Characteristics Of A True Believer

Every year before I eat the big Thanksgiving meal, I stop and think about what I’m thankful for. My family, friends, and health are important to me.

Let me encourage you this morning to have Thanksgiving anyway. In spite of the trouble, let me encourage you to go ahead and try to celebrate. You say you don’t know what I’m going through. You’re right. However, I do find in my Bible where men and

Even in the midst of suffering, God is aiming for your ultimate good (Jer. 29:11-13; Rom. 8:28; Gen. 50:20).

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 shows us how God is our comfort in the midst of suffering so that we can comfort others.

God has just recently chosen my family to enter into and walk through a season of adversity and suffering. With my wife being diagnosed with uterine cancer, it has given us the platform to greater glorify God through suffering. It will be extremely important to walk this path with complete faith in God’s plan. Rankin wrote, “God is glorified when our faith is tested and proved genuine in the crucible of suffering.” I believe one of the reasons for this season is to demonstrate our faith to our kids and the church.

One example of a time that I truly experienced God’s grace was a time that I ran out of gas. I was on the way home from work and decided to get gas near home instead of closer to work, because the prices were lower. As I was turning into the gas station parking lot my SUV started puttering and staled. Instead of freaking out, I calmly asked God to allow my SUV to start up to get to the first pump. On the first try my SUV started right up just so I could get to the pump. I love just thanking him for the good things in life but also still thanking him and praising him when things are not going my way.

The human experience is what connects people to one another. What we experience defines who we are and who we become. It also defines how we interact with others. The amazing thing is that not only do the events that bring joy, peace and happiness connect us but also those that bring anxiety, fear and despair. This brings to light the fact that God somehow in his sovereignty uses all things for the good of those who love Him. These ideas are brought to light in Jerry Sittser’s book, A Grace Disguised which is his personal journey of loss and the insight and experience that was gained in the face of great tragedy. In his book, Sittser discusses various insights he has gained, such as how Christian’s view sorrow, how families recover when

This text is relevant to everyday life as each person has plenty to be thankful of and to value their faith of life for. Without gratitude and faith, life might as well be as pointless as the things we want to be ungrateful

Most often, students ask me how I cope with such variety of situations especially with dying patients, or telling a family member that there is nothing more to do. I immediately tell them that I fully rely on God for my strength and compassion. I cannot image a day without constant access to God for strength and comfort by simply praying silently throughout the day. Sharing situations that I have witnessed opens the door to plant a simple seed of faith and that there is always hope even in times of pain, suffering and sorrow. “Hope is essential to life.” (Townes 2007) With repeated exposure to tragic events often resulting in death, it is easy to question God’s

God’s love can fix anyone regardless of how enormous your sin. God’s mercy, grace, and forgiveness radiate and encompass everyone. Hope does not put us to shame because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, our hope is in Jesus, and he is beside you and is mighty to save anyone. God’s mercy is relentless since his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning. In our sorrow and suffering, we are also supposed to rejoice in our suffering since suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Therefore, he feels obligated to thank God for all that he is blessed with. Jesus believed that everyone should thank God for the gifts that he has given them. Many Christians support this idea of thanksgiving. Jesus believed that without God’s guidance and assistance he could have never have made such a significant impact on the world. He believes he owes all of the successes, like miracles and teachings, to God.

Thanksgiving is more than just a day off or a break from school, it’s more than just a holiday. It’s more than just stuffing your face with mash potatoes and turkey. It's a time to fellowship and give thanks. This year has brought about multiple challenges, but we have stayed faithful and strong as a family. There is nothing more powerful than our family. God has blessed me with such a solicitous family.

After that Thanksgiving, my character changed, and people began to notice. I was less stressed, and my positivity began to radiate onto others around me. And when they asked me how I did it, this is how I typically responded: when I am on the verge of worrying about my responsibilities, I think about how privileged I am to live the life I have been given. In the midst of the moments when my troubles become overwhelming, I think of all the other problems I could be facing, but I’m not. The fact is, there is always someone who has it worse off than I do. This has driven my personal emphasis on positivity, tranquility, and global charity. That year, I gave thanks for that Thanksgiving Night for helping me become who I am

When I was younger, I always imagined spending my Thanksgivings with my family, watching the parade, and gorging on enough food that would make me regret it later. My parents told me I had to complete a number of community service hours for my church in order to graduate and become a freshman in the ministry program I’m in. Even though I knew it was something I had to do, I did not want to pick up trash or make food for others, which sounds so selfish.

Gratitude keeps you in a spiritual state where you are thanking something or someone for being there for you, blessing you, and helping you.