The Father's Plan

by Mark Jeske
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The greater our lives are aligned with His plan, the greater our satisfaction and joy in life.
The gospel message is based on mysteries and paradoxes that seem illogical and unbelievable to outsiders to the faith. Take the Trinity, for example. How can God be three and one at the same time? Is there one mind or three? one will or three? one power or three?

God tells you about Himself not to explain enough so that you understand but rather so that you appreciate and worship Him. He tells you of His essential unity, but He reveals that three distinct persons are at work in the universe.

It is the Father whom Scripture describes as the grand Planner. In servant mode during His earthly ministry, Jesus gave 100% of His attention and respect to the Father’s saving design: “When you have lifted up (i.e., crucified) the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him” (John 8:28,29).

From all eternity, even before mankind’s fall into sin, the Father lovingly predesigned the rescue He foreknew His Son would need to carry out. The greater our lives are aligned with His plan, the greater our satisfaction and joy in life.

Why Is It So Crucial to Pray "Your Will Be Done"?

by Hank Hanegraaff
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Jesus not only taught his disciples to pray “Your will be done” (Matthew 6:10) but also modeled those very words in his own life and ministry. Hank Hanegraaff discusses why it is so crucial to practice this principle.
Jesus not only taught his disciples to pray, “Your will be done” (Matthew 6:10), but he modeled those very words in his own life and ministry. Which, of course, begs the question, “Why is it so crucial to pray in this way?”
First, to pray “your will be done” is to recognize the sovereignty of God over every aspect of our daily lives. In effect, it is a way of saying, “Thank God this world is under his control, not mine!” We would be in deep trouble if God gave us everything for which we asked. Fact is, we don’t know what’s best for us! We only see a snapshot of our lives—while God sees the entire panoply. Thus, his perspective is far superior to ours.
Furthermore, to pray “your will be done” is daily recognition that our wills must be submitted to his will. One of the most comforting thoughts that can penetrate a human mind yielded to the will of God is that he who has created us also knows what is best for us. Thus, if we walk according to his will, rather than trying to command him according to our own wills, we will indeed have, as he promised, not a panacea, but peace in the midst of the storm. In the yielded life there is great peace in knowing that the One who taught us to pray “your will be done” has every detail of our lives under control. Not only is God the object of our faith, he is also the originator of our faith. Indeed, he is the originator of our salvation and, yes, even the originator of our prayers. Thus, whatever we pray for, whether it’s healing or a house, when our will is in harmony with his will, we will receive what we request 100 percent of the time. However, when we pray as Christ prayed, “Nevertheless, not my will but thy will be done,” we can rest assured that even in sickness and tragedy “all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
Finally, to pray “your will be done” is daily recognition that God will not spare us from trial and tribulation, but rather he will use the fiery furnace to purge impurities from our lives. Ultimately, this is the message of the book of Job. Job endured more tragedy in a single day than most people experience in a lifetime. Yet in his darkest hour Job uttered the ultimate words of faith, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15, KJV). For the child of God the hope is not perfect health and happiness in this lifetime, but a resurrected body and a heavenly dwelling in the life to come.

“Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will
go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on
business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know
what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are
a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will,
we will live and do this or that.’ As it is, you boast
and brag. All such boasting is evil.” James 4:13–16
Adapted from The Prayer of Jesus

Things Above

by Walk Thru the Bible
DESCRIPTION
As Christians, we are to take ourselves out of the physical world and into the spiritual world—and operate according to its values, truths and realities.
Colossians 3

We have been raised up with Christ and should seek the things above.

INSIGHT

It is possible to be one place physically and another place mentally. It happens every Sunday morning in church. Bodies warm the pews while minds roam the kitchens and golf courses of the nation. In a graver example, prisoners of war survive by taking themselves mentally into another world away from the prison and there find meaning and solace. We, as Christians, are to do the same. We are to take ourselves out of the physical world, into the spiritual world, and operate according to its values, truths, and realities. "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above... Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth" (vv. 1-2).

PRAYER

Place your mind on Christ, and give Him your praise as you seek the things above:

O Lord my God, in You I put my trust;

Save me from all those who persecute me;

And deliver me...

I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness,

And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High (Psalm 7:1, 17).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving, and pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin and in fellowship with Him:

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from Your presence,

And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,

And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.

Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,

And sinners shall be converted to You (Psalm 51:10-13).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:

This is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment (1 John 3:23).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

    Faithfulness in sharing Christ
    The Lord's work in national and world affairs
    Your activities for the day
Close your time of worship by offering this prayer to the Lord:

May the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen (1 Peter 5:10-11).

"Someday” Is Today

by Greg Laurie
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Many people are merely marking time instead of enjoying their lives. Their favorite day of the week is “someday.”
Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom... You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath (Psalms 90:12; 39:5, NLT).

When you’ve had an encounter with death—a near-death experience of your own or the sudden passing of a loved one—it inevitably leads to a few essential questions: What is life all about, anyway? Why am I alive... and what am I really living for?

In other words, what gets you out of bed in the morning? What gets your blood pumping? Is it an alarm clock or a calling that gets you up each and every day? Every one of us needs some motivating passion, some ideal, something that gives our lives purpose that drives us on. Unfortunately some people don’t know what they’re living for.

Many people are merely marking time instead of enjoying their lives. Their favorite day of the week is “someday.” Someday my ship will come in. Someday my prince (or princess) will come. Someday it’s all going to get better. Someday my life will change. A recent study revealed that 94 percent of the people surveyed were simply enduring the present while “waiting for something better to happen.”

But here is what people don’t plan on. They don’t plan on death. And they never expect it to come around the corner unexpectedly. When you’re young you tell yourself, “I don’t have to even think about that for another fifty or sixty years.” And that may true. But death knocks at every door. The Bible says that each of us has an appointment with death: “People are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27, NIV).

That appointment may come later than you expected. On the other hand, it may come much, much sooner. Statisticians tell us that three people die every second, 180 die every minute, and 11,000 people die every hour. This means that every day, 250,000 people enter into eternity.

What’s the bottom line? Live every day as though you may never have another one. Live ready to step into God’s presence at any moment.

Leadership 101

by FullFill
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As a leader, how do you make space for God?
I’m almost embarrassed to share a key leadership lesson I’ve been learning recently. Embarrassed because it feels like something I should have learned well before my forties. But I didn’t. And just in case there is anyone else out there like me, and because this lesson has been so life-changing, I want to lay it out there.

Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me (John 15:4, The Message).

When I came into my current leadership position four years ago, I felt unprepared. No, actually clueless, about what I would need to do to lead an organization. Determined to learn the ropes before people found me out, I read every book, attended every conference, and asked advice from every leader I could find. I took frantic notes, had planning days to figure out how to implement new ideas, and did put a lot of great structure in place. But then something happened. My team asked me not to go to any more leadership conferences, because they were overwhelmed trying to implement all my new ideas!

After about two years of this, I was exhausted. One day, as I was trying to get even more leadership advice from a trusted friend, she began to ask me questions about my relationship with God. How were my times with him? (Um…listening to worship music during my commute?) What kind of space or margin was I making for spiritual refreshment? (Margin? With a full-time job and two kids?) I started squirming a bit, because I knew where she was headed.

So I started replacing my leadership books with Dallas Willard books. And my leadership conferences with spiritual formation retreats. And asking advice from other leaders with asking God to speak to me. Not because any the pursuit of leadership brilliance was wrong or unimportant, but because I had been neglecting the more essential leadership training—being a branch and drawing nourishment from the Vine.

And God met me. He didn’t scold me, he refreshed me and filled me up and spoke to me. And I was amazed to find that leading was much more enjoyable when I was drawing life from the Vine. Not only more enjoyable, but more wise. As I asked for wisdom he guided me into even better decisions. Once, at a brainstorming meeting for new wording for our messaging, we got stuck and ended with no resolution on one particular category. I left the meeting frustrated, shut the door to my office and said, “God, how do we say this?” Immediately a word popped into my mind and that word is still a key part of our messaging today. What we couldn’t solve in a two-hour meeting, God solved in two minutes!

I’m still on this journey, still learning these lessons two years later. I want to keep growing in my dependence on God; to pray instead of trying to control outcomes: to make space for God when things at work are the most hectic; to spend more time relishing the life that comes from sitting at the feet of the ultimate Leader.

How about you? How do you make space for God as a leader?

Written by Angie Weszely

An Attitude of Gratitude: Prayers of Thanksgiving

by Mary Kassian
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We all need to develop hearts of thanksgiving!
Last summer, my son, Matt, who had just moved back home after being away for eight months, came into the kitchen, gave me a huge hug, and exclaimed, “Mom, thank you SO much for folding my laundry!” My first thought was to check his forehead to see if he was running a temperature. My second thought was that he was about to ask for money and was trying to butter me up. But he didn’t look flushed, and the request for cash never came. So in the end, I decided that nothing had motivated him except sheer gratitude. That hug made my day! I felt so pleased that he had noticed what I had done and that he was truly thankful for it.

It’s important to express gratitude. A simple “thank-you” shows that we recognize we’ve received something that the giver was under no obligation to give. It guards against an attitude of self-centeredness and entitlement. And it contributes to an atmosphere of goodwill in the relationship. When there is no gratitude, the giver feels unappreciated, and may become discouraged and reluctant to give again. 

Gratitude is not only important in human relationships, it’s also important in our relationship with God. David, the Psalmist, knew this. He took note of the wonderful things that God did, and continually expressed appreciation for them. David said, “Let us thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of men! And let us offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy! (Psalm 107:21-22)

The biblical word for thanksgiving is the Greek “eucharistos.” Some church traditions use this as the name for the Lord’s supper–the Eucharist. Eucharistos means “mindful of favors,” “conscious of benefit received,” “grateful,” or simply “thankful.” Giving thanks goes way beyond praying before we eat our food. According to Scripture, it’s one of the very basic disciplines of the Christian life. The Bible commands: “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” (Col. 4:2)

Are your prayers full of thanksgiving? Prayers of thanksgiving are somewhat different than prayers of praise or adoration. In praise and adoration, I extol who God is–his wonderful attributes of holiness, love, righteousness, justice, and so forth. But in thanksgiving, I personalize it. I acknowledge how I benefit from what God has done. I remember his gifts, and I let him know that I know where all the blessings in my life have come from. All the things I enjoy–life, health, friends, family, and even the beauty of the snow piled like dollops of sparkling cream on the boughs of the pine in my backyard–have come from his hand. In recognition of this, I stop what I’m doing, go into the kitchen and give God a huge hug, and bless him by saying . . . “Thank you SO much!!!”            

One item sent in for copyright at the Library of Congress was a book written by a whimsical Texas businessman, who intended to hand out copies to his customers and friends. The title of the book was “A Million Thanks,” and it consisted of the word “Thanks” repeated one million times throughout the pages. How often do we stop to give thanks to God? Once a day? Twice a day? Three times a day? If we were to give thanks to God three times a day, in a lifetime that would amount to about 76,000 expressions of thanksgiving. That’s no where near the millions of thanks that that Texas businessman was willing to give a customer for just one small favor.

When you awoke and saw the sun shining this morning, did you give thanks? When you went to your closet and it was full of clothes, did you give thanks? When you sat down at the kitchen table and your children came bounding in, did you give thanks? When you were driving on the freeway and were cut off in traffic, did you give thanks? 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” One translation says “...this is the will of God... to you-ward.” (ASV)

It’s God’s will “you-ward” that you give thanks in every circumstance. You see, when you boil it right down, thanksgiving is not so much for his benefit as it is for ours. It changes us. It helps us stay focused on God and his grace and goodness and the exceedingly abundant riches we have in Jesus. It helps us remain mindful of him, and to live our lives aright. And in the end, that’s what honors him the most. A life of thankfulness reflects the glory of God. So let’s make a point to have an attitude of gratitude. Like David, let’s resolve: “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart: I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you... O Most High.” (Psalm 9:1-2)

Breaking Down Thanksgiving & Praise

by Gina Duke
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Gina Duke breaks down Psalm 100:4 and focuses on what it means to "enter His gates with thanksgiving" in order to build up effective prayers.
Some people like to use different prayer models to facilitate their prayer time. Some use the acronym ABC for Abiding, Believing & Confronting. Some use the ACTS acronym for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication. And some use the Lord’s Prayer as their model. Allow me to share a scripture to help order thanksgiving and praise in prayer.

I’ve always loved taking scripture, breaking it down and making practical application out of it. I will come across a scripture that I’ve read many times, and suddenly, I will see it very differently, very practically. I’m sure we all have moments like these.

This happened to me recently while studying a scripture I often use when speaking on prayer. Psalm 100:4 (KJV) says,

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

This scripture is directing us to thank and praise God. It is directing us to the gates and to the courts. Up until this moment, I had thought of praise and thanksgiving as basically the same thing, just like I’ve believed that courts and gates were the same place in this scripture. But they are not the same expression or the same designation.

Could it be that if the gates gets us onto the premises, then it’s the courts that get us into the King’s presence? Thanksgiving and praise are two totally separate activities in prayer. Not only are they separate, but there may also be in an expected order – thanksgiving, then praise. When an angel took Ezekiel to the temple in a vision, it twice states they entered through the gates before entering into the court. In a vision, the angel could have taken Ezekiel straight into the courts, but he took him through the gates first. (Ezekiel 8)

Interestingly, this scripture not only gives direction, it also gives instruction. This scripture says “enter His gates with thanksgiving…give thanks unto Him”. Thanksgiving is easy because it is self-explanatory. God does something, answers a prayer or blesses us and we thank Him.

When it says, “and into His courts with praise…bless His name” it means that I may thank God for providing in a circumstance, but I will bless His name Jehovah – Jireh in praise. Thanksgiving is about what God has done for us; praise is all about Who God is. When we bless the name Jehovah-Rophi (Healer), Yahweh (Present and Available), Lord of Armies, Comforter, Savior, and Restorer, God will inhabit the praise of His people (Psalm 22:3).

Note that it was in the temple courts that the frantic parents of the boy Jesus found Him after being separated. When they inquired about why He had stayed back, Jesus replied that He had to be about His Father’s business. May I suggest that when we need to do business with God, we enter the gates with thanksgiving, but come into His courts with praise? Bless His name!

The Power of Thanksgiving

by Jennifer Kennedy Dean
DESCRIPTION
Thankfulness and praise are the cure for anxiety and worry; a life infused with both is steady and strong.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).

God instructs us to suffuse our lives with thanksgiving and marinate our hearts in praise. Notice how Paul phrases this command in his letter to the Philippians.  He reminds them of this command as part of his reminder not to be anxious. So, he is not talking about the kind of praise and thanksgiving that seems in line with events. He is saying wrap everything in thanksgiving, especially when the situation would seem to call for anxiety and worry.

People who have learned the value of praise and thanksgiving are fortified and ready for whatever life brings. But you learn it in the small things. That’s where you integrate it into your life so that it is your default mode. It’s like learning a foreign language. You have to practice it and immerse yourself in it until it is so much a part of you that you even think in your new vocabulary of praise.

Once praise and thanksgiving have become your norm, then when life’s big hurdles and hurts come along, you will respond to them from a whole different place. You will have fostered a heart of genuine praise and thanksgiving in the small things and when the big things come crashing in, you will know how to move from panic to praise because of much practice. When the earthquake hits home, you will find faith at the fault line. When the epicenter is right under your feet, you will find that your feet are planted on a rock.  When the big events seem to come out of nowhere and throw your whole life off balance, you will have been trained by all the small events when you learned to keep your eyes on the provision instead of the problem

Thanksgiving to God

by Boyd Bailey
DESCRIPTION
Gratitude to God can be a moment-by-moment expression. Even in the middle of the worst of circumstances, your thanksgiving to God is appropriate and needed.
You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God… Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:11, 15

Gratitude to God is a natural overflow of generosity. For example, the gift of salvation in Christ is indescribable. He gave when we did not deserve. He still gives, even though we are undeserving. His gift of liberty is freeing; His gift of health is healing; His gift of relationships is rich; His gift of peace is calming; His gift of wisdom is confidence; His gift of the Holy Spirit is comforting; His gift of finances is security; His gift of Himself is reassuring and humbling. Gratitude explodes from our hearts when we are reminded of His generous gifts. They are incomparable and incomprehensible. Thanksgiving to God is a tremendous opportunity to unleash joy. This is one of the fruits of gratitude. Joy, joy, joy, joy down in our hearts, because He came down to earth and into our heart. This is an occasion for a raucous but righteous celebration.

Gratitude to God can be a moment-by-moment expression. Even in the middle of the worst of circumstances, your thanksgiving to God is appropriate and needed. Look beyond your current condition to your heavenly hope. He has prepared a place for you, and His preparations are not lacking. They are just what you need and desire. So, your thanksgiving is for what He has done in the past, His current provision, and what He has prepared for you in the future. God’s generosity is without competition. You can be very, very grateful for this. Let thanksgiving escape from your lips often. Use it to put out the fires of fear and worry before they spread too far. Thanks be to God for you are made rich.

Yes, in Christ you are made rich. You have everything needed for this life in Christ. As a upshot of your management of His riches, you can be ridiculously generous. This is the natural result of thanksgiving. Because of your deep gratitude to God, you are called and compelled to give. Gratitude invites you to generosity. You cannot experience authentic thanksgiving and not see it birth giving. It is a beautiful process: because God has given to you, you give to others. At the moment you receive the gift of God, generosity is conceived in your heart.

This is why your heart feels pregnant with thanksgiving. It will explode without the regular birthing of generosity to others. This expression of gratitude results in action. It is tangibly and regularly giving to people for whom Christ died. The poor need food, a job, and Jesus; orphans need parents, a home, and Jesus; divorcees need acceptance, healing, and Jesus; the angry ones need gentleness and Jesus; the confused need clarity and Jesus; the bankrupt need financial wholeness and Jesus. Opportunities abound that invite your generous expression of gratitude.

Gratitude is one of God’s prescriptions for discontentment. The two cannot comfortably coexist. Thanksgiving gives the credit for your accomplishments to God and others. Without either, you would not be in your current position of influence and success. Gratitude is generous. Gratitude is content. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.

The Bible says, “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." 1 Chronicles 16:34

Giving Thanks in Hard Times

by In Touch Ministries
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Leanne Benfield Martin shares how we can learn the discipline of gratitude during trials.
The day Donna Lott was told to hand over her car keys for good changed her life forever. Proclaimed legally blind, she could no longer drive to the grocery store, her sons’ school, or the homes of friends. Unless her husband or someone else gave her a ride, she was stranded at home. She was 35 years old.

An active wife and mother, my friend Donna had been gradually losing her eyesight to the disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP). Even while she struggled to accept what her diagnosis would mean, she began having difficulty cooking and cleaning, fixing her hair and makeup, and eventually, identifying her sons’ faces. Today, the lighting in many environments, whether at a restaurant, a store, or church, proves challenging. Special computer equipment helps her read and write, study, and e-mail, but her eyes fatigue quickly.

The surprising result of her experience is that as Donna’s vision became weaker and more distorted, her spiritual acuity sharpened. Her private times with the Lord grew more meaningful as she cried out to Him, and she began to perceive His love for her more clearly, sensing His purpose in allowing her to suffer this way. Even on the days she couldn’t imagine what that purpose could be—which was most of them—she gave thanks anyway.

You Mean Now?

Scripture commands us to give thanks. “Bless the Lord at all times,” the psalmist wrote (34:1). And the apostle Paul echoed that sentiment in his letter to the Thessalonians when he said, “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Jesus Christ” (5:18). As hard as this may be to swallow, “in everything” means in both good and bad times—even when we don’t feel like it. Gratefulness comes easy with a solid marriage, good kids, and money in the bank. But what about when the marriage implodes, kids rebel, or account balances dwindle?

When hard times come, we can choose to turn away from God. But hardening our heart toward Him in anger or denial hampers our ability to deal with suffering in a healthy way—making it difficult to hear His voice and receive comfort or strength. Gratitude is the gate through which we must pass to become increasingly aware of the Father’s goodness in the midst of our trying circumstances. We need to practice the discipline of giving thanks even more during the hard times, because through it, God not only transforms our suffering, but He also transforms us.

Reasons to Give Thanks

Like Donna, if we are open to the Lord during hard times, we soon realize how dependent on Him we are, and that all of life is a gift. But humankind has always had a difficult time holding on to this perspective. Think back to the Garden of Eden: when Eve reached for the fruit, she was reaching for independence, and we’ve been grasping for it ever since. Instead of accepting our dependence on God and being grateful for Him and His ways, we insist on living life according to our own solutions and grow frustrated when He doesn’t follow our plans. Then suffering grabs our attention like a severe weather warning. Our circumstances seem to communicate, Not only is it going to get rough, but you are not in control.

Though seeing trials this way is difficult, the Lord lets us endure them out of His mercy—so we might realize once again that He alone is our Source. Trials, then, become an opportunity to return to Him. Here we see how what appears to be for harm, God can use for good. And recognizing His power to transfigure our suffering into something beautiful is what allows us to give thanks in the midst of the pain we feel. A thankful heart is possible only through humility. As clergyman Henry Ward Beecher—father of American novelist Harriet Beecher Stowe—said, “An humble mind is the soil out of which thanks naturally grow.” By setting down pride and contrasting our lowliness with God’s greatness, we understand, perhaps for the first time, that He is wholly other and beyond anything we can imagine. We marvel that the Most High not only created us but also made a way through His Son for us to know Him intimately. When we truly grasp how far He had to reach to pull us from the pit, we become filled with a gratitude that transcends the direst of circumstances.

Pain and suffering also can tenderize our hearts toward other people. God comforts us so we can comfort others (2 Cor. 1:3-5). After my marriage crumbled ten years ago, I found that my compassion for others increased five-fold, while my tendency to judge others decreased. Though my situation remained painful, I felt grateful for the change God brought about in me through it. We can give thanks not only that God comforts us but also that He can use us to comfort others who are suffering.

Easy Does It

Hard times can seem to drag on forever, yet Paul called them “momentary, light affliction” (2 Cor. 4:17). He could write those words despite having suffered persecution, imprisonment, beatings, shipwreck, snakebites, and more. By his words and example, he urged us to focus on the eternal. Even trials that last a lifetime on earth pass in an instant, compared to eternity.

“When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude,” wrote G. K. Chesterton in his book Irish Impressions. We can never be too grateful for Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross or for the empty tomb. Remembering that ?He suffered, too, can move us to take comfort in and be grateful for what He’s accomplishing through our circumstances—even when His purpose is not yet evident. If we allow Him, He can use our suffering to transform our lives. The fruit of yielding to Him will be a better understanding of His suffering and limitless love for us. And at that point, we just might be surprised at how easy giving thanks becomes

Sing Your Thanks to the Lord

by Pastor Rick Warren
DESCRIPTION
Learning to thank God for what He has given us is an important part of our spiritual journey. One of the most important ways to do so is by singing.
"Sing out your thanks to him; sing praises to our God." (Psalm 147:7a LB)
Learning to thank God for what he has given us is an important part of our spiritual journey. So how do you make gratitude to God an important part of your life?

One of the most important ways to do so is by singing. The Bible says, "Sing out your thanks to him; sing praises to our God" (Psalm 147:7a LB). Nothing makes you aware of God's presence more quickly than singing your praise to God. It doesn’t matter how much musical talent you have, either. The Bible urges us to make a joyful noise. Even pigs do that as they eat! If pigs can make a joyful noise, so can you.

Christianity is a singing faith. There are more songs about Jesus Christ than anything or anyone else, even love. That’s why you need to be part of a local church. It’s not just about listening to a weekly message from the Bible. At least once a week, you need the emotional expression that comes from singing thanks to God. If you don't, your heart will shrivel. You can’t be a healthy Christian on sermons alone. You need both the impression from the message and the expression through the music.

I have discovered that the times when I least feel like singing are when I need to do it the most. When my heart is cold, I need to be renewed, restored, and recharged through singing thanks to God. In my hectic schedule, I find listening to music and singing praise to God renews my soul.

So turn on your favorite worship songs or find a good Christian radio station, and sing along. Thank God for all he has given you. And make a joyful noise to the Lord while you’re at it.

Thanks: An Important Word to Remember

by Bryant Wright
DESCRIPTION
When God answers and helps us, we often forget to say thanks. Everyone likes to be thanked—even Jesus.
As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?” (Luke 17:12–17, NIV).

One foggy night, many years ago, there was a near-tragedy on a large lake. A lot of intoxicated people were on a houseboat when an explosion occurred. It was utter chaos. Fortunately, a resident on the shore saw what was happening. He swam out and directed the panicked people toward the shore. And miraculously, even though many could have drowned, everyone survived.

Later that night, after all the victims and emergency workers had left, the rescuer sat by the fire, talking to a lone reporter. As the interview ended, the reporter asked, “Is there anything else you might like to share about this experience?” The man sat there a moment. Then he looked at the reporter and said, “Yeah. Not one person said thanks. Not one.”

One interesting aspect of human nature is that when we find ourselves in a desperate situation, we cry out to God for His help. Even skeptics pray when facing a life-threatening experience.

Then, when God answers and helps us, we often forget to say thanks. Take time to thank God and others. Everyone likes to be thanked—even Jesus.

Weeding Out Worry

by Guideposts
DESCRIPTION
Jesus is the only One who can give you the fruitful life you desire. Let Him eradicate your weeds of worry while cultivating seeds of contentment and trust.
The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. Mark 4:18–19, NLT
I love to garden. Weeding—not so much. However, weeding is an essential part of gardening. Weeds grow right next to my tomatoes or flowers, and if left alone, will eventually cause destruction. Weeds hinder the growth of what is good in a garden. Unchecked, they’ll keep a garden from being fruitful.
Jesus said that the seeds of truth He plants in our hearts get crowded out by worries, as well as by our desire for wealth or our desire for more stuff. I can say I don’t desire wealth, but the fact is, I wish we had a little more. Not a lot, you understand. Just a bit more.

Further, in a random hour of almost any day, I probably have a dozen worries flit through my brain. I don’t consciously decide to worry; in fact, I try not to. But still, the cares of this life march right on through: How will we manage to pay for college? Will my husband find a new job? Are my kids on the right track? Did I say the wrong thing to a friend? Will I meet the deadline for this project?

Jesus is the only one who can give me the fruitful life I long for. I cannot get it by trying harder, but rather by opening my life to Him, letting Him eradicate the weeds of worry and covetousness, while cultivating contentment and trust. Ironically, the way to cultivate contentment is to simply stop trying so hard. Trust grows when we surrender to Jesus.

FAITH STEP: What unhealthy worries and desires for stuff or wealth are crowding out growth in your life? Are you willing to let God pull those weeds from your life?

Change Requires Making Choices

by Pastor Rick Warren
DESCRIPTION
You’re not going to change the defects in your life until you CHOOSE to change. You’re not waiting on God; God is waiting on you.
“Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God — truly righteous and holy.” (Ephesians 4:21-24 NLT)

It’s not enough to want to change. It’s not enough to desire to change. It’s not even enough to say, “I have a dream of changing.” Dreams are worthless unless you wake up and actually act on them. You’re not going to change the defects in your life until you choose to change.

How are you going to be different in six months? Are you going to be emotionally stronger? Are you going to be mentally sharper? Are you going to be physically healthier? Are you going to be spiritually deeper?

It isn’t going to happen automatically. You aren’t just going to get healthier by accident in any category of your life. A lot of times we think we’re waiting on God to change us. You’re not waiting on God. God is waiting on you.

There is no growth in your life without change. And there is no change without loss. You’ve got to let go of some old stuff. And there is no loss without pain.

Some of you are stuck right now because you haven’t learned how to let go. That’s a choice. Ephesians 4:22 says, “Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception” (NLT).

You might say that your defects are biological or sociological. Some of them are from your circumstances or your chromosomes. But it doesn’t really matter where they come from. You need to deal with it. Genetics explains your inclinations, but it doesn’t excuse your sin.

Here’s the good news: Once you become a believer, you have a new power in you that is greater than those old tendencies. That power is the Holy Spirit.

Philippians 2:12-13 says, “Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose”(NIV).

Does that mean you are supposed to be afraid of God? Of course not! Be afraid that you’ll miss God’s best and waste your life. Be afraid that you will go your entire life and never know God’s purpose.

The secret to changing your life is not willpower. It’s God giving you the will and the power through the Holy Spirit to do what needs to be done.

It's Just Not Time Yet

by Sheryl Brady
DESCRIPTION
We serve a God who knows us so well that He will say to us... "It’s just not time yet."
I had barely made it into my home before I was being whisked away to my back yard. There stood my 5-year-old granddaughter McKenzie, dripping wet in her bathing suit and a pair of hot pink goggles waiting by the edge of the pool. “Watch this GeGe”, she said through the biggest “I’m missing my two front teeth smile” I have ever seen. She then took off and jumped head first into the deep end of my pool. I cringed slightly because I noticed that she had no life jacket on, but my apprehension quickly vanished as I watched her perform a hybrid of swimming and doggy paddling all the way to the other side of the pool.

This was a significant moment for her as just a few weeks before she would have sunk like a rock without having a life jacket on. Her parents had invested in swimming lessons for her and evidently their investment was paying off. Now that she could swim a little, she was convinced that she was fit for the Olympic trials next summer. A discussion between her and her parents ensued about what the rules would be concerning when she could and when she could not be in the pool without her life jacket. After they explained the ground rules to her, my granddaughter (who I think might be an excellent lawyer someday) vehemently argued “But I can swim…I’m good…I promise”. After listening to her points, my son-in-law Marc ended the discussion with “Kenzie I know you’re good…it’s just not time yet”.

I've always believed that God instituted the family as both a support system for us as well as a teaching tool to show us how much He loves and cares for us. I am so thankful that we serve a God who knows us so well that He will say to us…it’s just not time yet. When you find yourself in one of those “not now” moments, you first have to realize that God is fully aware of the plan he has for your life.

Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. If the plan for your life has already been decided, then you must rest assure that for whatever reason you are in a season of “wait” that there are things that God wants you to learn in this season. It’s in these seasons that you have to Make It Matter in your life. Take the time to study, prepare yourself for where you want to go and expose your self to situations that will stretch you as a person.

Don’t wait until the door of success opens in your life…start preparing today. From my granddaughter’s perspective, having to keep the life jacket on a few more weeks may have seemed like a punishment, even though she knew she had progressed so much. Her parent’s perspective, through experience, allowed them to make decisions for her based on where they know she will eventually go. A few more weeks of training could mean the difference between just getting by and being extraordinary at what you do. I wonder what God has in mind for you to be extraordinary at if you’ll just wait on Him a little while longer.