Pastor Sam Crosby
San Saba’s First Baptist Church
November 12, 2019
A man dropped by the office yesterday who has his own set of troubles. To my question about how he was doing he said, “I’m on the road to heaven, which is wonderful! Even though there are some bumps along the way.”
Focus on your blessings and not your burdens. Meditate on what you have and not what is missing. Live each day continually thanking God for His gifts in life rather than complaining about the bumps in life. We all deal with bumps.
Some folks seem to have a hard time understanding the gifts of God. Let me help you with that.
Life is a gift. Solomon wrote, “Know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor–it is the gift of God” (Ecclesiastes 3:12-13). Work is a gift. Food is a gift. The essence of life and the joy that comes through helping others is all a gift from God.
Each day is a gift. The Bible declares, “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalms 118:24). Today may come with a set of bumps, but the day itself is a gift from God. The very ability to climb out of bed and stand to your feet is a gift from God. The Lord did not just create us; He sustains us every moment (Colossians 1:17).
Each breath is a gift. Daniel chastises the king of Babylon because he refuses to honor God. He states, “…and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified” (Daniel 5:23). Take a deep breath. Now thank God for it. Every breath you take is from the hand of God.
Each child is a gift. My children and grandchildren have absolutely blessed my life. I rarely look at a picture of the family without whispering a word of thanks to the Lord. The Bible says, “Children are a gift from the Lord” (Psalms 127:3).
Salvation is a gift. Paul boldly declared, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that, not of yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). To be saved means to be forgiven of your sins and to have fellowship with God. To be saved means you have purpose in life and peace in death. To be saved means you have God as your Father and heaven as your final home! All this is a gift that comes through faith in Jesus Christ. Think about this gift and turn a thankful face toward heaven!
Every good thing you receive or experience is a gift from God. Everything. James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote, “Every good and perfect gift is from above…” (James 1:17). God is good. Ponder His gifts. Live thankfully.