STOREHOUSES Of HOPE

Thanksgiving week is upon us — it’s the season to GIVE THANKS and yet this year has been anything but easy or one that I’d like to repeat. This year was certainly a record low for many of us — filled to the brim in the depths with disappointments, loss, changes of plans, heartache, lack of security, and so many pains. Everywhere we look it seems there is good reason to fear, complain, judge, condemn, and be angry — thankfulness hasn’t exactly been flowing off my tongue as a reflex this season. While “thankfulness” certainly hasn’t been my go-to attitude in 2020, I’ve been convicted of this verse over and over: “IN EVERYTHING — GIVE THANKS!” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) Meaning, even in the places of greatest despair and insurmountable loss — there must be reasons to give thanks. I wanted to understand this more! It must not be so much about my circumstances as much as it’s about celebrating and giving thanks for WHO our God is and WHAT He represents to us and does for us during these times of so much pain. I found myself digging more into the nature of our God and wanting to know more about who He is — His attributes, His character, His ways, His aspects. And what I found built up my “spiritual muscles of thankfulness”, if you will. There is always cause for gratitude. Why? Because, our situations often pale in comparison when we list out His characteristics and features. The full scope of who He is is revealed and everything else seems to be overshadowed by His magnitude and inalterable goodness. Our God is omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing), omnipresent (He is everywhere), wise, faithful, good, unchanging, gracious, just, merciful, loving, holy, sovereign, self-sufficient, righteous, and perfect.

So — if gratitude is rooted in knowing what’s yours in Jesus and what you’re promised and assured in the midst of hardship…then — knowing the Truth and receiving it as applicable for yourself and for your circumstances will be founded upon trust — upon our surrender and sheer unmitigated faith in our God to deliver, defend, rectify, resurrect, redeem, restore, purpose and heal. It comes down to this — it’s simply WHO He is.

So, lay claim at the feet of Jesus who CAN and WILL accomplish His good purposes for you! Find HOPE in His proactive ability to overturn this dark scene!

This thanksgiving, I feel the Lord is telling each of us to come join Him at His table. No matter where you are today, I encourage you to simply pull up a seat at His table. I know this year has been toppling over with chaos, uncertainty, disasters and casualties. But, even if you are angry with Him or are confused or are filled with doubt — trust me, God isn’t afraid of your feelings — your emotions don’t scare him. God doesn’t invite you to the table so you “behave” or “act properly” — He invites you because He longs to have a relationship with you. This isn’t about “religion” — our God is a God of relationship — and we all know relationships aren’t based solely on the good times, but strengthened in the hardest of times. He doesn’t long to commune with you only in the benevolent seasons. So, even if it’s filled with yelling and screaming and crying — He welcomes you. So pull up a seat at His table! You’re encouraged to “wrestle” with it all in His presence. He already knows what’s going on inside your heart — might as well tell Him.

We do battle AT HIS table y’all — simply resting in His presence— now more than ever! We developed these Truth bracelets to serve as a reminder of where to run when things get hard, overwhelming, difficult, or seem never-ending! This virus seems to have taken so much from us and who even knows what else is at risk into 2021! But, the Lord knows and all He asks for is our trust! He continuously brings us back to the Truth — the life-giving, uplifting, encouraging, hope-filled, transformational TRUTH — which trumps any statistic or circumstance! His Word is more permanent than anything you may be facing. His character is more solid than anything we can find earth-side. He ushers in comfort, renewal, and peace as we surrender to Him. For His yoke is easy and it’s light — not heavy! He reminds us to take it day by day — AND that He doesn’t change day to day. Reset, rest, and go to His reliable table to do battle — a safe, enduring, consistent place to wrestle with the fear of the unknown, disappointment, and grief! Coming to His Table can look like quiet time with Him, just being still in His presence, devotionals, podcasts, or worship music — just come TO the table. Psalm 23:5 says that “He has set before you a table” — a table brimming, overflowing, dripping with nourishment, intimacy, fulfillment, life, joy, unchanging security, blessings, sustenance, renewal, restoration! A place where you come in weary and leave refreshed! Where you come in disheartened and leave ready to persevere. Find hope, lasting encouragement and non-circumstantial peace at His Table! Every table set before us is "feast" -- an opportunity -- a time for growth -- to grow in love, in faith, in knowledge of Him, in perseverance, in joy!

We may not know what’s being served up for us next, but we do know WHO we serve. I challenge you to get to know Him better. We must truly know Him before awe, reverence, respect and trust can develop. Yes, we remain in the middle of this mystery — but thankfully, we are walking with “The Author” (Hebrews 12:2). Walking with the One who knows, the One who is always and incessantly working on your behalf behind the scenes, the One who remains unconditionally faithful! The One who turns seas into highways (Exodus 14), graves into empty tombs (John 11, Luke 24), Jericho-style-walls into rubble (Joshua 6), chaotic storms into peace that passes all understanding (Mark 4:35-41), and brings us from deserts of desolation into the promised land over-flowing with abundance (Ezekiel 20:6)!

“For the Lord is always good and ready to receive you! He’s so loving that it will amaze you — so kind that it will astound you! And He is famous for His faithfulness toward all. Everyone knows our God can be trusted; for He keeps His promises to every generation!” (Psalm 100:5)

He keeps His promises to every generation! He keeps His promises in the middle of a global pandemic! He keeps His promises in the face of political division! He keeps His promises in times of insurmountable suffering! He keeps His promises when evil seems to be overcoming good!

For He was faithful — even unto death — faithful past the point of betrayal, beyond being forsaken, forgotten, degraded, rejected and abandoned. And yet, He still died for His accusers. He is “famous for His faithfulness”! (Psalm 100:5)

“For His faithfulness is like a shield!” (Psalm 91:4)

“Through faith, we are shielded by God's power!” (1 Peter 1:5)

“And let us hold unwaveringly to the HOPE that we confess! For the One who made the promise is trustworthy!” (Hebrews 10:23)

“FAITH is the assurance of things hoped for — but the conviction of things not seen! For we live by faith, not by sight.” (Hebrews 11:1 & 2 Corinthians 5:7)

When we focus our hearts on to what we’ve been given in Jesus — whatever season we may be in — choosing an outlook of gratitude can usher in the Lord to do great and mighty things in your life! Take time to look up today — to the Giver of all good things and hold tightly to this Promise: “As we continually GIVE THANKS to God we are building a gate -- a place of entrance and access — for the King of Glory to come into our current situation!” (Psalm 24:7)

Our family has been through some very dark days over the years — therefore these next lines come from living, knowing and clinging to His Nature as the only thing I knew to be more true and more permanent than my reality. In this very challenging time, if you are being asked to wait or you are walking through extreme pain — please know this — it is NEVER for nothing and you are NEVER alone through any of it. Y’all — our God IS a God of promises, abundance, of bountiful and overflowing blessings, of fruitfulness, of harvest and storehouses of good gifts to those who come to Him surrendered for help, healing, forgiveness, and redemption!

My soul cries out with THANKSGIVING for every single blessing I have been given — each one utterly undeserved in its entirety.

“I will GIVE THANKS to the Lord with my whole heart — I will never cease to declare and tell of all your wonderful deeds!” (Psalm 9:1)

“For from His ABUNDANCE, we have all received, GRACE upon GRACE!” (John 1:16)

“Oh, TASTE and SEE that the Lord is GOOD!” (Psalm 34:8)

So yes....”In everything, give thanks!” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) — Because our GOD is good — and He is good ALL of the time. And in spite of all we see and all we’ve experienced — God IS at work! Because it’s WHO He is, because it’s WHAT He does, because it’s WHY He came, because His faithfulness toward you is eternally UNENDING — powerfully, continually and magnificently working and able to bring about GOOD — because HE said to TRUST Him — and there’s simply no other way! No one, but YOU Lord!

Come what may, but NO MATTER what — my God remains on the Throne! Here at GT, our prayer and heartbeat is FOR REVIVAL —for you, your family, our city, our state, our nation, our world! These Truth Bracelets are just a small way to continually remind you throughout the day to have hope and to fall into grace!

Feast on Him this season— and let’s shift our focus onto His attributes, provisions, and faithfulness. Come as you are to His rescuing arms, to a beautiful and plentiful place of true and lasting hope, peace and new mercies!