Giving Thanks For Everything

“Make sure you eat everything on your plate.” Have you ever heard that statement during a Thanksgiving meal? It is usually said to keep us from focusing on the items that taste good, are more appealing, in contrast to those items that are members of the vegetable family, are less appealing. The message was clear—it is not always the items that are most appealing that are best for you.
This Thanksgiving make sure you take the time to give thanks for everything that has been placed on your plate since last Thanksgiving. In that time period you may have experienced some very difficult events: the death of a loved one, the lost of a job, difficulties in a close relationship, a health challenge, or one of a number of items that aren’t appealing to us. We normally don’t like to focus on these events, but they are how we grow. Typically our desire is to grow deeper in our relationship with God without going through difficult times. We want “insta-deep” or “Deep-o-matic” without a challenging after taste. But that is not how God works. God is concerned about the process as much as He is about the goal. We are more concerned with the goal.
        In Jonah 2:8—9 we are given an important truth that there is a sacrifice of thanksgiving we can offer God, even in the midst of our difficulties. Jonah states while in the belly of a great fish that has swallowed him “All who worship worthless idols turn from the God who offers them mercy. But with shouts of praise, I will offer a sacrifice to you, my LORD. I will keep my promise, because you are the one with power to save.” It is clear that Jonah had come to realize that God had him in a difficult place to draw Jonah close, and the best way to respond was through thanksgiving.
        Remember this Thanksgiving Season to give thanks, or eat, everything that has been placed on your plate. Give thanks for it all—“in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

The Amazing Power Of a Dream

This past week I heard of 98 year old Sensei Keiko Fukuda, a woman in San Francisco who earned Judo’s highest black belt—10th degree. She is the first woman to ever earn this degree and is one of only 3 other living individuals in the world who has earned this honor. Ms. Fukuda noted that she had to spend decades at lower degrees because she was discriminated against as a woman. Yet she persevered to achieve her dream.

“When your memories are bigger than your dreams, you’re headed for the grave” —Author unknown

        Do you still have dreams that are driving you beyond your memories and beyond your present situation in life? It is amazing the power a dream, a vision of our lives in the future can have on us to keep us going even through the most challenging of circumstances. The Bible talks about this power but nowhere is it most evident than in the lives listed in Hebrews 11. This is a chapter that is known as ‘The Hall of Faith.’ This great chapter begins with a definition of faith—“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Then it presents individuals who have seen a vision of what God has in store for them and who then live incredible lives in line with that vision.  Such individuals as Abraham, Joseph, Moses, etc.

Do you have a vision of what God desires for your life? Here are a few ways to get one:
1. Do that which is already revealed to you about your life.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4 tells us that the will of God for us is our sanctification, our separating ourselves from sin. There is no need seeking advanced instruction when you’ve not even met the basics.

2. Pray that the Lord of your life will give you a glimpse of His desire for you.
• Psalm 16:11 tells us that the Lord will make known to us the paths of life.

3. Ask others what they see in you that you have not stepped out to act upon.
• In Proverbs 15:22 we read that in a multitude of counselors is a plan established. Seek counsel.

4. Step out and try.

The Key Role Of Our Attitude

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.  Attitude, to me, is more important than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than success, than what other people think of say or do.  It is more important that appearance, giftedness, or skill.  It will make or break a company. . . a church .  . . a home.  The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we embrace for that day.  We cannot change our past . . . we cannot change the fact that people act in a certain way.  We cannot change the inevitable.  The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. . . I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.  And so it is with you . . . we are in charge of our ATTITUDES.”  —from Attitude by Chuck Swindoll

        If we truly understood the key role our attitude plays in our lives (guiding the way we think, feel, and act) we would take action to train our attitude so that it guides us in a way that blesses us rather than betrays us. Paul realized this and in Philippians 4:8—9 gives his readers a recipe for the type of thoughts that trains our attitude to be God-focused. This ‘attitude food’ is—

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

        Closely look at the standards that Paul highlights: true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute. Now use these standards to evaluate the songs we listen to and allow to circulate in our mind. Use these standards to evaluate the television shows and movies we watch as entertainment. Use these standards to evaluate the jokes we love to tell and the kind or jokes we love to hear. Use these standards to evaluate all that comes into our mind and eventually seep down into our hearts. These are the standards that will mold our attitude and eventually our lives. Apply them well.

Response Not Event

How do you keep life from taking you for a ride? The life of Joseph teaches us various principles on how to achieve this goal so this week let’s look at a second principle.

        The second principle is Response Not Event. It is so easy to wonder when events don’t go the way we want them to “How could God allow this to happen? Doesn’t He know what this is doing to me?” At those times we are wrestling with God’s role in the event for as the all-knowing and powerful God of the universe we expect Him to do better. But if we truly believe God to have all of these attributes our focus should really be on our response to the event.

        You see, God desires for us to look at every situation as an opportunity to trust Him and show how much we believe Him to be God. We note this in the story of Joseph as the often repeated truth “the Lord was with Joseph” (39:3, 5, 21, 23) is matched by Joseph’s evident trust of God in his response in various situations—“How then could I do this great evil, and sin against God?” (39:9); “it was not you who sent me here, but God” (45:3, 5, 7, 8, 9). We also note this truth continually being taught by Jesus to His disciples. One such example of this is Jesus’ rebuke of His disciples for not expecting Him to provide food for 4,000 after He has already provided food for 5,000—

“And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, ‘Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet see or understand? Do you have a hardened heart? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces you picked up?’ They said to Him, ‘Twelve.’ ‘And when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?’ And they said to Him ‘Seven.’ And He was saying to them, ‘Do you not yet understand?’” (Mark 8:17-21).

        We were never made to be God. A truth we know, but one that is hard to live out when we are faced by events that are not to our liking. Let us focus on our response (our responsibility) and trust God that He has focused on bringing the right events into our lives (His responsibility). A great way to keep the right focus is to work on training ourselves to ask ‘what?’ (‘What would you have me to learn or do in this situation Lord?’) when things don’t go the way we want them to instead of ‘why?’ (‘Why did this to happen to me Lord?’).  The first question keeps our focus on determining our right response while the second question puts the focus on the event and our obtaining right answers. We may never get answers so let us focus on that for which we are responsible—our actions.

“Thou wilt make known to me the path of life; In Thy presence is fullness of joy; In Thy right hand there are pleasures forever.”  Psalm 16:11

Reasons Not Excuses

How do you keep life from taking you for a ride? The life of Joseph (Genesis 37—45) teaches us various principles and five of those we highlighted on Sunday and we will examine them through this week.

        The first principle is Reasons Not Excuses. Joseph had experienced numerous difficulties in his life from being abused by his brothers to being lied upon and imprisoned by his boss’ wife. Yet in all of these experiences it is clear that Joseph did not let these bad experiences become excuses for him to think that he did not, or could not live for God. Joseph could have easily doubted God’s promises to him when he kept suffering but he chose not to give them that power and to rather trust God. Joseph had numerous reasons for not trusting God, yet he also knew that he had no excuses to not obey God.

        As we look over our lives we are continually challenged by reasons to not trust God. We can probably identify numerous times we were treated wrongly by those who say they know God or that we did not get what we believed God should give us. Yet, please remember that none of these reasons can give us an excuse to not trust and obey God.

        What event in your life are you struggling with today? Please take the time to pray and ask God to give you the right view of Himself for He is always good and will always accomplish His promise to use every event in our lives for good—“ Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good” Romans 8:26—28.

“For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”    John 3:17 (KJV)

The Path That Jesus Walked

When was the last time you were naked in public?  For most of us this is what a bad dream is made of.  But this week’s sermon noted that Jesus’ coming to earth was God’s becoming naked before us. Jesus the second person of the trinity became naked, or vulnerable, so that sinful humanity might have a relationship with God the Father.  John notes this in John 1:14 in stating that “The word became flesh and dwelt, or had an open house, amongst us so that we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten son of God.“

God’s actions are also an example for us to follow in that we are to become naked, vulnerable in our relationship with others so that others may get a glimpse of God in us and enter into a relationship with God. John highlights this for us in Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

        Pray that the Lord will show you how you might become vulnerable so that others might see Jesus in you and enter into a relationship with God the Father. Some possibilities might be to volunteer your time to serve at the Raleigh Rescue Mission, to rake the leaves of a neighbor, to assist someone in need financially, or to share where the Lord you brought you from with someone at a similar place in life.  I pray that you will be blessed as you enter into the path that Jesus walked, who became naked, vulnerable for us.

Thanks-Giving Heart

        Whose family resemblance are you taking on, the one of your former life or of your new life in Christ? A key indicator of the answer to this question is whether we continually have a thankful heart towards God. For when we become use to daily blessings we can take them for granted and lose the realization that God is the source of each and every one of these blessings.

        You see, thanksgiving keeps our heart and focus on God. Without a ‘thanks-giving heart’ we can overlook God’s blessings in the midst of the common or usual. We can fail to thank God for another morning, a choice parking spot, that job we have had for a while, our being single, our health, our free country, our kids, etc. Without thanksgiving we can overlook God’s blessing in difficult times as well. We can then let our challenges wrongly seem to outnumber the larger amount of blessings we receive. It is important to remember that all that we are and have is from the Lord, for over time we come to think all that we are and have is from our own hands.

        So take a look anew at the command that will allow you to see God more often in your day:  “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”  (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Make a focused effort to give thanks throughout this day for it will keep your heart focused on God in everything you do.

Deep Rooted Trust

Soul Joy is a concept we presented in last week’s Word From The Pastor. Soul Joy is not based on our circumstances or possessions but on a deep rooted trust and satisfaction in God.  Today I would like to present an example of this concept.

    The example is Jesus who had every reason to not be joyous, or contented with God the Father.  Having been sent behind enemy lines to be abused and eventually be murdered for undeserving sinners, Jesus had every reason to not be joyous.  Yet, in Hebrews 12:1—2 it is said that He had joy in the face of these tremendous challenges.  I love the way The Message: The Bible In Contemporary Language states it:

Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins.  Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God.

    Please note from this account that Soul Joy does not mean that I must be weak and wimpy?  This is the farthest from the truth as the hope of an “exhilarating finish in and with God” empowered Jesus through incredible challenges.  Instead, a soul that has its joy in God is empowered to live boldly and powerfully for God in the midst of life’s storms. 

  So, how are you doing today?  Are you being energized in your walk with God?  I pray that you will follow the example of Jesus and not lose sight of the goal that is set before you. 

Soul Joy

        “What can I try next?”  This might sound like an innocent question to direct our actions but for many in 21st century America it reveals a lot more.  For many it is the cry of those who are trying to find “Soul Joy.”  How much more money can I get, and how long will that thrill last?  Who can I conquer, and how long will that joy last?  What new toy can I get, and how long will that joy last?

        By the use of the phrase soul joy I am referring to the deep satisfaction that only comes when we mentally grasp that God can be totally trusted, and we then experience the exhilaration of that trust being proven true in one’s life.  Have you ever experienced this deep joy?  This is a freeing experience that is the total opposite of anxiety or worry.  It is the total opposite of having to produce joy in one’s life.  Instead, trust in an abiding God and His Word frees us to experience joy.

This is the freedom Jesus referred to when He taught that we are to trust God’s commitment to us and His care for us.  We can finally stop trying to find our joy in something or someone to just find it totally in God.

        Do you have the spirit of this age?  Or, are you experiencing your soul’s joy?  Take your greatest concern to Him and confidently take Him at His word.

Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “” I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,’’ so that we confidently say, “” THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?’’  Hebrews 13:5—6

“But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!  “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’  “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.  Matthew 6:30—37

Positive Approach

I recently read the true story of a Little League coach who had to make an outlook choice about his right fielder. The little guy who was playing that position had already dropped two fly balls hit to him and after dropping the third fly ball threw down his glove and marched into the dugout exclaiming “No one can catch a ball in that darn field.” I couldn’t help but wonder if the coach was able to keep everything in proper perspective—first his response (with a chuckle mixed in there), then working on his player’s fielding and attitude skills.

How are we when we find ourselves in difficult situations? Do we focus first on the circumstances that caused or are causing the problem, or do we focus on our response?

As you walk through your day I would encourage you to keep in mind the great counsel we are given in Proverbs 17:22. The writer of Proverbs counsels us to leave room in life for a God-centered, positive approach to challenging moments. That is why Proverbs 17:22 gives us this prescription—“A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired.”

Father, don’t allow us to take ourselves or life so seriously that we overlook the importance of a cheerful outlook. Thank you for life and the joyful moments you have hidden within it. Help us to find and to appreciate each one as we go through our days.

Gifts from Our Heavenly Father

A joy of watching a person celebrate his or her birthday is to see that person open gifts. The wrapped gifts are only appreciated when a person takes the time and effort to remove the wrappings to discover how they’ve been blessed.

So it is in life as God’s blessings are only discovered as we unwrap them through our daily lives. Are you looking for your Heavenly Father’s gifts as you are going through your day? They are there, we just have to unwrap them by appreciating them.

Thou wilt make known to me the path of life; In Thy presence is fullness of joy; In thy right hand there are a pleasures forever (Psalm 16:11).

In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians
  5:17)

Father, keep our eyes open for your love and gifts of grace as we experience them throughout the day you have allowed us to walk through.

Rejoice and Be Glad In It!

It is no coincidence that Psalm 118:24 reads ‘This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” This verse’s strong command highlights the power of a godly choice to transform our lives. God is always seeking opportunities to empower us when we act on His instructions.

So, how’s your day? If you want to take it to another level, choose to “rejoice and be glad in it” regardless of whatever challenges cause you to think or feel otherwise.  I assure you that your day will instantly improve.

“Father, bless my brothers and sisters today to take you at your word and then bless them as they walk in obedience to you over what they are thinking, feeling, or experiencing. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen”

No Way

“Never, He just won’t do it! He just can’t do it!” This is a pretty strong denial but that is just how strong James makes his argument against the thought that God would ever do that which is not best for His children. James is so strongly opposed to this thought that he even goes as far as creating a new word in the Greek language to say this could never happen—“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone” (James 1:13).

So as you go through a day and something you view as bad happens to you remember to respond in line with this truth. Don’t give in to an inappropriate “WHY (did you let this happen to me God)?” but choose to think “WHAT (would you have me to see, learn, or do in light of this situation Father)?” I assure you that if you are able to make this shift in outlook you will be able to ‘consider it all joy’ when you experience various challenges throughout your day (James 1:2).

“Father, bless your children this day with a reminder of your love for us. And when those reminders get a little stiffer, help us not to forget the truth that you are always good and have promised to always be good to us.”

Take care and go discover God’s sufficiency for every situation you face.

More Than Deserved

One of the surprising aspects of reading Malachi 3 is to note that the people of Israel complained about God not holding up His end of the covenant, because of the difficulties they were experiencing, but God points out that their difficulties were a result of their covenant unfaithfulness! Yet, God’s grace and faithfulness kept Him annihilating them, as the covenant stipulated. Note the beautiful words of Malachi 3:6—7:

“‘For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,’ says the LORD of hosts.’”

Have you thanked the Lord for His grace & faithfulness towards you today?  Remember, even in the midst of experiencing God’s correction we are blessed more than we deserve.

Thank You Lord

How appreciative are you? How appreciative are you of your salvation? Yesterday we noted that we will never fully appreciate our salvation if we don’t realize how greatly it changed our lives. The writer in Hebrews 2:3 describes God’s work on our behalf as “so great a salvation.”

Here are 5 reasons we have to be appreciative for our great salvation and our new life in Jesus:

Our great need—                Ephesians 2:1—3.
Our great ignorance—          Ephesians 4:18.
God’s great sacrifice—          John 3:16.
God’s great guarantee— John 10:27—30.
God’s great reward—            John 14:1—3.

If you haven’t so far, take a moment to thank the Lord for what He’s done for you in delivering you.

Pray for the Lord to impress on your mind 1—2 individuals to invite or to give the gospel to.