Episode 78 - ThanksLIVING
Psalm 103:1-22
The 2023 calendar needs our help! The first 6 months and 4 days go along pretty well. No real complaints, there. But, then, on July 5 we enter into the 118-day Halloween season, followed immediately on Nov 1 by the 55 days of Christmas. Talk about inflation! I never could figure out the 12 days of Christmas – but 118 days of orange Halloween lights on the tree – that is all too much.
Let’s get back to Thanksgiving – you may have missed it last
Thursday, easy to do, since Black Friday now starts on a Tuesday in October. How confused and confusing are we?
God tells us there is a better way – He shows us through the
Psalmist a much more centered and appropriate pace of life – In Psalm 103 - David describes a live of Thanksgiving; really, it’s a ThanksLIVING!
David says ThanksLIVING happens when you…
1. Release your Praise!
a. Let it out
b. From your innermost parts – Eternity in your Hearts - Ecclesiastes 3:11
c. This is the desire to praise 7 worship your God
d. Hebrews 13:15 – the fruit of our lips; a sacrifice of praise! Get it out.
2. Rehearse His benefits
a. He forgives all your sins
i. Personal – yours, different than mine
ii. He is able; are you willing to accept his forgiveness?
b. Heals all your diseases
c. Redeems from the Pit
i. Remember the pit?
ii. Many are still there! 3.2 Billion who need to hear!
iii. Redeem – buy you back
iv. He is the God who jumped down into the Pit at the cost of His life to bring you out.
d. Crowns you
i. A child of the King
1. Acceptance
2. Adoption
ii. Steadfast Love – Grace
iii. Mercy
e. Satisfies you with Good
i. Renewal – a satisfied life is a renewed life
3. Remember His Character & His Ways – v 6-7
a. Who He is
b. Names/Character
c. Compared to our fragility -
i. Handle with Care / TLC
d. Compassionate Fathers get that
4. Receive His Never-ending Love
a. 1 Cor 13:8
5. Recognize His Complete Sovereignty – v 19-22
a. Over all
b. Including His angels
c. His works
d. His dominion – All His works in all His places
Takes us back to where we started – from within my innermost being – Bless the Lord, o my soul.
This is ThanksLIVING! An ongoing, daily recognition & reflection on Him. That will fix our calendar just fine.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 - "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
Other podcasts from Woodpile Ministries:
Rings To Tags - w/ Isaac & Amanda Wood - Marriage. Family. Home. God's Way.
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rings-to-tags/id1634856692
