Giving Thanks...The Joyful Life

Has it really been since November that I've been away from blogging? Sad thing is that I enjoy writing my thoughts... if I can do it with a keyboard, that is. But, life has been so busy and I've been learning so much.

I've not said a lot about why I started a new blog. Suffice it to say that my life started to change a lot last spring, and over the summer some major changes happened. At the time the process was very hard and painful and I still don't intend to write about the whole thing, but what amazed me was seeing God at work.

Jars created for New Year's Eve party... each family
is to fill the jar with  things for which they are thankful.
Next New Year's Eve they can open the
jar and remember what God has done.

Why should that amaze me? Hasn't he been with me through every trial or temptation in my life? Yet, it continues to amaze me as I realize more and more how very very small I am and how very very EVERYTHING he is. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going all "new agey" on you... rather, it's just that he is ruler of the universe, creator, sustainer, redeemer.... God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. So, who am I to expect his presence in my life?

That's what I started learning. I am His child. I am redeemed by the blood of His son and therefore I am important to him, although not important in the world's eyes. Lovely. Restful. Peaceful. Grace-ful... i.e. full of grace, God's grace. This didn't come to me overnight, rather through the preaching of Jeff Canfield, Rick Amerine, Adam Niess, Rich Holdeman, Doug Schroeder and Tom Kammel I have been learning more and more about the fullness of God.

I began to see God's grace as well as his judgment in life. I began to see that I had many many reasons to give thanks, and that God was still with me, with us (our family). So, as November began I began the Thirty Days of Thankfulness journey. Each day I worked very hard to find something for which to be thankful. Some days it was easy and some days not so much. But, it was a chore I had set out to do, so I worked at it. As the month started to wind down I found myself not really wanting to stop this journey, for somewhere along the line giving thanks had become a habit, something about which to be excited rather than a chore. I started wondering what it would be like to do this daily. If you're Facebook friends with me you can see me post daily about things for which I am thankful. Occasionally I miss a day, but I always try to go back and add it in. It was to be a year long journey, but I see now it is a life long journey. Thank you Abba for your grace and mercy!

1 Thessalonians 5:17-19

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹⁷ pray without ceasing; ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit;

And, isn't this just what God calls us to anyway? I had always read about giving thanks in everything... but somehow I had missed the "Do not quench the Spirit"...

Matthew Henry's commentary says the following:

 Note, A religious life is a pleasant life, it is a life of constant joy. 2. Pray without ceasing, 1 Thess. 5:17. Note, The way to rejoice evermore is to pray without ceasing. We should rejoice more if we prayed more. We should keep up stated times for prayer, and continue instant in prayer. We should pray always, and not faint: pray without weariness, and continue in prayer, till we come to that world where prayer shall be swallowed up in praise. The meaning is not that men should do nothing but pray, but that nothing else we do should hinder prayer in its proper season. Prayer will help forward and not hinder all other lawful business, and every good work. 3. In every thing give thanks, 1 Thess. 5:18. If we pray without ceasing, we shall not want matter for thanksgiving in every thing. As we must in every thing make our requests known to God by supplications, so we must not omit thanksgiving,Phil. 4:6. We should be thankful in every condition, even in adversity as well as prosperity. It is never so bad with us but it might be worse. If we have ever so much occasion to make our humble complaints to God, we never can have any reason to complain of God, and have always much reason to praise and give thanks: the apostle says, This is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us, that we give thanks, seeing God is reconciled to us in Christ Jesus; in him, through him, and for his sake, he allows us to rejoice evermore, and appoints us in every thing to give thanks. It is pleasing to God. 4. Quench not the Spirit (1 Thess. 5:19), for it is this Spirit of grace and supplication that helpeth our infirmities, that assisteth us in our prayers and thanksgivings. 

And therein lies the secret... pray and don't stop, prayer assists us in giving thanks, giving thanks helps us to recognize God's work in us, more praise and giving of thanks, more prayer and then the work of the Spirit is free and unhindered and He will work through us. That is when we begin to live the joyful life of a Christian giving thanks. 

Shalom (peace), 
Kim

Improve Your Serve

Nope, this isn't about tennis, or even volleyball. Rather it's about your Christian walk. Our church, Emmanuel Baptist Church, has begun a series of studies on how to improve our service in our walk with God. Last week we had two messages, one of which was the beginning of this series. In this sermon Pastor Schroeder taught from Mark 10: 35-45 where the "sons of thunder" requested a seat at the right and left of Jesus in Heaven. Jesus shares with them that he has come to serve, not be served, and that they likewise will be required to serve. (Not to mention, that the seats they requested are not his to give.)

This week's message though really really hit home. It was entitled: "Improving Your Serve - It's About Time."
This sermon was based on Psalm 90: 1-4.

1 Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.2 Before the mountains were born Or You gave birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.3 You turn man back into dust And say, Return, O children of men.4 For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it passes by, Or as a watch in the night.

Today Pastor Schroeder spoke about how our time is focused, about the proper order of our service, and about how we spend our "free" time. It was a very very encouraging message and had me thinking over how my time is spent, not only my free time, but how my time in service is spent. His point was that if we get things out of order, no matter how good our intentions, our service will not be as effectual since we aren't first serving where we are called to serve. It was an excellent sermon, and one which I am sure will cause me to continue to reflect throughout the week.

(Sunday school has also been eye opening, and we've only just reached the third chapter in Genesis... after many weeks.)

Our family is thankful for the blessings we are receiving as the Lord teaches us.

Blessings,
Kim