GIVE THANKS FOR ALL THINGS
Thursday – March 2, 2017
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The picture featured today and I have used many times was taken some years ago on Mount Batti in Camden Maine which is one of many picturesque villages along the coast of Maine. The picture is taken in front of a rock tower that is perhaps ten to fifteen feet tall and overlooks the town of Camden.
Now back to our Bible Study from the Book of Ephesians and be reminded to check out my new books by clicking the link at the end of this teaching.
Ephesians 5:18-20 (KJV)
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
The next verse we come to tells us to give thanks to God always for everything in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Can this be true?? Let’s look at a couple of other translations to be sure we got this right because I certainly have things happen where my first thought is not giving thanks to God. I wonder if that could be true of you as well.
Ephesians 5:20 (AMP)
20 At all times and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.
Ephesians 5:20 (HCSB)
20 giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Ephesians 5:20 (GW)
20 Always thank God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Oh no, just as I thought, He (God) means what He said. Like me you may at one time or another said, whoa, I don’t know about that. We will plunge into this and find that it is really wonderful although our natural brain is hollering no, no it can’t be true. First let’s take a look at a very similar verse.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 (KJV)
16 Rejoice evermore.
17 Pray without ceasing.
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
19 Quench not the Spirit. (Bold added by Dr. Wood)
You have got to be kidding, really? Remember on Monday we talked about anyone born of God is a world overcomer?
1 John 5:3-4 (KJV)
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
We are to be overcomers, remember only those who overcome are invited to sit with Him on His throne (Revelation 3:21). We have absolutely no excuse for not overcoming, it is our choice. God has given us more than enough tools to be victorious in all things but He is not in control of our success, we control our decision making and the implementation of the decision. When we align ourselves with God the Power of God is loosed and the victory is won, the Kingdom of God is advanced for His glory, to show what a good God we serve (by choice). The victory comes in the exercise of love for God and the exercise of our faith in God. In all of our lives there are many things that must be faced, confronted, and overcome to advance our own maturity and to advance the Kingdom of God.
We are not here to just hang on for dear life until it is over. In fact we are not to hang on for dear life period. Circumstances of our lives must remain outside of us even if our physical body is affected. These circumstances must never be allowed into our soul, our spirit man, and we must never claim them as our own or a part of us. Once we let them in we are a dead duck so to speak (perhaps literally). Our physical brain may have a cancer, but our mind which is spiritual does not although it holds the secret of how the tumor was given permission to establish. Once that is taken care of then the spiritual will drive the physical out. Remember we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
Romans 8:36-37 (KJV)
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (Bold added by Dr. Wood)
When it looks like we are done for we are more than conquerors through Him that loves us. There is no situation that confronts us that we are not far and above it and it is nothing to us. We conquer every situation in love (obedience to the Word), by faith, led of the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus (power of attorney). When we let the situation into our thinking and we find ourselves in worry (another word for fear) and searching for answers without inquiring of God and begging (not decreeing the Word of the Lord) we are done for. We can be in something but it not be in us, remember that, it comes in by choice, we fear or have more faith in the circumstance than God.
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
NEW BOOKS! I would encourage all to take the time to read my most recent books. First is one titled “Temptation – The Battle for our Thoughts” and the second is “And God Said”. You will find these books insightful, enlightening and designed to strengthen our defense and offence by faith. As we gain in God’s wisdom and knowledge we will understand ourselves and our enemy and we will win every battle in the furtherance of the Kingdom of God.
Link: Amazon.com
