"In everything we give thanks to you, Lord"

I have to once again confess this isn't a scripture (although it's awfully close to 1 Thes. 5:18!) but a song by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir that always inspires me.  This year - more than almost any other year - I have so much to GIVE THANKS for.  On this Thanksgiving week, to whom do you GIVE THANKS?  The clerk in the grocery store?  The one who prepares your turkey?  Yourself for the good work you've done?
Psalm 136 says:

                                            "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good
                                            his love endures forever."

When we GIVE THANKS to the Lord, we make Him our focus.  Our thoughts are elevated from ourselves to Him.  That pleases Him.  It puts Him in the right place...and ourselves looking up to Him.  Life is often hard.  The Lord Jesus gave thanks even the night before he knew he was facing death (1 Cor. 11:24).  Giving thanks takes our minds off what we want and puts them on what we do have.  It takes such little effort to GIVE THANKS and gives such great pleasure.  This day and every day, I want my heart to be very aware that "great is the Lord and most worthy of praise".  These are a few of the things I GIVE THANKS for this Thanksgiving:

1.  I GIVE THANKS for a hernia that Don will have surgery on tomorrow because he was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer four years ago and we didn't think he would even be alive today.  I also GIVE THANKS for a surgeon who loves the Lord and found the original cancer and knew what to do immediately.

2.  I GIVE THANKS for our boys who are walking with the Lord and for two special young women who are walking with them.  I also GIVE THANKS because they are both getting paychecks!

3.  I GIVE THANKS for our church family that prays and cares for us and each other so beautifully.

4.  I GIVE THANKS for my God who continues to chip away at my weaknesses and imperfections.

5.  I GIVE THANKS for children in our church who are eager to love Jesus and sing about him.

6.  I GIVE THANKS for a President who has a very difficult job but is not afraid to quote references from the Bible.

7.  I GIVE THANKS that Jesus is our "better hope".  I will not despair at the condition of our world or the people in it, because He is sufficient for our every need.

I agree with a prayer read in Bible study this week:  "...my little vessel is as full as it can be"!  I will GIVE THANKS to the One to whom it is rightfully due.

For further study:  1 Chronicles 16:8, Psalm 95:2, Psalm 100:4, Psalm 136, Philippians 4:6,  1 Thess. 5:18,  Hebrews 12:29

Be blessed in your understanding of God's word and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Love,
Holly

"The peace of God...will guard your hearts" - Philippians 4:7

This verse was written by Paul to the church in Philippi.  He was in prison as he wrote it and they had sent him a gift.  They were precious to him - beloved brothers - and he wanted to encourage them in their Christian living.  Unfortunately there were women in this church who seemed to be at odds with each other and it was causing disunity in the church.  That can happen!(#?%)  Paul used the military term of "mounting guard" to encourage these believers toward this peace that only God can produce.  Roy Laurin says:

                                         "...the peace of God is like God's sentry
                                         which mounts guard and patrols the gates
                                          of the mind and the outposts of the heart."

Is there peace in your mind or lots of anxious maneuverings going on?  How about your heart?  Is peace the reigning emotion there?  Anxiety is the opposite of peace.  Can you think of a single positive accomplisment of anxiety?  This verse gives me the assurance that His peace is much more desirable than my worrying about every little thing.

I recently read a devotional by Cathy Jodeit about her 5 year old grandson and his first soccer game.  The coach gave all the little players a chance at being the goalie - the guard who protected his team's net.  She used it as an illustration of how we must be "on guard" in our own lives.  We have to learn what to let in and what to keep out.  We have to learn to block the kicks that come to our heart.  The enemy wants to catch us "off guard" so he can score and get us off game.  When we get distracted or off-balance, he invades and destroys.  Jodeit says:

                                           "...if we let God be our guard, then our game will
                                           be played with integrity and honesty, and warfare
                                           will be in the hands of a mighty warrior."

So how do we get this peace?  Our own efforts to produce peace are futile.  Peace is a fruit (product) of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22) and His work in us.  Only through a relationship with Jesus Christ can that Holy Spirit indwell us.   It is through that relationship that we can know and love God.  The Captain of our team is the Lord Jesus.  Why would we want to be on any other team?

For further study:  Psalm 91:11, Psalm 141:3, Proverbs 4:13,23, Proverbs 21:23, Isaiah 52:12, John 14:6, 27, John 16:33, 1 Corinthians 16:13, 1 Timothy 6:20, 2 Timothy 1:14.

Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.

Love,
Holly

"A wise woman builds her home" - Part 4

This is the last message in the series taken from our church's October women's conference with Devi Titus on THE HOME EXPERIENCE.  This last section, "The Table Principle" is probably the most important in terms of value in the family.  Our homes have become such busy places; eating meals at a table has become a very rare thing.  Devi says "mealtime is no longer an opportunity for families to build relationships".

Titus takes an interesting search through the Bible to see the importance of the table.  Beginning in Exodus 25:8, we see the first table: the one prepared for the tabernacle to hold the bread of the Presence (face).  The Lord gave Moses very specific instructions on how to build and use this table.  Oddly enough the dimensions are very similar to many of our tables today.  This table represented the presence of the Lord and His redemptive work.

Here is a listing of some of the benefits of eating at the table:

1.  Restore confidence and personal value - 2 Samuel 9
2.  Honor those you previously judged - 2 Kings 25:29
3.  Share your table; then your faith - Acts 2:46-47
4.  Restore family relationships - Luke 15:23
5.  Invite the outcasts - Matthew 26:7
6.  Negotiate your differences at the table - Psalm 23:5

Other important work:  Love is expressed, character developed, learning sharing and serving, conversational skills practiced (look at each other eye-to-eye), praise for God and his work,  manners and gratitude learned....

Satan has distracted us by redesigning our homes - bars instead of tables, game rooms instead of dining rooms, fast food in front of the TV, etc.  Studies have shown the communication that happens at the table benefits everyone.  Even our international leaders meet at a table!

Now a confession from Holly:  currently my dining room table is filled with holiday/craft show preparation stuff!  I resolve TODAY to prepare it for a special place to be used for meeting and ministry of the Lord.  If this was His plan for His holy place, I want it to be the plan for mine!  Bon appetite!

For further study:  Psalm 128:3, Proverbs 9:2, Luke 22:14-20, Acts 2:42-47, Revelation 3:20

Be blessed in your understanding of God's word!

Next week:  new pillow, new fabric, new verse - "The peace of God...will guard your hearts." Phil.4.7

Love,
Holly

"The Use-What-You-Have Principle - Part 3

The third principle Devi Titus shares in her book, THE HOME EXPERIENCE, comes from the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30.  This passage is about a master who goes on a journey and entrusts his money to 3 servants - 5 talents went to one, 3 talents to the next and 1 talent to the last.  The one with 5 earned 5 more; the one with 3 earned 2 more and the one with 1 buried his talent because he was afraid to lose it.  When the master returned, he was thrilled with the first 2 becuase they had used their talents to make more - "well done, good and faithful servant" he said to them.  To the one who was afraid, he said "you wicked and lazy servant" because he didn't use what he had.  Even his one was taken from him.

Devi stated three central truths from this passage:

1.  Your quality of life is largely impacted by your attitude.  The first two servants were eager and ready to go forward.  The one who was afraid was ungrateful and defensive.  Choosing to maintain a grateful attitude will motivate you to use what you have to bless others.

2.  We are given "talents" according to our abilities.  Our responsibility is to manage and use His gifts for Kingdom purposes.  Are we multiplying His gifts or hoarding them?

3.  What has been the end result of using your gifts?  Is it fruitfulness?  Devi says "you cannot rule that which you have not faithfully tended".

Devi said "if you use what you have, you'll always have what you need".  The Lord has entrusted us as believers with something to use for His purposes.  The choice is ours - what will you do with yours?  What will I do with mine?  Ask Him to show you and be willing to hear and adjust your ways.

For further study:  Proverbs 15:6-9, Matthew 6:33, Luke 16:1-15,  Romans 12:4-8, 1 Cor. 12:4-11, 2 Cor 8:1-7, 2 Cor 9:6-15,  Galatians 6:7-8, Ephesians 6:7

Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.

Love,
Holly