15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord,20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. - Ephesians 5:15-20
I guess I need to complete this series, although my mind has been moved into other thoughts.
"Be filled with the Spirit ... always giving thanks to God the Father for everything." Not sometimes, not just in good times, not just in bad times, not every once in a while, not just when you feel good, not just when you feel bad, not just on Sundays, not only at Christmas or Easter or Thanksgiving, but ALWAYS for EVERYTHING.
I suggest that the very fist thanks of every prayer ought to be for God being a loving God. He could be a hateful God who just plays with man to see how much He can make man suffer. It is easy for us as sinners to conjure up such atrocities to do to one another. It seems that every new action movie has some kind of innovative new suffering or new method of dying to demonstrate with more gory realistic graphics. I don't believe that the Creator of man, made in His image, who breathed life into man has thoughts like these. We should be thankful that God is our God and that He is a loving God who loves us personally.
Next, I suggest we thank God for the very life we have. If we can pray, that means we are awake and alive physically. What a blessing! Our heart is beating and we are breathing. We should be so thankful for our own existence. Once we stop taking that for granted, we learn to enjoy every moment a little more and to be good stewards with all the breaths we are given.
From being thankful for these two things as a foundation, everything else starts taking a clearer focus. Immediately, the people in our lives are what comes to mind and I am so very thankful for them and want to pray for blessings in their lives. I notice how I do not dwell on being thankful for things. Once I get my thankfulness and gratitude in its proper perspective, I stop seeing the world as we are tempted too, but as God intends us too. The people who are important to Him, become important to us. And it all starts with being "filled with the Spirit ... giving thanks to God the Father for everything."
I guess I need to complete this series, although my mind has been moved into other thoughts.
"Be filled with the Spirit ... always giving thanks to God the Father for everything." Not sometimes, not just in good times, not just in bad times, not every once in a while, not just when you feel good, not just when you feel bad, not just on Sundays, not only at Christmas or Easter or Thanksgiving, but ALWAYS for EVERYTHING.
I suggest that the very fist thanks of every prayer ought to be for God being a loving God. He could be a hateful God who just plays with man to see how much He can make man suffer. It is easy for us as sinners to conjure up such atrocities to do to one another. It seems that every new action movie has some kind of innovative new suffering or new method of dying to demonstrate with more gory realistic graphics. I don't believe that the Creator of man, made in His image, who breathed life into man has thoughts like these. We should be thankful that God is our God and that He is a loving God who loves us personally.
Next, I suggest we thank God for the very life we have. If we can pray, that means we are awake and alive physically. What a blessing! Our heart is beating and we are breathing. We should be so thankful for our own existence. Once we stop taking that for granted, we learn to enjoy every moment a little more and to be good stewards with all the breaths we are given.
From being thankful for these two things as a foundation, everything else starts taking a clearer focus. Immediately, the people in our lives are what comes to mind and I am so very thankful for them and want to pray for blessings in their lives. I notice how I do not dwell on being thankful for things. Once I get my thankfulness and gratitude in its proper perspective, I stop seeing the world as we are tempted too, but as God intends us too. The people who are important to Him, become important to us. And it all starts with being "filled with the Spirit ... giving thanks to God the Father for everything."
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