Giving thanks!

With an upset economy, a crashing stock market and the loss of a job, is it still possible to give God thanks? Of course! 1 Corinthians 15:57 says, " But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." If there is nothing else for us to give God thanks for, we could always give Him thanks for His sacrifice. Even if we never won the lottery or became the most famous reality show host or became successful in our career, we can still praise Him. Thank God that I am no longer on the road to hell, but on the road to heaven!

He Begins

Genesis 1:1 says, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Can you imagine this? God's creation is under His command. God begins creation by creating the heavens and the earth. What an amazing concept this is. Yet, this same God created me and you to be worshipers. It's not that we worship the creation, but we worship the one who created it.

He Declares

Psalm 19:1, 2 tells us, "The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows his handiwork." God's greatest declaration is His creation. His creation speaks about Him and shows us how glorious of a God He is. When examining the work of His hands, we see that everything is intricately placed in perfection. His creation cannot be duplicated or replaced by any other thing.

He Holds

Colossians 1:17 states, "He is before all things, and in Him all things consist." The creator of heaven and earth is not only before all things, but He keeps it all together. Every little detail of His creation is set in the exact location that it must be placed. The clouds blow at just the right speed. The temperature is set at the right setting. The seasons turn perfectly. The earth rotates precisely. And yet, the same God that holds His creation together also holds our lives in the palm of His hands.

Why evangelism?

We should evangelize because the Bible tells us to. 2 Timothy 4:2 declares, "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season." People need to know that there is a Savior who has come to the world, has died on the cross, and has risen on the third day. If we don't tell them, then who will? Remember, at some point in your life, someone told you about Jesus. If that is how you came to faith in Christ, then that may be how others will come to Him. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, you'll be glad you did.

Why fellowship?

With the advancements that have been made in recent technology, information can be gathered in a number of ways. You can watch the news using your direct television satellite dish. You can listen to varieties of music using high definition radio or on the internet. But how about going to church? It is quite possible to listen to or watch a variety of television evangelists. However, the writer of Hebrews reminds us: "not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together." We need to be closely connected to other Christians, in order to stir up love and be encouraged.

Why involvement?

Are you involved in your local church? Have you been using the gifts that God has given to you? Romans 12:6 tells us: "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them:" God has given every single one of us various gifts to use for His glory. If we're not using them, then they're going to be wasted. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, then it is your duty to be involved in the local church. You will be blessed and glad that you did.

Why love?

Today, the word love has sort of lost its real meaning. People will say, "I love my dog, or I love that movie, or I really love this cup of coffee." As a follower of Jesus Christ, it is vital that we show love to the world. Not the kind of love that expects to get something in return, but the kind of godly love that gives sacrificially. Jesus said, "By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." When we show love to our neighbor, love to our spouse, or even love to our enemy, we prove to be a genuine disciple of Jesus Christ.

The better beginning

We can't turn back the time and avoid where we came from. Some of us had a reckless past, a violent past, or even an immoral past. Just because we had a rough beginning doesn't mean there is no hope for us. God has a much better way for us to live, and His plans are far better than our own. Jeremiah 29:11 says it like this: "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." If we would allow God to take over our unknown future, then we will be given a much better beginning.

The battle's on!

Some people think that if they become a Christian everything is going to be okay. They will not face hard times anymore, there will be no more trials, and they will be happy all the time. That is simply not true. Often times, when someone makes a commitment to follow after Christ, it is as though Satan has declared war on their life. Ephesians 6:12 says "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." Although becoming a Christian is like enlisting in the army, we can be encouraged in the knowledge that God is with us and that the battle belongs to the Lord.

The brand new life

2 Corinthians 5:17 says "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." Are you living like you are a new creation in Christ? Have the old things in your life passed away? If you are a believer in Jesus Christ then you should definitely be living like a different person. There is no reason to look back or even go back for that matter. God wants you and I to live for Him in a way that pleases him and brings great joy to Him. Let those old things go, and you will no doubt live a new life in Christ.

The body offering

Have you given God your body? Have you fully offered yourself to Him for his glory and honor?
Romans 12:1 says "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." 2000 years ago, God the Father sent his only begotten Son to the world, to be the ultimate body offering for you and I. The only reasonable or rational response to His offering is to offer ourselves to Him. If we do this every morning, no doubt God will use our lives to bring Him much glory.

The breakaway

Have you broken away from bad influences? When I was a young boy, my parents would tell me not to hang out with certain people. I don't know exactly how they knew that some of my friends were troublemakers, but they did. James tells us that we are to "lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word." Have you done that? Have you said goodbye to your old behaviors or things that have caused you to sin? If you haven't you should. If you do this, you will begin to experience a clean breakaway from this world and start living a well pleasing life for God.

Do you know the truth?

Truth has been defined as that which is really real. Today in the media there are plenty of articles that are written with lies. Some people not only enjoy reading them, but they also love spreading them. Jesus said, "you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free." Do you know the truth? Have you been set free from the lies of the devil? Jesus went on to say that he was the way the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him. If you haven't accepted the ultimate truth that Jesus came, died, and rose on the third day, you should definitely do this today!

Are you happy?

It's been said that, "the search for happiness is often the cause of unhappiness." Millions of people worldwide are on this pursuit. They think that if they just establish their career, they will find happiness. Some people might think that they will be happy if they have enough plastic surgery or that they will have a happy life by getting married. Unfortunately, that is not true. The psalmist said, "blessed (or happy) is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly." Walking through life without God will make a person unhappy. It is only when you find God and start to walk with him that you will truly find happiness (joy).

Who do you trust?

Can a person really trust the telemarketer who promises great benefits if he signs up for a certain service? Or can he trust the infomercial that promises a whole set of hair for purchasing a rubbing compound? Or can he trust the seminar that promises instant cash for investing money in an organization? Probably not! The Bible tells us in Proverbs 3:5, 6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths." The promise is that if we will trust the Lord God with everything and seek Him even when we think we have complete understanding of a decision, that God will lead us. The way we acknowledge Him is by living a bold life for Him. We have to tell others about Him. If we will do this God will give us divine direction.

Why should I pray?

You and I should pray for a few reasons. Here are a couple. First of all, because the Bible tells us to pray. The Bible says to pray without ceasing (continuously). Secondly, it is how we communicate with God. When we have a conversation with friends it is done primarily through conversation. And so it is when we pray; we speak to God audibly about things that are happening in our life. As Christians it is important to be involved in a one on one audible relationship with him.