Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart

"Gratitude is the attitude that sets the altitude for living" James McDonald. Today is my birthday and Thanks Giving is just a few days away. So I have been reflecting on all that I am grateful for. Thankfulness is the attitude that perfectly displaces my sinful tendency to complain and thereby release joy and blessing into my life. When I complain on the other hand, I am telling God that I don't like my circumstances. And ultimately I am telling God that I don't think He's doing a good job directing my life. God wants us to trust Him in every situation. Paul said, "I have learned to be content in every circumstance." He also said that "godliness with contentment is great gain." Sometimes we are short sighted and don't see God at work in every trial. Think about Joseph in the Old Testament. He had a dream that he would one day rule over his brothers and his parents. God had a plan to bless him. His brothers were offended by this and betrayed him by selling him into slavery. Joseph was eventually framed for an assault that he didn't commit and imprisoned. Joseph had all the reason to complain, but the bible never mentions Joseph once having a negative attitude. Had Joseph been short sighted and believed that life wasn't fair and that God had somehow messed up, he would have become a complainer and missed out on the blessing God had in store for him. But Joseph kept a good attitude and trusted God by testifying of the goodness and faithfulness of God, even from the shackles of a dungeon. Therefore in time, God blessed him and fulfilled His promise to Joseph.

The book of James tells us to "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."

In other words, keep a good attitude, even when things are uncomfortable. You don't know what God might be getting you ready for.

Here are a few more scriptures to consider as we think of how God wants us to respond to life with ThanksGiving.

• "continually offer up the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name" Heb. 13:15
• "In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" 1 Thes. 5:18
• "Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord . . . for His wonderful works to the children of men!" Psalm 107:8,15,21,31

Be Blessed

Bro. Mike

Hi folks,

Sorry for the long dry spell in blogging. I really didn't know if anyone would follow a blog from me so I just forgot about it. I have decided to take it up again or take it down. If it is going to be a part of our website then I need to keep it up to date. So I'll see if the Lord might give me something to write or share at least once a week. It might be something from my devotion time or a book that I am reading that will hopefully encourage or instruct the Body of Christ. It could include a prayer request or highlight an upcoming event. I covet your prayers always.

So stay tuned if you wish.

Blog to ya later,

Bro. Mike

Borrowed Power

Hi Everyone,

You know how I was talking about that my devotion so many times parallels our lesson. I just turned to today's devotion and the scripture is from Zechariah 4:6 which I quoted yesterday ( "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit," says the LORD Almighty.)

I'll share the rest with you just in case you are curious.

Once I walked along the road on a steep hill. I caught sight of a boy on a bicycle near the bottom.

He was pedaling uphill against the wind and was obviously working tremendously hard. Just as he was

exerting the greatest effort and painfully doing the best he could do, a streetcar, also going uphill, approached him.

It was not traveling too fast for the boy to grab a rail at the rear, and I am sure you can guess the result.

He went up the hill as effortlessly as a bird gliding through the sky.

This thought then flashed through my mind: "I am like that boy on the bicycle in my weariness and weakness.

I am pedaling uphill against all kinds of opposition and am almost worn out with the task. But nearby there is a great

power available - the strength of the Lord Jesus. All I must do is get in touch with Him and maintain communication with Him.

And even if I grab hold with only a little finger of faith, it will be enough to make His power mine to accomplish the act of service

that now overwhelms me."

Seeing the boy on the bicycle helped me to set aside my weariness and to recognize this great truth.

from Streams in the Desert

Have a Great Day

Mike

Make Disciples

I was reading George Barna's book "Growing True Disciples" the other day. Barna says that we have a lot of folks who follow Christ like some people follow their favorite sports team. We just dabble in Christianity. He goes on to state that that's not what Jesus has in mind. He is seeking a much deeper commitment than that. A true follower of Jesus is a fanatic, zealot, passionate, devoted disciple. I think about the story Jesus told of the rich young man who wanted to be a Christ follower. Jesus told him to go sell all his possessions and give the money away. The young man went away sad. He didn't want to follow that bad.

Jesus gave the church a mission. That mission is to call people to be disciples, fully devoted followers of Christ. Barna says that most churches today have some kind of discipleship program, but not many disciples.

Our mission statement at Mt. Carmel is to help people Love, Grow, and Serve. That's what a disciple does. He loves the Lord with all his heart, soul, mind and strength. He seeks to grow in Christ by learning all His teachings and following them. Finally he serves Christ with the gifts given him by the Holy Spirit.

May God help us to stay focused on His mission.

Brother Mike

First Blog

Hi Everyone,

I'm brand new to this blogging, so please be kind. You might ask why do I want to blog. Well for starters it seems everyone has a blog these days, so why not. And if everyone is getting out their message, why not get a few thoughts and ideas out their too. Hopefully I just might have a good thought or two to pass along.

Most people who will read this are probably from the church I minister at and this is for their interest or amusement. It may be something that I wanted to say during our Bible study and just didn't have time for. Or something that I just needed to say. Maybe it will be good therapy for me. Ha!

Anyway I hope you will check in from time to time and read and comment.

BroMike