Saturday, July 31, 2010
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. :)
Friday, July 30, 2010
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
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!
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!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
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.
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!
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!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
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.
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...
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...
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
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...
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...
Monday, July 26, 2010
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!
Friday, July 23, 2010
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.
"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.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Thankful for beautiful weather...
One of the reasons I love nature so much is because its beauty just so clearly points to our Creator.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
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.
"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.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
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.
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.
Monday, July 19, 2010
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).
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).
Friday, July 16, 2010
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!
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!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
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)
"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.
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
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.
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.
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