A Routine for Life

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 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT – “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

A lifestyle of thanksgiving is one dedicated to giving thanks to God in all things (1 Thessalonians 5:18). For most of us, we tend to thank God in the good times or after a miraculous event, but the Bible encourages us to live a life of thanksgiving. We live a life of faith – the just shall live by faith. If you are living by faith, you can live a lifestyle of thanksgiving because you know that all things will work together for your good, and you know that the plans that God has for you are for good and not for evil, to give you a future and an expected end.  Paul admonishes us to end our prayers, petitions, supplication with thanksgiving, if we want to experience God’s peace. Hannah, King Jehoshaphat, and the one leper demonstrate this lifestyle of thanksgiving. After the Lord blessed Hannah with a child Samuel, she returned to the house of the Lord, and gave thanks. She exemplifies giving thanks to the Lord, after an answered prayer (I Samuel 2:1-11). Jehoshaphat, for his part, gave thanks to the Lord before the answer to the prayer (1 Chronicles 20:21). He also gave thanks after the miraculous deliverance (1 Chronicles 20:27-29). And then the ten lepers who were healed by Jesus (Luke 17:11-18). Luke 17:17-18 (AMPC) “Then Jesus asked, ” Were not [all] ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was there no one found to return and to recognize and give thanks and praise to God except this alien?” The Lord expects us to give Him thanks, it is the right thing to do, and it honors Him. Amen.

Scriptures: Luke 17:11-18, 1 Chronicles 20:1-30, 1 Samuel 1, 1 Samuel 2:1-11, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV

Prayer:

  • Give thanks to the Lord for all He has done for you.
  • Thank Him for the things He is yet to do.
  • Determine that you will lead a lifestyle of thanksgiving – living by faith and taking Him at His Word.
  • Ask the Lord to help you lead a lifestyle of thanksgiving. 

 

Psalm 62:5 AMPC – “My soul, wait only upon God and silently submit to Him; for my hope and expectation are from Him.”

Daniel 11:32b NKJV– “…but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.”

Expectation is the act or state of looking forward, waiting for something or someone. Closely aligned with expectation are faith, hope, desire, patience, waiting, excitement, and joy. In life, we refer to a pregnant woman as one who is “expecting.” There is a process – some dos and some don’ts, there is waiting, and there is the delivery of the expectation. At the end of the forty weeks, she gives birth to her expectation. Using that analogy, as believers, we carry divine dreams, and assignments and expectations. Our faith, hope, desires, expectations, etc. are anchored in the infallible Word of God. And who is this God? Many are His attributes – unfailing, steadfast, strong, mighty, and innumerable are his miracles – parting of the red sea, turning water into wine, raising the dead. Like the lame man at the beautiful gate (Acts 3:5), the centurion (Matthew 8:5-11), the woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5:28), we need to fix our eyes on God, align your words with His word and walk in expectation that His rich promises concerning our lives and our purpose will come to pass by the power of the Holy Spirit. As believers we are supposed to be living in the supernatural – “the people who know their God shall be strong and carry out great exploits” (Daniel 11:32b), and many signs will follow them (Mark 16:17-18).

Scriptures: Jeremiah 29:11, Proverbs 10:24, Ephesians 3:20-21, Daniel 11:32b, Acts 3:1-9, Psalm 62:5, Habakkuk 3:2, Matthew 8:5-11, Mark 5:25-34, Isaiah 40:30-31, Psalm 19:14

Prayer:

  • Pray that you will live in patient anticipation/expectations of His promises.
  • Pray that your life will be in daily expectation of the supernatural.
  • Determine that you will take the actions that lead to excellence, move you from the mediocre to the exceptional.
  • Declare that you will do exploits in your ministry, in your home and in the marketplace.
  • Fix your eyes, thoughts, imaginations, desires on the greatness of God and live in expectation (Acts 3:4-5, Ephesians 3:20).
  • Alignment- align your words, thoughts, and actions to the power of the greatness and supernatural power of God. (Mark 5:28, Psalm 19:14).

 

Family praying

John 1:12-13 NKJV –  “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the [a]right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

Throughout the Bible we see how God in His infinite workings puts individuals or sometimes groups of people together, sometimes they are from the same bloodline, and other times strangers.  This is exemplified by Abraham & Lot, Moses & Joshua, Elijah & Elisha, Noami & Ruth, Jesus & His disciples, and Paul &Timothy. We are a part of God’s family because of God’s great love for us. In the New Testament, this family dynamic is taken to the highest level, where we became adopted into God’s own family.  Galatians 4:4-7 NKJV – “4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. 6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” 7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.” As believers, we are part of God’s beautiful family, and Jesus is our “Big Brother!” And the Holy Spirit is present as well (Romans 8:16 – The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,). We are privileged! And we have responsibilities – loving our God, our brothers and sisters and reaching out to a lost world.

Scriptures: John 1:12-13, Gal 4:4-7, Matthew 12:46-50, Ruth 1:16-17, 1Timothy 1:1-2, Romans 12:3-9, Romans 12:9, Romans 12:9

Prayer: Rejoice in the truth of being a child of the Most High God.  Praise God that He adopted you. You are a son, and you are a joint heir with Christ. Thank him for earthly families – brothers and sisters He has given you. Bless Him for your church family. Determine to bring honor to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Determine to love your brothers and your sisters (John 13:35). Reach out to the body of Christ and show them love… love the brothers and sisters…Reach out the outside world and tell them of the love of God (Matthew 28:19-20. Pray that your life will bring others to Christ. Like Jesus, Moses, Paul – find your disciples, your Joshua, your Timothy and pour into their lives. Mentor them and bring them into your family.

 

“4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. 6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”

Happy Children

 

 

“For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God;…”Ephesians 2:8 (AMPC)

Just as the law was given to Israel through Moses, grace came through Christ. John 1:14 (NKJV) says “and Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” We have been saved by the riches of His grace, and we have been forgiven and accepted in the beloved because of this grace (Ephesians 1:6-7). As believers, we have all received grace through Christ our Lord. But the question is what is this grace? How is grace defined? Understanding this grace, will help us walk in it and appropriate all its benefits. This grace has many shades, and it cannot be defined by one word. Grace is favor, grace is spiritual blessing, and grace is a gift, it is the divine gift of God. God through Jesus Christ has supplied us with an abundance of grace. We have a share, and we have a supply. It is one after another, grace for grace, grace upon grace, heaped. Imagine it and think about this. This grace is undeserved favor, and it is God’s compassion (Ephesians 2:8). Additionally, this grace is sufficient. This grace is lovingkindness and mercy, and it is more than enough for us and always available. This grace is also God’s power which is available (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Scriptures: John 1 (verses 14, 16-17), Ephesians 1:3-14, Ephesians 2:7-8, Acts 20:24, 2 Cor 9:12

Prayer:

  • Thank God for the grace that He has bestowed upon us through Jesus Christ.
  • Thank God for the deliverance and redemption we receive through the riches of His grace.
  • Ask that you will fully grasp this grace.
  • Determine that you will fully embrace this grace and walk in it.
  • Declare that you are full of grace – you have favor, you receive His lovingkindness and compassion, mercy, and spiritual gift.
  • Declare that your sufficiency is of Him. He is more than enough.
  • Say like the Psalmist (Psalm 23:1(NLT)) – “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.”