Thank You For Not Giving Up On Me

Copied from Grace and Mercy of God webpage/ Facebook ........I thought I would share this.  It is truly wonderful & humbling

Dear Heavenly Father,

I want to thank You for what you have already done.
I am not going to wait until I see results or receive rewards, I am
thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until I feel better or things look better, I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until people say they are sorry or until they
stop talking about me, I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until the pain in my body disappears, I am
thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until my financial situation improves, I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait until the children are asleep and the house is quiet, I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait until I get promoted at work or until I get the job, I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait until I understand every experience in my life that has caused me pain or grief, I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait until the journey gets easier or the challenges are removed, I am thanking you right now.
I am thanking you because I am alive.
I am thanking you because I made it through the day’s difficulties.
I am thanking you because I have walked around the obstacles.
I am thanking you because I have the ability and the opportunity to do more and do better.
I’m thanking you because dear FATHER, YOU haven’t given up on me.
~~Amen

God Is Not Unjust (Hebrews 6:10-12) ESV

10  For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.
11  And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end,
12  so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Jesus Taught on Judging Others (Luke 6:37-42) ESV

37  “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; 
38  give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
39  He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 
40  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. 
41  Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 
42  How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye.

What Jesus Says About Loving Your Enemies (Luke 6:27-36) NRSV

27  “But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 
28  bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 
29  If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. 
30  Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again.
31  Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32  “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
33  If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
34  If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 
35  But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. 
36  Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Being Subject to Authorities (Romans 13:1-7) NRSV

1  Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. 
2  Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 
3  For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you wish to have no fear of the authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive its approval;
4  for it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for the authority does not bear the sword in vain! It is the servant of God to execute wrath on the wrongdoer. 
5  Therefore one must be subject, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience. 
6  For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, busy with this very thing. 
7  Pay to all what is due them—taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

Remember Not To Be Overcome by Evil (Romans 12:9-21 & I Thessalonians 5:15-18) Amplified Bible

9    [Let your] love be sincere (a real thing); hate what is evil [loathe all ungodliness, turn in horror from wickedness], but hold fast to that which is good.

10  Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family], giving precedence and showing honor to one another.

11  Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor; be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord.

12  Rejoice and exult in hope; be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation; be constant in prayer.

13  Contribute to the needs of God’s people [sharing in the necessities of the saints]; pursue the practice of hospitality.

14  Bless those who persecute you [who are cruel in their attitude toward you]; bless and do not curse them.

15  Rejoice with those who rejoice [sharing others’ joy], and weep with those who weep [sharing others’ grief].

16  Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty (snobbish, high-minded, exclusive), but readily adjust yourself to [people, things] and give yourselves to humble tasks. Never overestimate yourself or be wise in your own conceits.

17  Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is honest and proper and noble [aiming to be above reproach] in the sight of everyone.

18  If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

19  Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for [God’s] wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay (requite), says the Lord.

20  But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.

21  Do not let yourself be overcome by evil, but overcome (master) evil with good.

^{1 Thessalonians 5:15-18}

15  See that none of you repays another with evil for evil, but always aim to show kindness and seek to do good to one another and to everybody.

16  Be happy [in your faith] and rejoice and be glad-hearted continually (always);

17  Be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly];

18  Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will].

Love (I Corinthians 13:1-13) NLT

1    I may be able to speak the languages of human beings and even of angels, but if I have no love, my speech is no more than a noisy gong or a clanging bell. 

2    I may have the gift of inspired preaching; I may have all knowledge and understand all secrets; I may have all the faith needed to move mountains—but if I have no love, I am nothing. 

3    I may give away everything I have, and even give up my body to be burned—but if I have no love, this does me no good.

4    Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; 

5    love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; 

6    love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. 

7    Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail.

8    Love is eternal. There are inspired messages, but they are temporary; there are gifts of speaking in strange tongues, but they will cease; there is knowledge, but it will pass.

9    For our gifts of knowledge and of inspired messages are only partial; 

10  but when what is perfect comes, then what is partial will disappear.

11  When I was a child, my speech, feelings, and thinking were all those of a child; now that I am an adult, I have no more use for childish ways. 

12  What we see now is like a dim image in a mirror; then we shall see face-to-face. What I know now is only partial; then it will be complete—as complete as God's knowledge of me.

13  Meanwhile these three remain: faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love.

Prayer for Mind Cleansing and Clarity

Heavenly Father, I come to You now in the Name of my Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. Lord Jesus Christ I ask You according to John 14: 13 - 14, to wash over my mind with the Blood of Jesus and cleanse out all darkness and all thoughts that are contrary to Your will and destiny for my life. I ask You Lord Jesus to shut any doors that need to be shut whether spiritual or natural, and to open any doors that need to be opened whether spiritual or natural in my life. 

Heavenly Father, I ask you to give me and each person I have prayed for today clarity of vision, clarity of sight, clarity of thought, clarity of mind, clarity of knowing, and hearing Your Voice according to John 16:23.  

Amen!

Believers And The Cross

They Are Crucified With Christ                  Galatians 2:20
so that it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. This life that I live now, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me.

Their Sinful Nature Is Put To Death            Romans 6:6;  Galatians 5:24 and I Peter 2:24
Romans 6:6  And we know that our old being has been put to death with Christ on his cross, in order that the power of the sinful self might be destroyed, so that we should no longer be the slaves of sin.
Galatians 5:24  And those who belong to Christ Jesus have put to death their human nature with all its passions and desires.
I Peter 2:24  Christ himself carried our sins in his body to the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness. It is by his wounds that you have been healed.

They Are Crucified To The World              Galatians 6:14
As for me, however, I will boast only about the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ; for by means of his cross the world is dead to me, and I am dead to the world.

They Must Carry Their Cross                      Matthew 10:38
Those who do not take up their cross and follow in my steps are not fit to be my disciples.