GRATEFUL FOR YOU!

1 Thessalonians 5:18

give thanks in all circumstances; 

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you

GOD'S LOVE MUST MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Philippians 1:3-6

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 

We are so thankful for everyone who has become part of our supporting family. When Paul wrote these words, his thoughts were directed to a group of people that God had brought into his life. His sentiment was not a generic feeling for all believers, but for those that by the providence of God were part of his life of ministry.

Dear friends, as you read these devotionals I want you to know that I am thankful for every one of you. My prayer is that the word of God would impact your life daily, that the truths of the Word would challenge, encourage, nourish, and prepare you.

I am humbled by the notes I receive, about how God uses these meditations at specific times in lives of those who are going through very difficult situations.

The gratefulness that the Apostle Paul felt was for the fact that these men and women were fellow believers. He knew that all true faith is the result of the work of the Holy Spirit. Every person who understands and receives the Gospel has been lovingly chosen by God before the foundation of the World. God knew how much it would cost Him, He knew very well their depravity, their inclination to sin, and He was intimate with every thought and struggle they would have. He loved them completely, perfectly, and forever.

Dear friends, as I look at fellow believers, I am not naturally inclined to want to love them, serve them and care for them. But reflection upon God’s love for me and for them must bring the same results that it brought in the Apostle Paul.   

Knowing that God has lovingly saved those believers who intersect our lives also binds us together as partners in the Gospel, in a common cause sovereignly ordained by God. God’s desire is for the Gospel to progress in our lives. Our lives must therefore be driven by obedience to His will.

We must, first of all, be dedicated to the growth of the truth of the Gospel in our lives. Paul’s all-surpassing desire was to know Christ! His desire was to be transformed and live for Christ every moment of every day. He knew the Word, he prayed for its truth to drive him to the goal of pleasing Christ. Is the Word causing you to grow? Do you love Christ more and more? Are you being transformed into the image of Christ? Only the study of the Bible can produce these effects. Are you regularly attending a church that is committed to teaching and obeying the Word of God? Are you availing yourself of every opportunity to learn, submitting to the leadership of your church? Your commitment to the Gospel produces a commitment to the local church.

As you are praying for the Gospel to progress in your life, it will be natural for you to be committed to the second responsibility that the Gospel brings: investing your life so that other believers will also grow in their love for Christ and His service. As you can quickly see, this commitment is fulfilled in the local church. Our local churches are filled with imperfect sinful people, like us! The Apostle Paul was grateful for all of the believers, because he was committed to love Christ and therefore love those for whom Christ died. When you read on in the letter to the Philippians, you will see that Paul was convinced that he was alive for the purpose of spiritual benefit to the believers. Dear friends, our lives should be intentionally involved in the lives of other believers for their spiritual growth. You can see that if the Gospel is not progressing in us, it will be impossible for us to be committed to caring spiritually for other believers.

Lastly, Paul’s partnership in the Gospel with other believers reminded him that they were all ambassadors to an unsaved world, where they needed to shine as lights. We live in a difficult world; it is our privilege to have brothers and sisters who are also dedicated to spreading the good news. Paul was pleased when other believers were encouraged to evangelize by watching his life, and when they gave financially for him to be able to carry on his ministry. They were partners and this brought him joy.

I tend to be grateful for what benefits me, for people who please me, and when my life in this world is comfortable. But Paul’s gratefulness was driven by his God-given eternal perspective. He knew that God was the initiator and sustainer of every good work. He was willing to leave the results to God, and was pleased to be used by Him, even when it cost him dearly.

Dear friends, in this Thanksgiving season, this is what I am asking God to produce in me: a thankfulness for the work of the Gospel in me, a desire and gratitude for the progress of the Gospel in fellow believers, and a heart for the proclamation of the Good News to a lost world.

The progress of the Gospel is the work of God. If we are driven by that truth, we will never be ungrateful. And God will always be at work in us, in the true church, and in the world!

When you are grateful, you don’t complain!

When you are grateful, you don’t criticize!

When you are grateful, you don’t rebel!

Resolve to love God by submitting to Him, resolve to love your brothers by serving them, and to love the lost by evangelizing them.