Thanks Give(ing) in Action

Thanksgiving 

What does that word mean to me?

A holiday, day off from work, meal with the family, pumpkin spice everything, cool autumn weather, leaves changing color, thanking God for what He's done in my life.

I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;

    I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.

2 

I will be glad and rejoice in you;

    I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.

Psalm 9:1-2

This month we've been praying about INTENTIONAL Gratitude, in a sense, Thanksgiving. 

I'm so thankful that God never ceases to surprise, because I thought He would help point out the things in my life that I could thank Him for. 

Which He did, but that's not where He stopped. He decided to change my definition of Thanksgiving.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary   

give

verb \ˈgiv\
gave \ˈgāv\ giv·en \ˈgi-vən\ giv·ing
Definition of GIVE
transitive verb
1
:  to make a present of <give a doll to a child>
2
a :  to grant or bestow by formal action <the law gives citizens the right to vote>

b :  to accord or yield to another <gave him her confidence>

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A transitive verb has two characteristics. First, it is an action verb, expressing a doable activity like kick, want, paint, write, eat, clean, etc. Second, it must have a direct object, something or someone who receives the action of the verb.

It was this "Ah-ha" and "Oh, that should have been obvious" moment. When I GIVE thanks the way I believe God has intended. Not just keeping it to myself, or only in my personal devotion to Him. But, when I take it further and act upon it. When there's a direct object that receives it. When I tell, write a letter to, leave a note for, call, text someone why I'm thankful for them; something crazy happens.

I'm double blessed and I feel I'm the one who's been given something. 

Paul does this, thanks give(ing), and I believe he had that same feeling.

Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. Philippians 1:3,4 (MSG)

Then in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18(KJV) he wrote,

16 Rejoice evermore.17 Pray without ceasing.18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

So I'm Thank Full for a new life definition of Thanks Give(ing). And my prayer will be that it's not just once a year, but a life full of Giving Thanks.

~Kartini Maxson

November Prayer Topic: Intentional Gratitude

What am I grateful for today?  What are you grateful for today?  Who am I grateful for? Who are you grateful for? I imagine that you could make a list for both “the what” and “the who”.  During this month we want to be intentionally grateful.

If I stop for a moment and think, I could name a list of those things that I am grateful that is quite long.  It includes everything from waking up today to it being pay day.  I am thankful that I can share my thoughts on this blog. I am grateful that it is that time of year where there is a little crispness to the air, and the leaves are changing colors.  There is a breeze today, and I love the wind.  

These are just a small handful of what I am grateful for today as I write this.  What are you grateful for today?  I can only imagine that you have a lot to be grateful.   Take a moment to name of those things that you are blessed with.  Again, you don’t have to look at just the big things.  It could feeling the sun on your face after working indoors all day.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!  His faithful love endures forever.” (1 Chronicles 16:34, Psalm 107:1, 118:1, and 136:1)

Do you realize that there are four verses in the bible that say the exact same thing?   Look up, 1 Chronicles 16:34, Psalm 107:1, Psalm 118:1, and Psalm 136:1, and you will see that each of these verses say the same thing.  It was a statement that was worth repeating. Give thanks to the Lord, for HE IS GOOD! His faithful love endures forever.

I give thanks to God for my family and friends, and I also thank God for those of you reading these words.   God has also blessed me with an amazing sister-in-law that is going on this journey of this blog.  I am grateful for her as well, and thank God for her.  She is my prayer warrior, who, if I am needing a prayer, is there to offer a prayer or words of encouragement.

           Last, but definitely not lease.  Actually, this is my top blessing. I am especially grateful for God who has my life in His hands.  I have given him my life, and I am grateful that he is the Author of my story.

 “For I know the plans I have for you.  Declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you.  Plans to give you hope and a future.” 

Jeremiah 29:11

          Jeremiah 29:11 is one of my favorite verses.  It does not mean that life won’t be difficult sometimes, or that tragedies will not happen.  To me it is another blessing to have God know the plans for my life.

Who are you grateful for?  Take a moment, and look on your life, and see who you are thankful for.   I am sure that you will come up with a list of people.  This month do your best to let them know what they mean to you.   They will love it.

An idea of how to let them know would be to send them a card letting them know why you are grateful for them.  Maybe, if you haven’t talked to them in a while, call them. Do something personal, maybe taking them to lunch, or buy them a coffee.

 There are countless ways to let someone know you are grateful for them.  It doesn’t have to cost a thing to tell someone that you are grateful for them.  Try it this month, and you will feel better too.

Dear Lord,

Right at this moment, I am not asking for anything.  I want to just thank you.  I thank you for all the blessings, both big and small, that you have given on me.

Amen

Laura Maxson

Intentional Spiritual Warfare

Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness.   The enemy will seek and destroy those that are not being attentive to those things that are around them.  We have to be ever mindful of the enemy working around us.

We have to be intentional about our spiritual warfare.  Our weapon is prayer, and our leader is GOD who is a Rock, and a Fortress.  Our God has delivered us from the enemy.

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; the God of my strength, in Him I will trust, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my Savior.  You save me from violence.” 

2 Samuel 22:2

I went on vacation this last week.  The intent was to reflect on my personal walk with God. The first part of the trip was phenomenal.   Every morning I woke up and read the Bible and prayed.  It was a time of being immersed in the Word of God.

It was easy, there was a gas fireplace, and so I would sit on the chair near the window, and drink my hot drink.  It was a spiritual reawakening.  It was a renewing of the body and a renewing of my spirit. There was an inner glow that I felt.

The second part of the trip was good as well, but there were certain times that I felt like I was being guided to not look at God, but look at the things of this world.  I am not saying that is bad.  However, when you are trying to look at God, and the things of this world interfere, then it is a problem.

I knew that the devil was not happy with where my relationship with God was at.  The devil was not at all happy.  So, he would throw things of this world back into my line of sight.

They were little things, like watching TV instead of reading the Bible and reflecting.  That is what I had intended this trip to be all about.  It was to be a time of reflecting and reading the Bible.  I wanted time to be introspective, and see what God wants for my life.

The devil does not like it when we do that.  He will put little things in our path to interrupt our life.  Sometimes, it is just the little things that keep our minds focused elsewhere.  Do you find that you get distracted, especially when you are intentionally spending time with God?

“The angel of the Lord encamps around those that fear Him, and He delivers them.” Psalm 34:7

            God is always there.  It is our duty to be intentional in our prayer life.  If we feel that the devil is trying to distract us from God, we must fight.  It is our lives, and we must protect it from evil.

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” 

James 4:7

Remember the devil is not a cute little character who is seen in commercials or movies.  He is evil.  God is STRONGER.  We must put a hedge around ourselves. 

The hedge is prayer.  Prayer is an amazing thing.  It has the ability to do amazing things.  It also has the power to make the devil flee. 

“If God is for us, who can be against us?”  Romans 8:31

Dear Lord,

Thank you for being my fortress where I can be protected against the enemy.  If You are for me, then who can be against me?  You are my Rock, my Salvation.  Help me to realize that when I feel the attack of the enemy that all I need is prayer.  You are the Ultimate Fighter.  You bring the devil to his knees.  Guard me from the enemy.

Amen

Laura Maxson

Intentionally Becoming a Prayer Warrior

            Do you know that we live in a war zone?  We do, and the enemy is not happy that it is losing.  Our enemy is the devil, and he knows that he has lost this war.  Yet, he is trying with all his might to take as many as he can down with him.

            The devil is real, and he isn’t this cute little red creature with horns.  He is real, and there are no weapons made by man that can destroy him.  It is only in the name of Jesus that we can stop him.  The only thing that scares the devil is when we cry out to the Lord.  Evil has no power over our God.

            Does it sometimes seem that the devil is working hard on our family and friends?  Evil seems to be attacking our family and friends by using others against them. God has an answer to that.  He has given us directions to follow to protect our family, or friends, and ourselves.  They are directions for praying intentionally.  Praying and encircling our family, friends, and ourselves in a circle of protection.

            This last week, I cried out the name of Jesus.  I yelled at the devil.  I told him that in Jesus name, the devil had zero power over my family.  In Jesus name, the devil was to leave my family alone.  In the name of Jesus, the devil has ZERO power.

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Ephesians 6:10-13

            We have to intentionally put on that armor of God.  Every morning, it should be the first thing we put on.  It is to help prepare us for the day, we need to be ready for war.  War, not in the literal sense, but in the mental sense. 

                        Evil likes it when we are too busy to spend time in the word.  He rejoices it when we attack each other with gossip, or lies.  We are not alone.  God is with us. So, it is our duty to use the weapon of prayer. There is power in the name of Jesus.  There is POWER in the name of JESUS.

The devil tries to get us any way he can.  If we could truly see what is going on all around us, we would be petrified.  For we battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the devil and his evil forces.  Do not be afraid.  For our God is mightier than the devil and his forces combined. 

We need to be more vigilant in what is going on around us.  We need to encircle our family and friends in prayer.   They are being attacked, and we need to do our part. Every day we need to have the armor of God on.  It takes an intentionally act on our part.  I am not saying these things to scare anyone, but to remind each of us that we need to be very intentional in being prayer warriors.  Our loved ones need us to be prayer warriors.

¹⁹ Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.  Ephesians 6:19-20

There was this prayer on Pinterest that I found.  I read it, and it is something that I want to do for my life.  Every day, I want to intentionally put on the armor of God.

Heavenly Father, I am your warrior – prepare me for battle.  Today I claim victory over Satan by putting on the whole armor of God!  I put on the Girdle of truth!  May I stand firm in the truth of your word so I will not be a victim of Satan’s lies.  I put on the breastplate of righteousness! May it guard my heart from evil so that I will remain pure and holy, protected under the blood of Jesus Christ, I put on the sandals of peace!  May I stand firm in the GOOD NEWS of the Gospel, so YOUR peace will shine through me and be a light to all I encounter.  I take the shield of faith!  May I be ready for Satan’s fiery darts of doubt, denial and deceit so I will not be vulnerable to spiritual defeat.  I put on the helmet of salvation. May I keep my mind focused on You so Satan will not have a stronghold on my thoughts. I take the Sword of the Spirit!  May the two-edged sword of Your Word be ready in my hands so I can expose the tempting words of Satan.  By FAITH, Your warrior has put on the whole armor of God.  I am prepared to live this day in spiritual victory, in Jesus Name.

AMEN!

Laura Maxson