My Beautiful Life: Day 22

His Blessings Are All Around Us

God created  the heavens and the earth, the moon and the stars. He created all of the good, wholesome, enjoyable, and fun things we have on this earth as a blessing for us to enjoy. The key is not holding on to these earthly things too tightly. We should grasp and enjoy our blessings whether big or small. If we know Jesus Christ as our Savior, our best lives await us in heaven where we will spend eternity in joy, enjoying a life which is far better than the “best” we could ever experience here on earth. The wonderful thing about God is, He wants us to enjoy life now, and later. The truth is, God wants you to enjoy your life every day. Did you know that? If you didn't, or aren't sure whether God approves of people enjoying their lives, take a look at John 10:10. It says, “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance.” This is an absolutely amazing scripture because it clearly tells us that God doesn't just want us to be alive, but He wants us to enjoy being alive. He wants us to live with joy – abundant, overflowing joy! As a Christian, you can enjoy life because your conscience is clear from sin. You can enjoy life because you are secure and confident within God’s love. You can have fun and make memories with the ones you love. Take time to watch the sunset. Listen to the birds sing in the morning. Watch the way the wind blows through the leaves of the trees. God has placed even these things here on earth for our enjoyment. Blessings don't always come as materialistic gifts, but rather as the simple pleasures in life. The world makes us believe that "God wants to increase you financially" and if we aren't "rich" we aren't living the "good life". The truth is, in Christ, everyday we are living the "good life".  It is us to recognize it, accept it, and live it. God loves us and he wants us to live the abundant life of everlasting joy that He has already given to us. 

1 Timothy 6:19

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

A Prayer for Today

Father God, Thank You for this earth, for the beautiful sky and the radiant sun, for the ocean and streams, for the towering hills and the whispering wind, for the trees and green grass. Thank You for our senses by which we hear the songs of birds, and see the splendor of the fields. Thank You that we can taste autumn's fruit, rejoice in the feel of snow, and smell the breath of spring flowers. Thank You for all of the wonderful people I get to share my life with.  Grant me a heart opened wide to all of Your splendor and glory, and help me from being distracted by the things of this world. Teach me how to love what you love, Lord. 

Amen

My Beautiful Life - Day 19

All That We Have Belongs to Him

We seem never to be satisfied with what we have—long hair or short hair, rich or poor, healthy or sick. Sometimes it's easy to forget all that we are already blessed with. But what a difference it makes when we realize that everything we have has been given to us by God! King David prayed, “Wealth and honor come from you … We give you thanks, and praise your glorious name … Everything comes from you” (1 Chronicles 29:12-14, NIV). We see wealth in terms of having an abundance of material or worldly things. The world tells us that riches consist of how many cars you own or how many square feet are in your house. When we get back to the Bible, however, we find that wealth is a lot more than money. Wealth is the sum total of all that God has given us. When we understand wealth as the gift of God, we realize that it comes from God and it all belongs to God. This is a very difficult attitude for the world to adopt. But the Bible makes it clear that God created everything, God sustains everything and God owns everything. Ultimately, everything we have is a gift from God. In His grace, God shares His property with us. In His grace, God shares the ability for you and me to make money in order to put food on our table and to clothe our families. It's all because of His amazing grace that we enjoy any of what He owns. Don't brag about how much God gives you or complain about how little He gives you. All good things are measured out from His hand just as we need them. Those who have smaller homes or more meager bank accounts may find they have much greater riches in other areas of life, if only they could see them with thankful eyes. Everything you have is God's gift to you. What you do with everything God gives you is your gift to Him. Be grateful for all that God has blessed you with.

1 Corinthians 4:7

For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn't given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?

A Prayer for Today

Heavenly Father, help me to be grateful. Help me to find my fulfillment in You, and not things. I pray that my focus would continuously be on You so that I would not be discouraged because of what I don't have, but instead be thankful for what I do have. Thank You for sharing your many riches with me. Thank you, Lord, for the blessings you have bestowed on my life. You have provided me with more than I could ever have imagined. Please help me to be a good steward over everything I have.

Amen