Showing posts with label gratitude. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gratitude. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 22, 2022

Thanks Be To God - - For His Healing Wings

 

Malachi 4:2
But unto you that fear My name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings; and you shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. 

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 4832
Healing: cure, health, curative, remedy, tranquil, sound
From the Hebrew word 'marpe' (pronounced mar-pay')


THE SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Psalm 84:11
For the LORD God is a Sun and a shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity.
Isaiah 60:1, 2
1. Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
2. For behold, darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness is over the peoples; but the LORD will rise upon you, and His glory will appear over you.
Isaiah 9:2
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.
Matthew 4:16
The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.
John 1:4
In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.
John 8:12
Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 12:46
I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should remain in darkness.

HEALING IN HIS WINGS
Isaiah 53:5
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.
1 Peter 2:24
He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. "By His stripes you are healed."
Jeremiah 17:14
Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; save me, and I will be saved, for You are my praise.
John 12:32-35
32. "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw everyone to Myself."
33. He said this to indicate the kind of death He was going to die.
34. The crowd replied, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever. So how can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”
35. Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
36. While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of light.” After Jesus had spoken these things, He went away and was hidden from them. 
Isaiah 11:10
On that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples. The nations will seek Him, and His place of rest will be glorious.

In much the same way as the dawn breaks across the horizon, shooing away the pre-dawn darkness of the night skies, so, too, does Jesus Christ The Sun of Righteousness. His Light shines forth upon every soul and into every heart which believes on His name and receives His grace. 
First, His Light shined while He ministered to the peoples He came into contact with. When He was crucified, His Light was lifted up for all the world to see. The cross which He was nailed to had to be lifted up by others, for He could not lift Himself up, as He had both hands and feet nailed to it. 
The Light of the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ seemed to dim, but appearances can be deceiving. For His Light shone in death and the grave, piercing that darkness, as well. When God rolled the stone away from the tomb's entrance, The Light walked out of the grave a changed Man, a changed Son. He was unrecognizable yet again. Even to those closest to Him.
John 20:14, 15
14. When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there; but she did not recognize that it was Jesus.
15. Woman, why are you weeping?” Jesus asked. “Whom are you seeking?” Thinking He was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried Him off, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him.”
Until He spoke her name.
John 20:16
Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
Until He showed His hands and His feet.
John 20:24-29 tells us the story of Thomas, who refused to believe that Jesus had risen until he saw the nail marks in His hands.
Until He had a meal with some of them.
Luke 24:30, 31
30. While He was reclining at the table with them, He took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to them.
31. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus—and He disappeared from their sight.
Until He calls our name we can neither see Him nor know Him. Until we let Him into our hearts to dine with us, we cannot converse with Him.
Revelation 3:2o
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me.
He's calling your name just like He called mine. Turn your hearts to His voice and answer His call on your life. Let His Light shine in your hearts today, while you have a today. Tomorrow is not promised, but if the sun should rise on a new day, we must be prepared for it. 
Today is a good day to believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to repent of our sins and receive God's forgiveness, to ask Him to take up residence in our hearts, to fill us with His Holy Spirit for our empowerment as His sons and daughters.
Today is a good day to let the Sun of Righteousness bring healing, deliverance and salvation into your hearts and your lives.

Dear God, 
My heavenly Father, my Father who provides for my every need; my Father who saw my need for a Savior, because You knew I could not save myself, nor ever make myself clean enough to be near You. 
Thank You for sending Your Son to die in my place. Thank You for such lovingkindness which You have shown me. Thank You for calling my name, for knocking on the door of my heart, and for choosing to live in me. 
Thank You, Father, that the Light of Your Word is imprinted on my heart, changing me from a destructive course to a life that is filled with Your Word, Your purpose, and Your Love. Help me to shine Your Light and not mine into the darkness that is growing around me. 
Find me faithful.
In Jesus' Glorious Name, I pray,
Amen





Friday, October 21, 2022

Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- More Than Gratitude

 1 Thessalonians 5:18
in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.


*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 2168
acknowledging that "God's grace works well," i.e. for our eternal gain and His glory; to give thanks – literally, "thankful for God's good grace."

I love that definition. So much more than gratitude. More than a simple whispered, "Thank You." It is to say, "THANK YOU, GOD, FOR SAVING ME BY YOUR GRACE. For LOVING ME BEYOND WHAT I CAN EXPRESS. THANK YOU GOD, FOR YOUR MERCIES ON ME. THANK YOU GOD, FOR MEETING MY NEEDS WHEN I COULDN'T."

It is the expression of thankfulness which the Samaritan leper gave Jesus when Jesus healed him. Luke 17:16 "When one of them saw that he was healed, he came back, praising God in a loud voice. And fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks: and he was a Samaritan." 
Of the ten leprotic men, nine were happy to be healed, but only one was overjoyed and ran back to the One Who had healed them, falling down at Jesus' feet and worshiping Him. In Luke 17:19 Jesus tells him, "Then Jesus said to him, “ Arise, go your way: your faith has made you whole.” It was the man's faith in God, in the Word spoken by The WORD, that made him whole, complete. It was this faith that brought him running back to Jesus to give Him thanks. Being more than healed, he was filled with more than just a simple, Thank you, but THANK YOU, LORD!

It is more than gratitude, it is abundant gratitude, overwhelming gratitude. It is a thankfulness that cannot be measured by mere words but must be accompanied by thankful actions. 

Saying grace at mealtimes is more than thanking God for the food; it is THANKING GOD FOR HIS ABUNDANT BLESSINGS. Even when we have but a little on our plate. Even when we have nothing. We are THANKING GOD IN FAITH FOR HIS PROVISION. 

Even when we know what is about to happen to us, we BLESS GOD, we THANK GOD, for more than the meal that is at hand. In Mark 14:22-25 Jesus institutes the breaking of bread and the drinking of wine in remembrance of Him. It symbolizes the breaking of His body, when He was tortured and nailed to the cross and the pouring out of His blood, which would be shed for the sins of the whole world (from Adam and Eve to the last man or woman who would believe in the name of the LORD JESUS CHRIST for their salvation).

Mark 14:22-25
And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is My body. And He took the cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And He said unto them, This is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. " (cf. Matthew 26:26-29; Luke 22:14-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

And why are to we to GIVE THANKS in such a way? Because it is GOD'S WILL FOR US IN CHRIST JESUS. Many a seeker has asked, What is God's will for me, for my life? Well, here is one part of God's Will for our lives: A HEART FILLED WITH OVERFLOWING FAITH IN GOD'S GRACE. 

Only a born again believer can offer this thanks, for that person is IN CHRIST JESUS and CHRIST JESUS IS IN US. Though God's will is for everyone, not everyone will want to live it; therefore, they cannot give thanks to God for His grace. 

Overflowing THANKS TO GOD comes from a heart that believes in the GRACE which GOD has offered through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. He Who died on the cross, rose from the dead and sits at the right hand of the Father died for you and for me. All we have to do is believe this. Speak what we believe out loud for all to hear and we are now IN CHRIST and CHRIST IS IN US. (John 17:20, 21)
As Paul writes to the church in Galatia, Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me."

Hallelujah! Praise The Lord! Rejoice! How can we not have a Thankful spirit? Our hearts should be doing cartwheels, jumping for joy; it's that smile on our faces that reaches to our eyes. JESUS CHRIST LIVES and HE LIVES IN ME! 

HE LIVES 
by Alfred H. Ackley

(1)
I serve a risen Saviour, He's in the world today
I know that He is living, whatever men may say
I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer
And just the time I need Him He's always near.
--chorus--
He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Christ Jesus lives today
He walks with me and talks with me
Along life's narrow way
He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Salvation to impart
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart!
(2)
In all the world around me I see His loving care
And though my heart grows weary I never will despair
I know that He is leading, through all the stormy blast
The day of His appearing will come at last!
--chorus--
He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Christ Jesus lives today
He walks with me and talks with me
Along life's narrow way
He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Salvation to impart
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart!
(3)
Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian Lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ, the King
The Hope of all who seek Him, the Help of all who find
None other is so loving, so good and kind!
--chorus--
He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Christ Jesus lives today
He walks with me and talks with me
Along life's narrow way
He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Salvation to impart
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart!