"Imagine for a moment that your city is surrounded by enemy forces who aimed to destroy you. And you are aware that enemy sympathizers live and work in the city with a view to undermining the city's defenses. And suppose you discover that there is a song which the enemy and their sympathizers cannot tolerate or approach. Whenever they hear it, they pull back and run the other direction.
Isn't it certain that you would want to learn this song? And after you learned it, you would sing it when you went to bed at night and when you got up in the morning. You would sing it on the way to work, and whenever you were among strangers. And as your confidence grew you would even venture outside the city and sing it as you walked boldly through the enemy lines on your way to another town. The more deeply embedded in your mind the song became, the more steady and deep and serene and fearless your life would become. Others would see and hear and learn the song from you. And in the end you would conquer the enemy, and there would be no threat at all............
Well, we are surrounded by the enemy—namely, Satan and his forces. He is "the father of lies" (John 8:44). His weapons are deceit and delusion. His aim is the destruction of your faith and love.
And there are enemy sympathizers inside the city of our own souls—namely, the desires of the old self.
And there is a song that Satan and his sympathizers cannot tolerate or approach—namely, the song of thanks to God....thankfulness is an essential guardian of the soul, and therefore we should guard ourselves with gratitude. Evidently we are fair game for the devil when we don't abound with thanksgiving. Unless the song of thanksgiving is being sung in our hearts the enemy outside will deceive his way into the city of our soul, and the enemy sympathizers within will make his job easy. So for the sake of your own safety, strive to fill your heart with thanksgiving! Guard yourselves with gratitude!"
--John Piper
Col. 2:6-7
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
Jesus, you know how discouraged I am tonight...I am that city who's walls have been broken down.. I have allowed my self to be influenced by so many lies...I feel as if they have taken over me....I am dried out, worn out and feel so defeated....God, though I feel torn apart, I am VERY THANKFUL, for your HOLY SPIRIT that will ALWAYS lead me back to TRUTH, your WORD that will STAND FOREVER...It is times like this when I am discouraged and you prove your faithfulness in being there that I am most encouraged in my faith...you did NOT have to reveal yourself to me tonight but you did...THANK YOU..PLEASE help me to be content with ALL parts of my life...HELP me to have a ATTITUDE that reflects that of a TRANSFORMED HEART.... I pray this THANKSGIVING I will have a deep feeling of THANKFULNESS to you LORD.
Amen
....being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
-Phil 1:6
We are headed to Mobile for Thanksgiving to spend time with my in-laws! I sure hope the LORD gives us plenty of rest and much ammunition for this great war we are in.
Have A HAPPY THANKSGIVING FRIENDS!! I love you all soo dearly! :)
Isn't it certain that you would want to learn this song? And after you learned it, you would sing it when you went to bed at night and when you got up in the morning. You would sing it on the way to work, and whenever you were among strangers. And as your confidence grew you would even venture outside the city and sing it as you walked boldly through the enemy lines on your way to another town. The more deeply embedded in your mind the song became, the more steady and deep and serene and fearless your life would become. Others would see and hear and learn the song from you. And in the end you would conquer the enemy, and there would be no threat at all............
Well, we are surrounded by the enemy—namely, Satan and his forces. He is "the father of lies" (John 8:44). His weapons are deceit and delusion. His aim is the destruction of your faith and love.
And there are enemy sympathizers inside the city of our own souls—namely, the desires of the old self.
And there is a song that Satan and his sympathizers cannot tolerate or approach—namely, the song of thanks to God....thankfulness is an essential guardian of the soul, and therefore we should guard ourselves with gratitude. Evidently we are fair game for the devil when we don't abound with thanksgiving. Unless the song of thanksgiving is being sung in our hearts the enemy outside will deceive his way into the city of our soul, and the enemy sympathizers within will make his job easy. So for the sake of your own safety, strive to fill your heart with thanksgiving! Guard yourselves with gratitude!"
--John Piper
Col. 2:6-7
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
Jesus, you know how discouraged I am tonight...I am that city who's walls have been broken down.. I have allowed my self to be influenced by so many lies...I feel as if they have taken over me....I am dried out, worn out and feel so defeated....God, though I feel torn apart, I am VERY THANKFUL, for your HOLY SPIRIT that will ALWAYS lead me back to TRUTH, your WORD that will STAND FOREVER...It is times like this when I am discouraged and you prove your faithfulness in being there that I am most encouraged in my faith...you did NOT have to reveal yourself to me tonight but you did...THANK YOU..PLEASE help me to be content with ALL parts of my life...HELP me to have a ATTITUDE that reflects that of a TRANSFORMED HEART.... I pray this THANKSGIVING I will have a deep feeling of THANKFULNESS to you LORD.
Amen
....being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
-Phil 1:6
We are headed to Mobile for Thanksgiving to spend time with my in-laws! I sure hope the LORD gives us plenty of rest and much ammunition for this great war we are in.
Have A HAPPY THANKSGIVING FRIENDS!! I love you all soo dearly! :)