Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. (Hebrews 10:24)

Today in the United States of America we somberly and appreciatively remember the lives lost in service of our country. The natural instinct as a beneficiary of Christ’s sacrifice is to take the opportunity to reflect on Calvary. However, Jesus told us to take communion in remembrance of Him. So, today the Holy Spirit is leading me to more comprehensively remember, reconsider Who God is and render ourselves to Him.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Today’s scripture, Romans 11:36 – 12:1 (NLT)…For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.
[1] And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

Consider…
When looking for today’s theme scripture I was led to Romans 12:1, but I was curious what the conjunction and was bridging, so I went back to 11:36.

You see the first part of remembering is knowing and acknowledging what has happened. Notice Paul says EVERYTHING comes from God and EXISTS by His power AND is intended for HIS GLORY.

That means contrary to the FUBU (For Us By Us) clothing brand belief that reflects the attitudes and actions of humans throughout eternity, God wants us to remember that EVERYTHING & EVERYONE EXISTS BY HIM FOR HIM!

More specifically Colossians 1:15-17 (NLT) declares…Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, [16] for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. [17] He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.

The first thing we need to remember is what lyricist Noel Jones proclaimed…

It’s not about us
But it’s about Jesus

That said, in addition to remember Who it’s about, we should also regularly remember what He’s done. Psalms 143:5 (NLT) proclamation says…I remember the days of old. I ponder all your great works and think about what you have done.

It’s important that we never take for granted or forget what God has done for us.

I like the way Psalmist’s James Cleveland sang it..

When we get a little money
And get up on our feet
Why do we change?

Whatever God gave you
Is no more than you need
Why can’t you remain the same?

Today can be as bright as the noon day sun
Tomorrow you can wake up and everything you have is gone

Don’t forget to remember where all your blessings come from

Lastly, we must remember that our successes are empowered by Him for Him!

Deuteronomy 8:18 (NLT) commands…Remember the LORD your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.

Contrary to popular belief, we don’t get where we are on our own. That’s easy to forget because of our hard work and sacrifices made to succeed. But here’s a truth about success, it’s where opportunity meets preparation. God is is the one that empowers us to prepare and provides the opportunity intersection.

Proverbs 16:9 (NLT) is a good verse to keep in mind. It emphasizes…We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.

Our health and wealth is determined by God, not ourselves.

Since we remember that EVERYTHING IS BY HIM FOR HIM, we should reconsider our lives.

I like the example of Psalms 8:3-4 (NKJV), which says…When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, [4] What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?

Remembering Who our Creator is and what He’s done should make us pause and reconsider who we are by Him, to Him and for Him.

Psalms 100:3 (NLT) says it best…Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Contrary to our narcissistic beliefs, God’s not here for us, we’re here for Him! We should reconsider asking Him to always do for us and instead seek what He wants us to do for Him! By the way we don’t have to wonder, He explains in Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)…For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

We’re made anew to do what God wants us to!

That said, we must always reconsider our relationship with God. He isn’t a distant detached diety, rather I like the way Travis Greene reminds us lyrically…

Who am I
That I remain on your mind
I don’t know but I’m grateful God
What have I done
To deserve Your only Son?
I don’t know but You’re faithful

I thank You for not
Leaving me where
You found me God

I am loved by You
I am loved by You
Just as I am
Feels good to be loved by You

You see God doesn’t ask us to be what we haven’t received. We’re…

• Loved to love
• Forgiven to forgive
• Shown mercy to show mercy
• Extended Grace to extend grace
• Blessed to be a blessing

The reconsideration that should be inspired by what we remember is that God wants to shine through you, not just in you.

Jesus explained in Matthew 5:15-16 (NLT)…No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. [16] In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

We’re God’s show and tell to watching world.

Lastly, in concert with remembering and reconsidering, we should be focused on rendering. It’s not enough to just think about the LORD, we must respond by rendering.

Psalms 116:12-14 (NLT) asks and answers…What can I offer the LORD for all he has done for me? [13] I will lift up the cup of salvation and praise the LORD’s name for saving me. [14] I will keep my promises to the LORD in the presence of all his people.

Many of us are good at rendering praise to God, but are we rendering living saved? And are we rendering faithfulness to God?

Also, about the praise we render, is it like Psalms 103:2 (NLT)…Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me.

James Huey describes the praise we should render as we reconsider what we remember…

When I think about the Lord
How He saved me, how He raised me
How He filled me with the Holy Ghost
How He healed me to the uttermost

When I think about the Lord
How He picked me up and turned me around
How He placed my feet on solid ground

It makes me wanna shout
Hallelujah!
Thank You, Jesus
Lord, You’re worthy
Of all the glory
And all the honor
And all the praise

Yet, as much as I enjoy singing that song, I am convinced God wants to hear me sing in unison with Vanessa Bell Armstrong…

What shall I render unto God for all His blessings?
What shall I render, what shall I give?

All I can render is my body and my soul.
That’s all I can render, that’s all I can give.

So today let’s….

• remember everything exists by Him and for Him
• reconsider we exist through Him and for Him
• render ourselves to Him and for Him

Remember, Reconsider and Render EVERYTHING from and to HIM!

Today’s song is…
What I Think

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)