We are learning a lot in our home these past two weeks about walking in the Spirit.  There have been many passages that I "know" but may not have taken to heart.  We enjoy being reminded and re-taught so that we may apply these great things that our Lord wants us to live in.  Our family is currently under reconstruction to learn to live in the Spirit and not in the Self.  We are being urged through radio programs, church services, and bible studies to put away the self.  I was asked the other day to ponder if my response to Darren was filled with the Spirit?  Was my response to the boys filled with the Spirit?  Was they way I handled a friend Filled with the Spirit?  Was the way I handled the person who is different from us filled with the Spirit?  and so on.    The other reconstruction has been one of our thought lives.  I learned this week that confession does not just pertain to the Lord.  Any time we verbally agree with someone, we are in fact confessing.  If I sin, and the Spirit nudges me about it, I can say, yes, Lord, that was wrong, I will not be caught in that again through your help.  Confession is needed to turn around sin.  We need to agree verbally with the Lord that we are against His will in an area of our lives.  But I learned through Beth Moore this week, that confession comes in other ways that are really damaging.  There is a roaring lion that is out to get us. His mouth rages wide open.  He will put thoughts in our head of self doubt, self pity, remorse, regret, and guilt.  When we "talk" with him and agree – we are confessing with the lion.  Wow, you really messed up today – yes, I did.  You are bad at that, yes I am, You are a bad person, Yes, I must be.  How do we close the mouth of the roaring lion?  With thanksgiving.  With the Word.  I am thankful that I learned how to do this another way. I am thankful that I have a second chance. I am thankful that the Lord knew I would fall here, and forgave me already anyway.   When the Israelites were really happy and joyful, they spent time remembering all that the Lord God had done for them.  When they were grumbling and complaining and turning to man for their rescue, they had forgotten all that the Lord God had done.  Let us be families that walk in the Word, walk in the Spirit, and are Continually Thankful, Continually praising God for what He has done.  We have found these past two weeks, that our anger, frustration and hurts have subsided.  We came up with a key song secret to our family to hum or whistle when we see anger or frustration mounting – quickly the frustration turns to a giggle, and turns to praise, and turns to joy in our thanksgiving. 

Has the Lord been teaching you to be thankful this thanksgiving season?