THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS - WORSHIP

For To Us A Child Is Born

To Us A Son Is Given

And The Government Will Be On His Shoulders

And He Will Be Called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince Of Peace

Isaiah 9:6

Christmas is a time of joy and giving. Christians all over the world commemorate this occasion because "God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son Jesus Christ ..."

In our celebration, we proclaim the Good News with carols on the streets and we expressed the loved of God to the world with our gifts to the needy and the orphans. In the midst of all these activities, do you know that the Spirit of Christmas is WORSHIP? All those who came to meet Jesus at the manger WORSHIPPED ...

The Wiseman - "Where is the one who has been born king of Jews? we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." (Matthew 2:2)"On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh " (Matthew 2:11 - note: worship before gifts)

The Angels - "Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with angel praising God saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men ..." (Luke 2:13)

The Shepherds - "The shepherds returned, glorifying God for all the things they had heard and seen ..." (Luke 2:20)

Simeon The Godly Man - "... Simeon, who was a righteous and devout ...took Him in his arms and praised God ..." (Luke 2:25-33)The Prophetess Anna" ... she gave thanks to God ..." (Luke 2:36-38)

As we celebrate this year's Christmas, let us reserve the best gift for our Lord - WORSHIP.

EMMANUEL - God Is With US

I am quite sure many of us have seen below you-tube clip. Do take a time to watch again and be blessed. Let us be aware that God inhabit in the praise of His people and you could sense the presence of God filled the shopping mall as the singers worshipped (kneeling down). Glory To God!

THE SPIRIT OF JOY (PART 5)

ALWAYS BE JOYFUL

(1 Thessalonians 5:16 - CEV)

We rely on laws and rules to govern behaviour, but everyone knows they can't govern the human heart. External forces can't command internal responses. Still God works into His Word several unexpected instructions: to love Him with all our hearts, to have no anxiety, and to be joyful. How is this possible? How can an outward command be imposed on inward attitudes? How can an untameable heart be tamed by words?
It takes more than words, of course. In a command to "be joyful," self-discipline isn't the goal. It isn't an effective response or even a realistic one. We can't change our hearts simply by telling them to change. We can however, realize that our attitudes are off-kilter and ask Him to supernaturally change them. He holds our hearts in His hand; He can certainly sway them with His thoughts and fill them with His Spirit. If we are going to be people who are always joyful, this is how it has to be. We can't follow this instruction in the midst of trying circumstances unless we have a radical change of perspective and supernatural help. Biblical commands to rejoice - especially in suffering, persecution, and intense trials of life - can only be fulfilled when we  depend on Him.
Hear His heart: "I designed you for JOY. I sent My Son to you so your JOY might be full, abundant, overflowing. I didn't create you for JOY only on pleasant days but for deep abiding JOY in any circumstances. Yes, this seems unrealistic to you. And yes, you can't simply flip a switch and rejoice. But you can focus on Me, change your perspective, and ask for My heart to fill you. I will gladly give you if you ask."
(An extract from: Experiencing God's Presence Devotional by Chris Tiegreen)

Prayer: Father I'm asking, I want JOY - Your JOY, the kind I was designed to have and that Jesus promised. Pleased let me experience it, even in my most trying circumstances. I want the JOY that overcomes all obstacles and runs deeper than any pain. In Jesus' amen!"

THE SPIRIT OF JOY (PART 4)

Then I will go to the altar of God,

To God my exceeding joy;

And on the harp I will praise You,

O God, my God

Psalm 43:4

David had learned two things concerning JOY. First there is only one source of JOY: it Is God Himself. Second, there is one place where we can draw from that source: it is the altar. The altar is the place of sacrifice, the place of commitment and consecration, the place where our lives are laid down. Through the sacrifice we make at the altar, the JOY that comes from God alone is released within us.
There is a great difference between JOY and happiness. JOY is in the realm of the spirit. Happiness is in the realm of the soul. Happiness is related to our emotions, our feelings, our circumstances. When things are going well, we have happiness. When things are not going well, we have unhappiness. It is good to have happiness, but we cannot have it all the time.
JOY, on the other hand, is not dependent on feelings or circumstances. It does not depend .on our physical condition. It is within the spirit. There is only one source of JOY, and that is God - God Himself. God is eternal, unchangeable. That is why it is possible to have JOY even when we cannot feel happiness or pleasure. JOY comes directly from God Himself. Just like God, JOY is eternal, unchangeable, unaffected by situations or circumstances.
But JOY is released only at the altar. We have to make up our minds, as David did, that we will go to God, to the altar - the place of sacrifice - the place of commitment and consecration - the place where we yield ourselves without reservation to God. Then we can have JOY all the time, unchangeably.
(An extract from:Through David's Psalms by Derek Prince)

THE SPIRIT OF JOY (PART 3)

"Consider It Pure Joy, My Brothers,

Whenever You Face Trials of Many Kinds."

James 1:2

What rational person would consider the trials of life pure joy? Only those who can see the surprising benefit in them. Through the lens of Scripture, we can see that benefit. We are told that our trials develop our character that will produce eternal profit for us; and we are told that the God who allows them always has our welfare in mind. These are things that an unbelieving world cannot see, but they have been revealed to those who will believe.

The book of Acts is an amazing chronicle of the early church. In chapter 5, the apostles who were arrested for preaching Jesus left the court of the Sanhedrin "rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name" (verse 41). In chapter 16, Paul and Silas sang praises to God from the depths of a filthy Philippian prison. What kind of mind reacts to trials this way? According to the world, an irrational one. But according to Scripture, only a mind grounded in the truths of the Gospel can recognize the glorious realities behind our temporary problems.
Though James points to the benefits our trials have for our own character, we know that there is an even greater blessings in them. Jesus is revealed in us. His power is made manifest in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10), and participating in sufferings lets us participate in His resurrection (Philippians 3:10). Not only is our character sharpened in painful processes, the resurrection of Jesus is displayed in the crosses we bear. Such trials are worth rejoicing about.
Are you going through difficult times? Don't be despair. Discouragement and depression are not the Biblical responses, only the natural ones. But we live above the natural because the lens of Holy Scripture lets us see beyond the natural. We know the end result of our path. Perseverance results in maturity, and problems give Jesus a stage to show His resurrection power. There is no greater blessing than that. Consider it pure joy 
(An extract from Walk With God Devotional by Chris Tiegreen)

THE SPIRIT OF JOY (PART 2)

JOY AND LIGHT

"Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright"

Psalm 97:11

We want our lives to be filled with light and joy. Yet so often, they aren't. Discouragement, depression, and darkness threaten regularly. Why? Are we targets of dark enemy? Are we victims of circumstance in a fallen world? Or might we be contributing to the problem ourselves?
There are many possible sources for our dark days, but one of them is a possibility we rather not face. We don't want to think that we're responsible for our downcast hearts, but we may be. God has given a promise. Those who are righteous see light, and those who are upright in heart have joy. The blessings of a life that is right with God are certain.
Why don't we experience those blessings as often as we'd like? It can't be that the promise of God has failed. Perhaps we are not righteous or upright in heart. Perhaps what is stealing our joy is a struggle within us for dependence on Jesus' righteousness and victory over sin.
Think about it: We are most discouraged when we feel defeated. And when do we feel defeated? When we know that God has commanded an obedience or an attitude that we just can't seem to comply with. In other words, sin gets us down. The primary struggle in the human heart is a battle of the will. When we lack joy, it may be because we're losing that battle - or, more accurately, winning it when we shouldn't. The heart laments its own unbelief and disobedience, and when it does, all peace leaves.
Do we lack joy? It probably isn't a fault of our circumstances or our brain chemistry, although those can certainly have their effects. Look first at our heart. Is it questioning promises that God has emphasized? Is it reluctant to surrender all our cares to Him? Does it trust His will and comply with His purposes? Is it able to say, even when life is tough, that God's grace is greater? Those are hard questions, but our internal struggles demand answers. We can't know peace until these are settled. He promised: Joy and light come to those who are unreservedly His.
(an extract from: Worship The King by Christ Tiegreen)

"If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as, just as I have obeyed my Father's command and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." John 15:10-11

The Surest Mark of a Christian is Not Faith,

or Even Love, But Joy.

Samuel Shoemaker 

THE SPIRIT OF JOY (PART 1)

REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS.

AND AGAIN I SAY REJOICE!

Philippians 4:4

A mindless sense of well being that ignores what is going on around you is not what Paul has in mind when he tells the Philippians to Rejoice In The Lord Always. The letter he writes to them is filled with recognition of difficult circumstances that they are all facing. In the opening words of the letter Paul acknowledges his own situation as a prisoner facing execution. A little later he encourages the Philippians to remain strong in the face of opposition that currently threatens them as well. Yet even in the face of execution, persecution, and suffering, Paul repeatedly calls on them to have JOY, to Rejoice In The Lord.
Firstly let us note that Paul has issued this statement as a command from the Lord. Has God ever issued a command that could not be carried out? Never! The very fact of a divine command proves that obedience is possible. Note further, God not only demands that we rejoice; He demands that we rejoice CEASELESSLY.
So how do we follow this command to Rejoice In The Lord Always, even when things are going horribly wrong? There is a basis for it: Paul does not tell us to rejoice in our circumstances. He tells us to Rejoice In The Lord and he tells us this REPEATEDLY. He even acknowledges that he is repeating himself but says that it is good for us to be reminded again and again to rejoice always. But our rejoicing must be “IN THE LORD”. When our circumstances cause us nothing but grief, disappointments, fears and doubts we can still be glad and strong because our JOY is not based on fluctuating circumstances, but has it's SOURCE in the One Who loves us and is the object of our loveSecondly, Rejoicing is a matter of our CHOICE. There is a great difference between JOY & HAPPINESS. Joy is the realm of the spirit whereas happiness is related to our emotions, feelings and circumstances. When things are going well, we have happiness. It is good to have happiness, but we cannot have it all the time.
To illustrate: If I lost my wallet, I would be very happy when the founder returned it to me. After a few days, I would no longer have the feeling of happiness although my wallet is still with me. What I have actually lost is the feeling of happiness at the time of finding it. 
JOY on the other hand, is not dependent on feelings or circumstances. There is only one source of JOY and that is God - God Himself! That is why it is possible to "Rejoice In The Lord Always!" and they are able to do so because "the Lord is near" (Philippians 4:5) - [In His Presence is fullness of JOY (Psalm 16:11)]. You will note that while rejoicing they are also encouraged to submit their petitions and prayers which include the spirit of thanksgiving. (Philippians 4:6) And the resultance is having "the peace of God" (Philippians 4:7) in midst of whatever circumstances.
Beloved, if we but exercise our faith and choice to "rejoice in the Lord", in the midst of our adverse circumstances, these negative feelings of grief, fear, doubt and anger will just melt away! 
Therefore, we are able to declare apostle James' message to "count it all joy even when we fall into divers trials or testing" (James 1:2) because it is "The Joy of the Lord" which is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10) that will carry us through.

HAPPINESS DEPENDS ON WHAT HAPPENS. JOY DOES NOT 

- Oswald Chambers -

Have A Joyous and Victories Week
TPWC

THE SPIRIT OF THANKSGIVING - PART 4

DISARMING HELL THROUGH THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving agrees with Heaven by acknowledging the truth that our lives are a gift from God, and that He is sovereign over all. God is extravagantly generous, and the life He has given us to experience on this planet is NOT a life of survival BUT of abundance and blessing. BUT unless we properly recognize what we've been given, we won't be able to experience it's benefit.

The Spirit of Thanksgiving

Imagine Christmas morning. You've spent the last few months shopping and picking out unique gifts for each of your family members that show your intimate knowledge of their interests and desires. You have spared no expense to get gifts of the highest quality that will be both enjoyable and beneficial to each person. BUT when your family comes to the Christmas tree, one person completely ignores the presents. Another person opens your gift, but starts using it for something other than what it was made for. Still another just holds the gift, and refuses to unwrap it. And to make the matters worse, none of them even acknowledge that their gifts are from you.

Sadly, this is how many Christians respond to God's gifts, particularly the gifts of the Spirit. So many people fail to receive what the Lord has offered them because they don't understand what the gifts are or how to use them. They say ridiculous things like, "Well, tongues is the least of the gifts, so I don't need to pursue it." If my children said this about one of the presents I had put under the tree for them, I'd be very upset. I'd say, "This is yours! I don't care how small you think it is. I bought it with you in mind, and I don't give cheap gifts. If you'll just open it, I'll show you what it is and how to use it." Such a rejection of gifts is absolute arrogance.

Thankfulness carries an attitude of humility. Thanksgiving is the ONLY proper way to receive what God has given us because it honours our relationship with Him by expressing trust in His goodness, even if we don't understand what we've received. God gives us "every good and perfect gift" for TWO primary reasons. He gives to make us prosper so we can succeed in life, and He gives to demonstrate His love as an invitation to relationship. When we practice thanksgiving as a LIFESTYLE, we recognize that the gifts we have received from the Lord came with these purposes. Thanksgiving sets us on course to know God in relationship and discover the reasons for which He made us.

THE GREAT PRICE OF LITTLE THANKS
When God tells us to give Him thanks, He's not insinuating that He gives in order to get something from us. He doesn't manipulate us with His gifts. He wants us to thank Him because thankfulness acknowledges the truth about our lives. And when we agree with the truth, then truth sets us free to see and manifest the greatness that He has put in us as the ones He has made in His image.When we withhold thanks from God, we actually cut ourselves off from who we are. This is what Paul explains in Romans 1:18-21.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness ... so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God they did not glorify Him as God,nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Futile means purposeless. When we fail to sustain the response of thanksgiving for EVERYTHING in our lives, our thinking is cut off from our purpose in God. When we lose sight of our purpose, we will inevitably make choices that are outside of God's intentions for our lives, and this can only be destructive because it works against His design for us. A dark heart is a heart that is unable to perceive spiritual reality. It is unmoved by the desires and affections of the Lord, and therefore cannot respond to His invitation to relationship, which is the source of life.

THE PURIFYING NATURE OF THANKSGIVING

Since thanksgiving keeps us sane and alive by connecting us to the source of our life and purpose, it makes sense that Paul instructs us to give thanks "in everything."

Thanksgiving Keeps Us Sane And Alive

But there is a specific dimension of thanksgiving that s particularly powerful in times of difficulty and adversity. We find this principle in Paul's first letter to Timothy.

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons...commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the words of God and prayer (1 Timothy 4:1-5)

When Paul says that thanksgiving sanctifies unclean food, he is saying that it sets it apart for God and His purposes. Thanksgiving actually changes the very nature of the food into something holy. This truth extends beyond unclean food. It extends to EVERY SITUATION in your life in which you find other powers at work besides the power of God. It is vital to remember that NOT EVERYTHING happens in life is His will. He didn't cause the crisis a nation or individual may be facing. He actually can't give things that are not good because He doesn't have them. God only give good good gifts, because He is good, and has only good gifts to give. So giving thanks IN EVERYTHING does not mean saying that the adversity came from God. But giving thanks in the midst of an adverse situation, a difficulty intended to undermine your faith and destroy you, enables you to take hold of that situation and set it apart to God and His purposes. When you give thanks, the weapon the enemy meant to use to dislodge you from your divine purpose is put into your hands and becomes the very thing that brings you more fully into that purpose. Jesus declared that He sends us out with the same assignment the Father gave to Him - to destroy the works of the devil (see 1 John 3:8). Thanksgiving accomplishes the divine of the Kingdom, where the enemy is destroyed by the very thing he intended to use for our destruction. Just knowing that we can participate in destroying the enemy's purposes should alone move us to give thanks!

RELEASING JUSTICE

One of the clearest examples of divine justice in Scripture is found in the Book of Esther: the story of Haman, who was hung on the very gallows he built to destroy Mordecai. Later, this justice was made even more complete when Modecai assumed Haman's position in the king's court. The wonderful thing about this story is that Mordecai didn't have to bring justice himself. He simply kept his focus on his duty to the heathen king and to his people. This is the nature of warfare in the Kingdom. We don't battle by focusing on the devil. We keep our focus on the King and His Kingdom, and the devil cannot help but be unseated by God's ever-increasing government released through our lives, which illustrates another reason why thanksgiving is powerful in times of adversity. Psalm 100:4 says that we "enter His gates with thanksgiving." Thanksgiving brings us into the manifest presence of God and connects us with what He is doing and saying in the midst of our circumstances. Thanksgiving helps to establish our focus on Him so that our awareness SHIFTS from earthly reality to heavenly reality - which we must do in order to release the strength of Heaven into our circumstances.

KEEPING MY AWARENESS OF GOD

When I stay close to the presence of God through thanksgiving, I not only become aware of His absolute ability to invade the impossible, I sense His radical love and delight in me! As I give thanks for the good gifts He's put in my life, I present convincing evidence that He is my Father, He is for me, and His opinion pretty much cancels out all the others. The wonderful thing is that we simply begin to give thanks, even when it seems difficult to remember one answered prayer, it isn't too long before our focus on the good in our lives creates an opening for the Lord's joy. And It 's the joy of the Lord that is our strength. I believe that James was talking about giving thanks when he said to COUNT IT ALL JOY in trial, because giving thanks usually includes taking an inventory of God's gifts in your life. Do the math! If you want to discover the ability of thankfulness to bring you strength in difficulty, you need to keep COUNTING these things UNTIL you come to the conclusion - IT's TIME TO REJOICE! It becomes really hard to stay depressed about your circumstances when you're filled with the awareness of the love and goodness of God that surrounds and infuse your life.

There is a level of life we can reach where we practice THANKSGIVING AS A LIFESTYLE - a place where we remember our answered prayers. When difficulty comes along, we have a huge inventory of blessings instantly accessible to bring us into His presence as well as the joy and delight He has over us. That is far greater than any accusation, crisis, or conflict that could come our way. When we learn to live in THIS REALM, NOTHING can deflect us from our purpose. We even make the enemy help us get it done. From Heaven's perspective, it is reasonable to give thanks "IN EVERYTHING"!

An extract from the book - Strengthen Yourself In The Lord by Bill Johnson

Blessing

TPWC

THE SPIRIT OF THANKSGIVING - PART 3

Replace The Spirit of Grumbling With the Spirit of Thanksgiving

Have you ever stepped outside your door on a beautiful clear sunny day, taken a deep breath of fresh air, and thanked God for His wonderful creation? But what if the next morning is grey and rainy? Does it automatically make you feel a little depressed as you look out of the window? Maybe you don't say it loud, but how do you feel? Are you in the habit of thanking God only for what you want? or are you in the habit of grumbling just a little when things does not go the way you like? 

So what is wrong with a little complaining? What difference does it make? It does make all the difference in the world. Everything depends on how we respond to the little things in life. A marriage counsellor will tell you that a marriage usually breaks up over little things. A small misunderstanding can start a war. Little things mean a lot, because this is the level where we live, down at the nitty-gritty of our attitude at breakfast table, or in the long checkout line at the supermarket.

GRUMBLING IS THE VERY OPPOSITE OF THANKSGIVING. 

A complaint is the opposite of trust; a murmur against your wife when she burns your toast is the opposite of a loving acceptance. The dictionary defines a complaint as an accusation. By complaining and grumbling you are actually accusing God of mismanaging the details of your life. The attitude of thanksgiving and praise releases the power of God into our lives, but the attitude of murmuring and complaining blocks that power. 

For forty years the Israelites wandered in the wilderness and every time something went wrong, they complained bitterly and wanted to go back to the land of Egypt. Why did it take them forty years to cover less than two hundred miles? Even with women and children and cattle, they could have covered the distance in a few weeks. They were delayed because they murmured and refuse to trust that God would keep His promise to take care of their every need. In 1 Corinthians 10:10-11, the apostle Paul was speaking about the behaviour of the Israelite in their wanderings from Egypt to the Promised Land ... "And do not grumble, some of them did and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us ..." (Extract from Power In Praise by Merlin R. Carothers) 

To be a worshipper, we need to begin DISCIPLINING our lives daily with the spirit of thanksgiving. This is easier said than done because most of us would agree that we are habitual grumblers. We grumble when we miss the bus to work and when we have to work late. We complain when the car would not start or when we hit a red light or are caught in a traffic jam. Even at meal time, we unconsciously complain about the food and the poor service provided by the restaurant. The list is endless ... but let us take heed that unless we overcome this deadly habit of grumbling, complaining and murmuring, it will rob us of the blessings and joy of the Lord. 

"IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD" 1Thessalonians 5:18. The simple application of this biblical truth covers EVERY situation or circumstance in our lives.
The benefits of a thankful heart are many ... by giving thanks:
1) We are in His divine will and itself will lead us out of the wilderness experience and into a victorious walk with the Lord
2) We have immediate access to enter into His gates (His presence) and in His presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 100:4, 16:11)
3) The joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

No wonder the apostle Paul in Philippians 4:4 commanded us to "Rejoice in the Lord always!" and in Colossians 3:17 that "Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks ..."

GRUMBLING VS THANKSGIVING
Unbelief - Faith / Trust
Defeat - Victory
Anger - Joy
In The Wilderness - In His Will 
Degradation - Transformation

Make a point today to "DISCIPLINE" your life to give thanks and count it all joy even in diverse circumstances (James 1:2) ... for ALL THINGS work together for good (Romans 8:28)

THE SPIRIT OF THANKSGIVING - PART 2

Thanksgiving lays the foundation for praise and worship. 

1) The Source Of Thanksgiving Is Grace
Thanks is our reaction when we realize that all we have, receive, and are is a gift of God's grace. Thanksgiving is rejoicing at what God gave when we were undeserving. True gratitude registers surprise that God could be so good to us when we deserve nothing. (See Acts 27:35; 28:15; Romans 6:17; 1 Corinthians 1:4; Colossians 1:12 & Revelation 11:17)

2) The Condition Of Thanksgiving Is Agreement
Thanksgiving means that you agree with God. Thus, the Bible encourages you to give thanks in ALL circumstances (see 1 Thessalonians 5:18) and to pray about things that concern you most by making your petitions with thanksgiving (see Philippians 4:6)

3) The Response Of Thanksgiving Is Worship
Thanksgiving responds to God's specific acts. Praise and thanks are thus natural partners in worship (see Psalms 100:4; Hebrews 13:15). Your prayers and your actions worship your Creator. When you thank God, you enter His presence, worship Him, and present an offering to Him.

4) The Occasion For Thanksgiving is Everything
Nothing should escape your thanksgiving. God is active in every area of your life and can show you His direction even in the darkest hour. Thanking God frees Him to work in your life through those circumstances.

5) The Reward Of Thanksgiving 
Is God's blessings, peace, joy, growth, worship, and life in Christ. If you have trouble giving thanks under any circumstances, ask the Spirit to fill you (see Ephesians 5:18-20)
An extract from MasterLife - The Disciple's Victory by Avery T. Willis, Jr.
Blessings - TPWC

The Spirit of Thanksgiving - Part 1

"It Is Good To Give Thanks To The Lord,  

 And To Sing Praises To Your Name O Most High"

Psalm 92:1

Psalm 92 is a "Song for the Sabbath day," a resting place for those who are troubled.

The song begins with a commendation of praise: "It is good to give thanks to the Lord." It does us good to turn from our unsettling and anxious thoughts to declare God's loving kindness in the morning, and (His) faithfulness every night" (verse 2). God loves us and is always faithful! He makes us glad (verse 4).

Praise not only makes us glad, it makes us wise. We begin to understand something of God's greatness and creative designs in all that He does (verses 5 - 9). We gain a wisdom that is hidden from those who do not know God. The wicked may "flourish" and "spring up like grass" for a moment (verse 7), but ultimately they will wither away.

The righteous, however, are joined to the One who dwells in eternity (verse 8). They "flourish like a palm tree" and "like a cedar in Lebanon" (verse 12), symbols of graceful beauty and unbending strength. For they have been "planted in the house of the Lord" (verse 13). Their roots go down into the soil of God's faithfulness; they draw on His unquenchable love.

As we begin each day:
* When we wake up in the morning - remember His loving kindness. Wake up saying, "Today LORD loves me, and His loving kindness endures forever. God has my life in His hands. There's nothing to be afraid of.
* During the day - Offer Praise and Thanksgiving. "It is good to give thanks to the LORD, and to sing praises to Your name." Find every reason we can to praise Him - even for little thinks like parking places, phone calls that brings a blessing to us, or perhaps news of a friend.
* At the close of the day, remember God's faithfulness.
In the morning we look forward to loving kindness, During the day we experience that loving kindness. And at the end of the, we can look back and say, "God has been faithful." No matter how difficult the day may be for us, we we get to the end, we're going to be able to look back and say, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness!"
So Give Thanks And Praise To The Lord TODAY! 

A heart in tune with God can't help but sing His praises. 

Blessings

TPWC

ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING - PART 3

Worrying Is Like A Rocking Chair
It Will Give You Something To Do
But It Will Not Get You Anywhere
- anonymous -

In my previous post we learnt that anxieties and worries are our greatest "joy-stealers". What is the secret of overcoming anxiety? - REJOICE, REJOICE, REJOICE!!!Are you a worrier? Join the club. It's membership includes the entire human race. The dictionary describe anxiety as a noun (psychiatry) - is a relative permanent state of worry and nervousness occuring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic.
We all know from experience that worry is a fruitless activity of the mind until it results in positive action. Worry cannot change the past, but it can certainly ruin both the present and the future.
If there were one person who had every reason to be worried, it would have been the Apostle Paul. Consider the many dire situations he found himself in when he wrote Philippians 4:4-7:
- Imprisoned, chained to a Roman guard
- Awaiting trial and possible execution
- Attacked with all sorts of false accusations and criticism
- Faced with disunity and heresy in his church

(an extract from: Managing Your Emotions by Benny Ho)

Paul had all these burdens and more, yet he refused to worry. Instead, in Philippians 4:1-9, he gave us the secret to gaining victory over worry. He wrote: "Do not be ANXIOUS ..." (verse 6)
What is Paul's secret?
1) REJOICE
When Paul tells the Philippians not to worry but to instead "REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS (verse 4), he is issuing a command. Rejoicing is not just an emotion of the heart. IT IS AN ACT OF THE WILL! Why does Paul command the believers to rejoice? What is the basis of our JOY? Paul continues in verse 5: "The Lord is near." God is with us - He is our ever present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1)
2) PRAYER WITH THANKSGIVING
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus". (verse 6-7)
We can go through the motions of prayer, but how can this kind of peace sink into our hearts in the midst of a difficult problem? By praying with THANKSGIVING and full trust that the problem is God's. In this kind of prayer, we transfer ownership of our situation to God. There is no way to come to this place of rest unless we are able to relinquish our agenda in the situation. We must become willing for God to work it out any way He chooses, whatever the result to us. It seems scary to relinquish control, but we were never really in control anyway. And what outcome might God work out that would not be entirely good? He is completely trustworthy with our problem.
(an extract from: Walk With God Devotional by Chris Tiegreen)

3) THINK CORRECTLY 
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you".

True peaces involves not just the heart but the mind as well.

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you". (Isaiah 26:3)
Wrong thinking results in wrong feelings, which in turn fuel wrong thinking. What, then should our minds be preoccupied with? Paul tells us in Philippians 4:8 that we should think about whatever that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy. If you are not convinced that Paul gives good advice, see what happens when we do the opposite? Now think about whatever that is false, depressing, despicable, wrong, unclean, vulgar, ugly or bad. How would you feel? Certainly not joyful; or peaceful but anxious and worried, right?

(an extract from: Managing Your Emotions by Benny Ho)
As worshipers, let us overcome the spirit of anxiety and worry with the spirit of REJOICING and THANKSGIVING! Then "the PEACE of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus".
Blessings
TPWC