Posts Tagged ‘ Bible ’
For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.
Psalm 100:5, ESV
God did not need us.
But He created us, even knowing how we would treat Him.
But He told us in the Garden of Eden that He had a plan to save us, and one day He will make all things new.
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20, ESV
If you count yourself among the redeemed of Christ, realize that your body no longer belongs to you but to to God. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit, but do well to watch how you act, what you eat and drink, and how you use your body.
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12, ESV
We do not know true light nor can we truly see our sin and wickedness apart from following Christ, obeying His commands.
May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 15:5-6, ESV
Seek out the holy and good in fellow believers instead of focusing on how we differ. By the power of the Holy Spirit, may we live well with each other in the unity of the Son’s blood as we glorify our Father in heaven.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!
Psalm 100:4, ESV
Make the Lord happy. Give Him glory with a grateful heart. Enter His presence in prayer and the reading of Scripture.
The Psalmist says “Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise.” Some scholars have deemed this “The protocol of heaven,” that is to say, that if one were visiting royalty in another country (England for example) there is a protocol for what you do and say when meeting with them. It is similar when meeting with God Almighty. Similar, but not the same. Why, because God generally meets you where YOU are. He is wonderfully personal and too many people don’t understand that. He wants to meet with YOU, He wants to talk to YOU! You don’t need to go to a pastor or priest in order to hear the voice of God. There is one simple thing that you must do – be real with God.
God knows your heart anyway so why try to hide anything? He knows your thoughts, fears, worries, concerns, hopes, pride, and yes, even your sins. You see, “thanksgiving and praise” are not the protocol of heaven, but are evidence of the condition of your heart. No matter where on earth you are, you can connect with the God of eternity if you are simply real and honest with Him, because “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” “Real” people are humble people because their self-perception and world view are grounded in reality and the way things actually are. People who are proud or haughty are generally putting on a facade in order to present themselves as better than others. But as we know “ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” So as a humble person, you will recognize that we all (including yourself) need a Savior.
Humility unlocks the gate and then thanksgiving can begin. Otherwise we become like the Pharisee in Luke 18:10-14 who thanks God that he is more righteous than other men, obviously his prayer of thanksgiving was wrought with pride (which God opposes) and the gate of thanksgiving that he was trying to enter remained locked. But there was another man there who was humble when he prayed to God, and we’re told that he went away justified by God.
So humility unlocks the gate and you enter the gate by thanking God. This Thanksgiving, lets remember to be humble and real with God and others so that our thanksgiving is not in vain, and perhaps we can draw even closer to Jesus.
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
Psalm 9:1, ESV
God has done amazing things.
If you are saved by grace, give Him thanks and share it with the world!
Is there any more reason more worthy of thankfulness than this?
O Lord , you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.
Isaiah 25:1, ESV
God has been planning and doing since before time. He knows how it all ends and how it gets there.
Trust Him. Praise Him.
Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.
Psalm 63:3-4, ESV
True life is found in the love of God.
Give God the Father thanks and praise for sharing His love through the vicarious death of His Son and by the power of the Holy Spirit.
But you, O Lord , are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.
Psalm 3:3, ESV
Our Lord is our ultimate protector and source of all joy and hope. Without Him, we have nothing and amount to nothing.
Only when we enter eternity do we fully realize the Prize He is for us and how He has saved us.
a simple man of God 