Be Thankful

In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18

When someone does something nice for you, it is the will of God for you to be thankful for what he or she has done.   Far too often, I have done numerous selfless acts for people to help them to progress.  Unfortunately, many of the people who I have helped throughout the years have not been truly thankful and have not expressed their true gratitude to me.  While I am not looking for those individuals to throw me a party or banquet to celebrate the things I’ve done for them, I would very much appreciate it if those people would act like I have done something for them and not like I’m some bad guy when I’m not able to do something for them and/or don’t do things exactly like and when they want them done.

As we strive to get better each day, we have to realize that some of the people we are carrying along the way with us need to be left behind.  Everyone is not going to appreciate the things you do.  Therefore, one has to become wiser and stop doing things for people who don’t appreciate the selfless things done for them.  Don’t waste your time on people who don’t value you.  When a person is not appreciative of the things you do for them, it’s time for you to let those people depart from you.

I have had to learn that many people are just friends with you and hang around you only to reap what they can get from you.  They’re just leeches!  We all know that leeches suck the life out of us.  Beware of leeches!

For those of you who have not demonstrated your appreciation for the people in your lives who have done so many great things for you, it’s time for you to let them know they are appreciated.  

If you claim to have good or great character, then you will be a grateful person: You will let people know you thank them for all they do.

For you to continue to enjoy the progress that others have helped you to experience, you’re going to need those folks who have been helpful to you along the way to keep advancing forward.   

Never allow temporary moments of anger and selfishness to cause folks to walk out of your lives, especially when those folks have been a tremendous asset to you.  Recognize that you’re nothing without the people in your lives who have aided you in getting to where you are today.  For many of you, people went way beyond simply aiding you in getting to where you are today—they actually did the things for you that got you to where you are.  Therefore, never forget how important those people will be to you continuing to enjoy where you are and where you’re going.

Yes, God wants us to be helpers one to another.   However, there comes a point when you have to learn to redirect your help from those who fail to see the value of your help—move on to those who will be thankful for your help and will see the value of your help.  Don’t overwork yourself to the point that you get frustrated with being a selfless person—simply change the people who are the benefactors of your acts of selflessness.  You will have such a better life when you dismiss selfish and ungrateful people from your life.

Deuces,

Tony

Focus on Being Thankful on Thanksgiving

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Sometimes people can allow their education to cause them to miss the true value and opportunities offered by a holiday.  Many college students and professors love to focus their attention on the brutal treatment of the Native Americans that Thanksgiving brings to the forefront for them, and we should never forget about the inhumane treatment of the Native Americans by White people who came and stole their land.  However, we cannot go back in time and change what happened.  What we can do is concentrate on being thankful on Thanksgiving.  When holidays like Thanksgiving come around and you don’t like their origin for some reason, you have an opportunity to construct the holiday to fit your personal preferences.  Make holidays your own.

On Thanksgiving, we can all celebrate the many things that we are thankful for.  For those academicians who cannot move past the epistemology of Thanksgiving to see the opportunities and value of the holiday in the postmodern epoch, then this means you’ve been imprisoned by history and need to escape your own self-captivity.  

We don’t all have to celebrate Thanksgiving in the same way, but we all can be thankful that we are alive on this day and can be thankful for our many blessings.

To my fellow Christians, let’s show people the Christ in us by doing something for someone who is less fortunate than us by making Thanksgiving a day that they can enjoy.  If you see someone homeless, please get him or her something to eat.  No one should go hungry on Thanksgiving.

Instead of complaining all of the time about what you don’t have, start thanking God for all of the things you do have.  Let God know you’re grateful for the things He has done in your life.  Don’t be so selfish that you continue to overlook the things that people have done for you because you cannot seem to stop complaining about what you don’t have.  For those who have done special things for you this year and in the past, take a moment on this holiday and let them know how much you appreciate them for what they’ve done for you.   

Showing gratitude is vital.

Although we are faced with a challenging economy, God is not going to let those who love Him suffer through this economy alone.  He is going to give you exactly what you need to prosper in these difficult economic times because He is greater than our economy.  We only need to look to Him to be able to prosper in our current economic times.

It is my hope that everyone will have a great Thanksgiving.  Try not to eat too much and share with Everyday Street Bible some of the things you ate on your Thanksgiving menu, and share with Everyday Street Bible the significant moments you will always cherish that this holiday has brought for you.  For those of you who are missing a love one on this day who has always made this holiday special, I pray that God will give you the comfort, peace, strength, and love you need to have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Deuces,

Tony        

 

You Cannot Fool God Dummy

Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?  ~Isaiah 29:15 

God is able to see everything you do.  You may be able to fool many human beings but you’re never able to fool God.  Everything you do behind closed doors is not out of the view of God.  Why not just be real with yourself and God and truly live for Him the way you profess to live for Him?  You can compose messages on Facebook and Twitter each day about your love for God and still not fool God about your love for Him.  In all that you do God must get the glory.  If you really love God you will be willing to surrender the things in your life that are not like Him.  If you really love God you will be willing to do only the things pleasing to Him.

How deep is your love for God really?

Who are you really?

It’s time for you to remove the metaphorical sheets, curtains, blinds, and shades you employ to mask the things in your life that are not like God and replace them with a true commitment to righteousness.  You can witness to people and invite them to your church every Sunday, but was what you were doing Friday night, Saturday night, and Sunday night in your bed, on the Internet, at the bar, at the club, in your car, on the phone, and etc. pleasing to Him?

What if the metaphorical sheets, curtains, blinds, and shades you use to hide the things that are not like God were removed from your life?  What would people learn about you that would change how you’re perceived?

If walls could talk, what would they reveal about you?  If your text messages were able to be viewed by the public, what would they communicate about you?  If your email accounts were able to be read by the public, what would they communicate about you?  If your closed doors were open at times when you’re covering up what you want to hide, what would people learn about you that would alter their views of your public image?

Get real with yourself so that you can get real with God.  It’s time to repent now, for God is soon to return and people must be ready for His evaluation of their lives.

Far too often people become too angry about the true criticism they receive from others, but people need to learn to appreciate true criticism.  True criticism can lead you closer to being the person you need to be to please God.  Words that may seem harsh from people you perceive to be “hating on you,” “envious of you,” and/or “jealous of you” can be the very words you need to seriously wrestle with to change your life for the better.

At the end of the day, we need to a help to one another.  Being a help to one another does not mean supporting one’s ways, words, and actions that are not pleasing to God.  We have a clear understanding of what’s pleasing to God by reading the bible daily.  You can ameliorate your understanding of righteousness by reading the bible daily.  Study the Word of God to enjoy the fullness of His power and spirit.

God wants to be first in your life.  Will you let Him?

Deuces,

Tony