Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.     2 Corinthians 2:14

              Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,                         Who wondrous things has done, in Whom this world rejoices;                               Who from our mothers’ arms has blessed us on our way                        With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.

Oh, may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us;
And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed;
And guard us through all ills in this world, till the next!

All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given,
The Son, and Him Who reigns with Them in highest Heaven—
The one eternal God, Whom earth and Heav’n adore;
For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.

Now Thank We All Our God
Martin Rinkart – 1636

copyright status – Public Domain

Courtesy of Timeless Truths Publications – Copyright © 2002-2020 Free Online Library

We built a new garage several years ago.  The overhead doors have automatic openers, but they have never operated properly.  We suspect that the original installer did not fully understand how they were supposed to operate and neither did we.  A trouble shooter that we invited out to check their operation later, rewired one of the doors but that failed to resolve the problem.

Sometime ago an acquaintance referred us to a relative who had a lot of experience installing and servicing automatic overhead doors. Unfortunately, we had become so accustomed to operating the doors the hard way, we lost the urgency to do anything about it.

When referring to the hard way, that means getting out of the vehicle each time we wanted to open or close the garage doors and operating them from the switch just inside the walk-in door.

Recently we finally called the expert.  After moving an object that was blocking sensor signals and replacing a set of sensors that were miscommunicating, he gave us a normal operation.  He gave us doors that now open and close from the vehicle and that operate by one press of the control at the walk-in door, rather than holding the button down for the duration of the door’s operation.  What joy!

Yes, we coulda, woulda, shoulda, but we didn’t.  We became content and satisfied with something that was clearly substandard. How silly!

But you know that is exactly how many of us live our Christian lives. Yes, we coulda, woulda, shoulda, but we haven’t.  For some of us it is moving an object that is blocking the signal, like dealing with unconfessed sin.  For others of us, it is laying aside the burdens that so easily beset us so that we can run the race unencumbered.

What comes to mind?  Are we going to be satisfied with less than normal or are we willing to experience a new norm (God’s will) through a simple act of obedience?

…let the word of Christ dwell (take up it’s life) in you richly…

Is your spiritual life a roller coaster ride?  Does your spiritual well being depend on good feelings and/or emotional experiences? 

There is no sustaining power in good feelings or emotional experiences.  Only in Christ do we have sustaining power and saving faith.  Scripture, the written Word, reveals Christ.  Do you want to know Him?  Do you want to walk with Him?  Let His word dwell in you richly.  

Faith is a firm persuasion or conviction based on hearing the Word of God.*

*W.E. Vines Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words – copyright 1984, 1996  Thomas Nelson, Inc. Nashville, TN

Speaking of the mystery revealed by God, that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs (with the Old Testament believers), of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, the apostle Paul wrote; of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power, Ephesians 3:7.

No man can make himself a minister (lit. servant) of God, because the calling, message, work, and empowering of genuine ministry to and for God are His prerogative alone to give.*

Ministry is not a title, a position, or a vocation.  It is a gift from God.

*Notes on Ephesians 3:7 taken from the MacArthur Study Bible NKJV – Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.