November 26 2007

What Has He Done For You Lately?

This Thanksgiving has probably been one of my most blessed, not because of anything so spectacular that happened, just the blessings of everyday life, life of living and loving God. Too many times we focus on what God has promised or what He said He was going to do. Today, well actually this week I was reminded by a devotional from Christian Women Today, a sermon God delivered through Pastor Fredrick L. Fairley, Sr., Senior Pastor of the Berean Church of Phoenix, AZ and my own personal quiet time not to focus on the promise, just do what you are supposed to be doing on your way to it and thank God for everything in the meantime. Thank God for breathe, life and everything He has done and provided for you.

Let me make this personal. This week God showed me the things I had begun to take for granted, the house He blessed me with, I needed to stop dropping my book bag and purse on the love seat on my way in the house and let Him know I appreciated it by keeping it up in a way that pleased Him. He reminded me that my car needed an oil change and as much as I hated to sit at the dealership getting it done that was another way to show my appreciation for the blessing of the car He blessed me with. He reminded me at 2:00 am that He blessed me with a job as a means to pay my bills and I needed to begin to use the finances He blessed me with to pay those bills on time and to bless Him.

Five years ago, He blessed me with a house that I did not deserve or think that I could afford, based on my credit card debt, but He made it happen. His math is different than ours. Two years ago He blessed me with a new car that I didn’t think I needed. I was driving a 1997 Geo Metro that was paid for and I did not want a payment. He disagreed with me and allowed my metro to be totaled so I had to see things His way. I had no choice but to accept the blessing He had for me. I had begun to procrastinate as it relates to making the payments for my bills. He blessed me with the money it was there I had to be reminded to stop procrastinating.

Those all seem to be bigger blessings but God had to give me a reminder of who they belonged to and who had done it for me.

This was a week of tears, repentance and thanksgiving. Repenting for the things I had not done and the things that I had put off. Repenting for not taking care of things in the way that I know He wanted me to. Repenting for putting my own future and blessings on delay. A time of being thankful for the blessings He had provided for me.

Maybe the blessings you are looking for didn’t come in the form of a house, car, or finances. I have been blessed in so many other non-material ways. God has sent me the blessing of devotionals that speak to my heart just when I need to hear a Word from the Lord. God has sent me the blessings of daughters that I did not birth that are there for me. God has sent me the blessings of sisters in the Lord, that I never knew God would give me but they are my sisters. God has sent me the blessings of new relationships being established with people that I may never meet in person, but God has set up to be part of my life. The blessing of a 31 year old son who would choose to spend his day off having lunch and going to a movie with his mom.

God thank You for helping me to see the blessing of relationships. Help us to see what you are doing in our lives and take our focus off what’s going to happen and thank You for what You are doing. Thank You God for the things we can see and for the things that we cannot see yet.

What do you have to be thankful for what has He done for you lately?

  Weekly Scripture:

Colossians 3:15-17: 15 -17 Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.

We just worked out spiritually. If you have not worked out your physical temple get up and put your video in or go for a walk, but do something. Remember to work out at least 3 times per week (20-30 minutes per day) to experience a New Beginning physically. Work out to music, workout and pray. Just workout.

For further discussion contact angela@mynewtemple.org or write to us on the message board