Yesterday we took a look at the gift that God gives to those that have everything!  God gave the Wise Men a start to follow.  The start ultimately gave them the opportunity to give back to God.  God has given you a star and you don’t have to or need to apologize because God has given you a star!  You just need to figure our your star, so you can get busy chasing after it for God’s glory!

Genesis 1:26-27  says:  26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”   27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.  You were created in the image of God and God has given you authority here on this earth.  You were created on purpose and for a purpose and when you discover and live according to that purpose, you give God glory and open your life to His blessing.

Don’t downplay the goodness of God!  You don’t have to be ashamed that God has called and gifted you.  You don’t have to make excuses about what He is doing or how He is using you.  Others may not understand, but don’t get mad at someone else, because they don’t understand what God is up to in your life.  And don’t get mad at someone else, because God is working in their life and does not appear to be working in yours!  Make sure that you open your heart and life to God.   Our goal should be His glory and the best way to work for His glory is by chasing after the purpose that He created and gifted us for!

Don’t stop bragging on God’s goodness!  Stop and think about it and you will realize that God has been very good to you.  Anything good that has been accomplished in your life is Him, not you!  Remember:  God is the source and supply and you are the conduit!  He does not have to use you, but He has chosen to and that is awesome!

You have something in your life to use for God’s glory!  Discover what it is and use it!  You will be glad you did!

I was thinking about the Wise Men that we read about in Scripture and got to thinking about that question!  “What do you give to someone who already has everything?”  Who better to answer that question than the Creator of the Universe?  The Wise Men, Magi or Three Kings as we’ve come to know them would qualify in the category of being men who had everything.  They would certainly be hard to buy for!

God gave them a gift and it is interesting to see what that gift happens to be!  In fact the gift that God gives to them is a gift that keeps on giving.  God gave the wise men a star!  A star they could follow to find another gift – His Son, the Savior of the world.

The star gave the Wise Men an opportunity to give back!  They gave back by following the star, by telling others about the star and when the star came to a resting place to reveal the location of the Savior, the Wise Men bowed down, worshipped and presented gifts.

The Wise Men gave back and were blessed some more!  This is the way God and His blessings work.  He blesses us, so that we can give Him glory.  When we give Him glory, we receive even greater blessing, so that we can give Him even greater glory!

It is supposed to happen the same way in your life:  God gives you something and the something He gives you gives you an opportunity to give back and when you give back, then more blessing comes!  Take some time to think about all that God has given to you and how you are giving it back for His glory.  Look for ways you can improve and get better.  Take steps to appreciate what God has given to you, by living a life of giving glory to God and blessings to others!  You will be glad you did!

Here Are Some Ideas!  It is not always so easy getting an attitude of gratitude, and it is often a lot harder keeping that idea, so here are some ideas that I hope will help all of us to get and keep an attitude of gratitude, so that we can live in and with the right perspective!

Make A Gratitude List!  Actually sit down with pen and paper make a list!  Write down all the things that you have to be thankful for!  At first a lot of things will pop into your head and then you will have to really think about it.  Take the time – it’s worth it!  And write it down, because then you have tangible proof!  Now that you have your list, take some time to meditate on the goodness of God!  Think about how much God must love you to bless you with all of these blessings.  The whole time you are focused on this, you won’t be focused on problems and frustrations, which will help you to get and keep the right perspective!  This process activates faith in your life and allows God to show up and show out!

Get Your Focus Right!  It is so easy to get focused on all of the wrong things!  We think about what we don’t have or what we can’t do and we miss the enjoyment of what we do have and what we can do.  If you can learn to shift your focus off of the bad and onto the good, then you will get your enthusiasm back!   It is true that your life will  follow your thoughts!  Get the right thoughts and God will help you get the right life – a life that is blessed by Him!

We Need To Challenge And Change Stinking Thinking!  We like to think we don’t have stinking thinking, but living in this world almost guarantees the threat and temptation to take you to this negative place.  We have to remind ourselves everyday  that today is a gift from God – that’s why today is called a present!  THANK GOD for the present of today and live life to the fullest!

Proverbs 23:7 says:  “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he!”  Being Grateful Changes Everything – Especially perspective which changes your life!  You can do this!  You were created to do this!  Aren’t you thankful!!!