Thankful Thursday

 

 

I had a special surprise this week

 

When my wife and I got up last Saturday morning, we discovered our son's truck in the driveway

 

He had driven home from North Carolina Friday night and spent the week here with us.

 

He left this morning to resume his serving with ReachGlobal Crisis Response

 

I'm thankful for the time we got to spend together, working on a project for his truck, having meaningful conversations, and just hanging out

 

I'm thankful he had safety over the many miles of highways coming and going

 

God tells us in His word that children are a blessing from Him

 

I'm thankful He has blessed me with two daughters and a son, and also a son-in-law

 

God also says finding a wife is a good thing and a symbol of His favor

 

I'm thankful for the expression of God's favor my wife, Chris, is in my life

 

I was talking with a good friend today, and both of us expressed how grateful we are for our wives, and how hard it is to imagine life without them

 

I'm thankful for friends who speak truth into my life and encourage me in keeping a proper perspective

 

I want to maintain a grateful heart

 

I know too many people who lack joy in their lives because their focus is on what they don't have, or what didn't happen, etc.

 

I know there are disappointments in life.  Everyone, including myself, experiences them.

 

But I have a choice on whether I make them the focus of my attention or merely acknowledge them and shift my thoughts back to the God who loves me and expressed that love by sending His Son to be the Savior of the world

 

I'm thankful He has forgiven me

 

thankful He rescued me out of darkness and allows me to walk in His light

 

I'm thankful I'm in a relationship with God and not just practicing some religious dos and don'ts

 

I'm thankful for the privilege of prayer, grateful His ears are always open to my cries

 

I'm thankful God delights in reconciling people to Himself!

 



Thankful Thursday

 

 

My wife and I have started taking a course called "Perspectives on the Christian World Movement"

 

The first lesson was focused on God's mission to save the world

 

The second lesson dealt with the story of God's glory

 

I'm thankful for the opportunity God has given us to be a part of this learning experience

 

I'm very grateful that God delights in reconciling people to Himself, and that He invites me as His son to participate in that process as His ambassador

 

I'm also thankful that it's never about me, He is the focal point; He deserves all the glory

 

I'm thankful that because of God's mercy, He saved me, lifted me up out of the darkness of sin, and adopted me into His family

 

I'm thankful He didn't wait for me to "get my act together"

 

He revealed Himself, and in that revelation, he exposed my sinful condition and my desperate need for a Savior

 

I'm thankful Christ became the final sacrifice for sin, the Passover Lamb

 

Thankful that His shed blood covers all my sin and cleanses me from unrighteousness

 

I'm thankful for God's promise to Abraham that in him all the nations would be blessed, and grateful for the fulfillment of that promise still ongoing today as men and women around the world receive the gospel message and find newness of life in Jesus

 

I'm thankful for the glory God receives as a result of the salvation experience

 

It's been encouraging to be reminded how the story of redemption carries all the way through the Scriptures, beginning in Genesis right after the fall, and ending in Revelation as a great multitude from every nation is seen worshiping around the throne of God

 

I'm thankful God is big enough to love the whole world, and yet at the same time personal enough to care for me as an individual

 

I know that it is only by His grace I'm here today

 

I'm thankful Jesus came to bring joy to the world, to give me an abundant and full life

 

I'm thankful God invites me each day to come, walk in the light, and enjoy fellowship with Him

 

He is my rock

 

He is my song

 

He is my deliverer

 

who does no wrong

 

He is my peace

 

He is my friend

 

He is my strength

 

Faithful to the end

Thankful Thursday

 

 

It's been an interesting week

 

one filled with some challenges, but also an awareness of God's goodness

 

I'm thankful He provides perspective in the midst of the everydayness of life

 

I'm thankful God hears and responds to prayer

 

He knows my needs even before I ask, and is always working to reveal Himself

 

Isaiah tells me that God brings blessing and calamity into my life to help me understand who He is

 

Sometimes I just need to be reminded He deserves my praise and gratitude

 

what am I focused on?  my circumstances or my God

 

the focal point changes everything!

 

I'm thankful God is a rock; He is unmovable and unshakable.

 

I'm thankful His ears are always open to my cries

 

His eyes see everything I am dealing with

 

His hands hold me and shelter me

 

I'm thankful for specific answers to prayer that bolster my faith

 

my wife and I started taking a course this week called "Perspectives on the World Christian Movement"

 

I'm excited to see how God will use it to help shape my perspective

 

I'm thankful for opportunities like this which God provides to bring growth in my understanding of Him

 

today was my mother-in-law's birthday

 

I'm thankful for the 83 years of life God has blessed her with

 

thankful we still have her here with us; thankful for her sweet spirit

 

I'm thankful for the way God has prompted me to take these few minutes on Thursday evening to just reflect on His faithfulness

 

It certainly helps me to stay anchored

 

I'm thankful for His grace toward me

Thankful Thursday

 

 

It's a new year!

 

As we begin 2019, I'm reminded that God specializes in making me new

 

2 Cor. 5:17 tells me about that:

Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

 

I'm so thankful God has made me new

 

I'm thankful I am in Christ

 

I'm grateful He came to be the Savior of the world

 

I'm thankful:

 

 for His shed blood in payment for my sin

 

for His exemplary life

 

for His humility in submitting to the Father's will

 

for His power over sin and death

 

His grace is sufficient for all my sin and my weaknesses

 

He is my rock of defense, my fortress

 

He is a generous provider who knows and supplies for all my needs

 

He is my light and my salvation

 

for His patience with me

 

He knows the future and I can trust Him with all my unknowns

 

His ways are higher than my ways and His thoughts go far beyond my thoughts

He is preparing a home for me

His mercies are new every morning

He is the way, the truth, and the life

He is the creator and sustainer of the universe

He is big enough to rule over all creation, and yet personal enough to know me by name

His peace guards my heart and mind; I have no need to worry

As I begin this new year, I'm thankful for the good works God has prepared for me, and desire to be faithful to walk in them

 

 

 



Thankful Thursday

 

 

I recently finished up my study through the gospels which took most of 2018 and began reading through Acts

 

It has been interesting reading about the early church and to see how the disciples were affected by the resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit

 

they became bold in proclaiming truth and able to show compassion through the gifting of the Spirit

 

I'm thankful for the growth that came through the message of salvation

 

It allowed Christianity to spread throughout the inhabited world

 

I'm thankful God continues to pour out His Spirit on those who believe

 

I'm thankful God loves His bride, the church

 

I'm thankful for the message of redemption we have been given

 

I'm thankful God continues to bring reconciliation, and grateful He is a changer of hearts

 

As I near the end of another year, and reflect on what I've seen God do this past year, I'm very thankful for the ways He has brought change in my life--physically, spiritually, and emotionally

 

Never would have guessed at this time last year I would be where I am

 

But I'm grateful for the people He has brought across my path this year

 

I'm thankful for His gift of forgiveness, and the ways He has challenged me to be repentant and seek forgiveness as well as extend forgiveness to others

 

I'm praying for greater boldness in 2019

 

Christmas is a reminder of God's amazing gift to the world in sending His Son to be our Savior

 

I'm thankful God knows my need, and is not slow to respond to my needs.

 

I'm thankful for Jesus' life and ministry as He walked this earth.

 

Thankful for His promise that His followers would continue that work

 

I'm thankful for new opportunities He is opening up for me, and thankful for my wife who continues to be my cherished companion and ministry partner.

 

In 2 days, we will celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary.  By God's grace we have weathered life's storms together.  I'm thankful for the love that continues to grow in our relationship. 

 

I'm grateful for the joy He gives us in this journey.  Family is a major contributing factor to that joy.  And I'm thankful for the joyful moments we have shared as a family throughout the year, but especially in these last couple weeks as we celebrate Jesus together.

 

I'm thankful God's amazing grace knows no limits and His mercies are new every morning!

 

 

Thankful Thursday

 

 

I'm thankful for holidays

 

It's an opportunity for families to gather

 

I'm thankful to have most of my family here in our home again

 

and thankful my daughter, Abigail, will be arriving with her boyfriend soon as well

 

I'm thankful for meaningful and challenging conversations with my kids

 

thankful for the way they are processing life and examining issues

 

I'm thankful for the shared interest in woodworking I have with my son, Adam, and for time together in the shop

 

I'm thankful for bonding time with my grandson, Hudson.  We took a nap together this afternoon!

 

I'm thankful for music, and the chance to play and sing together as a family

 

I'm thankful for a warm and dry house.  It's been a rainy, dreary day, but inside there's been a lot of warmth, love, and laughter

 

I'm thankful for Jesus, the priceless gift we celebrate at Christmas

 

Thankful He humbled Himself to become a man and live among sinful people

 

Thankful He gave us an example of how we ought to live

Thankful He went to the cross, becoming the sacrificial Lamb in payment for my sin

Thankful He lives today, exalted on high, worshiped by the angels

Thankful for the hope that He has promised to return to take us to our eternal home

Thankful for grace, the means to my salvation

Thankful Thursday

 

 

Sometimes God has to protect me from my own stupidity!

 

And I am so thankful for His intervention

 

He knows my needs before I even ask

 

He understands that there are times when I don't know I need to ask

 

Yesterday was an example of this, and I am so grateful God had me covered

 

I made some purchases at Home Depot

 

One of the items was a 12' section of handrail

 

Upon getting out to my vehicle, the handrail, which was on top of my pile of purchases went up on top of my extension ladder on the roof of my van

 

I planned to strap it down after I loaded the other items into the van

 

That didn't happen

 

Out of sight, out of mind

 

I proceeded to drive to my jobsite, about 5 miles away, in the city

 

I worked there for 45 minutes or so, and then headed to my next site

 

I jumped on the turnpike for 6 miles or so, driving 70 mph

 

When I arrived at that site, I began unloading my materials

 

It was at that point that I remembered the handrail, and realized that I had not strapped it down as I had intended to do.

 

With a bit of fear, I looked up at the ladder where I had placed it

 

There it sat, just where I put it, with nothing but God's hand holding it in place

 

To say that I was thankful is very much an understatement

 

In those brief seconds before I saw it was still there, I had visions of it flying off and hitting a vehicle behind me, possibly going through someone's windshield

 

The end result could have been terrible, but God reminded me that He was there, watching over my circumstances like always, and on this occasion, sparing me from the pain of causing any kind of damage to anyone or anything other than my pride

 

I'm thankful for those times when God introduces humility in gentle ways

 

I'm thankful for His reminders of how desperately I need Him

 

He is faithful; I am grateful!

 

another area of God's faithfulness is His ongoing willingness to forgive

 

I've been challenged with my need for repentance recently as I read through the gospel of Luke

 

I'm very thankful that Jesus came "to save His people from their sins."

 

I'm thankful for the forgiveness that results when I confess my sin

 

and I know agreeing with God about my sin is an area I need growth in

 

I can come up with lots of excuses for not repenting, but as the psalmist said, keeping silent about my sin just compounds the consequences and makes me miserable

 

I'm thankful for the healing that results from acknowledgement

 

I'm thankful for the cleansing blood of Jesus and for the opportunity to now walk in the light with God because of His death on the cross

 

Thankful that I can experience the newness of life offered to me because Jesus died and rose again

 

Thankful that someday I will see Him face to face, and worship Him forever

 

Until that day, may I be faithful to worship Him in my everyday experiences

 

Just this evening, I was asked why I write these Thankful Thursday posts.

 

I referred to the 10 lepers who came to Jesus for cleansing.  When they experienced that cleansing on their way to the priest, one returned to express his gratitude.  Jesus response was to ask where the other 9 were.

 

I don't want to be guilty of being one of the 9

 

This leper has experienced cleansing in so many ways, and I want to continually remind myself of the many things I have to be grateful for.

 

I'm just one leper letting other lepers know I know Who deserves the credit for my cleansing