In
Ephesians 5:18 we are encouraged to be filled with the Holy Spirit and then in
verses 19-21 we are told of ways that demonstrate this. One of those things is:
"Giving thanks all ways for all things".
We
are all very familiar with the fact that we are supposed to be thankful;
however, it is easy to go through our day without remembering to do this! If we
want to live a spirit led and spirit controlled life, then we need to develop
this attitude of thanksgiving because apparently there is a connection.
In 1 Thesalonians 5:17 we are told to: "pray
without ceasing" and then right after that, in verse 18, we are told again
to thank God in everything, despite the circumstances. According to these two
verses then, giving thanks is as important as praying. (by the way, please note,
it says to thank God in everything not for everything).
Colossians
4:2 says almost the same thing, that we should continue in prayer and be
vigorous with thanksgiving. Let's not forget Philippians 4:6, which tells us
not to be anxious but to pray with thanksgiving. There seems to be a definite connection
here between prayer and thanksgiving. Finally, Psalms 100:4 and 95:2 tell us to
come into His presence with thanksgiving.
When
we pray we are coming into God's presence, so what better way to begin our
prayer times each day than with praise, worship and thanksgiving.
Our
bible is God’s word to us as Christians; it was written down under God’s
inspiration: - “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works”
(2 Tim 3:16-17; KJV).
The
bible is the Christians manual or handbook, just like a new car comes with an operator’s
manual. The bible tells us how to live to please God, what He has for us and
how He wants to use us.
God’s
word is truth (John 17:17) and in John’s Gospel we are also told that the truth
will set us free (John 8:32); free to live an abundant life as God lives it
(John 10:10). In Proverbs we are told that God’s word brings life and health
(Prov 4:22). God’s word is powerful (Heb 4:12); God spoke the word over
creation and there was light (Gen 1:3).
The
Bible is not a book to be read as literature but prayer fully, under the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26) The Holy Spirit will reveal God’s truths to our
spirit; we call this revelation and not just head knowledge. The word will
guide us through all the challenges of life (Ps 119:105).
Meditating
the scriptures (Ps 119:15) causes our faith to grow (Rom 10:17); faith to
receive from all God’s promises found in His word. To meditate is simply to
dwell on parts of the bible and roll then around in our minds.
We
can rely on God’s word; it is settled in heaven (Ps 119:89) and it will never
return to us void (Is 55:11). It will never let us down. Spend time in the
Bible and God’s presence today: “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto
my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of
thine heart; for they are life unto those who find them, and health to all
their flesh" (Prov 4:20-22; KJV).
In
1 Cor 10:13 the word “temptation” does involve being tempted to sin but it also
includes the broader sense of the tests and trials (pressures, circumstances
and the hostile opposition of people) that come against us every day.
So
often the devil tries to make us feel that it is only me as an individual that
has a particular problem. What’s the matter with me? How come everyone else has
no problem with this? But praise God this passage from Corinthians goes on to
show us that all our tests and trials are common to man, in other words, we all
experience the same tests and trials!
Even
more exciting is the last part of the verse where God says He won’t allow the
pressure to get beyond what we can bear and He will provide the way of escape.
Not any way but the way, His way! So often we try to dig our way out in our own
efforts, or is that only me that does that?
In
2 Cor 12:9 God tells us that His grace is sufficient for us and when we are
weak He can be strong in our lives. In other words, when we back off and say: “God
I can’t deal with this, you are going to have take care of it”, He can come in
and show us the way.
Be
at peace today and be sensitive to His voice, “casting all your cares on Him
for He cares for you” (1Peter 5:7) and He will show you the way and lift you up.
Halleluiah, I think I just preached myself
happy!
Jesus
said: “do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink;
nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the
body more than clothing?” (Matt 6:25) The Apostle Peter told us to cast every
care on Jesus as Jesus loves us (1 Peter 5:7.) That’s every care.
In
Matthew chapter 6, Jesus illustrated Gods ability to care for us and to meet
our needs. Jesus said why would you worry? Look how God feeds the birds! They
don’t even farm; God feeds them. Look at the flowers in summer time. Not even
Solomon with all his wealth and resources could get clothes to match the beauty
of a flower garden.
In
Philippians Chapter 4 and verse 19 Paul said: “and my God shall supply all your
need according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus”. Notice that God
supplies all of your need according to His resources! It gets even better; Paul
told us that God can do more that we can think or ask (Eph 3:20).
Again,
in our main passage from Mathews Gospel, Jesus said that if we seek God and walk
in obedience to Him, then: “all these things shall be added to you” (Matt 6:33).
Now that’s good news, not something to worry about!
When
Jesus taught in the synagogue in His home town of Nazareth he quoted from Isaiah
61:1-2 (Luke 4:18-19): "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has
anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the
brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the
blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable
year of the Lord." (NKJV)
He
announced that He had been sent to preach the good news of the Gospel; God’s
free gift of forgiveness and salvation through Christ Jesus. He proclaimed or
heralded (preached) that His ministry on this earth initiated the season or age
of grace, when salvation was freely available to all men and women. We still
live in that age!
In
the quotation from Isaiah, Jesus also said that God sent Him to heal the
bruised and crushed, to free those who had been harassed and held captive by
satan and to open the eyes of the blind (physically and spiritually).
Jesus
did all of this in the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit who dwelt in Him
(Luke 4:18; John 1:32-33; Acts 10:38). Do you realize that you have the same
Holy Spirit anointing on the inside of you to empower you to continue the
ministry of Jesus (Mk 16:15-18)? Jesus did say go (Matt 28:18-20).