Friday, August 7, 2015

Random Journal Day Aug. 2015. Consider: Our Gratitude

My teal journal has those leaves imprinted in the cover.

    Journal Entry March 22, 2004
    Luke 17:11-19
                   Jesus sent ten lepers to the priest. As they were enroute, they all were healed. Only one of them returned to thank Him. This grateful man happened to be a Samaritan—an ethnic outcast.
                   Do we count ourselves as the grateful person who took the time to back up and say ,”Thank you” to Jesus? Or will we get to heaven’s gate and hear,” I never knew you, you didn’t appear grateful for all the Father did for you”?
                   What are some things we should be grateful for?




  1. Our Salvation
  2. God’s Presence in our lives
  3. Our Families
  4. Our Church Families and friends 
  5.  Our health/healings 
  6.  God’s presence in and control over His creation
  7.   Sensing His presence




God gives us so much; our only response should be to thank Him!

UPDATE:
               We all have a lot to thank God for. My list for thanking Him consists of everything from morning naps to having our son live in the same state. I sometimes record as many as six a day. But also, I have days when I have to really think about what I did that day to come up with a couple of them. I have been going through an extended ‘blah’ time but God has been there with me. I feel His presence each day. I am grateful for His presence and I thank Him for that regularly
               Do you feel His presence when you have times of being downhearted?

Linked to:enthusiasticallydawn


Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Discipline and Relief

More Sunflowers from 2013

“Blessed is the man whom You chasten, O LORD,
and whom You teach out of Your law; that You may
grant him relief from the days of adversity,
until a pit is dug for the wicked.”
Psalm 94:12-13 (NASB)

               The psalmist gives us comforting news here. The children of God who receive discipline are enriched. He teaches those who belong to Him according to His word.                        
               I find this is important to stress that God’s word is the basis of sound teaching. My Sunday school teacher reminded us recently that one way to identify false teaching is to see if it lines up with God’s Word. 
               When God chooses to chasten us for our bad behavior, we should pay attention to what tells us. He does this to make us more mature individuals and to show us that He cares about us.
               Sometimes, we get set straight by God not because we ourselves have misbehaved but because certain of our people have transgressed or broken their word to Him.

               God gives solace to those who live within the boundaries He establishes. Aren’t you glad He remembers us and gives us relief from our days of woe?

Monday, August 3, 2015

Discipline Hurts



From our garden in 2013.



“No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—
it hurts. But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living 
for those who are trained in this way.”
Hebrews 12:11 (NLT)


               When I was a child, I got my share of discipline. As a young child, I got spanked. When I got older, my parents grounded me. When I was in high school, I misunderstood what my mother told me and I went over to my friend’s house. She figured out where I was; called and told me to get home.

               She grounded me. At that time, I had a boyfriend whom I had to tell that I could only see him when we went someplace with my parents. I never had the courage to ask him what he thought of that arrangement. Looking back, I don’t know what was worse, being grounded at seventeen or having to tell my boyfriend.

               As I got older I learned, that my parents disciplined me because they loved me. At the time of this story, children and teens did not back talk their parents or they were in bigger trouble.

               When God disciplines us, we can’t argue with Him. He is sovereign and can do what He wants to get our attention. When we step outside of line with His plan for us, we need to realize that He will deal with us because of how much His loves us

  

God Alone

  Jesus and the children at our church's prayer walk.          I will both lie down in peace and sleep;  For You alone, O LORD make ...