Genesis 1:1-4

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the water. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. Genesis 1:1-4

We’ve all read and heard this verse before and may have the tendency to just kind of skip over it without considering it’s meaning and the greatness of our God. When the earth was nothing but formless, dark, and empty, God showed up and began to speak. And all the awesomeness of our world was created with nothing but His spoken word. When we see the glory of a sunset or the shifting mists of a waterfall we should stop and remember the awesome power of our God. When we stand in the midst of lava flats or gaze on snow capped mountains, we should marvel that it came to be created by our great God. When we realize that this beauty has been enduring over centuries, we should rejoice that God loves us this much; to give us this testimony of His greatness and love for us. We are so blessed!

God cut through an inky darkness that we cannot begin to comprehend with his voice. Instantly that depth of nothingness became light. If God can accomplish that in the physical realm, He can certainly accomplish it in us. No matter what we experience in our lives, no matter how deep or dark it seems, God speaks into that darkness and illuminates us. He is greater than our minds can grasp, He is too great for us, and His creation is beyond our understanding. He is God, He has shown us the work of His hand over and over again, shouldn’t we praise Him, no matter what we’re experiencing in our lives? God created the Earth with such attention to the smallest detail; can’t we rest in the reality that He pays the same attention to smallest detail of our lives? We can trust our great God. As we begin to take steps to trust God more and more, we will find an overflowing comfort by His Spirit in us. We will understand that His love is focused on us and that we can trust Him and rest in His love and peace. Look around! See the work of His hand and remember that your creator loves you and you can trust Him.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

With confidence and assurance you can seek the will of God, know it, and follow it. He says you can. But we must trust God and have faith in Him and His promises. We must learn to walk in the understanding that we are forgiven and free. And we must learn to live within the knowledge that God is good. In the painful times of our lives, it’s easy to question God’s goodness or even His wisdom. Our souls do battle with our spirits in those times, but we can trust Him. He knows what’s best. Above our feelings, above our pain, above our human understanding, we must learn to trust God. Isaiah 55:9 says that “just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than yours, and My thoughts than yours.” If we could understand God, if we could know all the whys, we would make our very great God into a very small and manageable one. And then we would have no one who is bigger than us who can take care of us. We would have no one to trust. There are many times in our lives that we are bewildered by our circumstances and just cannot comprehend why our lives have taken a particular turn, but we can trust Him. Job 13:15 says, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” Therein lies our confidence, peace, and hope. We can trust our heavenly Father. The Bible promises us that when we seek God, He will be found. He will lead us when we ask. Let’s choose to follow Him will all our hearts, in all our ways, and with all our strength.

Anchored in Him in all things, Pastor Darrell

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

There are many reasons for us to be thankful, but if you’re having a hard time thinking of some, here are some scriptures from the living translation for you to meditate on.

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful loves endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34

We thank you, O God! We give thanks because you are near. People everywhere tell of your wonderful deeds. Psalm 75:1

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High. Psalm 92:1

Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalm 100:4

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Psalm 105:1

And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety. 2 Corinthians 1:11

And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20

It would be a good idea to make a list of the joys and benefits of salvation. We have the Word of God, the blessings of the resurrection power of Jesus Christ, the benefits of being filled with the Holy Spirit, being Spirit lead and empowered at our disposal. We also have access to the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Think of these things and how they benefit your daily life and I’m sure that you can build an incredible list of the benefits of being saved. Let the practice of being thankful transform our perspective of the world and deliver us of a selfish heart.

Growing in heart and the practice of thanksgiving,
Pastor Darrell