by Jared Wilson | May 9, 2018 | Life Advice
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Do you ever find yourself struggling to know the words to pray? Don’t feel like you know how to pray? That’s okay! A great way to start is to just thank God for who He is, and what He has done for you. When you can’t find the words, scripture can help you express your gratitude to God. Journal them, memorize them or offer them as prayers to God. His word never returns void!
Here are 20 bible verses on being thankful.
1. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
2. Psalm 107:1
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!
3. Ephesians 5:20
Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
4. Colossians 3:15-17
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
5. James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
6. Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7. 2 Corinthians 9:15
Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!
8. Psalm 106:1
Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!
9. Psalm 105:1
Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!
10. Colossians 3:15
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
11. Colossians 4:2
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
12. Psalm 118:1-18
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Let the house of Aaron say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Let those who fear the Lord say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free.
13. Psalm 20:4
May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans!
14. Psalm 30:12
That my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!
15. Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
16. Romans 1:21
For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
17. Psalm 100:4
Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!
18. Isaiah 12:4-5
And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted. “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.
19. 1 Chronicles 29:13
And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.
20. Philemon 1:4
I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
by Jared Wilson | Feb 5, 2018 | Life Advice, Relationships |
Guest Blogger.
Ever since I was a little kid, the story of Jesus dying on a cross for sins has perplexed me. It’s not that I didn’t believe it was true, I just couldn’t believe someone would give up something as precious as their own life for me. It was a hard pill to swallow. I couldn’t wrap my head around the complexity of that type of gift.
Sunday school had always taught me that Jesus’ sacrifice was the definition of love itself, and that we as believers were called to love people the way Jesus did. And while I don’t think Jesus expects all of us to literally sacrifice our lives in order to showcase our love for one another, I do believe his example is an encouragement and model for us to selflessly serve one another, on a daily basis. Practically, this means putting others before ourselves, thinking of others before ourselves and serving others in their times of need—and in some extreme occasions, actually sacrificing ourselves for others.
But, loving others isn’t always done through extreme acts. In fact, each day that passes will grant us with opportunities to showcase the sacrificial love of Jesus, through seemingly small acts and simple words. But to those on the other side of the equation, even a small act of love can make a world of a difference in their life. Selfless love, that is.
Sacrifice is key. If you’re not sacrificing anything, even something as simple as your time, you have to ask yourself whether or not it’s really an act of love. Because remember, Jesus is our example. Love is one of those things that everyone yearns for, and in a world filled with darkness, despair and hurt, love founded on the sacrifice of Jesus is the remedy our souls need and thirst for on a daily basis. We must be that to others. We must reflect an image of Jesus through our words and actions, and in doing so, we’re giving people a glimpse of heaven and a reflection of the one who put himself on a cross for us.
Loving people isn’t just something Jesus wanted us to do, it’s something he commanded us to do. In fact. As we just read above, Jesus tells us no other commandment is greater than loving Jesus and loving others, and in case you were wondering, that’s how you know loving others is important. If you’re reading this today, I want to encourage you to go out and love people like you never have before. Step out of your comfort zone. Meet new people. Reflect an image of Jesus to people through sacrificial love.
by Jared Wilson | Nov 29, 2017 | Relationships, Sisterhood |
guest blog.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no commandment greater than these. Mark 12:30-31
Don’t miss this: Jesus never said to love only people who are easy to love. He tells us simply to love. Every time I open up the Bible, I cannot help but notice the number of times God commands us to love the people around us. We’re told to love our enemies, our neighbors, our spouses, and the world alike. But while the Bible is pretty crystal clear that we should relentlessly love those we come across daily, it seems we often try to justify why we don’t need to show love the way Jesus intended us to.
I’ve heard everything from “But he might think I’m affirming his actions” to “She’s just not a nice person.” But no justification gives us the right to withhold love from anyone, let alone from those who are broken and in need of it the most. The love of Jesus has no bounds, no limits and no expectations. It just loves. If you call yourself a Christ follower, then you are called to reflect the same image with the same intensity. Love can take us places hate could never reach.
Withholding love is withholding Jesus. It’s possible to show love to those who are different from us without compromising core convictions. You want people to see Jesus when they see you, even when you oppose their thoughts or ideals. You want people to find comfort in your presence, forgiveness in your heart, and love in your soul. You want people to know they can confide in you without being brashly criticized and judged irrationally.
Jesus is pretty clear in what he says in the lines of Mark 12:31—the importance of love, especially when it comes to your neighbor: “The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (NIV). Pastors, teachers, brothers, and sisters, we are called to love all people in the name of Jesus. We are called to show compassion to those who need it. We are called to befriend those who are different from us, all to exude the grace and mercy of our Savior, Jesus. It may be messy, but it’s our calling.
This is an excerpt from Jarrid’s new book, Love is Oxygen
by Jared Wilson | Oct 23, 2017 | Relationships, Testimonies |
Have you ever stopped to think about what it means when someone says they’re pursuing God? “Pursuit” is a powerful word. It’s so much more than simply “following” God. People who are pursuing God aren’t lagging behind, showing up late, or halfheartedly chasing after him. They’re all in. Fervently, passionately, unwaveringly in. The Merriam-Webster dictionary actually says that to “pursue” means “to follow and try to catch or capture (someone or something) for usually a long distance or time.” When we truly pursue God, we’re out tocatch his incomprehensible attributes of love, grace, and mercy.
We’re to put away selfish desires and instead put on the likeness and wonder of God. So how do we do it? What does this wondrous pursuit actually look like? Where do we start? What do we do—or not do? In Ephesians 5:1–4, Paul writes clear instructions for people who are pursuing God: Imitate God in all that you do; follow his example; offer yourself fully to him as he offered his Son, Jesus, fully to us. We’re told to wake up, rise with Christ from death to life, and see his light shine upon us. It’s the beginning of a wondrous pursuit that lasts a lifetime. Pursuing God means doing away with selfish desires and detours that might get in the way. It means fully embracing the beauty of God and allowing his love to change us entirely.
Going “all in” would be another way to put it—jumping headfirst into a life that seeks to not only glorify God, but please him. Putting the desires of God before your own and before others. Making God the center of your life—a center around which you choose to revolve, the point on which you build everything else.
“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2
This is an excerpt from Jarrid’s devotional, Wondrous Pursuit
by Jared Wilson | Sep 22, 2017 | Relationships |
When Jesus began his ministry here on earth, he didn’t take the route you might expect. He didn’t take advantage of his power as the almighty Alpha and Omega. He had nothing but the clothes on his back and words of anthem-like proportion, and he did what everyone was least expecting from the Messiah. He didn’t try to rub shoulders with powerful influencers or rich politicians to gain popularity and status. He didn’t set out to build his Kingdom from the top down or go out of his way to try to sell the fact that he was the Son of God. He didn’t brag about who he was, try to trick individuals into joining him, or use Jedi mind control to gain a following. His approach was gutsy and raw and grassroots. He started from the bottom.
Jesus went to “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40)—the people who were the absolute last on anybody’s list of Most Influential People. Take his followers, for example: the twelve disciples. These guys weren’t philanthropists, social influencers, or scholars; they were blue-collar boys, fishermen and tradesmen. It’s not that the disciples weren’t smart; they just didn’t have the societal ranking that people would expect. And Jesus didn’t stop there. He chose to do life with the hurting and brokenhearted, the oddballs, the black sheep, and the misfits—people who continually needed his attention, help, encouragement, and forgiveness. Prostitutes, drunks, swindlers, thieves, adulterers, tax collectors—these are just a few of society’s castoffs whom Jesus truly and deeply and wholeheartedly loved. God’s Son came to spend time and die for sinners, the messed up, and those who are sick. How incredibly humbling and beautiful.
The perfect Savior wanted to spend time with imperfect people, and he did this knowing he’d be there to witness firsthand their struggles and misfortunes. But he loved them—despite the hardships, despite the messiness. Love may be like oxygen, but that doesn’t mean the air around us is always clean and abundant. It doesn’t mean that love is always going to be easy. If you’ve ever climbed a mountain or stood at high elevation, then you know that gasping feeling—that raspy, winded, stretching-your-lungs-out feeling of trying to get in a good breath. It hurts. It’s not the kind of oxygen we wish we had. It’s not the easy kind of breath we need. But without those much-needed breaths, no matter how hard they are, our lungs would deflate and our hearts would cease. Don’t believe me? Try to hold your breath for ten minutes and see what happens. (I’m just kidding. Don’t do that.)
That’s how it is with love. It’s not always going to be simple to love others. It’s not always going to be convenient or without hardship and deprivation. But it’s still how we breathe. It’s still the very thing that keeps us alive in the spirit of God. Because when we breathe out love to others for the sake of glorifying God, we in turn breathe in the love that God has for us. We’ve been assigned the arduous and humbling task of showing love to all people, and this includes those we consider our worst enemies, those who live differently, those whom we don’t believe deserve love, those whom we think are too far gone. Thieves, cheats, and liars are just a few of the people we are called to show love and grace to. Why? Because these people are no better or worse than you or me. That may be a hard pill to swallow, but it’s the truth. We’re supposed to show love to everyone, no matter who they are or what they’ve done—because Jesus died for all of us. This may sound extreme, but that’s love.
This is an excerpt from Jarrid’s new book, Love is Oxygen: How God Can Give You Life and Change Your World.
