Have you ever blessed someone but your gift was met with indifference, or plain ingratitude?
It just doesn’t feel good – does it?
Now, I don’t know about you but if someone does that to me, I am less likely to want to bestow any further blessings upon that person again. And I’m sure I speak for most people when I say that we all like our gifts or our service to others, to be recognised and appreciated.
Well, you know what dear friend? God is no different!
He loves it when we acknowledge his goodness, his provision, his protection and his power.
That’s why today I am publicly giving thanks to Him.
You see, I’m celebrating a significant achievement. I have recently published my second book – Yay! Double Yay!
Of course I can’t take all the credit for myself.
Major thanks goes to my creative partnership – the illustrious Holy Godhead! I could not have done it without the enabling grace of my loving Heavenly Father, or the intercession of Jesus, my faithful High Priest, or the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
And because I also appreciate two fellow bloggers who kindly supported me with their prayers, I’d like to give a shout out to Jacquie and Holly. A big heartfelt “thank you” my dear friends and sisters in Christ.
Friends and followers, please do take the time to visit their blogs, read a post or two and bless them with your ‘likes’ and comments.
Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. (William Arthur Ward)
And now, without further ado, here’s the reason for my gratitude and appreciation.
Won’t you celebrate with me?
Have a great weekend!
With love,
Carol
The effectual, fervent prayer avails much!
—–oooooo000oooooo—–
Dear reader, your visit is appreciated.
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The following is a conversational drama piece between God and a believer who feels she is just too busy to pray.
DAY 1:
Anonymous Speaker: Hey! Are you busy?
Clarissa: Can’t you see that I am? What do you want?
Anonymous Speaker: I’d just like to spend some time with you!
Clarissa: Oh! Well sorry, I’m just too busy!
Anonymous Speaker: Anything I can help you with?
Clarissa: I can manage, thank you.
Anonymous Speaker: So what are you doing?
Clarissa: Well, I’m trying to make my life a success.
Anonymous Speaker: Okay. Well I can help you with that.
Clarissa: Hmmm. I don’t really see how you can.
Anonymous Speaker: Just spend some time with me.
Clarissa: Look, I’ve already told you, I don’t have the time (mutters under breath), or the inclination! I’ve got places to go, people to see, a life to live, so I really can’t spare the time to talk right now.
SIX MONTHS LATER:
Clarissa: Oh God, my life’s a complete mess. Help me!
Anonymous Speaker: What’s wrong?
Clarissa: Where do I begin? (starts crying)
Anonymous Speaker: Just tell me what’s wrong.
Clarissa: I’ve fallen out with my best friend and my boyfriend dumped me last week. I hate my job but I’ve a mortgage to pay and now my ex wants to move out of our flat. How on earth will I manage?
Anonymous Speaker: And you are telling me this now because…?
Clarissa: Well, you’re God aren’t you? I need you to do something! I need your help. I want you to get me out of this mess. I have nobody else to turn to.
Anonymous Speaker: Well now, let me see. Did you set up a prayer account?
Clarissa: What’s that?
Anonymous Speaker: It’s a type of Investment account. You invest time into building a relationship with me, so that when situations like this occurs, you can have peace and confidence in me, instead of feeling stressed and angry, like you are now.
Clarissa: Sorry. I didn’t realise that. I don’t have such an account. Does that mean you can’t, or won’t help me?
Anonymous Speaker: Of course not! But because you have not invested into a consistent prayer life, your capacity to trust me is not where it could or should be.
Clarissa: But I do trust you!
Anonymous Speaker: Do you?
Clarissa: Y-es.
Anonymous Speaker: You don’t seem too sure there. Will you trust me despite what your circumstances look like, and trust that I know what’s best for you, even should I not answer your prayers in the way that you’d like, or as quickly as you’d like?
Clarissa: I have no choice! So, will you help me or not?
Anonymous Speaker: What do you think?
Clarissa: I know you can. I’m not confident though that you will.
Anonymous Speaker: And why is that?
Clarissa: Because I’ve neglected you all this time. Because I’ve not been truly appreciative of your blessings. Because when my life was tickety boo, I acted as if I was self-sufficient and didn’t really need you. Because I ignored that niggling feeling in my gut, which tried to warn me that if I continued to consign you to the back burner of my life, I’ll be sorry.
Anonymous Speaker: And are you?
Clarissa: Yes. I am. Truly sorry.
Anonymous Speaker: And why else?
Clarissa: Pardon?
Anonymous Speaker: Is there any other reason why you don’t feel confident that I will help you?
Clarissa: Only that I don’t deserve it. I’ve sinned. My ex should not have been living with me. I knew it was wrong and I knew that this was at odds with your Word and with my claim to be a Christian, yet I still went ahead and did it anyway. I compromised big time!
Anonymous Speaker: My dear Clarissa, have you forgotten what my Word says you should do whenever you fall into sin? All you have to do is repent (i.e. be remorseful and change direction), and ask for my forgiveness.
I am willing to forgive and I am willing to cleanse you. That’s what grace means. It means I am prepared to extend my unconditional love and mercy towards you, no matter what you’ve done. You do not have to “deserve” it!
Clarissa: Father God, please forgive me. Cleanse me. Help me.
Anonymous Speaker: How do you feel now?
Clarissa: All warm and peaceful inside. Forgiven and cleansed. Prepared to trust you. Hopeful of my future.
Anonymous Speaker: I am so happy to hear this my child. Your investment account is now open. Keep topping it up and watch your confidence in me grow. Watch your life straighten out, as you make consistent spiritual deposits.
Clarissa: O Thank you Father God! You are so gracious Heavenly Father. Why on earth did I think I could live my life without your help? I recommit myself into your hands. I am re-inviting Jesus to reign and govern my life according to your purpose. And I’m asking your Holy Spirit to come alongside me and help me to live a life that glorifies you.
Anonymous Speaker: My dear child, it will be my utmost pleasure to see you grow and develop and pursue your destiny in Christ. Meanwhile, do enjoy the benefits of your salvation and the pleasures of my kingdom.
Are you too busy to pray, to spiritually invest into your future?
With love,
Carol (aka Lady Cee)
If you’d like to purchase a resource that will help and encourage you to develop a consistent and confident prayer life, don’t hesitate to check out the links below.
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Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psalm 107:8 (KJV)
I am giving God’s thanks today.
Nothing unusual in that because I am always grateful to my Father God for his loving kindness and tender mercies. But today I am giving him special thanks because it is one year since I achieved my long, long, long-standing dream and published my book.
Whoo hoo!
And I am taking this opportunity to also thank God for something else.
You see, I like to read the entire Bible once a year, and each year I try out a different version. I have so far read the entire Bible in the New Kings James, The Amplified Bible, The Living Bible and The Message. This year I am reading from the New Schofield Reference Edition of the King James’ or Authorised version.
Many of us are mega-blessed to have access to so many different versions of the Bible, and we are especially spoiled, to be able to have so many Christian resources at our fingertips, which aid us in our understanding of God’s Word.
I can remember years ago, hearing about church communities in foreign lands that only had one Bible between them to share with an entire congregation of members.
Can you imagine having to cope with that?
And what about those persecuted Christians who are shut away in a dank dark cell with only portions of the Word of God (which they’ve hopefully memorised), to keep them company?
Recently, during my quiet time I was reading Psalm 107 and was struck by the writer’s lament about the forgetfulness of his people and their ingratitude towards God for his goodness.
It has prompted me to write a thanksgiving post today, so below, I share an extract from my book, Petitions From My Heart, expressing thanks to God for the availability of his Word.
I hope it provides you with food for thought and also inspires thankfulness in your own heart.
—–oooooo000oooooo—–
THE HOLY BIBLE
Heavenly Father, I want to thank you for the freedom enjoyed in this nation that allows me to serve and worship you without fear of punitive measures. Thank you for the unrestricted access I have to the Scriptures and other biblical resources.
Lord God I want to thank you for preserving your Word throughout the ages. Thank you for those such as John Wycliffe who translated the Bible into English and William Tyndale, who lost his life making your Word accessible to ordinary people.
Thank you for the many writers, editors and publishers who have used their knowledge, time and effort to compose the various versions available and I also thank you for those who use their language skills to translate your Word.
Finally Lord God, I thank you for the Bible’s ability to cleanse, comfort and encourage me . . . for its ability to instruct and strengthen. May your Word continue to minister grace, healing, hope and peace to your redeemed people and to a broken world.
Did you enjoy reading this post? If so, please share your thoughts in a comment box below. Do you know someone who would benefit from its message? Then please don’t hesitate to share it. Thank you.
I came across this 2mins video yesterday and just felt I had to share it with you all. If you’ve seen it already forgive me – maybe God wants to draw this to your attention once again.
It would be easy to make the Covid-19 virus situation turn you into a victim. Don’t! Resist the temptation to complain and/or criticise. Instead, be a part of the solution. Be an instrument of blessing.
Whether through your prayers, and/or through practical, loving action, become a burden-bearer, a joy-disperser, a victorious overcomer.
Women of Warfare followers and visitors, I pray you are keeping safe and well, and taking advantage of any lockdown situation you may be in, to draw closer to God.
Have a blessed week!
With love,
Carol (aka Lady Cee)
Are you looking for a resource that will help and encourage you to develop a consistent and confident prayer life? If so, don’t hesitate to check out the links below.
Did you enjoy this post? If so, please share your thoughts in a comment box below. Do you know someone who would benefit from its message? Then please don’t hesitate to share it. Thank you.
Hallelujah! Jesus is alive. Jesus, my Saviour has been raised from the dead and now he lives for ever more. Now he is seated in heaven at the right hand of our Father. Now he ever lives to make intercession for me. And don’t I need it?!
But I don’t want to focus on my need today. I want to focus on my precious Father-God, my precious Saviour, and my precious Comforter and Counsellor, the inimitable Holy Spirit!
Thank you one and all for your presence in my life. Thank you dear Father-God for making me worthy to come into your presence and fellowship with you. And thank you Lord Jesus for all that you have done, to make it possible for me to be reconciled to God. Thank you for rescuing me from the clutches of Satan and redeeming me from the curse of the Law. Thank you for your obedience to the Father’s will, even to the point of death.
Hallelujah!
O Lord Jesus, I can never ever, ever thank you enough. I can never ever know and understand just how much you suffered and endured on my behalf. And when I think of this, I feel ashamed for the times in the past when I have been outraged, bitter and resentful, acted ugly because of the things I have suffered.
Ok, so they may have been unjust. But the difference between me and you, is that you have never ever sinned, never ever done anything wrong. You were and are perfect. If there is anyone in this entire universe who did not deserve unjust treatment, it was you. And yet you willingly took it. And took it without saying a word to those who meted out the false accusations, the insults, the mocking jibes, the physical assault and abuse. Nothing!
But I, who was born in sin and shaped in iniquity had plenty of things to say when I suffered. Forgive me!
Thank you for your wonderful and exemplary conduct. Thank you for your strength of character. Thank you for your incredible, extravagant, unconditional love. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!
I love you. I appreciate you. I commit afresh, my life into your hands today. Take my life Lord and let it be, consecrated only to thee. Take my moments and take my days and let them flow in ceaseless praise to you, and to your Father, our Father.
Thank you for all you have done. And dear precious Saviour, I thank you that after all that you’ve accomplished, all that you’ve achieved, you are not resting on your laurels. You are still working, still serving. Because now that you are alive, now that you ever live, you are making continual intercession for me. I so need it! And I am so grateful.
Thank you for being the High Priest of my confessions of faith. Thank you for your precious efficacious blood, which speaks on my behalf from the Mercy Seat in heaven. Thank you for the loving eloquence of your blood, which effectively pleads for mercy, grace and forgiveness. Oh, how much better, how much nobler does your blood speak for me, than Abel’s blood, which had spoken against Cain when it cried out for vengeance!
I love you Jesus.
And I love you Father God. It was your brilliant plan. It was your wisdom and justice tempered with mercy that ensured it was executed. It was your miraculous intervention that implanted the seed of your Word within the Virgin Mary. It was your angelic protection that shielded Jesus from King Herod’s murderous edict. It was your ‘foolishness’ that conceived the idea of that accursed and monstrous cross. It was your awesome and miraculous power that raised Jesus from the dead. Hallelujah!
And you did it all for me!
You did it for the entire world, so that whoever would believe, and whoever would accept what Christ has done for them, could indeed be saved, aye, could be rescued from eternal damnation.
Such inexplicable, indescribable, incomparable love!
Father God, Lord Jesus, Precious Holy Spirit, I bow my heart and my will in reverence before you.
Triune Godhead, you are worthy to be praised. You are worthy to be glorified. You are worthy to be honoured.
Lord Jesus, be magnified today, this Easter Sunday, as I exalt your awesome name!
—–oooooo000oooooo—–
Happy Easter!
With love,
Carol (aka Lady Cee)
Author of: Petitions From My Heart
Are you looking for a resource that will help and encourage you to develop a consistent and confident prayer life? If so, don’t hesitate to check out the links below.
I hope you were blessed today by reading this post. If so, please share your response in a comment box below. Do you know someone who would also enjoy and benefit from its message? Then please don’t hesitate to share it. Thank you.
It is easy to become bitter, fearful, complain, stress, and simply be frustrated during this unfolding corona drama in history. I began a list of things that make me grateful for this experience. I know there are hundreds more bullets that could be added to this ongoing list, so please post your thoughts below! Our […]
Today, I received a letter in the post. The envelope indicated that this letter was from Buckingham Palace, residence of Her Majesty the Queen.
I’d completely forgotten that I’d written expressing my good wishes to her and her family for 2020. Now, I don’t normally write to the Queen, but I’d wanted to send her a complimentary copy of my recently published book (Petitions From My Heart), since it included prayers for her and her family.
As you can imagine, I was quite pleased to have received a response. It was not unexpected. I am aware the Queen responds (via her correspondence team), to those of her subjects who happen to send her letters. Although I did not ask, I had secretly hoped she would grant me permission to send my book but this was not forthcoming. However, the letter thanked me for observing their request regarding unsolicited gifts.
As I put the letter aside and contemplated showing it to my husband later when he returned from work, my thoughts went to my Father God. You see I imagine that this letter, is the closest I will ever get to Her Majesty the Queen.
Just because I sent her a letter and showed interest in her and her family, just because I’d observed royal protocol, this did not get me any further into her favour. It did not get me an invite for dinner, or draw me into her inner circle. As far as she was concerned, I was just one of her subjects, who happened to write to her and she had done her duty by granting me the courtesy of a response. There would be no further communication, no invite to become better acquainted.
My Father God however, who is so much greater than Her Majesty the Queen, indeed, greater than any illustrious person on earth (be it royalty, celebrity or other significant person), has deemed me fit to come into his awesome presence. He has graciously invited me to come and fellowship with him. He has willingly and generously adopted me into his family, elevated my position in life (to a royal status no less!), and granted me the privilege of unrestricted access to his holy presence and divine resources.
Whilst I acknowledge my pleasure at receiving a response from Her Majesty the Queen, I also realise that the reciprocal relationship and communication I have with the three members of the Godhead, is so much more rewarding.
So today, I’m giving thanks that I have a meaningful relationship with the King of kings and Lord of lords. I’m giving thanks that I know, and I’m also known by, the God of all gods!
Today, I’m appreciating afresh my place within my Father God’s kingdom as a member of His royal priesthood. And I look forward to the day I shall enjoy the silver service of my dear precious Saviour, when I partake of his feast at the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Dear friends and followers, my heart’s desire and prayer for you today is that you will also have a new awareness of your royal status and appreciate the unrestricted access you have to the three members of the Holy Godhead (Father, Son and Holy Spirit).
To all Women of Warfare followers and visitors, I wish you a wonderful, joy-filled New Year.
And I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your encouraging support over the past four years. I recall when I first stepped out into cyberspace, it was with much trepidation. I could not have continued without you – so, THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
I appreciate your visits, comments and likes and look forward to engaging with you further during this coming year.
May Father God bless you and your loved ones throughout 2020. May the good Lord cause his face to shine upon you. May he be gracious to you, lift up His countenance upon you and grant you heartfelt and ongoing peace.
Like the stars that still shine behind the dark cloak of night, know that God is with you on your darkest days, in your difficult circumstances. His Word declares: I will never leave you, nor forsake you.
Take comfort from the fact that even Jesus felt abandoned by his Father (My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me?), and because Jesus suffered similarly, He is able to relate to you and to me. He is able to succour (help and support) us when, and whilst we are going through our difficulties.
So dear, dear reader, if this is where you are at right now, call out to him! Cast aside that shroud of doubt. Resist those thoughts and fears which whisper and tell you otherwise and sometimes threaten to overwhelm you. Do not cast aside your confidence and faith in the Lord.
Reflect on this: you may FEEL as if God has abandoned you, but much like the individual in the Footprints poem, far from abandoning you, he is walking besides you and when you are unable to walk, he carries you!
Dear reader, won’t you trust him, draw nearer to him, allow him to minister his love to you?
As we draw closer to Thanksgiving Day, let’s express gratitude to our Father God for his faithfulness, even when we least deserve it. And let’s be thankful that Jesus, our faithful high priest, ever lives to make intercession for us.
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I was worried about whether or not I would be able to follow through with my challenge. I don’t recall ever writing on either of my blogs for 21 consecutive days. It has been a fruitful and satisfying exercise. I do hope you enjoyed reading these posts.
If you have shared this gratitude journey with me and supported me with your visits, likes and contributions, thank you so much. It is truly appreciated.
—–oooooo000oooooo—–
Now glory be to God who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts or hopes.
(Ephesians 3:20 TLB)
Dear Father God,
Today I want to give you thanks for who you are.
You are a miracle-working God. You are able to do exceedingly abundantly above anything I could ask, or hope for. I want to thank you for those times in my life when you have come through in a way that exceeded my expectations.
And I want to thank you that there are more such instances to come in my future because you are a good, gracious God who delights in blessing your children and you have promised in your Word that you reward those who diligently seek you.
I also want to thank you that you are an unchanging God. I’ve met people who seemed to favour me one minute then ignored me the next. I’ve also had people make me promises but fail to follow through.
Now if I am honest, I myself have let others down. And so I appreciate your faithfulness. It’s so good to know that with you, I can be confident that you will never, ever change because you are the Father of lights in whom there is no variableness or shadow of turning.
What a blessing, comfort (and indeed a challenge), you are to me.
You are precious Father God and I thank you with all my heart.
Love,
Carol ♥♥♥
CREDIT: The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com
I run because it’s so symbolic of life. You have to drive yourself to overcome the obstacles. You might feel that you can’t. But then you find your inner strength, and realize you’re capable of so much more than you thought.
Arthur Blank, co-founder of Home Depot
We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort. Jesse Owens, legendary American track star
I also realize that winning doesn’t always mean getting first place; it means getting the best out of yourself. Meb Keflezighi, 2004 Olympic Marathon silver medallist
When you put yourself on the line in a race and expose yourself to the unknown, you learn things about yourself that are very exciting. Doris Brown Heritage, women’s distance running pioneer
—–oooooo000oooooo—–
Dear Father God, today I want to thank you for the achievement of Roger Bannister, the first man to run a mile in less than 4 minutes.
I am thankful for his example to me that diligent preparation, personal discipline and a decision to attempt the “impossible” can catapult me into a higher sphere of achievement.
Thank you for Bannister’s reminder to me that experts do not always have the last word. And thank you for his example to me on being a barrier-breaker.
Father God, I want to thank you that there is no barrier to me running my own race according to your pre-ordained destiny for my life—unless I place one there!
I thank you Father God for empowering and enabling me by your Word and by your Holy Spirit to be a barrier-breaker. I thank you that as I run with endurance the race you have set before me, as I keep my eyes upon Jesus (the finishing line of my faith), those barriers to creative imagination, barriers to a renewed mind-set and barriers to abundant and victorious living, are being dismantled within my life.
Thank you dear Father God for all that you have done, all that you are doing and all that you will continue to do, so I may achieve record results… so I may run my race in a manner that brings praise and glory to your awesome name.
I thank you Father God.
With love,
Carol ♥♥♥
CREDIT: The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com
Dear Father God, today I want to thank you for Sundays.
I am grateful for the opportunity to rest, reflect and review. And whilst I haven’t quite got into the swing of fully planning my week ahead, I do appreciate the fact that I am at liberty to do so.
I’m at liberty to do so because I don’t have to worry about where my next meal is coming from. If I choose, I can enjoy a fine Sunday roast, or prepare a less elaborate affair. And I can finish off my meal with a self-indulgent dessert, or choose to skip the sweet. I know that there are others who are not so fortunate.
And Father God, I’m extremely grateful that I don’t have to be concerned about where I’ll sleep tonight and whether I will be safe. I’m both aware and feel sad that this is not the case for everyone.
Dear Father God, the Easter day bombings at three churches in Sri Lanka last month has brought home to me the fact that when I attend church on Sundays, I don’t have to feel anxious or fearful that I risk being killed by terrorists.
My life is so different to someone who is persecuted for their faith, or those who are homeless, hungry, or even housebound.
And so I thank you dear Father God for the everyday blessings I enjoy and sometimes take for granted.
With much love,
Carol ♥♥♥
Related post:
Dear reader, I trust you are thankful for the blessings Father God has showered upon your life. Let’s not be guilty of hearts smeared with the stain of ingratitude.
CREDIT: The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com
The kiss of the sun for pardon. The song of the birds for mirth. One is nearer God’s heart in a garden Than anywhere else on earth.
(Dorothy Frances Gurney)
Dear Father God,
As we make our approach towards summer, today I want to thank you for my garden.
I appreciate the fact that I (who once didn’t know the difference between a plant and a weed), have been able through books and the internet, to become knowledgeable enough to plan and plant my front and back gardens.
I’m thanking you for the wonderful escape my garden affords. I’m thanking you for those days when I can enjoy sun and solitude, when I can have breakfast or lunch on the patio whilst listening to the sounds of nature and enjoying the beauty of creation. And I thank you for the joy and satisfaction of seeing the work of my own hands.
Father God, I’m also grateful for those extra special days when I share this garden with family and friends for celebrations, fellowship and fun.
It’s a simple but beautiful blessing Father God, for which I thank you.
With love,
Carol ♥♥♥
CREDIT: The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com
Today I wish to remember and give thanks for individuals such as John Wycliffeand William Tyndalewho made it possible for me to have direct access to your Word.
Thank you for those who were so committed to ensuring that ordinary people could read the Bible for themselves, they became martyrs. I thank you for their courage.
I thank you that I’m blessed to own several versions of the Bible. I’m aware that this is not always the case for Christians in other countries.
Given that your Word is a valuable resource which imparts supernatural life, given that it’s my guide to everyday living and, given that it’s a lamp to my feet and a light to my path, I cannot even begin to imagine living without direct access to the Bible when needed. And so I thank you for my privileged position.
My sincere thanks dear Father God.
Love,
Carol
If you would like to learn more about the Bible Society’s global mission work, please click here.
CREDIT: The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com
Having attended the Premier Radio Gospel awards ceremony last week, today I’d like to thank you for the various creative ways in which the good news of the gospel is shared and the people of God encouraged in their faith walk.
Thank you for those whom you have gifted and whom having developed their abilities, now affix their creative stamp upon our lives through rap, praise and worship songs, skits, blogs and inspirational videos.
I thank you for your rich treasure of talent within the Body of Christ. May all praise, glory and honour go to your name!
With love,
Carol ♥♥♥
CREDIT: The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com
I want to thank you that even before I was conceived in my mother’s womb, you planned to call me from out of a world of darkness into your marvellous light, into the kingdom of your own dear Son.
I want to thank you for orchestrating my steps, and designing my days so that everything fell into place and I “happened” to be in the right place at the right time.
I want to thank you for melting my heart, for overwhelming me with humility and softness when I had determined to harden my heart and walk out of that youth meeting the way I had come in. I wanted to continue living life on my terms.
I want to thank you that your calling was timely. As I’ve heard it said in Christian circles, there are no coincidences – only God-incidences!
And even though the time of your call did not suit me, did not fit into my calendar, it was surely the right time and I am so grateful you did.
Of course I could have still walked away, I could have still hardened my heart, I could have still ignored the tug within my spirit, but oh my dear Father God, how grateful, how absolutely happy I am today that I did not.
Thank you for calling me. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for beautifying me both inside and out, with your salvation.
I worship you Father God.
With deep gratitude and love,
Carol ♥♥
PS: If you are reading this and you would like to know how you too may enjoy salvation, please click here.
And if you have often wondered why you were born and wanted to know your purpose and the meaning of life, check out this post (click here)
CREDIT: The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com
I not only wish to thank you for supplying the means through which my husband and I can pay our bills, provide food and enjoy leisure activities, but I also wish to thank you that this job has brought me countless opportunities for emotional growth and honing of my character. I thank you for the part I play in providing a service to victims of torture.
Thank you for the insight I’ve gained from individuals who’ve been cruelly ill-treated, some for harmless activities such as attending demonstrations, or delivering leaflets and others who were targeted simply because family members were involved in political organisations that opposed the party in power.
The resilience of many of these individuals is nothing short of amazing. I thank you for their example to me of moving on with, and rebuilding their lives. I thank you for their exemplary strength of character in the face of extreme adversity.
For those who continue to struggle with fear, humiliation and shame-inducing memories, I want to thank you for bringing them to a place where they can receive the holistic care and attention they need.
I thank you Father God.
With respect and love,
Carol
CREDIT: The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com
We must allow the Word of God to confront us, to disturb our security, to undermine our complacency and to overthrow our patterns of thought and behaviour.
― John Stott
Dear Father God,
Today I want to thank you for your Word.
I want to thank you that I can depend upon it 100 per cent. You said that heaven and earth may pass away but not one iota of your Word will become obsolete. And in order to guarantee us assurance regarding the truth and dependability of your Word, when you could find no greater, you swore by yourself!
So, I thank you Father God that you are not like politicians, who are notorious for breaking their promises.
I thank you that when I stand upon a portion of scripture, which speaks to my personal circumstance, I can be confident that you are not making empty promises.
Thank you Father God!
With love,
Carol ♥♥♥
CREDIT: The above CC0 images come courtesy of Pixabay.com
Today, here in the UK, we are enjoying a beautiful sunny day. I trust wherever in the world you happen to be right now that even if the weather is not so favourable, you are enjoying a beautiful sunny climate within your soul.
As many of you will be aware, I am partway through a personal blog challenge, where I’ve decided to write a gratitude post for 21 consecutive days. Would you care to come join me?
If so, all you need to do is write a post linking back to this one, or write your contribution in one of the comment boxes below.
I’m surprised that so far more people didn’t feel they could (even once!), or else chose not to participate. My thanks to those who did. He is surely worthy!
And now, what about you?
—–oooooo000oooooo—–
My nourishment comes from doing the will of God who sent me, and from finishing his work.
(John 4:34 TLB)
When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished,” and bowed his head and dismissed his spirit.
(John 19:30)
Dear Lord Jesus,
As someone who has historically failed to finish various things I’ve begun, today I am so appreciative of the fact that you actually finishedwhat God had sent you to do.
It’s absolutely marvellous that you healed the sick, opened blind eyes, delivered those who were demonically oppressed and possessed. No argument about that in my mind!
But what would have happened to me, what would have happened to the entire world, what would have happened to God’s salvation plan, if you had not finished what you’d been sent to do?
What would have happened, if in the Garden of Gethsemane you had just given up, or decided that you didn’t want to continue to the point of separation from your Father God, to the ultimate point of death (and such a cruel one to boot!)?
What would have happened?
And so today, dear Lord Jesus, I am so, so thankful that you were committed to finish what you’d started.
I’m infinitely grateful that you were committed to honouring and fulfilling your Father’s will, no matter what the cost.
I’m thankful for your courage and self-sacrifice—since you finishing was not like finishing a physical race where all bystanders and participants can see your glorious finish and hail you the victor.
You finishing looked ugly and demoralising and was seen as something utterly shameful! And yet you chose to finish.
Lord, I thank you for your beautiful but challenging example. I can never, ever find the appropriate words, or summon up enough from my reserves of gratitude to offer you thanks fitting enough for what you accomplished.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Lord. And I thank you too dear Father God.
With much love and awe,
Carol ♥♥♥
CREDIT: The above CC0 images come courtesy of Pixabay.com
We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far.
Swami Vivekananda
It takes but one positive thought when given a chance to survive and thrive to overpower an entire army of negative thoughts.
Robert H. Schuller
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…
(Proverbs 27:3)
“The soul becomes dyed with the colour of its thoughts.”
― Marcus Aurelius
—–oooooo000oooooo—–
Dear Father God,
Today I’d like to give you thanks for the specialised knowledge and expertise of practitioners such as Dr Caroline Leaf in the field of neuroscience. I thank you for the astounding facts regarding neuroplasticity, which has come to my knowledge.
What an amazing God you are! Truly as the psalmist observed, we are most fearfully and wonderfully made!
I’m so grateful that negative attitudes and patterns of thinking can be changed. Lord, as I look back on my life and recall how depressed I used to be, how negative my thoughts were and how pessimistic my general outlook, I am so grateful for the changes wrought within me.
Thank you for the available knowledge. Thank you for bringing this to my attention and thank you for bringing me to that place where I chose to act upon what I learned.
I recognise that there is still more work to be done, so I commit my thought life into your hands and thank you in anticipation of your continued work within me.
I thank you Father God.
With love,
Carol ♥♥♥
CREDIT: The above CC0 images come courtesy of Pixabay.com
Hello dear readers. It’s Day 10 of my blog challenge to write a gratitude post for 21 consecutive days.
Would you like to join me in this challenge? If so, you can simply share your own post and link back to mine, or leave your contribution in a comment box below.
May I encourage you to do this even for one week? Of course you may wish to keep your thoughts private and write in a journal and that’s perfectly fine. Just mention in a comment box below that you are taking part. You will truly find it a benefit and God just loves our expressions of gratitude. So go on – make His day!
—–oooooo000oooooo—–
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
(2 Timothy 1:7)
“Fear can keep us up all night long, but faith makes one fine pillow.”
Father God,
Today I want to offer my grateful thanks that I’ve not been given a spirit of fear. And I also want to thank you for the comfort and power resident in your Word, which I often use to meditate upon and confess, in order to counteract those feelings of fear or anxiety, which has sought at times to overwhelm me.
Whether those fears were for my health or safety, or concern about what others thought of me, or anxiety for my loved ones, I’ve come to realise that those fears were needless.
In this age, where there seems to be any number of reasons to be afraid (the threat of terrorism, debilitating illnesses and terminal disease, or catastrophe of some sort), I thank you that you are teaching me to develop and exercise a sound mind with disciplined thought patterns. I thank you that you are enabling me to reject that spirit of fear and focus upon your abiding presence, for you have promised that you will never leave me or forsake me.
I thank you Father God.
Love,
Carol ♥♥♥
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For you are with me;
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
(Psalm 23:4)
The following are two posts I have written regarding this topic, which you may care to read.
If you would like to download a free booklet of tips on how to overcome fear and anxiety, please click here. (Scroll down a little and look to your right for the free guide).
CREDIT: The above CC0 images come courtesy of Pixabay.com
…yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.
And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor me.
(John 16:2-3 NKJV)
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
(Matthew 10:28 NKJV)
Father God,
Today I am thankful that I live in a country where I am free to worship and serve you and need not be afraid of reprisals.
In particular, I think of the recent bombing in Sri Lanka and in general, I think of places such as North Korea, Pakistan and Sudan, where persecuted Christians cannot be open about their faith.
Forgive me for sometimes taking this freedom for granted and not always appreciating the privileged position I hold here in this nation.
It seems awful thanking you for not experiencing something that other brothers and sisters in Christ have to suffer, particularly in light of the recent happenings in Sri Lanka. I am nevertheless appreciative of my position here in the UK.
Thank you Father God.
Love,
Carol xx
If you’d like to know more about how to help your persecuted brothers and sisters, please click on any of the following links:
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
(Romans 5:8 NKJV)
Good morning Father God,
Today, I’d like to thank you for your everlasting, extravagant and unconditional love for me. It takes my breath away.
I cannot understand why you should love me the way that you do, or how you can love the entire world and demonstrate that love by sending your Son, Jesus, to die for us, to die for me.
It is particularly amazing to me because not everyone in the world is lovable… and there are those in the world that do not care two hoots about you and your love. In fact, they scoff about the very idea of there being a God!
So why do you love us soooo much? I cannot even begin to fully comprehend this but I can tell you that I am grateful, so grateful.
And much like your unfailing mercies, your unconditional love for me, your beautiful brand of love for the entire world, challenges me because you say that I should emulate you.
I try.
And the more I try to love the unlovable, the more I seek to put into practice your command to love but fail at doing so, or baulk at loving those who reject me, then the more my eyes are opened, the more my heart understands and appreciates just how precious, how wonderful, how wide and deep your unconditional love is.
I thank you Father God.
Love,
Carol ♥♥♥
CREDIT: The above CC0 images come courtesy of Pixabay.com
Hello dear readers. It’s Day 7 of my blog challenge to write a gratitude post for 21 consecutive days.
Why not join me in this Gratitude challenge?
You can simply share your own post and link back to mine, or leave your contribution in a comment box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
—–oooooo000oooooo—–
Father God,
I want to thank you today that you are a God who hears and answers prayers.
It is such a blessing, such a relief to know that I can come to you at any time of the day or night and share my concerns, fears and problems with you. It is reassuring to know that my prayers have not fallen upon deaf ears.
Unlike other “gods” who may have ears but cannot hear and may have mouths but cannot speak, you are a true and living God!
You have promised in your Word that before I even call, you will answer me and whilst I am still speaking you will hear (Isaiah 65:24 NKJV).
Father God, I thank you for those prayers that you have answered in the past – prayers for healing, prayers for protection or provision, prayers for deliverance from fear and for peace, prayers for intervention in family issues, prayers for direction.
And yes, there have been requests that were denied and there are prayers for which I still await a response (or have I somehow failed to realise that your answer is “No”?), however, these do not take away from my past experience, or current confidence in you as a good and gracious God, as a God who hears and answers prayers.
So, from the bottom of my heart dear Father God, I thank you.
Love,
Carol ♥♥♥
If you’d like to read an excellent article on why our prayers are sometimes not answered, please click here.
CREDIT: The above CC0 images come courtesy of Pixabay.com
It’s the sixth day of my personal blog challenge, to write a gratitude post for 21 consecutive days.
Did you know that the practice of gratitude can increase your levels of well-being? An interesting article on why gratitude is deemed to be important, can be found here.
Why not join me in this Gratitude challenge?
Simply share your own post and link back to mine, or leave your contribution in a comment box below.
C’mon – I challenge you!
—–oooooo000oooooo—–
Father God,
I want to thank you today for the heroes and sheroes of this world (both past and present); influential men and women, who have helped to make this world a better place.
I’d firstly like to say “thank you” for sending Jesus to this earth, to represent you and reconcile us (the lost) to yourself.
He is the epitome of all that is good and noble and virtuous and demonstrated total commitment to your Word and your will.
I also want to thank you for the likes of Mother Teresa, Emmeline Pankhurst, Martin Luther King Jnr, John Newton, Maya Angelou and Nelson Mandela.
Thank you for the examples they are to us of radical transformation, passionate pursuit of dreams or ideals, and an uncompromising stand for equality and justice.
Finally, I wish to thank you for my own precious mother, for her example to me as a loyal church member, active worker in the Body of Christ and diligent prayer warrior. Thank you for her life and example of love for, and faithful dedication to you.
Dear Father God, thank you for blessing this world with such amazing personalities. I thank you for their inspirational lives and wonderful legacy.
Thank you Father God.
Love,
Carol ♥♥♥
CREDIT: The above CC0 images come courtesy of Pixabay.com
It is day 5 of my blog challenge to write a gratitude post for 21 consecutive days.
If you would like to join in, you can either share your own post and link back to mine, or leave your contribution in a comment box below. Hope to hear from you!
—–oooooo000oooooo—–
With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.
Eleanor Roosevelt
Good morning Father God.
Today, I want to thank you for another new day.
I want to thank you that this day finds me rested and refreshed and ready to meet its opportunities and challenges. I want to thank you because each new day offers me a chance to recognise and bask in the glory of your goodness.
Thank you Father God for my increasing awareness that whether I experience a good or a bad day is entirely up to me. It depends upon my choices. It depends upon my thoughts. And so I’m training myself to cast down every thought and imagination which exalts itself against the knowledge of Christ. I’m training myself to focus upon thoughts of peace and prosperity, thoughts which are praiseworthy and virtuous.
Of course, I have absolutely no control over others and how they may choose to (mis)treat me. But by your grace and by the help of your Holy Spirit, I do possess the power to rise above anything that is contrary to your promises, or your perfect will for my life. Whether I invoke that power is my choice!
And so dear Father God, I thank you again for this brand new day. It is your precious gift of life to me and how I choose to use it, is my gift to myself and to others around me. I therefore choose to colour my day beautiful.
CREDIT: The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Quang Le at Pixabay.com
Dear reader, in case you were not aware, I decided at the beginning of this month to challenge myself and write a gratitude post for 21 consecutive days. Today is day 4.
If you’d like to join me, please feel free to either share your own post and link back to mine, or leave your contribution in a comment box below.
Today I’d like to thank you for your mercies which are new every morning. I thank you that you delight in showing mercy.
When I consider just how merciful you are, it challenges me regarding my own behaviour towards others who hurt me, especially those who habitually and deliberately offend me.
I am reminded of your Word, which says when we stand praying, if we have anything against others then we should forgive them. (So, do I get away with it because I am usually sitting when I pray? No? I thought not!) 🙂
You also said as we forgive others, so you will forgive us. In other words, the measure of mercy I extend to others is what will be given back to me! A challenging and sobering thought.
And so Father God, I want to thank you for the many times you have graciously overlooked my failure to comply with your Word. And I want to thank you for your patience with me as you continue to work within my heart, bringing me to that place where I not only desire to obey, but also obediently fulfil your will.
Father God, I agree with the writer of Lamentations (see above). I know that if it had not been for your daily mercies, I would have already been consumed—consumed by the Enemy of my soul… consumed by danger or catastrophe… consumed by disappointments and failures… consumed by sickness or disease… consumed by my own self-sabotaging behaviour.
Father God, I am infinitely grateful to you for your unceasing mercies.
It is day 3 of my blog challenge to write a gratitude post for 21 consecutive days.
How about you joining me?
You can either share your own post and link back to mine, or leave your contribution in a comment box below. Hope to hear from you!
—–oooooo000oooooo—–
Oh, that men [and women] would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And declare His works with rejoicing.
(Psalm 107:21-22 NKJV)
Father God,
Today I’d like to thank you for my cross.
I can hardly believe that I’m saying this but I say it again with sincerity – thank you for my cross.
I don’t always feel this way and I’m sure (if past history is anything to go by) that circumstances will find me feeling less than thankful about it at some point in the future, perhaps even before the week is over.
You smile, because you know it’s true and in fact you already know what troublesome situations lay ahead of me and how I shall react.
But today, after a short season of reflection on the passion of Christ, after contemplating the wonder of your sacrificial love, after realising afresh the debt I can never repay, I want to lift up my hands and my heart in grateful adoration.
And yes, Lord Jesus, I thank you for my cross, for the opportunity to follow you on my own personal road of suffering, self-sacrifice and self-denial.
I want to remember the unimaginable price paid. I need to be reminded of the fact that Father God’s kingdom principle for spiritual growth and supernatural empowerment is—cross, crucifixion, then crown. Forgive me for only wanting the crown.
Once again, I want to thank you Lord Jesus for all you accomplished through the pain and shame of your cross, at Calvary.
And dear Father God, thank you for all that you will accomplish in and through me, as I carry my own cross, as I endure the pain and shame of Carol’s cross.
I thank you Father God.
Love from,
Carol ♥♥♥
And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
(Matthew 10:38 NKJV)
And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be my disciple.
(Luke 14:27)
Dear reader, you may wish to read another post of mine relating to this topic of carrying our cross. If so, please click here
CREDIT: the above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com
In case you haven’t heard, I’ve given myself the challenge of writing a gratitude post for 21 consecutive days.
Will you come join me?
I’d love it if you could.
You can either share your own post and link back to mine, or leave your contribution in a comment box below. Hope to hear from you!
—–oooooo000oooooo—–
The gift of self cannot be given to us. It is an incomparable gift that has already been given. We have possessed it from the beginning.
Gerry Spence
“What you are is God’s gift to you, what you become is your gift to God.” ― Hans Urs von Balthasar, Prayer
Father God,
Please accept this package sent express to you today.
It has been wrapped with pleasure (but slight trepidation), tied with the ribbons of commitment and prettified with the beautiful bow of love.
Should anyone look inside, its content (or lack thereof), will not perhaps make sense to them. In fact, should they not have the gift of discernment (see what I did there Lord?), and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, they just will not understand. How could they?
But you, my dear omniscient Father and friend, will certainly comprehend.
So, for the sake of my readers and for the benefit of the Enemy, let me elaborate on your parcel’s seemingly invisible content.
It contains my heart. Not the physical organ which beats within my person according to your rhythmic grace, but the very essence of my being.
It’s yours to shape as you see fit, as you have already determined to do before the earth’s foundation was laid… before I was conceived in my mother’s womb. Please accept it as a token of my gratitude for your generous gift of salvation.
Today, dear Father God, as I entrust you with my life and allow you to mould me so you can use me to serve others, I want to thank you for giving my life meaning and purpose. And I want to thank you for my incredible future.
I thank you Father God.
CREDIT: the above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com
In celebration of this new month, I’ve decided to challenge myself by writing a post for 21 consecutive days. And given that we’ve just celebrated Easter, as a token of my appreciation for sending his Son, Jesus, to die for me… for calling me into his kingdom… for redeeming me from the hand of the Enemy and redeeming me from the curse of the Law, I’d like to publicly love on God. So this a 21-day opportunity to send Father-God my thanks. Will you join me?
I’d love it if you would.
You can either share your own post and link back to mine, or leave your contribution in a comment box below. Come on! Why not take some time out of your busy lives and tell him (and in doing so, tell us), why you’d like to thank him? After all, he’s worthy!
—–oooooo000oooooo—–
Father God,
Today I want to thank you for your incredible peace. A peace that goes beyond human understanding. A precious quality of peace that cannot be explained.
It’s a peace which calms, ousts, pervades, settles – i.e. it calms my fears (whatever the source), ousts anxieties, pervades my senses with Holy Spirit serenity and settles my doubts.
And when those cares, anxieties and fears re-surface, threaten to overwhelm me, tries to topple me, floor me, undermine my faith, my emotional pillars of strength, I merely have to call out to you, reach out and cling to you, cling to the Rock of your comforting presence.
Because when I do this, when your wonderful peace weaves its awesome magic, then I know that you are in control. I know that all is well. Yes, all is well within my soul.
I thank you Father God.
With love,
Carol ♥ ♥ ♥
CREDIT: the above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com
The freeing of humanity from sin by Christ’s death on the cross
—————————————————————————————————-———-
The Bible encourages us to do so but when last have you uttered this important truth?
What truth?
The amazing fact, the absolute reality that you have been redeemed!
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!
I try to declare this regularly, even several times a day.
Have you acknowledged?
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy
(Psalms 107:2)
Today, as I consider the story of Easter, as I remember the resurrection of Jesus, as I celebrate my redemption and He who has made it possible, I can only humbly lift my hands and say: I am redeemed.
And whilst I declare this fact with triumph, I’m reminded that my redemption came at a price:
Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold […] but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
(1 Peter 1:18-19)
The shedding of blood requires death. And in the context of our Easter story, only Jesus’ death would do.
But Hallelujah! Jesus is alive.
Have you appreciated?
The joy of our Easter message is that he was dead. He was buried. But today, he is alive!
I can face tomorrow no matter what tomorrow, or even today brings.
Even if my future holds abandonment (like Christ’s disciples), betrayal (like Judas), denial (like Peter), fickle love (like those who spread palm leaves in Jesus’ path then later cried “crucify him!”), rejection (like that of the scribes and Pharisees), or reluctance to side with me openly (like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea)—I can (and I have determined in my heart that I will), face today, face tomorrow with faith, with boldness, with an unwavering commitment to follow Christ.
I will, because the Word of God tells me that I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.
I will, because Jesus is worthy.
I will, because Jesus and Father God have done so much for me, and provided all the spiritual resources I could ever need, in order to triumph, in order to walk victorious in life, in order to combat the pernicious lies of the Enemy, in order to stand strong against his unrelenting attempts to undermine my confidence in God, to unleash the forces of evil, destruction and hatred within and against my life, within and against the lives of my loved ones, against the people of God, against God’s good and perfect will for the world he created.
Yes.
I am redeemed!
I. Am. Redeemed.
Have you appropriated?
I’m redeemed from the hands of the Enemy and I’m redeemed from the curse of the Law. When Jesus died upon the cross he became a curse for me, and for the entire world. It was all part of God’s great and grand plan of salvation. Jesus became a curse, so I, so the entire world (if they choose), may be freed from that curse and enjoy the blessings, favour and protection of God.
Now, I don’t want what God has freely given to me (his generous salvation package of redemption, restoration and eternal life), to not be fully appropriated in my life. I don’t want Jesus’ supreme sacrifice to be in vain, or for God’s resurrection power to not be fully activated in my life, just because I’m living less than I could, or should.
I want to honour him. I want to demonstrate my love and gratitude to him – ALWAYS! Not just when I’m experiencing the ecstatic highs of being in his presence during praise and worship. Not just when all is going according to my plans. Not just when the present scenarios of my life look picture perfect.
God demands that I love Him with all of my mind, heart, soul and strength. This may seem extreme, or even egotistical. And to the unregenerate heart, such a command may even seem a little controlling.
But why would he ask for anything less?
I mean no disrespect but my God is an all or nothing guy. When it comes to our commitment to him, He is a jealous God! And why shouldn’t He be? He has given his all. Furthermore, He sent his only son to give his all. So, why should I do less? How could I?
Have you affirmed?
When I examine and analyse and meditate upon the breadth and length, depth and height of God’s love for me that he would send Jesus to die for me; when I do so with the measure of understanding that I have as a mere mortal, and when I consider the cost to my Father God, the cost to my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ—how can I live any longer purely for myself? How can I ignore the ultimate price that was paid?
Nay. I cannot!
Only ignorance would do so. Only complete and utter selfishness would do so. Only arrogance would even consider doing so.
I cannot! I will not. This Easter, I am realising afresh that I am not my own. I’ve been bought with a price. A high price. A terrible price.
And so, today I cry out to you Father God. I cry out to you with a heart full of gratitude. I cry out to you in wonder and amazement. How is it that you love me so? How is it that you chose to redeem me at such a costly price as the precious blood of your only begotten Son, Jesus?
“…Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
“My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb… ”
(Genesis 22:7-8)
Father God, I bow my knees. I bow my heart. I submit my life, my hopes, my dreams, my future to you afresh. You are amazing. Your love is amazing. Your sacrifice is astounding – in fact, it is beyond comprehension. It is beyond words.
Thank you Father God. Thank you my dear, sweet Saviour and Lord.
Dear reader, Jesus is very much alive and because he died, because he now lives—I AM REDEEMED!
Hallelujah!
—–oooooo000oooooo—–
WoW friends and followers, if you agree with the sentiments expressed in this post, if you are grateful for Christ’s supreme sacrifice, if you’d like to join me in responding to God’s extravagant and unconditional love, please say “Thank You Father God” in a comment box below.
Happy Easter!
CREDIT: The above CC0 images come courtesy of Pixabay.com
As those who have followed me for some time and regularly read my posts are aware, I love to acknowledge new followers.
I don’t always get around to thanking you all in person as much as I’d like to do, but I don’t want anyone thinking you have gone unnoticed.
No way!
I appreciate you!
I’m honoured when you take the time to read and engage with me regarding my posts. I hope you will continue to find them a benefit and blessing to your life.
So, this post is in honour of you all, both old and new. This post serves as a vehicle to express my heartfelt appreciation. I enjoy my exchanges with those who interact and hope our relationship will continue. I pray God will continue to use my words to inspire or challenge – not only you but also myself. And may He use these posts to motivate us as a community to achieve, grow and live our best lives!
Wishing you all a blessed and victorious week ahead.
With sincere love and gratitude,
Carol
(aka Lady Cee)
Have you been blessed by my posts? If so, please don’t hesitate to leave me a comment (I just love the encouragement) and also feel free to share them with your social media contacts.
CREDIT: The above image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com
My heartfelt thanks to all followers and readers for supporting me with your visits, comments and likes. It has truly been a blessing and an honour to share my thoughts with you.
Wishing you all God’s very best and I look forward to the pleasure of your visits throughout the coming year.
“As the year comes to a close, it is a time for reflection – a time to release old thoughts and beliefs and forgive old hurts. Whatever has happened in the past year, the New Year brings fresh beginnings. Exciting new experiences and relationships await. Let us be thankful for the blessings of the past and the promise of the future.”
― Peggy Toney Horton
For years, decades even, I could not let go of the malicious things people said and did to me. Believe me when I say, I was not being totally paranoid. I had people in my life who’d decided they were going to systematically target me and undermine my self-esteem, my reputation, relationships and career prospects.
Christian or not, when such spiteful and unwarranted behaviour continues from day to day, week to week, month to month, even year to year, it can take its toll on your character, on your relationship with God or others and, on your ability to grow and develop as an individual, as a disciple of Christ. It can even take its toll on your ability to enjoy every-day life.
As the years clocked by, I allowed these people to get into my head. I allowed bitterness to take root in my heart and I allowed resentment to influence my actions. I became a victim.
It was only when I suddenly woke up to the fact that if God loves me unconditionally, cares about me and has complete control (which I did believe), and that if God is omniscient and therefore aware of my predicament and the actions of those perpetrators (which I had no doubt that He is and was aware), then my Father God must be allowing the circumstances—and if He is allowing it, then it is for a reason.
My choice at that point was to either submit my will to His, or rebel against it. Submitting would demonstrate to both God and Satan that my frequent prayer: “not my will Lord God but Your will be done, in and through my life” was not just an empty platitude.
It took much fretting, agonising and dying to self before I understood that God was not going to respond to my complaints, or cries of outrage, or bargaining, or unhappiness. I finally had to accept that my Father God responds only to faith and obedience.
Now, I’m not saying that I’ve arrived, or that I’m perfect (far from it!). However, I can now confidently declare that I no longer see myself as a victim. I can humbly testify that my predicament gave me ample opportunities to make mature choices, appropriate God’s strength, use his spiritual weapons and learn to walk in life as a victorious overcomer.
I share this post, having been inspired by today’s devotional reading, which focused on the following verse of scripture:
…forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal…
(Philippians 3:13 NKJV)
Dear fellow-believer,
Dear precious woman of God,
Dear WoW follower or visitor,
We are at the threshold of a brand new year.
And so dear reader, as you enter 2018, where applicable, may I encourage you to leave behind any disappointments, failings, grudges or other victim behaviour from your past?
May I encourage you to enter into this New Year with a godly resolve to be the best person you can be as a new creation in Christ?
May I encourage you dear Child of God to appropriate and live the best life (i.e. the God-quality type of life) that you possibly can, so you may be that bright spiritual light, that sanctified dispenser of salt, that God-glorifying and victorious overcomer, you have been called to be?
This Week’s Prayer Focus:
Let’s pray for the New Year ahead and the fresh opportunities it brings to walk in a manner that pleases God, to grow in our knowledge of and relationship with him and, to enjoy our every-day lives.
PRAYER:
Loving Father God,
I want to praise and thank you for your goodness, mercies and blessings throughout this current year.
Thank you for keeping both me and my loved ones safe from harm, danger and evil. Thank you for supplying my daily needs. I ask that you keep me ever appreciative of your divine presence, protection and provision. May I never take my salvation for granted, or squander the priceless privilege, which you have granted to me as your heir.
Lord God, you already know what 2018 has in store for me. I choose to enter this year with an expectation that whatever I face, you have given me the ability to reign in my circumstances through Christ, who strengthens me. You have given me the spiritual resources to emerge as a victorious overcomer.
I commit my dreams, goals and vision into your hands. Your Word advises me to commit my works to the Lord and to acknowledge you in all my ways, so that you may direct my paths. I therefore do so in faith and with confidence that throughout this new year, you will cause all things (both good and bad), to work together for my advancement and welfare.
Lord Jesus, I want to thank you that you ever live to make intercession for me and I thank you for being a faithful high priest. As I offer my life as a daily sacrifice and in service to my Father God, I ask that you make it acceptable in His sight. I ask that you cause my accomplishments, worship and prayers to rise as sweet incense before God’s presence.
Holy Spirit, I acknowledge my need of you and therefore call upon you. Enable and empower me to walk in agreement with God’s Word and in obedience to His will. Fill me afresh with your anointed presence each new day. Fill me with the peace of God that transcends natural understanding. Fill me with the wisdom of God, so that I know what to do, how and when to do it. Give me ears to hear and understand my Father God’s guidance and direction. Help me to recognise His voice, to differentiate between what He is saying, what the Enemy implies and accuses, or what my selfish instincts dictate.
Father God, thank you for hearing my prayer today. I believe you’ve heard me and because I have asked in faith and have prayed in the name of your Son, Jesus, I am confident that you will grant my request. Amen.
Sunday’s Supplications invites you to not only read the posts but also participate in the prayers. Each fortnight, I hope to introduce a new theme and prayer focus. You are welcome to print off and use each prayer provided, either verbatim or adapted for your particular circumstance. Even better, you can construct your own prayer and share with others by linking to this post. Please note, you do not have to be a blogger to participate.
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Women of Warfare followers and readers I wish you a successful and triumphant year, filled with God’s abundant blessings and perpetual favour.
Have a wonderful week!
CREDIT: The above CC0 images come courtesy of Pixabay.com
Last week, we looked at the heart-breaking truth of people who for some reason cannot accept the reality of God, yet desperately wish they could. We learned through the testimony of one man that there are agnostics who wish they could believe, who wish they could experience the comfort and confidence that our faith in God provides.
Which brings me to today’s theme.
Often, as Christians, we can take our faith, our salvation for granted. Sometimes we fail to appreciate what we have.
Relationships take hard work. We know this from our own experience with others—whether it’s a family member, a partner, a work colleague, a neighbour. And so when it comes to our relationship with God, things are no different. We have to work at it!
Now the Bible reminds us that sometimes we can allow affection for God and our commitment to things relating to his kingdom, to slide. Other things get in the way. Other things become a priority.
In Revelation 3:14-22 we read that the Laodicean church received a grave warning. They’d become blasé and lukewarm about their faith and their walk with God. Not cold. Not hot. Lukewarm. And God was having none of it.
Priscilla Shirer in her excellent book Fervent suggests that stealing our passion for God is a deliberate tactic of Satan. She says when our passion dims, our resistance to temptation is lowered, whilst our discouragement levels heighten. When passion dims, our faith in God is weakened.
Again, if you’ve ever read though the entire Bible, you will be aware that there were instances in the history of the Children of Israel when they served God with all their heart. But there were also times when they allowed themselves to be drawn away from their vows of adoration, commitment and faith. Despite all the miracles they witnessed. Despite all the victories they experienced. Despite the many instances of God’s miraculous provision.
And so we can see clearly that even though we are committed, born-again Christians, as human beings, we are prone to making the same mistakes as the Children of Israel and members of the Laodicean church.
So let me ask, where are you in this regard? When you look back to the days when you first committed your life to Christ and compare it to now, has your love for God increased, or diminished?
If the latter, recognise that whilst you do have a responsibility for where you are at in your relationship with God, you also have an Enemy, who is actively seeking to break your focus, undermine your faith, and sabotage your relationship with the Lord.
So, what should you and I do when we examine our lives and note we are not where we should be in terms of our relationship with God?
We should:
Recognise
Resist
Re-connect
Recognise our state. Recognise the danger.
Resist the Enemy. Resist our own petty inclinations.
Re-connect to God. Reconnect with the spiritual resources and godly people, which help to fuel our passion for the Lord.
Dear believer, there are people out there who envy what you have in terms of your relationship with God—so cherish it, nurture it, celebrate it!
This Week’s Prayer Focus:
For ourselves. For our brothers and sisters in Christ. That depending on where we are in our relationship with God, our passion will increase, or be rekindled.
Father God,
I am so thankful that you are who you are. I am thankful that you are an unchanging God and that your love for me is everlasting and unconditional. You deserve that I reciprocate this love.
I want to obey your command and love you with all of my heart, mind, soul and strength. Forgive me for the times when I fail to do so. Forgive me for the times when I allow other things, other people to take first place in my life. Help me to recognise quickly when my commitment to you has waned, and whenever this happens, create a fervent desire within me to rectify this.
Father God, I recognise that I cannot maintain my passion for you, for the things pertaining to your kingdom, in my own strength and ability. It is you who works within me to both will and fulfil your good pleasure, satisfaction and delight.
Lord God, I don’t want to be cold. I certainly don’t want to be lukewarm. Help me to emulate those people in the Bible such as King David, or St. Paul, whose passion for you and commitment to your purpose remained constant.
Heavenly Father, just as I pray for myself, I wish to pray for my brothers and sisters in Christ, particularly those amongst my readership. I ask that you create within them a strong, steadfast spirit. I ask that you open their eyes, so that they may see and recognise every attempt by the Enemy to sabotage their faith in, and relationship with, you. I ask that you grant them the ability and the tenacity to resist Satan’s tactics within and against their lives.
Father God, if disappointment, discouragement, disillusionment, or disinterest has set in, I ask right now that you break through the lies and false accusations of the Enemy and enable those affected to refocus their thoughts upon the truths of your Word. I ask that you minister hope, assurance, comfort and peace to their souls. I ask that you renew the passion and commitment they once enjoyed. I ask that you both remind and influence them to wear their spiritual armour, so that they can protect themselves from the fiery darts of the Enemy.
Father God, we thank you for your daily mercies and ongoing patience. May we be ever grateful to you for your goodness and loving-kindness and may we not take your grace and our salvation for granted.
Sunday’s Supplications invites you to not only read the posts but also participate in the prayers. Each week, I hope to introduce a new theme and prayer focus. You are welcome to print off and use each prayer provided, either verbatim or adapted for your particular circumstance. Even better, you can construct your own prayer and share with others by linking to this post. Please note, you do not have to be a blogger to participate.
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Women of Warfare followers and readers have a wonderful week!
CREDIT: The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Gordon Johnson at Pixabay.com
During my quiet time this morning, I was reflecting on a facet of God’s amazing greatness.
You see the evening before, I’d been feeling tired and demotivated. And even though I felt I should get up from my settee and do something constructive towards my goals, after a long day at work, I just didn’t feel like doing anything. I had neither the energy nor the inclination. And so I gave in to my feelings.
As I prepared to spend time in God’s presence the following morning, I thought about how God never gets tired and his interest in us never wanes. It caused me to be thankful that he is who he is and that I can depend upon him to always be the same.
Today I want to give my Father God thanks and praise because no matter how I feel, no matter what I have done (or not done), no matter whether I feel too tired, or too discouraged to spend time with him, He will never change!
He will always love me. He will always welcome me into his presence.
Our God will never be too busy to hear our prayers (or our complaints). He will never be too cross or offended, to care about our needs.
Psalm 147:3-4 tells us that:
He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds
He counts the number of stars and calls them all by name.
Now that set me thinking. I wondered, what is the connection between wounded hearts and stars?
The answer that came to my heart was this:
Whether a matter is great or small, nothing escapes God’s notice. It may be as hidden and seemingly insignificant as a broken heart, or as conspicuous and majestic as the stars, God notices. And whilst we may look up and just see a mass of stars, God looks and sees individual celestial bodies. He knows how many there are and he even names them.
Beloved reader, he sees you. He cares about you more than you can ever comprehend.
What a wonderful, wonderful God we serve. Is he not worthy of our heartfelt praise?
Praise:
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
And His greatness is unsearchable.
(Psalm 145:3)
Prayer:
Dear Father God,
How wonderful you are. You are beyond comprehension. It’s just mind-boggling to know that one so great, so perfect, so holy would deign to love a fickle, imperfect and sinful people. Thank you for reaching down and offering us a new life on a higher plane.
Open our eyes Lord that we might see you in the beauty of your holiness, that we might appreciate your greatness and glory. Open our hearts Lord that we might love and worship you the way you truly deserve.
Amen.
Worship:
Women of Warfare followers and visitors have a blessed week!
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Credits: CC0 Images used are courtesy of Pixabay.com
There have been many times when I’ve told you how I feel about you. I’ve told you during my private devotional times, during public praise and worship sessions at church meetings, during my day when my thoughts run across you.
I love, love, love you—with all my heart, mind and soul.
If I am honest, I don’t think I’m at the point where I can say that I love you more than life itself but I do desire, hope and trust that the measure and quality of my love for you will increase more and more, will deepen and widen as time goes by.
Because dear Father God, you deserve all the love in the world, all the love in the universe. You are worthy of all love and adoration and I want to love you the way you deserve—totally, utterly and without distraction.
May I tell you why I love you dear Father God?
I know you know anyway because you are omniscient (love that word!). But I want to tell you anyhow. I want to spell it out in black and white for all the world to see. I want the world to know what a great God you are, what a wonderful, merciful, loving, gracious and faithful father you are.
I want anyone who reads this, who does not have such a relationship with you, to be curious, to covet the same for themselves, to even call out to you, asking that you reveal yourself to them and become their loving spiritual father.
I want this because I know there can be no greater association that anyone could possibly have in their life. I want this because I know that I know, that I know, there can be no more beneficial, life-enhancing and wholesome relationship that anyone could hope to have. I want this because you offer your love, your salvation package, as a free gift to anyone who desires it. And this free, generous gift is an absolute treasure.
And so my dear Father God, on this day, Fathers’ Day, a day to appreciate human fathers, it is only fitting that I acknowledge you and celebrate you and tell you how much you mean to me.
Where do I start?
First, let me thank you for your foresight in devising your plan of salvation. Let me thank you for not leaving me in the clutches of the Enemy but sending your Son, your precious, holy, only-begotten Son, to come down to Earth and lay down his life for me, so that I can be reconciled to you, so that I can experience and enjoy abundant life, soul peace and supernatural blessings. Thank you Father God!
I want to thank you Father God, for your precious, extravagant, everlasting, unconditional love and the assurance that this quality of love which you have for me, means you will always love me no matter how much I might fail, or fall short of your standards.
Dear Father God, I’m grateful that your love never changes, never diminishes and will never, ever be withdrawn from me.
Father God, as the years have passed and I’ve experienced the conditional love and even the rejection of others around me, let me tell you that the awesome depth, irrevocable quality and sincerity of your stupendous love has been thrown into sharp and stark contrast, when compared to the fickle love, or hatred of others.
For your unchanging, unconditional love, I most heartily thank you Father God.
I want to thank you for the future you have planned and prepared for me. Like all loving parents, you have provided the resources for me to succeed in life – all I have to do is ask, all I have to do is trust! And, unlike human parents, your resources can never and will never run dry, will never lose their value, or effectiveness, or impact.
What a wonderful God you are! What a wonderful privilege you have given to me. What supreme confidence you have placed in me. Amazing love! An amazing father!
Father God, thank you, thank you, thank you for divinely protecting me over these years. Even when I look back over my life to before I acknowledged Christ as my personal Saviour, to before I’d invited him to become the Lord and Master of my life, you had your hand of divine protection over and upon me.
I am humbled. I am astounded. I am utterly grateful. Thank you Father God!
My dear, precious heavenly father, I could go on and on about your goodness, about your attributes, about your marvellous interventions within my life but I won’t weary my readers.
Suffice it to say that I choose to acknowledge and celebrate you on this special day. Suffice it to say that I desire to honour you dear Father God, not only with my lips but also with my lifestyle. Suffice it to say that I adore you Father God, with all my heart.
“Count your blessings and be grateful not a great fool.” ― Habeeb Akande
Hello dear readers,
Thank you for joining me on the final leg of my 6-day “thanks-fest”. I trust by now you are aware of how much I appreciate you all for taking the time to read my posts and interact with me. Given the amount of great content on the web and in the WordPress Reader, I count your continued interest and support an honour. Thank you!
And now to the task in hand.
Gratitude. Or its ugly and contrary opposite twin—ingratitude!
Whilst doing some research on this theme, I came across the following:
The Discipline of Gratitude means we are practicing and producing an attitude of gratitude, of being thankful, even when we cannot see what we have. This is an aspect of our worship of Christ—expressing to him our appreciation and reverence for how he has benefited our lives. We are grateful because his blood has redeemed us. This also has a relational application in that it helps us deal with others as we show our support, appreciation, and benevolence to them for how they have benefited our lives.
Dr Richard J Krejcir
Dr Krejcir’s observation, brought to mind the biblical story of Nabal. Are you familiar with it? If not, and you’d like to read it for yourself, or refresh your memory, the account can be found at 1 Samuel 25:2-38.
Nabal is a man who benefitted from the kindness of David and his warrior men, when they provided free protection to his herdsmen. This is a man who is wealthy and could afford to offer a gesture of appreciation without it affecting him materially. But this mean ingrate, not only refused to do so, but decided to slander David. Nabal acted true to his nature and the meaning of his name, which is “Fool”!
The biblical account provides us with an example of both gratitude and ingratitude. Nabal’s churlish behaviour, provoked outrage and almost cost the unnecessary and violent loss of life. In the end, only his life was lost!
Abigail’s generous expression of gratitude not only saved the day but prompted praise and thankfulness to God from David. He appreciated her generosity and wise intervention, which prevented him from taking matters into his own hands and seeking revenge for Nabal’s insults.
Ingratitude is a crime more despicable than revenge, which is only returning evil for evil, while ingratitude returns evil for good. ― William George Jordan
Ingratitude is an insult. It diminishes the ingrate. Gratitude opens the door to favour and goodwill.
As I have sought to encourage over the past few days, we are to reflect upon the goodness of God and thank him for the benefits he has bestowed upon our lives. However, we should also remember to thank those who’ve sown positive seeds in our lives.
Have you recently benefited from someone’s kindness? Have you thanked them, or thanked God for them and asked him to bless them?
Women of Warfare! followers and visitors have a blessed week.
Lady Cee’s trophy of appreciation for blogger support
Hello dear readers,
This is the final leg of my 6-day “thanks-fest”. I do apologise for the delay in producing my final post. And whilst I am on the subject, can I say how much I appreciate and admire those of my blogging peers who produce a regular diet of uplifting and positive posts, almost daily and some even several times a day?!
I would also like to thank the following bloggers who have demonstrated their kind support by reading, liking or commenting on my posts relating to this theme on gratitude:
@humanity777 (x 3)
@ellisnelson
@Mack (x 5)
@Robert Lambert Jones III (x 3)
@Jonathan Camac (x 5)
@arm5
@Chris Nicholas
@mitchteemley
@Scarletpiper
@beautybeyondbones (x 4)
@thepearlsisters (x 2)
@The Bellezza Corner (x 2)
@thisisyouth
@Julius
@Dustin Meyer
@cedricramey (x 2)
@havau22
@beholdinghimministries
@LenelnJapan
@begintobelieve
@Bonsai
@Frank Solanki
@Sailing a 34’ Catamaran Named Chiron
@conversationcat
My sincere thanks to all of you for not only giving me your ear but also taking the time to respond with your precious likes and comments. Thank you!
And because I truly appreciate you and think you deserve a post to yourselves, instead of combining this ‘thank you’ with my final post (as originally intended), I am keeping the two separate. My final post in this series, is therefore yet to come.
Thank you for joining me on day 5 of my “thanks-fest”.
And now just as you trusted Christ to save you, trust him too for each day’s problems; live in vital union with him.
Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him. See that you go on growing in the Lord, and become strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with joy and thanksgiving for all he has done.
Colossians 2:6-7 (The Living Bible)
None is more impoverished than the one who has no gratitude. Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy.
You have made it this far in the year – others planned to yet they have not!
If you are celebrating Thanksgiving today with family and friends, I wish you a joyous and memorable occasion. I pray for peace, unity and journeying mercies for you and your loved ones.
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Welcome to day 4 of my “thanks-fest”. Thank you so much for joining me here.
In my posts (Reasons to be thankfulPart 1 and Part 2) we saw that when it comes to our relationship with God, it is vital we develop and maintain an attitude of gratitude. We discovered that when we habitually express our appreciation to the Lord, we are able to make a sober assessment of ourselves and our achievements.
We learned that the practice of thanksgiving magnifies our Heavenly Father’s ability, attributes and authority above our personal circumstances, enabling us to transfer our focus from pressing needs, overwhelming fears and personal limitations, to the one who is the ultimate solution to our dilemmas, distress and disappointments.
Today, I’d like to get on with the business of thanksgiving.
Dear Father God,
I want to thank you for the following:
For watching over me throughout last night and keeping me safe from harm, danger and evil
For waking me up this morning to greet another new day
For your unconditional, everlasting and extravagant love
For accepting me as I am, despite my failures, faults and shortcomings
For rescuing me from the realm of darkness and translating me into your kingdom of light
For your promises to supply all my needs
For miraculous answers to my prayers
For divine protection in accordance with Psalm 91
For sending your Son to die for me, redeeming me from Satan’s clutches and from the curse of the Law
Because you have given me power (authority) over the Enemy and you’ve promised that when I exercise this authority, absolutely nothing shall hurt me
Because you have promised that no weapon forged against me will prosper (i.e. be successful in its intent to destroy me)
Because you are a covenant-keeping God
Because you are the only true and living God and yet you deign to visit me, help me and pursue a relationship with me
Because you are my God!
Because you have promised you will never leave or forsake me
Because you have promised that when I am fearful, you will be with me to strengthen and uphold me
Because you have promised to keep me in perfect peace, if I keep my eyes on you
Because you know the plans that you have for my life and those plans give me hope for my final outcome
Because you are able to do super-abundantly above all that I would even dare to ask or think. You are able to do infinitely beyond my highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams
Because you are able to cause ALL things to work together for my good (i.e. for my benefit, progress and welfare), no matter how bleak or impossible to resolve those situations may seem!
Finally, I thank you Father God for the everyday blessings of shelter, food and clean water. Thank you for my husband, our house and our jobs, which enable us to maintain our home and bless the work of your kingdom.
Thank you for your gifts and abilities invested within my life. Thank you for the opportunities (both current and future), to use these abilities and gifts for your glory and in service of your kingdom.
I am grateful that I live in a country where I am free to worship you without fear of persecution and that I have access to the Bible and other resources, which aids my growth and development as a follower of Christ.
It’s day 3 of my ‘thanks-fest’ and we are half-way through this 6-day event. Thank you so much for popping over to my corner of cyberspace. I invite you to join with me in celebrating the goodness of our Heavenly Father.
Yesterday, we looked at how expressing our gratitude to God on a regular basis, stops us from taking his goodness and undeserved mercies for granted. It stops us falling into pride, walking through life with blind arrogance, believing that our status and good fortune has been acquired solely by our own efforts or greatness.
Today, I’d like to focus on another aspect of gratitude.
When we take steps to reflect on God’s provision and protection, this allows us to magnify the Lord in our hearts and minds. We also stir up our faith and expectations regarding fulfilment of outstanding prayer requests and regarding those promises upon which we may be standing.
Now don’t get me wrong here—when I say God is magnified, I do not mean that our praise and thanksgiving makes Him any bigger. He is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. You can’t get much bigger than that!
No. When I say we magnify God, I mean that in our own hearts and minds, we have an increased perception and awareness of his greatness, goodness and glory. I mean we have deliberately chosen to enlarge and elevate our perception and experience of God, above our egos, petty whims, disappointments and undesirable circumstances.
When we think of a magnifying glass, it is designed to make something you cannot see clearly with the natural eye, appear magnified. But has that item you are observing been made physically bigger? No! It is the instrument used that increases our capacity to see the item better. In the same way, our praise and thanksgiving to God, our expressed gratitude does not make him bigger. Our praise and thanksgiving increases our capacity to see him better! Our praise and thanksgiving shifts our focus from the stuff we own (which can lead to pride of life), or the stuff we want (which promotes discontent).
When dealing with the Children of Israel, God orchestrated special times of remembrance, so that his chosen nation would not forget who He is and what He had done for them. Perhaps we should do likewise and set up our own mechanisms for memorialising personal milestones.
If you are familiar with the Bible, you’ll be aware of its many accounts regarding the nation of Israel and how they’d forgotten what the Lord had done for them. As human beings, we tend to have short memories! There have been times when I’ve looked back through my devotional diaries to see accounts of breakthroughs and answered prayers, which I’d completely forgotten about. Some of them have been so meaningful and momentous to me, I would never have believed that I could have forgotten them. And yet I did. The evidence testifying that I had done so, was recorded in black and white.
Now, if they hadn’t been documented, those wonderful acts of God, those precious answers to prayers could not have been recalled, and would not have been remembered. But because they were recorded, I was able to give my amazing Father God, jubilant thanks for past triumphs and miraculous answers to prayer. And that same evidence, enables me to give thanks in anticipation of His miraculous intervention, or wonderful provision in the future.
Before I close, I’d like to worship the Lord with the following song, which goes some way to expressing my gratitude to the Lord, for his unconditional love, abundant mercies and faithfulness. Won’t you join me?
Dear reader, do you have a way of memorialising significant milestones in your walk with the Lord? If not, may I challenge you to consider setting something up? It could be a journal, or a “forget-Him-not” jar, or whatever you wish.
Please share your response to this post in the comment box below. I look forward to hearing from you.
Welcome to day two of my personal ‘thanks-fest’. I appreciate you joining me.
Without further ado, let’s jump right into those reasons why we should be thankful to God.
The following pointers provide us with a biblical perspective for maintaining a heart of gratitude.
Reason 1:
The failure to be thankful darkens our hearts and causes us to entertain confusing and futile thoughts.
…because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Romans 1:21)
Chambers 21st Century Dictionary defines futile as follows: unproductive, unavailing, foolish, vain, or pointless.
Actions, are in effect, enacted thoughts, so if your efforts are consistently unproductive, or unsuccessful, perhaps the underlying cause is an unthankful attitude.
Reason 2:
A habitual failure to be thankful encourages a murmuring spirit, which God hates (see Numbers 21:5-7). God sees grumbling and complaining as ungodly traits (Jude 1:15-16).
Reason 3:
A thankful heart keeps us humble. We recognise that it is because of the goodness of God that we are able to enjoy whatever benefits and blessings we have. We acknowledge that if it were not for his breath within us, keeping us alive, we would not be in a position to work, or possess the capacity to make our efforts fruitful and productive.
Again and again, the Bible clearly shows that pride will deceive us into thinking that our achievements and accrued blessings are the sole result of our own efforts. We should take warning from the stories of Nebuchadnezzar and his son, Belshazzar.
Although both were influential Persian kings with great wealth, they were each humbled by God because of their boastful failure to acknowledge and glorify Him as the one who had exalted them (see Daniel chapters 4-5).
In direct contrast, we see that Daniel was accustomed to praying and giving God thanks, so God prospered him. (Daniel 6:10, 28).
God instructs us to:
…remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth… (Deuteronomy 8:18).
How do we remember him? By expressing our thanks and appreciation. By maintaining an attitude of gratitude.
Reason 4:
A thankful heart moves us towards wholeness and opens the door to experiencing the miraculous. Remember the 10 lepers? I love reading this account in the old King James’ authorised version. It reveals that whilst the 9 ungrateful lepers were cleansed from leprosy, the one who returned to express his thanks, was made whole.
To me that means those who were cleansed no longer suffered from the cause and accompanying symptoms that marked them out as lepers (i.e. rashes, sores and infection). However, I believe the one who was made whole, probably experienced a supernatural miracle – the re-growth of lost fingers and toes! And all because he expressed his appreciation to the Lord. What a wonderful fringe benefit!
Reason 5:
Finally, thankfulness when combined with praise or prayer requests, produces a dynamic and effective spiritual life and promotes confidence in the presence of God (Psalm 100:4; Philippians 4:6).
The Bible is replete with exhortations to thank God. In Psalm 107, the following words are repeated four times:
Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
In light of the above, I would encourage anyone who does not currently maintain an attitude of gratitude to the Lord, to repent and make immediate amends.
Meanwhile Women of Warfare! followers and visitors, may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; may the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.
Best wishes,
Carol
“…If you love what you are doing, you will be successful” – Albert Schweitzer
I’m pretty sure that many of you are engaged with preparations for your Thanksgiving meal. Since we in the UK do not celebrate this holiday, I (thankfully) am not occupied with such preparations!
However, I’ve decided that I will join you all with my own brand of thanksgiving celebrations and to that end, I intend to post daily for the next 6 days on the theme of gratitude. I do hope you will find time to check in with me and that you will enjoy the thanksgiving fare I plan to dish up for your consumption.
But before I leave you with today’s offering, may I confide in you?
I hope by now that people who are familiar with my posts will agree that I’m generally a thankful person. For those of you who are new followers, let me hasten to say that I’m truly grateful to God for his goodness and I do appreciate the kindness and thoughtful deeds of others toward me and my loved ones. I express that thankfulness to God, daily.
However, on reading past entries in my writing journal, I discovered that most of these entries reflected on the negative aspects of my life. I noted that my attitude of gratitude (a good thing), was being undermined by a habitual mindset, which leans heavily towards negative thinking (a not so good thing).
Now, since maintaining an attitude of gratitude is supposed to improve my general outlook on life, I don’t want this state of affairs to continue. Perhaps there’s someone out there who, having examined their life, feels similarly? If so, why not join me on my 6-day thanks-fest? I’d appreciate the company!
Without further ado, I have pleasure in serving you with our first course. Enjoy!
WoW! followers and readers – until tomorrow, au revoir!
The customs and regulations dealing with diplomatic formality, precedence, and etiquette (Dictionary.com)
The forms of ceremony and etiquette observed by diplomats and heads of state
Or
A code of correct conduct (The Free Dictionary)
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When Queen Esther walked into the king’s presence without being summoned, she breached the protocol of Persia’s royal court. Doing so, could very well incur the penalty of death. Aware of this, she declared with boldness and determination “…if I perish, I perish!” (Esther 4:16 NKJ).
Fast forward to today’s world, with particular focus on the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, and we discover that an archaic code of conduct still operates within the Royal circle. So when it comes to greeting members of the British Monarchy, the media have been quick to report breaches of protocol by individuals who touch the Queen, or other members of the royal household, in what is deemed to be over-familiar ways. At best, it is seen as a faux pas, at worst, a lack of respect. So bystanders were amazed when the Queen herself dispensed with royal etiquette and placed an arm around the US First Lady, Michelle Obama, at a Buckingham Palace reception.
Did you know there is a protocol for entering into God’s Holy presence?
When instituting the laws of sacrifice, thanksgiving and worship, God gave the Children of Israel a set of rules for approaching him. If breached, the penalty was instant death (see Leviticus 10:1-3 NKJ). Later, when Jesus was crucified at Calvary, his death brought an end to the fear and trepidation associated with God’s presence. Dispensing with protocol (only an appointed priest could enter into his presence), God tore the temple veil from top to bottom, granting unprecedented access into the Holy of Holies, into His royal throne room (Mark 15:37-38 NKJ).
Psalm 100:4 highlights the protocol for entering into our Heavenly Father’s presence. Over 2,000 years later, I believe this instruction is just as valid today. We are commanded to:
“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.”
We are being asked to come into God’s Holy presence with grateful thanks for what He has done. We are being asked to acknowledge and appreciate Him for who he is.
In Psalm 107, the psalmist complains no less than four times about the common tendency of mortals to take God’s goodness for granted (see verses 8, 15, 21 and 31). Unfortunately, it would seem that just as it was in the days of antiquity, so ingratitude to God features as a failing of our modern times.
Now, if people fail to thank me for a gift I’ve given, or a good deed done, it offends me. I’m pretty sure that you are no different. Well, if we, as fallible humans, appreciate common courtesies and recognition of our benevolent acts, then how much more our Heavenly Father, who is unstinting in his unconditional love, care and provision? In fact, we know from the laws set out in Leviticus that acknowledging his goodness and expressing gratitude to him was something He expected from the Children of Israel (see Leviticus 7:11-15).
The thanksgiving (or peace) offering was a free will sacrifice (Leviticus 19:5). In other words, although God expected his chosen people to be thankful to him, it would be their choice whether or not they actually expressed this. After all, nobody wants to be on the receiving end of token appreciation, or enforced thanks.
Which brings me to the point of self-examination. If we are honest, whether in our private or public devotions, there are times when we do not always feel thankful, or overflowing with gladness and gratitude. We may be feeling bewildered by circumstances, devastated by broken dreams, frozen with fear. And so we become preoccupied with protecting, or licking our internal wounds.
It is at such times that the offering of joyful thanks and praise to our Father God becomes a sacrifice – something that costs us mentally and emotionally – yet something that God highly prizes. At times like these, we need to resist our pain and swallow our disappointments, in order to “bless the Lord at all times” and allow genuine praise to flow continually from our mouths (Psalm 34:1 NKJ).
Do you regularly offer thanks to the Lord? Do you frequently express sincere appreciation and gratitude to him?
Hebrew 13:15 (NKJ) exhorts: “…let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name.” During Biblical times, sacrifices had to be the very best you could offer. Anything less was considered an insult to God (see Malachi 1:6-8, 13-14). In today’s context, as worshippers, even though there may be periods where we are depressed, disappointed or disillusioned, this cannot and does not justify us offering lacklustre praise to the Lord.
So ask yourself – have I been, or am I guilty of auto pilot praise?
In this dispensation of grace, what a privilege we believers have been given that we can come without prior appointment, without the need of a third party, into God’s holy presence and in the knowledge that we are both acceptable and welcome.
What a blessing that we can step into our awesome God’s throne room without fear, without guilt and without an inferiority complex, knowing we are worthy because of the precious blood of his Son Jesus.
What a prestigious honour we’ve been granted, to be able to have an audience with the Holy One, with the Most High God, appeal to him for our needs, intercede on behalf of others and share our desires, dreams or problems, knowing that instead of incurring his wrath, He will place his loving arms around us.
On that note, let me close with the following:
I will extol you, my God, O King;
And I will bless your name forever and ever (Psalm 145:1)
“Fear can keep us up all night long, but faith makes one fine pillow.”
And so, today I cry out to you Father God. I cry out to you with a heart full of gratitude. I cry out to you in wonder and amazement. How is it that you love me so? How is it that you chose to redeem me at such a costly price as the precious blood of your only begotten Son, Jesus?
My sincere thanks to all of you for not only giving me your ear but also taking the time to respond with your precious likes and comments. Thank you!
None is more impoverished than the one who has no gratitude. Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy. 
Finally, I thank you Father God for the everyday blessings of shelter, food and clean water. Thank you for my husband, our house and our jobs, which enable us to maintain our home and bless the work of your kingdom.
Women of Warfare! (WOW!) 