COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

“The king rejoices in Your strength, Lord. How great is his joy in the victories You give!... Surely You have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of Your presence.”  (Psalm 21:1,6 NIV)

“Count your blessings” is a popular phrase I’ve never related well to. The moment I try to list all God has done for me, I realize how woefully short my efforts fall. I can thank Him for my salvation, for the blessings of home, relationships, work, and ministry. But I know His grace extends far beyond that. Even if I spent a week, I could hardly cover everything adequately. And when I came to an end, all I’d have would be a mechanical list -- the exercise itself would take the delight out of my praise.

Yet even joy-filled King David didn’t attempt to cram all God’s wonders in a single hymn. Though he rejoices throughout Psalm 21, he hardly describes everything God has done for him. The king’s adulation rings through much of the psalter -- as if he couldn’t contain it in one place or time. But his masterful adoration is more than a list of thank-yous. David knew a secret of thanks it took me a while to uncover. Real thanks are tied to the nature of God. Here David offers gratitude to his Lord for specific blessings in verses 1-6 and ends describing God’s eternal gifts. All the psalmist’s joy cannot be separated from his Master’s presence. Without God, the king understands, even the richest gain would be empty. To know God deeply is the greatest blessing of all, and intimate knowledge comes with a lifetime of loving Him.

So instead of detailing every benefit God provides, like David I’ll thank Him for a few big ones today and spend time basking in His love. As I look closely into my Lord’s face, I can’t help but delight in His presence. 

-- Pamela McQuade, from “Daily Wisdom to Satisfy the Soul,” published by Barbour Publishing, Inc. Used by permission.

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DON’T SETTLE FOR LESS

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”  (Ephesians 1:3)

What are you settling for in your life? What are you willing to compromise for comfort? For happiness? For prestige or wealth?

It’s far too easy to settle for less. Less than the fullness of God’s blessing. Less than God’s purpose for your life. And soon what matters to others seems more important than what matters to God.

Surfing the Internet becomes more important than reading your Bible. Going to the gym seems more important than early-morning prayer. A good tee-time is suddenly the priority over worship time.

Jesus opened His heart to His Father and prayed, “And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world began” (John 15:5). Jesus was asking His Father to give Him more! More glory! More blessing!

Don’t settle for less than everything your Heavenly Father wants to give you.

– Adapted from “Fixing My Eyes on Jesus” by Anne Graham Lotz

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OUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!"  (1 John 3:1 NIV)

To be called a “child of God” is not a title we earn through merit or moral achievement -- it’s a gift of grace. It’s the result of God’s lavish love, poured out through His Son Jesus Christ, who made a way for us to be adopted into His family. John 1:12-13 says, “To all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God -- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

This identity is not symbolic -- it’s spiritual reality. We are not merely followers or servants; we are sons and daughters of the King. That changes everything.

In a world that often leaves us feeling isolated or unseen, God offers belonging. As His children, we are known, loved, and never alone. We are engraved on the palms of His hands (Isaiah 49:16), the apple of His eye (Zechariah 2:8), and heirs of His promises (Romans 8:17). Being a child of God means we have a place at His table, a voice in His presence, and a purpose in His kingdom.

Children often reflect their parents and as children of God, we are called to reflect His character. That means living lives marked by love, grace, truth, and holiness. It’s not about perfection, but transformation. The Spirit within us shapes us to look more like Jesus, day by day.

Galatians 4:6 reminds us, “And because we are His children, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, ‘Abba, Father.’” This intimate cry – “Abba” -- is the heartbeat of our identity. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™

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GOD NUDGES, SPEAKS AND CORRECTS – Part 2 of 2

God nudges. God speaks. And God also corrects. I’m thankful for that. Sometimes I miss His nudges. Sometimes I misunderstand His words. And so He needs to correct. But God’s correction is not a frightening thing. Rather, it is freeing and invigorating.

Christians who want to reach out to their friends and help them grow sometimes make the mistake of thinking that it’s their job to convict their friends of sin. But this is the Holy Spirit’s job (John 16:7-10). Our job, if we have the gift of exhortation, is to “stimulate the faith of others” (Romans 12:9 PH), to stand on the sidelines and cheer: “Yes, my friends! Be free! Listen to the conviction of the Spirit! Follow the Word of the Lord!”

Most of the time God’s nudging, speaking, and correcting take place in the ordinary moments of our days. Sometimes God seems especially present in a conversation. Occasionally, I sense God leading me to suggest meeting a friend five or six times to discuss a particular issue, book or passage of Scripture. When that happens, I usually tell my friend that I’d like to give her the gift of focusing on her agenda when we get together. This is not chitchat time. It’s not even sharing time. It’s a time to look at her life to see if we can discover what God is saying to her. I love it when people show that kind of interest in me. And you can be sure that others will respond enthusiastically to your interest in them.

Thinking back on my childhood, I’m thankful for those who God has used to nudge me towards the kingdom. I’m delighted that in the years since, God has used me to help others “choose life” (Deuteronomy 30: 19).

God uses ordinary people like you and me, to urge others to follow Him. What a privilege to be a part of His work in the world today!

-- Alice Fryling, from an article entitled “In His Steps” in Discipleship Journal, No. 67

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GOD NUDGES, SPEAKS AND CORRECTS – Part 1 of 2

“For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that He has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction.”  (1 Thessalonians 1:4-5a NIV)

God gives all of us a choice to follow Him: “See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commands, decrees and laws… I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life.” (Deuteronomy 30:15-16; 30:19)  Along the way, people have helped me to choose life by gently “nudging” me to want to be like them.

On the other hand, I can think of too many friends who have turned away from God because of someone’s ill-suited attempts to “disciple” them. In our well-intentioned determination to “clean up” a new believer’s life, we may impose standards and expectations that God never intended.

This, I believe, is because we forget how God works in our lives. He usually works slowly and quietly. He uses circumstances to pattern His own intervention. And He never speaks to me in exactly the same way He speaks to you.

Most important, we must remember that He does the work. It isn’t our work, our influence, or our ideas that cause real growth in another’s life. If we forget that, we can be tempted to manipulate others, and we risk becoming caricatures of people of faith.

As I’ve experienced God’s work in my own life and seen Him work in the lives of others, I’ve noticed that He does three things: He nudges, He speaks, and He corrects. We grow -- we choose life -- when we respond to His activity in our lives. We help others choose life, too, when we understand and participate in God’s work as He nudges them, speaks to them, and corrects them. 

-- Alice Fryling, from an article entitled “In His Steps” in Discipleship Journal, No. 67

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