Give Thanks

(NRSV) 1 Thess 5:16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

As we approach Thanksgiving it is more than appropriate that we consider the things for which we are thankful. We most certainly will include family, friends and faith in our list, and for those of us who are blessed to have a four-legged family we will not forget our furry friends.

But I am reminded the way we give thanks is as important as why we give thanks. If we could learn as Paul recorded in Phil 4:11 to be content in all things, then I believe it would be easier to give thanks in all things.

You see, as Christ followers we should be able to develop an attitude of joy, for joy is not driven by our circumstances but by our relationship with Jesus Christ. So I encourage you to make prayer your first response rather than your last resort snd watch your thankfulness grow.

Happy Thanksgiving!

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Comments are closed.

48,096 hits

Knowing Jesus as your Savior is an act of faith brought about by grace. We were all dead in our sins, and it is only Jesus who can restore us to life.

What does it mean when we are restored to new life in Christ? It means we not only repent of our sins, we turn away from them. It means we become intentional in forming our lives to comply with the precepts of holiness found in God's Holy Word.

The prevenient grace provided by God before we even knew we needed it pulls us into a relationship with God. We are then justfied by grace and the salvation that comes only through grace begins to transform us.

Are you being transformed into the image of Christ? Do you see the world through Kingdom eyes or are you still trying to build your own mini-kingdom, believing it is through your own efforts that you will achieve "happiness"?

Blessed are they who recognize the poverty of their spirits, and those who mourn over their sin nature. Blessed are the meek because they have turned control over to their God. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, or right standing with God. Blessed are the pure in heart, the transparent, who want only to love God more and to share that love with others. Blessed are they who shod their feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

The pathway to holiness is well marked, both by Jesus and those disciples who have traveled it ahead of you. Christianity is not simply attending church two Sundays each month. Christianity transforms us from darkness to light, from old to new, and that transformation brings us into a new relationship with God and with our fellow man.

Salvation was never meant to be the end game, but instead the beginning of a lifelong journey. The journey is not meant to be solitary, but communal in nature. Loving God and loving others is key to discipleship.

If you know Jesus as your Savior but have not yet allowed Him to be your Lord, I pray that you will begin to seek after Him with your whole heart. Find a Bible based church and make reading the Scripture and prayer a part of your every day activity.

When you begin to know Jesus, you will begin to act like Jesus. The fruits of the spirit will be made manifest in your life, and you will be eager to share those fruits with others. It is then that your humanity will begin to be covered by Christ's divinity, and it is then that you will be able to state with certainty that you know Christ as both your Savior and your Lord.

Follow Seeking Holiness on WordPress.com