"Taking It For Granted"

Greetings and salutations in Jesus' name! Hope you're all well and as happy as me. :) If you're not as happy as me I challenge you to either become a Christian or if you are one already then fall in love with Jesus all over again. You WILL be as happy as me then. I promise.  *smile*

Life is one grand adventure (as a Christian). :)  

So if you read the post before this one ("Skateboards and a Tract Wallet" ) I witnessed to 3 girls at our local skate-park and one of them was a girl named "Andrei". She had told me that she works at our local organic health food store called "Earth Fare" and since my parents and I were heading there today I prayed, "Lord, you have been answering a lot of prayers lately and if you want me to give Andrei a tract please help me to see her." She had said she only works in the mornings and since this was the afternoon I was pretty doubtful of seeing her. Well, we ended up getting into her cashier line! Praise God. She lit up with a big smile (as did I) and we enjoyed some small talk and a little catching up. We talked about skateboarding, the Fall weather (both of us favoring this season), and she asked if we had any plans for Halloween to the which I replied with, "Yeah! We don't dress up, we go door to door, and we hand gospel tracts out." She smiled. And (as I prayed) I was able to give her another Gospel tract. I was very happy. :) It was also great to help encourage her for the day because it was a busy day and people were acting rude towards her. That's what Christians are for. :)

Anyways, on to the post at hand...

It's crazy.

Well actually, let me rephrase that.

It's totally normal.

Everyone does it. Most never even consider that they're doing it.                    But they are.
When it comes down to it pretty much everyone takes the blessings, miracles, signs, and wonders in their lives all around them and take it for granted.
Actually, just taking it for granted wouldn't be that bad if it wasn't coupled with a heart of discontentment and even worse- a spirit of entitlement. Being unthankful and even blind towards the blessings in your life is one thing, but to actually feel like you deserve all that God's given you, that you have to covet more and more things, and that you don't need to have a heart of thanksgiving is a sore evil under the sun. Now add to that a person who's living a life of sin (or a double life of sin) and they think they're fine because "God's blessing them" and you have one crazy diluted ungrateful person.

MOST are like that today.

Now I do know that "tis the season to be thankful" and what not. Everywhere you go you see the little pillows, signs, flower pots, and wreaths with "Be Thankful" or "Count your Blessings" plastered on it. (Because of Thanksgiving coming up obviously.)
 But that is NOT what sparked this post (just so you know). God has been convicting me of this very subject all last week and I've been meditating on it and wanted to blog about it. Many thoughts, confirmations and signs later, here I am...

Growing up was there ever a time when you REALLY wanted a pet? Like a dog, or cat, or hamster, or snake, or rock? (Maybe not the rock... hee hee.)
After begging your parents day and night with tears and relentless confirmations that you WILL clean up after it, you WILL love it dearly, you WILL never get bored of it, and you WILL feed it and care for it, they probably agreed. After all your dreaming about taking it out on the tire swing with you, or taking it on walks where everyone adores your sweet little pet, or letting it curl up in bed with you, your dreams finally become a hard reality.
Well, what happens after you get it? First everyone's fighting over who's going to feed it because it's such a privilege and then 2 weeks later everyone's fighting over feeding it because it's such a chore.

It gets taken for granted. And that's what happens.
I'm serious!

Things are so "Taken for granted" they won't even be used or taken advantage of. Let me give a few examples (and as you read see if you are taking any of these things for granted):

Here in Babylon America we have "Freedom of Speech" and "Religious freedom".
Because of this you'd think we'd have Christians who are bold, fiery, passionate, and using that freedom to step out and stand up. But instead, most take the freedom for granted. There may be a "Church" on every corner and most Americans calling themselves "Christians" but they're dead, lifeless, lukewarm , and unthankful. The REAL Church (like the New Testament Church) is persecuted, underground, meeting from house to house, and serious.
If that freedom gets taken away a few may realize what a privilege it was, but then it would be too late.

Then there's Bibles.
We have access to Bibles everywhere (I mean you can buy a beautiful King James Bible at your local Dollar store!).
Old/new Bibles, coloring Bibles, Large print Bibles, pocket Bibles, journaling Bibles, Real Tree Bibles, water proof Bibles, audio Bibles, Bible apps, et cetra. et cetra,
What a revival we're having right now! Everyone knows their Bibles well, have actually read from Genesis to Revelation, and are eating and sleeping and drinking the Bible, right?  I think not.  Quite the opposite.
Bible illiterate, Bible ignorant, and Bible stupid people are what we have today.
It's taken for granted.
While the Babylonians are blowing the dust off their collection of Bibles so they can finally read (because they're going through some test or trial at the moment) there are people in other countries like China kissing the Bible because they're finally able to actually hold one, treasuring the Bible like precious gold, having to hide their one worn out Bible so it won't be taken from them, praying for a Bible, or handwriting out the ENTIRE Bible so they can have their own hard copy of the Holy Scriptures.
There are even Atheists who have read the Bible through more times then the average Christian! What a sick shame.

When I'm witnessing and encounter a Christian I like to ask them, "When's the last time you read the Bible?" or "How often do you read the Bible?"The answers are usually very sad. Ranging from, "Uhhh.... Ummmm.... I think last week at Bible study......???"  (Scratching their head they really are trying hard to remember.) To, "Ummm... I do have a Bible app that gives me a verse a day so I try to read that." Or, "My Pastor read some Bible on Sunday. Does that count?" Their eyes really have a genuine desire for me to positively affirm that "it counts". I'm genuinely sad. And no, it doesn't count. I usually ask if they miss meals (everyone says "No" ) and then remind them of the verse in Job 23:12 that talks about esteeming God's words MORE than necessary food. I pray it convicts.

We are talking about the precious words of God people! It's more to be desired then gold (Psalm 19:10)! It contains the Voice of God, the answer to every problem, the will of God, the heart of God, the wisdom of God, pure doctrine, pure light, EVERYTHING YOU NEED! AND YOU ARE HOLDING IT
                                                                 IN
                                                                   YOUR
                                                                           HANDS!
YOU CAN READ IT!!!

It's a famine.   It's a famine. (Amos 8:11)
And it's taken for granted.

We have the opportunity to be taught the words of God through many sources. Personally I have an AWESOME Pastor (who also happens to be my Dad) who I can listen to as he expounds on Doctrine, and preaches and teaches to my edification. There are several Brothers in my Church that preach most Sundays and I learn things from them as well. You may not have an awesome Church like me (Sorry!) but you should be taking advantage of hearing the words of God being taught and joining up with a local church where you can.
The mindset of taking the local Church for granted leads to a bunch of half asleep, yawning, lazy, dead beats who can barely get through a 20 minute "sermonette" and 30 minutes of prayer requests and singing. A total shame.
There are those in the underground church around the world who will get up at 3 in the morning and WALK MILES to meet. Then they're passionate, excited, fiery, ALIVE, in love with Jesus, and very zealous (how a Church SHOULD be). They risk ALL to be able to meet with the local Church. And you complain when it's 2 minutes over 12 because your late for the Chinese buffet!
It's taken for granted.

Do you take the privilege of PRAYER for granted?
( "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16 and "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16 )

What about your Saviour? The Lord Jesus Christ? His Love? His Sacrifice?
("Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Heb. 13:5 )

What about being a GENTILE that is GRAFTED in? Praise God for that!

Do you take your life, breath, or just the fact that you are alive in another day for granted?  
("I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." Ps. 139:14   and "How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!  If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee." Ps. 139:17-18 and "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." James 4:14)

Do you take witnessing for granted? The fact that you can share the BEST news ever with a lost and dying world?
(And when I'm witnessing I find that it helps me to be thankful and feels me with gratitude when I see this sad world with all it's sin, blindness, and messed up families.)

It's not just spiritual things that most take for granted. A heart of un-thankfulness takes EVERYTHING for granted.
Think about all the things you have (you are VERY rich compared to most of the world). You should go do some good old fashioned "Giving of thanks" and go count some blessings.

Food; raiment (I'm sure you have more clothes then you can ever wear or even know what do with); modern day conveniences such as, running water, electricity, dishwashers, washer machines/dryers, fridges, A/C, heat; your vehicle; your cell phone; etc. etc.

My prayer every day is that I don't take all the MILLIONS of blessings that I have in my life for granted.

I have God. My Saviour and Wellbeloved.  He loves me! What a thought.

I have God's Holy words that are more precious than gold.
I have Jesus' mighty signs and wonders that He shows up with ERVY day in my life.
I have an amazing Holy Ghost filled Father and sweet Virtuous Mother who council me, teach me, encourage me, and keep me straight.
I have awesome friends in my sisters and brothers (and a very special love for my little baby sister who's the cutest thing on this planet right now! *smile*).
I have a sweet friend in my Sister-in-law and beautiful little niece.
I have an awesome unified Church that are my friends, fellow labourers and soldiers, and brothers and sisters. (A church that is 100% unified is VERY rare! May I never take that for granted.)
I have the testimony of being raised right, kept pure, protected, and dearly loved.
I GET to pray to God. I GET to worship and praise God (whether singing or through instruments). I GET to witness to a lost and dying world. I GET to be raptured or go to heaven when I die.
I have shoes; clothes; food; a roof over my head; hands that can work; talents I can use to glorify God or bless others; the ability to walk, talk, think, judge.
I'm not deaf, blind, or dying of cancer.
I'm surrounded by those who love God (and that's my kind of people!), those who seek God, and those who want to be different from this world.
I have this blog to vent all my inspired writings (the crazy posts and the serious ones!).
I'm happy, so alive in God, so blessed, so bursting with crazy love filled JOY! :) :) :) :)

My best friend is Jesus.

What more could a young lady find to be thankful for? I'm so blessed it's beyond description. I'm so blessed I want to cry tears of pure joy.

I'm even grateful for all the persecution, trials, tests, valleys, heartache, and pure hatred that we've had to endure because that makes us better Christians altogether. "But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." Job 23:10
"REAL GOLD FEARS NO FIRE."

What are you taking for granted? Wherever you are and whoever you are there are a plenty of things for you to be thankful for.
Go count some blessings. Ask God to fill you with a heart of thanksgiving.
 Psalm 107:1 , "O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever."

Devour that beautiful King James Bible. Embrace and cling to the cross. Pray without ceasing. Praise God with all your heart for all the goodness He's lavished upon your unworthy self. Smile. Appreciate the little things in life.
Thank, thank, and thank God.

"If we spent more time thanking God for what He's done He'd do more."-Elisabeth Prentiss

There's no need to complain. God's been convicting me of this lately. The petty things I complain about will NEVER matter in eternity. 

Don't take eternity for granted.

Taking things for granted leads to all kinds of sins such as: discontentment, selfishness, lack of thankfulness, greediness, covetousness, lust, and a spirit of entitlement. It'll also eventually lead to you thinking you're "all good" and "you have arrived" spiritually (when you have not).
Here's a poem I wrote to illustrate the difference:



   "I WILL STRIVE"                                                       Vs.                                   "I HAVE ARRIVED"
I pray for my Pastor,                                                                                             My Pastor's a good one
For my Church to grow and thrive                                                                    My Church seems to thrive
I have contagious fire                                                                                            I'm around fire for God
For God I will strive                                                                                            Therefore I have arrived

I am the "amen corner"                                                                                       I say "amen" (sometimes)
I love to fervently pray                                                                                      I think, I mean they think I pray
If you don't see me worship                                                                                 I lift my hands in worship
On my death bed I must lay                                                                                  (Although mostly halfway)

I'm humble and godly                                                                                            I'm stuck on myself
So others I see                                                                                                       So others I see
With a zeal for my God                                                                                      With a  zeal for my God
Will encourage me                                                                                                 Will not impress me

My judgment is righteous                                                                                  I'm quick to judge you
I'll pray for you and help                                                                                    For things I see wrong
My own personal walk                                                                                        But my own personal walk
Shakes the kingdom of hell                                                                                 Sings a hypocrites song

On Sunday I'm excited                                                                                      I show up on Sunday
Giving God my very best                                                                                    Sing here and there too
If I were to stay quiet                                                                                           Say a verse (when I'm prodded)
The words would burn out my chest!                                                                 Try to -quietly- get through

I still have the fire                                                                                               I used to have a fire
I will never "arrive"                                                                                          For perfection I could strive
I want to get stronger                                                                                     But I'm good, got it working
For perfection I will strive                                                                              I'm sure I have arrived


                                    ^^^^   WHICH ONE ARE YOU?    ^^^^



Well, I got to get off of here. Have a wonderful night in Jesus! And NEVER take anything that God had graciously given you for granted! BE BLESSED.

Thankful and sooo happy, Hope Jerusalem <3 span="">