We get a psalm of praise for the gift worthy of big THANKS in Psalm 100. God is worthy of thanksgiving because of the promise given that Jesus will reign. When we are thankful, we have a positive attitude, we give more effort, we want to be disciplined, and we care about doing our best.
A thankful heart pauses along the way to celebrate; excited about each day and what part God will play in the future. This catches the attention of others who desire the same excitement. A thankful group of people ultimately leads to a winning company, organization, or team.
This day with God will be amazing because with Him we can sincerely believe each obstacle will be overcome and enthusiastically act upon each task until completion; celebrating progress along the way by praising him.
Let us be thankful in prayer today because God has an answer for our questions or struggles and that answer is Christ Jesus; a gift worthy of a big THANKS!
Amazing things happen because of faith. Mountains are moved and dreams come true because the ONE who made the stars more numerous than the grains of sand on the beaches of earth is making the impossible possible.
The mission of this blog is to point out the wonder and amazement found as I journey through each book of the Bible. Questions are asked and answers are sought in the quest to integrate God’s principles or core values into our daily life either at work or at home.
Let enthusiasm for increasing our faith permeate our soul; capturing the interest of others as we glow and radiate. Let us have an attitude of praise in whatever we do; washing dishes, repairing a machine, selling a product, counseling a client, growing a crop, or raising a family.
A physical workout requires repeated exercises that over time builds muscle and conditions the body whereas our spiritual body requires repeated thoughts about our love of God. The exercise equipment for Spiritual growth is God’s Word; reading, studying, singing, writing, and sharing God’s Word. Over the next few posts, we will be studying and reflecting upon Psalm 100-102. The reading plan and questions below will be used as a guide.
Psalm 100 Passage Lookup
Why is God worthy of thanksgiving? What acts and attitude accompany thanksgiving?
Psalm 101 Passage Lookup
What are the principles on which David will base his reign in Zion? What promises have you made to God? Examine the extent of your commitment to Christ. Write down promises you wish to make today, beginning each with “I will” or “I will not.” What are the specific steps you will need to take today to begin fulfilling them?
Psalm 102 Passage Lookup
How does the psalmist describe his spiritual, physical, emotional and social condition in verses 3-11? In contrast, how does he characterize the constancy and mercy of God in relation to Zion? To all mankind? How do you react when you feel overwhelmed by problems?
A new six part series has started at the church I worship at called “Game Plan”. We will be looking at the most practical ways to discover and embrace God’s game plan for our life. The first in the series was yesterday titled “Fundamentals of the Game”. To listen or view you can click thislink.
God communicates with clarity his game plan for our life but sometimes in our culture, it’s hard to understand. In Christ, God communicates how we can all win a spiritualHeisman trophy. The fundamentals of the game are loving God, making a difference, significant relationships, a life mission, and a growing faith.
Below is an outline of the message. The words in black are notes provided by the church staff and the notes in blue are notes I added as I listened to the Podcast.
1. LOVING GOD IS FUNDAMENTAL.
The scripture below defines who we are:
“ ‘Teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?’ Jesus replied, ‘What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?’ The man answered, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ‘Right!’ Jesus told him.’ ” – Luke 10:25b-28a (NLT)
Many times we try to figure things out all by ourselves. Life can be complicated because there are so many strategies and books on how to be successful. We can work hard and think we can figure it out but the ONE who made us has the answers how to truly make it work.
2. MAKING A DIFFERENCE IS FUNDAMENTAL.
“Jesus came and told the disciples, ‘I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ ” – Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT)
What we do in this world will resonate in eternity. We all want to have a life that matters because that’s how God made us. He made us with a drive, a dream, and a hope.
3. SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIPS ARE FUNDAMENTAL.
“Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from His love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and sympathetic? Then make Me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one heart and purpose.” – Philippians 2:1-2 (NLT)
When we join a church, we become a part of a family with a purpose that is extremely important. We get to choose Christ and be a part of God’s family.
4. A LIFE MISSION IS FUNDAMENTAL.
“As You sent Me into the world, I am sending them into the world.” – John 17:18 (NLT)
God sent Jesus and Jesus sends His disciples so the world will learn His way. We can achieve great things and be successful but what really matters? What do we put into our tool box to fix or maintain life? Do we think about the dollar signs, the houses, the cars? What we need to put in the box is the cross.
5. A GROWING FAITH IS FUNDAMENTAL.
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God’s right hand in the place of honor and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts, Do not think only about things down here on earth. For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.” – Colossians 3:1-3 (NLT)
Join us next week and we will continue to define what needs to go into our tool box. I hope this video will give a lift for your day as you consider the importance of putting in the things of God:Me Without You – TobyMac.
The mission of this blog is to demonstrate an instrument for Bible study that uses technology to develop a better way to study the Bible by integrating the principles or core values God gives into our daily life at work and at home. One core value God gives that I think is important is to take care of our physical and mental body.
To continue with the benefits of good physical and mental health, we need to understand that happiness is short term but joy last forever. People get excited about snow in central Texas and when it happens, they build a snow man. But it melts the next day. With God’s word, you build something inside which last forever and can never melt away. Some ways to brighten or warm up your day is to seek the truth of His Word, experience the joy Christ gives, and be aware of the wonder in Creation. These are the true treasures.
Being able to adapt to circumstances, having self-control, and just being a good person are the best prescription for a sound mind and body. The trials we face in this world are not easy but we can believe that our reward is with Christ.
God placed extreme value on us, created us in His image, and crowned us with tremendous honor when He sent His Son to die for us. Because of what He has done for us, we need to give ourselves a chance to be happy. With Christ, we have a chance for abundant life today that only gets better in the long term with daily transformation; growing in grace and a future beyond our wildest imagination.
Take Care of God’s Temple and Honor Him
Take care of yourself because you are God’s temple; a holy place for the Spirit. Honor God with regular exercise, healthy eating, and good sleeping habits. Don’t misuse your body by smoking, drinking, overeating, or being promiscuous. Find your true love and demonstrate devotion. Clear your path to life with enthusiasm, passion, and peace of mind.
A physical workout builds physical muscle and in a similar way we can build muscles of faith by studying God’s Word, prayer, and by listening for direction from the Holy Spirit. If we plant seeds of Christ’s core values into a fertile soul and water with the Spirit, the result is abundant growth.
Next weekend, I’ll continue with the core value of physical and mental health.
Physical exercise conditions the body whereas repeated thoughts about our love of God and singing about it conditions the Spirit. I’d like to pass on a video that conditions the Spirit: Love the Lord – Lincoln Brewster.
God is always present and there for us to go to Him in prayer. He can lead us to a bright future, be our counselor, and rule our life like a prince. Let us spend spend time in prayer now; putting away the cares and concerns of the day in order to listen for the Holy Spirit so that the proper steps are laid out to living this day with Him to the fullest.
