Category Archives: Bible

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God’s Unchanging Hand

For I am the Lord, I change not…Malachi 3:6

I took my two young sons on a grocery trip to one of those big box stores. That was a big mistake. Or so I thought at the time.

My younger son was two years old and he was sitting in the front seat of the grocery cart. We rounded a corner and came head on with a huge display of stuffed animals.

As soon as my younger son saw what it was, he immediately snatched one before I could move away from the display. This was the first time that he had ever grabbed anything while at the store but somehow I sensed his urgency to have it.

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Abound with Thanksgiving

Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Colossians 2:7

God loves to be praised and He also loves it when we give Him thanks to show our gratitude and appreciation for Who He is and what He’s done.

His precious Word communicates numerous ways and reasons to give thanks:

In prayer

Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Philippians 4:6

Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Colossians 4:2 

It’s a good thing

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High… Psalms 92:1

The more we thank the Lord, the more we find to be thankful for.

At church

I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people. Psalms 35:18

In everything

In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

It can be difficult to give thanks in everything. But if we allow Christ to show us, He will open our eyes to see His love for us through all the trying situations that come our way.

Before eating

And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat. Acts 27:35

 Always

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Ephesians 5:20

 For the goodness and mercy of God

O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever. Psalms 107:1

 For appointment to the ministry

And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 1 Timothy 1:12 

Whether you preach, teach a Sunday school class, volunteer in the nursery, lead worship, play an instrument, work the sound or media, or clean the church, thank the Lord for your ministry.

For victory

Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. 2 Corinthians 2:14

Notice this scripture says God always causes us to triumph in Christ. One way or another, He will bring victory into your life and we can be thankful for it.

Blessings to you as you abound with thanksgiving!

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Give and it shall be Given

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over… Luke 6:38

I learned as a young child the blessing in paying tithes. I witnessed my mother give to our church faithfully and I also saw how God would bless our family in unexpected ways for her faithfulness.

So when I made the commitment to serve the Lord, tithing came naturally.

The blessings related to tithing I read in scripture led me to believe that giving 10% of my earnings was actually an honor and privilege since God let me keep the remaining 90%!

 I experienced financial difficulties many times in my life as a single parent. And one of the things that brought me out of each one was the assurance in His Word:

 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Because of the blessings related to giving in Luke 6:38, I made up my mind to make this a priority regardless of the circumstances in my finances.

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. II Corinthians 9:7

Here are just a few ways the Lord blessed me financially and I believe with all my heart it is because of obedience to God’s Word about tithing:

  1. I received unexpected raises time and time again.
  2. Our family never went hungry. (I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. Psalm 37:25)
  3. Car repairs paid for and just when I needed a car, God would provide a new one.
  4. Doors to new jobs were immediately opened when I was laid off.
  5. Clothes and shoes were provided to me and my children by individuals who didn’t even know we needed anything.

This list doesn’t compare to the blessings of the Lord’s peace, protection, guidance, assurance, help and so much more that He has blessed our family with.

I’m not saying that the Lord will not bless you if you do not give but I am saying that God will fulfill His Word and bless you overflowing when you do give.

Tithing is a powerful part of our worship to our Lord Jesus who is a faithful Provider and He’s more than enough!

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Herding Cats or Thoughts?

Herding cats or thoughts

 

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; II Corinthians 10:5

Which is harder, herding cats or thoughts? When someone says “It’s like herding cats,” they often mean they are trying to manage some kind of chaos like cats running everywhere, which can be extremely frustrating (even if it is a little funny).

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Grace Taught Me Grace

Grace taught me grace

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Ephesians 1:7

I wanted to die. I didn’t want to kill myself but I wanted to die. I was at the point that I was thinking if someone would just wreck into me on the road so that I could die, I would not be responsible for my death. Why did I want to die? I had failed. Again. I was supposed to know better. I lived for God after all and I proclaimed to love Him. But one wrong decision caused a lot of pain and almost unbearable consequences.

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How sweet it is!

How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Psalm 119:103

I used to have such an insatiable sweet tooth. I craved a sweet treat every single day. Then one night during my Bible reading, I read this week’s focus scripture. I probably had a bowl of ice cream too as I did most nights when reading before bedtime!

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He’s an on Time God

Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. Micah 7:7

I was working at a law firm earning a very good salary. The only drawback was that it was far from home. The commute was long and Houston traffic made it longer. I would leave early in the morning and come home late in the evening and didn’t get to spend much time with my children. After eighteen months of doing this I began to pray about a new job closer to home.