I’ll Turn Every Blessing Into Praise

I’ll Turn Every Blessing Into Praise

Jesus followers—and even people who are unsure of God—often respond to tragedy by first appealing to God for help and then questioning His intentions. Either way, difficulty has a way of making us aware of our dependence on God. In these moments when He is all we have, hopefully we can realize that He is all we need.

For Job of the Bible, this was no mental exercise. Job actually experienced the loss of everything he held most dear in life. How did he respond? His book is where we get the phrase, “blessed be the name of the Lord!”

In both trial and blessing, a grateful heart returns praise to God. When we fail to praise God for His blessings, we make fertile soil for poisonous seeds of pride in our hearts. Ideas like, “I deserve this, I earned this, and I did this,” begin to take root and overshadow God’s providential work in our lives. When we instead return God’s blessings as praise, we make fertile soil for God to do abundantly more than we could ever ask or imagine.

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Psalm 84: better is one day with God than thousands elsewhere.

Psalm 84: better is one day with God than thousands elsewhere.

We must let go of the good to grab hold of the better. Living a better life begins with understanding this one key thought from Psalm 84: better is one day with God than thousands elsewhere. His ways are better than your ways. His love is better than life. His blessings are better than material possessions. This week you will read from God’s Word about what it truly means to have a day with God.

1 How lovely is your dwelling place,O Lord of hosts!2 My soul longs, yes, faintsfor the courts of the Lord;my heart and flesh sing for joyto the living God.3 Even the sparrow finds a home,and the swallow a nest for herself,where she may lay her young,at your altars, O Lord of hosts,my King and my God.4Blessed are those who dwell in your house,ever singing your praise! Selah5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,in whose heart are the highways to Zion.6 As they go through the Valley of Bacathey make it a place of springs;the early rain also covers it with pools.7 They go from strength to strength;each one appears before God in Zion.8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah9 Behold our shield, O God;look on the face of your anointed!10 For a day in your courts is betterthan a thousand elsewhere.I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my Godthan dwell in the tents of wickedness.11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;the Lord bestows favor and honor.No good thing does he withholdfrom those who walk uprightly.12 O Lord of hosts,blessed is the one who trusts in you!

Better is One Day…

Distinction 

Our purpose is to do what is right, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of others.  #Integrity #Purpose
The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. #BusyBody #Serve
Don’t be so quick to offer your #opinion – it isn’t valuable from the sideline:  It doesn’t require you to  sacrifice nor are you held accountable  – it’s easy to look sharp when you haven’t done any work. #SeeThePoint #Humility
Be quiet, stay in your lane and look at what YOU bring to the table.  #MYOB #Scripture

Check these scriptures for yourself.
2 Cor. 8:21
Luke 10:2
1 Th. 4:11
Know Your Purpose
See His Plan
Study His Word…OnPurpose!!
#1OnPurpose
#BrokenCrayonsStillColor
#MichelleRoberts

Narcissism & Projection

2 Timothy 3:2 “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come.  For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.  And from such people turn away.” 

narcissism

Narcissism – Rather than owning their own feelings, they’ll act as though the feelings are yours. It’s called projection, as in projecting their feelings and thoughts onto you. For example, someone who is angry but won’t take responsibility for it might accuse you of being angry with them. It might be as subtle as, ‘Are you okay with me?’ or a bit more pointed, ‘Why are you angry at me,’ or, ‘You’ve been in a bad mood all day.’

You’ll find yourself justifying and defending and often this will go around in circles – because it’s not about you. Be really clear on what’s yours and what’s theirs. If you feel as though you’re defending yourself too many times against accusations or questions that don’t fit, you might be being projected on to. You don’t have to explain, justify or defend yourself or deal with a misfired accusation. Remember that.

Self-Projection – Psychological projection is a theory in psychology in which humans defend themselves against their own unconscious impulses or qualities (both positive and negative) by denying their existence in themselves while attributing them to others.

Don’t Blame…Look Within and focus on YOU.  Examine why you are feeling how you are feeling and start right there.

Prayer Psalms 5 with me:  Lead Me in Your Righteousness

To the choirmaster: for the flutes. A Psalm of David.
1 Give ear to my words, O Lord;
consider my groaning.
2 Give attention to the sound of my cry,
my King and my God,
for to you do I pray.
3 O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.
4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil may not dwell with you.
5 The boastful shall not stand before your eyes;
you hate all evildoers.
6 You destroy those who speak lies;
the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
will enter your house.
I will bow down toward your holy temple
in the fear of you.
8 Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
because of my enemies;
make your way straight before me.
9 For there is no truth in their mouth;
their inmost self is destruction;
their throat is an open grave;
they flatter with their tongue.
10 Make them bear their guilt, O God;
let them fall by their own counsels;
because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out,
for they have rebelled against you.
11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may exult in you.
12 For you bless the righteous, O Lord;
you cover him with favor as with a shield.

Looking WITHIN…OnPurpose!!