Becky Austin

With My Whole Heart

3:00 PM




Our Reading: Psalm 138 & Luke 1:46-55


This Psalm made me stop and really think about my own level of devotion and faithfulness to God. Perhaps, I can ask you some of the same questions that came to my mind, and you can self examine as well. What is your devotion level to God? How much trust and faith in God are you willing to show others? Can you, as the Psalmist proclaims, have whole hearted gratitude?

“I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;” (v1)

There are conflicting opinions about whom “the gods” are in this verse but should it really matter if you are convinced that only Yahwe is worthy of praise? Would you be willing to declare Him as the object of your worship and loyalty no matter whose presence you were in? Would you even be willing to do so if it weren’t the popular opinion or perhaps could even be met with harassment or danger?

This Psalmist placed great confidence in the majestic faithfulness of God? How often do you bow before God in awe and wonder? How solidly do you stand upon His Word and apply it to how you live your life?

“I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.” (v2)


Have you known hard times and dark days when you wanted to give in to despair and angst? What was your response? Where did you turn for comfort? Did you immediately call upon the Lord for help? Did you draw your strength from Him?

“On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.” (v3)

When others are working in opposition to you, do you try to take matters into your own hands and make your own plan of deliverance or do you wait and entrust your circumstances to God?

“Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.” (v7)


What about your pride and self sufficiency? Does it move you away from God as you focus on your own gain or what you perceive to be worthy of your time and effort? Or do you remain humble and dependent upon God even if the tasks he assigns to you don’t carry the applause or excitement you would like them to? 

“For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar.” (v6)

In present culture, man’s focus seems to be on the power of position, the glory of self identity, and gaining recognition or clout. As man elevates himself, he sabotages his eternal future.

“Proud men boast loudly of their culture and ‘the freedom of thought,’ and even dare to criticize their Maker: but he knows them from afar, and will keep them at arm’s length in this life, and shut them up in hell in the next.” (Spurgeon)


Yes, this Psalm challenged me to take a long, hard look at the motives of my own decisions, actions, and attitudes. Do you know where I found my whole hearted gratitude? It was in appreciation that no matter how much I miss the mark, I only have to humble myself and He can turn it all around. He is still working on me and praise God, He won’t give up. 

“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” (v8)

My prayer is that in all my journeys upon this Earth, God will keep my heart humble and grateful and that He will see me through to the end! 

“His creating hands formed our souls at the beginning; his nail-pierced hands redeemed them on Calvary; his glorified hands will hold our souls fast and not let them go for ever.” (Burgon, cited in Spurgeon).  


Prayer: Father, may we bring to You our wholehearted praise and adoration. May we walk humbly and know the sweetness of Your presence as You draw near to us. May we confess and put away all self seeking pride that pushes You away.  May we be willing to hold fast to the seemingly lowly tasks we may we be asked to do, and do them with loyal obedience as unto You. May we take comfort in knowing that You are still at work in our hearts and You will complete Your purposes for us. You will never let us go.

Deliverance

Sowing In Tears, Reaping In Joy - Psalm 126

10:00 AM

Psalm 126, 2 Samuel 5:17-25

Easter is one of my favorite times of year. Because it’s a season of reflection, renewal, and rebirth. Christians around the world celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. While equally joyous Jews, celebrate the wonderful feast of Passover, thanking God for their freedom from Egypt. Both celebrations are rooted in joy and gratitude. Psalm 126 is also rooted in joy and gratitude. And contains some lessons we can reflect on as we commemorate this most holy holiday.


Gratitude for deliverance - “The Lord has done great things for us.” Even though the Israelites remembered the pain and sorrow of their captivity, they could now laugh and sing. Because they knew it was the Lord who brought them out of slavery and restored their fortunes. We too should be filled with gratitude for the good things in our lives and the ways God has delivered us from past troubles.


Perseverance in difficult times - “Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting.” Because of all they endured, Israel went through a period of weeping and sowing in tears. But their perseverance ultimately led to a period of joyful harvest. Difficult times will come for us all. But if we remain steadfast and persevere, God will take the seeds of our tears and make them blossom into enormous joy. 


Trust in God's promises - “He who goes to and fro weeping shall indeed come again with a shout of joy.” Even as they were forced into captivity, the Israelites never gave up hope that God would fulfill His promise to one day restore them to their land. And had faith in His ability to continue to bless them in the future. We too can trust and have faith that as our heavenly Father, God will always provide for the needs of His children.


As we head into Holy Week, and follow the footsteps of Jesus to the Cross, Psalm 126 encourages us to trust in God's faithfulness and provision, even in difficult times. Our present struggles are not the end of the story, and God can bring beauty and joy out of even the darkest situations. All we need to do is sow seeds of faithfulness, even when it involves hardship, and trust in God's promises of restoration and redemption.


Pause and Reflect - 

In the midst of troubles do you live in fear and worry, or do you find comfort remembering the times God has delivered you in the past? What are some situations in which we might find ourselves "sowing in tears" and hoping for a “bountiful harvest?”


Lets Pray Together -

Our dearest Father in heaven above, Ruler and Creator of all things, hallowed be Thy name. Father we come before You with grateful hearts. We thank You for Your faithfulness and the joy that comes with the restoration of what was once lost. Father we ask that You bring that same joy and restoration to our lives. Whether we are in a season of captivity or simply feeling lost and discouraged, we know that You are a God of redemption.  Help us to trust in Your plan for our lives, knowing that you work all things for good. May we be a people who sow seeds of faith and obedience, even in difficult times. And as we wait for the harvest, may we continue to trust in Your unfailing love and provision. In Jesus precious name we pray, Amen. 


Don't' forget to head over to our Facebook group at, https://www.facebook.com/groups/womenintheword2 to join in on the discussion. Also check out our public Facebook page at, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083156569388 and give us a like!


I can’t wait to hear your thoughts, and I pray your day overflows with love and blessings.


💖 Lisa


Becky Austin

Bless The Lord

4:00 PM

 


                


Our Reading: Psalm 103, Isaiah 12:3-6, & John 15:10


Perspective and attitude make all the difference. We have not had opportunity to meet with David or engage him in conversation, but he has shown us the deepest essence of his heart. David’s heart was sure of God’s heart and because of that every fiber of his being was grateful and reverent. Worship naturally flowed from his innermost being because he meditated upon and did not take for granted the unmerited blessings God had provided.

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” v1-2


Have you ever kept a gratitude journal? Apparently David had that habit for he begins to make a list. Included here:

  • God forgives our iniquities. (v3) David certainly had great iniquities, including adultery and murder and he understood the blessing of forgiveness. Without God’s forgiveness there could be no other blessings at all for we could not have relationship with God. All sin separates us from God and there is nothing we can do to bridge that gap. Only God can make us holy.
  • God heals our diseases. (v3) God does not cure every physical illness or infirmity this side of Heaven. David knew that for God did not spare the life of his infant child. But there is healing in our relationship with God. Only He can heal the pain and affliction of sin upon our hearts, souls, and minds. Sometimes, He may also provide us physical healing in this life.
  • God redeems our life from the pit. (v4) David knew dark places and caves where he had to hide from those who wanted to take his life. God protected him and sustained Him in his darkest days. God can sustain us through our trials as well and provide eternal life for us, sparing us the death we deserve.
  • God crowns us with steadfast love and mercy. (V4) God favors us. We get His abundant never ending, unchangeable love and mercy. We get to be adopted into His royal forever family.


As we continue to read through this Psalm, we see that David is just getting started. He continues to list out the wonders of God and God’s mercy and favor upon man. I think my favorite verses, however, describe the God who is compassionate toward us, remembering that we struggle, and muck things up and can be bratty, and selfish and ungrateful. He remembers our limitations and He is patient with us. We may fail Him many times over but His love is bigger than any of our limitations. 

“As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children,” (v13‬-‭17‬)


Refection: 

  1. Just reading David’s gratitude list lifts my heart. How about yours? Do you think gratitude is necessary to offer true praise and honor to God?
  2. What would be included in your gratitude list? Do you make a habit of not forgetting God’s goodness and mercy toward you? Do you tell others?
  3. Like a loving father, God disciplines us but He doesn’t give up on us. Does it  encourage you to know that God knows your limitations and loves You anyway? Does that make it easier to repent and seek restoration? 


Prayer: Father, we thank You for Your many blessings and we want to give You praise and adoration that comes from our innermost being. How blessed we are to have a Father who forgives us, disciplines and teaches us and is ever patient and merciful to us. Your forgiveness is beyond our ability to forgive and Your love is beyond our ability to love. May our hearts ever grow to know and trust Your heart. May we join the psalmist in worship: “Bless the Lord, O my soul,”


God is Faithful

Reflections from Roxanna ~ Gratitude

2:00 AM


Good morning, Girls!


GOD IS SO GOOD!

He knew us from our creation. He choose us from the start to love Him and give Him Praise!

We all are sinners, but God loves us and decided we are to be the ones to Glorify Him.  We are the ones who will stand in the throne room in Heaven! We are the ones who will Praise His Goodness for all eternity! Just imagine!

HE IS AMAZING!

The love He has shown for us is evident in the countless blessings we have received in our lives.

He brings us both joy and troubles...troubles to walk through to know Him so much more. Remind yourself..."Every day of my life I will love my God.  He loves me and He has forgiven me!"

He went to the cross beaten beyond recognition and proclaimed, "It is finished."

He won the battle for our souls and He is greatly to be praised.

May you be filled with joy, sanctified and redeemed by His great hand!

Blessings,

Roxanna

blessings

Counting our Blessings {Psalm 136}

7:30 PM



Scripture Reading: Psalms 136


“Count your blessings; name them one by one…” Do you remember the next line to this old hymn? I wonder if the writer of this hymn had thought of  Psalm 136 when they wrote it.

Both the Psalm and the hymn remind us of how important it is to be grateful! I also loved this picture Max Lucado describes for us:

The grateful heart is like a magnet sweeping over the day, collecting reasons for gratitude. A zillion diamonds sparkle against the velvet of your sky every night.  Gratitude gets us through the hard stuff. To reflect on your blessings is to rehearse God’s accomplishments. To rehearse God’s accomplishments is to discover his heart. To discover his heart is to discover not just good gifts but the Good Giver. Gratitude always leaves us looking at God and away from dread. It does to anxiety what the morning sun does to valley mist. It burns it up.”- Max Lucado

I have a friend, who for years battled with depression and anxiety until she began starting each day by writing down 12 things she was thankful for. She will not begin her day without doing this one act first.

How about you? Do you find yourself being grateful for the most part, or do you tend to accentuate the negatives in life? I’ll admit I used to be a pessimist- the glass half empty kind of girl, until I chose to start counting my blessing each morning. I now can see gratitude is a CHOICE! And given the choice, I’d much rather be filled with joy and thanksgiving then weighed down by all the cares of the world. Don't you agree? Did you know that:


I’ll leave you with the a little prayer George Herbert, a 17th-century British poet, included in his poem titled, Gratefulness: “Thou that hast given so much to me, give one thing more: a grateful heart.” 

I pray that will be our prayer as well.

Becky Austin

Gratitude: Remembering the Mercy of God (Jonah 2)

10:02 PM




Perhaps you know the story of Jonah. Did you know it’s a story about restoring gratitude? God wanted Jonah to go to the Ninevites and extend a chance for them to repent and receive God’s mercy. But, Jonah didn’t want to do this. He didn’t think that the Ninevites deserved that chance. So, he ran away from God. 
But, God knew how to get Jonah’s attention. He sent a storm upon the sea and when the storm threatened the lives of those he sailed with, Jonah had the sailors throw him into the churning sea. “Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”(Jonah 1:17)

Imagine what Jonah must have gone through. He is tossed into a stormy sea that should have taken his life, but God spares him in a mysterious way. He isolates him in a protective cocoon of darkness and waits for Jonah to have a change of heart. 
How easy it can be to forget how merciful God has been to us. When we lose sight of that, however, we can fall into the same circumstance of wanting others to have to pay for their actions and offences. Our hearts can harden against others and we can fail to see them through the eyes of forgiveness and compassion. Without gratitude, we can not fully extend God’s love and compassion to others. 

 Sometimes the darkness of our circumstances can force us to self examine and realize our dependence on God. When we focus our eyes on the God that sits on His throne of righteousness, we can remember that we owe all we are and all we have to the mercies of a God who longs to rescue us from ourselves. 
“Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly, And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple." (2:1)

Jonah came to the end of himself, remembered God’s mercy, and found gratitude. 
“The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God. When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord." (2:5-9)

When gratitude filled Jonah’s heart, he was then willing to do what God had asked. 
And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.”
Jonah 2:1-10 

Do you want to be useful and effective to do the work of the Lord? Then you must maintain gratitude for what He has done for you. What He has done for you He wants to do for others. 



Colossians 2:6-7

Gratitude {Colossians 2:6-15}

12:00 AM


Tuesday, February 19, 2019


Please Read Colossians 2:6-15

“Like Jesus, we belong to the whole world, living not for ourselves but for others.  The joy of the Lord is our strength.”  Mother Teresa

Have you ever tried to fill a glass with liquid, all the way to the very top?  It looks rounded as it mounds up the rim.  It spills if you fill it too quickly, but if you are patient, you can get it right up to the edge.

That’s what Paul is describing to the Colossians when he says that Christian lives should “overflow with thankfulness” (v. 6).  Those are lives so filled to the brim with God’s goodness, and so strengthened in faith, that they could not help but overflow with thanks to the Lord.

 Image result for Colossians 2:6-7


If we are people overflowing with thankfulness, two things will be true in our lives.

First of all, we will never stop honoring Jesus as Lord of our lives. 

“just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him.”

God fills us up each time we read scripture.  Study it.  Ask God to reveal the meaning of it.  It will change you.  Sometimes we discover major changes.  (Check these previous posts out.  Here's another one.)  Sometimes it's more subtly.


 Image result for Colossians 1:9-10



God made it clear that obedience from the heart was much more important than animal sacrifices (1 Samuel 15:22; Psalm 40:6; Amos 5:21-24).  God wants us to offer ourselves, not animals as living sacrifices – daily laying aside our own desires to follow Him.  Putting all our energy and resources at His disposal and trusting Him to guide us.  We do this out of gratitude that our sins have been forgiven (Romans 12:1)

Being thankful for God’s provisions (manna) and promises should fill us to the brim and overflow into other’s lives.

“Continue to live your lives in Him rooted…”  That’s the key – centering on Christ and grounding ourselves in His word.  Learn daily about the Savior.  Read the gospels over and over.  Take some time to read The Calvary Road.  Develop theological knowledge.  Stay humble and curious about the complexity of the world God had made.  Press toward godly wishes.  Pray for understanding.  God has given us minds – never stop using them. 

Second, far from declining, our love and loyalty will keep growing larger and stronger.

Paul tells the Colossians “continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught.”  (6-7)

Faith must be firmly grounded in Christ.  Our belief is not in religion, not in Christian values, not in a Christ that we have molded into our own desires.  We believe in Jesus of Nazareth, both man and God, who walked this earth, preached the gospel, healed the sick, died on the cross, rose again, ascended back to the Father and who will return one day. 

Paul constantly had to contend with people who tried to deceive new Christians with alternative ideas and philosophies.  Just before these verses in Colossians Paul wrote: “I tell you this so no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.”  (2:8)

As I began researching for this post, I was lead to read this small book by Mother Teresa, In the Heart of the World.  This book is just chocked full of stories of what our Christian walk should look like.   I would like to share this one short story.

To Die Like an Angel

One evening we went out and rescued four people off the streets.  One of them was in a desperate condition.  I told the sisters, “You take care of the others.  I will care for this one who is worse off.”  I did everything for her that my love could do.  I put her into bed, and I saw a beautiful smile light up her face.  She squeezed my hand and managed only to say two words: “Thank you.”  And then she closed her eyes.

I couldn’t help but ask myself there beside her body, “What would I have said if I had been in her place?”  My answer was very simple.  I would have said that I was hungry, that I was dying, that I was cold.  Or I would have said that this or that part of my body hurt or something like that.  But she gave me much more.  She gave me her grateful love.  And she died with a smile on her face.

Just like a man we rescued from among the debris in the gutter, who was half-eaten by worms, this woman responded in grateful love.  That man told us, “I have lived like an animal in the street, but I am going to die like an angel surrounded by love and care.”  It was marvelous to witness the greatness of a man who could talk like that, who could die that way without cursing anyone, without lashing out at any one, without drawing any comparisons.  He died like an angel.


Faith must be fed.  Faith won’t grow without an investment of time and effort.  Faith is not an ornament to be put on a shelf and admired.  Faith is our dynamic relationship with Jesus, which needs nurture and care.  It needs learning and correction.  A growing faith is essential for a strong life in Christ.

At my mom’s funeral, as I addressed the congregation, I shared how thankful I was that my faith began at that church.  I hadn’t darkened the doorways of that church in over 30 years, but that’s where my faith journey began, and being there that day as I shared so many memories of my mom, I told those people how thankful I was that she encouraged me to go to Sunday School and church when I just did not want to go.  My mom knew that one day we will all meet Jesus and she knew she needed me to invest my time in getting to know who He is.

I have mentioned that I end my day in thanksgiving.  I go to bed not with requests, but just thanks…

It’s thankfulness for sins forgiven.

It’s thankfulness for daily bread.

It’s thankfulness for the strength and comfort of the Holy Spirit.

It’s a thankfulness for those we can serve.

It’s thankfulness that every day is another gift of God to enjoy.

It’s thankfulness that Jesus is with me always.

It’s thankfulness that just ahead lies glory and joy with Christ!



Lisa Thayer





Corrie ten Boom

Gratitude- Great Is Your Faithfulness {Lamentations 3}

11:00 PM




“Gratitude is an offering precious in the sight of God, and it is one that the poorest of us can make and be not poorer but richer for having made it."...AW Tozer

It’s hard for me to read the book of Lamentations without a lump forming in my throat. It’s pages are filled with the pain of the prophet Jeremiah, who grieves deeply over the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians. With its buildings reduced to rubble, its streets barren, and its people taken as slaves, the sorrow Jeremiah feels is immeasurable. Yet somehow in the midst of desolation and despair, the prophet still has a heart of gratitude for the goodness of God declaring, “The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail, they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion’, says my soul, ‘Therefore I have hope in Him.’ (Lam. 3:22-24) 

Gratitude is a powerful tool in overcoming the feelings that ail us. By remembering the goodness of God; His love, grace, and mercy, our hearts will be so overflowing with thankfulness, we too will be grateful no matter the circumstance. God is faithful; His love never ending, and His mercies always in full supply. I was reading an article by Peg Robarchek, and loved it when she said, “Gratitude is the spiritual practice that keeps me grounded in hope, and reminds me that God is my source for all that is good in my life. The Lord is, indeed, my portion. And my portion is abundant.” So how can we practice gratitude? I wanted to share a couple of things that help me when I find my praise and thanks to the Lord beginning to wane.

Make A List-No matter our circumstances, there is always something to be thankful for. Each day take time out to think of at least one way in which you were blessed by God. Whether it be in a journal, a whiteboard, a folder on your laptop, or a note on your tablet, write down whatever comes to mind. At the end of each week, reread what you’ve written remembering to thank God for His many blessings. 

Read The Psalms-No one knew higher highs and lower lows than David. Yet through it all his love for the Lord never wavered. He wrote song after song of devotion and thanksgiving to God. That kind of gratitude is infectious, and by reading a Psalm a day we too can have hearts filled with gratitude for God's work, and lips of worship that sing, “I will praise the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.” (Ps. 34)

Give To Others-Nothing fills a heart with gratitude faster then helping someone in need. Complaining and unthankfulness can’t help but take a back seat when we see the struggles of those less fortunate. Suddenly blessings once taken for granted, become greatly appreciated. And as a bonus, when we reach out to those less fortunate out of appreciation to the Lord, we bring gratitude into the lives of others; becoming loving ambassadors of God’s grace and mercy.

One more great example of gratitude can be found in Corrie Ten Boom. If you’ve never read her book, “The Hiding Place”, I highly recommend it. Imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp, Corrie and her sister Betsie were kept in “Barracks 28”. A horrible place where the conditions were beyond inhuman, and death all but a certainty. Yet even in such suffering, Corrie still had a heart of gratitude. She was thankful that she and her sister were together. Thankful they had a Bible in which to study and share God’s Word. And believe it or not, grateful for the fleas in the infested straw bed in which she was forced to sleep. Why? Because as it turned out, the cruel and abusive supervisors who ran the camp were afraid of those fleas. Not wanting to be infested themselves, they left the women alone. “Through those fleas, God protected the women from abuse and harassment.  Dozens of desperate women were free to hear the comforting, hope-giving Word of God.  Through those fleas, God protected the women from much worse things and made sure they had their deepest, truest needs met.”( khouse.org )

Finally, whenever you feel yourself lacking in the gratitude department, remember this. “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.” (Eph. 1:4) Imagine that! Even before the creation of the earth, God knew and wanted each of us! He formed us, chose us, and because of His love for us, provided reconciliation to Him through the blood of His Son Jesus. And knowing that God calls me His, overflows my heart with such love, praise and gratitude, that I too can cry out, “Great is Your faithfulness!”





Grateful

Scripture Saturday ~ Psalm 28:7 ~ Thanksgiving!~ Gratitude

12:00 AM

Saturday, February 16, 2019


Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

This coming week's memory verse is Psalm 28:7...

 The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. (NLT)

 “The most valuable thing the Psalms do for me is to express the same delight which made David dance.” (C.S. Lewis)

 Dear Father…You are awesome and worthy of my praise and worship.  I trust you with all of my heart, my mind, and my soul. You are my strength, for I am weak. You are my shield, for I need protection. My heart bursts with joy and my mouth sings praises of thanksgiving of You!

 I love you Lord!

 So I’ll stand

With arms high and heart abandoned

In awe of the One who gave it all

So I’ll stand

My soul Lord to You, surrendered

All I am is Yours
So I’ll stand

With arms high and heart abandoned

In awe of the One who gave it all

So I’ll stand

My soul Lord to You, surrendered

All I am is Yours
The Stand (chorus only) by Hillsong

 Have a blessed day and week everyone!



earthly possessions

SoulSearching Sunday~Value

12:00 AM

Sunday, December 2, 2018


Week Forty-eight...

Welcome!  We pray that you have all had a precious time worshipping the Lord this morning!  Below you will find some thought provoking questions that will provide you a starting point to your journal writing to complete this week.  We hope that you will find this time soul satisfying!

Our reading this week was Philippians 3 - 1 Timothy 3...

 1. Think back to the last bag of garbage you sent off to the dump. How does your description compare with the way you look at your earthly possessions and accomplishments? Worship Christ for His supreme worth, and ask Him to help you remember where your value really lies.

 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared to the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my LORD. I have discarded everything else, counting it all garbage, so that I may have Christ and become one with Him. (Philippians 3:8)

 2. Finish this statement, “Because God is my friend, I have…” Rejoice in the gift of His friendship today. Spend time with Him. Talk to Him. Share with Him your gratitude for all He has done for you.

 You were His enemies, separated from Him by your evil thoughts and actions, yet now He has brought you back as His friends. (Colossians 1:21-22)

 3. What will it be like to worship Jesus in person? How can you use your worship time as a dress rehearsal for heaven?

 And you will be among those praising Him on that day, for you believed what we testified about Him. (2 Thessalonians 1:10)



1 Thessalonians

Pursuing a life of Purpose (1 Thessalonians 4-5)

9:00 PM


This year is almost coming to an end and I believe it’s time for us to take the time to slow down a bit and meditate in how many ways we’ve been blessed by our Heavenly Father throughout this ending year.

So many people become so busy thinking about the celebration of the holyday season: the food, the gifts and decorations. The commercial advertisements are continually trying to convince us we need to buy more to make this season special. So many people live these days in busyness and anxiety. Trying to be “Merry” according to family or cultural traditions, but we could easily fall in the trap and forget the “reason for the season”!  Paul encourages us (the Church) to focus on what truly glorifies the Lord:

“Finally, believers, we ask and admonish you in the Lord Jesus, that you follow the instruction that you received from us about how you ought to walk and please God (just as you are actually doing) and that you excel even more and more [pursuing a life of purpose and living in a way that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation]” (4:1) (Emphasis mine)
“9 Now concerning brotherly love, you have no need for anyone to write you, for you have been [personally] taught by God to love one another [that is, to have an unselfish concern for others and to do things for their benefit]…. But we urge you, brothers and sisters, that you excel [in this matter] more and more, 11 and to make it your ambition to live 
quietly and peacefully,” (4:9, 11a)


-To excel more and more: this means that Christian maturity is never finished on this side of eternity. No matter how far a Christian has come in love and holiness, they can still abound more and more.

-We need to live a quiet and peaceful life so that we can really take the time and give the attention to listen to God and get to know Him better. We need to live not only for our time in this world, but prepared for eternity (4:13-18).

Paul is calling us to be awake, sober, and watchful: “So then let us not sleep [in spiritual indifference] as the rest [of the world does], but let us keep wide awake [alert and cautious] and let us be sober [self-controlled, calm, and wise]. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. 8 But since we [believers] belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope and confident assurance of salvation. (5: 6-8 AMP)

Paul used in this verse the image of a soldier's armor to illustrate the idea of watchfulness. A soldier is a good example of someone who must watch and be sober, and he is equipped to do that with his armor. Isn’t that awesome?

-Putting on the breastplate (to protect our heart) of faith and love, and as a helmet (to protect our mind) the hope of salvation. “We need the spiritual armour, or the three Christian graces, faith, love, and hope. Faith; if we believe that the eye of God is always upon us, that there is another world to prepare for, we shall see reason to watch and be sober.” M.Henry

By taking Paul’s following instructions we will be not only sober and alert, but live with joy:

“Rejoice always and delight in your faith; 17 be unceasing and persistent in prayer; 18 in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” (5:16-18)

Not only rejoicing in happy situations, but in sorrows also. Paul reminds us to rejoice always because our joy isn't based in our circumstances, but in God. Circumstances change, but our God doesn't! “Laying our concerns at our Lord’s feet with thanksgiving, reminds us that someone greater than us is concerned about what we are going through.” (iWorship Bible)

I encourage you to continue these final weeks of 2018 putting on “your armor” and with an attitude of thanksgiving. Here are some quotes on gratitude:

"When joy and prayer are married their first born child is gratitude." (Spurgeon)

"It is not joy that makes us grateful, it is gratitude that makes us joyful." *

"Small seeds of gratitude will provide a harvest of hope." *

"Gratitude is the best attitude." *

"Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings. Turn routine jobs into joy. And change ordinary opportunities into blessings." —​ William Arthur Ward

"Today be thankful and think how rich you are. Your family is priceless, your time is gold and your health is wealth." *

"For each new morning with its light, for rest and shelter of night, for health and food, for love and friends, for everything thy goodness sends." —​ Ralph Waldo Emmerson

"Let our hearts be full of both thanks and giving." *

"Gratitude turns what we have into enough."  *

"I'm thankful for so many things, but mostly, God. Without him I'd have nothing else to be thankful for." — Unknown *

"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, 'thank you,' that would suffice." — Meister Eckhart