He Is the Lord, Our God

u003c!u002du002d wp:heading u002du002du003enu003ch2u003eIntroductionu003c/h2u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennA few weeks ago, I said that there are holidays and then there are u003cemu003eholidays u003c/emu003e(holy-days) – Easter (Resurrection Day), u003cemu003eThanksgivingu003c/emu003e, and Christmas.  These are the days where the Lord u003cemu003eshouldu003c/emu003e be honored and remembered, yet, on these u003cemu003eholy-daysu003c/emu003e, God is u003cemu003eforgotten u003c/emu003eyet again.  I say to you today that the Lord should certainly be honored and remembered not just on those days but every day of the year.  Why? Because He is the Lord, our God and that should mean a great deal to u003cemu003eall u003c/emu003epeople.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading u002du002du003enu003ch2u003eAn Ungrateful Peopleu003c/h2u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennWhy are we so ungrateful?  Why are we so ungrateful for the Lord, our God?  I feel like this is a question that I ask u003cemu003ea lot u003c/emu003ethroughout the year and around the holidays every year.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading {u0022levelu0022:3} u002du002du003enu003ch3u003eNot putting God firstu003c/h3u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennNow, when I say that we are ungrateful, I want to make it very clear that I am talking about u003cemu003eall u003c/emu003epeople – non-believers u003cemu003eand u003c/emu003ebelievers as well.  Now, some may begin to think to themselves, u003cemu003e‘how am I ungrateful’u003c/emu003e?  Some, actually, may not even care about  being ungrateful to the Lord which says a lot about their mindset.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennSo, how one is ungrateful for the Lord?  Let us consider that the Lord blesses all of us u003cemu003ewithout hesitationu003c/emu003e.  For example, from a verse I often reference from Matthew’s gospel, God makes His sun rise on the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the just and the unjust (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt.+5%3A45u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eMatt. 5:45u003c/au003e).  This, I always point out, is a great blessing from God because it is the blessing of u003cemu003elifeu003c/emu003e.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennIn return, what has the Lord u003cemu003easkedu003c/emu003e of mankind since the very beginning?  Has God not called for mankind to u003cemu003elove u003c/emu003eHim and to u003cemu003eobey u003c/emu003e(to keep) His instructions?  I am absolutely certain that I can turn to Genesis 2 and see the Lord gave Adam instructions to u003cemu003eobeyu003c/emu003e while dwelling in the garden (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gen.+2%3A15-17u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eGen. 2:15-17u003c/au003e).  So, all that the Lord has asked of mankind is to obey — to put u003cemu003eHim u003c/emu003efirst just as He puts us, mankind, first.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennNow, I feel I need to make it very clear as to what it means to put God first so that there can be no lack of understanding when it comes to this subject.  Some think that putting God first means that literally the first thing you do in the day is something dedicated to God.  No, to put God first in your life means to u003cemu003esubmit u003c/emu003eyourself to the will and way of God.  This submission, I want you to understand, is living by and moving out of genuine faith and u003cemu003eobedience u003c/emu003eto the Lord.  u003cemu003eTrue faithu003c/emu003e, not religion, is built on the foundation of submission to the Lord’s way.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennSo, as a sign of our gratefulness, some of us do our very best to submit ourselves to the will and way of God; we live by obedience and u003cemu003efaithu003c/emu003e.  Refusing to be grateful and obedient to the one that blesses you day in and day out is a terrible sign.  Refusing to be obedient stands in u003cemu003eoppositionu003c/emu003e against God which, by the way, is the very definition of sin.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennSomething that many of us do not consider is the fact that being ungrateful of God and His blessings is a u003cemu003erejection u003c/emu003eof God; it is rejecting God as a guide, as a protector, and as a provider.  Rejection of God, again, is the very definition of sin.  Therefore, being ungrateful of God, we should understand, is also the u003cemu003edefinitionu003c/emu003e of sin.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading {u0022levelu0022:3} u002du002du003enu003ch3u003eContending with Godu003c/h3u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennAll that the Lord desires for us is for us to be happy and content in our soul and u003cemu003eHe moves u003c/emu003eto make that a reality (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jer.+29%3A11u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eJer. 29:11u003c/au003e).  Yet, many of us are far removed from ever truly being content in our lives because we are ungrateful.  Scripture encourages us to let our conduct be u003cemu003ewithout u003c/emu003ecovetousness and u003cemu003eto be content u003c/emu003ewith our blessings (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Heb.+13%3A5u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eHeb. 13:5u003c/au003e), but, in our ingratitude, man moves out of lust, jealousy, and covetousness; we wantu003cemu003e moreu003c/emu003e than what God has given.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennThis thought reminds me of the children of Israel and how they treated God just after they had been freed from the bondage of Egypt.  You would think that the children of Israel would have been very grateful for their new found freedom.  Yet, scripture shows us that they were u003cemu003eanythingu003c/emu003e but grateful on the journey to the Promised Land (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ex.+32%3B+Num.+11%3A1-15%3B+14%3A1-10%3B+16%3A1-50%3B+20%3A1-13u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eEx. 32; Num. 11:1-15; 14:1-10; 16:1-50; 20:1-13u003c/au003e).nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennIn Exodus 16:2-15, we find the children of Israel complaining to Moses and Aaron because they had no food.  They said to the two, “Oh had we u003cemu003edied u003c/emu003eby the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full!  For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ex.+16%3A3u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eEx. 16:3u003c/au003e).”  In the very next chapter of Exodus, in Exodus 17:1-7,the children of Israel, yet again, complained and contended with Moses about not having water to drink.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennYou will often hear me liken our journey through life to that of the children of Israel as they journeyed to the Promised Land; we are bound for the Promised Land of God’s heavenly kingdom.  Yes, the journey to get there u003cemu003eseemsu003c/emu003e like it is a long one and it can be difficult but shouldn’t we be thankful to be on the journey to heaven in the first place?  You see, not everybody has chosen to be freed from the bondage of sin to take this journey to God’s heavenly kingdom.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennSo, how grateful are you to be  on this journey?  Are you grateful for all that the Lord has done for you thus far or are you finding something to grumble and complain about?  Are you happy (content) with the Lord or are you contending with Him every step of the way?nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading u002du002du003enu003ch2u003eGod’s Unmatched Loveu003c/h2u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennI want you to see today just how thankful you ought to be that He is the Lord, our God.  I believe that every last one of us has reason today to be grateful for the Lord and to acknowledge that He u003cemu003eis u003c/emu003ethe Lord, our God.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:pullquote u002du002du003enu003cfigure class=u0022wp-block-pullquoteu0022u003enu003cblockquoteu003eu003csupu003e12 u003c/supu003e“I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I u003cemu003eamu003c/emu003e the Lord your God.’ ”nnu003cciteu003eKEY VERSE – EXODUS 16:12 NKJVu003c/citeu003eu003c/blockquoteu003enu003c/figureu003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:pullquote u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading {u0022levelu0022:3} u002du002du003enu003ch3u003eSupplying our every needu003c/h3u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennAs I just mentioned moments ago, scripture from Exodus 16 takes place u003cemu003eafteru003c/emu003e the children of Israel had been freed and crossed the Red Sea.  You may recall just a couple of months ago how I preached about the Lord, as a good shepherd, u003ca href=u0022https://newfoundfaith.org/god-is-at-work/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022 data-type=u0022postu0022 data-id=u00229696u0022u003eprotecting the children of Israelu003c/au003e from Pharaoh and his army while they were at the Red Sea.  Then, God parted the Red Sea and u003ca href=u0022https://newfoundfaith.org/he-is-our-way-maker/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022 data-type=u0022postu0022 data-id=u00229753u0022u003eguided them on dry groundu003c/au003e over to the other side (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ex.+14%3A19-31u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eEx. 14:19-31u003c/au003e).nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennWith setting them free from the bondage of sin and guiding them over the Red Sea, you would think that children of Israel would have been grateful for what God had done for them.  Yet, all that the Lord had done for them was seemingly not enough as we saw their complaint about God leaving them to starve and go thirsty in the wilderness.  How many of you believe that the Lord has left you to go hungry and thirsty, figuratively speaking, in the wilderness?nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennEven though the children of Israel were complaining about not having food to eat, we see in my key verse for today’s sermon that the Lord moved to tend to their needs!  The Lord said in that verse, “I have u003cemu003eheard u003c/emu003eyour complaints … At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall (will) be u003cemu003efilledu003c/emu003e with bread.”nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennNow, I feel I must ask, how many of us would tend to someone when all they do is complain and complain about something you have done for them?  Most of us wouldn’t put up with that complaining for too long!  In fact, this u003cemu003eungrateful u003c/emu003ecomplainer is most likely the u003cemu003elast person u003c/emu003ewe would ever want to do u003cemu003eanything u003c/emu003efor!  Thankfully, God is not like us.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennWe will see that God had said to Moses, earlier, after hearing the complaints of the children of Israel, “Behold, I u003cemu003ewillu003c/emu003e rain bread from heaven for you.  And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day … (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ex.+16%3A4u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eEx. 16:4u003c/au003e).”  The bread that “rained down from heaven”, some of us will know, was called u003cemu003emanna u003c/emu003eby the children of Israel.  Scripture stated that manna formed from the dew of the ground, was white, and tasted like wafers made with honey – so it tasted really good (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ex.+16%3A13-14%2C+31u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eEx. 16:13-14, 31u003c/au003e).nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennNow, let’s point out the fact that even though they had complained, God said He was going to give this manna to satisfy their hunger u003cemu003eevery dayu003c/emu003e.  The only day that manna did not form on the land was on Sabbath (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ex.+16%3A5%2C+26u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eEx. 16:5, 26u003c/au003e).  Since they were not supposed to do any hard labor on Sabbath, the children of Israel were to gather twice what they would normally gather on the sixth day.  So, u003cemu003esee thisu003c/emu003e — God met their needs u003cemu003eliberallyu003c/emu003e.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennDo you know that the Lord supplies your every need u003cemu003eliberallyu003c/emu003e?  In Psalm 23, David said that at God’s table, the Lord anointed his head with oil and his cup ran over; this was David speaking of how God blesses His.  Do you realize that when the Lord supplies your needs that He does not do it u003cemu003ehalf wayu003c/emu003e?  No, God supplies your every need to the point that your needs are met with room to spare!  God is a good God, even when we are contending with Him along the way!nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading {u0022levelu0022:3} u002du002du003enu003ch3u003eGod’s enduring love for usu003c/h3u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennHave you ever wondered u003cemu003ewhy u003c/emu003ethe Lord puts up with us the way He does?    I believe that in order for us to answer u003cemu003e‘the why’u003c/emu003e we must remember what John said in his first epistle when he said that God u003cemu003eis u003c/emu003elove (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+4%3A8u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003e1 John 4:8u003c/au003e).nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennBy now, we should know that our idea about what love is does not compare to the love of God.  You see, when the Lord moves, He does not move out of ego and selfishness; God moves with a selfless and unconditional love.  As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, love suffers long and is kind; it does not envy nor does it u003cemu003eparade itself u003c/emu003enor is it u003cemu003epuffed upu003c/emu003e.  Love does not behave rudely nor does it think evil (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Cor.+13%3A4-5u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003e1 Cor. 13:4-5u003c/au003e).nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennAs I said earlier, our idea of love lacks u003cemu003epatience u003c/emu003eand quickly gets tired of ungrateful people.  Yet, true love, the love of God, u003cemu003eendures u003c/emu003eall things, even our ungratefulness.  The Lord could have easily left the children of Israel and their ungratefulness right there in the wilderness to starve to death, but that is not how God operates.  The Lord had a promise to keep to them and He has a promise to keep to those of faith today.  In order to keep His promises, God’s love u003cemu003emust u003c/emu003eendure.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennOf God’s enduring love, Moses said to the children of Israel, that the Lord would never leave them nor forsake them (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deut.+31%3A8u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eDeut. 31:8u003c/au003e); we know this to also be true from our own walk of faith.  God, I believe, was being so patient with the children of Israel, and all of His children today, because He u003cemu003eknows u003c/emu003ewhat we can be.  God knows our full potential through the gifts that He blesses us with.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennSo, why does the Lord bear with us the way that He does?  Firstly, the Lord does this because u003cemu003eHeu003c/emu003e is love and He u003cemu003eloves u003c/emu003eus.  As Paul said about love, God does not think evil against us nor does He seek for us to fall down.  No, the Lord bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and will endure all things for us because u003cemu003eHe is u003c/emu003ethe Lord, our God, and again, He u003cemu003eis u003c/emu003elove.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading {u0022levelu0022:3} u002du002du003enu003ch3u003eUplifting us in His faithfulnessu003c/h3u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennSecondly, the Lord bears with us us because in His love He u003cemu003edesires u003c/emu003eto uplift us and supply our every need, just as we have seen with the children of Israel.  By supplying manna to the children of Israel daily, we u003cemu003eknowu003c/emu003e that the Lord supplied their needs u003cemu003eliberallyu003c/emu003e; they were able to gather and take in u003cemu003eall that they neededu003c/emu003e in order to be full and satisfied.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennNow, thirdly, we will see in scripture that the Lord still moved for the children of Israel, though they were being ungrateful, because He wanted to see if they would walk in His law or not (Ex. 16:4).  So, why would He care whether or not they would walk in His law or not?  This goes back to a point that we have already seen established in this sermon.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennIn our key verse, notice that the Lord wanted the children of Israel to know that He u003cemu003eis u003c/emu003ethe Lord.  God wanted the children of Israel to u003cemu003erecognize u003c/emu003eHim and His love.  God desired that they recognized that He brought them out of Egypt and was blessing them along the way; He desired their u003cemu003egratitudeu003c/emu003e and their faith.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennWhy does the Lord care today about whether or not you and I walk according to His will and way?  The Lord desires that we u003cemu003erecognize u003c/emu003eHim and His love.  God desires that we recognize He gave a sinful world His only begotten Son so that we can be freed from the bondage of sin (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+3%3A16u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eJohn 3:16u003c/au003e).  So, on our journey, the Lord desires our gratitude and faith u003cemu003ein returnu003c/emu003e for all that He has and still does for us — God wants to be loved.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennYes, God’s works for us stand as a sign of His love but His works, we must also understand, stand as a sign of His faithfulness towards us.  God endures our ungratefulness – our sin – because He is u003cemu003efaithfulu003c/emu003e.  So, for all that He has done through His faithfulness to uplift us, God desires our genuine faith in return.  Faith is not dictated, it is a choice and we must genuinely choose to love and believe in Him.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennIf we would u003cemu003erecognize u003c/emu003eand appreciate all that the Lord does for us, it would truly mean u003cemu003ea lot u003c/emu003eto Him.  Firstly, recognizing all that the Lord does is a sign of gratitude.  Secondly, when you think about it, when we appreciate what the Lord does for us, we will repeatedly return to Him.  Then, if we think about it even more, how happy are we to help those who are thankful for the help?  I believe the Lord moves even more swiftly to bless the grateful believer.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading u002du002du003enu003ch2u003eHe is the Lord – Appreciate Himu003c/h2u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennAs we head into the holy season, I again wonder this year, do you appreciate the Lord?  Do you recognize Him?  Are you thankful for all that the Lord has done for you?nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading {u0022levelu0022:3} u002du002du003enu003ch3u003eAppreciating our mannau003c/h3u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennI often wonder how often we come off like the children of Israel who ended up at one point not appreciating God’s liberal supply of manna and initially didn’t appreciate when they brought them to the Promised Land.  Again, I tell you, we are making our way to the Promised Land of heaven and God is supplying our every need along the way.  Yet, how many of us are contending with the Lord and being ungrateful and unappreciative on the journey?nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennDo you know what makes our contending with the Lord even worse?  The fact that u003cemu003ewe knowu003c/emu003e that He is the Lord, our God.  We know that because He is the Lord, our God, that He still is moving liberally for us.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennI want you to understand that we may not receive the same manna from heaven that the children of Israel received, but we, His faithful children, do receive manna from the Lord today.  Manna, today, is that ability to have the resources to go out and have a place to call home; it is that ability to have the resources to go out and buy a car, SUV, or truck.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennWe may not receive manna in the same form as the children of Israel did, but manna today is the ability to pay a mortgage, rent, a car note, utility bills, and electricity, especially when it seemed it would be impossible.  Manna, again, we may not receive in the same form as the children of Israel, but manna is the blessing to put clothes on your back, shoes on your feet, food on the table, and have something to drink day in and day out, especially when it seems impossible.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennWe may not receive manna from heaven in the same form as the children of Israel did, but I tell you today that manna is the blessing to be cared for in our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.  The resources are there for us to be able to make it so long as we choose to consume and be content with the manna that God has provided us with.  I hate to think about where I would have been just a few years ago had I chosen to contend with God and not consume the manna that was given to me.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennSo, we should certainly know better than to contend with the Lord.  In our contending with the Lord, the only thing we actually manage to do is slow down our receiving of the Lord’s blessing.  Let us stop doing this and let us appreciate the Lord.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennDo you know that He is the Lord, our God?  How many of us are being faithful to Him in appreciating all that God has and is doing for us?  If we truly recognized all that the Lord has done and still is doing for us, churches would be overflowing today.  If we truly recognized all that the Lord has done, and still is doing for us, we would live in total submission to His will and way in appreciation for all He has done.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennI am so thankful this holiday season and every other day of the year because He is the Lord, u003cemu003emy u003c/emu003eGod – He is so awesome and so wonderful to me.  God is worthy of my thanks and He is worthy of my praise.  I say to you, u003cemu003eI u003c/emu003ealso know that God is worthy of your thanks and He is worthy of your praise.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e