Good morning -
I realized that it made a difference as I was driving to the office today. I had recently read an article in a popular magazine about a despondent man who chose to focus on sights that he was thankful for one gray day in New York, and it made all the difference in the direction of his life. So, I decided to do the same as I drove today. I found that being thankful for what I was seeing and experiencing had a calming, energizing effect. It is obvious that the repetitive practice of this discipline has the potential to have a powerful transforming effect.
"Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving" (Colossians 4:2)
The "attitude of gratitude" is key to being devoted to alert prayer. It's impossible to search for reasons to be thankful and not reflect it all back in continuous, alert prayer. And all of this becomes the springboard for outreach with the Good News in word and lifestyle:
"praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak. Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person." (Colossians 4:3-6)
A desire to speak the good news of the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus to others wells up from this "attitude of gratitude", and our heartfelt desire is to speak this message as clearly as possible. Wisdom in how we live and speak to those who need to hear is essential.
I'd like to invite you join me in practicing some simple but life-changing disciplines. Devote at least some segment of your day today to focusing on the sights and experiences that cause you to be thankful. Be aware of the sensation of energizing peace that you experience as you do so. And out of that experience be aware of a heightened desire to share the life-changing gospel that you have experienced. Focus that desire in prayer and ask the Lord to specifically direct you to share with others as clearly as possible.
I suspect that you and I are about to embark on a life-changing adventure. I've too often looked at the half-empty glass, but I see with greater clarity that the "attitude of gratitude" that comes from this simple discipline has the potential to infuse me with energy and life that explodes outward in evangelism.
I'd love to hear your stories of how this practice and discipline changes your life.
Anticipating a life-changing revolution through focused gratitude,
Pastor Steve
I realized that it made a difference as I was driving to the office today. I had recently read an article in a popular magazine about a despondent man who chose to focus on sights that he was thankful for one gray day in New York, and it made all the difference in the direction of his life. So, I decided to do the same as I drove today. I found that being thankful for what I was seeing and experiencing had a calming, energizing effect. It is obvious that the repetitive practice of this discipline has the potential to have a powerful transforming effect.
"Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving" (Colossians 4:2)
The "attitude of gratitude" is key to being devoted to alert prayer. It's impossible to search for reasons to be thankful and not reflect it all back in continuous, alert prayer. And all of this becomes the springboard for outreach with the Good News in word and lifestyle:
"praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak. Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person." (Colossians 4:3-6)
A desire to speak the good news of the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus to others wells up from this "attitude of gratitude", and our heartfelt desire is to speak this message as clearly as possible. Wisdom in how we live and speak to those who need to hear is essential.
I'd like to invite you join me in practicing some simple but life-changing disciplines. Devote at least some segment of your day today to focusing on the sights and experiences that cause you to be thankful. Be aware of the sensation of energizing peace that you experience as you do so. And out of that experience be aware of a heightened desire to share the life-changing gospel that you have experienced. Focus that desire in prayer and ask the Lord to specifically direct you to share with others as clearly as possible.
I suspect that you and I are about to embark on a life-changing adventure. I've too often looked at the half-empty glass, but I see with greater clarity that the "attitude of gratitude" that comes from this simple discipline has the potential to infuse me with energy and life that explodes outward in evangelism.
I'd love to hear your stories of how this practice and discipline changes your life.
Anticipating a life-changing revolution through focused gratitude,
Pastor Steve
posted by steve @ 9:37 AM
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