It is God who enables. It is God who renews. It is God who uplifts. True faithfulness is God. When Hezekiah was faced with illness and death he pleaded before God. He knew that only God was his source of help, “‘Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.’ And Hezekiah wept bitterly.” Isaiah 38:3 What does it say about us when we run to God in our despair? We cast aside our own self sufficiency and we embrace the total sufficiency of God. There is nothing that God cannot do. Is that enough? Continue Reading…
Tag Archive - Thankfulness
Thankfulness in the total sufficiency of God: Isaiah 38 and 39
Find your trust in God’s faithfulness and sufficiency: Psalm 138
Do you believe that God answers every prayer? Do you view answered prayers as the ones with results matching your expectations? Do not fall into the habit of believing that God’s care and concern for you is summed up in whether you get what you desire. Remember that when God decides that your desire is not ultimately best for your life that He is answering your prayer. Are you willing to rest in God and wait on Him? Do you respond with humility, thankfulness, and reverence to God? Do you find strength in God? ”On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul.” Psalm 138:3 It is imperative that we trust God and believe that He will work for our best when we come to Him in prayer. ”The Lord will accomplish what concerns me; Your lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting; do not forsake the works of Your hands.” Psalm 138:8 Will you trust in God’s faithfulness? Will you trust in the sufficiency of God? Continue Reading…
Be thankful, sing praises, and declare to the world: Psalm 92
Giving thanks to God, singing praises to Him and declaring His abounding lovingkindness are all good. Have we lost the true meaning and concept of the word ‘good’? In many ways we have brought down the meaning of the word ‘good’ to mean a mediocre or less than perfect feeling or outcome that we are willing to think positively about and live with. Can we rebuild our broken and crumbling perspective of what is ‘good’? When we read in Psalm 92:1, “It is good to…”, we should make sure that we do not interpret this phrase as anything less than the most excellent and worthy goal that we can and should strive to attain. Continue Reading…
Sing your song of praise for all God has done: Psalm 47
What does it mean to praise God? In Psalm 47 the sons of Korah proclaim the power, might and deeds of God. “O clap your hands, all peoples; shout to God with the voice of joy. For the Lord Most High is to be feared, a great king over all the earth.” Psalm 47:1,2 In praising God we are calling those around us to join us in acknowledgement of all that God has done. What has God done in your life? Do you openly share His work with those around you so the name of the Lord might be praised? Each and every deed of God is worthy of our awe, praise and adoration. “Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a skillful psalm.” Psalm 47:6,7 Will you sing praise to God? Will you proclaim the goodness of God? Continue Reading…
Dwelling in perpetual thankfulness to God: Psalm 30
Do enjoy watching sporting events? Do you get caught up in the moment as you cheer along for your favorite team? When your children perform in a musical, play or choir do you cheer them on? We are eager to cheer each other on in the mundane and exciting moments of life. Are you enthusiastically praising God for His goodness to you? Will you value your relationship with God as paramount in you life? Do you remember to thank God?
We cry out for help from God when we are on the brink of despair but how often do we take time to thank God when the moment of crisis has passed? In Psalm 30 David is remembering that God has answered his cries for help. When David cried for help God healed him and gave him strength. Continue Reading…
Out of thankfulness the burden is removed: Psalm 9
How often do you place the burden of maintaining your faith in God upon your own shoulders? What role do we play in our salvation? Is there anything that God needs from us to accomplish one iota throughout all creation? When we lose the awe and wonder of God we lose the uniqueness of our own existence. I love how Psalm 9 does not demanding anything of God or elevating man’s position but proclaims an overwhelming thankfulness to God for the help and aide he grants to the oppressed and weary. Look back on your life and remember the moments that God aided you in your distress. How did you feel? Continue Reading…
When opposition looms find hope in God: Ezra 5 and 6
Where do you find strength and confidence? When was the last time that you stepped out to complete a task with people actively working to stop you? Did you have hope to complete the task? In Ezra 5 and 6 the people of Israel who have returned from exile are facing the same moment of crisis. Will they continue to follow God and rebuild the temple despite the enemies and rulers who had forbidden the work? Where did the Israelites find their hope and strength? What reassurance would you want before you would step out in faith to follow God? When we are surround by people of the world that are claiming that are work we intend is useless and fruitless, what will we do? Continue Reading…
Beautiful picture of God and His beloved: 1 Chronicles 15 and 16
I thought that 1 Chronicles 13 and 14 revolved around the idea of celebration and worship of God but it pales in comparison to the details given in 1 Chronicles 15 and 16. The over all story covers the arrival of the Ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. The text also makes it clear why Uzza died at the threshing floor when the ark was transported by cart. In the urgency, excitement, and celebration over the kingship of David the Israelites forgot to adhere to the commands of God about the handling of the Ark. Did the years of everyone doing what was right in their own eyes lead to the forgetfulness of the people to remember God’s commands? All too often I failure is found to be the best reminder and teacher when it comes to our faith in God. Continue Reading…
Unthankfulness to God for blessings leads to idolatry: 1 Kings 5 and 6
What is inspirational and life changing about 1 King chapters 5 and 6 where Solomon’s building of the Temple is detailed? I have historically just read the passages where all the details about the Ark of the Lord, the Tabernacle, or the building of the Temple with little interest or reflection on all the details. When we skip over passages of scripture that do not initially have a moral or an exciting story we are missing opportunities to get a glimpse of God. What can you glean from 1 Kings chapters 5 and 6? Continue Reading…
Lack of faith in God’s daily provision shown in Numbers 11 and 12
How easily it is to fail to see God for who He truly is. The Israelites consistently grumbled against God. In adversity what do you do? Is God’s anger kindled against you when you lack faith to trust in His provision? Do you think that God can do all things one moment and then you try to solve all your problems your way? In Numbers chapter 11 the people were grumbling to God and he burned up the outskirts of the camp. How amazing is that. God doesn’t change so when we grumble He is not pleased. I would imagine that the people would stop grumbling but they started up again complaining about the food that God was providing. How crazy is that! God was supplying what they needed but they were not thankful for that. The lie that freedom was found in their bondage in Egypt and not in God had poisoned the peoples thoughts so they didn’t see the truth that their freedom was through and in God. Continue Reading…
