Posted on 2009 11, 23 by Scott Turner
09 has been a really tough year for most people - 08 was bad, but 09 was even worse. big issues like: unemployment, reduced income, increased debt, house values continuing to fall, the fear of getting the swine flu… all helped to create the perfect storm - an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty. people are just not sure what will happen next. because of this, people are struggling to find something to be thankful for.
what is there to be thankful about?
i’m thankful we have a God that never changes - “I the Lord, do not change.” malachi 3:6 (niv). He provides us with islands of stability in a chaotic world.
be thankful that…
- God’s love for you never changes - “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” jeremiah 31:3 (niv) / ”nothing can get between us and God’s love.” romans 8:28b (msg)
- God’s word never changes - “the grass withers and flowers fade, but the word of our God shall stand forever.” isaiah 40:8 (lb) / (Jesus said) “heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.” mark 13:31 (niv)
- God’s plan for your life never changes - “what the Lord has planned will stand forever. His thoughts never change.” psalm 33:11 (cev) / ”for I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. they are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” jeremiah 29:11 (nlt)
so this thanksgiving, remember that God loves you, He has given you thousands of promises in His word, and His plan for your life is still going to happen. let your heart overflow with sincere thanks to God for his faithfulness.
Posted on 2009 11, 13 by Scott Turner
“and then God answered: write this. write what you see. write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. this vision-message is a witness pointing to what’s coming. it aches for the coming - it can hardly wait! and it doesn’t lie. if it seems slow in coming, wait. it’s on its way. it will come right on time.” habakkuk 2:2-3 (msg)
reading this classic vision verse fills my heart with hope for a better future. it reminds me that God is in control and the vision He has given me will happen. regardless of what things look like - i need to pump up the vision! why? because vision deflates… the enemy tries to discourage me… my own insecurities surface and have to be overcome… other people bail out and choose another vision to follow (that’s not a bad thing, just reality).
how do you pump up the vision? take promises from God’s word and speak them over your life and release words of faith. take control of the atmosphere! fight discouragement! defeat doubt! get aggressive in prayer! start praising God in advance for what you know He will do! remind the enemy that no weapon formed against you will prosper! tap into the power (the same power that raised Jesus from the dead) and smack the enemy back a few times - let him know you’re alive and ready for anything he wants to dish out.
d.l. moody said, “the devil never kicks a dead horse”. in other words, the enemy only attacks those that are doing something, going somewhere and living big for God. if you have had the enemy messing with you recently - be encouraged - you are doing something right. satan picks on people that have a God-sized vision, he tries to get us to back off and give up. ”don’t quit in hard times…” romans 12:12b (msg)
nehemiah gives us a great visual of how we are to live - in one hand he had a tool (to build something significant for God) and in the other hand he had a weapon (to fight the enemy and overcome). your vision will require you to use both hands - building & battling, serving faithfully & slaying fiercely. i know God has given you an amazing vision - don’t let the enemy deflate it! if he does, pump it back up and make it bigger than ever.
my prayer for you… “may God give you your hearts desires and help make all your plans succeed.” psalm 20:4