Thankful Life - December 16, 2014

Yesterday was a very strange day emotionally from the 'get go'... no event actually triggered any changes, yet as soon as I woke up, my heart was gravely lamented – and seeking my God began and continued all day.

On days that are tough, I count on the LORD.... and there have been many rough days lately, emotionally and physically.... So to my Father I run where I am accepted and comforted with open arms because He can handle it all.

He has endured it all... so I can have the strength to endure "just my part".

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." ~Hebrews 12:1-2 (New International Version)

As I listen to those around me… either audibly or visually through the things that I read, I have an inkling of why my heart is so grieved, and I can only imagine how much the heart of our Father is grieved by what He sees; what His children say, live and share. We allow much to filter through to our lives and bleed out to those we are to example to. Every day I pray that my brothers and sisters in Christ will allow the Holy Spirit to lead, that I will be led wholly by the Holy Spirit to live well… to be guided and corrected. And, as we live in this world, and see all that it delivers, we are called to decipher the truth and live righteously according to our Father’s will.

“Behold My Servant, Whom I uphold, My elect in Whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice and right and reveal truth to the nations.” ~Isaiah 42:1 (Amplified Bible)

Let me not be grieved, but celebrate...

This month, we celebrate the birth of Christ… Knowing that the birth of Christ would be nothing without the death, burial and resurrection of Christ – the Messiah. During this time year, many people celebrate! Sometimes what they celebrate isn't quite clear. But it's during this time that we can love in amazing ways and witness the true reason for the season.

God loves you so much and desires you to be His.

Many pray… as believers, we pray to God... and in one breath ask Him to "help" us – and then in action, we reject Him and adhere to what is acceptable to the world.

Father, I pray for our hearts to be Christ-minded... obedient and open to hearing Your leading in all things, even and especially with the things that seem to be minor or harmless or not so important. Help us to be mindful of what YOU DID to save us; that we are burdenless because of YOUR work and love for us; that we are limitless in our abilities to be like You and do Your will every day because of the Holy Spirit in us. Help us to be grieved and convicted to leave this world behind. Help us to leave behind our inappropriateness of speech or actions, our inabilities to operate in fullness of Spirit and let go of the flesh. As an example, but too for our own good and well being. Help us toward our own perfecting in this life of flesh because we need Your help in all this. Through Christ Jesus we petition and plead. Amen.

“I the Lord have called You [the Messiah] for a righteous purpose and in righteousness; I will take You by the hand and will keep You; I will give You for a covenant to the people [Israel], for a light to the nations [Gentiles],
“To open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon, and those who sit in darkness from the prison.
“I am the Lord; that is My name! And My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to graven images.” ~Isaiah 42:6-8 (Amplified Bible)

If you do not know Jesus... it's time to choose Him. Know that He pursues you... He is for you... and it's all on Him, once you choose. He will help you be obedient, once you are His. Have you asked Him into your life?

"Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out," ~Acts 3:19 (English Standard Version)

We must give our lives to Christ and accept His gift of salvation... His work on the cross DID IT ALL. Romans 10:9 says, "If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (New International Version)

Such a giving Father in heaven who prepared the way... and all we have to do to be saved is ask God to come into our life. To be the master over us. And, in that instant, we are saved. It's by the strength of the Holy Spirit AND BECAUSE HE LIVES IN US, that we can be obedient.

I pray for those who do not know You Father… that Your Word, Your promises will be revealed and embedded in their hearts and lives. “teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20 (Lexham English Bible)

‪©2014 Giving Thanks Daily, Shawn Boreta

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Thankful Life - December 13, 2014

I trust You Father.

As we head out to our days... let us remember who we come from, who we honor with our actions and works. LORD, we thank You that we are wonderfully made (Psalm 139) and are loved so deeply (John 3:16-17) by You, THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16)....

"For we are God’s masterpiece, created in the Messiah Jesus to perform good actions that God prepared long ago to be our way of life." ~Ephesians 2:10 (International Standard Version)

I'm totally trusting that this is his orchestration, 32 years! Many tears, And everyone of them He counted. That's all I can look forward to.

"Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day." ~2 Corinthians 4:16 (New American Standard Bible)

Regardless of what happens in this life - as children of God - we live through it because of what He did... because "it is finished", we live toward an eternity with a mighty and perfect God. The circumstances of this life that seem devastating... will not devastate us, but will form us. I had to hear this again today. God will sustain me. (Psalm 55:22; Isaiah 46:4; Psalm 37:24)

I am grateful for reminders and God's mercies throughout my day today: I can do all things... I am grateful that I chose... and that He is my everything.

It's all on Him, once you choose. He will help you be obedient, once you are His. Have you asked Him into your life?

We must give our lives to Christ and accept His gift of salvation... His work on the cross DID IT ALL. Romans 10:9 says, " If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

Such a giving Father in heaven who prepared the way... and all we have to do to be saved is ask God to come into our life. To be the master over us. And, in that instant, we are saved.

It's by the strength of the Holy Spirit AND BECAUSE HE LIVES IN US, that we can be obedient.

God loves you so much and desires you to be His.

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© 2014 Giving Thanks Daily, Shawn Boreta

Thankful Life - December 4, 2014

It may appear to the flesh that we have been forgotten, or abandoned in our storms, but we are never left to fend for ourselves as a child of God.

"Then he went aboard the boat, and his disciples followed him. Before long a terrific storm sprang up and the boat was awash with the waves. Jesus was sleeping soundly and the disciples went forward and woke him up. “Lord, save us!” they cried. “We are drowning!” ~Matthew 9:23-25

Awake… Thankful, first, I am grateful that I am awake and alert and ready to conquer another day… But never ready without "He who loved me first".

Awake… it appears that much more awake than just what you see. Lord I cannot do this today or any day without You, nor do I want to.

Awake… This body that appears whole - it's crashing on the inside, desperate for relief… crying and screaming on the inside… Praying to see the crashing of me restored.

It's days like these that I find my flesh screaming, "enough… Enough, enough is enough!"

And it's moments like these that I treasure that my God is enough, more than enough!

Most days I don't remember my dreams, sometimes I wake up and just know they were weird. Others it might be a calm. When I woke up yesterday, by the way after sleeping 14 1/2 hours after a first dose of an antibiotic for a kidney infection, it was not only weird… But I did remember it.

I spent the night experiencing crashes… Crashing cars, crashing waves, avalanching snow… Crashing into people. It depicted exactly what the inside of my body feels like - fine one minute and crushed the next. "Fine" defined is momentary lapses in pain. Again I say, I cannot do this alone, and today I am grateful I never have to.

I am grateful. Whatever you're going through today or in this life, you are not alone. We never have to be alone!

Jesus shows his mastery over the forces of nature in our lives daily... we just have to abide and be aware of His presence, through His Word and the consistence of the Holy Spirit.

“What are you so frightened about, you little-faiths?” he replied. Then he got to his feet and rebuked the wind and the waters and there was a great calm. The men were filled with astonishment and kept saying, “Whatever sort of man is this—why, even the wind and the waves do what he tells them!” Matthew 8:26-27

J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS)

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© 2014 Giving Thanks Daily, Shawn Boreta

My Life is a Prayer - November 23, 2014

I am ashamed Lord that I have let my exhaustion come before Your praise. That I have a allowed my exhaustion to keep me from Your daily Word. But I am not seeing this for what it is… A distraction. Help me today and give me strength. Give me strength as I decide to abide and to fight to be in Your will.
 

Lord I don't want to be so focused on me that I can't see others in front of me and their need. I've been a little self-absorbed and consumed with research for doctors, treatments… But I don't want to be the person people avoid because of all this. Help me Lord to figure out how to disseminate and adjust while going about my life here. Today I felt very broken and alone in this process! But also, someone who is severely reminded that I am not alone. Today, as my own advice was lovingly thrown back at me, I began to realize that I am allowing feelings to cloud my ability to truly see things for what they are. Help me with this broken heart father, and to not dwell in this place that is so dark. I love You Lord and I need You now. Crying out to you Jesus in the full strength of the Holy Spirit.

Father forgive me for not having enough faith, and strengthen me and provide it to me because I don't.

LORD our Father, You know the cries of Your children, and I pray for their hearts to be peaceful and wholly Yours. You know the prayers and needs of these beautiful brothers and sisters, and those who do not know You to come to Your saving knowledge through and in their trials... we pray for the workings of the Holy Spirit to be recognized and acknowledged in the hearts of all. We love You Lord Jesus for the work already accomplished and that which is yet to be done in us. Thank You for loving us so much and desiring us and pursing us. And, it's in Your precious name and trust in Your plans we pray. Amen.

Consider everything joy. 

Wow, I have to really ponder this one as I am so self-absorbed. Father... more of You - Less of me.

In Your presence I will find all of the joy necessary, while all of my needs are met. In Your presence Father I am comforted.

Testing Your Faith

"James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings.
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,  knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." ~James 1:1-4 (New American Standard Bible)

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©2014 Giving Thanks Daily, Shawn Boreta

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Day 380 of Giving Thanks

As I sat quietly this morning, the term, “Cog in the wheel”, popped into my head – and from the worlds view the term really emphasizes a person’s lack of importance – really, it is impossible for machinery to work without all the cogs in place. Every cog is necessary and important. I am grateful to be one of the cogs in the body of Christ; that my role is significant and I know that my role has already been determined. And all things work together for His good.

“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God—those whom he has called according to his plan." ~Romans 8:28

I am grateful that I am not disillusioned when things don’t go well, sometimes I am surprised, upset, angry, hurt or disappointed when circumstances are different than what I expect – but in the long run, God’s perspective is much greater than mine and always perfect. I am learning to question differently. Instead of “why this is”, I can now ask “how can God use this?”

Lord, my part can be confusing, and at times, unsatisfying. Help me to see the great in my life, every moment, of every day I am here. Continue to remind me that there is a big picture, that my part is small, yet significant.