GREENE STREET LETTERS: IT'S A "THANK YOU" KIND OF MONDAY

Monday, August 24, 2020

IT'S A "THANK YOU" KIND OF MONDAY

I Thessalonians 5:18/ In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Sitting here this morning looking at the verse....I understand the "give thanks" part. No problem there. It is the whole "do this because it is God's will" that I'm trying to wrap my head around. Top it all off with the thought that this is to be my attitude and behavior all the time.

Funny how it doesn't even mention "feelings" or "emotions". Many are driven by such, and allow their choices to be colored by feelings and emotions. Maybe God is telling us to lift our vision and understanding up a bit. To take our eyes off whatever we may be faced with, and put them squarely on Him. That the will of God has a deeper purpose than what I think it does. It is so much more than me being obedient. it goes to the heart of denying self and embracing where God has me at this moment.

Every day is not going to be sunshine, puppy dogs, and ice creme parties. Some day's are going to be dark and overwhelming at times. When life seems to smother you and suck the very breath from your lungs. You may be thinking, "O.k....I've had a few of those, but what do I have to be thankful for in these kind of times?"

How about the hope that every believer is called to. A hope that says no matter what, we have a place with God....a home, if you will. A home and place unlike anything you could find here in this old world.

How about being thankful that you have the Holy Spirit living inside you.....not just any spirit, but God's very own Holy Spirit. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in every believer. As such, God has given us a helper that will (as the Scripture tells us) guide us into all truth.

How about being thankful for the family of believers that God has united you with. Those true friends who will pray for you and lift you up before God, knowing that you would do the same for them.

I could go on and on with this "thank you" list. Just know that we serve a God who is greater than any situation or circumstance we face today. So.........give a big shout out to Him with a "THANK YOU LORD!!"

God on you....

mbb

No comments:

Looking At The World Through Cracked Lens

As ol' Paul wrote in his Corinthian letters.."We see in part and we know in part." Now what piece of this bit of wisdom do we not get? I wish to not run around acting and trying to be some sort of Biblical G00-Ru (I meant to spell it wrong). Or a sage of sages.

I simply want to be able to communicate some of what God has given to me. Why? Do I think what I get is better than what you may have received from Him? Nope. But I do think encouragement comes when we share our daily story of struggle and victory in an effort to encourage each other.

Thanks for letting me share.

Time to soldier on..

mbb

Our Statement of Faith

We believe that God is the eternal king. He is an infinite, unchangeable Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, goodness, justice, power and love. From all eternity He exists as the One Living and True God in three persons of one substance, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit equal in power and glory. we believe that God created mankind in His image, male and female, for relationship with Himself and to govern the earth. Under the temptation of Satan, our original parents fell from grace, bringing sin, sickness and God's judgment of death to the earth. Through the fall, Satan and his demonic hosts gained access to God's good creation. Creation now experiences the consequences and effects of Adam's original sin. Human beings are born into sin, subject to God's judgment of death and captive to Satan's kingdom of darkness. We believe that Jesus, God's Son, was sent to this world, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, Mary, fully God and fully man in one person. He is humanity as God intended us to be. Jesus was anointed as God's Messiah and empowered by the Holy Spirit, ushering in God's kingdom reign on earth, overpowering the reign of Satan by resisting temptation, preaching the good news of salvation, healing the sick, casting out demons and raising the dead. Jesus' atoning death on the cross took God's judgment for sin which we deserved as law-breakers. Jesus' resurrection and ascent back to heaven opened the door for those who received salvation to begin a relationship with God.

Little Nets Into Deep Waters

Fishing nets were designed for one purpose only. To catch fish. Nets are no good if they stay on the boat. Nets serve no purpose if they are never used. I think maybe God sees us this way. We are all created for a purpose (by the way, the creator gets to define what our purpose is). Any other use besides the one we were created for does us no good. But when the creator places His hands upon us, casting us out into those scary, dark places with deep waters, it is then we can see the reality of our purpose. He knew there would be a catch waiting for us. I think I will be the net God has called me to be.

The Twelve Steps

As a community of people in recovery, we affirm that our higher power is Jesus Christ. He did for us what we could not do for ourselves. Just as God told the children of Israel He was going to give them a promised land, He has revealed to us that He desires to give us a "Promised Life." When Israel got to the promised land, God instructed them to go and in a possess it, fight for it and claim it. In recovery, the 12 Steps are the directions given to us on how to fight, possess and claim this promised life.

Monday, August 24, 2020

IT'S A "THANK YOU" KIND OF MONDAY

No comments:

THE REALITY OF THE NAME OF GOD