Living in a Rarefied Spiritual Atmosphere
Jesus loves you and wants to indwell you and enable you to live a spiritually victorious life with a rejoicing spirit. He and He alone, not things, can enable you to live the “abundant life.” In a culture where many think peace and contentment comes from the abundance of things, He offers abundant life even to those who are devoid of things such as material goods, family, a host of friends, and property. Even those who have these assets are offered His “abundant life.”
Live as though each day were to be your last and each person was hearing to remember your last words.
“Bless the Lord….” is an oft repeated Biblical expression. “Bless” means to speak kindly of and make happy.
Don’t let your prayer life become a series of requests for things wanted and thanks for goods delivered. This is often done for fear that if it isn’t, the next request might not get through.
Instead of singing “Count your blessings, name them one by one” many of us should be singing “Count your blessings name them ton by ton.” Praise by these individuals is indeed a sacrifice to the Lord.
Old Testament followers of the Lord gave a “thanks offering.” We have an altar, the cross, and a high priest, Jesus. We have an offering, a sacrifice of praise.
To live with a thankful heart is to live in a rarefied spiritual atmosphere.
While climbing the Chimneys in North Carolina, we passed persons about one hour up the trail coming down. We asked, “Is it worth it?” They replied, “Above here everything is worth it.” So it is spiritually.
Gratitude has been called the memory of the heart.
Little people are rarely thankful.
Thankful people are never small.
Thanksgiving has a subject and an object.
What we are thankful for is the subject.
The One to whom we are thankful is the object.
People are often worthy objects.
God is always the supreme ultimate object.
“(Be) content with such things as we have: for He hath said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you. So we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man can do.” (Hebrews 13: 5, 6)
We share the love and sufficiency of our Lord by our praise of Him. Doing so makes you His agent of praise, a witness to all.
“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” (II Corinthians 2: 14)