Category Archives: Gratitude to Generosity

A Grateful Life??? Really??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #153

10 Friday Nov 2023

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Father's Love, A Witness--Good or Bad???, Consider Your ways, Gratitude, Gratitude Is Timeless, Gratitude to Generosity, Thankful, Thanksgiving, That They May Know

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A Grateful Life??? Really???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #153

 

Gratitude is an attitude, but it’s so much more and I just want to share a few thoughts in this regard.

“Serve the LORD

with gladness:

come before his presence

with singing.

3 Know ye that the LORD he is God:

it is he that hath made us,

and not we ourselves;

we are his people,

and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter into his gates

with thanksgiving,

and into his courts

with praise:

be thankful unto him,

and bless his name.

5 For the LORD is good;

his mercy is everlasting;

and his truth endureth

to all generations.”  Psalm 100:2-5

The Psalmist paints an amazing picture here of our relationship to God—and that is the root of gratitude; so let’s peruse the things that make for a grateful heart, and a productive life lived for God’s glory and our ultimate good.

We are to:

       Serve God—with gladness not grudgingly—

       Seek HIS presence—with singing not selfish squawking-

       Remember—God IS GOD, HE made us—we didn’t do it–

       BE HIS people/HIS sheep—Stop butting heads—

       Come before HIM—with grateful praise—

       Show our gratitude with words of blessing—not vain ones!

When we practice being in HIS presence and spending time with our LORD, we can learn so much about gratitude, grace, love, and humility!  Our God is a good, good God, but how will the world come to know that when we won’t live like it!  We moan and complain; we let the glitter of the world blind us to HIS truth; we choose the world over our God, which breed the worst kind of discontent!  All this when we serve the most amazing, loving, merciful and truthful God—HE loves us so much that HE sent JESUS to be our Savior and Redeemer.  Just spend some time thinking about the price that Jesus paid for us and coming into God’s presence “with thanksgiving”!  I truly believe that gratitude breeds confident faith in the God we claim to follow.  May James’ words help us understand that our God IS totally trustworthy, and we can thank HIM in all things—knowing that we can ask questions, and God won’t get mad, but HE will lead us into HIS truth, if we can but wait on the Lord! (See Psalm 37:3-8)

“My brethren,

count it all joy

when ye fall into divers temptations;

3 Knowing this,

that the trying of your faith

worketh patience.

4 But let patience have her perfect work,

that ye may be perfect (complete/mature)

and entire,

wanting nothing. (lacking nothing)

5 If any of you lack wisdom,

let him ask of God,

that giveth to all men liberally,

and upbraideth not;

and it shall be given him.”  James 1:2-5

May we live ‘gratefully’ before a world of greed!  They need to see JESUS IN US!

Amen and Amen!!!

That Attitude Of Gratitude??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #150

02 Thursday Nov 2023

Posted by in A heart of faith, Abiding In Jesus, Abundant Life In Jesus, Attitude of Gratitude, Glory To God, God's Presence Not Presents, Good Neighbor, Good News, Gratitude, Gratitude Is Timeless, Gratitude to Generosity

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That Attitude Of Gratitude???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #150

November has arrived—the month of cool temperatures (although we ended October here in Oklahoma with a week-long time of night freezes, not just frosts as we usually do, but freezes and seasonably early cool days), colorful leaves, pumpkins, hayrides, and bonfires!  I do love November, not only for the fall colors and temperatures but also for the season of gratitude.  We enjoy the 4th Thursday in November as ‘Thanksgiving Day’ here in the US, but gratitude is an attitude that we all need to cultivate every day, especially those who believe in and follow Jesus.  So rather than the popular “Thanksgiving Train”, or “Days of Thanks”, I simply want us to share a focus on gratitude for most of this month, for it seems to me that we now live in a culture of ‘entitlements’ with no idea of gratitude. Let’s be the change!

The Psalmist has a lot to say about an ‘Attitude of Gratitude’ so let’s take a look at Psalm 100 and ask God to mold our hearts into hearts of extreme gratitude—thankful to our God, The Creator of all things; and that we ask HIM to create in us a grateful heart that will spill over on all around us.

“1 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD,

all ye lands.

2 Serve the LORD

with gladness:

 come before his presence

 with singing.

3 Know ye that the LORD

he is God:

it is he that hath made us,

and not we ourselves;

we are his people,

and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter into his gates

with thanksgiving,

and into his courts

with praise:

be thankful unto him,

and bless his name.

5 For the LORD is good;

his mercy is everlasting;

and his truth endureth

to all generations.”  Psalm 100:1-5

Oh to be the people of gratitude that will put a smile on the face of our Lord Jesus, Father God, and The Holy Spirit; that we can spread the smile of gratitude here on earth, for we will be shouting it in heaven.  Let’s practice our ‘attitude of gratitude’ today—and then again tomorrow!  Then repeat!!!

“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude,

which no man could number,

of all nations, and kindreds,

 and people, and tongues,

stood before the throne,

and before the Lamb,

clothed with white robes,

and palms in their hands;

10 And cried with a loud voice, saying,

Salvation to our God

which sitteth upon the throne,

and unto the Lamb.

11 And all the angels stood round about the throne,

and about the elders

and the four beasts,

and fell before the throne on their faces,

and worshipped God,

12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom,

and thanksgiving, and honour, and power,

and might,

be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.”  Revelation 7:9-12

Amen and Amen!!!

1 Or 9??? It’s Your Choice! A Word from THE WORD!!! #119

09 Wednesday Aug 2023

Posted by in A Father's Love, Abiding In Jesus, Giving and Sharing, Giving or Getting, Giving Thanks to God!, Gratitude, Gratitude Is Timeless, Gratitude to Generosity, Greater is HE that is IN US!, Thankful, Thanksgiving

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1 Or 9???  It’s Your Choice! A Word from THE WORD!!! #119

I have a simple and brief word for you this morning; will you be a “1” or join in the “9”?  It’s a simple but profound choice that can change your life and affect those around you in amazing ways!  Let’s consider this scripture from Jesus’ life.

“And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem,

that he passed through the midst of Samaria

and Galilee.

12 And as he entered into a certain village,

there met him ten men that were lepers,

which stood afar off:

13 And they lifted up their voices, and said,

Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

14 And when he saw them, he said unto them,

Go shew yourselves unto the priests.

And it came to pass, that, as they went,

they were cleansed.

15 And one of them,

when he saw that he was healed,

turned back,

and with a loud voice glorified God,

16 And fell down on his face at his feet,

giving him thanks:

and he was a Samaritan.

17 And Jesus answering said,

Were there not ten cleansed?

but where are the nine?

18 There are not found

that returned to give glory to God,

save this stranger.

19 And he said unto him,

Arise, go thy way:

thy faith hath made thee whole.”  Luke 17:11-19

WOW!!!

Did you get it?  Here’s Jesus, The Son of God, traveling, as was his custom (remember no Uber!), and ten leprous men approach him (at a distance in compliance with the Jewish law of leprosy) and cry out for healing, for they didn’t have any other option, asking for Jesus’ mercy to heal them (now remember He is traveling through Samaria and Galilee).  Of course Jesus extended mercy and healing to them and commanded them to comply with the Law and to go and show themselves to the priest to be ceremonially declared ‘clean’!  So they believed HIS words and ‘took off’ without another word–kind of like we do when God hears and answers our prayers, or moves in some amazing way in our lives, or speaks to us about some particular burden that we have carried for a long time.  So often, we too ‘take off’ without a word!

But one! This ‘one’ came back, “and

with a loud voice

glorified God,

16 And fell down

on his face at his feet,

giving him thanks”

This ‘one’ returned with praise, glory, and ‘thanks-giving’ to Jesus for the healing! And Jesus noticed that there were nine who “didn’t” return! So, simply put, are you a “one” or part of the “nine” who showed no gratitude?

Just a bit of reminder for your consideration:

My Jesus–

My salvation in HIM–

Our family–

Our home–

Our job or work–

          Our children/grandchildren–

Our friends (and they are such a blessing, if you have 1 you’re blessed if you     have more than that you are abundantly blessed.)

My appliances—etc. …..

You continue.

Amen and Amen!!!

Grateful Hearts/Generous Hands??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 16 No. 10

22 Sunday Nov 2020

Posted by in Abundant Life In Jesus, All About Jesus!, All Sufficient God!, Attitude of Gratitude, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Giving Or Taking?, Gratitude, Gratitude Is Timeless, Gratitude to Generosity, Only Jesus, Thankful, Thanksgiving

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 16 No. 10 Grateful Hearts/Generous Hands???

 

“But this I say,

He which soweth sparingly

shall reap also sparingly;

and he which soweth bountifully

shall reap also bountifully.

7 Every man

according as he purposeth

in his heart,

so let him give;

not grudgingly,

or of necessity:

for God loveth a cheerful giver.

8 And God is able

to make all grace abound

toward you;

that ye,

always having all sufficiency

in all things,

may abound

to every good work:” 2 Corinthians 9:7

Contrary to popular belief, the bounty that God gives is not for selfish consumption, but that we may “abound to every good work”— good works that God has called us to do when we become HIS children by grace through faith.  It’s not a contest, that like the world says, “The one who dies with the most toys, wins!”; but rather it’s a gift that is to be shared with those whom God calls us to bless!

“For by grace are ye saved

through faith;

and that not of yourselves:

it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works,

lest any man should boast.

10 For

we are his workmanship,

created in Christ Jesus

unto good works,

which God hath before ordained

that we should walk

in them.”   Ephesians 2:8-10

As Paul goes on to say, we are to be a people of gratitude, because we only have that which we have received—and if we have received it ourselves, how can we withhold it from those in need, or from those whom God has placed in our path to bless?  When we are truly grateful it should produce hearts and hands of generosity.  We will be willing to share as we have opportunity, thanking God for the privilege of being a blessing!  Are you thankful for what God has done for you?  For what HE is doing for, in and through you?  For the glory that is to come with HIM. (Note ‘received’ in 1 Corinthians 15:1-5)

“See then that ye walk circumspectly,

not as fools,

but as wise,

16 Redeeming the time,

because the days are evil.

17 Wherefore be ye not unwise,

but understanding

what the will of the Lord is.

18 And be not drunk

with wine,

wherein is excess;

but be filled

with the Spirit;

19 Speaking to yourselves

in psalms

and hymns

and spiritual songs,

singing

and making melody

in your heart

to the Lord;

20 Giving thanks always

for all things

unto God and the Father

in the name of our Lord

Jesus Christ;”  Ephesians 5:15-20

Let’s take this apart for consideration, are you/I:

Walking circumspectly—with righteous character?

Being foolish or wise in our behavior?

Redeeming “our” time for God’s purposes?

Doing right regardless of the evil around us?

Understanding God’s will by knowing HIS Word?

Maintaining a sober mind (set on God not substances)?

Being filled with HIS Holy Spirit over fleshly desires?

Speaking godly words to ourselves and others?

Having and sharing God’s joyful song from our heart?

GIVING THANKS—

ALWAYS—

FOR ALL THINGS—

UNTO GOD (not self!)—

BECAUSE OF WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR US?

These are questions that each of must answer continually; yet as we listen and heed the voice of God’s Spirit within us, we will find ourselves gaining the victory over self and abounding in the generous, grateful heart that God calls and equips us to express before a lost and dying world!

What have you shared today?  Yesterday?  Do you plan on sharing tomorrow?  I’d simply like to leave us with a few words of encouragement from The Word; and I pray that you have a most blessed and Holy season of Thanks–giving!  Not just a day—but a lifestyle with an “attitude of gratitude” (especially in these perilous times!)!

“I exhort therefore, that,

first of all,

supplications,

prayers,

intercessions,

and giving of thanks,

be made for all men;

 2 For kings,

and for all that are in authority;

that we may lead a quiet

and peaceable life

in all godliness

and honesty.

3 For this is good and acceptable

in the sight of God our Saviour;

4 Who will have all men to be saved,

and to come unto the knowledge

of the truth.”  1 Timothy 2:1-4

And as the author of the Proverbs reminds us:

“Withhold not good

from them

to whom it is due,

when it is in the power

of thine hand

to do it.

28 Say not unto thy neighbour,

Go,

and come again,

and to morrow I will give;

when thou hast it by thee.”  Proverbs 3:27-28

I pray that your Thanksgiving is blessed and peaceful, and I’ll see ya’ll next time!   Amen and Amen!