PSALM 92:1-2 (NKJV) It is good to give thanks to the LORD, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, And Your faithfulness every night
Ugh! I hate this job! I thought as I worked my way through the task of cleaning out the refrigerator. It takes so long and it's no fun. On and on went my negative ramblings until little voice inside me said, Just be thankful that you have a refrigerator and food to put in it.
Immediately my mind flew back to the time we lived in Africa. Oh, we had a refrigerator, but it was small, and we only had the electricity to run it for several hours a day. We learned not to open it any more than we had to and to use our resources wisely. We were thankful for the help it provided, and for the food we had to put inside of it.
As I remembered those days, my attitude changed and cleaning out my refrigerator didn't seem like such a bad thing anymore. I was reminded again that focusing on my blessings relieves a lot of stress and anxiety in anything I do. When I add up my blessings at any given moment of life, my thoughts just naturally turn to praise and thanksgiving for God's loving kindness and His faithfulness.
Today I remember that Thanksgiving is not just a day to celebrate at the end of November; it's an attitude. It's a constant awareness of His goodness that results in counting my blessings morning, noon and night every day. A good rule to live daily by is to stop complaining and start calculating!
O Lord Most High, how grateful I am that You are patient with me and that You don't stop blessing me even when I fail to express my gratitude for the blessings You shower upon me day by day, moment by moment.
When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Chorus: Count your blessings, name them one by one, Count your blessings, see what God hath done! Count your blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly, And you will keep singing as the days go by. (Chorus)
When you look at others with their lands and gold, Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold; Count your many blessings. Wealth can never buy Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high. (Chorus)
So, amid the conflict whether great or small, Do not be disheartened, God is over all; Count your many blessings, angels will attend, Help and comfort give you to your journey's end. (Chorus)
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2 CORINTHIANS 12:7-10 (NKJV) And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
In my Bible study group we're working through Charles Stanley's book Advancing Through Adversity, and this week's chapter focused on lessons we can learn from the life of the apostle Paul. If you didn't read the verses at the top of this page, go back and do that now because there's a huge lesson in these words.
When Paul wrote of the 'thorn in the flesh' that God allowed to persist in his life, the Greek word he used for 'thorn' didn't refer to a small thorn like you would find in your lawn or garden. He chose a word that referred to a sharp, pointed stake that would produce intense pain and suffering.
In addition, the word used for 'buffet' actually meant to beat repeatedly or pummel. It's the same word used in Mark 14:65 to describe what Christ endured when He was mocked, beaten, and spit on before His crucifixion. Paul's adversity was truly intense! It was no small matter and must have been a daily obstacle to deal with. Dr. Stanley describes it as 'unrelenting anguish.'
In response to this agonizing problem, Paul didn't give up or pull back. Instead he:
Admitted his need for God's help
Asked'-he begged'-three times for relief from the problem
Accepted God's answer when He said, 'No' to Paul's request
Adjusted his attitude to see that when he was weakest, God was strongest
Acted with confidence as he kept on serving the risen Savior
Announced his pleasure in having a problem that allowed God to work through Him
Paul's attitude and actions were amazing! What a great lesson for all of us! Through the toughest of times, we can think, feel and act with full assurance that God will never leave us, never fail us. His grace is sufficient. His strength is ours. We can rejoice in adversity.
Blessed Father, help me learn as Paul did that Your grace is sufficient for all my needs.
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ISAIAH 50:10Who among you fears the LORD? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD And rely upon his God. (New King James Version)
The couple simply stood there in shock. They entrusted the building of their new home to this man and suddenly, without warning, he walked off the job. Everything had been so carefully planned and each step outlined, yet now plans were abandoned, hopes were shattered, and fear and confusion surrounded them.
Praise God, He never walks off the job! What He starts He will finish. He never runs out of energy, and His supply of resources is endless. He never discovers that He doesn't know what to do next. He is never dismayed by obstacles that our human nature throws His way. He is never discouraged, never depressed, never defeated, and He never doubts. He is always able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think for He is God.
We often live as if we can trust God for our eternal destiny but we cannot trust Him for our daily life here on earth. My friend, He is just as present here and now as He will be in eternity. The difference is that our vision is limited now and often we cannot see the future.
'Our insistence upon discerning what's up ahead is natural, but it is a hindrance to real faith. It's why God constantly encourages us to trust Him in the dark (Isaiah 50:10). True faith means resting in who God is. He has charged Himself with full responsibility for your eternal happiness, and He stands ready to take over the management of your life. He is wise and good. Trust Him with what's ahead.' (From Pearls of Great Price: 366 Daily Devotional Readings, by Joni Eareckson Tada.)
Almighty God, give me give me faith to believe that You know the way ahead and that I can trust You to be there for each step of my journey.
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PSALM 23:1 (NKJV) The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want. 2 CORINTHIANS 3:5 (NKJV)Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.
Keenly aware of my physical weaknesses and limitations'-and the fact that I'm growing older much more rapidly than I'd like'-each morning I open the cupboard and reach for an assortment of nutritional supplements to help provide what my body needs. Each formula has something that I need, but no one source is enough to provide all that I need.
How thankful I am that in my relationship with the living God, I can truly say that He alone is enough for my every need. I never have to ask, 'Is He enough?'
His death on the cross is sufficient for my salvation.Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them, (Hebrews 7:25, NKJV).
His strength is sufficient to overcome my weakness.Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, (Matthew 11:28, NKJV).
His authority is sufficient to overcome my inadequacy.And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth, (Matthew 28:18, NKJV).
His power is sufficient for any struggle I face.Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered, (Romans 8:26, NKJV).
His strength is sufficient to pick me up when I fallThe LORD upholds all who fall, And raises up all who are bowed down, (Psalm 145:14, NKJV).
His wisdom and knowledge are sufficient to direct my every step.But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold, (Job 23:10, NKJV).
His grace is sufficient for my every need.And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong, (2 Corinthians 12:9-10, NKJV).
The words of 19th century author Hannah Whitall Smith sum it up well: 'If God is what He would seem to be from his revealings; if He is indeed the 'God of all comfort' (2 Cor.1:3); if He is our Shepherd; If He is really and truly our Father; if, in short, all the many aspects He has told us of His character and His ways are actually true, then we must come to the positive conviction that He is, in himself alone, enough for all our needs and that we may safely rest in Him absolutely and forever.'
All-Sufficient God, truly You are all that I need for every need. Let me rest each day in that knowledge.
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REVELATION 19:6-7 (NKJV)And I heard, as it were, a great voice of a multitude . . . saying, 'Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory . . .'
'Omnipotent' is one of those big words that has an easy-to-understand meaning. In the Greek language (the primary language of the New Testament) it simply means 'to have all strength or all power.' To say that our God is omnipotent means that He is all-powerful. He can do anything! One scholar puts it this way, 'God is able to do whatever He wills to do.' While we read of this greatness in His powerful Word, we actually see it demonstrated all around us.
Creation shows God's infinite power (Romans 1:20). He created the universe from nothing simply by speaking His word (Genesis 1:3), and there is nothing created that He did not create (Colossians 1:16). The beauty of the changing seasons, the majesty of the vast oceans and towering mountains, and all of the incredibly complex living species'-He made them all.
Christ the Son of God demonstrated God's infinite power. His miraculous birth (Luke 1:26-37), His sinless life on earth (Hebrews 7:22-26), His death, burial and amazing resurrection (John 19-21) all shout of God's unlimited power to do the impossible. And at His second coming Christ will display again God's might in ways that are now beyond our comprehension (Matthew 24:30; I Thessalonians 4:13-18)!
Christians who are walking with the Lord display His infinite power. There is no greater testimony to the power of God than a changed life that finds new purpose, attitudes and behaviors. Truly this is what Jesus referred to in John 13:34-35 when He said, 'By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.' Only Christ can heal the hurts and change the hearts of mankind. No other power on earth can do that.
Yet I'm sure you've heard that there are three things God cannot do: He cannot lie, He cannot sin, and He cannot deny Himself. In actuality these things are not a limitation of His power, but of His will. God chooses not to lie, to sin or to deny Himself because these are not consistent with His nature and His will. Therefore, He demonstrates a totally free will that does only what He desires to do. Now that is power! None of the rest of us can do that with good results because of our sinful nature and our distorted, selfish perspectives.
Yes, God has the power to create, to save, to heal, to redeem and restore, to provide, to lead, to direct, to comfort'-the list could go on and on because He can do anything He wills to do! He is not limited by time or space, nor by the lack of finances, resources, knowledge or physical ability. Indeed He is omnipotent and He is good!
Almighty God, I am totally overwhelmed as I meditate on Your power and might, and the thought that You use all of that strength unselfishly for good.
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JEREMIAH 23:23-24 (NKJV) Am I a God near at hand,' says the LORD, 'And not a God afar off? Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?' says the LORD; Do I not fill heaven and earth?' says the LORD.
Psalm 139:7-9 tells us that God fills every part of the universe. There is no place that we can go where God is not present. He is vast and immense. Our God is everywhere! He is totally and wholly present at every point in creation'-in this universe and beyond'-at every given moment. What an incredible and incomprehensible thought!
In contrast, we read in Colossians 1:17 that God is present in every minute particle of matter. He is present in every tiny grain of sand, every particle of dust, and even the most microscopic element for it is He who holds it all together. Big or small it was all created by Him and His is separate and distinct from it all.
Trying to comprehend how God can be everywhere present at the same moment is far beyond human understanding because we are limited to time and space. Although my mind cannot begin to comprehend it, His Word and my experience tell me that He is always near. Any time I call on Him, He hears my cry'-and He does the same for each of His children. Someone once said, 'When thousands of Christians are praying privately around the world at the same time, each one can be sure that he is receiving God's undivided attention.'
At times when you feel alone, be assured that God is there. He stands beside you; He sees and knows all that you are going through. You are not alone. You are not forsaken. God is there. Let that be your courage, comfort and joy.
Omnipresent God, You amaze me! Thank You for the security of knowing that You are always by my side no matter when or where I am. Truly I can say with the Psalmist, 'You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.'
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PSALMS 33:13-15 (NKJV) The LORD looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling He looks On all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works.
The air was cool and crisp as the ladies gathered for their annual retreat last weekend. It was my joy to be among them. A few of them I knew quite well, some were only familiar faces, and others were at first total strangers to me. As we passed the hours studying God's Word, sharing in small groups, walking through the woods, and chatting at mealtimes, we opened our lives to each other and deepened our friendships.
This week as I pray for each one of those ladies, they are no longer just a list of names, but real people with real stories; yet, I've become keenly aware that while I know them, there so much about them that I don't know. I'm aware of how limited my knowledge is so I pray according to what I understand, and I am greatly comforted by the fact that God knows all the rest! Amazingly our omniscient God is aware of every detail of the life of each one of us. He knows all things actual and all things possible.
God knows every thought that you think, every word that you say'-even before you say it, (Psalm 139:2-4).
God knows every secret sin that you carry, (Psalm 90:8).
God knows every need that you experience, (Matthew 6:8; 7:7; 21:22).
God knows every strength and weakness you possess, (I Corinthians 10:13).
God knows every event in your past, (I John 3:20).
God knows facet of your future, (Psalm 37:18).
GOD KNOWS! Yes, God knows.
This fact that God is omniscient brings conviction to the sinner and comfort to the saint. Just the thought of His incredible knowledge and wisdom is vastly beyond my ability to image! No wonder David cried out in Psalm 139:6, 'Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high, I cannot attain unto it.' All-knowing God, Your perfect knowledge is more than I can understand, but it is such a comfort to know that You know all about each one of us. Thank You for understanding my prayers for others and for working in their lives.
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ISAIAH 45:18For this is what the LORD says'- he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited'- he says: "I am the LORD, and there is no other. (New International Version)
Written by Heather Anne Kehr
In October, my husband & I celebrate the 12th anniversary of our marriage. As that date approaches, I'm reminded of our wedding as a beautiful start to our marriage. We were excited to share our special day with friends and family as well as enjoy all the details of the ceremony that we had been planning for months in advance. It was with great joy that we departed for our honeymoon. Our destination was Arizona.
As we traveled to Arizona, I was amazed at the variety of landscape within our country. We saw everything from snowy mountains to flat prairies. During our week stay in Flagstaff, we were able to visit the Grand Canyon, Sedona and other scenic places. If you ever visit the Grand Canyon, you will find that it literally takes your breath away with its beauty. We spent several days taking in the sites and traveling the entire length of the southern rim. Every time a new visitor caught a glimpse of the canyon, you could hear him/her gasp with amazement at the beauty and magnitude of this natural wonder.
It was easy to see God's creativity was on display as we looked at the green vegetation on the arid Arizona soil, colorful rock formations, the wild Colorado River rushing down below, birds soaring high above the ground, and as we watched sunsets that displayed colors that are indescribable by words. I began to think about how wonderful our God is to create such beauty in His world. We can see that He delights in His creation and in showing us His ability to create such beauty.
Heavenly Father, I pray that our hearts would be in awe of Your creativity and filled with praise for you. May our eyes see Your creation and our hearts be filled with worship for You, Our Creator & Sustainer.
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'Be still!' I remember my mother directing me with these words when I wanted to talk at the wrong time, when others were talking, or when I was making too much noise. She also used those words when my wiggling and squirming were distracting me and others around me. Often I was just too busy chattering and making noise to hear important instructions or necessary information. She knew in that moment that it was good for me to be still.
My loving Heavenly Father also tells me, 'Be still', because in those quiet moments that I can truly hear from Him. I want to be still and listen to God, but it's so hard in this noisy, busy, chaotic world. I can get alone and shut the door, turn off the computer, T.V., CD player, I-pod, radio and telephone, but the thing I often can't shut off is my mind! Things to do, places to go, and people to see swirl through my thoughts and just won't let me focus on anything else. So what can I do?
Over time I've developed a little routine that works for me. First I get alone and shut off all the other distractions. Then I just sit and take a few slow deep breaths to slow down my mind and body, and I prayerfully ask the Holy Spirit to take away other thoughts for the moment. After that, I like to sing a hymn of worship and praise, or read a poem to begin to focus my attention. As I pick up my Bible or study book, I ask the Lord to speak to me through His Word or through that still small voice as I pray. Most of the time these things really do quiet my spirit so that I can hear from God, but there are days when things I must remember keep popping into my head distracting me. When that's the case, I grab the tablet next to my bed and jot them down, then immediately go back to my reading and prayer. Some days I actually take a few minutes to do this before I even start my quiet time with God.
It's so easy to just grab a devotional book and read a short passage, shut the book and then be on my way. The problem is that I usually don't focus long enough to even remember what I have read when I when I do that. So if I truly want to hear from God, I have to take the time, invest the energy, and discipline myself to be still.
Perhaps you have found ways of having a daily quiet time that are effective for you. I'd love to hear from you, so take a moment to jot a note and let me know about it. You can send your message to annshorb@ccesonline.com. I look forward to hearing from you!
Loving Heavenly Father, I know that You want to speak to me. Help me to learn to be still and to listen attentively to Your voice.
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I Samuel 17:45Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel."
In the Bible we read a story about two men: one a great, great big man who didn't love God, didn't know God, and didn't want anything to do with the true and living God; and another, an average-sized young man who did love God, served God, and wanted to do whatever God asked of him.
It's the story of David and Goliath. You know how the story goes. There were two armies camped on either side of a valley. The army of the Israelites, God's chosen people, the people that loved and served God. The ones for whom He did special miracles and blessings. And on the other side, the Philistines: an army of people who didn't love God, didn't know God, and didn't want to serve God.
The army of the Philistines had threatened to wipe out the children of Israel and they sent their biggest man, Goliath, with a challenge to say, "Whoever will come and fight me, I will fight. If I win, you will be our slaves. And if you win, we will be your slaves." I hesitate to say it, but the army of Israel really was not doing so well. In fact, they were just plain scared until David, a young man with his tremendous faith in God, came along. David knew something that the other people had forgotten about. David knew that God gives us the power to do whatever we have to do, no matter the circumstances.
With that thought in mind, David went out to fight Goliath. He didn't have the weapons. He didn't have the strength. But he certainly had faith - faith in a God who was big enough to defeat a 9-foot tall giant. David knew and based his faith on the fact that God would give him the strength to do whatever he had to do, no matter the circumstances.
David won that battle because of his faith. He faced Goliath saying, "I come to you not with my strength and might, but in the name of the Lord." I don't know what challenges you're facing, but I would encourage you to believe what David believed - that God will give you the power to do whatever you need to do, no matter the circumstances.
How can you do that? As you trust Him, He'll just make things happen that you never believed possible. He'll give you extra strength. He'll give you extra courage. He can provide extra funds, extra work, extra assurance, extra peace, extra calm, extra kind people to help mend broken hearts. He can do all. Remember, my friend, He can give you the power to do and to take care of whatever needs to be, no matter what the circumstances.
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