God is as God was

This past week we have been talking a lot about giving thanks, not surprisingly because in Canada we just celebrated Thanksgiving.

David writes in Psalm 9 verse one,

I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.

What’s interesting is that David writes later in verse 13 of this same Psalm how he is facing affliction and yet what is he doing?  He is worshiping God.

Many of us know that when a season is difficult, worshipping God may be the last thing we want to do.  I have certainly experienced that in my own life.

And yet, history has taught me that if I worship God in the midst, things in my heart begin to shift. Rather than solely focusing on me (“oh woe is me”), when my attention is shifted to God, my heart overflows with praise.

Our God is all that we need and worship points to that fact and fuels our faith.

And like David said it must be whole hearted.  He says, I will give you thanks, with my whole heart. Not part, not the part that is focused on relationships idols and the world, no. God isn’t satisfied with part of our heart.  God wants all of it.

I will give you thanks, Lord, with my whole heart.

So the question is,  are we worshipping God with our whole heart?

You, like me, can probably pinpoint a thousand moments when God has provided for you but think about one.  Think about the most prolific one and remember this:  God is now, as God was then.  God’s faithfulness never changes.  God never changes.

In the midst of a difficult time or whatever the season looks like, God always has been and God always will be.

So trust God today…worship God with all your heart and let that overflow because our God is worthy to be praised.

Give thanks anywhere and all the time!

This coming Sunday is Thanksgiving!  Is anyone else surprised that we are in October already?  And as I write this, there are only 82 day until Christmas. Yikes!  We will talk about Christmas another time, today I hope you take time to stop and just take it all in. Take in the beauty of the landscape as the thick green leaves break way to brilliant hues of yellow, orange and red.  It is truly breathtaking. Also take time to give thanks for the blessings of the past year.

When you look in the Bible, it says:

Give thanks to the Lord, for God is good. God’s love endures forever. (Psalm 118:1 NIV)

Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what God has done. (1 Chronicles 16:8 NIV)

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV)

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17 NIV)

One day hardly seems enough to thank an amazing God for God’s incredible goodness. And yet it’s so easy to get distracted with the stuff of life isn’t it? How many times do we experience God’s blessings in our life, but then look at some other situation and start complaining instead of praising and thanking God? It happens all too often.

Perhaps this week, with friends and family or in a moment of solitude, list all the blessings with an attitude of gratitude. This year let’s not our thankfulness begin and end at the dinner table. God is good every day, not just on the second Monday in October —but all the time!

So give thanks - anywhere and all the time.

The benefit of togetherness

Recently I had the opportunity to work with a few people on a special project.  I didn’t know these individuals before we started, but at the end of the project I felt a special connection that I did not have when we began. As we worked together on a common goal, we had opportunities to get to know one another. Today, I can honestly say, we are friends.

Have you noticed, in your own life, how true bonds of relationship form when you are devoted to a common work or goal?

This is so true in our faith journey as well.  We can sit beside the same person week after week at church on Sunday morning, yet we don’t start to build relationships with them until we work together on something.  Maybe in a ministry, like KidsZone or a building project, or a missions project, or being involved in the same small group studying God’s Word together.

In Acts 2 of the New Testament we are told:

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.

And here’s what happened as a result:

44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

When we work with each other, that’s when we have the opportunity to learn from each other and support one another. That’s when life change happens.  That’s when our faith journey’s intersect and we begin to grow. The world we live in today strongly promotes independence, and yet all the Biblical communities supported togetherness.  Of course we need to take responsibility for our own faith, but it’s also imperative for us to build relationships and form bonds with others, so that we can grow together as God intended. Together.