WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2009
'And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.'
- Colossians 3:15
'Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.'
- Hebrews 12:28-29
'The secular world never understands Christian motivation.... From the plan of salvation I learn that the true driving force in authentic Christian living is, and ever must be, not the hope of gain, but the heart of gratitude.'
- J.I. Packer, Rediscovering Holiness, p. 75
'In short, then, the grace of God in the Cross of Christ leads to thanksgiving in his people, which in turn naturally leads to obedience.'
-Dane Ortlund, A New Inner Relish, p. 25
Almighty God, Father of all Mercies,
we, thine unworthy servants,
do give thee most humble and hearty thanks
for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us, and to all men.
- The Book of Common Prayer
- Colossians 3:15
'Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.'
- Hebrews 12:28-29
'The secular world never understands Christian motivation.... From the plan of salvation I learn that the true driving force in authentic Christian living is, and ever must be, not the hope of gain, but the heart of gratitude.'
- J.I. Packer, Rediscovering Holiness, p. 75
'In short, then, the grace of God in the Cross of Christ leads to thanksgiving in his people, which in turn naturally leads to obedience.'
-Dane Ortlund, A New Inner Relish, p. 25
Almighty God, Father of all Mercies,
we, thine unworthy servants,
do give thee most humble and hearty thanks
for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us, and to all men.
- The Book of Common Prayer
A life of thankfulness is truly the only Christian life. Simply put - gratitude and regeneration go hand in hand. In Christ our greatest need has been met and to be ungrateful would be to embody the demeanor of the unconverted. Unmitigated grace is the impetus for genuine gratitude. The Christian alone is assured that his sins have been forgiven. Think of this…enmity no longer exists between the Christian and His Creator/Redeemer. In a body of flesh God has redeemed men and women for Himself. Upon a Cross of unimaginable suffering the God-man bore in Himself the brunt of the Father's wrath in the stead of His people. On an Easter morning the God-man rose and sealed redemption once and for all. And in the flame and wind of upper-room Pentecostal fury the Spirit was given to ensure redemption's intent. Dear Christian…is it possible to not be thankful?
No comments:
Post a Comment