Integrity- People of God

As Followers of Christ, we display many attitudes and attributes such as love, mercy, grace and forgiveness. Of all the attitudes we may exhibit, the attitude of gratitude and gratefulness will have the most profound effect on our lives in regard to our psyche, our health, our family, and our overall happiness, as we live this life on earth. It is hard to be affected by negative influences when we live with a spirit of gratefulness, appreciation and thanksgiving but our thankfulness must be rooted in the person of Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 26:3-4 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength. NKJ

Our attitude of gratitude and thankfulness comes when we focus our attention on the person, Jesus Christ, and all He has done for us. When we were still sinners and at enmity and hatred toward God, living for our own selfish concerns, God’s love and mercy chased us down and captured us, and because ofHis love He saved us. We are now blessed all the more with Hisprovision and protection, because we are now part of Hisfamily, the family of God!

Romans 5: 8-11 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. NKJ

Colossians 1:21-22 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—

A spirit of thanksgiving and gratefulness must be developed, it is not something that comes naturally. We all are born with a selfish nature, as we see in most young children, they cry for what they want and everything “is mine.” It is part of the fallen human condition, but as followers of Christ, God has set us free from that old nature and we have been given a new one which imitate Christ. We are given the Holy Spirit of God and we are filled with His nature, which is transforming us into the image of His Son, Jesus. 

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.   But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

 

We should no longer allow the trials of this world to influence our spirit, our thoughts or our lifestyle. God has given us an everlasting hope which is in Christ, so no matter the situation or circumstances we view them through the lens of the Gospel of Christ and His truth. God will never leave us or forsake us, and in Him we are more than conquerors. The lives of the followers of Christ are mysteries to the world because they cannot understand our joy, our peace or our hope. It is Christ living in us, He is our hope and our glory for we are forever with Him, both now and eternally.  

Colossians 1:26-27 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. NKJ

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

The trials we face will introduce us to our own strengths and weaknesses. So let us be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. It is in the midst of chaos that the light of Jesus shines in dark places.  It is our perspective on the eternal life we have in Christ and our attitude of thanksgiving and gratitude, which will allow us to persevere with peace. 

Romans 8:37-39 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Because we know God has the situation and we are more than conquerors. We will wait and see how the Lord will settle the matter.