Thankfulness in everything

Take a few minutes each day to thank the Lord for something.

Here are some more entries. I do write daily but I don't always have the time to put them on the blog. May these posts encourage at least one person to be thankful daily.

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Today is Mark’s birthday. I am extremely thankful for him He is a great husband and father. He is always there for me and our children. His grandchildren love their Papa and laugh at all his corny jokes. They look forward to “Papa time”.

I thank you, Lord, for his godly character and his willingness to share the gospel.

I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, Philemon 1:4

Friday, November 20, 2015

 O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Psalm 105:1

Today’s 5

1.God’s faithfulness

It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

2. God’s longsuffering

The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. Numbers 14:18

3. God’s compassion

But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. Psalm 86:15

4. God’s mercy

For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. Psalm 100:5

5. God’s love

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. I John 4:10

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Today’s 5

1. Cape anniversary trip with Mark

2. Great weather

3. Walk at Cape Cod National Seashore

4. Dinner at Jake Rooney’s

5. Safety

Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD. Psalm 150:6

Have a thankful day,
Donna

Lessons from Esther: Before the king

3 And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews. 4 Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the king, 5 And said, If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's provinces: 6 For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred? 7 Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews. Esther 8:3-7

The wicked Haman is dead but his dastardly deed will continue unless Someone steps in.

Esther is “beside herself” she is ready to burst from sorrow. Something needs to be done before the dreaded day, when all the Jews will be killed. She pleads with the king to remedy the situation before it is too late.

In Esther 3:13 we read, “And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.”

Esther asks the king to reverse the letters that Haman had sent to all the provinces. She is pleading and interceding for her people, the Jews. This is a picture of what we as Christians should be doing daily, interceding on the behalf of others.

·        Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. Psalm 54:2

·        The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer. Psalm 6:9

·        Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. Psalm 86:6

·        Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry; Psalm 88:2

·        Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Psalm 122:6

·        Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. Romans 10:1

·        Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Philippians 4:6

Ahasuerus reminds Esther and Mordecai what he has done so far in regard to the serious situation. He had Haman hanged and he gave Haman’s house to Esther. This is not exactly what Esther was referring to, she wanted to save the lives of her people and without a reversal of the decree they were doomed.

Join me the next time to find out the rest of the solution.

Have a blessed day,
Donna

Today’s 5

·        Protection –I’m thankful for the constant protection the Lord provides, in our home, at night, driving to work, at work, always

·        Health – I am healthy and for this very thankful.

·        Long suffering of God

But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. Psalm 86:15

·        God of the second, third, fourth, fifth and more chances

For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Psalm 86:5

·        God’s mercy

O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. Psalm 136:2

 What are you thankful for? Take a moment to write your “5” in a journal, notebook, blackboard or where ever!

Have a blessed day,
Donna

Lessons from Esther: Mordecai hears “the news”

1 When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry; 2 And came even before the king's gate: for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth. 3 And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.  Esther 4:1-3

Have you ever found out about “a ruling” or “law” after it was passed? Basically this is what happened to Mordecai. A law was “slipped under the radar”, passed and now enacted.

When he realizes the impact on “his people” the Jews, he tears his clothes and puts on sackcloth (put on for mourning or humiliation) and ashes. Mordecai is crying, not just a silent cry but a loud, bitter cry with sobbing, uncontrolled weeping. John Gill says, “that all the Jews in the city might be alarmed by it, and inquire the reason of it, and be affected with it…”

He is so overcome with grief that he stands before the king’s gate in his sackcloth and ashes. In today’s world we might say “he was out of control” but really he was totally in control and knew that he had to get people’s attention. This was serious, a life and death situation.

Mordecai did get the attention of his fellow Jews. They banded together to fast, weep and wail.  They were fasting, going without food for a period of time, to get the attention of the God of Heaven.

Again, even though God’s name is not mentioned in the book of Esther, one can see “His hand” throughout the pages.

The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. Psalm 34:15

For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings. Proverbs 5:21 

For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. 1Peter 3:12 

Are  you going through an awful time in  your life? A time when all you do is cry? God is there in the midst of your troubles, call on Him today and He will help and show you the way.

I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. Psalm 18:3 

In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me. Psalm 86:7 

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. James 4:10 

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 1Peter 5:6 

Have a blessed day,
Donna

Requirements

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Micah 6:8

Requirements from God:

Do justly – be fair in your dealings with others (treat others the way you would like to be treated) do right before God and man.

Golden rule Luke 6:31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

Love mercy – (kindness toward God) we need to love God with all our heart – we can show this by being kind and loving to those around us.

Luke 10:27 … Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

Walk humbly with thy God – walk with God daily. We walk with God by being constantly with Him. He needs to be in everything we do – thoughts and actions. When you are daily walking with God others will know.

Psalm 63:1 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

Psalm 86:11 Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

Colossians 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.

As we put into practice the things that God requires from us, we might need to change some actions and attitudes. Ask God, through prayer, to show you how to do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with Him.

Have a blessed day,
Donna