Tuesday, July 24, 2012

A Thanksgiving Post in July

Hello my dear reader.  I hope that you are reading this with love and joy in your heart.  It is 2:51am and I cannot sleep because my neck and arm are hurting so I am going to post some of what is in my head and heart at this late/early hour. 

This post is a post of deep, abundant thanksgiving to God who shaped my life in such a way that I accepted my Lord Jesus Christ as my savior almost 20 years ago.   

Will and I have embarked on so many adventures in this last 2 years.  It is mind boggling to think of all of the things that we have experienced together.  Last night we were talking and Will said, "I am really happy".  I replied, "I am too". He said. "it is really amazing to think about how happy I am".   I said, "I think we cherish it more because neither of us has ever been happy". 

We owe this happiness, love and contentment to God.  It was God who gifted us with each other.  It is God who has guided us through His Word through the struggles of every day living.  We have trials going on right now.  I have family troubles with siblings.  I have a store that belonged to Mom that has weekly trials to contend with.  I have herniated discs in my ncck which keep me in constant pain and seems to limit my ability to work as I wish.  Will's dear Dad is very sick and there are issues in their relationship from the past that the Lord needs to heal.  Will's son Daulton is a high school graduate and is struggling with the decisions about life, residency and career along with coming to terms with his grandpa's illness.  In spite of all of these trials, we are gloriously joyful and content and know we are richly blessed by God.  A conundrum and probably unbelievable to those that have not accepted Jesus as their savior. 

If you are reading this and you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray that something that is in this post will cause you to want to accept Jesus Christ as your savior and recieve the gift of His love and Holy Spirit guiding your life for eternity.  If you are saved, take a moment to rejoice by all means.  I read a book this week that had a part in it where a gentleman asked a young lady to pray that the Lord would help her to want to consider accepting Christ as her Savior.  She had no interest in any part of that life as she was rich and in society and felt Christians were freaks.  She had a crush on the gentleman though and she promised to pray the prayer and did mechanically for awhile but God answered the prayer and caused her heart to change and to want to know more about Christ.  If you have a life that is such that you are not content or filled with joy and peace in spite of trials, what would it hurt for you to pray that God help you consider accepting Christ?  Is what you are doing now working that well for you? 

If you are saved but do not feel close to God or you do not feel His presence in your daily life, what would it hurt for you to prayer that He would help you to grow closer to Him and to thirst for an intimate vibrant relationship with Him?  There may be some of you reading this that think I am a freak, a weakling, or worse names.  I am in love with the Lord and I care only what He thinks about me and how I can serve Him so I do not mind that you do not understand my thoughts and beliefs.  I was you once.  I told my sister that her "god" and her bible were important to her but I was a student of science and I did not need anything she had to offer.  I was so misled, lost, prideful and honestly miserable deep inside. 

I am thankful that I can be bubbling over with love, peace and joy even when life is tough.  I can bubble because I know that no matter what happens in my life good or bad, it has been sifted through my loving God's hands and it will all work out for the best.  If I had been in that theater in Colorado and had been killed or maimed by that man, I would have either been in heaven or I would have had experiences that would have shaped me into a better, more loving, wiser person. 

I want to leave you some verses about peace, love and happiness.  This blog is between you and God, I am just the messenger.

Numbers 6:26
the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’

Psalm 4:8
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.

Psalm 29:11
The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.

Psalm 34:14
Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

Psalm 37:11
But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.

Psalm 37:37
Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace.

Psalm 85:10
Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.

Psalm 119:34
Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart.

Psalm 119:73
י LORD Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands.

Psalm 119:130
The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

Psalm 120:6
Too long have I lived among those who hate peace.

Psalm 122:8
For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.”

Psalm 136:5
who by HIS understanding made the heavens, His love endures forever.

Psalm 138:2
I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your unfailing love and your faithfulness, for you have so exalted your solemn decree that it surpasses your fame.
Proverbs 2
indeed, if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.

Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;


Proverbs 12:20
Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil, but those who promote peace have joy.

Proverbs 14:30
A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.


Isaiah 32:17
The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.

Isaiah 40:28
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.


Isaiah 52:7
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”


Isaiah 53:5
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Isaiah 54:10
Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

Isaiah 54:13
All your children will be taught by the LORD, and great will be their peace.

Isaiah 55:12
You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

Jeremiah 9:24
but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know ME, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD.

Mark 12:33
To love HIM with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”


John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.


Romans 5:1
[ Peace and Hope ] Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Romans 8:6
The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.


Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in HIM, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.


Ephesians 3:19
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Philippians 4:7
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 2:2
My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,

1 Thessalonians 5:23
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 12:11
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

James 3:17
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

Lastly, I bid good night with this verse:

Jude 1:2
Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.