Give Thanks for God’s Love
God so loved the world … [But only those who believe in Jesus Christ] shall not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
We have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. (1 Timothy 4:10)
God causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:45)
Common Grace
We all know unbelievers who prosper. They may have loving, wonderful families, ample resources, good health, sleep well, have adventures, have fun, help others, contribute to their communities.
This is “common grace.”
And God is compassionate and patient, not wanting any to perish.
The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)
God loves the world and demonstrates this love through common grace, compassion, warning us of the consequences of sin, and inviting all to come to belief in Christ.
Overwhelming love for believers
For those who believe and have received Christ as Lord and Savior, there is infinite, unqualified, limitless, complete, full, forever, permanent love. (Learning about God’s love for us is a great Bible study, and one to repeat!)
God, please help understand Your love for us, and help us walk in the assurance of Your love.
~~~
God—Father, Son, Holy Spirit—I am so grateful that You are patient, not wanting any to perish, but for them to come to repentance. I am so grateful that You provide common grace to all. I tremble at Your incredible blessing to me and all believers, giving us eternal life. Help us, this Thanksgiving Day and every day, to give You thanks for Your great gift.
Thanksgiving Day Series
Praise the Trinity
Our God—our one God—is three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
No, I don’t understand this either, but it is true. Why should I expect, as a human being, to comprehend the eternal, infinite God?
One God
Jesus: “The foremost [commandment] is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord.” (Mark 12:29)
Here is God, Jesus, who prayed to God the Father, who spoke of God the Holy Spirit, declaring God is one.
See Praise the One God.
Three Persons
There are many verses in the New Testament that refer to the Trinity. For example:
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name [one name, singular] of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19)
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14)
According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure. (1 Peter 1:2)
Paul’s prayer, and mine for myself and for you:
I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:14–21)
~~~
Almighty, Triune God, we praise You. You are beyond our understanding, and yet You have chosen to reveal some of Yourself to us. We praise You for showing Yourself to us in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, helping us grasp some of Your majesty. Please help us worship You in spirit and in truth.
It Can Happen to You
Job was blameless, upright, feared God, and turned away from evil. (Job 1:1)
Job lost his children, his wealth and his health.
His “friends” condemned Job for hidden sins that caused his calamity.
His “friends” believed they themselves were righteous and that no ill would happen to them.
Job said to them: He who is at ease holds calamity in contempt, as prepared for those whose feet slip. (Job 12:5)
Basically, Job said: “It can happen to you.”
A couple of examples:
The rich can experience devastating reversals, losing their assets. Jesus spoke about the deceitfulness of wealth. (Matthew 13:22)
Jesus also told the parable of the rich man who built bigger barns and believed he would have ease for many years. But God said: “You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?” (Luke 12:20)
Those who are very physically fit, follow excellent nutrition, and exercise, can develop a terminal illness.
Presumption
We can become presumptuous, believing our own actions guarantee the results we want.
We can look to ourselves rather than to God.
Being rich is not wrong. The love of wealth is wrong. Believing your wealth assures comfort throughout life is confidence in yourself.
Taking care of yourself physically is good. Believing this guarantees long- term good health is presumption.
This post isn’t meant to scare you, but to encourage you to look to God rather than to yourself.
Our God is all-powerful, loves His children, and has a glorious plan. His plan includes some degree of trouble for each of us, which results in our spiritual growth, making us more like Christ. His plan includes big-league trouble for some of us.
What to do
Examine yourself. Are you relying on yourself in some area, rather than on God? If you are presumptuous, confess it and repent.
Remind yourself who God is; remind yourself that He is sovereign, and that He loves His children, those who have received Christ as Lord and Savior.
Trust Him.
Be grateful.
Press on.
Think of a pink elephant.
~~~
Now … do not think about a pink elephant.
~~~
Did your thoughts linger on the pink elephant even after told not to?
The “trick” is to substitute another thought for the pink elephant. Then you are thinking the new thought, rather than thinking about the pink elephant.
That tips helps when you are trying to change. Suppose you want to lose weight and keep thinking about some “treat.” It helps when you think instead about new clothes in a smaller size.
Or suppose you are afraid about some (possible) event in the future. Consciously substitute thoughts about your loving sovereign God. Consciously determine to trust Him.
The new thought should be consciously in line with who God is and your God-given goals.
Try it.
Are you in a very hard spot? Is your situation something you can work to change? Pray about what to do, of course.
Regardless whether you have some discretion about your predicament, or whether you have to endure it, look beyond your circumstances to God.
Look Beyond
Jesus … for the joy set before Him endured the cross. (Hebrews 12:2)
Abraham by faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise … for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. (Hebrews 11:9–10)
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. (Hebrews 11:24–26)
Whatever your trial, look beyond it to see your loving, powerful God and His promises.
This gives you strength to endure, courage to act, and confidence in your situation.
God doesn’t leave us helpless, but provides His power and His love.
Remember
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. (Romans 8:28–30)
Press on
I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus … I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12–14)
All Paths Lead to God
It is frequently said: “All paths lead to God.”
That is true.
All humans die and then face judgment.
It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment. (Hebrews 9:27)
But only one path leads to eternal life.
Whoever believes in [Christ Jesus] shall not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
Unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins. (John 8:24)
We are surrounded by people on the path to destruction. Let’s demonstrate Christ by our behavior and speak to them as the Holy Spirit prompts.
Press on!
nasa.gov
Praise our Savior!
We—believers in Christ who have received Him as our Lord and Savior—have been saved.
Saved from sin’s penalty
We are saved from eternal death, saved from being thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)
Saved from sin’s power
We are saved from being slaves to sin. (Romans 6:6)
We are learning to walk by the Spirit. (Galatians 5:16)
We are being made into the image of Christ. (Romans 8:29).
[and more!]
Saved from sin’s presence in the future
We are saved for eternal life. (Romans 6:22)
We will be glorified. (Romans 8:30)
We will be holy and blameless. (Ephesians 1:4)
Breathtaking
Our salvation is infinitely awe-inspiring, beyond comprehension, breathtaking, humbling.
Take a moment and praise God for salvation.
~~~
God—Father, Son, Holy Spirit—is our Savior.
God the Father sent Christ to save us.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
The Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. (1 John 4:14)
Even when we were dead in our transgressions, [God] made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved). (Ephesians 2:5)
Christ saved us by living a perfect life and dying on the cross as a perfect sacrifice.
For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11)
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name. (John 1:12)
And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)
The Holy Spirit is saving us.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. (Romans 8:2)
We have received…the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God. (1 Corinthians 2:12)
~~~
God—Father, Son, Holy Spirit—we praise You for our eternal salvation. We praise You for saving us from the penalty of sin. We praise You that You are working in us to make us more like Christ. We praise You that we will be with You for eternity. Help us humbly know this is Your work, that we do not deserve Your love and favor. Help us honor You with all we are, think, and do.
What do you want?
Do you want what God wants?
Do you say, like Jesus: Yet not as I will, but as You will. (Matthew 26:39)
I certainly don’t, at least all the time. But I want to. Or, sometimes, I want to want to…
I am relieved that God is working in me to will (to desire, to want) to do His bidding, and that He is working in me to actually do what He asks.
God is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13)
When I fail
When I fail, there are at least three reasons:
- Sometimes I don’t know what He wants me to do;
- Sometimes I don’t want to do what He wants me to do;
- Sometimes my knowledge and motives are (mostly) right, but I make some sort of mistake.
Desire
God is working in me to desire to do His bidding.
It is God who is working, but I have responsibility too. I need to know His word, which equips me with knowledge of Him and His will. The more I know the Bible, the more I desire to please Him.
This is conviction in my mind.
Action
God is also working in me to actually do what He wants me to do. This is conviction in my actions.
I have responsibility here as well. God is working in me. I have to humbly accept His direction and not launch out on my own.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5)
Sometimes when I believe I know His will, and want to do His will, I still mess up. There are more underlying reasons than I know about, but one reason is that I boldly go forward without stopping to pray, leaning on myself rather than on God.
What I need to do:
#1. Be intentional about regular Bible study, equipping me to know God more and more.
#2. Purposefully determine that I will want what God wants. Regularly ask God to strengthen my desire.
#3. When I feel God’s direction, humbly say “yes” to God. But also pause and ask for the understanding or specific directions I need to fulfill His purpose.
#4. Thank Him for working in me.
~~~~
Thank You, God, for working in me to want to please You and to actually do Your will. I am so grateful that I am Your child, and that You are making me into the image of Your Son.
When I asked the physician for the cause of my significant eye issue, he said “Bad luck.” (See When Storms Come)
When I told another physician about the excellent results of physical therapy, she said “You’re lucky.”
Luck? Lucky?
Definition of luck: “The chance happening of fortunate or adverse events.”
Definition of chance: “The unknown and unpredictable element in happenings that seems to have no assignable cause.”
Luck: Events “just” happened without anyone’s control.
I find it odd that physicians, trained in science, refer to luck.
God is Sovereign
As a Christian, I do not believe in luck. I believe in the sovereignty of almighty God, who is in control of everything and everybody all the time. God works all things according to His purpose.
We are responsible and God is sovereign. It’s mind-bending to try to figure that out, but both are true. The Bible clearly teaches both.
Our challenge as believers is to trust God’s loving sovereignty. As we know Him better, and have increased confidence that He loves us and is working all things for good, we can rely on Him through our storms, even though we don’t know why God thinks that storm is a good idea.
“Luck” is anti-God
“Luck” is anti-God. “Luck” denies the sovereignty of God.
If you want to explore God’s loving sovereignty, look at When Storms Come.
And I will not say “good luck!” Rather, may God give you and me the desire to know Him better and trust Him in all things.
Press on!
The Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland “had only one way of settling all difficulties, great or small. ‘Off with his head!’” Later, readers learned that “the Queen’s argument was that, if something wasn’t done about it and in less than no time, she’d have everybody executed all round.”
Lately, I’ve been too much like the Queen of Hearts. Instead of compassion, I was furious. Instead of love, I wanted (instant) condemnation. “Off with his head! Off with her head!” And the Lord convicted me of sin.
This isn’t a new lesson, God had to repeat what He showed me before.
We are supposed to hate what God hates. (See Hate what God Hates)
And yet, we are commanded to
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:44)
And we are to pray
I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1–4)
We are to pray for their salvation.
After I scheduled this post, I tried to do what the Lord told me. Then I realized I was also too much like Jonah, who was called to proclaim to Nineveh, but ran the other way. Jonah did not want the Ninevites saved. Are there people I don’t want saved? Alas! Lord, forgive me.
I am to pray for their salvation. I am to entrust all judgment to Almighty God. Lord, help me please You.
~~~
Father, I want to obey You. I want to mourn over the sins of my nation. I want to hate what You hate. I also want to pray for the lost, having compassion for them. Please open eyes, ears, and hearts, and turn people to You. Please help me understand Your path and walk in Your way.
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When Storms Come: Will You Be Ready?
When Storms Come: Will You Be Ready? helps Christians not fear bad news, shows them how to handle current trouble, and helps them emerge stronger on the other side.
About me
I'm a Christian, wife, retiree, and author.
I love studying and putting knowledge into action. I'll share what I'm learning, encourage you, and urge all of us to press on to become more like Christ.
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