Thanks Living: Actively Giving the Finest

Of all your gifts you shall offer up every heave offering due to the Lord, from all the best of them, the consecrated part of them.’  Numbers 18:29 (NKJV) 

Out of all your gifts, you shall present every offering due to the Lord, from all the best of it, even the sacred part from them.’ Numbers 18:29 (AMP)

Offer up: to be high actively, give, present

Best: the richest or choice part, finest

I've been thinking about this verse: 

And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord. Psalm 27:6

And especially about the phrase, "offer sacrifices of joy". 

Joy: alarm, blowing of, the trumpets, joy, jubilee, loud noise, rejoicing, shouting

I am to be highly active in giving the very best toward giving thanks rejoicing to God. 

The very best, the finest. 

That would include all aspects. That means if I am complaining, worrying, anxious, mumbling, etc, my focus and energies are not being active in praising and thanking God. I am "using up" my time, energy, thoughts on the aspects I can see and focusing on what I think are 'good or bad' from my perspective. 

The very best, the finest. 

To be actively giving God the finest—then I really need to be thinking, and living a life of Thanks Living. I cannot use up my mind and thoughts on the selfish and what ifs. Rather, I must be actively giving God shouts of praise and thanksgiving. 

Just think, as my mindset changes to praising God, the what-ifs, the worrying, and the fears of the unknowns no longer get my attention. Rather, they are replaced with shouts of joy and praise, knowing that God Almighty is loving me, caring for me, and working all things out for His glory and honor. 

Thanks Living, actively giving God the finest and very best— sacrifices of joy! 

Instant Empty Gratification

 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. 

And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth. Colossians 3:2 (AMP) 

Let heaven fill your thoughts; don’t spend your time worrying about things down here. Colossians 3:2 TLB)

For unless the affections are set on them, they will never be sought after in a proper manner. The word signifies to mind them, and think on them, to favour and approve of them, to be affectionately desirous of them, and concerned for them.  

Not mind earth and earthly things, temporal enjoyments, riches, and honours; and though food and raiment, and the necessaries of life, are to be sought after, and cared and provided for, yet not with anxiety and perplexity of mind, in an over thoughtful and distressing manner; nor should the heart be set on those outward things, or happiness placed in the possession of them.

John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Set your mind. Keep on thinking about. As I live my life daily, I am to evaluate my thoughts, actions, attitude, words, desires and make sure that they are in agreement with God's. And although I'm to be responsible and take care of the daily needs of living on earth, I am not to seek my happiness in the things around me. 

Desire godly attributes and do not be anxious or look for happiness in things. 

It's easy to get caught up in the hype of all the things this world has to offer. The commercials continually tell us that we need the newest and best—NOW. However, all those gadgets and whatchamacallits won't provide the long-lasting happiness that God provides. For all that stuff is just instant empty gratification. 

If my heart is permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31; MSG), then I'll keep on thinking about God—Who He is and what He is doing—and I won't caught up in the instant empty gratification offered by this world. 

Keep Calm!

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 67. Here is what I learned.

Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! Psalm 67:1, 4 

There is are images that is spreading rapidly on the internet that all begin with “Keep Calm and.....” 

As I read Psalm 67 this morning, the phrase found in verses 1 and 4 reminded me of that “Keep calm” image. 

We are reminded twice in this Psalm to pause...stop what you are doing.... and calmly think about a specific truth of God. We are to literally STOP fretting, STOP worrying, STOP everything, and spend time in the peace and calmness of God’s security  and simply think, meditate on who God is and what He is doing. 

Keep calm and ...... ? How would I fill in that blank? Keep calm, I have it under control? As much as I think I do.... I don’t! So, that phrase won’t work. Keep calm, I can handle it? Well, again as much as I think I can handle any situation that arises, I often fall short. 

Keep calm and let God take care of it! Now that is a phrase that is packed with truth! 

To create a positive day, I need to stop, keep calm, knowing full well that God has it all under control! 

Quiet the Noise

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 27. Here is what I learned.

You have said, Seek My face [inquire for and require My presence as your vital need]. My heart says to You, Your face (Your presence), Lord, will I seek, inquire for, and require [of necessity and on the authority of Your Word]. Psalm 27:8 (AMP)

The prodding of my heart leads me to chase after You. I am seeking You, Eternal One—don’t retreat from me. Psalm 27:8 (VOICE)

My heart said of you, “Go, ·worship him [seek his face].” So I ·come to worship you [seek your face], Lord. Psalm 27:8 (EXB)

In this verse we are taught that if we would have the Lord hear our voice, we must be careful to respond to his voice. The true heart should echo the will of God as the rocks among the Alps repeat in sweetest music the notes of the peasant's horn. Observe, that the command was in the plural, to all the saints, Seek ye; but the man of God turned it into the singular by a personal application, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. The voice of the Lord is very effectual where all other voices fail. When thou saidst, then my heart, my inmost nature was moved to an obedient reply. Note the promptness of the response -- no sooner said than done; as soon as God said "seek," the heart said, "I will seek." Oh, for more of this holy readiness! Would to God that we were more plastic to the divine hand, more sensitive of the touch of God's Spirit. The Treasury of David

Is my heart open to hearing God? Am I listening? Or is it too noisy with my wants, wishes, worries, frustrations, or my will? 

To create a positive day, I need to quiet the noise I create, so that I can hear God and respond to His words. 

Change the Worry into Happy

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 8. Here is what I learned.

The birds in the ·sky [heavens],  the fish in the sea, and everything that ·lives under water [passes/travels on the paths of the sea. Psalm 8:8 (EXB)

I’ve learned much from Max, my parakeet, over the past 10 years. As much as I want to control him, he does things that I cannot control. He seems to understand some of what I say, “bedtime”, for example. When I say that, he walks over to me and gives me a kiss and looks down the hallway... he is ready to go into his night cage to go to sleep. But does he really understand what I say, or is it that he knows the routine of the night? 

When I watch Max, I’m amazed at how he knows how to clean his feathers. I didn’t teach him that. God instilled that knowledge into birds when he created them. I love Max’s coloring, bright yellow head and green feathers. I can’t change the coloring of his feathers, again God designed Max that way. 

When I think of the birds of the sky, I’m reminded of this verse:

“Look at the birds. They don’t plant, harvest, or gather the harvest into barns. Yet, your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? “Can any of you add a single hour to your life by worrying? Matthew 6:26, 27 (GW)

I have an appointment with my Pain Management Dr today. We are going to discuss the next step in trying to reduce the new pain caused by the surgery in April. To be honest, I’m a bit worried about what we might need to try. I really don’t want another procedure that can cause more irritation to the nerves.

But worrying about what MIGHT happen, doesn’t help in anyway. God has a plan and a purpose. He’s proven again and again, that He will put me exactly where He wants me to accomplish His will and purpose. 

Since God cares for the birds—I KNOW He’ll care for me. And as a reminder of God’s care, I’m taking Max with me to my Doctor’s appointment today. My Doctor likes Max and I know that she’ll enjoy seeing him again. 

To create a positive day, I need to change the worry into, as Max would say, “happy”, by trusting that God cares and really does know best. 

Update: Max enjoyed visiting with my Dr., and my Dr really enjoyed Max’s visit! And God once again showed His care and guidance. My Dr. has decided to delay any invasive treatments and opted to try some noninvasive treatments first. Thankful that God helped me change my worry into happy!

Object Lesson of Max and the Hawk

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 27. Here is what I learned.

Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident. Psalm 27:3 (NLT)

Though castles stand together against me; mine heart shall not dread (Though hosts, or armies, stand together against me; my heart shall not fear). Though battle riseth against me; in this thing I shall have hope. Psalm 27:3 (WYC)

Encamp: construct camp, set up camp.

Fear (afraid): affright, be make afraid, dreadful, put in fearful reverence, terrible act.

Heart: inner man, mind, will.

Every now and then, a hawk sits on a tree directly outside the living room window. Max, my parakeet, has a cage in front of that window. When the hawk arrives, Max is “fine” as long as he can see me, or come sit on me. But if I leave the room when the hawk is outside, Max not only gets upset, he flies to where I am. Now, the hawk cannot get to Max. There is a double window, a screen, and the wall between Max and the hawk. But just knowing that the hawk is there, puts fear into Max, unless he can see me. Max feels safe when he knows I’m near. 

This is a great object lesson of Psalm 27:3. The enemies are only “camped”. They are not in active war, they are “bedded” down. But just knowing that they are there, can instill fear, UNLESS, one realizes that God is the ultimate protector. 

Doubtless the shadow of anticipated trouble is, to timorous minds, a more prolific source of sorrow than the trouble itself, but faith puts a strengthening plaister (plaster) to the back of courage, and throws out of the window the dregs of the cup of trembling. The Treasury of David

How often have I started worrying and fretting over an “encamped situation”? It’s amazing how my mind can create the worst scenarios possible. That is, if God is not the focus of my trust and faith. When I stop facing the encampment, and turn my focus to God and His love and protection, I am at peace. 

The object lesson of Max and the hawk, will remind me that to create a positive day, I need to ignore the encampment, and remember that God is present and watching out for me.