December 16, 2024

God’s Peace

November 11, 2015 by

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Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.

Colossians 3:15-17 MSG

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Ever felt so rushed, you snapped at everyone?  You felt no peace about what you were doing, but were anxious; then only to have the Holy Spirit cause you to check yourself?  I have.  Trying to do a task by myself, not giving myself time to complete it early so I could review it and submit it correctly the first time. I know my personality is to complete it correctly the first time, as it should be.  But circumstances can get in the way and, at times, I forget to slow down and double check my work.

I like how Jesus always paced himself.  Taking the time to pray…being intentional about it.  He demonstrated to His disciples how to pray, when to pray, and how to be still and wait on His Father to answer.  Jesus always had a peace about Him.  Remember how Jesus was on the boat in the terrible storm on the Sea of Galilee? The disciples became very anxious but Jesus slept right through it.

But as they were sailing along He fell asleep;
and a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake,
and they began to be swamped and to be in danger.
They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”
And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves,
and they stopped, and it became calm.
And He said to them, “Where is your faith?”
They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another,
“Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?”
Luke 8:23-25
All authority is given to Jesus.  This is not what the disciples could see in the moment.  But you and I have the benefit of reading the miracles of Jesus and His disciples. We can begin to give thanks to God for His written word to instruct us, guide us, and set us on the correct path for our lives.
This Thanksgiving, let’s give thanks for all we have.  Does not matter if what we have is new, used up, worn out, not the right brand, or maybe you do not live in the ‘right’ neighborhood.  Remember God has you where you need to be to further His Kingdom.  We are to be willing to submit to God’s Will for our lives.
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Dear God, thank You for Your lovingkindness.  We ask for healing and a desire to return to You and Your teachings for our nation.  Send the Helper to those who ask, for He will only come when asked. Show us how to be a light for You in every area of our lives and give us the courage to speak out when we feel Your nudging.  Forgive us for our stubbornness in not following after You in all things.  In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
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Be Thankful

November 10, 2015 by

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And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.
For as members of one body you are called to live in peace.
And always be thankful.
Let the message about Christ in all its richness, fill your lives.
Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom He gives.
Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.
And whatever you do or say, do it as representative of Lord Jesus,
giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Colossians 3:15-17

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When I first read this passage, verse 15 stuck out to me, “…and let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.”  The part that I got stuck on was “…and always be thankful.”  I know it’s cliché to say that you should always be thankful—but you should.  It’s so easy to say that you have nothing to be thankful for when you aren’t focused on the bigger picture.

When you focus on what you don’t have it’s easy to forget what you already do have.  For instance, perhaps you want a new car, but you just can’t afford it.  Yes, it would be helpful, but you can still be thankful for what you do already have.

  • Do you have a ride to work? Be thankful.
  • Do you have a vehicle that just needs some fixing up? Be thankful for that.
  • Do you have working legs that can get you to work? Be thankful for that.

Maybe your circumstances might not be exactly the way that you want them to be right now, but at least you do have.  And that is something to be thankful for.

When you can’t find anything at all to be thankful for, the very basic thing to be thankful for is mere life.  Of course, you could say that you would be better off dead…but at this point it’s time to realize that you are having a pity party and it’s time to leave this event.

Being thankful is something that is so simple to do, but it also so simple to not do. It is a choice that we have to make.  We can decide to focus on what we do have or what we don’t have.  When we choose to focus on what we do have we are generally going to find ourselves in a happier disposition than if we focused on the negative.  So be thankful.

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Good Deeds

November 9, 2015 by

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And whatever you do in word or deed,
do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Colossians 3:17

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The Bible represents general principles that permit spirit-led believers to determine the righteousness (or wrongness) of actions not expressly mentioned in God’s Word.  In everything that we say, do, think, or enjoy we must ask the following questions:

• Can it be done to God’s glory?
• Can it be done in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ?
• Can it be done while sincerely giving thanks to God?
• Is it a Christ-like action?
• Will it weaken the sincere convictions of other Christians?
• Will it weak the desire for spiritual things, God’s Word, and prayer?

God showed us the kind of God He is.  His deeds showed His love for us by sending Christ to die for us.  His banner over us is love.  His thoughts for us are of good and not of evil (Jeremiah 29:11).  The Word of God is to be enjoyed as it brings life (Proverbs 4:22).  It is like the two-edged sword that pierces the heart (Hebrews 4:12).

Sisters, it is good to do good deeds to everyone around us
as it gives glory to God.

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Father, we thank You for Your Word always teaches us how to do good, righteous deeds.  We pray for forgiveness of all our sins and unrighteousness; dear Lord, forgive us.  I thank You on behalf of everyone. May You be praised, Lord.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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My Heart Is Filled With Thankfulness

November 8, 2015 by

seekingHimthanksgivinggraphic

 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.
For as members of one body you are called to live in peace.
And always be thankful.
Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives.
Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom He gives.
Sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.
And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Colossians 3:15-17

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My heart is filled with thankfulness
To Him who bore my pain
Who plumbed the depths of my disgrace
And gave me life again
Who crushed my curse of sinfulness
And clothed me with His light
And wrote His law of righteousness
With pow’r upon my heart
My heart is filled with thankfulness
To Him who walks beside
Who floods my weaknesses with strength
And causes fears to fly
Whose every promise is enough
For every step I take
Sustaining me with arms of love
And crowning me with grace
My heart is filled with thankfulness
To Him who reigns above
Whose wisdom is my perfect peace
Whose every thought is love
For every day I have on earth
Is given by the King
So I will give my life my all
Stuart Townend
written along with Keith & Kristyn Getty
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This Week…Psalms 118:1 and 2

November 6, 2015 by

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Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
His faithful love endures forever
Psalm 118:1

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Here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we are focusing our thoughts for the next few weeks on giving thanks, gratitude, and being thankful.  This week our devotional writers have greatly encouraged us as they pointed us to our good God to Whom much thanks is due.  Please click on each link to read each complete devotional; here are a few excerpts from their thoughts….

In Reasons to Give Thanks, Cynda …. goodness is Who He is.

“What I need to remember is that circumstances do not determine my reasons for giving thanks.  My reasons for giving thanks are summed up in John 3:16 (God so loved that He gave) and Psalm 118:1 (He is good).  Goodness is part of God’s character, it is what He is.  His love is faithful, enduring, and eternal. And those are the only reasons I need.”

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In Without God’s Love, Ahmee brought our attention to what it would be like if we didn’t have God’s love…

“Without God’s love we would be some very sad people.  Without the love of God, Jesus would not have been sent for us.  Without Jesus we would all be bound by the law.  Bound by the law we’d be doomed to live far more strict lives or suffer the consequences.  Without Jesus we would be stuck trying to be”good enough.” Thank God that is not the case!…”

❦

In God’s Goodness, Ann shared a number of Scriptures that speak of how good our God is…

“The whole of Psalm 118 praises the Lord for His everlasting love for His people…how good He is from the start to the end.  The Bible gives us Scriptures that show God’s goodness in many ways…we see the goodness of the Lord being shown in different ways.  Brethren, let us trust in the Lord always for, indeed, His love endures forever….“

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In Thanks and Praise, Tina reminded us to bring attention to our great God and His love—and why…

“During this holiday season, we tend to think of things we are thankful for, such as our homes, jobs, and children.  We should, but we should also pause and meditate on how God has watched His creation grow and evolve over the centuries.  We are created to tell others about His great love for you and me…”.

❦

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Thanks and Praise

November 5, 2015 by

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Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; 
His love endures forever.
Let Israel say: “His love endures forever.”
Psalms 118:1-2

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Sunday night at church our pastor was speaking on the Book of Acts. During the sermon, Pastor Allen said “God spoke everything into existence, except man.  Man, He breathed life into.”

…and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground—then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.  And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.

Genesis 2:6-8

Think about that…God cared enough about us that He actually created the first man—every limb, each eye, the nose, all of the insides—God’s hands created, molded, refined, designed.  And then He breathed His spirit into the man…His Holy Spirit…the life-giving breath.

If God cared enough about the details of forming and making man, then how much more will He care about you and me?  During this holiday season, we tend to think of things we are thankful for, such as our homes, jobs, and children. We should, but we should also pause and meditate on how God has watched His creation grow and evolve over the centuries.

We are created to tell others about His great love for you and me. How He created the world; created a man and a woman to start the human race; gave them a job to do; gave them boundaries and consequences of not following His direction.  Sound like us? (It sounds like me.)  Our carnal (sin) nature, tells us we don’t have to follow God’s rules anymore.  Because when Jesus came to earth He fulfilled the Law and we do not have to abide by it.  Except, the only thing is, if we don’t know what the Law says, then how are we going to know what we need to do to get the blessing and not receive the curse?

As we go through the holiday season, remember to thank God for all that we have.  We are nothing without Him and His grace, mercy, and forgiveness.  God loves each of us without reservation. We are the ones who put ourselves on the fence and, at times, choose not to believe how much He loves us, so completely and totally.

The LORD is my Strength and my Shield;
My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart exults,
And with my song I shall thank Him.
Psalm 28:7

I will praise the name of God with song,
And shall magnify Him with thanksgiving.
Psalm 69:30

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Reasons to Give Thanks

November 4, 2015 by

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Every day throughout November, we’ll bring you a  devotional focused on giving thanks, gratitude, or giving of ourselves. We welcome you to check in each day and give thanks along with us!

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
His faithful love endures forever.
Let Israel say, “His faithful love endures forever.
Psalms 118:1-2 HCSB

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Hallelujah!
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
His faithful love endures forever.
Psalm 106:1 HCSB

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
His faithful love endures forever.
Psalm 107:1 HCSB

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
His faithful love endures forever.
Psalm 118:29 HCSB

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good.
His love is eternal.
Psalm 136:1

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
His faithful love endures forever.
1 Chronicles 16:34 HCSB

Repetition, in the Bible, emphasizes the importance of the statement. Psalm 118:1 must be really important since it is repeated almost verbatim at least 6 times.  I love how this verse creates a question and supplies the answer.

Give thanks to the Lord.
Why ?
For He is good.
Why ?
His faithful love endures forever.

I am sitting in a room in a skilled nursing facility as I am writing this, and thinking about the frailty of life and the finality of death.  Yet, looking at these verses, I am reminded that death is not final. God’s love endures forever.  His loves for us is eternal.  So much so that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 NKJV

As I was researching Psalm 118:1, I came across this quote from Matthew Henry:

“The more our hearts are impressed with a sense of God’s goodness, the more they will be enlarged in all manner of obedience.”

Praising God and thanking God reminds us of His goodness thus making us more willing to be obedient to Him.  I really want to be more obedient to God.  But sometimes I find it hard to gives thanks.  I get caught up in life.  What I need to remember is that circumstances do not determine my reasons for giving thanks.  My reasons for giving thanks is summed up in John 3:16 (God so loved that He gave) and  Psalm 118:1 (He is good).  Goodness is part of God’s character, it is what He is.  His love is faithful, enduring, and eternal. And those are the only reasons I need.

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So I will give thanks to You, Lord, for You ARE good and Your love does endure forever.
AMEN – it is so!

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Without God’s Love

November 3, 2015 by

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Every day throughout November, we’ll bring you a  devotional focused on giving thanks, gratitude, or giving of ourselves. We welcome you to check in each day and give thanks along with us!

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is Good!
His faithful love endures forever.
Let all Israel repeat: “His faithful love endures forever.”
Psalm 118: 1-2

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Without God’s love we would be some very sad people.  Without the love of God, Jesus would not have been sent for us.  Without Jesus we would all be bound by the law.  Bound by the law we’d be doomed to live far more strict lives or suffer the consequences.  Without Jesus we would be stuck trying to be”good enough.” Thank God that is not the case!

I believe that without Jesus regret, guilt, hurt, sickness, pain, and every other type of ailment available would just be able to run rampant among us and we would not have any release.  This is, of course, my opinion.  The way that life is for us now, God can fix anything if we allow Him to.  We can go directly to Him ourselves.  It’s so much more intimate.  I couldn’t image having to go to another human to confess my sins, concerns, shortcomings, or worries to God for me.  I’d like to think that if I had to I would…but how comfortable it is to just be able to sit, stand, walk, drive, play, clean, or anything, and have a direct line to the Lord.  Even as I sit to type this devotional, I pray that the message He would have me present is expressed in the words that I write.

Psalm 118:1 says, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!  His faithful love endures forever.” How thankful I am that His faithful love which endures forever is shown very clearly in the gift of His Son Jesus Christ.  I feel we should consider how life would be without Jesus Christ versus how it is with Him.  As we do, we can become even more appreciative, grateful, and thankful for the Gift given to us.

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Lord, help us to be forever remember to be thankful for your love that endures forever. Amen.

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God’s Goodness

November 2, 2015 by

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Every day throughout November, we’ll bring you a  devotional focused on giving thanks, gratitude, or giving of ourselves. We welcome you to check in each day and give thanks along with us!

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
His love endures forever.
Let Israel say: “His love endures forever.”
Psalms 118:1-2

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The whole of Psalm 118 praises the Lord for His everlasting love for His people…how good He is from the start to the end.  The Bible gives us Scriptures that show God’s goodness in many ways:

• Good and upright is the Lord therefore he instructs sinners in His ways. (Psalm 25:8)

The main theme is how God in His wisdom guides sinners so that they become faithful believers.

• The Lord loves righteousness and justice, the earth is full of his unfailing love. (Psalm 33:5)

The love that is ‘unfailing’ is His unconditional love—the love that does not take into account what you have done (good or bad) in His sight.  And that His grace is sufficient and He still loves you anyway.

• Taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. (Psalm 34:8)

(Also see Psalm 119:68, 145:7, Isaiah 63:7, Jeremiah 33:11.)

• The Lord is good, a Refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him. (Nahum 1:7)

In the above sections of Scriptures we see the goodness of the Lord being shown in different ways.  Brethren, let us trust in the Lord always for, indeed, His love endures forever.

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Dear Lord, we thank You and we bless You for Your lovingkindness.  We give You all the glory and honor because You are our God whose love never fails and endures forever.  Teach us to trust in You always.  Teach us to depend upon You at all times.  Forgive us for making You too small in our lives and following our own steps in other ways.  Hold our hands and lead us on all to the glory of Your Holy name.  May You be blessed in all the earth in Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

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His Love Endures Forever

November 1, 2015 by

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Every day throughout November, we’ll bring you a  devotional focused on giving thanks, gratitude, or giving of ourselves. We welcome you to check in each day and give thanks along with us !

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
His faithful love endures forever
Psalm 118:1

Give thanks to the Lord
Our God and King
His love endures forever
For He is good, He is above all things
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise

With a mighty hand
and outstretched arm
His love endures forever
For the life that’s been reborn
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
Sing praise, sing praise

Forever God is faithful
Forever God is strong
Forever God is with us
Forever, forever

From the rising to the setting sun
His love endures forever
By the grace of God
We will carry on
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
Sing praise, sing praise

His love endures forever
His love endures forever
His love endures forever
Forever
Sing praise, sing praise
Sing praise, sing praise

Forever You are faithful
Forever You are strong
Forever You are with us
Forever and ever, and ever

 

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