For His Glory
Luke 17:11-19
#1 GET UP! – Don’t Miss the Miracle. vv. 11-13
#2 STEP OUT! – Obey to see the miracle through. v. 14
#3 FALL DOWN! – Praise the Miracle Maker. v. 15
#4 GIVE THANKS! – Gratitude to God is a Heart Changer. vv. 15-19
This is the season that we focus on the things we are thankful for. Sometimes it is hard to be thankful. Perhaps you have lost your job in our lagging economy. Or maybe your health is not what it used to be or you recently lost someone you love. Even the everyday pressures of life can test our thankfulness. While it is sometimes hard to be thankful it is essential that we find ways to be thankful. It can even make a difference in the lives of those around us.
King David, from the Old Testament, wrote, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—” Psalm 107 (NIV) In this passage from the Bible, David gives us reasons to have the attitude of gratitude.
There is a very popular saying among Christians of all denominations today. One believer will say, “God is Good” and the other responds, “All the time.” This powerful saying is a reminder of exactly what King David is saying in this Psalm. We can be thankful because the Creator of the Universe is a Good God. No matter your current circumstance you can be thankful this season because of the Goodness of God.
(Thank you for getting to this part of the article. Some people do not read beyond the title of most articles, so I appreciate you staying with me to this point and I have some great news.) These verses also describe the love of God. When we deserve judgment, God give us love. This passage says, “His love endures forever.” Think about this truth. There will never be a time that God does not love you. His love endures forever!
This love of God is a powerful force for change. God’s love is not a passive type of love, it is an active love. The Apostle Paul described God’s love when he wrote, “But God demonstrates His love for us in this: While we were still sinner, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (NIV) Of all the things we have to be thankful for, we should be thankful for a God that loved us so much that He would sacrifice His Son so that we could be forgiven and become children of God. I am thankful for my Savior. He has changed my life! Have you allowed Christ to change your life? He has a life of forgiveness, freedom, liberty, purpose and joy for you.
This passage of scripture also addresses the child of God when it says, “Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story.” Imagine the impact you could have in the lives of those around you if you told them your story. God wants to use you as an ambassador of His love to everyone you influence.
My prayer for you is that you will take time to be thankful this season and tell your story to everyone that will listen. You will be amazed at what God will do. (Thanks for making it to the end of this article. You are a finisher and I am thankful!)
This article originally appeared in the Dalhart Texan and was written by Sean Vickers.
It is a blessing to live in the United States of America. On a recent mission trip to Asia I came face to face with how blessed we are to have the freedoms and lifestyle we enjoy. On this trip I witnessed poverty in a country that has a 46% unemployment rate and I witnessed the effects of communism on its citizens. We are blessed to live in the United States and we need to discover ways we can be a blessing to this great country. One of the ways we can be a blessing is by praying for the country we love. As we celebrate Independence Day this year, pray for the United States. A creative way to pray for our country is to pray through the Pledge of Allegiance phrase by phrase. Let’s Pray the Pledge!
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America,
Thank God for our country and the blessing of being a citizen of the greatest nation the world has ever known.
and to the Republic for which it stands,
Pray for the political process as we are represented by those that have been elected. Regardless of your political convictions, our elected officials need our prayers. Pray for our local, state and national leaders.
one Nation under God,
Pray that our nation would return to God. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” This is God’s formula for a nation that honors Him.
indivisible,
Pray for unity for our nation as the political debate continues. There are many issues that divide our country. Pray for our leaders to have divine wisdom.
with liberty and
Thank God for the religious liberty that we have and ask Him to preserve that liberty. Our country is only as strong as it’s families and churches.
justice for all.
Pray for justice for all Americans including the unborn, elderly and defenseless. Father, we pray that you would bless the United States of America. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.” Psalm 33:12
Happy Mother’s Day
This is a picture on my mom and today I wish her a very happy Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day is an opportunity to honor our Mothers for their love and hard work. We literally would not be here without our moms and we would not be the people we are today without them.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails….” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (NIV)
This is a familiar passage from the Bible. It is frequently used in wedding ceremonies, vow renewal services and it is the sentiment in many Hallmark cards.
1 Corinthians was written by the Apostle Paul to the mission church he started on one of his missionary journeys. The church at Corinth was having some problems and Paul was writing to correct and encourage this young church. Although we primarily use this passage to describe the love between a husband and wife, the original intent was to describe how people within the church should treat each other.
Paul paints a literary masterpiece with the theme of love. He describes what love is and what love is not. We all want to be loved and we all need to show love to others. Can you imagine belonging to a group of people that truly love each other like Paul is describing?
Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35 NIV) This life is not meant to be lived in isolation. The church is a great place to be loved and to love others. Chocolate and flowers are great, but belonging, truly belonging, to a group is sweet to the soul.
This article originally appeared in the Dalhart Texan and was written by Sean Vickers.
Love is a powerful thing. Christmas is the season of Love. It is a time we celebrate God love for us when He sent Jesus to be born of the virgin Mary.
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Joy is a gift from God. Jesus came to give us Joy and we celebrate His joy at Christmas.
The Changing of the Guard Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery honors those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom whose bodies are not identified. The video below is a clip from the Stepping Up Bible Study – A Call to Courageous Manhood. It interviews some of the soldiers who bravely guard the tomb and the sacrifice they make. I highly recommend the Stepping Up Bible Study from Family Life. See samples of the Bible study at the link below.
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Mother’s day is a great time to remember and honor our moms. Mothers are the unsung heroes of the family. This week I sent my mom a nice card and gift. Even though I could not see her this Mother’s Day, we had a long conversation on the phone. Here are some life lessons I learned from my mom.
Thanks mom, for these great lessons. I love you. Happy Mother’s Day!
Today our nation celebrates Memorial Day. A day when we remember the brave men and women that gave their lives for the freedom we enjoy in the United States. This day reminds me of my visits to Arlington Memorial Cemetery in Washington D.C. and Normandy Memorial Cemetery in France. Walking in these cemeteries is an amazing reminder of the great cost of the freedom we enjoy. May we never forget their lives and their defense of our freedom.
