Give Thanks?

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."- I Thessalonians 5:16-18



Just a few days ago, I was felling pretty down about some circumstances in my life. My family has a practice where each of us have a journal where at night we write in that journal about some way that God has showed Himself faithful to us that day. Well, the night I was feeling pretty down I wrote in that journal about the ways the Lord had helped me that day. As I wrote, the Lord just seemed to put it right in front of my face how that I had many things to be thankful for and I needed to focus on those things not my circumstances.



Many times in life we get so discouraged about so many different things. However, we all seem to forget that God commands us to give thanks in everything not just when we feel like it (1 Thess. 5:16-18). You may think,"But I can't find anything to thank the Lord for." Well, are you saved? That's one major thing to thank the Lord for. He saved your soul from eternal hell separated from Him because of your sin. But God in His great mercy, when you repented( acknowledged was sorry for your sin ) and trusted in Jesus Christ, saved you from hell. If you look around and ask the Lord to open your eyes, you will see the many blessings God has given you. So don't get too down, just thank our good God in heaven for what He has done. Thankfulness is a choice not a feeling. We may not feel like being thankful but we are commanded to do it by God because it is one of the keys to having peace (Phil. 4:6-7). I'm telling this to myself as much as anyone else. Almost evrything I write about is something that God has spoke to me about and that I need to work on too. We all are human and have our weaknesses, but the Lord Jesus is with us holding us up and giving us strength to live this Christian life (Ps. 37:23-24, Heb. 13:20-21).

Sunday Scriptures

Here's a great passage form the Bible that shows how God is a loving Father Who, after He corrects, will comfort and restore.

"For the Lord will not cast off forever. Though He causes grief, yet He will show compassion according to the multitude of His mercies. For He does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men." - Lamentations 3:31-33

No Other Gods

There once was a father who had three children whom he loved very much. The children loved their father very much also and whenever he came home from work, the kids would run to him and yell," Hi Dad!" as their father lifted them into his strong arms and gave them a kiss. One day, in expression of his deep love for his children, the father bought them a big screen TV. The children thanked him and were extremely excited.

However pretty soon, when the father came home and in expectation yelled,"Hey, kids, I'm home!" This time there was no sound of little feet running to him or the sound of little voices greeting him. The father walked further into the house and saw his children sitting in front of the new big-screen TV. With their eyes still riveted on the television, they nonchalantly waved and mumbled a "Hi Dad."

The father walked in front of the TV and said to the children,"Kids, I bought this TV for you. It was an expression of my love for you and I do not appreciate you giving your love to this television instead of me."



Do those kids remind you of anyone? We can be like them so much can't we? In his great love for us, God gives us things that are good in and of themselves like talents, friends, ect. But we turn around and give those things preeminence to the great One who in His love gave us those things in the first place. We sacrifice the wonderful, strong love of our heavenly Father for the temporary things of this earth that will never satisfy us. The Lord is the one who will give us the grace and peace to make it through all of life's trials. Nothing compares to Him and His fellowship. If we give our whole hearts to seeking after things on this earth and put them before the Lord we have commited a terrible sin (the first of the Ten Commandments to be exact: Exodus 20:3.) Dueteronomy 6:4-5 says,"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." The first step to doing this is to put the Lord first in everything in your life. We will never know the fullness of His fellowship if we do this.

We will not be sorry when we put the Lord first. He and His everlasting love and grace will always satisfy us. He will endure forever not the things of this world. Let's put Him first.

Sunday Scriptures

Today's verse from the Bible is 2 Samuel 22:31. It's a great verse that everyone needs to keep in mind.

"As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him." - 2 Samuel 22:31

Food for Thought

Even in the midst of the broken pathways of life, lies a stream of hope that God causes all things to work together for good to those that love God and are the called according to His purpose. ( Romans 8:28 )

Waiting Room

Lately I have been reading in the book of Genesis about Joseph. Almost all of us know the story how he was sold into slavery in Egypt and then thrown into a dungeon after being falsely accused of adultery. After Being thrown into jail, the chief butler and a baker to the Pharaoh were put in jail too. They both had a dream and Joseph, by the power of God, interpreted it. The butler's dream meant that he would be restored to serving Pharaoh. Joseph asked the butler to put in a good word for him to the Pharaoh telling him that he was falsely accused and then maybe the Pharaoh would let him out of jail. However things didn't go the way Joseph would have liked. Once the chief butler got out of prison, he forgot all about Joseph and his request.

Two years went by and Joseph was still in the dungeon. Then, the LORD gave the Pharaoh a dream that no one could interpret. However the chief butler finally remembered Joseph. Joseph was summoned before the king and he, again by the wisdom and power of the one true God, interpreted the dream. The meaning of the dream was that there would be seven years of plentiful harvest and crop for Egypt but after those years there would be seven more years of extreme famine. Joseph advised Pharaoh to put a good man in command of gathering a good amount of the harvest in the good years and saving them for the bad years. Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph and his God that he made Joseph second in command of all of Egypt and gave him the task of planning and gathering for the famine. Because Egypt by the authority of Joseph stored up so much food when the famine days came, many nations came to Egypt for food including Joseph's family back in Canaan. Because Joseph's family was saved from this famine, the ancestrial line that the Messiah was to come through was preserved and we are all thankful for that!

While I was reading and studying this, the Lord opened my eyes to the fact that if Joseph had left the prison when he wanted he probably would have been released to wander back to his homeland. If that would have happened, Joseph's family would have all been killed and our hope for a Messiah would have died along with them. However, God had a btter purpose. He had Joseph stay in that jail so that he could be there when Pharaoh had his dream. In the end, Joseph was exalted and was used to save his people. God's ways were so much better and perfect than his. It's the same way with us. We may think our way is best but we must remember that God is all-wise and all-knowing. Isaiah 55:8-9 says,"'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.'" He sees the futer and and holds the world in his hands. Think of what would have happened if Joseph would have had his way. Disaster would have occured. We need to keep in mind that God's ways are perfect and flawless and so much better than ours. We just have to wait on His timing and stay in the waiting room until He says we can go. The wait will always be worth it in the end. However we still have obligations in the waiting room. We still need to serve God and live for Him. If we are not faithful in God's waiting room than we will not see His best in our lives. No one has a better plan for you than God does. Keep following Him.

Sunday Scriptures

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 is todays passage from the Bible.

"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trump of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord."

Back to School

Just recently I started school. On the first day, I just felt like I wasn't ready for a new school year to start. When I look at the year ahead of me and think about all the hard work ahead, I kind of got very overwhelmed. I think,"Man, I don't know how I can do it all!"

All of us tend to feel this way when we look at all the work ahead of us. However the Lord showed me how I need to take each day at a time and trust Him to provide the grace for what I need to do that day. In reference to our needs being met, Jesus said," Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.''(Matt. 6:34). We need to trust in God to give us the daily power to make it through life's challenges. The Lord has promised His sufficient grace that is made perfect in our weaknesses(2 Cor. 12:9).

Life is a day by day, step by step process. Let's live that way.

Blind but Happy

Here's a poem written by Fanny Crosby the famous blind Hymn writer. She wrote this when she was eight or nine years old and it tells of her attitude of contentment and positive thinking in spite of her blindness. This puts all of us to shame including myself.

Blind but Happy

Oh what a happy soul I am,
Although I cannot see,
I am resolved that in this world
Contented I will be.


How many blessings I enjoy
That other people don't!
To weep and sigh because I'm blind,
I cannot nor I won't.

Let's ask the Lord to implement this attitude into our lives.

Even Better

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know and the way you know." - John 14:1-4



Just recently my oldest brother Johnny came back with his wife Lori from Dallas where they went to a Mary Kay conference. While they were there, Johnny went to see the new Dallas Cowboys stadium. He showed us some pictures, and man, was that place amazing. There were so many things in the arena that just made our jaws drop.



Jesus said in John 14:1-4 that He would prepare a place for us in His Father's house. The word mansions literally means rooms or places of dwelling. There are all inside our Father's house. Our Father's house will be so much more beautiful compared to all the seemingly amazing buildings of this world. We will dwell in our Father's amazing and beautiful house in heaven.

You know, all things will be so much better in heaven. This is a reality that can encourage our hearts and keep us going knowing that there is a wonderful place of rest peace and joy with our Father ahead of those who have trusted in Christ as their Savior.
If you have never done this but would like to just click on this link and it will show you how. http://http://mike-pillarsofgrace.blogspot.com/p/most-important-decision-of-your-life.html

Have We Grown Cold and Loveless?

I've been thinking lately about what is the real job of God's church around the world. Many times we get bogged down in the mentality of staying in our cozy church buildings or places of worship and that's as far as our lights go. We feed ourselves at church and then go home not thinking throughout the week about all the lost people in our communities that don't know the Lord and don't go to church. The church is the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:12 -14). Are we acting like the body of Christ. The body of Christ should be reaching out to the people who have never heard about Jesus. Why does God have us here in the first place? To go into all the world and preach the gospel and make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:18-20, Mark 16:15).

Are we hiding our lights? Are we "shaking our heads" so to speak at the lost yet not trying to win them for Christ and bring them to church. Are we going to complain about the darkness or light a candle?

All Our Needs

In the book of Philippians chapter four and verse nineteen, Paul says," And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." This passage of Scripture was clearly proven to me in a big way recently. I know I've been talking alot about the vacation we took recently but the Lord showed me so many spiritual truths on the vacation, that I'm just taking a while to blog about most of them.

Before we actually left on the trip, we weren't sure if we would be able to go due to several different circumstances that seemed to pop up one right after another. However, we prayed that the Lord would somehow allow us to go since we really needed a vacation. God knew that we needed some away time so He miraculously resolved all of the things that stood in our path and allowed us to leave for the vacation. It was amazing to sit back and watch the Lord Himself resolve all of the obstacles that stood in the way of taking a vacation.

The Lord has promised to supply for all our needs ( Phil. 4:19, Matt. 6:24-34). Romans 8:15 tells how we are God's children and He is our dear and close Father. Think about it, would a good and loving father not provide for his children's needs. Of course not! Many times our needs are not the same as our wants and many times our wants aren't always best for us so the Lord may not give them to us. God will always provide for us whatever we need in this life. We just need to have faith in Him.

Sunday Scriptures

This Sunday's passage from the Bible is Matthew 28:18-20. We all know it as the great commision.



"And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying,' All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' Amen" - Matthew 28:18-20





As the church we should be reaching out to all to bring them to Christ and them ground them in God's word.

Sunday Scriptures

This weeks passage from the Bible is Psalm 118:5-6, 8. The Psalms is one of my favorite books in the Bible because it is a place that we can turn to when we get discouraged or depressed.

"I called on the LORD in distress; the LORD answered me and set me in a broad place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man." - Psalm 118:5-6,8

Week in Review: Part 2

After leaving Pennsylvania my family went down to Tampa to go to Busch Gardens. Here are some of the pictures we managed to take of some of the animals kept there.



These are wildebeests

We rode this train to see all the different animals they had.This picture goes out to my nephew Timothy who loves trains.

These orangutans were my favorite animals at the park. They acted hilarious!

This was a special type of Buffalo found in Africa.

Zebra

They had some beautiful tigers there.

This guy got like inches away from us! Of coarse, we were behind glass.

A white tiger.

This guy smelled horrible!

Here are some pics of two different types of African Rhinoceroses.

Those were some huge horns! I'm surprised this guy can even hold his head up.

Flamingos

Not sure what these are...

We had a great time and I thank the Lord for allowing us to spend some fun time away on vacation.

Week in Review Part 1

As most of you know, my family and I recently came back from a great vacation with family in Pennsylvania. After visiting them we made a quick stop a Gettysburg to sight-see. Here are some pictures of our time.





Here's some of the family standing in front a great view of some of the PA mountains and valleys.

Dad and Mom with Timothy on a bridge in Sebring, New York.

At the church in Covington we got a chance to feed some cows nearby with grass. Timothy was pretty brave. Most kids his age would be terrified to go so near these big cows.

Some of my family and I went over to the church gym and played some hoops. I always love our very competitive games.

Not a fantastic pic, but that's my nephew Timothy at the gym. He already loves basketball.

Another action shot.

During our trip, we went to a place called the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. It's a really great spot that clearly shows the unlimited power of God.

Believe it or not, there was a house at the very bottom of the canyon! There were no roads or anything that I could see that would lead him to civilization. I don't know how in the world this guy gets anywhere!

Another shot of a great view.

My brother Jesse and I joking around after our trip to the PA Grand Canyon.

My nephew Timothy in the car with a set of headphones on.

Taking it easy in a sofa at Best Buy.

Good-bye pictures

Us playing around at a cannon in Gettysburg, home of the famous Civil War battle.

This very spot shown here, was where Confederate soldiers charged up trying to push Union soldiers off the hill. In the end the Union kept the hill.

Me standing at a memorial sight commemorating President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address in the Gettysburg cemetery.

Some of the family standing at the very spot where President Lincoln gave His Gettysburg Address.

Come back tommorow to see some pictures of our trip to Busch Gardens where we wrapped up our vacation.

Pillars of Grace

God's "pillars of grace" (grace: God's unmerited love and favor ) was not free. The only way it is available to us is through our Lord Jesus Christ. You see we have all sinned ( broken God's holy law ) and therfore we are separated from God's favor. Jesus paid the price for us by dying on the cross so that we could be in God's loving favor. If we have trusted Jesus Christ as our personnal Savior from our sins*, the Lord's "pillars of grace" are available to us to support and carry us through life's journey's.

* If you have never trusted in Christ to be your Savior from you sins but would like to, just click on this link and it will show you how to be saved. http://http://mike-pillarsofgrace.blogspot.com/p/most-important-decision-of-your-life.html. You will not regret it.

Answers to Prayer

Just recently in my life, the Lord has really demonstrated His power to me through His answers to prayer. Not to long ago, my family and I went to Busch Gardens. However I was kind of in a predicament. The night before we went, I started to get a soar throat! Now anyone who has had soar throats knows that when your're sick with it, you don't exactly feel like walking around a park all day in the burning Florida heat. So needless to say, I was a little bit worried. I knew that there was only one Person I could turn to- the Lord, the great Physician. So I prayed and I asked my mom to pray too that I would feel better. Well, the next morning I still didn't feel that much better. So I just thought," Well Lord, you have a purpose for this and You are still a good and loving God." Also, according to the weather forecast for Tampa, where Busch Gardens is, there was a good chance of rain that afternoon. So while my family and I were in the car traveling to the park, we prayed to the Lord and asked Him to hold back the rain so that we could do everything we wanted to and that the Lord would take my soar throat away. We all had faith that if it was the Lord's will, He could answer these prayers. The Lord answered those prayers. Not only did it not rain that afternoon and we were able to get done everything we wanted to get done, but the minute I got to the park my soar throat was gone! The Lord had healed me of my soar throat symptoms! The Lord answered our prayers and allowed us to have a great time together.



As Believer's in Christ, many times we pray about our requests but we forget about the faith part. Now I'm not talking about the "name it and claim it" thinking where a person thinks He can order God around to do whatever he wants. No. 1 John 5:14 says, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." My prayer to God was that if it be His will He would take my soar throat away. Jesus prayed in the Garden, " Father, if it is Your will, take this cup from Me; nevertheless not my will but Yours , be done" - Luke 22:42. In our prayers our ultimate prayer should be for God's will to be done not ours. We can bring our requests to the Lord but we should pray that His will be done first and foremost. Also, we need to seek to pray according to His word for when we do that we know we are praying His will. The faith that we need to have in our prayers is one of beliveing that God is far capable of answereing our prayers if it be His will and when we know that something is His will ( I. e. according to His word ), we should believe that He will answer those prayers. God values faith very much. All through the Bible it is extremely evident (especially in the Gospels) that God honors faith. After all, faith is what releases God's grace through Jesus Christ unto salvation. Let's make it a goal to have faith filled prayers.

Sunday Scriptures

Here's a passage from God's word that has really spoken to me lately. It's a great passage for all of us to keep in mind as we seek to walk pleasing to our Father.



Hebrews 13:20-21: Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shephard of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

The Amplified Bible puts it this way: "Now may the God of peace [ Who is the Author and the Giver of peace ], Who brought again from among the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shephard of the sheep, by the blood [that seeled, ratified] the everlasting agreement (covenant, testament )...Strengthen (complete, perfect) and make you what you ought to be and equip you with everything good that you may carry out His will; [while He Himself ] works in you and accomplishes that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ ( the Messiah ); to whom be glory forever and ever ( to the ages of ages ). Amen ( so be it )." -Hebrews 13:20-21

We need to give ourselves to the Lord and allow Him to work in us what is pleasing to Him. God will always give us the grace to do what He wants us to do.