You Had Me @ Thank You
YOU HAVE ME @ THANK YOU……
‘Father open the eyes of my heart….’
We are choosing to face and walk through another day…
How?
By choosing to face and walk through this day with a thankful heart!
Will you join us?
This morning, climbing out of bed I knew there was one thing I needed to do before all else and that was to take time to thank God for the many things he has done, but also for his presence in our lives everyday!
I have come to the conclusion that giving thanks is a choice we need to make everyday. Giving thanks is not optional and it is not dictated by our circumstances- it is a mind set, a heart condition, and a way of life. When I think about what God accomplished by giving his son on the cross so that you and I could have a brand new life it begins to change the way I think and the way I feel and most of all the way I live my life. For example choosing thankfulness will always be a precursor to being generous, truly giving, you know giving with a cheerful heart giving, the kind of giving that is a sacrifice that pleases God giving. Choosing thankfulness is also a sure sign of trust, trusting in God and the truth that he is more than able and that he is indeed all sufficient! Choosing thankfulness is also essential in how I view other people and how I will choose to serve and love them. I believe it is a thankful heart that moves us to fall in love with the human soul! I realize that my greatest need was to be rescued from my sin and the sentence of spiritual death and being humbled by that truth creates in me a sense of thankfulness for what God did and I don’t want anyone to miss the Good News of Jesus Christ!
In light of the crazy year that 2020 has been, the pandemic, the election, being quarantined, hospital stays, heart surgeries, family being tested positive, church online, 2 family weddings, friends who are hurting, leaky roofs, and just the craziness of living life in today’s world I say we all choose together to be thankful! Let’s together ask God to open our eyes to the many things he has done and accomplished in our lives! Let’s ask God to open our eyes to his character, his sovereignty, his love and grace, his plan and will, and the truth that he can bring brand new life to every single one of us!
I found this really cool exercise (WATERMARK RESOURCES) that we all can do at home alone or with our families. As you get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving and whatever that might look like for you and your family I want to encourage you to do this exercise together. As you consider each category write down 1 or 2 things and then share them with each other. I have added some great scriptures that you can read to each other also.
Choosing to be Thankful!
20 Reasons to share with God why you are thankful!
‘Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good and his loyal love endures.’
1 Chronicles 16:34
1. FUN MEMORY:
‘With antiphonal response they sang, praising and glorifying the Lord: For he is good; his loyal love toward Israel is forever. All the people gave a loud shout as they praised the Lord when the temple of the Lord was established.’
Ezra 3:11
2. NEW FRIENDSHIP:
3. NEW EXPERIENCE:
4. SURPRISE:
‘I will thank the Lord for his justice; I will sing praises to the Lord Most High!’
Psalms 7:17
‘I will thank the Lord with all my heart! I will tell about all your amazing deeds!
Psalms 9:1
5. ANSWER TO PRAYER:
6. LESSON LEARNED:
‘Then I will give thanks in the great assembly; I will praise you before a large crowd of people!
Psalms 35:18
7. ASPECT OF GOD’S CREATION:
‘I will sing praises to God’s name! I will magnify him as I give him thanks!’
Psalms 69:30
8. ATTRIBUTE OF GOD:
9. VACATION OR STAYCATION:
10. THE LORD’S FORGIVENESS:
‘Come! Let’s sing for the joy of the Lord! Let’s shout out praise to our protector who delivers us! Let’s enter his presence with thanksgiving! Let’s shout out to him in celebration! For the Lord is a great God, a great king who is superior to all gods,’
Psalms 95:1-3
11. FAVORITE FOOD OR RESTAURANT:
12. CO-WORKER OR NEIGHBOR:
13. WORK OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE:
‘Shout out praises to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with joy! Enter his presence with joyful singing! Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us and we belong to him; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give him thanks! Praise his name! For the Lord is good. His loyal love endures, and he is faithful through all generations.’
Psalms 100:1-5
14. FAMILY MEMBER:
15. GIFT:
‘Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, and his loyal love endures!
Psalms 106:1
‘Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and firm in your faith just as you were taught and overflowing with thankfulness.’
Colossians 2:6-7
16. HARD SITUATION THAT GOD USED FOR GOOD:
17. NEW BOOK, SONG, OR MOVIE:
18. THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY @ FAIRVIEW:
‘Let the peace of Christ be in control in your heart (for you were in fact called as one body to this peace), and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all the grace in your hearts to God. And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.’
Colossians 3:15-17
19. PROMISE OF GOD:
‘Always rejoice, constantly pray, in everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.’
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
20. WRITE A FEW SENTENCES TELLING GOD WHY YOU ARE SO THANKFUL
I hope and pray this has been a good exercise for you to participate in. Choosing to be thankful and asking God to open our eyes to the multitude of reasons to be thankful is a game changer! My prayer is that you and your family have a tremendous day of Thanksgiving. My prayer is that as we the Fairview Community approach 2021 that choosing thankfulness will fuel us as we experience the many things God and the new year have in store for us!
Always Giving Thanks
Tony
P.S. Take time this day or week and write a note or two to those that you need to let know how thankful you are for them.
‘Father open the eyes of my heart….’
We are choosing to face and walk through another day…
How?
By choosing to face and walk through this day with a thankful heart!
Will you join us?
This morning, climbing out of bed I knew there was one thing I needed to do before all else and that was to take time to thank God for the many things he has done, but also for his presence in our lives everyday!
I have come to the conclusion that giving thanks is a choice we need to make everyday. Giving thanks is not optional and it is not dictated by our circumstances- it is a mind set, a heart condition, and a way of life. When I think about what God accomplished by giving his son on the cross so that you and I could have a brand new life it begins to change the way I think and the way I feel and most of all the way I live my life. For example choosing thankfulness will always be a precursor to being generous, truly giving, you know giving with a cheerful heart giving, the kind of giving that is a sacrifice that pleases God giving. Choosing thankfulness is also a sure sign of trust, trusting in God and the truth that he is more than able and that he is indeed all sufficient! Choosing thankfulness is also essential in how I view other people and how I will choose to serve and love them. I believe it is a thankful heart that moves us to fall in love with the human soul! I realize that my greatest need was to be rescued from my sin and the sentence of spiritual death and being humbled by that truth creates in me a sense of thankfulness for what God did and I don’t want anyone to miss the Good News of Jesus Christ!
In light of the crazy year that 2020 has been, the pandemic, the election, being quarantined, hospital stays, heart surgeries, family being tested positive, church online, 2 family weddings, friends who are hurting, leaky roofs, and just the craziness of living life in today’s world I say we all choose together to be thankful! Let’s together ask God to open our eyes to the many things he has done and accomplished in our lives! Let’s ask God to open our eyes to his character, his sovereignty, his love and grace, his plan and will, and the truth that he can bring brand new life to every single one of us!
I found this really cool exercise (WATERMARK RESOURCES) that we all can do at home alone or with our families. As you get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving and whatever that might look like for you and your family I want to encourage you to do this exercise together. As you consider each category write down 1 or 2 things and then share them with each other. I have added some great scriptures that you can read to each other also.
Choosing to be Thankful!
20 Reasons to share with God why you are thankful!
‘Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good and his loyal love endures.’
1 Chronicles 16:34
1. FUN MEMORY:
‘With antiphonal response they sang, praising and glorifying the Lord: For he is good; his loyal love toward Israel is forever. All the people gave a loud shout as they praised the Lord when the temple of the Lord was established.’
Ezra 3:11
2. NEW FRIENDSHIP:
3. NEW EXPERIENCE:
4. SURPRISE:
‘I will thank the Lord for his justice; I will sing praises to the Lord Most High!’
Psalms 7:17
‘I will thank the Lord with all my heart! I will tell about all your amazing deeds!
Psalms 9:1
5. ANSWER TO PRAYER:
6. LESSON LEARNED:
‘Then I will give thanks in the great assembly; I will praise you before a large crowd of people!
Psalms 35:18
7. ASPECT OF GOD’S CREATION:
‘I will sing praises to God’s name! I will magnify him as I give him thanks!’
Psalms 69:30
8. ATTRIBUTE OF GOD:
9. VACATION OR STAYCATION:
10. THE LORD’S FORGIVENESS:
‘Come! Let’s sing for the joy of the Lord! Let’s shout out praise to our protector who delivers us! Let’s enter his presence with thanksgiving! Let’s shout out to him in celebration! For the Lord is a great God, a great king who is superior to all gods,’
Psalms 95:1-3
11. FAVORITE FOOD OR RESTAURANT:
12. CO-WORKER OR NEIGHBOR:
13. WORK OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE:
‘Shout out praises to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with joy! Enter his presence with joyful singing! Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us and we belong to him; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give him thanks! Praise his name! For the Lord is good. His loyal love endures, and he is faithful through all generations.’
Psalms 100:1-5
14. FAMILY MEMBER:
15. GIFT:
‘Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, and his loyal love endures!
Psalms 106:1
‘Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and firm in your faith just as you were taught and overflowing with thankfulness.’
Colossians 2:6-7
16. HARD SITUATION THAT GOD USED FOR GOOD:
17. NEW BOOK, SONG, OR MOVIE:
18. THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY @ FAIRVIEW:
‘Let the peace of Christ be in control in your heart (for you were in fact called as one body to this peace), and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all the grace in your hearts to God. And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.’
Colossians 3:15-17
19. PROMISE OF GOD:
‘Always rejoice, constantly pray, in everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.’
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
20. WRITE A FEW SENTENCES TELLING GOD WHY YOU ARE SO THANKFUL
I hope and pray this has been a good exercise for you to participate in. Choosing to be thankful and asking God to open our eyes to the multitude of reasons to be thankful is a game changer! My prayer is that you and your family have a tremendous day of Thanksgiving. My prayer is that as we the Fairview Community approach 2021 that choosing thankfulness will fuel us as we experience the many things God and the new year have in store for us!
Always Giving Thanks
Tony
P.S. Take time this day or week and write a note or two to those that you need to let know how thankful you are for them.
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