Category: Holiday

The Paths of Thanksgiving

by ObtainingMercy, posted in A Door of Hope, A Season of Thanksgiving, Holiday, How Great is Our God

You would think, after all Jesus has done for us, including the ultimate price of His death for salvation from our sins, our lives would be overflowing with thanksgiving.

But the truth is that we grumble and complain about things just like everyone else does. We might go to church, and try to avoid the “big” sins, but our life is not very different from others around us.

Let me share a few reasons WHY you should be thankful:

  1. Thanksgiving Paves the Paths of His Presence (Psalm 100:1-5, Colossians 2:6-7) When we express our thanks to God we are coming into His presence, and letting others know Who we stand with. We are identifying with the Lord when we spend time praising Him. Being thankful is one way to show that you are a Christ-follower!

  2. Thanksgiving Paves the Paths of Protection (Romans 1:21-32) Verse 21 starts a long, sad list of many sins. But did you notice the one at the beginning of the list? “…Neither were thankful…” All of these horrible sins grew out of an unthankful heart. When we are thankful, it protects us from other sins.

  3. Thanksgiving Paves the Paths of Peace (Philippians 4:4-7) As we bring our prayer requests to God, thanking Him for all He’s done for us, He fills our hearts and minds with His peace. This world doesn’t offer much peace, but the Lord does, as we express our thanksgiving to Him.

So, celebrating what we’re thankful for isn’t something that should happen just once every November. It is something that brings us into God’s Presence and provides us with Protection and Peace. Let’s spend the next year sharing our thanksgiving to God every day!

In Him,

Alesha Kay

Just Thinking About Jesus Some More

by ObtainingMercy, posted in A Door of Hope, Holiday, How Great is Our God, Thankful on Tuesday

Just a-wearying for you,
Jesus, Lord, beloved and true;
Wishing for you, wondering when
You’ll be coming back again,
Under all I say and do,
Just a-wearying for you.
Some glad day, all watching past,
You will come for me at last;
Then I’ll see you, hear your voice,
Be with you, with you rejoice;
How the sweet hope thrills me through,
Sets me wearying for you. ~ excerpt Streams in the Desert

Some days, we just miss Jesus, wish we could see Him, have Him hug us, make everything all better.  On those days, the blessed Hope of His soon return keeps us going.

Until that day, though, I think it must please the Lord for our heart to yearn for Him. I think it’s ok to miss Him a bit.

I believe the missing Him just makes the hope of Heaven so much sweeter to us. And every loved one who leaves us here makes us long to go even more. Heaven becomes a reality to us. A real place. A real future. And something for which we long.

And of course, the Person of that Place, the Redeemer of our souls, the Prince of our Peace will be there, and He will be what makes it “Heaven” to us.

My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. ~Psalm 84:2

And one day, our faith will be made sight:

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. ~ Revelation 21:1-6

Until that great day, let’s keep our eyes fixed on the One we long to meet,

Alesha Kay

Just Thinking About Jesus

by ObtainingMercy, posted in A Door of Hope, Holiday, How Great is Our God, Just My Thoughts, KJV Graphics

I want to encourage us this week to not be negligent in meditating on the truths of Resurrection Sunday.

He is not here:  for he is risen, as he said.   Come, see the place where the Lord lay. Matthew 28:6

We should spend time thinking about the week that Jesus had prior to Calvary, the things He said, the people He spent time with, the false accusations and betrayals He went through.

Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me…For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.” Matthew 26:10,12

…Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. Matthew 26:21

It is so important to teach our children about Jesus this week. Not just a few sentences while we’re dying Easter eggs, but all week long, we would be wise to prepare them to truly celebrate on Sunday, by explaining what the whole week looked like from Jesus’ perspective.

O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me:  nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. Matthew 26:39

We must allow yourself to be moved to tears over what the Lord Jesus did to purchase our salvation.

And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him…And they spit upon him, and took the reed and smote him on the head. Matthew 27: 28-30

We should be mindful this week of Christ’s sacrifice and pardon, of His horrible death, and His ultimate victory over death, Hell and the grave!

It should fill us with shame that He had to pay for our sins, but then that shame should quickly be replaced with a deep and reverent gratitude, a spirit of awe and worship of our great Saviour.

I encourage you to not “neglect so great salvation” but spend the week remembering and praising Him for His great love for us.

In Him,

Alesha Kay

 

When You Are Feeling Shattered

by ObtainingMercy, posted in A Door of Hope, A Season of Thanksgiving, How Great is Our God, Just My Thoughts, Thoughtful Thursday, Uncategorized

“God said, ‘My grace is sufficient for thee,’ for in your weakness My strength is made perfect. In your brokenness, My light shines forth. In your affliction, My power flows out. In your brokenness and insufficiency, My sufficiency is evidenced. In your lack of power, My power is seen.”

“Many times those who are unbroken sit in judgment of those whom God has broken. He has shattered them and leveled them and taken all their pride away. Now they are more useful than ever. Instead of us praising God for His grace and the usefulness, we sit in judgment of the shattering experience.”

“Those that have broken hearts and shattered dreams, those whose lives have been leveled, make the best servants of God because they realize that they have nothing of their own.”

“God can get more glory out of you when you praise Him in brokenness, than when you praise Him on the mountaintop. Anybody can praise God in the good times, but when you are broken, your will is broken, your life is broken, your dreams are shattered, and you praise God, He gets more glory.” (excerpts “Weathering the Storms of Life” by Dennis Corle)

 

In this season of Thanksgiving, even if you are broken and shattered, give God the glory. He is preparing you for great things when everything that YOU are is out of His way to make room for all that HE is.

On the Twelfth Day of the Nativity

by ObtainingMercy, posted in 12 Days of the Nativity, A Door of Hope

 

God Provided!

Pastelnativity

 

Have you picked up on that theme during these 12 days?

Step by step, moment by moment, the great God, Jehovah Jireh, provided everything that Joseph, Mary and Jesus needed during this historical, poignant moment of history.

Even in all the Divine magnificence, He met every human need of Joseph and Mary.  He provided for them physically, emotionally, financially and spiritually.

He had His all-mighty hand on them during each climactic moment of Jesus birth, from the first angelic visitation to the flight into Egypt.  It was all planned and it was all provided for.

The amazing truth is that He will do no less for you.  You are His child, and He cannot be untrue to His nature.  He has promised to meet your every need, and He will.

Do not doubt it.

God will provide!

On the Eleventh Day of the Nativity

by ObtainingMercy, posted in 12 Days of the Nativity, A Door of Hope

 

God provided a place of refuge for Jesus and His earthly family.

Bluenativity

 

Not only was the manger provided for Jesus' birth, but also the provision and plan for His flight into Egypt was planned by God.

When the danger arose, God sent them out in the way that He had before ordained.  They were safely led and safely kept.

Scripture does not share much of their time in Egypt.  Even in Its pages, they had anonymity for the years they spent there.

They had a sure refuge in the time of danger.

And so do we. 

Psalm 142:4-5 "I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living."

 

On the Tenth Day of the Nativity

by ObtainingMercy, posted in 12 Days of the Nativity, A Door of Hope

 

God provided a warning to His worshippers to avoid danger.

Nativity2

 

Can you imagine what the neighbors of the wise men thought, when they began to discuss their journey to follow the star of Jesus?

I'm sure some folks called them fools.  Others probably branded them as religious fanatics.  They were leaving their families and livelihoods behind to set out on a 2-year journey to find the Christchild.  They were using their fortunes and probably risking their health and well-being to take this trip.

However, they made it safely, didn't they?  They arrived, and were directed to the house where Jesus was living with His parents. 

Then, when it was time to go, God protected them yet again.  He warned them in a dream to not return to tell Herod where the child was.  They departed, safely, a different way into their own country.

The Lord protects those who love Him.  He will speak to us through His Word, through counsellors, through that still, small Voice of His Spirit to lead us safely to the land of our destination.

There is no need to fear when you follow the Saviour. 

He will take care of you.

Luke 12:24 "Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have
storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better
than the fowls?"