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Publisher
Shearon Hurst
www.wherepeacefulwaters.com
Issue 31
Nov. 25, 2003
Be
anxious for nothing (don't fret or have any anxiety), but in every
thing (every circumstance and situation) pray (call unto Me) with
THANKSGIVING in your heart and My Peace which will pass your
understanding will flood and keep your heart and mind. Philippians
4: &7 (paraphrased)
BE
THANKFUL
It is
easy to think about giving thanks at only one time a year. But God
does not give us His blessings only one day a year. He blesses us
every day! Too often we fail to give thanks to Him every day.
Psalm
107:1 says, Thank the Lord, because He is good. His love is forever!
It is
very important for us to give thanks to God. We know that because the
Bible reminds us many times to give thanks. Giving thanks to God is
also an honor. God has blessed us so much. It is right that we give
thanks to Him. We should be honored to have the opportunity to thank
God for what He has done for us.
When we
pray to God, our prayers should be full of thanks. Our thanks should
lead us to praise God for all He has done for us. I love it when the
Lord hears my prayers. I love it when he listens to me when I call for help. Can you remember
a time when you prayed to God and He answered your prayer? Then you
should be thankful that God pays attention to your prayers and answers
them.
We
should give thanks because God commanded it. Many times the Bible
reminds Christians to be thankful. It is their duty to do that.
With so many people commanding us to do things (some we don't
like doing), we should be rejoicing that all God is commanding us to
do is love and say thanks. How
hard is that?
We have
many, many things for which we can be
thankful. Take time to thank God
today.
Give
thanks to God at all times. That is what God wants for you in Christ
Jesus 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Always
be thankful. Colossians 3:15b
Here
is a beautiful example of how one lady said thank you to Jesus:
"And,
behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that
Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of
ointment, and stood at his feet behind him weeping and began to wash
his feet with tears and to wipe them with the hairs of her hear, and
kissed his feet and anoint them with ointment"
Luke 7:37, 38.
Actions
speak louder than words, sometimes The heart
of "this woman, which was a sinner," was probably so
full she could not speak. She showed her thankfulness. This, to me, is
one of the most beautiful scenes in all of the Bible.
She wept
"She stood at his feet, weeping." Oh, the hardness of our
hearts today. We should weep over souls." He that goeth forth and
weepeth" will reap. Ps. 126:6. "Jesus wept" over
Jerusalem Luke 19:41. Paul wept as he preached Acts 20:19.31.
"Peter wept bitterly" over his sins. This woman wept over
the Savior. Oh, dear people, we have left our hearts out of our
living. When have you wept over the Savior, wept over souls, wept over
your sins?
She humbled herself
She stood at his feet. She washed his feet with tears, She wiped his
feet with her hair. She kissed his feet. She anointed his feet. That,
dear people is love for the dear Savior. That showed thankfulness to
the fullest.
Say
it, show it.
Let's say "thank you" with our mouths and show thanksgiving
with our lives in every season and every situation. "Where there
not ten cleansed, but where are the nine?"
Father,
we love you with our hearts. Help us to show we love You with our
lives every day in every way. In Jesus name.
WORDS FROM THOSE GIVING THANKS
I
was sitting here reading my blueprint for life (BIBLE), and as I was
reading 103rd Psalm I asked myself if was I truly happy.
My answer was no, and I continued to ponder my question. I
asked myself another question, Who in this world is truly happy?
See because the rich are not truly happy, the prettiest people are not
truly happy, even the most successful people are not truly happy, then
it hit me, the happiest people are the people that can be THANKFUL
in any situation good or bad. These people appear to have found the
answer and it�s right there for all of us.
As Psalm 103:1-5 states
Psalm
103:1-5 Give praise to the Lord, O my soul; let everything in me give
praise to his holy name. Give
praise to the Lord, O my soul; let not all his blessings go from your
memory. He has forgiveness for all your sins; he takes away all your
diseases; He keeps back your life from destruction, crowning you with
mercy and grace. He makes your mouth full of good things, so that your
strength is made new again like the eagle's.
(You
read it) and you'll see where I'm coming from.
I applied this to my life when I was in the world. I was living
in L.A. and I got robbed at gunpoint, needless to say I was petrified,
I thought I was going to die obviously I didn't, but the guy hit me
right over my right eye with the butt of the gun.
I had to have 5 stitches there, I was thankful that I was not
shot, but instead of continuing to praise GOD for sparing my life. I
was more concerned with my appearance. What was I going to look like
with this scar over my eye?
Now to show you how GOD works, the scar over my eye can't
even be seen because my eyebrow covers it. I never thought of that at
first, but now as I continue in my spiritual growth it does become
clearer.
When
my grandmother and Janet's grandmother went to be with JESUS almost
simultaneously (1 day apart) and in different states, Satan tried to
go to work on me first with. "How are you going to be able to attend
both these funerals?, then what a strain it was going to be just
trying to recover financially. And most of all why did GOD have to
take them both at the same time?
We�ve recovered somewhat (financially), and we were both able
to be there for each other. Even though they are both gone and we miss
them dearly, there is still something we can be thankful for in their
home going, and that is the memory.
These matriarchs raised both Janet and me and we still have
those lessons taught to us by our closest friends. For it was them
that first introduced us to the LORD, AMEN.
I
guess what I'm trying to say is be thankful, in all you do be
thankful, when the going gets tough, be thankful, when your best
friend lets you down, be thankful, when you've been lied on, be
thankful, when the trials and tribulations of life seem to toss you
every which way but loose, be thankful.
R U THANKFUL?
BE
THANKFUL FOR CLOSED DOORS
Richard
Shelton
We need to learn to thank the Lord
for closed doors as we do an open door. The reason God closes doors is
because He has not prepared anything over there for us. If He didn't
close the wrong door we would never find our way to the right door.
Even when we don't realize it, God directs our paths through the
closing and opening of doors.
When one door closes, it forces us to
change our course. Another door closes; it forces us to change our
course yet again. Then finally, we find the open door and walk right
into our blessing. But instead of praising God for the closed door
(which kept our butt out of trouble), we get upset because we
"judge by the appearances." And in our own arrogance, or
ignorance, we insist that we know what is right.
We have a very present help in the
time of need who is always standing guard. Because He walks ahead of
us, He can see trouble down the road and HE sets up roadblocks and
detours accordingly.
But through our lack of wisdom we try
to tear down the roadblocks or push aside the detour signs. Then the
minute we get into trouble, we start crying "Lord how could this
happen to me?" We have got to realize that the closed door was a
blessing. Didn't He say "No good thing will He withhold from them
that love him?"
If you get terminated from your job -
don't be down, instead thank God for the new opportunities that will
manifest themselves - it might be a better job, or an opportunity to
go to school.
If that man or woman won't return
your call - it might not be them, It might be the Lord setting up a
roadblock (just let it go). I'm so grateful, for the many times God
has closed doors to me, just to open them in the most unexpected
places. "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He
delights in his way." - Psalm 37:23.
The Mountaintop is glorious, but it is in the
Valley that I will grow!
Always Remember God gives you .
. .
Enough
Happiness to keep you Sweet
Enough Trials
to keep you Strong
Enough Sorrows
to keep you Human
Enough Hope to
keep you Happy
Enough Failure
to keep you Humble
Enough Success
to keep you Eager
Enough Friends
to give you Comfort
Enough Wealth to meet your Needs
Enough
enthusiasm to make you look Forward
Enough Faith to
banish depression, and
Enough
Determination to make each day a better
day than the last
So, be encouraged...be of good
cheer...for our God is greater than any circumstances, and He will see
us through.
May you each and every one be blessed with all that meet your needs...
He is more than we need, more than
enough. What a reason to be thankful!
He says, Now, today, if you will just call on me, thanking me in
your heart, because I AM and WILL BE more than everything you need,
you will experience My Peace and it will overtake you!
I
pray that your Thanksgiving will be one filled with thanksgiving to
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and for the indwelling comfort of
the Holy Spirit.
I pray that you will recognize and receive with gratitude the Lord's
blessing for you, the Lord's portion, the Lord's daily bread in every
area of your life.
I pray that if you are traveling, God will send angels to protect you
as you go along your way and angels to protect your home while you are
away.
I pray for you and your family and friends and I thank my God upon
every remembrance of you.
If I Knew
If I knew it would be the last time that I'd see you
fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly and pray the Lord your soul to keep.
If I knew it would be the last time that I would see
you walk out the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss and call you back for one more.
If I knew it would be the last time I'd hear your
voice lifted up in praise,
I would videotape each action and word, so I could play them back day
after day.
If I knew it would be the last time, I could spare an
extra minute or two, to stop and say that
"I love you," Instead of assuming that you KNOW I do.
If I knew it would be the last time I would be there
to share your day, well,
I'm sure you'll have so many more, so I can let this one slip away.
For surely there's always tomorrow to make up for an
oversight,
and we always get a second chance to make everything all right.
There will always be another day to say our "I
love you's"
And certainly there's another chance to say our "Anything I can
do's."
But just in case I might be wrong, and today is all I
get,
I'd like to say how much I love you and hope we never forget.
Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, young or old alike,
And today may be the last chance you get to hold your loved ones
tight.
So, if you're waiting for tomorrow, why not do it
today?
For if tomorrow never comes, you'll surely regret the day,
That you didn't take that extra time for a smile, a
hug, a kiss,
And you were too busy to grant someone, what turned out to be their
one last wish.
So hold your loved ones close today, whisper in their ear,
Tell them how much you love them, And that you'll always hold them
dear.
Take the time to say "I'm sorry"
"please forgive me" Take the time to say "thank you"
JUST FOR TODAY
Just for today! I will begin the day by
praying: "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and
be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24)
Just for today! I will say, "I can do
everything through Him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:13)
Just for today!
I will not worry about my
needs, for "...my God will meet all your needs according to his
glorious riches in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19)
Just for today!
I will not fear, "For
God did not give us a spirit of timidity; but a spirit of power, of
love, and of self-discipline."
(II Timothy 1:7)
Just for today! I will not harbor doubt and
lack faith, for "...without faith it is impossible to please God,
because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that
he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
(Hebrews 11:6)
Just for today! I will not lack strength, for
"...the Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be
afraid? (Psalm 27:1b)
Just for today! I will not admit defeat, for
God "...always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ,"
(II Corinthians 2:14b)
Just for today! I will not lack wisdom, for,
"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask Cod, who gives
generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to
him." (James 1:5)
Just for today!
I will not feel condemned,
for "... there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ
Jesus." (Romans 8:1)
Just for today! I will not be worried or
frustrated: "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for
you."
(I Peter 5:7)
Just for today! I will not be depressed,
"...for his compassion's never fail. They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22b, 23)
Just for today! I will not feel alone for
Jesus said, "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of
the age." (Matthew 28:20b)
Just for today! I will not be discontented,
"...for I have learned to be content
whatever the circumstances." (Philippians 4:llb)
Just for today! I will not feel worthless,
for "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him
we might become the righteousness of God."
(II Corinthians 5:21)
Just for today! I will not be confused,
"For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace�"
(I Corinthians 14:33a KJV)
Just for today! I will not let the pressures
of life bother me, when Christ said, "In this world you will have
trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John
16:33b)
Just for today! I will not feel like a
failure, when "�in all these things we are more than conquerors
through him who loved us."
(Romans 8:37)
Trust
God one day at a time
AND
GIVE HIM THANKS EVERY DAY
Contributors
to this newsletter:
THE HOLY SPIRIT
Eric Rhone
Richard Shelton
And all of your prayers and encouraging words
BE SURE
TO VISIT THE MINISTRY’S ADDITTIONAL WEBSITES
http://onechosen.wordpress.com/
http://thetimesofrefreshing.wordpress.com/
chos91.wix.com/shearon-hurst
http://pinterest.com/ladyshearon/.com
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Be Blessed,
Shearon Hurst
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