Rejoice, Pray, and Give Thanks

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. – (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NIV)

Always be full of joy. Never stop praying. Whatever happens, always be thankful. This is how God wants you to live in Christ Jesus. – (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, ERV)

Celebrate always, pray constantly, and give thanks to God no matter what circumstances you find yourself in. (This is God’s will for all of you in Jesus the Anointed.) – (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, VOICE)

This morning, at 2:45, as I heard my dog making retching sounds, joy was not exactly what came to mind; sadly, neither was prayer nor thankfulness. As I jumped out of bed and threw on some extra layers to take him outside, I groggily checked to be sure he was okay. He took care of business outside, and returned to his crate to rest. Again, rest did not come. Whining began and would not relent. Finally, after a good fifteen minutes of trying, I gave in and brought my giant pup upstairs. Again, he went outside and then returned ravenous. After he ate, he settled in a bit as I attempted to doze on the couch. When the time was nearing my scheduled wake up, I took Thor back downstairs and returned upstairs to begin my day. My celebration was that I have a roof over my head and that there is coffee in our house to brew. I am thankful that it is Friday, and that I do not need to rise as early tomorrow. God is kind, and shortly after I returned to resume my regular morning routine, my love came upstairs too. In the calm stillness of the morning, I am so grateful to God for another human that can rise early, and find joy and contentment in the silence. Early mornings are something to be celebrated, even when they come far sooner than anticipated. Before long, I will witness the early morning light, as the sun makes its appearance on the horizon. God is faithful to meet us, even in the wee hours of the early morning. He hears our heart’s cry, despite the momentary frustrations when our schedules are disrupted. Today, my heart will rejoice, for I have countless reasons to give God thanks, as I have His light, and life, and hope. May we ever celebrate the goodness of God, giving Him thanks as we are intentional to spend time seeking Him.

May our hearts give praise,

In Christ we rejoice;

Let’s prayerfully seek,

Give thanks with our voice.

No matter what comes,

We’ve reason for joy;

The Lord’s always good,

To thank is a choice.

Today I will choose,

To celebrate Christ;

For goodness and grace,

And loving advice.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the countless reasons You grant us to have joy in You. Thank You that You hear our prayers and You supply what we need to navigate each new day. Thank You that You remain present, no matter what comes our way or how our day begins. Forgive us for our frustrations and delay in seeking You when things are thrown off course. Teach us to lean into You and listen to Your heart. Show us how to love those around us in all things, and grant us patience when it is lacking. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we rejoice in You and pray to You, ever giving You thanks for who You are and how You love. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing the praises of Your Name, O Most High. – Psalm 9:2

Blessings and Strength to the Seeking

Great blessings belong to those who depend on You for strength! Their heart’s desire is to make the trip to Your Temple. – (Psalm 84:5, ERV)

Happy are those who are strong in the Lord, who want above all else to follow your steps. – (Psalm 84:5, TLB)

Blessed are those who make You their strength, for they treasure every step of the journey. – (Psalm 84:5, VOICE)

 

This is a great reminder that our blessings of peace, joy and contentment come when we seek the Lord for strength. When the desire of our heart is to spend time in His presence, we begin to treasure each day and find joy in the journey. That does not mean that each day is easy, or that we somehow suddenly skate through life; but it does determine our true Source of strength and hope and joy, which makes all of the difference as we navigate each new day. May we depend on the Lord for strength each day, and treasure the faithfulness of our Heavenly Father as He blesses us with His presence and His peace as we persevere through all things.

 

May we ever learn,

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Of blessings we’ll find;

As we seek Your strength,

With soul, heart and mind.

Your great faithfulness,

Will always be found;

By those who choose seek,

Your grace is profound.

All that we shall need,

To keep keeping on;

Your blessings and strength,

Our hope and our song.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our strength as we seek You. Thank You that You bless our hearts and lives with Your presence and Your peace as we pursue time with You. Thank You that we no longer have to make a pilgrimage to a holy place to find You, for You are wherever we are when we call on Your Name. Forgive us for not seeking Your strength in our struggles. Teach us to trust You to provide all that we need to navigate each new day. Show us how to love those around us well, so that we may be Your hands, heart and voice to those in need of strength and encouragement. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to be our strength and praise You for Your faithfulness forever. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always. – 1 Chronicles 16:11

 

 

Established Peace

Lord, You have established peace for us; all that we have accomplished You have done for us. – (Isaiah 26:12, NIV)

Lord, You have succeeded in doing everything we tried to do, so give us peace. – (Isaiah 26:12, ERV)

Eternal One, You are preparing peace for us; in fact, everything we have accomplished has come from You. – (Isaiah 26:12, VOICE)

 

Peace has already been established on our behalf; it is a matter of choosing to receive what the Lord freely offers and allowing it to take root rather than continue in the chaos that corrupts contentment and steals joy. No matter what is going on around us, peace is available within us. Emanuel means God with us, and His presence provides perfect peace, regardless of our circumstances. Each time that I find peace in places where chaos surrounds me, I am acutely aware of God’s goodness and grace, as He meets me in my need and provides His peace despite my circumstances. The Lord is willing to grant us peace in all things. May we ever seek our Savior and His perfect peace, recognizing the remarkable resilience He provides as we turn in trust to Him.

 

All that we have done, 

The good that’s in us;

Is because of You,

Our Savior, Jesus.

You establish peace,

Where chaos seems reign;

And bring us comfort,

To places of pain.

O Lord, You are light,

In each darkened space;

The depth of Your love,

Gives hope through Your grace.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You establish peace for us, and provide the strength and the grace to do any good that we have done. Thank You that You are with us, be it in chaos or calm. Forgive us for seeking peace and comfort anywhere other than in You. Teach us to trust You more, as You provide Your perfect peace in all things and at all times, no matter what surrounds us. Show us how to love those around us in a way that extends Your peace to those in chaos, and brings hope to those in despair. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we give You praise for Your perfect peace that You establish for us, and gratitude for all that You have done in and through us. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You. – Isaiah 26:3

Seeking to Gain

But godliness with contentment is great gain. – (1 Timothy 6:6)

 

The wholehearted pursuit of Christ, leads to a contentment that cannot be found anywhere else. No earthly treasures can compare to the peace that passes all understanding in our hearts and minds, when we allow the Lord to reign. Godliness, our state of ongoing spiritual growth and fulfillment through Him whom we give all honor and praise, grants us the greatest gain of all, as we discover all that God is doing in and through our lives. As we take our eyes off of earthly acquisitions, and focus rather on the things of God, contentment comes flooding in. May we seek the Lord with all that we are, and know the contentment that comes from a life gained through His grace.

 

Contentment is gained,

as we pursue Christ;

lay down earthly things,

see His sacrifice.

For the life we gain,

following the Lord;

a heart that is pure,

and grace to afford.

Nothing on the earth,

compares to His love;

let us pursue Christ,

and seek God above.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that to seek You and know You is our greatest gain. Thank You that nothing in the world compares to You. Forgive us for taking our eyes off of You, and allowing our hearts to be distracted by things that do not honor You. Teach us to trust You more, so that we will be content in all things and at all times, knowing that You are with us and in us; and that is so much more than enough. Lead us to love others well, so that they too may come to know contentment in a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek to know You and honor You in all that we do, and are content in all circumstances. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

Because of the tender mercy of our God, …the rising sun will come to us from heaven. – Luke 1:78

Contentment is Great Gain

But godliness with contentment is great gain. – (I Timothy 6:6)

 

If we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, our desires will align with His, and we will find that we are content in our current calling. The measure of our wealth will be by heaven’s standards, rather than those of earthly exchange. We will look to see what God is doing in our lives and in the lives of those around us, counting His movement, a gift of great gain.

 

Seeking the Lord,

leads to godliness;

He’ll lead us out,

of unrighteousness.

Aligned with God,

we find there is peace;

heavenly wealth,

investment increased.

He is faithful,

to answer our call;

His grace enough,

to cover us all.

Pursue the Lord,

and His righteousness;

contentment’s gain,

our God, glorious!

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we seek You and Your righteousness in our lives, we find contentment – and that is of great gain. Thank You that we do not do these things in our own strength, but rather by Your Spirit, You enable us to do all that You ask of us. Forgive us for our lack of contentment at times, and help us to grow increasingly aware of Your economy, rather than this one. May our priority be Your kingdom and Your righteousness in all that we say and do. Let our every word and deed be a building block for Your kingdom. May those who are seeking come into a saving relationship with You. Help us to love others as You love us. Be glorified, Lord God, as we contend to be content in all things at all times, knowing You are present and You are working in us and through us. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, You who have done great things. 

Who, O God, is like You? – Psalm 71:19

Flee from Foolishness

image by Laurie Kelley

All who are of God,

flee temptation’s snare;

let not foolish greed,

catch us unaware.

We are called to be,

content with His grace;

we brought nothing in,

take nothing from this place.

Godliness is great,

contentment brings gain;

flee from wickedness,

allow God to reign.

Faith and love endure,

gentleness will last;

fight the fight of faith,

release ugly past.

Take hold of the hope,

in eternal life;

to which we are called,

precious in His sight.

 

(Responding to I Timothy 6:6-12)

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our Provider.  Forgive us for our foolish greed, and grant us a godly perspective when it comes to wealth.  Teach us to be generous and kind, and keep us from getting caught up in the wickedness of amassing wealth for selfish gain.  Help us to be content with what we have, and keep our focus on faith in You, as it is the only treasure that lasts forever.  May our faith, hope and gentleness lead lives to You, and may many come to hold their hope in You alone.  All glory and honor unto You.  Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

The Source of Satisfaction

photo by Rodney Howard Browne

“They all ate and were satisfied.” – Mark 6:42

This verse comes from the story of when Jesus fed the five-thousand with five loaves and two fish.  The miracle at hand, was the Master’s ability to feed the masses with meager means.  However, there is a very spiritual element in all of this as well.  When man provided provision, there was never a reference to satisfaction, nor the human capacity for it to be enough.  Yet whenever Jesus intervened, people partook and were satisfied.

Spiritually, this is significant because the only way that we can partake and truly be satisfied, is when we trust in His truth.  We all have within us a deep hunger and thirst for righteousness, yet are incapable of ever bringing it to be in our own strength.  The gnawing ache within, is a God-sized hole that can only be filled by Him.  Anything else that we try to stuff in that space, may seem to satisfy initially, but will soon have us seeking more.  When we seek Him, and allow His Spirit to fill that space, we are suddenly able to find contentment, regardless of our resources.

Whether we are in need or know plenty, He places peace in our hearts and promises the provision that satisfies not our stomachs, but our souls.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we eat of that which nourishes our heart and soul, we are satisfied.  Thank You that You alone are the Source of sincere satisfaction.  Forgive us for trying to fill our lack with “stuff”, rather than seeking Your Spirit with a sincere heart.  Teach us to trust Your provision and Your ability to multiply and satisfy where we perceive lack.  Love us and lead us to live lives that are fully invested in You.  May our trust and obedience open doors to all in desperate need of You.  Thank You that You alone, satisfy our souls.  Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present