In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  (1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV)

Thanksgiving has evolved from Thanking God for all His provisions and taking care of us to… “Football, gorging ourselves to the point of being stuffed more than the turkey itself, eating rich desserts, and falling asleep on the couch, or Aunt Phyllis’s bed!”

It is a national holiday in recognition of things to be thankful for and in all things give thanks to the Creator of such things, and which all things exisit…our most high and sovereign God, our Lord, our Father.

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: (Colossians 2:6)  When we walk in His doctrine and His ways, so we should give thanks to our Father.  We are essentially grafted  in Christ, and we are made in His image and He is in us as we inherently move forward in His name, and His love through and for all things, and with thanks for all things. Never lose sight of that fact.

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father…   (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 KJV)

And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory             (1 Timothy 1:14-17 KJV)

Dear Lord, this Thanksgiving, I give thanks for Your unmerited favor, for Your hands of glory, for Your precious love, and For your ways.  I pray that others will share in the joy of knowing You, and having You in their corner, as they celebrate this day of Thanksgiving, may they call You to mind, and remember that without You, nothing is possible…but that things are only possible because of You and through You.   I pray for peace in the hearts of those who are experiencing turmoil, I pray for love in the hearts of those who have never experienced it before, I pray for mercy for those that are unaware of their sins, I pray for joy for those that are in abject misery, and I pray for those who are in the dark to come to the light. Amen and Amen

And, Dear Father, I thank you for the bounty of your endless love and mercy, and I thank you for past blessings, current blessings, and all future blessings, and for all things,  and that you receive the all the GLORY and the HONOR that you are due, as I lift Your precious name on high, now and forever Lord, I  LOVE YOU…and I thank you always.  Amen~

Blessings to all and may His light touch your hearts and bring you Joy~

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. (Jeremiah 17:7 KJV)

My husband and I were driving to an appointment this past Saturday. We decided to take the streets/back roads so as to avoid traffic on the highways. 

 Thank God we did!   While riding slowly the tire blew out!  It just split in two, just like that, without any prior warning.

Who knows what might have happened on the highway with that tire blowout…God’s protection is beyound words. He is so amazing the Lord…always protecting and guiding.  But, all we can say, once again for His hands of grace is “THANK YOU FATHER, WE LOVE YOU.”

Trusting in the Lord is the single most affirmation of our faith.  The significance in placing yourself in His care, willingly, and without reservations, is of vital importance in the grandiose plan of human existence.  When we aspire to turn our thoughts to Him, and fully trust, whille giving our hearts to God, we are acknowledging His mighty, and omnipotent presence in our lives.

Hearing His voice and opening one’s heart to Him is so crucial to our salvation, and for those who aren’t aware of this yet…one day it will become glaringly apparent either in this age, or the next.  “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (Rev 3:20 KJV)

He is our daily bread, He is our nourishment, our provider, our sustenance in every single area of our life…God will still be God without man,  Man will be nothing without God. Think of that for one moment.  God will always be the same with or without us.  What will we be without Him? 

 Those of us in a faith filled life are acutely aware of the progression of their love toward the Father. The ever-increasing-love that grows and grows.  The love is staggering and beyond measure and defies explanation… the desire is intensified with each day of getting to know Him.  The desires burn within as we seek His face, and place our trust in Him, and Him alone.  Only He can open a closed door and shut an open door. With him all things are possible, without Him nothing is possible.

His love and protection burns within  our essence, and thrives and brings a bounty of peace that will enable us to go through any fire unscathed.  His presence can be quiet, or it can be vociferous…but through it all, He is there. His mercy is great, and His love selfless, all consuming and never ending. Great is the Lord, His mercy endures forever.

If an enemy is speaking ill against us, or bearing false witness to a brother or sister, He will not let them prosper. He will protect us with His glory and His promises.  “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. ” (Isaiah 55:17 KJV) His promises pulsate with vibrancy and accord throughout the entire Bible, and in actuality. Christianity is a reality not a RELIGION.  It is an actuality.

The narrow path is difficult at times to walk upon but it is a path that is worth the effort and our time to pursue and adhere to.  The world is filled with iniquities that are far removed from God, and it is becoming pronounced more so with each passing day. Destruction, vlugarity, perversion, turning away from God, it is all so painfully obvious, and those that choose the path of God will be rewarded openly by God, now and for all eternity.  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matthew 7:13-14 KJV)

So look around today…take a close look and examine what is happening.  There are miracles that are still happening today.  It could come in a small saving grace such as our “blow out tire.” –or something as extraordinary as my husband’s friend’s mother who was given only hours to live.  Her daughter and son went to her ICU room in the hospital and started reading Psalms by her “death bed” –within a little while of reading the Bible, and after prayers, her vitals improved, doctors were shocked, and she is currently doing extremely well! Praise God!  He is good all the time, God is good.  Thank you Lord!  There is no Rock, and no God like ours.  His mercy endureth forever and ever!  Amen and Amen.

Let everything that has breath proclaim He is Lord and give Him praise.  He is so worthy.  Thank Him everyday, no matter what.  And, prostrate yourself in His presence, for His love endures and His promises unending. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.  (Psalm 150:6 KJV)  He is faithful to ALL GENERATIONS throughout the ages, and He still is here, on the throne…always.

There is something so powerful and moving about praising His name through our actions, and our words, and in song!  In 2 Chronicles 20, there is an account of how the nation of Judah experienced an overwhelming victory against an attacking enemy because they sent the musicians and singers out before the army, praising the Lord and declaring His enduring love. Their secret weapon was to proclaim and give THANKS TO THE LORD, for his loving kindness is everlasting. So, there is something to praising Him!  The Bible says so, and that’s enough for me! 

So to those who already know about Him and His glory…Hallelujah!  For those wo haven’t experienced it…I pray you find Him and seek His face. You might want to start with John 3:16–and go from there. He loves all of us, no matter what. 

What path will you walk on? 

The lord reigns and He is a mighty God…Amen & Amen.  Thanks be to Him, now and always…

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And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. (2 Chronicles 20:20  KJV)

 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever.   (2 Chronicles 20:21 KJV)

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Picture of God’s handiwork captured by Scott Birge~

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Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net. (Psalm 25:15 KJV)

While driving a song came on the Christian radio that said, “Keep your eyes on God, stay in the moment with Him.”  And I thought, of course…I already do.  However, upon further reflection I realize that there are times that all Christians will focus on something other than God.

It may be a selfish “me” moment, or it might be an “oh, that’ll happen next week”  thought.  It’s normal of course, the world can come crashing into our Christian “space” and deliver conflicting moments  that deter our thoughts from focusing on what is right and what is real. To be in the moment with God is to truly enjoy the sanctity of His presence and to allow His Spirit to fully encompass our being, ultimately surrending to His will while basking in His glory. To be in the moment, is concentrating on Him and all that He requires of us, and walking in His light of righteousness.  To be in the moment, is to focus on Him and not worrying about tomorrow,  as Jesus said so eloquently states in Matthew 6:34 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”  To be in the moment is to fully entrust His omnipotence and His sovereign power to guide us and bring us to our full purpose in life.  To be in the moment is to not look at things superficially and worry about “ourselves” or sitting on a pot of “woe is me”– but instead to meditate and be one with His being.

Trials will come our way–all of us will and have faced these difficult moments–but when we focus on Him and stay in the moment with Him, an inner peace will transcend the mounting pressures and worries allowing the fire to purify and bring us closer to that mirror image of Christ.  Diverse actions will abound and multiple scenarios will creep into our lives, no matter how careful or meticulous or faithful we are, but God will always be there with us to guide us through. And, when we focus on Him and drink in His vitality and His essence of the true living waters…we’ll be able to get through any desert and He’ll nurture us in the process as He brings us through the valleys of decline, and before long we’ll be on the incline.

His eyes are on us at all times, His hands is outstretched and His heart filled with love never ending for His children…with His promises, and His sacrifices, and His depth of compassion and knowledge, shouldn’t we concentrate on the “Great I am?” instead of focusing on worthless worrying that’ll do us no good. Worrying, as Jesus teaches, will not amount to any good. All the worrying will not change a thing. “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?  (Matthew 6:25)  God is in control at all times…we don’t have to worry, He has our back!

Faith is in itself a gift from God.  He opens ears and opens eyes to those who have a heart for Him.  However, be it known, that He can turn a heart of stone into a veritable loving and compassionate one. His divine will, and His plans according to our purpose,  for our good, always for our good.

For those going through difficult times at this moment, take solace, He’s with you.  He’ll not forsake you, nor will He ever abandon you. He will lead you through your adversity, whethere it’s grief, physical illness, despair over finances, a troubling relationship, or whatever the case may be…He’s there for you.  He loves you, and He will always be your Father forevermore.

To those who are suffering through a crisis, please concentrate on Him, and allow Him to be in control while entrusting Him with your path and your pain.  Stay in the moment, embrace His presence and bask in His glory.  The pain will eventually subside and the situation will undoubtedly leave.  However, God will always be with you.   As our amazing Lord and Savior Jesus Christ promised and said–  “…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matthew 28:20)

26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 28 So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.  (Matthew 26:34 )

Clouds courtesy of God’s mighty hands–God’s picture captured by Jessica, my beautiful niece…thank you!

151Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth. (Psalm 119:151 KJV)

 It’s apparent the Lord is with me all day long.  Sometimes, it’s stronger than other times, but the truth is, He is always there. When I get that overwhelming urge in myheart to do what’s right, or feel compelled to go the extra nine yards, He’s there. When I feel something is askew in the scales of life, He’s there to bring it back to order. When there are moments of fog and a situation is difficult to “see” He’s there to lift the “fog” and bring a crystal clear view of a prior distortion. 

Sometimes God will place someone in your path to help ease a burden.  That could go either way. The person may b e there to ease your burden, or you’re there to ease theirs. Whatever the circumstances are…the Lord will place it in your heart to do according to His will.  And something happens when you conspire to do His will…an inordinate amount of peace embraces your heart and soul. Your inner self is revitalized and filled to capacity and your cup will overflow with blessings. It could be that person sitting next to you in the restaurant that looks lost and in need of a smile. You might feel God place it in your heart to do something for that individual. You’ll know what it is when you’re in the situation. And, it depends on your intimate relationship with God and His word.

 God used so many different people throughout the ages to do His will. Rahab, an alleged “harlot” was used to help Joshua as she hid the men/spies  on her rooftop in Jericho.  When the king of Jericho learned the men had been to Rahab’s house, he sent orders for her to turn them over. She lied to the king’s soldiers concerning the whereabouts of the spies, and sent them off in the opposite direction. She was spared her life and that of her family because she hid them and asked for “immunity” for her family. She was spared as was her family.  (Joshua 2:1 -24 KJV)

She felt it in her heart and was lead by the Lord to provide the temporary sanctuary for Joshua’s men, and was rewarded for her loyalty.  She recognized the true God and accepted Him as her own from that point on.  She was loyal and steadfast and good in an emergency, and she had a son called Boaz who had a son named Obed,  who had a son named Jesse, who had a son named David…King David. When God wants to use someone He’ll use it for His purpose and will bring us to where He wants us to be. Just as in the case of Rehab. 

God sees our heart, and only He can change our heart if so inclined. One will feel it in their hearts when God wants a certain task or action to be followed through. God sees us differently than “man” does. Man sees the outside, God sees the inside.    He sees our potential in ways that no one can, He sees what we can accomplish and ultimately see that we have no limits when it comes to the things we can do through God.

So when  a situation comes to mind that you have to attend to, and you don’t know why…God is most likely the one that placed it in your heart. He is always at work, for ALL of His children…and consequently and never stops inspiring and doing the things in which to help His children.

Stop…look…listen, and heed His messages.  You’ll realize your potential worth as a Christian…and your heart will be consumed with blessings in ways that only a person who adheres to God’s will will understand.

Do you feel a tug in your heart?  Or a sense of urgency calling you?  That’s God and He needs you, will you answer the call?

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119 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.

² Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

³ They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.

⁴ Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.

⁵ O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!

⁶ Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

⁷ I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.

⁸ I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

⁹ Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

¹⁰ With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

¹¹ Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

¹² Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes.

¹³ With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.

¹⁴ I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

¹⁵ I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

¹⁶ I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

¹⁷ Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.

¹⁸ Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

¹⁹ I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.

²⁰ My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.

²¹ Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.

²² Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies.

²³ Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.

²⁴ Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors.

²⁵ My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.

²⁶ I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes.

²⁷ Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.

²⁸ My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.

²⁹ Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously.

³⁰ I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me.

³¹ I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O Lord, put me not to shame.

³² I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.  (Psalm 119:1 – 32 KJV)