God surrounds us with evidence of His presence.
Above us He placed the golden sun and the sky, the moon and the twinkling stars.
Beneath us...the soil teeming with microscopic life, and the potential to bring forth all manner of sustenance for us.
Around us --- oh, around us --- oxygen and butterflies, mountains and oceans.
And...
Within us? A beating heart that glorifies its Maker with each pulse, and a mind capable of being aware of Him!
GREAT, GLORIOUS GOD
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"The essence of Thanksgiving is not what we're thankful for, but who we're thankful to."
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My Greatest Blessing
In prayer, one morning recently, I cried out to God, "This is all I've got!" I had knelt filled with doubts and fears and feeling that I had absolutely nothing to offer Him that would make Him want to take notice of me, much less, spend time with me. I immediately realized: "If this statement is true, I'm in real trouble. How could I have the audacity to breathe a syllable to the One who spoke the worlds into existence and formed me out of dust?" But. praise God, it's not true! The fact is, what I've really got to offer is the perfect, sinless, life of Jesus, when I enter His presence!
On the cross Jesus had uttered these words to the Father: "Into your hands I commit my Spirit." That Spirit was poured out on the earth on the day of Pentecost. It was made available to "whosoever believeth." I was dying in my sins, separated from God, the source of life. A spotless life was all that could save me. Jesus literally gave me His life, just like someone would take off their shoes and give them to someone barefooted, enabling them to walk on rocks. He took off His life and gave me its essence --- His Spirit that enabled me to walk in fellowship with God! His Spirit is the only one that would fit because it was the only fit one! It's one Spirit that fits all! "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Galatians 2:20.
My good choices, alone, don't determine my having eternal life, His eternal life in me should determine my choices. I shouldn't try to please Him to receive His love, but having received His love, I should try to please Him. Every day I have the choice to manifest my stinking, dead spirit, or His Holy Spirit. He died for me; I can live for Him. He was my dying sacrifice. I am His living sacrifice. "...present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." Romans 12:1. I like how the KJV says those last few words: "...which is your reasonable service." Jesus doesn't want us to pay him back by giving Him our lives. He gave us life in the first place. He wants us to surrender our spirits that are "...dead in trespasses and sins..." Ephesians 2:1, so He can recreate us and give us life more abundantly. John 10:10. He has nothing to gain from us except relationship. He loves us and wants to be close to us, as a Father...a child.
It is a privilege and an honor to "put on Christ." Two of my favorite devotionals --- "Steams in the Desert" and "Springs in the Valley" --- are compilations of writings and poetry by Christian brothers and sisters. The compiler chose to be known as Mrs. Chas. E. Cowman. Mrs. Cowman took on her husband's identity so much so that she didn't even use her first name. She identified herself as a female version of him. She must have loved and honored her husband immensely. I want my life to say Christian --- to take on Christ's nature --- for my identity to be swallowed up in Him.
In prayer that morning, I had told God, "This is all I've got, and I fear it's not enough. I lack faith, courage, love ..." The terrifying fact is --- he agreed! He agreed from the foundation of the world. That's why He gave Jesus. He agreed while Jesus was hanging on the cross. When He forsook Jesus, He was really forsaking me, because my sin was on His beloved Son. "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf..." He had to be made sin, because there certainly was no sin in Him.
Yes, God once agreed with me, but he didn't agree with me on that particular morning when I said, "God, this is all I've got." I quickly felt lovingly reprimanded. It was as if God replied, "No it's not!" How could I so easily forget the tremendous price He paid to give me all I need to fill up my lack? Not only was Jesus made sin for me, but an unfathomable exchange took place that day. "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21. It's incredible! I stand before God in total, complete righteousness. In fact, it's the righteousness of Christ Himself. I am complete in Him who is the head of all principality and power. Colossians 2:10. Praise His glorious name forever!
Above us He placed the golden sun and the sky, the moon and the twinkling stars.
Beneath us...the soil teeming with microscopic life, and the potential to bring forth all manner of sustenance for us.
Around us --- oh, around us --- oxygen and butterflies, mountains and oceans.
And...
Within us? A beating heart that glorifies its Maker with each pulse, and a mind capable of being aware of Him!
GREAT, GLORIOUS GOD
*******************************************************************************
"The essence of Thanksgiving is not what we're thankful for, but who we're thankful to."
*******************************************************************************
My Greatest Blessing
In prayer, one morning recently, I cried out to God, "This is all I've got!" I had knelt filled with doubts and fears and feeling that I had absolutely nothing to offer Him that would make Him want to take notice of me, much less, spend time with me. I immediately realized: "If this statement is true, I'm in real trouble. How could I have the audacity to breathe a syllable to the One who spoke the worlds into existence and formed me out of dust?" But. praise God, it's not true! The fact is, what I've really got to offer is the perfect, sinless, life of Jesus, when I enter His presence!
On the cross Jesus had uttered these words to the Father: "Into your hands I commit my Spirit." That Spirit was poured out on the earth on the day of Pentecost. It was made available to "whosoever believeth." I was dying in my sins, separated from God, the source of life. A spotless life was all that could save me. Jesus literally gave me His life, just like someone would take off their shoes and give them to someone barefooted, enabling them to walk on rocks. He took off His life and gave me its essence --- His Spirit that enabled me to walk in fellowship with God! His Spirit is the only one that would fit because it was the only fit one! It's one Spirit that fits all! "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Galatians 2:20.
My good choices, alone, don't determine my having eternal life, His eternal life in me should determine my choices. I shouldn't try to please Him to receive His love, but having received His love, I should try to please Him. Every day I have the choice to manifest my stinking, dead spirit, or His Holy Spirit. He died for me; I can live for Him. He was my dying sacrifice. I am His living sacrifice. "...present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." Romans 12:1. I like how the KJV says those last few words: "...which is your reasonable service." Jesus doesn't want us to pay him back by giving Him our lives. He gave us life in the first place. He wants us to surrender our spirits that are "...dead in trespasses and sins..." Ephesians 2:1, so He can recreate us and give us life more abundantly. John 10:10. He has nothing to gain from us except relationship. He loves us and wants to be close to us, as a Father...a child.
It is a privilege and an honor to "put on Christ." Two of my favorite devotionals --- "Steams in the Desert" and "Springs in the Valley" --- are compilations of writings and poetry by Christian brothers and sisters. The compiler chose to be known as Mrs. Chas. E. Cowman. Mrs. Cowman took on her husband's identity so much so that she didn't even use her first name. She identified herself as a female version of him. She must have loved and honored her husband immensely. I want my life to say Christian --- to take on Christ's nature --- for my identity to be swallowed up in Him.
In prayer that morning, I had told God, "This is all I've got, and I fear it's not enough. I lack faith, courage, love ..." The terrifying fact is --- he agreed! He agreed from the foundation of the world. That's why He gave Jesus. He agreed while Jesus was hanging on the cross. When He forsook Jesus, He was really forsaking me, because my sin was on His beloved Son. "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf..." He had to be made sin, because there certainly was no sin in Him.
Yes, God once agreed with me, but he didn't agree with me on that particular morning when I said, "God, this is all I've got." I quickly felt lovingly reprimanded. It was as if God replied, "No it's not!" How could I so easily forget the tremendous price He paid to give me all I need to fill up my lack? Not only was Jesus made sin for me, but an unfathomable exchange took place that day. "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21. It's incredible! I stand before God in total, complete righteousness. In fact, it's the righteousness of Christ Himself. I am complete in Him who is the head of all principality and power. Colossians 2:10. Praise His glorious name forever!
