Wrath & Mercy

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all impiety and unrighteousness of people, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what can be known about God is evident among them, for God made it clear to them. For from the creation of the world, his invisible attributes, both his eternal power and deity, are discerned clearly, being understood in the things created, so that they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasoning, and their senseless hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God with the likeness of an image of mortal human beings and birds and quadrupeds and reptiles." Romans 1:18-23

"Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those under the law, in order that every mouth may be closed and the whole world may become accountable to God. For by the works of the law no person will be declared righteous before him, for through the law comes knowledge of sin." Romans 3:19-20

"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! Neither sexually immoral people, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor passive homosexual partners, nor dominant homosexual partners, nor thieves, nor greedy persons, not drunkards, not abusive persons, not swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

"For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience." Ephesians 5:5-6

"Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." Galatians 5:19-21

"For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another." Titus 3:3

"You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led." 1 Corinthians 12:2

"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:1-10

"Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds because of your evil deeds. But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence— if indeed you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope of the gospel you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant." Colossians 1:21-23

"And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Corinthians 6:11

"But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." Titus 3:4-7

"Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
"Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 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." Colossians 3:5-17

"Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him." Colossians 2:6-15

The Essence of the Gospel & the Right Response

Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him ...— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, [was] crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all [Apostles & disciples present at Pentecost] are witnesses (I declare their testimony which I believe). Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.

... therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

I perceive that in every way you are very religious.... The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us ...

Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith,e as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 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. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

... do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Excerpted from Acts 2, Acts 17, Romans 1, 1 Corinthians 6, Ephesians 2, & 2 Peter 1.

Broken Rightly

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:
“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men: extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’
But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” http://biblehub.com/esv/luke/18.htm vs. 9-14

There is a brokenness which leads to life (http://biblehub.com/2_corinthians/7-10.htm) represented by the "tax collector" in Jesus' parable. This brokenness is characterized by: a recognition of your own sinfulness & guilt before God, His rightness in judgment against you, & His graciousness in extending mercy. This brokenness doesn't make excuses for sin or base appeal on merit. This brokenness is commended by Jesus because it glorifies God.

Here I am ...

Well, the Twitter & Facebook accounts are history. The Gab.ai account isn't the forum I am comfortable with. The ICQ, AOL, & IRC channels have dried up. Here is where I'll be putting thoughts for public consumption. Be careful what you order up ... there's no telling how long it's been hanging on.

Paulinistic Christianity

Religious thought has ever striven to constrain human activity. Whether by the establishing ideals or rules, certain behaviors are pressed out of acceptable practice & other behaviors are drawn in. The relative merit or demerit are set by those promoting the particular system which they have embraced. Similarities in relative merit or demerit have caused many to equalize all religious thought regardless of contrary truth claims.

I am going to use a term, PC - Paulinist Christianity - by which I mean that form of Christianity which is defined by the letters of Paul recorded in the New Testament. PC does does not deny any of the rest of canonical Scripture, but it does recognize a distinction between what God said to Israel & what God said to Gentiles - "the rest". When Paul tells the Galatians in chapter 1 that there is only one gospel, it is the gospel he has proclaimed & anyone who brings another gospel (which is not a gospel) is fit for burning (no, he is not saying the Church is to burn such; he is saying such should be so regarded & therefore not tolerated within the Church), he is proclaiming a unity within the Church enumerated in Ephesians 4 - "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift."

According to Paul, there is a singularity in Christianity which is not "unity for the sake of unity" or "peace by compromise" but according to the calling by which we, as Christians, are called. This calling is to "one body", "one Spirit", "one hope", "one Lord", "one faith", "one baptism", "one God & Father" ... it is a calling which is changes our walk because it changes our nature but it does not do away with the old nature but calls us to peace with God & into war with the old.

PC strives to constrain human activity ... among its adherents! To those who are called, Paul says "walk worthy of your calling" because of the cost which was paid to extend God's grace to you ... the blood of the Only, the Innocent, the Anointed & Appointed of God ... our Lord, Jesus the Christ. To the rest, PC proclaims the law that the lawless would know their desperate state; PC declares the commands "believe" & "repent" - not because the rest are capable, but because the called are among "the rest" until they are called.

Indicative/Imperative: Paul gives several commands in his letters from the Lord to the Church, but the commands are never "do this to become that". His commands are always "because you are this, do this". No one has to tell you to eat because, as a human being, when you become hungry you will seek out something to eat. However, someone might tell you not to eat cookies because dinner is about to be served. Are cookies food? Yes. Are you hungry? Yes. So, why not eat cookies? They are not what is best for you ... if you are a Christian, as defined by Paul, there are certain behaviors which are not best ... certain things which will enslave your will & diminish your testimony of Jesus Christ to those who are inside & outside the Church ... certain things which will cause you or your brethern to stumble. Avoid those things. Do things which help you grow in faith, knowledge, understanding ... not to become, but because you are.

One Body =

the Church

One Spirit =

the Holy Spirit sent from the Father by the Son to His Church

One Hope =

Resurrection unto glory to be vessels of His mercy & trophies to His grace & kindness

One Lord =

Jesus the Christ sent by the Father to be a sacrifice for sin & established by Him to be over all things

One Faith =

Belief in the faithfulness of Jesus to the Father & the Father to Him

One Baptism =

"not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ"

One God & Father =

He is God who has made all according to His purpose for the revelation of His glory

There is that which is called Christian today which should be "so-called" & as such should be rejected out of hand & castigated by the Church as being "other than Christian & fit only for burning". Those who claim to be within should be required to demonstrate congruence with Paul ... & if they are not, they should be shut out. Why? So the world will know what a Christian is & what one is not. We have so failed in expressing sound doctrine that our children are just as likely to abandon the teachings of their youth as they are to embrace them ....

I am not surprised when the world professes & embraces false doctrines ... those who are in darkness will stumble. What I am constantly amazed by is when those who profess Christ promote false teachers & false teachings ...

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible... And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

"What Do You Mean By That?"

What do I mean when I profess to be a fundamentalist?
I mean I believe in the fundamentals of Christian doctrine. These include:
"The canons of Scripture is divine in origin, accurate in representation (of knowledge & understanding), authoritative in doctrine & complete in revelation" (this is often stated as "inspired", "infallible", "inerrant" & "closed");
"The Sovereign Lord God Almighty, eternal, unchanging, righteous, holy, just, having mercy on whom He will have mercy & pouring wrath on whom He pours wrath, is revealed generally in creation & specifically in Scripture";
"This God is revealed in Scripture as Father, Son & Holy Spirit: distinct persons of one essence";
"This God is alone to be worshipped (to be accounted worthy of devotion)";
"Devotion to God is reflected in compassion & benevolence toward men";
"God created man to worship Him & in Adam, man sinned & became unable to worship Him naturally;"
"Of his own nature, man will worship anything (or everything) other than his Creator;"
"God took upon Himself man's nature (of flesh, not of sin) & in Christ, completed the salvation (deliverance from the wrath of God & the enslavement of sin) for all who are being saved."
... I could keep going, but this is supposed to be a short post. I would point to the early creeds of the Apostolic church, the confessions of the reforming church (primarily the London Baptist Confession of Faith) & the Abstract of Principles (SBTS 1858) for a fuller description of "Fundamentals".
Because of certain elements in modern assemblies, I must state: I do not believe the King James Version is the only, clearest or most authoritative interpretation of the original languages into English. It is often useful, particularly when studying the Puritan, Pietist, Presbyterian & Anglican writings of 1500-1800 ... but it is only one tool. For the same reason, I do not use a singlular Greek/Hebrew to English dictionary & grammar, but draw on each resource I have access to that I may grasp the clearest understanding of Scripture in light of Scripture. Because man's mind (reason, memory, understanding) is as depraved due to the Fall as his flesh, it is reasonable to look with scepticism on "denominational" translations, unsubstantiated personal interpretation ("This means to me that ...") & language manipulation driven by market forces. Even the best scholarship should be laid side by side for the purpose of clarity - & not for the preference of the reader.

What do I mean when I profess to be "reformed"?
I mean I hold to what is commonly referred to as the 5 Solas in opposition to the doctrines promoted by the Roman See. The Solas are drawn primarily from Ephesians 2:
(from) Scripture Alone - doctrine is known in light of Scripture apart from tradition & the Magisterium.
(by) Grace Alone - doctrine & salvation are the unmerited favors of God to undeserving man according to His purpose & pleasure, not according to the "benevolence" of the Roman See (or any other human authority)
(through) Faith Alone - Faith in the faithfulness of Jesus the Christ, our Lord, is the sole mechanism by which the grace of God abounds in mercy to degenerates apart from any work of the flesh to attain to righteousness.
(in) Christ Alone - It is Jesus our Lord who is the Annointed, the Savior & none other of all creation.
(to the) glory of God Alone - ALL praise, worship, thanksgiving & supplication are His because He alone is worthy.

What do I mean when I profess to be "Calvinistic"?
I mean I hold to a view of salvation which is communicated clearly throughout Scripture & was expounded through the canons of Dordt in the English acronym T.U.L.I.P.
Total depravity of man - there is nothing good in the natural man which obligates God to save him.
Unconditional election - God determined to save particular individuals according to His pleasure & purpose before the foundation of the earth, not according to their merits.
Limited atonement - God fully satisfied all necessary efforts to save those whom He determined to save & for no one else.
Irresistable Grace - God will save those whom He has determined to save.
Perseverence of the Saints -  God cannot fail to save each one of those He has determined to save.
I do not mean I agree with all which John Calvin (or any of the reformers) published, though there is much in their writings which is instructive.

What do I mean when I profess to be a "separatist"?
I mean I hold to the understanding that false teachers are not the cause of "falling away" but the result, therefore assemblies which are perpetually led by or embracing of false teachers & teaching are not Christian & should not be referred to as such by Christians. Christians (defined as those in whom the Holy Spirit dwells) should be encouraged to part ways with false teachers & to seek sound teaching. As a separatist, I do not see it as my role to convert a false teacher, though I may confront him. Rather, it is my role/duty/office to refute the false teacher to brothers & proclaim sound doctrine that they may grow in faith, wisdom, knowledge & understanding; that they may be comforted in times of tribulation; that they might demonstrate love for the brethern. To those who are outside Christ, I have been given only the message of "Repent!" ... though this may again include refuting the false teacher, to address every deceptive word which proceeds from the mouths of the children of the Father of Lies would be to address every word proceeding from them. Even when they speak "Truth", it is with the hellish purpose of deceiving (even Satan quoted Scripture to Jesus in the wilderness ... & though Jesus refuted him, He did not seek to convert him).

What do I mean when I profess to be a non-dispensational premillennialist?
I mean my studies of the works of Darby, Scofield & others has convinced me of several flaws in that particular systematic of theology, but Scripture has convinced me of: God's ability to preserve His righteous & pour out judgment on the wicked; God's declaration of promises to Israel through Abraham which have not yet been complete; and His certainty in "declaring from the beginning the end" because of His sovereignty. The principle flaw of dispensationalism is its failure to embrace covenantal concepts when Scripture declare such (this is also the princple flaw of covenantalism, for it fails to embrace dispensational concepts with the same alacrity to pursue its philosophical constructs).

Thanksgiving Day Thoughts

I have one motivation in life: that the Sovereign LORD God Almighty be glorified. This is a particularly easy motivation in one respect - His glorification is His work. He is glorified because He accomplishes it. Nothing I do (or don't do, for that matter) profits, improves or enhances Him. He is God, therefore He surrounds (robes) Himself in His glory ... & nothing I do diminishes His willingness or ability.

So like clay drawing its form from the tools, fingers & hands of the potter, I am aware He is shaping me into whatever form He pleases for whatever purpose(s) He chooses ... and this is enough. The awareness of His immediacy in the formation of who I am & why I am permits me to REST from all the anxiety of despair because I know what I am.

I know my imaginations ... no, you do NOT want to go there. I know my delusions - narcissistic megalomaniacs have nothing on ...... hmmm, proved that one, didn't I. I know my past actions, both the "rational" (with excuse) & the "irrational" (without excuse). I know the death & corruption which creeps steadily through my frame, reminding me of all the stupidity I thought was "a good idea" at the time.

Yes, I know what I am ... & when the evaluation is complete, the fact is I am but a lump of clay & each day is His exertion to form me into precisely what He requires, when He requires, why He requires. Romans 9:8-32 (especially vs.20-24)

The passage speaks of two types of vessels ... those of wrath & those of mercy. There is an evidence that you are one or the other, for what you cannot be is "both". Just like you would not store foodstuffs in a grungy garbage can (or garbage in a cookpot) ... for that would foul the foodstuffs, God does not pour mercy into vessels of wrath or wrath into vessels of mercy.

You might say "But life has been hard", & while that may be true ... it has not been hellish torment separated from the benevolence of God - which is the ultimate destiny of wrath.

You might say "But life has been blessed", & while that may be true ... it has not been eternally worshipping in the presence of the thrice Holy, which is the ultimate destiny of mercy.

So what is the evidence, if not the circumstances of this life? Galatians 5:16-6:10 would seem to answer that an evidence is the contention of the Spirit (with holy desires) against the flesh (with self-centered desires). 2 Corinthians 1:22 teaches the Spirit is given as a guarantee - so only those with the guarantee *of the promise of mercy* have the Spirit ... & no one who has the Spirit is held guilty & under judgment (Romans 8:1, 12-17).

This would indicate that ALL who do not have the Spirit (& therefore do not have the promise of mercy) are vessels of wrath ... except there was a time I didn't have the Spirit (Ephesians 2:1-3). All those who "end" as vessels of mercy began as "by nature, children of wrath" ... clay!

Then those glorious ... GLORIOUS ... words "But God ...". I am clay by nature & cannot do anything to change that. I began my days as a child of wrath & .... God changed WHAT I am, for His glory & by His grace.

He changed me & He can change you. Perhaps as you read this, something "called" you to desire He change you ... perhaps you think if you pray "sincerely" enough, He'll be obligated to change you. Park that idea now. If He has caused you to desire Him, He has already begun the work of transforming you, but He does it according to His will & not yours ... for His glory & not yours. Instead of trying to obligate God, seek to know Him ... read His revelation of Himself through Jesus His Christ, pray (as a peasant who is addressing his king) ... give Him thanks - start with the fact He created you & has given you breath. Begin resting in the understanding that you cannot fail to be what He has decreed you to be because HE IS GOD. Once you get past "Thank you, God, for making me ME", it is my prayer you would begin to thank Him because He has revealed Himself as God ... & what it means to be God. That He is God gives purpose to pain, strength for enduring, hunger for righteousness, source of holiness ....

It is late ... or rather early ... so here is a start on my Thanksgiving Day thoughts.

........... "you may be blessed because He was accursed"