Be Thankful

• Be thankful for the clothes that fit a little too snug, because it means you have enough to eat.
• Be thankful for the mess you clean up after a party, because it means you have been surrounded by friends.
• Be thankful for the taxes you pay, because it means you're employed.
• Be thankful that your lawn needs mowing and your windows need fixing, because it means you have a home.
• Be thankful for your heating bill, because it means you are warm.
• Be thankful for the laundry, because it means you have clothes to wear.
• Be thankful for the space you find at the far end of the parking lot, because it means you can walk.
• Be thankful for the lady who sings off-key behind you in church, because it means you can hear.
• Be thankful when people complain about the government, because it means we have freedom of speech.
• Be thankful for the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours, because it means you're alive.

GIVE THANKS WITH A GRATEFUL HEART

GIVE THANKS TO THE HOLY ONE

GIVE THANKS BECAUSE HE'S GIVEN JESUS CHRIST, HIS SON

AND NOW LET THE WEAK SAY I AM STRONG

LET THE POOR SAY I AM RICH

BECAUSE OF WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE FOR US

GIVE THANKS...

But Theyre Just Bath Towels...Right?

Over the last couple of months or so, I've been wanting some new bath towels. We have 3 towels in our bathroom, 2 which are in really good shape. I did not necessarily need new towels, but I haven't had any new ones in at least 5 years and thought it would be nice to have some new ones. Anyway, my husband did some out of town work last week in which he stayed in a travel camper. He came home one night with dirty linens from the camper. You guessed it, bath towels. As I was folding the freshly washed and dried towels, I thought, "these towels are big and feel really nice, wouldn't it be nice to have some of these". So, I looked at the tag to see where they came from and couldn't believe they were a Wal-Mart brand! Now, my taste isn't extravagant and I do love Wal-Mart. I was just surprised. By the feel, I was thinking JC Penney or something similar. I told myself, stop! Don't even go down that road. You don't NEED new towels. A couple of days later, my daughter (who recently earned some money) asked if she could redo her bedroom and bathroom. Off to Wal-Mart we went to "look" and get some ideas. Of course, we had to look at the bath towels. So, here I go again with the towels! I was constantly being tempted with discontent over my bath towels. I mean, come on...it's just a bath towel, right? The, my beloved came home the next day from his out of town trip with more dirty linens, including bath towels. As he handed them to me, I though "UGH! NO! MORE TOWELS!!! I didn't say anything, but prayed for God's strength to fight this temptation of discontent. About that time, my hubby said, "Oh, by the way, they (whoever "they" are?) said for me to take some towels home because they had a bunch of extras." WHAT?!?! Did I hear correctly. Am I getting new towels??? Oh my, yes I am. You might be thinking, 'what's the big deal, they're just bath towels right?' I say NO! They are an example of God's love and how He cares about everything, even the little things. My God is sovereign and is at work in ALL things, even bath towels.

Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Mat 26:41

For I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.

Php 4:11

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Php 4:19

My Contentment and God's Sovereignty

We bought our home about 2 1/2 years ago.  The home itself is actually going on 11 years old.  It is in need of a few repairs that we are trying to make as the Lord allows provisions for.  One issue is the carpet.  To be perfectly honest, it hasn't reached the "needs" list yet but it is on it's way.  So for now, it remains on the "want" list.  It is dark green (which shows every piece of fuzz you could imagine), it's kind of worn, faded and is starting to come apart at the seems.  The other day my sweet Gracie had gone outside early in the morning while the dew was still on the ground.  In 9 year old fashion, she came right back inside without cleaning her shoes. She's a busy girl; who has time for that?  LOL!  We're working on it.  Anyway, she left a wet, grassy trail from the front door to the kitchen and back out the door.  As I was cleaning the floor, I was thinking about how much I dislike the carpet.  Then I thought, if my friend Renae was here, she'd remind me that at least I didn't have to walk on a cold, hard floor.  She would have been right; she always right.  Then I thought, what if all I had was a cold, hard floor.  Would I still be content?  Then my mind went to the book of Job.  What if God took away all of my flooring and I was left with dirt. Would I still be content?  Then it struck me.  I need to be content with God, not just His blessings.  Not that we shouldn't be content with what He has blessed us with, but what He really desires if for us to be content with Him.  Then I thought, if I really believe God is sovereign, then I should be content.  Right?  If He cares about the birds in the fields (Mt. 6:26) and knows the number of hairs on my head (Luk 12:7), then He also cares about my ugly, green carpet.  He not only cares, but He was sovereign in my having the ugly, green carpet.  He had a purpose for it.  Psalm 121:4 tells us Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. We must remember He is always at work, in every detail of our lives, working all things together for our good and for His purposes. So, do we believe God is sovereign?    If so, words such as chance, luck, fate, fluke, happenstance, and coincidence should not be a part of our vocabulary.  Elizabeth George says, "These terms litter the language of those who fail to accurately acknowledge the power and sovereign control of God over every detail of life."

Heb 2:8  putting everything in subjection under his feet." Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.


1Ti 6:15  ...he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords


Php 4:11  Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 


1Ti 6:8  But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 


Heb 13:5  Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have...

A Contented Heart - Part 3

Are we content in going God's way?

A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:1-6

When we allow God our shepherd to guide us, we will have contentment. when we choose to sin, however, we are choosing to go our own way, and we cannot blame God for the circumstances in which we find ourselves. Our Shepherd knows the meadow grass and quiet streams that will restore us. We will reach these places only by following him obediently. Rebelling against the Shepherd's leading is actually rebelling against our own best interest for the future. We must remember this the next time we are tempted to go our own way rather than the Shepherd's way.

Be content because God will never leave you.

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?" Heb. 13:5-6

Contentment is not found in money or material things.

Arise, O LORD! Confront him, subdue him! Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,
from men by your hand, O LORD, from men of the world whose portion is in this life. You fill their womb with treasure; they are satisfied with children, and they leave their abundance to their infants. As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness. Psalm 17:13-15

Humility brings contentment.

O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forevermore. Psalm 131:1-3

Be content with what you have.

"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matt. 6:25-35

Contentment comes when you put Jesus first.

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.' I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel." And John bore witness: "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God." John 1:29-34

A Contented Heart - Part 2

But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. Genesis 33:4

It is refreshing to see Esau's change of heart when the two brothers meet again. the bitterness over losing his birthright and blessing(25:29-34) is gone. Instead, Esau is content with what he has. Jacob even exclaims how great it is to see his brother obviously pleased with him.


Life can deal us some bad situations. We can feel cheated, as Esau did, but we don't have to remain bitter. Bitterness can be removed from our lives by honestly confessing our feelings to God, forgiving those who have wronged us, and being content with what we have.

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I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances. MARTHA WASHINGTON

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Contentment is not found in having everything we think we want, but in being satisfied in everything God has provided. UNSURE

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The heart that is constantly overflowing with gratiture will be safe from those attacks of resentfullness and gloom that bother so many persons. A.W. TOZER

A Contented Heart Series - Part 1

Over the past 2 1/2 years God has delt with me in many ways but none can compare to the issue of contentment. Today, I will begin a mini-series titled A Contented Heart. I will share how God has and still is teaching me to be content not only with what He provides, but in Him. He is all I need, He is enough. However, contentment is a constant struggle when the world says "you need more" or "you deserve it". The media is relentless. They don't want us to be content with what we have. But it didn't start with the media. It started in the Garden of Eden. In Genesis, we see Satan tries to ruin contentment.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?" And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?" And he said, "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself. Gen 3:1-10

But our God is faithful.

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations... Deu 7:9

When discontent rears it's ugly head, I always find these verses encouraging.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Php 4:8

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Php 4:11-13

to be continued...