From Psalm 46:
1 God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains temble at its swelling.
Now if we can just convince our heads of that...
Psalm 75
Things/people/events I am thankful for:
My salvation in Jesus Christ
The fact that I was chosen in him before the foundations of the earth
My wife, Christi
My daughters, Rachel and Stephanie,
Our pets, Midnight, Screamer, Amber, and Duke
The house we live in
The cars we have to drive
My job
My wife's job
Two successful surgeries for my wife over the last two years, resulting in a reduction of pain that she had been living with
My heatlh (relatively good, even though I have type 2 diabetes)
The strength to continue on a weight loss plan in order to eliminate above mentioned diabetes
Parents who raised me to love Jesus
Parents who provided an example of marriage to me--they are going on 51 years married!
A nation that still allows us to worship as we desire
A part time job leading people to do just that
Music
The talent to play and sing music
Ears to hear the music
A voice with which to sing
The incredible mechanism that is the human body
The Godly grandparents that I had the privilege of knowing for many years of my life
The hope that I might someday see those grandparents in heaven
Recreation--things to take my mind off of work and other responsibilities...this would include computer games like World of Warcraft, Playstation games like Guitar Hero, and many, many others
The beauty of nature, which can also serve to take my mind off of unpleasant things
Baseball and the Boston Red Sox--Heh...how could I not mention them?
Friends like Phillipp at work, who keep God in front of me every day
What reasons does the Asaph have to be thankful in Psalm 75?
"...your Name is our favorite word;
your mighty works are all we talk about."
"I put everything in place again. [God talking]"
"God rules: he brings this one down to his knees, pulls that one up on her feet."
God is in complete control of the entire earth.
Does that make you thankful or anxious? Brother, it makes me thankful!! Thankful to the max! Because that means, just like in the psalm that I quoted way up at the beginning, I have nothing to fear. If God is in control, and I am found in him, then there is no fear. Because what is the worst possible thing that could happen to me? DEATH?? What does that do? It simply sends me HOME!! HAHAHA!! So maybe I do fear pain a little. But pain will pass. Everything around us is temporary, so we don't even need to fear temporary inconveniences and struggles.
God is in control.
I'm thankful to you, O God!
Thankful for the many works that you have done in my life! I love to worship your name!When my world was falling apart, you stepped in and set things right.
Sometimes you had to knock me down to do it.
Sometimes you had to scare me silly to do it.
Sometimes you had to make me see that I was about to lose something very precious.
But you always came through and made things right.I hate when people "threaten" you or your people.
I despise when people raise their voices against the Most High God.
In their arrogance, they don't know who they are speaking against.
They don't know that, if you so desire, you could crush them in an instant.
They don't know that, someday, their knees will bow to you, whether willingly or not.You are ruler of all. You bring low and you raise up.
You are God Eternal! And you will bring about justice in the end.I praise you that you are in control of all things.
I pray to see your glory in the time of my life.
I can't wait to worship you in heaven.
Help me bring some with me.I love you, Lord, I love you!
Grace and peace to you all.