Being Thankful and Forgiving

Today is a new day. I finished reading Ecclesiastes this morning. Tomorrow I will begin the Song of Solomon. It is amazing to me how someone as wise as Solomon could get tricked into idolatry during his lifetime. He "had it all" as the saying goes, and yet he wasn't thankful for what God had done for him and what God had given to him. I am sure I will share more about Solomon as I read that book.

Another book I have been reading is by Robin Jones Gunn. Robin is an author that Denise has been reading for several years. One year ago in October, Robin was at the Anchor Room, a Christian book store in Fort Wayne. Denise really wanted to go and meet her, so we arranged our schedule to do that. Denise, Deborah and I arrived at the Anchor Room and found the books we wanted to purchase. Then we stood in line for only a short time, as there were only about 3 or 4 people in front of us. When it was our turn to meet her, Robin greeted us with open arms and a BIG hug. We introduced ourselves to her, she signed our books, we took pictures of her with each of us, and enjoyed a few minutes of sharing with her before it was time for the next women to meet Robin. I am thankful for the time we shared with Robin. She is a great example of a woman of God.

I had never read any of her books, but after meeting her, I couldn't wait to delve into the new book I had bought. It was called "SisterChicks on the Loose!" Now if you don't know what a Sisterchick is, I will tell you. From Robin's website the definition of a sister chick is as follows:

SISTERCHICK n.: a friend who shares the deepest wonders of your heart, loves you like a sister, and provides a reality check when you're being a brat.

There are 8 SisterChick books as well as a devotional book. The books are wonderful stories of women in the prime of life (used to be called close to middle age LOL) taking vacations together and growing closer to God and each other. I would recommend these books to anyone wanting to know God better.

Robin has written a couple of series for young girls, the first of which was the "Christy Miller Series". It begins when Christy is about 15 years old. She visits her aunt and uncle in California for the summer and so begins her lifetime of getting to know God better and Him. There are 12 books in the series. The first spin-off series was the Sierra Jensen series, which I have not read. The second spin-off series continued with Christy and is called The College Years. The fourth spin-off series is called the Katie Weldon Series.

Denise encouraged me to read these books and so I began. I read the "Christy Miller Series" (all 12 books) and I am almost done with "The College Years". The third book in the "The College Years" series is called "I Promise". Christy is talking to her grandmother. She is visiting her in light of her grandfather's recent death. Her grandmother gives her some advice that I thought I would share.

"It goes very fast." A tear glistened in Grandma's eye before finding its way down her wrinkled cheek. "It's over so soon. Keep short lists, honey. Learn to forgive quickly and go on because one day you'll wake up and find that somehow you got old when you weren't looking. Your lists won't matter at all then." These words are a gem! I am not that old yet, but I can see the logic behind what Christy's grandmother is telling her.

In the Bible, Ephesians 4:26 tells us, "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath." How often have we gotten angry about something, then we let it brew, and then we stew over it for so long that now we are REALLY angry? What profit is there when we hold on to anger and bitterness? Does it affect the person with whom we are angry or bitter against? The answer is no, probably not. A lot of times that person may not even know that we are angry with them. But do you know who it does affect? It affects the one who holds the anger and bitterness. That person is out of alignment and harmony with God. It keeps that one from enjoying the sweet fellowship he could be having with his heavenly Father. Does God walk away from him at those times? No, he walks away from God.

Ephesians chapter 4 is an excellent chapter that begins the practical application of the doctrine we have read in the first three chapters of Ephesians. (I encourage all of you to read this section of the Word.) The closing verses in chapter 4 tell us,

Eph 4:31
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
Eph 4:32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

If God can forgive us for the things that we do, then we can surely forgive others who do things to us. Let's walk in newness of life as we endeavor to forget the little things and focus on the greatness of God's wonderful, matchless Word.

Remember to be thankful for God's goodness and God's love! God Bless You :)

Husbands & Wives

Today is Danny & Heather's 1st Anniversary and in light of that fact, I have been thinking about what God says in His Word.

The Bible says in 1Thessalonians 5:18, "In everything gives thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." Being thankful is one of the greatest keys to remember.

In Ephesians 5:20, God tells us through the Apostle Paul,

5:20

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

5:21

Submitting yourselves (1) to arrange under, to subordinate; 2) to subject, put in subjection; 3) to subject one's self, obey; 4) to submit to one's control; 5) to yield to one's admonition or advice; and 6) to obey, be subject) one to another (one another, reciprocally, mutually) in the fear of God.

5:22

Wives, submit (same as above) yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

5:23

For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

5:24

Therefore as the church is subject (same as "submit" above) unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

5:25

Husbands, love (to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly) your wives, even as Christ also loved (to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly) the church, and gave himself for it;

5:26

That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word,

5:27

That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

5:28

So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. (love-loveth - to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly)

5:29

For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth (1) to nourish up to maturity, to nourish; and 2) to nurture, bring up) and cherisheth (1) to warm, keep warm; and 2) to cherish with tender love, to foster with tender care) it, even as the Lord the church:

5:30

For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

5:31

For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

5:32

This is a great mystery (a hidden or secret thing, not obvious to the understanding): but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

5:33

Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love (to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly) his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence (to reverence, venerate, to treat with deference or reverential obedience) her husband.

I think it is interesting to note that it should not be a difficult thing for the wife to submit to her own husband. In Ephesians 5:21, if we are obeying God, then we are already "submitting ourselves one to another in the fear of God." And it should not be a difficult thing for the husband to love the wife because in Ephesians 5:25 it says, "even as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it." And we know how much Christ loved and how much he gave up when he laid down his llife for each of us.

As the years go on, the bad times are forgotten and only the good times remain in our memories - if we let them. Philippians 3:13 tells us a lot of interesting things about Paul.

3:13

Brethern, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

3:14

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul had done a lot of things that he was not proud of, i.e. persecuting the church and killing the Christians, and it was all because he was zealous of the traditions of the Jews' religion. (Sound like something we will be watching this next Saturday night? LOL [Denise and Deborah were in "Fiddler on the Roof" at HU on July 25, 2009]) Anyway, he forgot the things that were in his past and he believed God to forgive him and he pressed on and taught the accuracy of the word that he was taught after being born-again. He had to do the forgetting and the pressing on. We have to do the same. It is an everyday, every hour, minute by minute walk with God.

Remember to be thankful for God's goodness and for God's love.