Thanks Living: Remember

Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. Psalm 30:4

Sing praise: to celebrate in song and music -- give praise, sing forth praises, psalms

Saints: godly man, good, merciful

Give thanks: literally, to use (i.e. hold out) the hand; physically, especially to revere or worship (with extended hands—the open one—indicating power, means, direction, etc.)

Remembrance: to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. To remember; by implication, to mention; memorial, memory, scent

Holy Name (His holiness): sacred, apartness, sacredness

Remembrance. Memory. Scent.

"A smell can bring on a flood of memories, influence people's moods and even affect their work performance. Because the olfactory bulb is part of the brain's limbic system, an area so closely associated with memory and feeling it's sometimes called the "emotional brain," smell can call up memories and powerful responses almost instantaneously." (http://health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/human-nature/perception/smell3.htm) 

So often when we think of "thanks" we think of things received. Yet, Psalm 30:4 reminds us that we are to give thanks at the "remembrance of His holy name". Just remembering Who God is—should set into action are gratitude. A scent can call up memories and powerful responses—that is how we should respond to remembering Who God is! 

Celebrate Thanks Living by remembering God's holiness! That's a great way to begin 2016! As we begin the new year, take time to REMEMBER God's Holy Name! 

Never the Right Choice

  If you are looking for the posts about

God's Amazing Blessing

Announcement—I'm moving!

here's the link to the first Part: 

http://createapositiveday.blogspot.com/2015/05/announcement-part-1-im-moving.html

Then follow the arrows at the bottom of each post to the next Part.

There are 10 parts in all. 

I recommend that you read each part, there are amazing details—

and God took care of each and every one! 

______________________________________________

 This post is the continuation of my Study of Colossians.  

So kill (deaden, deprive of power) the evil desire lurking in your members [those animal impulses and all that is earthly in you that is employed in sin]: sexual vice, impurity, sensual appetites, unholy desires, and all greed and covetousness, for that is idolatry (the deifying of self and other created things instead of God). Colossians 3:5 (AMP)

Let not your dead nature be effectual in you any more, but let your living nature be effectual. Now the strength of nature is known by the desires. Therefore let the affections of the world die in you, and let the contrary desires which are spiritual, live. Geneva Study Bible

I'm thankful that God included verses such as this in the Bible. It explains that believers (those who have placed their faith and trust in Christ) are still sinners. However, they are sinners with the indwelling Holy Spirit—Who can empower them to KILL the sinful desires. 

Sin is sin. God is holy. Those are two opposites. No matter how glamorous or what excuses I want to use—sin remains sin, period. Sin is never the right choice. And saying that "that's just how I am" or "God made me this way", or whatever other excuse I want to use, does NOT change the fact that it is still sin. 

If I choose sin over obeying God, that sin has become an idol. For anything I give more power, attention to, or support to other than God — is an idol. I have gone from worshiping and honoring God to saying that sin is more important and deserves my attention. 

Stop and think about that for a moment. Each time I sin, I am telling God — "Sorry, but you are not important in my life anymore. You've been replaced." If I truly have even a slight understanding of the holiness and Almighty God—the idea of choosing sin over God should scare me! 

Kill: to put to death, to treat as dead. If something is dead, it no longer has power, control, or a presence in my life. Then why am I even considering the idea of sin? Because I am a sinner. But thankfully, God is gracious and forgiving, and paid the sacrifice for my sin. 

Sin is never the right choice and if I want to kill the desire to sin, I must be permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31; MSG).

Deep Sense of Reverence for God: Holiness; Relationship cont 2

Auto spell check. Why does it continue to want to change words which are correct? And why doesn't it catch ALL the words which are incorrect?  

Auto spell check is only as good as the list of words in its database. Also, spell check doesn't KNOW what I am actually communicating. 

As I continue my study on Deep Sense of Reverence for God: Holiness; Relationship. I think of auto spell check. 

Since I'm not being "corrected" it must be RIGHT. I mean if it seems right, and I'm OK with it, it must be correct. 

Uh... WRONG! I'm not to rely on ME and my "database" when living a godly life. That can lead to chaos— "Everyone doing right in their OWN eyes" (Judges 21:25). We see that in our Country today. I want it, it feels right, I deserve it, I like it, etc. 

If I really want "auto spell check" to work properly, I need to add the words I'm using. I need up-date the database. In my life, if I want to be permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31), then I MUST make sure that I'm using God and His Word as my standard. 

God is holy, and if I want a true relationship with Him, I cannot be using my own "auto check" to see if I'm sinning. I need to make sure that the "auto check" is updated with God's Word. 

Only when I check my thoughts, actions, and attitudes through "GOD'S Auto Check" can I make the corrections to live a life honoring God. 

Permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God, if that's truly my goal, than I cannot rely on my own personal auto check. I must use God's holiness as a standard. 

Deep Sense of Reverence for God: Holiness: Relationship cont.

Continuing my study of "Deep Sense of Reverence for God: Holiness: Relationship" 

The past few days I've been reading Genesis 3 concerning the Fall of Man. 

It's amazing that a Holy God continued to want to walk and have a relationship with His creation... even after knowing that they sinned. God is holy, and God's love is also, great. 

There were consequences for Adam and Eve's sin.... long lasting consequences. But although a HOLY God—He still loves. 

That doesn't mean that I can sin and expect God to just "overlook" my sin. No, God is still a HOLY God. 

I'm just thankful that He is also a God of love, who has created a way for me to have a relationship with Him.... all because of His loving sacrifice of His Son. 

God is Holy. Sin has consequences. Thankful that I can have a relationship with God Almighty, not because of my own righteousness—rather because of His great love and righteousness. 

"For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness]." 2 Corinthians 5:21 (AMP)

Deep Sense of Reverence for God: Holiness: Relationship

This year for my "new year's resolution", I gave a "gift to God". I chose to work on being "permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God" (Acts 9:31, MSG). 

I thought a good place to begin was "getting to know God". I've been studying His Holiness. I'm looking at three things, Relationship, Communication, and Destination. 

First, I've been studying my relationship with God as it relates to His Holiness. Because God is holy, the ONLY way for be to enter into His presence is through the forgiveness of my sin. My relationship with God is hindered by sin and the remedy for that is due ONLY because God is holy. He alone could provide a holy, perfect sacrifice, His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay for my sin.

And although my sin has been forgiven, as Paul says, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?" Romans 6:1. NO! If I want to develop a deeper relationship with God, then I have to examine my life through the filter of HIS HOLINESS. God says, “Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 5:16).

If I want to be permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God, I must truly learn and understand God's Holiness and how it impacts my relationship with Him.

Recipient

This year, I'm sharing my "Treasures" of my study of my "Ponder the Morsels" book. I've picked 31 Psalms to study throughout 2013. Today I studied Psalm 96. Here is what I learned.

·Worship [Bow down to] the Lord ·because he is holy [in the splendor of his holiness]. Tremble before him, everyone on earth. Psalm 96:9 (EXB)

Worship the Lord in his holy splendor. Tremble in his presence, all the earth! Psalm 96:9 (GW)

Bow down to the Eternal, adorned in holiness; lay awestruck before Him, trembling, all people of the earth. Psalm 96:9 (VOICE)

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; tremble before and reverently fear Him, all the earth. Psalm 96:9 (AMP)

"O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." This is the only beauty which he cares for in our public services, and it is one for which no other can compensate. Beauty of architecture and apparel he does not regard; moral and spiritual beauty is that in which his soul delighteth. Worship must not be rendered to God in a slovenly, sinful, superficial manner; we must be reverent, sincere, earnest, and pure in heart both in our prayers and praises. Purity is the white linen of the Lord's choristers, righteousness is the comely garment of his priests, holiness is the royal apparel of his servitors.

"Fear before him, all the earth." "Tremble" is the word in the original, and it expresses the profoundest awe, just as the word "worship" does, which would be more accurately translated by "bow down." Even the bodily frame would be moved to trembling and prostration if men were thoroughly conscious of the power and glory of Jehovah. Men of the world ridiculed "the Quakers" for trembling when under the power of the Holy Spirit; had they been able to discern the majesty of the Eternal they would have quaked also. There is a sacred trembling which is quite consistent with joy, the heart may even quiver with an awful excess of delight. The sight of the King in his beauty caused no alarm to John in Patmos, and yet it made him fall at his feet as dead. Oh, to behold him and worship him with prostrate awe and sacred fear! The Treasury of David

As I think of the holiness God and the ugliness of my sin, I should tremble in fear. I’m thankful that I’ve accepted God’s gift of mercy and grace so that I can boldly enter His presence. But I still need to live in the awe and fear of the Almighty, Holy God. 

To create a positive day, I need to live my life in awe and fear of God, remembering to that I’m a recipient of His mercy and grace.