Gifts

We all like gifts. We are like little kids when someone gives us a nicely wrapped package. We love gifts. Scripture shouts, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17)  If you ever walk the city streets at night where light posts cast shadows of yourself walking you realize how shadows can greatly shift with movement.  These shadows are not stable but are ever moving and changing.

People change with time.  If you run into an old friend you notice right away subtle changes due to age and maturity.  Their hair may be different.  Their face may have aged and they now speak more knowledgable and mature than when they were young.  They have been shifting and changing through the years.

But God is nothing like the shadows that constantly shift and change.  Neither is He like our classmates that constantly change over the years. But He is ever-present and never changing.  He remains constant throughout all time.  He is dependable.  He is unabated.  He is sustained and ceaseless.  He is uniform.  He is steady and perpetual. There is none like Him. He Himself is a good gift from the Father to us.

Your Heavenly Father loves you abundantly and desires to give you only His best gifts. He has already bestowed many blessings on your life.  And every good gift is from God above.  Remember when life shifts and changes, and people do not remain the same - God never changes.  You can count on His steadfastness and stability for all eternity. His sent His Son as a perfect and good gift to you and me.

The Vision

Sometimes it's easy for us to be discouraged quickly with doors and opportunities that seem to close on us. At first, we think of closed doors as negative circumstances, when actually they may very well be God directing our path in a new direction. We must prayerfully remember that our steps are ordered of the Lord and He directs our path. Therefore, we should see closed doors as a positive. Maybe there is something better, something greater, something amazing just ahead in the bend in the road for us. Perhaps you cannot see it right now. But God knows what He is doing and He ultimately desires to bless His people and make them ready for heaven.

"For the vision is yet for an appointed time and it hastens to the end; it will not deceive or disappoint. Though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come; it will not delay on its appointed day." Habakkuk 2:3 

Be encouraged about what God has in mind for your day and your future and continue to pray for God's direction in your daily life. Read the Word and commit to learning and applying biblical principles. Then, wait. Wait and listen for the answers of God's promises. God does not lie. His promises to you will come to pass. 

The Blessing

The Hebrew word baruch means to bless, to empower, to prosper. It is interesting to note that the blessing of the Father is so important that Jesus, the Messiah did not perform one miracle or preach one sermon until after the blessing of God, His Father was pronounced upon Him. "And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him and a voice came from Heaven which said, "You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Therefore, I feel it is just as important that earthly Fathers pronounce blessings over their sons and daughters. The Jews still practice this today. The Father pronounces a blessing over their children at the time of puberty. Children search a lifetime for the acceptance and blessing of their Fathers. Perhaps, we have failed to give them the love and acceptance they long for so desperately. When a Jewish father sets their early teen in a chair, looks them in the eye and tells them clearly how proud he is of them, he conveys to them his heartfelt approval. This gives the young person security and affirmation that many search a lifetime to receive.

According to Deuteronomy 30:19, God has set before us blessing and cursing, then asks us to choose life that our descendants may live. Give your children a chance. One they will not have to search the world over to find....with blessing, love and affirmation. Take opportunity to let your children know how much they are valued.

Thirty some years ago my husband & I were blessed with our firstborn son. And he is a direct blessing from God. The Hand of God was upon Him from the onset, we prayed for him for many years, and it is God who birthed him in anointing and calling. David, we want you to know we are blessed by you!

The Body of Christ

Scripture teaches that 'in Christ' we are one body. In 1 Corinthians chapter 12, Paul exhorts that we need each other in the body of Christ. Although, each of us are so very different with varied talents and abilities, all are significant. He expresses that we are not the same as others for a reason and it takes each member working together in a unified fashion to see the body of Christ complete.

If we were all alike, the body would be inefficient and one-sided. But God takes each of us, with varied gifts and uses us significantly to make the work of God whole and complete. And because each member belongs to the same body, we should care for one another the same way we would our own body.

If we smash our finger, we care for it - it's part of our body. And so when each one within the body of Christ is hurting or discouraged, we should hurt and be compassionate because they are in fact, part of our body. We desperately need each other. Body care ministry is sincerely serving one another with love and care in the body of Christ.

God's Will

When we give thanks, we move in obedience to God's principles. A Scripture in 1st Thessalonians 5:18 declares, "In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you". So when we give thanks, God in turn blesses us with more blessing. This is a result of our obedience and grateful heart. It is God's will that our hearts are grateful and humble before Him. Things may not always go the way we think they should go. We will face challenges and trials, but we should ponder the blessings of the Lord with gratitude.

Think on this Scripture and ponder it; it is God's Will that you give thanks. God created this vast universe and chose to make us a part of it. He formed us from dust and made us in the likeness of His Image. God has given us His Son. For God so loved the world that He Gave. And He placed a mantle of anointing on our life. He chose you to serve Him and walk upright.

And God has given us answers to prayer. God has given us the provision of daily needs, a job, a car, a home, a family. He told us that if we walked in obedience, we would never have to worry about temporal needs ~ that He, in fact, would provide food, shelter, and clothing. He promised that we would never lack if we walk with Him and fellowship with Him, and place His Word in our hearts.

He has given us so very much to be thankful for and He instructs us to, "Give thanks in everything for this is the Will of God.". Therefore, when we are obedient to Scripture, the result is blessing upon blessing; more blessing, abundant blessing. Blessing too big to handle.

God has blessed us beyond measure. And when we give thanks, we operate in the very will of God; we open the miraculous to come to our house. As a result of that obedience, God pulls back the windows of heaven and pours out more blessing. So when we are thankful with a pure heart, we act in obedience and we are doubly blessed; Blessed, and then, blessed again. Whatever we ask of God, is ours!

We can place our trust in the Lord because He is a God of great benefits toward His people. "For the Lord God is a sun and shield, the Lord bestows favor and honor, no good thing does he withhold, from those whose walk is blameless. O' Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you." (Psalm 84:11-12).

Active Faith

It is said that faith is not faith at all without a life of obedience.  I have given this much thought and I must agree.  Obedience is a high virtue that protrudes from the very depth of our soul.  It is actually a result of our faith in Christ Jesus.  For Jesus said to a group of people in Scripture - If you love me you will keep my commandments.

When we accept Christ as Lord of our life, our desires and priorities change.  When we are transformed spiritually by the Spirit of God, we are eager to please God with our actions and we follow His precepts in an act of obedience.  In John 14:21 Scripture records, "Whoever has My commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves Me."

Obedience is not something we do.  Obedience is a result of a heart that lines up with the Holy Scripture.  It is a direct result of a heart that has been purged by the Spirit transformed by a fresh and vibrant relationship with God.  We want to be obedient because we are now in Christ. When someone speaks of my faith, I want them to say I possess active faith - faith that is shown daily in my walk with God.

Cross and Crown

The Church should also work to equip new believers to follow the precepts of Scripture and serve in ministry.  Matthew 28:19-20 further confirms this belief, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” 

Love, humility, and unity are core characteristics that should be clearly evident in every Church community.  We know according to 1John 4:7-8 that love is from God and should abound in our hearts.  We should love others with the same unified and forgiving love that God first loved us.  And our actions and conduct should not be according to our fleshly selfish ambition, but in humility we should seek to place the needs of others far above ourselves. (Philippians 2:3) This is the heart of Christ.

The cross and the crown is all about your finding your way to a loving and forgiving Savior.  Christ sacrificed Himself on Calvary for one culture.  May we find the culture of Christ alive in our families and in our Church today.

Dreaming

Sometimes, I dream about sitting on the deck on a warm Spring day with a cool, gentle breeze blowing through my hair and sipping on a tall glass of ice cold sweet tea.  I ponder what it would be like to stand in God's presence, sit by the crystal clear brook of heaven or lie down with the lion without fear.  My imagination runs wild when I'm having a challenging day and I think about sitting down with a fresh batch of warm cookies. But there is nothing quite like basking in the glory of the Holy Spirit and spending time with God.

The Psalmist understood this longing when he said, "As the deer pants after the water brooks, so my soul pants after Thee." (Psalm 42:1) May the longing and craving of our heart always be in pursuit of more of God in our lives. May we desire Him more, as if we've been a deer that has trudged through the forest and gone days without water. Longing ever so deeply to walk in His Presence and sit at His Feet. That longing will bring you to the place of determination to stand in the Presence of the Spirit of God and gain sweet refreshment that only God can give.

Find Peace

Finding peace is the result of being sold out to God. Scripture teaches, He is our peace. When we abide in Him and His Word abides in us - the result is the peace of God.

In Romans 6:6-7, Scripture records, “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.” 

Before I prayed and committed my life to Christ I had sold my soul to sin. I was a slave to sin, and carnal in my ways. All I cared about was myself. My heart sought its own way and I was held captive to the things of this world. My desires were all about me. I was driven to please my flesh and serve the lusts of my own mind. There was a constant war within me and I had no peace. I was spiritually empty.

I now have peace and victory by the blood of the cross of Calvary. Christ redeemed my sin and I am delivered from the bondage of sin and death. According to 1 Corinthians 6:20, I have been bought with a price - the precious blood of Jesus. This new found relationship with God brings tremendous peace.

Walk daily in the peace of God. The Spirit of God dwells in you.

Rejoice Always

As believers, there should always be rejoicing in our heart and happiness radiating from our faces. The word "rejoice" means to put your praise on out loud. Open your mouth and give honor and glory to the God of your salvation. Sing and let the world know that the Lord, He is your God and His faithfulness endures forever and ever.

The Psalmist in Psalm 118:24 declares: "This is the day that the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it". Often, it has been said that happiness is a choice. Sometimes we wake up on the wrong side of the bed and we grumble about everything, when we should truly be thankful. We actually choose the path of our day every morning when our feet hit the floor. Choose to rejoice today that God has planned your future and mapped out your life with blessing and favor.

The Psalmist exhorts: "Let us." In other words, you and I must choose to praise God today and be happy. No matter what is happening all around you, God made this day. Make a choice to open your mouth and sing praises. Think on the wonderful blessings of the Lord each day.

We can dwell on the negatives of our daily life and live in gloom and despair. We can harbor thoughts of how bad life has treated us and all the wrongs that have been done to us, OR we can let life take a different turn by changing our mindset. 

The mind is a powerful tool God created for you to use in your favor. He created you amazing and incredible to choose happiness and peace in your daily walk. So "let us" (do it; move yourself in a positive direction and sing and give God praise) rejoice today and be glad.

The Scripture again gives great wisdom, "Whatsoever things are pure, lovely and of good report....think on these things," Scripture encourages us to ponder the good life. To choose a happy life and positive thoughts. Honor God today that He has graciously given it to you and you are on a mission.