Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Give Thanks With a Grateful Heart!

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire
Hebrews 12:28-29

In this season of Thanksgiving. .
I can not help but consider. .
how my life and my heart have changed over the course of a year.
I am a different person. .
Just as most of you are probably different as well!

This was going to be a little post about all the things that I am thankful for. .
which are many. .

But. .

As I tried to choose a scripture that I wanted to share today. .
The Lord just grabbed me by the depth of this verse from Hebrews. .
and I just can't get beyond that today!

So. .
My post took a bit of a different turn. .
If you are in a hurry today. .
Come back later. .
because I want you to read it slowly. .
and truly consider. .

Look around friends. .
Check out our world. .
Extraordinary tsumamis. .
Devastating earthquakes. .
incredulous acts of terrorism. .
Shifts in the weather system causing excessive droughts. .
as well as extreme variations in climates!
Frightening changes from what we understand as "normal."

Look around at the cultures. .
People are caught up in all sorts of wickedness. .
We live as if there are no consequences. .
Morals and values have slipped away. .
Selfishness runs rampant. .
So many of us SAY we believe in God. .
but we place our FAITH in ourselves. .
what WE can do, how WE can do it. .
misguiding our OWN selves from the real Truth. .
The One who IS Truth. .

How long can it go on??
Some will say. .
not much longer!!
Only He knows for sure. .
but it seems that the labor pains are underway!

So today. .
I am GRATEFUL. .
for THE Kingdom. .
that CANNOT be shaken!
I have read the Book. .
I KNOW how it ends!!
God's people. .
Those that have TRULY received Him (John 1:12; Colossians 2:6)
will win. .
An eternal life. .
And the rest. .
Those who have disregarded Him. .
those who chose to put themselves in a higher place of honor than Him. .
those who never made the time to find out WHO He really is. .
will be consumed by the fire.

If you can't remember the last time that YOU were truly still. .
to KNOW God was in charge. .
Truly still to be IN AWE of Him. .
Truly still to consider the magnitude of Him and His work. .
I encourage you. .
No. .
I challenge you. .
to
Be Still. .
And KNOW that HE is GOD (Psalm 46:10)
Don't just be thankful this week. .
If God is saving YOU. .
Find the gratitude in your heart. .
and offer it to Him FROM your heart as worship. .
TODAY!

Because if there is one thing I have become acutely aware of in the last year. .
It is that. .
TODAY. .
is the only thing we can be sure of!

God bless you all. .
and a Happy Thanksgiving to you!!

4 comments:

  1. Amen to every last word you have written Melanie!

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  2. And a VERY Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Melanie!

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  3. Happy Thanksgiving! I know its a hard one for you, and you've been on my mind.
    I can't BELIEVE its on THURSDAY! AGAIN! ;)

    ReplyDelete