I know many of you have been wondering where I’ve been. Well, I was posting elsewhere because of a problem I was having with this site AND I was taking a break. Thank you for checking on me and being patient with me.
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. We did! It was spent surrounded by all our children and grandchildren. I know! Not something we’ll take for granted ever again, is it?!
If you’d like to see what you missed, you can look at what I posted on my old BlogSpot. I think there are three posts over there. One from this morning and two from before our trip to GA to see family there before running home to prep for Thanksgiving here.
Again, I hope your Thanksgiving was amazing and overflowed with thanks to and for the One who is the Giver all of the good things in this life.
Love y’all and thankful for each one of you!
“May the Lord bless you and protect you; may the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.”’ Numbers 6:24-26 (CSB)
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT)
I’ve read these verses so many times over the years, but there were four little words Jesus spoke deeper into my heart this week. Read what He said.
“Let Me teach you.”
Jesus – Matthew 11:29 (NLT)
Doesn’t that tug at your heart? I don’t know why I never noticed it before, but I felt like I could actually hear Him imploring me to LET HIM TEACH ME.
I’ve spent some time confessing those times I’ve purposely resisted learning from Him – lessons I knew would require a change I didn’t want to make, so I skipped them. Yes, I know how awful that sounds (I almost deleted it).
I truly believe Jesus has only my best interest at heart, so…
I’ve asked Him to make me willing to learn what He wants to teach me.
LORD, we’re so thankful to be citizens of Your Kingdom. We’re thank You for the privilege of being your representative in the foreign land we live in now. Help us to grow in our relationship with You, so we will represent You well. Give us compassion and courage and teach us to love those around us as You love them. We want to love as citizens of Heavens and not citizens of this world!
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. John 3:16-18 (NLT)
I know, it’s Christmas Eve and you have things to do!
Thank you taking the time to spend a few minutes with me.
This is a wonderful season of celebration for all Jesus-followers. Why?
Jesus is THE Christ of Christmas!
He’s the Messiah, the Christ, promised long ago.
The ONE by whom all mankind can be saved.
He saves us from eternal separation from God, our Creator.
Jesus is Immanuel.
He’s God with us in the flesh!
God came to earth as a baby, lived his life without ever committing a sin, willingly died a gruesome death, was buried in a borrowed tomb, and was resurrected to life again on the third day.
He did all of this because He loves us.
FYI: We sin because we’re sinners, and our sin separates us from the Holy God who created us. But He loves us so much, He chose to make the first move toward reconciliation. That just means He made a way for our relationship with Him to be restored.
Jesus is living in heaven right now! He’s preparing a place for everyone who chooses to believe in Him and become Jesus-followers.
It sounds too simple, right?!
Just choose to believe and follow Jesus and your eternity is forever changed.
Or maybe you’re thinking it sounds too hard to give up your own way of living and follow Jesus.
Well, there’s more Good News!
The moment we choose to believe in Jesus, His Holy Spirit comes to live in us. He is our Helper! He helps us understand what we read in our Bibles about who God is and who we are as Jesus-followers. He opens our eyes to the choices we didn’t see we could make before; choices that seemed unavailable before we were Jesus-followers.
How many times have you said, “I didn’t have a choice.”?
Jesus-followers have choices!
It’s one of the many benefits of being a follower.
It’s part of our freedom in Jesus.
We’re freed from living a life of conformity. We’re freed from following our own emotions or the ways of this world when we become Jesus-followers.
Yes, it takes practice to live in freedom. I’m learning it’s best to pause and pray every time I find myself thinking there’s only one choice. In fact, I’m learning I must practice the pause and pray way of living in every circumstance. Why?
Even good things are not always God’s best thing for me to have or do or be.
Wait! We’ll save that truth for another time. For now, I’ll just say…
Merry Christmas!
May your celebration of Christ overflow with all the joy that comes with belonging to Jesus!
Here’s a link to Mary Did You Know sung by Pentatonix. It was one of my Daddy’s favorite Christmas songs. Enjoy! pentatonix mary did you know – Bing
Not all members of Pentatonix are Jesus-followers, but they sing a lot of Christmas songs. Would you join me in praying for them to come to know, trust, and follow the Christ of Christmas they sing about in their songs?
Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation. Psalm 100:4-5 (NLT)
Last week I included a Joy Challenge at the end of the post.
While working on Step One of The Joy Challenge, I gained a deeper understanding of just how important it is to return to the foundation of my faith on a continuous loop.
Continuously returning to a place of being filled up with the joy that comes from pausing to delight in who God is. Purposely remembering all He has already done for me. Looking for evidence of the good things He is currently doing in my life. An intentional refocusing of my attention from all other relationships and every circumstance. Stilling in His presence and letting go of everything swirling through my mind and smothering my soul. Returning to a place of wonder and delight in the One who has saved me. Remembering the attributes and benefits which first caught my attention.
I get it! This is not new information. But somewhere along the way, I’ve unintentionally allowed myself to skim through the thanksgiving and praise portion of my time with the LORD. Yes, I was reading my Bible. Yes, I was seeking a word of direction from Him. But, if I’m honest, both of those are more about me. I was there to receive. Neither was about being there just to enjoy the together time. I was slowly allowing the cares of this world to dim my delight in HIM and just being in His presence.
Today’s verses are great reminders of how we’re to ENTER into His presence. ENTER is an action word. It requires intention.
Today’s verses also remind us we’re not to go into His presence empty handed. We’re to enter with THANKSGIVING and PRAISE. How appropriate it is the LORD has brought us to this place of remembering these truths today – Thanksgiving Day 2020!
It’s important for us to remember those things He has done for us, to call them by name, and carry our thanks with us when we ENTER His presence. There are so many things to be thankful for, if we’ll just turn our eyes from the cares of this world to see them.
Genuine thanksgiving leads to praise. Everything the LORD does for us and everything He gives to us reveals more of who He is. His gifts reveal His attributes. And the more we see of Him, the easier it is to recognize His gifts. His presence becomes tangible and His love evident. We can then ENTER His presence with praises for who He is. Igniting our love for Him and finding our joy restored as we ENTER His presence with THANKSGIVING and PRAISE.
LORD, we’re so thankful to be citizens of Your Kingdom. We’re thank You for the privilege of being your representative in the foreign land we live in now. Help us to grow in our relationship with You, so we will represent You well. Give us compassion and courage and teach us to love those around us as You love them. We want to love as citizens of Heavens and not citizens of this world!
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)
As Momma and I were doing our lateral raises (therapy exercises) yesterday, Momma talked about the times we used to watch the butterflies dry their wings and prepare for flight. She compared the slow movement of our outstretched arms to the movement of those fresh from the chrysalis butterflies.
Her comparison reminded me of what I learned while doing research for last year’s butterfly posts. I’ve always heard about the struggle of the chrysalis, but I found out there is rest in the chrysalis.
I’ve also heard how the butterfly has to fight it’s way out. Again, it’s not so. The chrysalis cracks open and allows the butterfly to begin the process of opening and drying its wings.
It’s a tedious and yet beautiful time as the butterfly slowly moves it wings up and down repeatedly. When its wings are totally dry, it flies away free and is no longer confined to the ground.
Easter is upon us and Jesus-followers are remembering what Jesus did for us and the freedom of new life in Him.
“Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.” 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NLT)
There doesn’t have to be struggle in the transition, because the LORD brings the transformation of our lives. He does the work of making us those new creations.
LORD, thank You for the full and abundant life You paid such a high price to give me. Teach me to agree with You, so I will live the life You’ve given me to the fullest degree and with Your joy.
And LORD, for all those reading this today, I ask Your added blessing on them. Help them to willingly submit to You and Your ways for them. No struggle, but complete surrender and perfect peace! Amen.
“God is love, and anyone who doesn’t love others has never known him.”
1st John 4:8 (CEV)
Love is:
patient
kind
always hopeful
endures through every circumstance
Love is not:
jealous
boastful
proud
rude
irritable
Love does not:
demand its own way
rejoice about injustice
Love:
keeps no record of being wronged
rejoices whenever the truth wins out
Love never:
gives up
loses faith
1st Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT)
“Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.” 2nd Corinthians 5:14-15 (NLT)
LORD Jesus, thank You for the wonderful gift of love and life You’ve given me through Your life, death, and resurrection. Please teach me to love others as You love me. I want to be controlled by Your love and not my old sinful nature.
And LORD, would you bless anyone reading this with an extra dose of Your love today? Please make the invisible visible to them. Wrap Your presence around the circumstance of their lives and fill them with Your peace. May Your perfect love cast out every tendril of fear or dread and fill them with a deep abiding trust in You, the Lover of their soul!
I recently read a familiar passage, but one sentence grabbed me by the heart like never before. It’s a simple sentence, but it’s still bouncing around in there and won’t let go.
“Christ’s love controls us.” 2 Corinthians 5:14a (NLT)
I want Christ’s love to control me. All the time. In every circumstance. In every relationship. Every thought. Every action. Every word!
So, my commitment for 2020 is to practice living under the control of Christ’s love.
I have no idea how this will look or what it will require, but I pray I will not resist the changes or challenges.
LORD, please help me surrender my control with bold confidence, a joyful heart, and a steadfast spirit.
How about you? What is it you want to practice in 2020?
Thanksgiving Day is an American holiday set aside for remembering all the blessings we’ve enjoyed throughout the year. It’s also a day filled with tradition.
Everything good comes from the LORD. How do I know this? The Bible tells me so!
“Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father who created all the lights in the heavens. He is always the same and never makes dark shadows by changing.” James 1:17(CEV)
This Scripture also tells me our thanks should be given to God.
One of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions is making Christmas ornaments with our grandchildren. We do it immediately following our pumpkin pie breakfast. (Yes, eating pumpkin pie for breakfast is another tradition.) Why make ornaments? Because the thing we are most thankful for is Jesus, and Christmas is when we celebrate His birth. Without Him, we wouldn’t be able to live in heaven after we leave earth (Psalm 103 & John 3:16).
How about you? What’s your favorite Thanksgiving tradition and why?
