should've been doing in the first place.  Looking forward to it!

Thankful for little breaks...

Each day is so busy, it's easy to get lost in it all and forget about the Lord.  Nothing like a nice stroll around the building, a cup of hot coffee and reflecting on the Lord's goodness in who He is.  The little breaks also remind me that I am tremendously blessed to have a stable job that challenges me to give my best effort everyday.  It's tiring, but a good kind of tiring. 

Back down south we used to have a saying, which I think many people probably already know.  "God is good, all the time.  All the time, God is good."  Now it's super easy to just say that phrase without meaning any of it.  But if we can genuinely say it (and of course, as Christians, saved by God's amazing grace, why would we possibly not be able to?), that's such an important phrase to remember.  It honors God for who He is, and it reminds us to continually trust the Lord, no matter what's going on.

Thankful for God's love and compassion...

Yesterday I read about Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well.  This is such a beautiful passage of the unbiased, all-reaching love of Christ. 

At first glance it seems like a simple description of an everyday occurrence.  Jesus was thirsty, so he asks the woman at the well for some water.  This is why it's crucial to try to get a better understanding of the context.  Jesus was born a Jew.  Historically speaking, Jews and Samaritans hated each other.  Jews saw Samaritans as half-breeds, unclean, unfit, heretical, etc.  Also, as we find out later, the woman at the well is living in a sinful relationship with a man who is not her husband, so this should further antagonize Jesus (seen as a religious leader by many) from this woman.  Instead, we see Jesus lovingly pointing her to her spiritual needs and pointing to himself as the only solution.  He offers her eternal life.

This is a brutal reminder of our all-too-often lack of love, where we choose who to love based on how someone makes us feel, how they look, how they act, etc.  Jesus calls us to love regardless of how or who the other person is.  He calls us to love people who are mean to us, who do evil things to us, even those who kill us.  Because that's the way he has loved us...

Thankful for...broken things

As frustrating as it can be when things that are supposed to do something and they don't, it is also a wonderful reminder of a couple of things:

1. Things are a gift from God to be used for God's glory, not to ultimately satisfy you (only Christ can do that).  When we get upset over things breaking, often that is merely a reflection of our dissatisfied hearts.  We need to recognize that that thing is just a thing, and that we already have our ultimate satisfaction, both here and in the life to come, in Christ

2. We should be thankful when things do work. 

3. We should trust that God is sovereign, even in allowing your car engine to die in the middle of the night. 

Ok, I guess that was a few things.  Hopefully I can learn these things well.  Oh, and the reason this was brought up is that something is so wrong with my front bike tire.  I fill it up in the morning, and by the time I get home, it's pretty flat.  Definitely going to the bike store soon...

Thankful for new life...

So today we are at the doctor's to find out the gender of the baby.  It is the first ultrasound that I've been able to go to as I'm usually at work.  I had the day off, so we went together and I finally got to see and hear the heart beat, and it was amazing!!!  Praise God, the Giver of life.  He is so gracious to allow us to have this child and raise the child in the fear of the Lord.  The ultrasound lady is being very thorough.  She's checking all of the vital organs and what not and making sure everything is working well...and everything is looking healthy!  Praise the Lord!  Now she's checking the gender of the baby...and...the baby's a boy!!!  Woohoo!  :)  I mean, I would've been happy  either way, but I was rooting for a boy..hehe

All in all, we are so thankful that God has been gracious in keeping the wifey and baby very healthy.  Please continue praying for them.  Praise God!

Thankful for the Holy Spirit...

Today I read Galatians 5.  There is a section that really encouraged me.  Paul starts out this chapter reminding the Galatians that Christ had set them free and that they were no longer under the law.  He then goes on to discuss the Holy Spirit and how the desires of the flesh and the desires of the Spirit are set against each other.  Then comes the part that really sobered me up:

"Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and things like these...those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."

That was me.  For the most part, to at least a certain degree, the works of the flesh were so evident in me.  People around me may not have known it because I worked so hard to hide it.  But inside, and in the secret, that was me.  And if left to my own devices, I would have continued to do such things, and most definitely would not have inherited the kingdom of God.

But praise the Lord for the next verse.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  And those who BELONG to CHRIST JESUS have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."

Oh what a blessing to belong to Christ.  That last sentance could be written as a conditional statement.  "If you belong to Christ, then you have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."  Before I was saved, I did all of those wicked things because I was missing something.  I was trying to satisfy this void in me.  But God created me for worship.  And that hole had to be filled by Him.  In Christ we have the Holy Spirit indwelling in us, and now, instead of fruits of unrighteousness, we have the fruit of the Spirit, and what wonderful gifts they are.

Praise the Lord for the Holy Spirit!  This isn't all He does either.  But I'm just sharing what I read about today, so that will be for another time.

Thankful for beautiful weather...

One of the reasons I love nature so much is because its beauty just so clearly points to our Creator.

Thankful for my wifey (part 2 of kabajillion)

I don't think I'll ever run out of reasons to be thankful for my wifey.  She is my best friend, greatest encourager, wonderful helper, delicious cook, wise advisor and my number one fan.  She loves me no matter what I do or who I am.  If only I could be half as good a husband to her...

Thankful for the Bible...

Psalm 19:7-11

"The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul;

The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.
They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward."

 What a wonderful passage!  Look what we have here: the words of the one and only God!  His self-revelation.  Through God's word we can know Him and what is pleasing/displeasing to Him.  Through God's word we know where we came from, why we are the way we are (sinners), how we can be saved, and for what purpose we were created for.  It's the most amazing book ever written! 

Yet, sadly, I often put it to the side, or read it absent-mindedly.  What a foolish and sinful person I am!  O would I be like the psalmist who treasured God's word, meditating on it day and night, delighting in it.  The psalmist of Psalm 1, when he penned those words "and his delight is in the law of the Lord," wasn't even talking about the New Testament and the life of Christ because that wasn't available at the time.  He was delighting in the Scriptures that were available to him, like Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.  O to have such a heart and a lofty view of Scripture.  To know that each time I read it, I am listening to God speak. 

Thankful for God's word.  Thankful for God's word revealed to me.  Thankful for God's word illumined to me by the Holy Spirit given to me by God's grace.

Thankful for online sermons...

So the wifey and I are expecting our first child in December.  Praise God!  We are doing our best to prepare for him/her (we find out next week!), and Patty suggested re-listening to these sermons by Tedd Tripp.  Seriously, I am so thankful for this man.  We had listened to the series a few years ago when Childrens' Ministry did that, and they were really challenging and encouraging.  Go here to check them out (this website is great because it has a large array of resources).  Anyways, his series is called "Shepherding a Child's Heart" and it's a biblical and practical series of exhortations, examples and encouragements.  Hopefully, this helps us somewhat prepare for the spiritual aspects of parenthood (which are most important), but now I need to figure out how to put on a diaper...

You can check out his sermons for free at the link above, or you can get his book through the Amazon link to the left.  Either way, I pray you are encouraged.

Thankful for my wifey...

I will never understand why my wifey loves me.  I'm gross.  Selfish.  Dirty.  I lack sensitivity.  I don't communicate very well.  I fail to love and serve her as I'm called to do by Ephesians 5.  She is so wonderful to me.  Loving and caring for me.  She is such a gift from God.  It's really God's grace alone through Christ that allows either of us to love each other.  Although we both have a major problem being sinners, the solution is the grace that is found in knowing Christ.  Christ is the source of grace.  The really great thing about marriage is, that even though we experience each other's sinfulness on a deeper level, we also experience the sweetness of forgiveness, and the beauty of God's love for us in Christ.

Two resources I would recommend.  Strengthening Your Marriage is an excellent book with much biblical and practical encouragements.  Preparing for Marriage God's Way is almost a must-have for any Christian couple getting ready to tie the knot.  It's really really good.  But you only get what you put in (you reap what you sow). 

Thankful for days off work...

Today I have the day off...I'm thankful that my job allows for 9-80 schedule which means I work 9 hours a day, but every other week I get a day off.  I usually get Mondays off, but this week I got Friday off.  So what have I done today?

1. Cooked breakfast - on my Mondays off/Saturdays free I cook breakfast for my lovely wife.  It's a tradition that I really enjoy.  If you didn't know, I really really like cooking.  In fact, if I could do anything as a job, I would love to be a chef.  So today I made a fluffy cheese omelette, along with pan fried bread (with melted butter and cheese, of course), and a mix of onions, mushrooms and Aidell's mango sausage.  It was really good, if I do say so myself.

2. Painted the door sills for our place and our neighbor's.  Felt manly going to Home Depot and getting materials.

3. Spent time in the Word and in prayer.  Today I read about Zacheus, the short tax collector that Jesus stayed with.  What an amazing story off God's grace.  Jesus summed it up by saying that He had come to seek and save the lost.  Praise God!

Going to go to Costco in a little bit, and then hanging out with some friends.  Woohoot!  Thankful for all these wonderful gifts from God.

P.S. - Recommend this book for anyone who is on a praise team for their church, or for any Christian who wants a better understanding of the role music/praise plays in worship.  Enjoy!

Thankful for music...

I really really really am thankful for this cd.  Really.  The instrumental tracks (about half of them) are beautiful, and the hymns with lyrics (the other half) are so doctrinally rich and encouraging.  He has a couple of personal songs on there that are heartfelt.  And at $8.99 for two cds?  That's 34 songs, and I pretty much like them all.  Can't beat that price.  I highly recommend this cd.  I hope you are blessed by it as I was.

A pithy statement (followed by a not-so-pithy comment)

Someone once said that as Christians we should always be able to genuinely say:

"I am doing better than I deserve."

That pretty much summarizes the heart of thankfulness that we as Christians ought to have, amen?  What is that statement really saying? 

Well, the question to ask, then, is "What do I truly deserve?"  Biblically speaking we all deserve to go to hell because we are sinners.  Romans 3:23 reminds us that we all fall short of God's glory through our sin (all = no one is exempt, not you, definitely not me, not even the pope).  And Romans 6:23 tells us that "the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

The second part of that verse tells us why we're doing better than we deserve as Christians.  On one hand, we deserve eternal damnation.  On the other, through Christ, we have been rescued and given the free gift of eternal life!  That is why we should ALWAYS be thankful.

Trouble is...are we really that thankful?  When was the last time you went a day without complaining?  How about even an hour?  If we really examine ourselves, we'll see that by nature we are such ungrateful wretches.  Here's the biggest piece of evidence that proves we are wicked: we are created beings, given the gift of life and breathe by our Creator, yet we spurn God and reject Him each and every day!  It's like a baby crawling away from his/her own mother, even though the baby came from her and is dependent on her for life.  It's just utter nonsense!  And yet, we do it all the time.  Even as Christians, we struggle with complaining hearts and giving thanks.

Let the word of God remind us: "O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;For His lovingkindness is everlasting." (1 Chronicles 16:34)

Purpose of this blog (part 2)

I wasn't intending to write a second part to this so quickly, but I was reflecting on what I really was hoping for out of this blog.  Well

1. Continually grow a heart of thankfulness within me
2. Encourage other believers to do the same
3. Reach out to unbelievers.  My hope (as I shared in my first post), is that they would take the time to reflect and see that they have all these gifts and they must come from someone above, and in doing so, see that they have neglected/rejected God, repent and cling to the one and only Savior, Jesus Christ.

What are you thankful for?

There are so many things to be thankful for.  Today I am thankful for:

1. My wonderful wifey
2. A comfortable bed to sleep on, and a good night's rest
3. Healthy baby on the way (strong heart beats at last appointment!)
4. Getting in safely to work
5. Beautiful day in the city
6. Yummy and healthy breakfast
7. A good job
8. New blog!
9. Most importantly (and this is for every moment of every day), my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ

How about you?  Challenge yourself to be thankful for at least 5 things

Give Thanks blog - What this site is all about

Ephesians 5:20 says this: always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God...

As a Christian, I have much to be thankful for. In fact, I have everything to be thankful for because I know that God works out everything for the good of those who love Him.

The Bible gives the following command: in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Romans 1:21 gives us a negative view of those who do not give thanks: For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Giving thanks is so crucial because it reminds us that life, and all the things that come with it, good and bad, are gifts from the Lord. Even the sad and painful things we experience point us to the gift of joy and satisfaction that God allows and provides.

The purpose of this site is to encourage everyone to be thankful. Although I am a Christian and I firmly believe that only Christians understand the true meaning of giving thanks (as defined by God as giving thanks unto Him), I am hopeful that any person would use this site to think about things they are thankful for. My hope and prayer is that as you grow in your understanding of thankfulness, you would begin to ponder where these gifts come from, and that curiosity would lead you to the Creator and Savior, Jesus Christ.