How can you not?

I was reading Ephesians chapter 1 today and was immediately drawn into the passage.

I love how the apostle Paul went straight from his greeting the believers at Ephesus - right into praise. Look at verse 3.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in
the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

How do you chose to give God praise? Do you do it with singing? Through prayer? Do you write your heartfelt thoughts in poetic form or as random thoughts in your personal journal?

Why do we praise Him? Because He alone is worthy of our Worship. He alone is Holy. He alone is to be exalted above all others, above all things.

Why do we bless Him? We bless Him because He has so richly blessed us. When we bless Him we praise Him for who He is and for what He has done.

How has He blessed us? He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. Notice the completeness of that blessing. Every blessing - nothing is lacking.

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless
in his sight. Ephesians 1:4

We have been given the benefit of knowing God.

• We were chosen by Him for salvation.


• We were adopted as His children. He has forgiven our past. He has secured our future. He has fulfilled our present.


• We have been given the Holy Spirit as a comforter and guide. The Holy Spirit bears fruit in our lives with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.


• We have truly been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.

And it's all because of Jesus. Because of what He did on the cross. He took upon Himself our guilt, our shame, our punishment so that we could have forgiveness, eternal life and hope.

I don't know about you..., but like Paul I just have to praise Him!

Saturday Steps of Faith #18

What are you believing God for?

Do you trust God enough to take Him at His word?

Not only for your neighbor or friend..., but for you?

Saturday Steps of Faith is our opportunity to publicly claim His promises for our lives. It is the place where we believe God for things great and small.

Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely,
who conducts his affairs with justice. Psalm 112:5

In a world where integrity, honesty, generosity and kindness are no longer considered values to be treasured, I believe what God says in His Word.

• I believe God brings good to those who give a drink of water in Jesus name.
• I believe God brings good to those who give a financial gift to those in need.
• I believe God brings good to those who give of their time to help a friend or stranger.
• I believe God brings good to those who do business with integrity.
• I believe God brings good to those who reflect Jesus to a world that so desperately needs to know that Jesus saves.
• I believe God!

How about you? Will you please join me?

•Leave a comment or write a post.
•Copy the button located on the left sidebar and paste it into your post.
•Next write down the promise from the Word of God you are taking a step of faith and believing.
•Last, come back here and link up with MckLinky. It's that easy.

Thankful Thursday #21

It's Thankful Thursday and I am again joining Sonya at Truth 4 the Journey. Click on the button above and feel free to join in with 5 items of Thanksgiving.

1. Thank You God for time off of work. It was good to slow down and just rest.
2. Thank You God for spiritual friends. Once you have had godly girlfriends, you never want any other kind.
3. Thank You God for being my provision in every way - spiritually, physically, emotionally, mentally, financially. Out of Your heart abundance flows.
4. Thank You God for being my hope. My hope comes from You alone.
5. Thank You God for teachable moment in my life and in the lives of my family.

Hidden Treasure

Growing up I always looked forward to finding my new copy of the Highlights Magazine in our family mailbox.


The first thing I would do upon flying into the house after school was open it up and find the page with the hidden pictures. Like Sherlock Holmes looking for the smallest of clues, I would peruse the page over and over again until every hidden item was found.

My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 2:1-6

As I did my Bible study today, God reminded me that I need to dig into His Word just as diligently; scouring the pages not wanting to miss anything. Searching the Word as if looking for a hidden treasure. Does that describe your approach to the Word of God?

Wisdom starts with opening up your Bible, reading it, listening to the voice of God. If you come across something you don't understand, cry out to God. Ask Him for understanding.

He wants you to know His Word, to know His heart. For to know Him is truly find that hidden treasure.

Father, may I never lose the wonder of your Word. May I never tire of digging in until I hear a specific word from you. Grant me wisdom and knowledge and understanding as your love jumps off of the page, a hidden treasure definitely worth looking for. In the name of my Savior Jesus I pray ~ Amen

Saturday Steps of Faith #17

What are you believing God for?

Do you trust God enough to take Him at His word?

Not only for your neighbor or friend..., but for you?

Saturday Steps of Faith is our opportunity to publicly claim His promises for our lives. It is the place where we believe God for things great and small.

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. 2 Thessalonians 3:16

Who in this world can give you peace? Only the Lord of peace himself.

When can you have this peace? At all times.

In what way can you have peace? In every way.

Jesus himself spoke these words to His beloved disciples.

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. John 14:27

This week I am believing God for peace. When the Dr. says that there is nothing else that can be done; one thing is for certain, he doesn't know my God. My hope and my trust is in God and God alone. My eyes are on Him.

Father, I thank you for peace that only you can give. Peace that truly passes all understanding. Our lives, our hope is in you and you alone. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear your will. I love you from the depths of my heart ~ Amen.

How about you? Will you please join me?

• Leave a comment or write a post.
• Copy the button located on the left sidebar and paste it into your post.
• Next write down the promise from the Word of God you are taking a step of faith and believing.
• Last, come back here and link up with MckLinky. It's that easy.

Thankful Thursday #20

It's Thankful Thursday and I am again joining Sonya at Truth 4 the Journey. Click on the button above and feel free to join in with 5 items of Thanksgiving.

1. Thank You God for Jonathan's connection with the Youth at our church. From a kid who didn't want to go to camp to a kid threatening to walk 40 miles to church if I didn't take him last night. He stayed 45 minutes after youth group talking and the first words out of his mouth in the car were, "I love my church". Only God can be given the glory!
2. Thank You God that my hope is in you. The spinal cord stimulator Randy had implanted on Monday has not been what we hoped for. They will be removing it on Friday. I thank God that He has a plan and that He will never leave us without hope. He is our hope!
3. Thank You God for leading me to a peaceful place on the Morse Reservoir last night for my quiet time. It was such a beautiful night to spend alone in your Word.
4. Thank You God for hearing my prayers and answering. Sometimes yes. Sometimes no. But always hearing and answering with what is best.
5. Thank You God for for the truth that you speak over me and to me.
   

A Simpler Way of Life

Today I took a road trip with a friend of mine to Shipshewana Indiana. This is the heart of Northern Indiana's Amish country.

As we drove through the countryside we would quickly come upon horse drawn buggies making their way into town. I have to admit that the Amish people have always fascinated me. Their determination to live a plain and separate life built upon the bedrock foundation of their faith and family.

I've often thought of the Amish people as living a "simpler life". But honestly - no electricity, telephones, indoor plumbing, microwaves, air conditioning, cars, tractors - not exactly simple. Maybe we could call their lifestyle simplified..., but definitely not simple.

One thing is for certain, the Amish have a sense of community that often puts the modern church to shame. My thoughts today went back to the early church found in Acts chapter2

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Maybe it's time for the church of America to turn our hearts to the simpler things:

• Teaching of the Word
• Fellowshiping together
• Sharing a meal together
• Praying together
• Sharing with those who are in need.
• Praising God together with glad and sincere hearts.

Maybe if we focused on these simpler things, we would once again see God adding to our numbers daily those who are being saved.

It's something to definitely think about.