thankfulness

1. I am thankful for the beautiful church family God has placed in my life.
2. I am thankful for Christ giving me a new heart, not because of anything I did, but because of grace.
3. I am thankful that salvation does not come from me, but from God alone.
4. I am thankful that God in unfailing, always faithful and true.
5. I am thankful for God’s creativity when creating this earth and the things among it.
6. I am thankful for Jesus dying on the cross to cleanse me of my sin and credit me with His righteousness.
7.  I am thankful that The Spirit is dwelling inside me, convicting me and moving me.
8.  I am thankful for The Trinity.
9.  I am thankful for God’s Holy Scriptures.
10.  I am thankful that God is so forgiving and loving, even though I’m so unworthy.
11.  I am thankful for God raising me from the dead and making me set apart from the world.
12.  I am thankful for God’s presence, the comfort and excitement that He continually brings.
13.  I am thankful for my family.
14.  I am thankful for art.
15.  I am thankful for creation, the universe and the things unknown that reveal God’s glory.
16.  I am thankful for God being rich in mercy and just in His wrath.
17.  I am thankful for my brother and sisters in Christ.
18.  I am thankful for unbelievers and that God can use me to evangelize to them.
19.  I am thankful for hugs.
20.  I am thankful for children, their innocence and their simplicity.
21.  I am thankful for every ability that I am blessed with, abilities that some people may not have.
22.  I am thankful that God constantly reveals new and glorious things about Himself to me.
23.  I am thankful for everything in the past, present and future.
24.  I am thankful for God’s perfect will.
25.  I am thankful for Theology books and other useful resources.
26.  I am thankful for breath and life.
27.  I am thankful for the excitement I feel, knowing that I will one day worship God face to face.
28.  I am thankful that Jesus humbly became human, served and lived a perfect life.
29.  I am thankful for prayer.
30.  I am thankful that God answers prayer.
31.  I am thankful for God’s perfect timing.
32.  I am thankful for teachers who speak biblical truth, without fearing man.
33.  I am thankful that God is loving, yet I fear him.
34.  I am thankful for the warmth of the sun and the coldness of winter.
35.  I am thankful for music.
36.  I am thankful that God is continually changing me and making me new.
37.  I am thankful for struggles and trials that I have faced and ones that I am going to face.
38.  I am thankful for those willing to go out to the nations and speak the gospel, even knowing that they may be facing death.
39.  I am thankful for chocolate and diet coke. 
40.  I am thankful that God has revealed himself to mankind through His creation.
41.  I am thankful for love and marriage.
42.  I am thankful that God never changes.
43.  I am thankful that God is faithful to fulfill his promises.
44.  I am thankful for suffering and God using any pain to make me closer to Him.
45.  I am thankful for the many colors that God has created.
46.  I am thankful for rain and the renewal it brings.
47.  I am thankful for emotions and knowledge.
48.  I am thankful for the many things that God has blessed me with.
49.  I am thankful for repentance.
50.  I am thankful that God is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient and sovereign above all things.

state of repentance

"What is repentance? It is turning from the sins you love to the holy God you're called to love. It is admitting that you're not God. It is beginning to value Jesus more than you value your immediate pleasure. It is giving up those things the Bible calls sin and leaving them to follow Jesus." - Mark Dever

Let me tell you a little story, hopefully this encourages you, as it has me.
A few weeks ago a wonderful believing friend of mine confessed sin to me that she has been struggling with. She was confessing not only have me hold her accountable, but also to repent. I was amazed. I myself have way too much pride and arrogance to confess sin to anyone that I know. I would be far too ashamed or worried of what they might think. How sinful of me to think this way! Brothers and Sisters in Christ are placed in your life to walk in faith beside you, to support you, rebuke you and love you.

This past month has been a complete battle and as new temptations continue to rise, my flesh and spirit are constantly at war. To be honest, for the longest time it felt like my flesh was winning. Recently I have struggled with sin and throughout that period of time I kept thinking to myself, you can change, you just have to set your mind to it. 
How silly I am for thinking that I could change myself!
The only way that any change could arise in me is if I am completely trusting and relying upon God to change my heart. During my many times of sinning, I have become aware of the fact that I am sinning against a Holy God. A God that gives me grace and new mercies everyday. How undeserving I am.

The Bible speaks so frequently about our need for repentance everyday. If you read Psalm 51 David shows a great example of true repentance. He is heartbroken because he has offended a Holy God. David's prayer in Psalm 51 is now a prayer that I am praying daily.

""Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment."

In closing, I just want to thank my friend for being a light in my life. For confessing and encouraging me to confess my sins also. I am blessed to have you in my life and I am enlightened by your love for Christ.