Instructions from the Instruction Manual

Good Morning!  What a beautiful day...not weatherwise, but because God created it!  This is a Thankful Thursday and I am so very thankful.  Today in my quiet time with God, I read Philippians 4.  This is one of my all-time favorite chapters in the Bible.  There is so much in this chapter and as I read, my spirit just began to leap!  In this Thankful Thursday post I will give you several of the verses in this chapter.  I pray that you will have the same kind of response reading them as I did.

Verse 4:   "⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!"  This verse tells us to rejoice...always...that means in the good AND in the bad times.  Just 'rejoice!'

Verse 8:  "⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."  I love, love, love this verse.  I first learned it when I was teaching the Stars girls in our Missionette program at church many years ago.  This verse says it all...it tells us exactly what we should dwell on.  I love that...God gives us explicit instructions.  If something going on in your life is not so 'lovely,' then you should NOT be thinking about it to the point that it draws you down.  The Word says to think on things that are lovely!  I'm not saying that you won't have burdensome things happening in your life...of course you will...we all will.  However, God doesn't want us to dwell on these kinds of things.  Think about it...if we dwell on the negative...how in the world can God do a good work in us?  We must think on the positive and trust God to handle the other things. 

Verses 12-13:  "¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength."  Now, I'm not sure that I truly know what it is to 'be in need.'  I've never been so hungry that I seriously thought I would die...I might have said I would, but honestly, I would not have.  I'm not sure that very many of us really know and understand what it is to be in need the way Paul was trying to explain.  However, I do know that God is with me in any situation that arises in my life.  I do know that "I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

Finally, verse 19:  "¹⁹ And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus." Look at that...God WILL supply...He WILL meet every NEED that we have...according to His glory!   Now...the Word doesn't say He will give us our wants...it says He will give us our NEEDS!!!  We may think we need a new car, but that may not be God's plan for us...His plan may simply be that we have a bicycle to meet our need to go back and forth to work.  That may seem harsh...but a bicycle would meet our NEED!  A new car would simply make things easier for us. 

I am so very thankful that God is with me.  I am so very thankful that He tells me exactly what kinds of things I should think about...dwell on.  I am so very thankful that God gives me the strength to accomplish whatever I need to.  He is with me and giving every bit of encouragement that is needed for me to press on.  I am so very thankful that God promises me that He WILL supply every need...physical, mental or spiritual...that I have!  I am also very thankful that, often times, He gives me my WANTS, too!

As you continue through your day today, be THANKFUL for all that God has given you and blessed you with.  Be THANKFUL that He gave us an Instruction Manual (the Bible) to help us get through our life.  If you don't already have it memorized, memorize verse 8...commit to make the instruction there a daily part of your life.  I promise you...it WILL make a difference in every day of your life!

God bless,