{"id":3938,"date":"2021-06-11T03:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-06-11T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shop.honestreflections.net\/?p=3938"},"modified":"2021-05-20T07:55:03","modified_gmt":"2021-05-20T12:55:03","slug":"what-will-make-you-appreciate-gods-gifts-to-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/2021\/06\/11\/what-will-make-you-appreciate-gods-gifts-to-you\/","title":{"rendered":"What Will Make You Appreciate God&#8217;s Gifts to You"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>2 minute read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/shop.honestreflections.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/6.11-1024x1016.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3939\" width=\"331\" height=\"329\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/6.11-1024x1016.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/6.11-300x298.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/6.11-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/6.11-768x762.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/6.11-1536x1524.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/6.11-2048x2032.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/6.11-180x180.jpg 180w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 331px) 100vw, 331px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=1+Kings+9-10&amp;version=GW\">1 Kings 9-10 GW<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=1%20Corinthians%2010&amp;version=GW\">1 Corinthians 10 GW<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Everything is God\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We live under this false assumption that what we have is ours, but none of it is.&nbsp; All of the material things you possess are gifts from God.&nbsp; The earth and everything in it is His: clothes, cars, homes, all things God is allowing you to use while here on earth.&nbsp; Unfortunately, we are more attached to \u201cstuff\u201d than we are God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201c<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/terms\/c\/consumerism.asp#:~:text=Consumerism%20is%20the%20idea%20that,consumer%20goods%20and%20material%20possessions.\"><em>Consumerism<\/em><\/a><em> is the theory that individuals who consume goods and services in large quantities will be better off.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More things do not bring happiness. &nbsp; We find joy in our relationship with God.&nbsp; When we place more value on connecting with God than Amazon, we\u2019ll find the peace that surpasses all understanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, we don\u2019t give God credit for the things we have.&nbsp; Often, I hear the words, \u201cI deserve it, I work hard.\u201d&nbsp; True, you may work hard, but none of us \u201cdeserve\u201d anything.&nbsp; Christ took our sin upon Himself on the cross, freeing us.&nbsp; We owe everything to Jesus; He didn\u2019t have to do what He did.&nbsp; The least we could do is appreciate the gifts He gives us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Keep perspective.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your car will rust out.&nbsp; Clothes will get holes in them.&nbsp; Homes require constant repair.&nbsp; But the relationship with God lasts forever. &nbsp; U-hauls full of stuff is not part of the funeral procession.&nbsp; Life everlasting is the gift that never ends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of worshipping the things of this earth that won\u2019t last, worship the God who does.\u00a0 If material things are consuming your attention, purge.\u00a0 Get rid of the things that are controlling your life.\u00a0 Find a way to break the hold of consumerism.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep stuff in its place.&nbsp; Appreciate God\u2019s gifts.&nbsp; Recognize, the material things of this world are temporary, but life with God never ends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"750\" src=\"https:\/\/shop.honestreflections.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/bookcover.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4819\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/bookcover.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/bookcover-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/bookcover-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Three-Word-Prayers-Everyday-Living-ebook\/dp\/B09JT3B6CW\/ref=sr_1_2?crid=18UKNZFIIDIEA&amp;dchild=1&amp;keywords=three+word+prayers&amp;qid=1635775169&amp;sprefix=three+word+prayers%2Caps%2C69&amp;sr=8-2\">Check out my new release on Amazon<\/a>. Learn how I used prayer to control my emotions and develop healthier relationships in my life. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Lord, thank You for providing the material things of this world for us.&nbsp; Forgive us for worshipping stuff more than You.&nbsp; Thank You for reminding us Who is in control of everything.&nbsp; Help us detach ourselves from possessions and attach ourselves to You.&nbsp; Today, through the blessings You gave us, help us bless others.&nbsp; Let us keep our hearts and minds focused on You.&nbsp; In You, we have all we will ever need.&nbsp; IJNIP.&nbsp; Amen<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Question for reflection<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">How attached to your stuff are you?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>2 minute read. 1 Kings 9-10 GW; 1 Corinthians 10 GW Everything is God\u2019s. We live under this false assumption that what we have is ours, but none of it is.&nbsp; All of the material things you possess are gifts from God.&nbsp; The earth and everything in it is His: clothes, cars, homes, all things&hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/2021\/06\/11\/what-will-make-you-appreciate-gods-gifts-to-you\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">What Will Make You Appreciate God&#8217;s Gifts to You<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3938","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","without-featured-image"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3938","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3938"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3938\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3942,"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3938\/revisions\/3942"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3938"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3938"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3938"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}