Beware of the Little Things (Song of Solomon 2:15)

Song of Solomon 2:15, “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.”

Song of Solomon describes the love between a man and his wife. In many ways, it also pictures the love between Christ and the church.

In a vineyard, the big foxes destroy the fruit of the vines but the little foxes destroy the vines themselves. In the Christian life, the testimony connected with the Christian’s fruit is destroyed by His big, open sins (the sins of boasting, bragging, drunkenness, adultery, lying, etc.) but the divine life which produces his fruit is usually destroyed, not by the big, open sins but by the little, hidden sins (the sins of neglect of prayer, neglect of Bible reading, neglect of meditation, wrong fellowship, unfaithfulness in church attendance, carelessness in speech, bad habits, etc.)

The vines represent the vineyard of growing love between the two lovers. Tender grapes have resulted from their love, but there is a great danger to the continuing of this love. It is the danger of the little foxes. These foxes can spoil the vines on which is located the tender grapes. Therefore, our verse is a call to remove these “little foxes” so that the vineyard of love will continue to prosper. What are the little foxes? They are the seemingly little aggravations which can ruin love. They are little words and acts of conduct which can hurt the growth of love between a husband and a wife. These things seem like “little” foxes, but they can ruin the vineyard of love.

1.It’s the Small Things.
Foxes are not large creatures. They are small and sly, skillful, and swift. They usually come out at night when you can't see them, and they are especially gifted at hiding. Often, you only recognize their presence after the damage has already been done. What at first seems small can blow up into something big over time if it is not dealt with. Little foxes love to ruin a vineyard with bitterness, criticism, jealousy, and neglect. Furthermore, ignoring them and thinking they will just go away and resolve themselves will only encourage the foxes to mate and multiply. Recognize from the very start that the health and success of your marriage is bound up in the little things of life. The Scriptures warns us to be careful of the little foxes, the small foxes that want to enter into our vineyard and corrupt it. The little foxes represent those things in our lives that seem to be small, insignificant, unimportant, those things that have just gotten a start in our lives. We must be careful letting new things get a grip in our life. little foxes are very dangerous things, things that often go unnoticed, things that enter in unannounced, things that are unrestrained.

2.It’s the Sensitive Things.
A marriage needs time to grow and bear fruit. It also needs protection because it is a tender and sensitive relationship, perhaps the most tender and sensitive of all. The fact is, we all come into marriage with baggage. Open the trunk of your life and you will see both the baggage of your past and the baggage of your personality. The odds are overwhelming that you are unaware of all the things in these two bags. Furthermore, it is almost certain that your mate has the same two bags, but that the contents of those bags are altogether different from yours! Yes, it is often true that opposites attract, but it can also be true that opposites attack if we are not prepared in advance to deal with the baggage.

1) Mouth: Solomon says that little foxes can ruin the vineyards of our marriage. Some of the little foxes that can bring great harm to a marriage are the little cutting words of a husband and wife. It does not take a long, critical dissertation to disturb the vines of love. Love thrives on compliments, not on cutting remarks. Many failed marriages started simply with little unkind words.

2) Manners. Little foxes can be poor manners. As an example, a husband does not have to abuse his wife to hinder the growth of their love. All he has to do is be inconsiderate and disrespectful. Failure to open a door or do some other menial, but needed, task of courtesy can be a little fox which nips at the vines of love and causes it to die.

3) Moods. Little foxes can also be poor moods. Failure to be pleasant and cheerful around your lover can be a cloud that stops the sunshine of love. It can be that little fox which nips at the vines and ruins them. If there is one place lovers need to keep pleasant and cheerful, it is the place where they are with their lovers.

If we would be honest with ourselves, none of us plan on forsaking God, none of us have considered a specific time to fall by the wayside. The road to corruption never starts with something big, obvious; it always starts with giving heed to the insignificant, the unimportant, and the small. We drop our guard, we think that we have arrived, we feel secure in our own strength, but remember, it is not the lion or the bear that spoils the vines, it is the little, insignificant foxes that bring destruction. Little things can hurt devotion as well as big things. Take care that you do not let little things ruin your devotion to the Lord.

Points to Ponder:
He knows the little foxes. He knows your thoughts, your secret sins and words that have grieved Him. Little things can hurt devotion as well as big things. Take care that you do not let little things ruin your devotion to the Lord, your spouse, your family etc.

Questions to Consider:
Have you dropped your radar? Have you let the little things find entrance into your life0? How many are running free in your life? It may have pricked your heart at first, but you explained it away, you excused it away, you failed to expose it for what it really was. Are you able to admit this? Can you call them out and expel them?

PRAYER: Father, often I focus on the few major things rather than focusing on the many little things that are spoiling my relationship with You and my family. Help me to pursue You and daily chase away these little spoilers. In Jesus name, Amen.

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Feed Them (Matthew 14:16)

Matthew 14:16, “But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.”

Now, we come to the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels (Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-14). When evening came, the disciples came to Jesus and pointed out to Him that they were in an isolated wilderness. So, they suggested He send the crowds away to the villages for food (Matthew 4:15). The disciples were shocked at Jesus' response (Matthew 4:16).

The scene is set in Matthew 14:13-21. The multitudes were gathered together to see and hear from Jesus. Jesus would perform a miracle that the people would never forget and never stop talking about. It was late in the afternoon when His disciples came to Him and said, "This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.” The disciples began to make excuses and told Jesus that it was too late in the day for them to go a buy food for the multitude and they didn’t have enough money. But Jesus said, " give ye them to eat."

The disciples had already seen Jesus turn water into wine, heal scores of people, calm a storm by just speaking, and cast out demons, but they still didn’t understand who He was. Now, He wanted them to feed a crowd of 5,000 men, plus women and children (Matthew 14:21), which means the total could be as many as ten to twenty thousand. When God commands, God enables. Elisha multiplied bread for 100 men (II Kings 4:42-43). Christ multiplied bread for 5,000 thousand men.

They came back to report that there were five loaves of bread and two fish. Then Jesus told the crowd to sit down. He took the five loaves and two fish and looking up to heaven, gave thanks for the food. Breaking the loaves into pieces, He gave the bread and fish to His disciples to place before the people. And the crowd ate until they could hold no more! There were about 5,000 men there for that meal, and afterwards there were leftover twelve baskets.

If we’re not careful, we miss some key words from Jesus. Often, we are so caught up in the meat of this miracle and rightly so. Jesus used five loaves and two fish to feed five thousand men. Notice: Jesus could have served the people Himself, but He chose to use His disciples to serve and feed the people.

There are at least two lessons that could be applied from this miracle.
1. Use what you have got.
Anytime we are given an opportunity to be used of the Lord, we are to trust Him and the gifts He has given to us.
2. Give what you have. Jesus multiplied five loaves and two fish to feed more than five thousand people. It turned out to be more than enough to meet the need. What He was originally given seemed insufficient, but in His hands, it became more than enough. We often feel that our contribution to Jesus is small or insignificant, but He can use and multiply whatever we give Him, whether it is talent, time, or treasure. It is when we give them to Jesus that our resources are multiplied. God gives in abundance. He takes whatever we can offer Him in time, ability, or resources and multiplies its effectiveness beyond our wildest expectations. If you take the first step in making yourself available to God, He will show you how greatly you can be used to advance the work of His Kingdom.

The disciples could not see beyond the physical world. This is understandable, for the only life they had really known was life lived on the human plane. They had always looked only at what they had, only at what man could do with what little he had. They had not yet seen what God could do with human resources yielded to Him. Note that the disciples were being awakened to the need and moved by Christ. They were now willing to offer and share what they had. Notice: Being aware and being moved to share will not get the job done. God is needed! We have to take our resources and turn them over to God. The command of Christ is to every man: "give." We are to take what resources we have and give to meet the desperate needs of the multitude. We all have the duty and responsibility to give whatever we have, no matter how little or how small.

He is using these same words today. Whether you are in Carrabelle, Colorado, or Columbia. You have exactly the same assignment in the kingdom of God. To feed His sheep. Literally and spiritually. Everyday there are multitudes without food, provisions, resources. We might be puzzled like the disciples were. We don’t have enough. What are we to do to minister to them? We, like the disciples, can take it to the Lord (Who is the same yesterday, today, and forever) and ask Him how He may use us to “feed them”. With the Lord there, there is never a church, ministry, or servant that ever lacks the resources. He already knows what we need. He will bless the work and see it accomplished.

Prayer: Lord, I’m truly thankful to be involved in Your work and to spread and share the same Gospel that saved me. As Jesus used the fish and bread to feed the five thousand, use the gifts You’ve given me to feed the souls of others You allow me to encounter.

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God Above You is Greater than any Enemy Against You (Isaiah 54:17)

Isaiah 54:17, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.”
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God not only controls but He conquers. No enemy will overpower if God stops them. God's people can comfort and encourage themselves in knowing that God will conquer evil. Evil will not prevail though it looks difficult and invincible to man. The day is coming when no nation will attack Israel. There will not even be the threat of such (“…every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn”). This will be the legacy of God’s people in that day. Their righteousness will be of God.

· Pharaoh thought he had the nation of Israel trapped at the Red Sea, but God parted the waters for His people to cross in safety. When Pharaoh and his army crossed, they were drowned by the Lord.
· Those who mocked Noah while he constructed the Ark drowned when the rain and flood finally came. They realized that God's warning was true, but it was too late.
· Haman's plan to destroy the Jews backfired in his face. The gallows he prepared for Mordecai was the tool of his execution. The law that he convinced the king to sign was countered by another law that enabled the Jewish people to defend themselves and destroy their enemies. A destructive law spawned by an ungodly man who thought he was so smart ended up being an opportunity of deliverance.
· The men that conspired against Daniel to put him to death by execution in the den of lions ended up being on the menu instead of Daniel after God miraculously closed the mouths of the lions.
· Absalom conspired against his father David to destroy him and almost succeeded, but Absalom did not learn the importance of a haircut and the importance of ducking when riding under trees. Caught in the limbs of a tree, he was executed by Joab.
· King Nebuchadnezzar was warned to repent of his sins. His arrogance, however, caused him to ignore those warnings and take glory for what God enabled him to do. God took away the king's sanity and he lived in the fields like a wild ox for seven years before the Lord restored his mind and he gave God the glory due to Him.

In great victory, God proved He is Lord to the Egyptians and to His own people who saw the great work of God. He saved His people. He removed His enemies. He improved the defense capabilities of His people with weapons. The Lord moved His people through an overwhelming obstacle. The Hebrews had confidence in God for they did not run in a panic, but walked across in faith. The Egyptians reaped their sown seeds. God avenged the blood of the firstborn Jewish babies who were drowned hundreds of years earlier. Egypt destroyed the helpless ones and then they become helpless, losing their defenses.

The Lord will not allow the weapon formed against His servants to prosper. Sometimes this means the Lord takes the weapon out of the hand of the enemy. Sometimes it means that God allows the weapon to strike, but brings a greater good out of it than the pain of the immediate blow. In allowing this, God will not allow the weapon to prosper, but transforms the enemy’s sword into a trowel for building His kingdom. The citizens of the New Jerusalem will be protected. No nation will be allowed to defeat God’s people when Christ establishes God’s kingdom on earth. In fact, no nation will be allowed to assemble for the purpose of waging war. In the past, God raised up and used the nations as His agents to execute justice in the world. But in the Messiah’s kingdom, God will not allow an attack against His people. No weapon will be forged to be used in war. Not even a verbal attack will be allowed against God’s people. Peace will rule within the hearts and minds of people and within their social relationships. God will personally protect His people.

Even today, God promises security to His people. He promises to protect those who truly believe and follow Him. In all trials and sufferings God is present with His people. He carries them or walks with them through every possible hardship if they call upon him. Even when they face death, He promises to be with them and to transfer them into His presence. Quicker than the eye can blink, true believers are taken from this earth into the presence of God Himself.

PRAYER: LORD, I come to You asking for power and protection. You know my enemies’ strategies and tactics. I know it’s because I’m a follower of Your Son Jesus that all these things are against me. I trust in You. In Jesus name, AMEN!

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Honor God…and He Will Honor You (I Samuel 2:30)

I Samuel 2:30, “Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.”

A profound principle which extends to this day remains: those that honor the Lord, will be honored. Those who have little regard for Him and His precepts will receive little esteem from Him. God blesses those who honor Him and, at the least, withholds His blessing from those who ignore Him.

Leaving his young son in boarding school in Great Britain was the hardest thing Rev. James Dunlop Liddell, Scottish missionary to China, had ever done. But Eric thrived like a hare in the highlands. He studied hard. He loved sports, particularly rugby. He joined a Bible study, faithfully attended church regularly, and became a member of the Crusader Christian Union. He also began his lifelong habit of early morning Bible reading and prayer.

Eric advanced to the university, joined the track team, and won races like a thoroughbred. Every week he brought home more prizes and trophies until he soon ran out of storage space. His legs became a Scottish national treasure, and all the world followed him to the 1924 Olympics.

All the while, Eric’s Christian life continued on the fast track as well, and his newly-found fame gave plenty of opportunities for preaching and witnessing. At the Paris Olympics, his faith was put to the test when his chosen venue, the 100-meter race, was scheduled for Sunday. Eric, who didn’t believe in competing on the Lord’s Day, opted out. In spite of pressure and criticism, he instead entered the 400-meter run that was on a different day, as the world watched and wondered at this unusual young man.

In his dressing room, just before the race, Eric unfolded a small bit of paper that had been given to him by the team masseur. It read: “In the old book it says ‘He that honors me I will honor.’ Wishing you the best of success always.” Eric knew the verse very well. It was I Samuel 2:30. He smiled and made up his mind that, win or lose, he would honor God and that he did.

I Samuel 2:30 played an important role in the life of Eric Liddell. He and the Lord had honored each other. He won the gold medal. His time that day was 47.6 seconds. He set a new world record. The Lord had blessed him with speed like a stallion. God's Word is clear, those who honor Him will be honored, and those who despise Him will be held in low esteem. God honors and blesses faithfulness.

God places great merit on faithfulness. He is looking for men and women faithful to Him. Proverbs 20:6, “Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?” I Corinthians 4:2, “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”

God is looking for faithful men like:

1. Job. Job 23:11, “My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.”
2. Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Daniel 3:18, “But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”
3. Peter and John. Acts 4:19-20, “But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”
4. Paul. Acts 20:24, “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”
5. Timothy. I Corinthians 4:17, “For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.”

Points to Ponder:
God places great merit on faithfulness.
He is looking for men and women faithful to Him (Proverbs 20:6; I Corinthians 4:2).
Honor God and He will honor you and your faithfulness to Him.

Questions to Consider:
Are you faithful, or a failure, in obedience to the Lord?
Are you honoring the Lord with your life?
How will you choose to honor the Lord today?

PRAYER: Lord, I want You to know how important You are in my life, so I come to You now, giving You the first portion of my day. Help me to honor You in attitude and actions today. In Jesus name, AMEN!

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What The WORD Instructs Us To Do About Worry (Philippians 4:6-7)

Philippians 4:6-7, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Paul tells the church that they are to pray and he tells them why to pray. We are not to worry about anything, but trust the Lord in everything! Careful or anxious means to be troubled with cares, to worry, to strangle, to have a divided mind. This carries the idea “to divide, to cut into pieces, to be pulled in different directions”. Worry does exactly that to us. Worry is detrimental to us and harmful for us. It will affect your relationship with the Lord and your relationship with others. It will have a negative effect on your physical health and spiritual health. What then can a Christian do when he is surrounded with problems, persecution, and pain? Paul focused on a corporate prayer. Paul seemed to be referring to the body of Christ, not individual Christians per se. True Christianity is reflected when a believer is able to trust God and other members of the body of Christ, even when it is beyond his human ability to understand.

I.The Affliction of Worry
"Be careful for nothing..." The command in this text tells us not to worry. Although we all do this, here is the threefold product of worry.

1. No help. Worry has never helped to solve problems. It only creates them. It does not ward off difficulties or problems or make life more enjoyable, yet we worry unceasingly.
2. No honor. Worry certainly does not honor God. It shows a lack of trust in God, it says we are not sure God has control of things and that He can take care of us.
3. No health. Worry saps our energy, leads to depression, ulcers and other health problems.

The one sure cure for worry is prayer, for the following reasons:
Godly prayer takes the focus off the difficulty of the situation and puts it on the power of God (Ephesians 3:20). Through prayer, we renew our trust in the Lord’s faithfulness by releasing to Him all our anxieties and problems, knowing that He will take them because He cares for us (Matthew 6:25-34; I Peter 5:7). When we release our problems and concerns to God, He will replace them with His peace. This supernatural peace will guard our minds and protect our hearts as a result of our communication and companionship with Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7; Isaiah 26:3; Colossians 3:15). Through prayer, God strengthens us to do all that He desires of us (Philippians 4:13; 3:20; Ephesians 3:16). Through prayer, we receive mercy, grace and help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16). As we spend time with God in prayer, He is able to assure us that, in all things, He is working for our good (Hebrews 4:11; Romans 8:28).

II.The Antidote of Worry
"…but in everything by prayer..." Prayer will help us to win over worry successfully. Notice: Prayer itself is not the answer, but a special kind of prayer is.

1. Pray honorably. "Prayer." This word sums up the general solution to worry. It is, however, an honorable and respectful prayer. It is not one of criticism and complaint. This comes from the meaning of the word "prayer." The meaning involves an attitude of worship and devotion to the Lord.
2. Pray earnestly. "Supplication." Much praying is nothing but spinning the beads, reciting a prayer list, or prayer book. "Supplication" is earnest prayer from the heart. It is the "…fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16).
3. Pray gratefully. "Thanksgiving." May we all say 'Thank you.' If you are not in the habit of thanking God, you will not do well in thanking people. You will not get much from God if you have not learned to thank Him for the blessings He has given you. Lack of thanksgiving has more to do with our barrenness in blessings than we realize.
4. Pray completely. "In every thing..." Nothing is too small to bring to God in prayer. Nor is anything to big to bring to God is prayer. "Every thing" means "every thing." Many of our worries are trivial, so this command is to pray for little things, as well as big things. When something bothers us, our text says to take it to the Lord in prayer. That is the real cure to worry.

God’s peace is the opposite of human anxiety. It comes when we call on God from hearts that are fully devoted to Christ and His Word (John 15:7). By committing our cares to God, we can determine not to worry about them because they are now His concern. This peace is an inner sense of calm and assurance delivered from Christ by the Holy Spirit within us (Romans 8:15-16). It is not based on emotions or circumstances, but on the solid foundation of our relationship with God. It involves a firm confidence that Jesus is near and that God’s love will be active in our lives for our good (Romans 8:28; 8:32; Isaiah 26:3). When we commit our troubles and concerns to God in prayer, His peace will stand guard at the door of our hearts and minds, preventing the cares, worries and heartaches of life from troubling our lives and robbing us of our hope in Christ (Philippians 4:6; Isaiah 26:3-4, 12; 37:1-7; Romans 8:35-39; I Peter 5:7). If fear and anxiety return, we can go to God in prayer with a thankful heart, and once again He will send His peace to guard our hearts. Under God’s “protective custody,” we will again feel safe and be able to rejoice in the Lord.

Several years ago, a pilot was making a flight around the world. After he had traveled two hours from his last landing field, he heard a noise in the plane which he recognized as the gnawing of a rat. For all he knew, the rat could have been gnawing through vital cables and wires of the plane. It was a very serious situation, and the pilot was very concerned and anxious. At first, he didn’t know what to do. It was two hours back to the landing field and more than two hours to the next field ahead. Then he remembered that rats are rodents, and they are not made for heights, they are made to live on the ground or under the ground. Therefore, the pilot began to climb. He went up 1000 ft, then another 1000 ft, and he continued to climb. At 20,000 ft the gnawing ceased, the rat was dead. The rat could not survive in an atmosphere of those heights. More than two hours later, the pilot brought the plane safely to the next landing field and found the rat dead. Worry is a like a rodent in that it cannot live in the secret place of the Most High! Worry cannot breathe in the atmosphere made vital through prayer. Worry dies when we ascend to the Lord Jesus through prayer and His Word. We need to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ! Be at Peace with God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and have the peace of God through our trust and dependance on Him in everything.

Prayer, Lord, I humbly ask You to graciously grant me a heart that desires to pray. Forgive me, I’ve just been struggling with fear and doubt that has troubled the peace I have from You. I commit myself to prayer and I am casting these things Your way right now. I’m choosing not to worry about them anymore because You will deal with them under the authority of Jesus’ name, Amen

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What To Do This Thanksgiving (Psalm 136) – PART 2

Psalm 136:1, “O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

3. Praise Him for His Goodness and for Who He Is.
I Chronicles 16:8, “Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.” Be thankful for the countless blessings that God has undeservedly bestowed on us. God has mercifully given us far more than we deserve, and for that we ought to praise His name continually. This takes us back to where we started. God has lavished His goodness on us. We honor Him when we pause to thank Him for it. Psalm 68:19, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.” As Christians, we know the command, I Thessalonians 5:18, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” But sometimes we don’t practice it like we know we should. The holiday of Thanksgiving is an awesome time of year to purposefully practice giving thanks. Hebrews 13:15, “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” Verbally thank Him in prayer. Our verbal expressions of gratitude are a sacrifice of praise to Him. Sometimes we feel grateful without actually giving thanks. Hebrews tells us that our praise to God is a sacrifice He loves. Pause this Thanksgiving to meditate on who God is and to give Him thanks for His unchanging attributes.

4. Be Thankful that God Loves You.
I John 3:1, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God…” John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” God has expressed and demonstrated His boundless love by sending His Son, Jesus, to earth so that we could have a personal relationship with Him.

5. Be Thankful That Jesus Died for You.
I John 4:10, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” Romans 5:8, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus died on the cross to pay for the sin of every person who has ever lived. He died on the cross for you and for me.

6. Be Thankful That Salvation Is Offered to You.
Colossians 1:14, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins…” Salvation means that my sins are forgiven and that I am redeemed from the debt of sin I owed. John 1:12, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” Be thankful for your salvation in Jesus Christ. If all the world as we know it ceased this very moment, and all you had was Jesus, that would be enough. Salvation means that I have a relationship with God. I am no longer His enemy; I am His child. Romans 10:9–10, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” To receive the offer of salvation, I am told by the Bible to sincerely believe and simply receive that Jesus is God’s Son, and that He alone can save me. I cannot save myself.
Psalm 103:2, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” The benefits of the Lord are, indeed, great and marvelous, and it would be an act of ingratitude not to remember and appreciate them. So how, can we make this a day when we actually give thanks? Here are 7 promises:

1. Forgiveness. “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities” (Psalm 103:3). God forgives all! He “cleanseth us from all sin” (I John 1:7).
2. Healing. “Who healeth all thy diseases” (Psalm 103:3). The greatest and ultimate disease is that of aging and death, but one day “there shall be no more death” (Revelation 21:4).
3. Redemption. “Who redeemeth thy life from destruction” (Psalm 103:4; I Peter 1:18-19).
4. Glorification. “Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies” (Psalm 103:4).
5. Provision. “Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things” (Psalm 103:5; James 1:17).
6. Strength. “Thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Psalm 103:5).
7. Protection. “The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed” (Psalm 103:6).

7. Be Thankful that Heaven is Waiting for You.
John 14:1–4, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.” Jesus went on to say, “I am the way, the truth, and the life no man cometh unto the Father but by me.” You can know right now that you are saved—that you are born again. You can know that your sins are forgiven and that you have peace with God the Father. You can know that you are a child of God and that you have an eternal home in Heaven. But, the only way to know you are saved is to know Jesus as your Saviour. Now, that is something to be thankful for!

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What To Do This Thanksgiving (Psalm 136) – PART 1

Psalm 136:1, “O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

Thanksgiving Day, made a national holiday in 1863 by President Abraham Lincoln, celebrates the feast the Pilgrims held after their first successful corn harvest in 1621. What many Americans fail to remember is that Thanksgiving is not just about being thankful, it’s about being thankful to the one true God. One of the Pilgrims, Edward Winslow, wrote a letter before the feast to let a friend know of the successful harvest, and he had this to say: “These things I thought good to let you understand... that you might on our behalf give God thanks who had dealt so favourably with us.”

The Bible reiterates the importance of giving thanks all throughout Scripture. The goodness of God gives us many reasons to be thankful. Be thankful simply because He commands us to be. God, Who so loved us when we were yet in our sin, gives the command in Psalm 100 to, “Be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.” Not only does God command us to be grateful people, but He also condemns unthankfulness as sin that we will see in the last days. II Timothy 3:2, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.” We are clearly seeing unthankful spirits in America today, I pray we never fail to see the importance of being thankful. As you pray and give thanks to the Lord this season, ask Him for a renewed sense of thanksgiving.

I love Thanksgiving for many reasons, but perhaps the greatest is that it helps us schedule a day to do what we should be doing every day of the year, and that is giving thanks. Thanksgiving is more than a holiday; it is an action of thanks giving. Of course, everyone, saved and unsaved alike, has much to be thankful for. But those of us who know the Lord know who we are grateful to. We don’t simply “give thanks”; we “give thanks unto the Lord for He is good” (Psalm 136:1). So what do we give thanks to the Lord for? Everything. James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

Psalm 100 is one of my favorite passages of Scripture for the Thanksgiving holiday. Consider the last two verses of this short but powerful chapter. Psalm 100:4–5, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” NOTICE: We can perform the instructions of thankfulness in Psalm 100:4 because of the attributes of God given in Psalm 100:5. We can be thankful, praise, and bless the Lord because He is eternally good, merciful, and true.

With that in mind consider these seven facts that you can be thankful for today.

1. Share with You Family Why You Are Thankful for Them.
Romans 1:8, “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.” When Paul expressed to people his thankfulness for them, he almost always followed with specific reasons. On Thanksgiving Day millions of Americans will enjoy and be thankful for a delicious meal. As we prepare to dig in to the turkey, dressing, and gravy, we may express our gratitude for family and friends. Don’t let this Thanksgiving pass without sharing with your family, spouse, your children, your parents specific reasons you are thankful for each of them. Perhaps we will go around the table and share specific things for which we are thankful. Truly, we are a blessed people living in a blessed land. There is an ongoing, deliberate attempt to secularize American holidays, so many of which were established with the sole purpose of praising our Lord and Saviour. This Thanksgiving, before we settle down to relax, let us be the beacon of light for our friends and families and remind everyone we know of the true reason for Thanksgiving. saying thank you to God for all the good things He has done for each and every one of us.

2. Write a Thank You note to Someone Who Wouldn’t Expect It, or Someone Who Is Hurting.
This will encourage you and the person you write to! Take a few moments to think of someone who has been an encouragement in your life, and simply write a note telling them specifically how they have blessed you. Parents should help and encourage your children to do this as well. Philippians 1:3, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.” Thank the people the Lord has used in your life. Take some time today to express gratitude to others who God has used in your life; your family, friends, teachers, mentors. Thank them for their investment in you, and tell them specifically how God has used them to provide for, encourage, and strengthen you. Thanksgiving, at its best, is thanks giving. Give the Lord thanks! Psalm 107:8, “Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” Recognize and remember that one of the greatest ways you give thanks to God during times of trial is trusting that He knows more than us and has our best purposes at heart. However, there are many hurting people living in sorrowful circumstances. For them it may be difficult to see and list things that are easily appreciated. At times, life can be hard. We all have burdens, hardships, problems, and disappointments. Psalm 100:3–4, “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. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving…” Colossians 1:3, “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,”

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In Everything Give Thanks (I Thessalonians 5:18)

I Thessalonians 5:18, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Corrie ten Boom, in the Hiding Place, relates an incident that taught her always to be thankful. She and her sister, Betsy, had just been transferred to the worst German prison camp they had seen yet, Ravensbruck. On entering the barracks, they found them extremely overcrowded and flea- infested. That morning, their Scripture reading in I Thessalonians had reminded them to rejoice always, pray constantly, and give thanks in all circumstances. Betsy told Corrie to stop and thank the Lord for every detail of their new living quarters. Corrie, at first, flatly refused to give thanks for the fleas, but Betsy persisted and Corrie finally succumbed to her pleadings. During the months spent at that camp, they were surprised to find how openly they could hold Bible study and prayer meetings without guard interference. It was not until several months later that they learned the reason the guards would not enter the barracks was because of the fleas.

It is God’s will for us to give thanks in everything. Thanks is appreciation or gratitude voiced from our lips and hearts. It is not easy to be thankful when we don’t like our circumstances, but this is the will of God. Thanks in this context means to be grateful and to express gratitude. We should be thankful for everything, whether small or big.

This is a difficult command but a divine command. Scripture says to give thanks “in” everything; not “for” everything. It includes good things and bad things, joys and sorrows, gains and losses, hurts and health, good news and bad news. In everything give thanks! At all times, in all circumstances, give thanks to God. We don’t have to be thankful for our trials. But we can’t be thankful in them since we know the Lord is going to use it for our good in the future.

Saying “thank you“ should be an everyday occurrence. A grateful heart is shown through grateful lips. A person who is truly thankful cannot help but to express it. Expressing gratitude for all that God has done for us through Christ should be one of the continuous character traits of all Christians (Ephesians 5:20). This kind of gracious attitude will cause the believer to stand out in his or her setting and be a good example for Christ.

In our praise to God, we are to rejoice always and we are to give thanks in everything. God commands His people to give thanks to Him! We should give God praise, honor, and glory because of what He has given to us. An evergreen is always green despite the changes in weather around it. It is green in the heat of summer as well as in the cold of winter. So also our lives are to be characterized by an enduring thankfulness that is unaffected by the changes around us. When the heat of a pressured week or the deadly cold of pain strikes us, we should stand ‘ever green,' always thankful, regardless of that which surrounds us. For Christians, there is no situation in which we cannot give thanks. Even in affliction we are more than conquerors as the Spirit of glory and of God rests on us. A life of prayer and devotion leads to a thankful heart.

One preacher well said, “We can worship the Lord without words, but we cannot praise Him without words. ” He demands our praise and He deserves our praise. Thirteen years before his conversion, John Wesley had a conversation one night with a porter of his college that impressed Wesley that there was more to Christianity than he had found. The porter had only one coat. He had eaten no food that day and yet his heart was full of gratitude to God. Wesley said to him, “You thank God when you have nothing to wear, nothing to eat, and no bed to lie upon? What else do you thank him for?” “I thank Him,” answered the porter, “that He has given me my life and being, and a heart to love Him, and a desire to serve Him.”

Questions to Consider:

• Have you thanked God today for His many blessings in your life?
• How will you continue the spirit of thankfulness into the next year?

Points to Ponder:

• We are commanded to rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks.
• Even though we’ll never obey these commands perfectly, we should be working at making progress, because, “this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

PRAYER: Father, Your Word says to always give thanks and to give thanks in everything. Without Your help, that is impossible. Forgive me for all the times that I worry about my situation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Thank You, LORD!

Psalm 107:1-2, “O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy…”

How often we fail to thank the Lord for His goodness and mercy to us. It should always be upon our lips. It always has been (and always will be) the duty of God’s people to testify of His goodness. We, the redeemed, have an obligation to open our mouths before others about the goodness of God to us. He certainly delivered Israel from the hands of their enemies. To this day, God delivers His people from the attack of the devil. Lord, thank You for saving my soul!

When we are grateful for the people in our lives, thing’s God has blessed us with, or the circumstances we find ourselves in, it creates a spirit of thankfulness within us. However, when we pick apart the family and friends who are beside us, find displeasure with the things we have, or find fault with our circumstances, it creates a spirit of discontent. What’s wonderful about being grateful is that things in our life don’t have to change for us to be grateful. We can simply change our perspective by finding gratitude in our present circumstances, whatever they may be. As a result, we will live a life with thankfulness. We should be thankful to the Lord for our family.

I Thessalonians 5:18, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” And that thankfulness comes from sincere place of gratefulness. In which, that gratefulness precedes gratitude that we find in every area of our life. Sure, we may have challenges with those we love; we may desire to live better and do better. But the truth is, God gives us more when we prove to Him that we are faithful and grateful with where He has us. If we can’t be grateful in our small house, how are we going to be grateful living in a larger house with larger expenses?

Often, we complain about fuel prices. Consider those who don’t have a car. Many of us dread doing laundry every week. Well, instead of dreading the laundry, how about while you’re folding the clothes, you thank God for the clothes you have. How about thanking God for your family who is alive and well for you to do laundry for? What about cleaning the house? I don’t think there’s a single person who finds joy in cleaning the toilets, but when we change our perspective and choose to thank God for providing a roof over our heads, and that we’re not living on the streets, then we will gladly clean the toilet. What about having to get up every day and go to work? Sure, we would all like to pursue our dreams, or retire. But instead of complaining that you have to get up and go to work, thank God that you have a job, and you are not unemployed.

Psalm 100:1-5 teaches us that every night, we have the opportunity to thank God for protecting us during the day. Every morning, we have the privilege of waking up to thank God for another day to fulfill His purpose for our life.
1. Be Heard! – “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord…” (Psalm 100:1)
2. Be Happy! – “Serve the Lord with gladness…” (Psalm 100:2)
3. Be Humble – “Know the Lord has made us, and not we ourselves…” (Psalm 100:3)
4. Be Holy! – “Enter His gates with thanksgiving…” (Psalm 100:4)
5. Behold! – “…the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” (Psalm 100:5)

PRAYER: When I say “Thank You,” Lord, help me pause long enough to really mean what I’m saying. Help the attitude that should trigger those words be a more constant part of my character. Show me where I’m most lacking in gratitude, and give me strength to give You genuine thanks for those trying places. And I will be forever grateful, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Give Thanks (Psalm 103:1-2)

Psalm 103:1–2, “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits…”

Grace: Every good thing in our lives is because of the grace of God. And it doesn’t end with salvation. Ephesians 2:8–9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” II Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for thee…”

Instruction: God leads us and guides us—personally and purposefully. Psalm 32:8, “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.”

Verses: We can trace our growth and victories over this past year to the specific verses God used to gave to us. II Timothy 3:16, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness…”

Eternal Life: Those who have the sure hope of Heaven have a profound reason to be thankful. Titus 1:2, “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began…”


Truth: We have a personal relationship with the One who is truth, and we have the truth of the written Word of God. John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 17:17, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

Help: The challenges of life are often beyond our ability, but God has promised to help us. Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Isaiah 41:10, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

Access: The God of the universe invites us to unlimited access to His throne—an access He purchased with His blood. Hebrews 4:15–16, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Newness of Life: When we trusted Jesus as our Saviour, He gave us new life and an ability to walk in it. II Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Romans 6:4, “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

Knowledge: The greatest knowledge that comes into any life is the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ. After we are saved, God multiplies His good gifts of grace and peace as we grow in our knowledge of who He is. II Peter 1:2, “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord…”

Sanctification: God doesn’t leave us to finish the work He began in our lives. He is committed to conforming us to the image of Christ. John 17:3, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

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