Being Thankful for Grace
"Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." (Romans 5:20)
"Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." (Romans 5:20)
This is the day which Americans set aside to reflect on the blessings of God which have been showered on us in the previous year. All other holidays, even Christmas and Easter, can be skewed into a non-Christian meaning, but not Thanksgiving. Historically, it was a time to give thanks to God for the bountiful harvest, and experientially, while there are those to whom we should give thanks for particular favors, there is only one to whom we can give thanks for the blessings of life. Nothing else makes sense.
Christians, of course, have much more for which to give thanks than the non-believer, or at least they have the eyes with which to see and the heart with which to recognize God's blessings. Indeed, Paul instructs us that "in every thing [we should] give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18); the tense of the verb implying a habitual, continual thanksgiving.
But specifically, we should be thankful for His grace, which, as explained in our text, completely overwhelmed our sin and instead brought salvation and freedom from guilt. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8).
Note that in our text the word "abound" appears three times. Both the offense and sin exist in abundance. But the abundance of grace comes from a different Greek word which means literally "to exist in superabundance." But there is more. It is further modified by the prefix "much more," implying a grace that is beyond superabundance.
On this special day of thanksgiving, let us not fail to include in those things for which we are thankful the overwhelmingly superabundant grace of God. JDM
They Shall Never Perish
"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." (John 10:28-29)
"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." (John 10:28-29)
What rich blessings Christ promises to those who "hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" (v. 27). To think that the omnipotent Creator knows us and gives us eternal life! He is certainly powerful enough to see that this life is in no danger, either from our own weaknesses ("they shall never perish") or from the enemy without ("pluck them out"). Temporary eternal life simply cannot be. The eternal life which He gives lasts for eternity.
Actually, the promise "they shall never perish" is very strong in the original Greek. A repeating negative precedes the word "perish," and the specific form of the word "never" literally includes "eternally," or "forever." A more complete rendering would then be, "They shall not, in no wise perish, no, not for eternity."
The word "man" is not in the original, and the word "any" is more properly translated "any one" or "any being." This includes Satan-no match for the Savior. He is powerless to pluck or snatch us from either the Father's or the Son's hands. How could we be any more secure?
Note that the Father gave us to His beloved Son as gifts of His love. In turn, Christ values these precious gifts so much that He holds us securely in His hand, so tightly that no created being can snatch us away. The Father even assists in providing us this security, for we are also in the "Father's hand," and "I and my Father are one" (v. 30).
When we consider the size and strength of the Creator's hand, we can understand why no one, not even Satan, can snatch us out of its protective care. JDM
Things We Can't Do Without
"That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world." (Ephesians 2:12)
"That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world." (Ephesians 2:12)
There are many things in this world that we can easily get along without, but some that are absolutely essential: First of all, we need Christ. Otherwise we are like the Gentiles described in our text-"without Christ . . . having no hope, and without God in the world."
Secondly, if we were ever to be saved, Christ must shed His blood for our sins, for "without shedding of blood is no remission" (Hebrews 9:22). In order for His death to be effective for our salvation, He was "in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15).
Before Christ's work actually becomes effective in our personal salvation, it must be believed and received by faith, for "without faith it is impossible to please him" (Hebrews 11:6). This faith must be true faith, which transforms the life, for "faith without works is dead" (James 2:20). Works do not bring salvation, but saving faith brings "things that accompany salvation" (Hebrews 6:9).
Among those things that accompany salvation is holiness, "without which no man shall see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14). Another is the privilege of chastisement! Our heavenly Father must deal with His errant children in loving discipline. Otherwise, "if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye . . . not sons" (Hebrews 12:8).
There are thus seven things we cannot do without. We cannot do without Christ, without the shedding of His blood, without His sinlessness, without faith in Him, without works for Him, without holiness unto Him, and without chastisement by Him. He said, "Without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5). But with Him, we have everything. HMM
This verse introduces a famous apologetic charge to the saints. The key to the whole passage is the qualifier "we do not war after the flesh."
We must conduct war with non-flesh weapons, since "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12). Fleshly wisdom (2 Corinthians 1:12) often is nothing more than a "snare of the devil" (2 Timothy 2:26) and may well spoil us if we are not very careful (Colossians 2:8).
The objective, of course, is to bring every intellectual argument captive to the truth of Scripture. This is done by the pulling down of strongholds and "casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God" (2 Corinthians 10:5). This warfare, if not done according to the flesh (2 Corinthians 1:17), is "mighty through God" (2 Corinthians 10:4).
Nowhere in these verses is there permission or an implied need to learn the thoughts of the enemy before we can bring them into captivity. Biblical data insist that the flesh has "no good thing" (Romans 7:18) and cannot understand the things of God. The weapons we have are not fleshly (i.e., natural thinking, natural emotion, human reasoning, etc.). Our weapons (Ephesians 6) are the "sword of the Spirit" (offensive) and the "shield of faith" (defensive), and we're protected by the full armor of God-praying always. It is not possible to learn all the subtle arguments of the enemy. What is possible, however, is a knowledge of the truth through our having the "mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16) that will make us sufficient for "all things that pertain unto life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3). HMM III
Teach and Preach Continually
"And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." (Acts 5:42)
"And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." (Acts 5:42)
The Great Commission was given to every Christian and implied a daily ministry of witness by life and word. The early Christians took it seriously, as our text implies. Even when they began to be persecuted for it, this merely led to a wider proclamation of the gospel. "Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word" (Acts 8:4).
The command of Christ was to "preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15), and this required every Christian to be involved every day. The "gospel" includes the entire scope of the person and work and teachings of Jesus Christ, so both preaching and teaching are involved. Furthermore, Christ did not say "send" but "go!" Although it is vital that missionaries be sent and supported as they go to "the regions beyond," each believer must go to those he can reach as ability and opportunity allow. "Jerusalem . . . Judaea . . . Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8) were all to be reached not consecutively but simultaneously, and this would require both personal and financial participation by every Christian.
The message was to "teach and preach Jesus Christ" in all His fullness. Their witnessing was to be "unto me" (Acts 1:8). It was to be both in public and in private-"in the temple, and in every house." They were to pray to "the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest" (Luke 10:2) and also to train "faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also" (2 Timothy 2:2).
And the result of this intense first-century dedication to the Great Commission was that "the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly" (Acts 6:7). However, the work has never been completed and the command is still in effect. HMM
Remembering God's Blessings Psalms 9:1-2
We are given amazing privileges when we trust in Jesus. Recalling these promises is a good way to maintain a thankful heart, even when facing challenges in other areas. Consider four such blessings:
Hardships, temptations, and tests will touch us all, but the Lord allows difficulty for a reason-even when we don't understand why (Rom. 8:28). Therefore, submit yourself to the Father, thank Him for His wisdom, and be confident that He will accomplish His purposes for you.
Jesus the Source of Peace
Colossians 1:15-20
Before we knew Jesus Christ, our life was full of godlessness and wickedness-we had self-seeking ways and stubborn, unrepentant hearts (Rom. 1:18; 2:5, 8). Like our strife-filled world, we clamored for peace and tried to find it, but our efforts failed.
When we came to faith in the Savior, all of that changed. We were rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought into Christ's kingdom (Col 1:13). Every one of our sins-past, present, and future-was forgiven. Divine justice was satisfied by Christ's sacrifice, and God's wrath upon us was removed. We became a new creation, washed clean by Jesus' blood (2 Cor. 5:17).
Now that sin's power over us has been broken, we can live in accord with God. He sent His Holy Spirit to be our personal guide in this new life, helping each of us experience Christ's peace (Rom. 8:6). We also can look forward to an eternity spent in heaven, where righteousness, tranquility, and joy abound (Rom. 14:17).
The story of the prodigal son's return is a picture of our reconciliation with the Lord (Luke 15:11-24). The son had chosen to leave his father, living instead to please himself. Repentant, he eventually returned home; his father joyfully greeted him and forgave him, and there was harmony between them. God has done all this for us.
Our unity with the heavenly Father came at a great price-the sacrifice of His only Son. Christ gave His life for us so that we could be reconciled to God (Col. 1:20). Christian lives are to testify that Jesus is the source of our peace. Does your life communicate this message?
Resisting Fleshly Appetites
Ephesians 2:1-7
The Holy Spirit guides believers to make wise and righteous decisions. But when Christians fail to listen, they can make choices that appeal to the flesh instead.
After the serpent spoke to Eve, she no doubt took a long look at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17; 3:3). Whatever she might have thought about the tree before, she now saw it with new eyes-flesh-focused eyes. Genesis 3 tells us that the forbidden tree appealed to Eve in three ways: 1) it was good for food, 2) it was a delight to the eyes, and 3) it was desirable to make one wise.
In other words, the tree could fulfill three legitimate human appetites: the desire for tasty meals, beauty, and wisdom. There is nothing wrong with these God-given yearnings. The Lord created a variety of food and an earth packed with breathtaking sights so that people could enjoy them. He also offers the Holy Spirit as a source of His true wisdom and knowledge. In fact, it is the Spirit who teaches believers to keep fleshly appetites under control and in balance.
Meanwhile, Satan works very hard at corrupting healthy desires. He abhors seeing people's appetites satisfied. What he wants is to watch a person lusting after a good thing until he or she is controlled by the impulse to have it.
The Devil is pleased when people make themselves slaves to a desire that-in the proper context-the Lord intended to be enjoyed freely. A believer walking in the Holy Spirit rejects gluttony, preferring desires that are within God's boundaries instead. That's how we get His very best.
Peace with God
Romans 5:1-2
One day I posed a question to the waitress at my table: "If you could ask God for anything, what would your request be?" Her answer was immediate. "I want to feel at peace." She tearfully explained that her grandmother had died and emotional turmoil resulted.
Many in our world are like this young woman, in that they desire inner calmness but have no relationship with the Lord. People often seek contentment by trying to improve their appearance, physical fitness, financial situation, or social status-or by abusing substances. But such things can't bring tranquility of heart or mind. Only a relationship with Jesus leads to true peace.
Prior to salvation, we were slaves to sin and living in opposition to God (Col. 1:21). Our transgressions had formed a barrier of hostility between Him and us, which we were helpless to cross on our own. Without God's intervention, we could not have found the way of peace. But our heavenly Father provided the perfect solution to our sin problem. He sent His Son to pay for our iniquities and remove the separation that existed between us and Him.
When we trusted Jesus as our Savior, we were reconciled to the Lord (Rom. 5:10) and no longer at odds with Him. In Christ, we have peace with the Father.
Our triune God has provided everything we need for inner tranquility. The Father opened the way for us to be in His family. Jesus continually offers His peace so we can experience serenity of mind and heart (John 14:27). And the Holy Spirit cultivates the fruit of peace in our lives (Gal. 5:22).
Our Heavenly Father
Matthew 6:8-13
When Christ taught His disciples to pray, He told them to address God as "Our Father." They had previously heard Jesus say, "My Father," but now they, too, shared in that privileged family relationship. All of us who has been born again into the household of God have this same right.
Since our concepts of God are shaped by our earthly fathers, we all have different perceptions of Him, but Jesus is the only one who has a completely accurate understanding of the heavenly Father. Consider some of the ways He cares for His children:
. Loves: God's love is unconditional, since it's based on His nature rather than our performance (1 John 4:16).
. Listens: When we pray, He gives us His full attention (Ps. 55:16-17).
. Provides: The Father assumes responsibility for meeting all our needs (Phil. 4:19).
* Guides: He is the one who directs our path when we trust in Him (Prov. 3:5-6).
. Protects: The Lord shields us spiritually, emotionally, and physically, sifting every experience through His sovereign fingers. (Ps. 121:1-8).
. Stays: He's not an absentee parent, since He'll never leave or forsake us (Deut. 31:8).
. Disciplines: The Lord disciplines us
for our good, so that we may share in His holiness (Heb. 12:5-11).
Though experiences with our earthly dads may have distorted our view of the heavenly Father, we can learn to see Him as He truly is. By viewing Him through the truth of Scripture instead of our preconceptions, we will see evidence of His loving care and discover a security we've never known before.
What to Do When You Don't Feel Very Thankful
LYSA TERKEURST
We are given amazing privileges when we trust in Jesus. Recalling these promises is a good way to maintain a thankful heart, even when facing challenges in other areas. Consider four such blessings:
- Christ's gift of salvation. No matter what trial we're facing, it is microscopic next to the enormity of Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf. The cross was a steep price to pay, but the Savior willingly took our place in order to offer us forgiveness and eternal life.
- Assurance of God's love. The Lord cares for us unconditionally-that is His very character (1 John 4:16). Unfortunately, the storms of life can cause us to question this, but Romans 8:31-39 unequivocally tells us that nothing can separate us from God's love.
- Answered prayer. We have the awesome privilege of talking to the Father about anything burdening us-and He never grows tired of listening to His children. Our omnipotent, omniscient God is not only able to help us in any situation; He also knows the best possible way to do so.
- A personalized plan. The Lord has a will, plan, and purpose for our lives that He will accomplish if we obey Him. No one is exempt from adversity, but we can trust God to bring good from everything He permits to come our way.
Hardships, temptations, and tests will touch us all, but the Lord allows difficulty for a reason-even when we don't understand why (Rom. 8:28). Therefore, submit yourself to the Father, thank Him for His wisdom, and be confident that He will accomplish His purposes for you.
Jesus the Source of Peace
Colossians 1:15-20
Before we knew Jesus Christ, our life was full of godlessness and wickedness-we had self-seeking ways and stubborn, unrepentant hearts (Rom. 1:18; 2:5, 8). Like our strife-filled world, we clamored for peace and tried to find it, but our efforts failed.
When we came to faith in the Savior, all of that changed. We were rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought into Christ's kingdom (Col 1:13). Every one of our sins-past, present, and future-was forgiven. Divine justice was satisfied by Christ's sacrifice, and God's wrath upon us was removed. We became a new creation, washed clean by Jesus' blood (2 Cor. 5:17).
Now that sin's power over us has been broken, we can live in accord with God. He sent His Holy Spirit to be our personal guide in this new life, helping each of us experience Christ's peace (Rom. 8:6). We also can look forward to an eternity spent in heaven, where righteousness, tranquility, and joy abound (Rom. 14:17).
The story of the prodigal son's return is a picture of our reconciliation with the Lord (Luke 15:11-24). The son had chosen to leave his father, living instead to please himself. Repentant, he eventually returned home; his father joyfully greeted him and forgave him, and there was harmony between them. God has done all this for us.
Our unity with the heavenly Father came at a great price-the sacrifice of His only Son. Christ gave His life for us so that we could be reconciled to God (Col. 1:20). Christian lives are to testify that Jesus is the source of our peace. Does your life communicate this message?
Resisting Fleshly Appetites
Ephesians 2:1-7
The Holy Spirit guides believers to make wise and righteous decisions. But when Christians fail to listen, they can make choices that appeal to the flesh instead.
After the serpent spoke to Eve, she no doubt took a long look at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17; 3:3). Whatever she might have thought about the tree before, she now saw it with new eyes-flesh-focused eyes. Genesis 3 tells us that the forbidden tree appealed to Eve in three ways: 1) it was good for food, 2) it was a delight to the eyes, and 3) it was desirable to make one wise.
In other words, the tree could fulfill three legitimate human appetites: the desire for tasty meals, beauty, and wisdom. There is nothing wrong with these God-given yearnings. The Lord created a variety of food and an earth packed with breathtaking sights so that people could enjoy them. He also offers the Holy Spirit as a source of His true wisdom and knowledge. In fact, it is the Spirit who teaches believers to keep fleshly appetites under control and in balance.
Meanwhile, Satan works very hard at corrupting healthy desires. He abhors seeing people's appetites satisfied. What he wants is to watch a person lusting after a good thing until he or she is controlled by the impulse to have it.
The Devil is pleased when people make themselves slaves to a desire that-in the proper context-the Lord intended to be enjoyed freely. A believer walking in the Holy Spirit rejects gluttony, preferring desires that are within God's boundaries instead. That's how we get His very best.
Peace with God
Romans 5:1-2
One day I posed a question to the waitress at my table: "If you could ask God for anything, what would your request be?" Her answer was immediate. "I want to feel at peace." She tearfully explained that her grandmother had died and emotional turmoil resulted.
Many in our world are like this young woman, in that they desire inner calmness but have no relationship with the Lord. People often seek contentment by trying to improve their appearance, physical fitness, financial situation, or social status-or by abusing substances. But such things can't bring tranquility of heart or mind. Only a relationship with Jesus leads to true peace.
Prior to salvation, we were slaves to sin and living in opposition to God (Col. 1:21). Our transgressions had formed a barrier of hostility between Him and us, which we were helpless to cross on our own. Without God's intervention, we could not have found the way of peace. But our heavenly Father provided the perfect solution to our sin problem. He sent His Son to pay for our iniquities and remove the separation that existed between us and Him.
When we trusted Jesus as our Savior, we were reconciled to the Lord (Rom. 5:10) and no longer at odds with Him. In Christ, we have peace with the Father.
Our triune God has provided everything we need for inner tranquility. The Father opened the way for us to be in His family. Jesus continually offers His peace so we can experience serenity of mind and heart (John 14:27). And the Holy Spirit cultivates the fruit of peace in our lives (Gal. 5:22).
Our Heavenly Father
Matthew 6:8-13
When Christ taught His disciples to pray, He told them to address God as "Our Father." They had previously heard Jesus say, "My Father," but now they, too, shared in that privileged family relationship. All of us who has been born again into the household of God have this same right.
Since our concepts of God are shaped by our earthly fathers, we all have different perceptions of Him, but Jesus is the only one who has a completely accurate understanding of the heavenly Father. Consider some of the ways He cares for His children:
. Loves: God's love is unconditional, since it's based on His nature rather than our performance (1 John 4:16).
. Listens: When we pray, He gives us His full attention (Ps. 55:16-17).
. Provides: The Father assumes responsibility for meeting all our needs (Phil. 4:19).
* Guides: He is the one who directs our path when we trust in Him (Prov. 3:5-6).
. Protects: The Lord shields us spiritually, emotionally, and physically, sifting every experience through His sovereign fingers. (Ps. 121:1-8).
. Stays: He's not an absentee parent, since He'll never leave or forsake us (Deut. 31:8).
. Disciplines: The Lord disciplines us
for our good, so that we may share in His holiness (Heb. 12:5-11).
Though experiences with our earthly dads may have distorted our view of the heavenly Father, we can learn to see Him as He truly is. By viewing Him through the truth of Scripture instead of our preconceptions, we will see evidence of His loving care and discover a security we've never known before.
What to Do When You Don't Feel Very Thankful
LYSA TERKEURST
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)
It was one of those days. I drove to the airport in the pouring rain. The skies were gray. The day was gloomy. And honestly, so was I.
Many of the things entrusted to me in life were beginning to feel more like burdens than blessings.
There were just a lot of little things swarming my thoughts. Feelings of inadequacy stinging. There are so many things I'm responsible for and never enough hours in the day. I do enough to keep things from sinking. But I just wonder if I'm doing anything well. I don't think I am ... doing anything well.
The more I focused on these thoughts, the more overpowered I became. The more overpowered I became, the more withdrawn I felt.
I pulled into the parking space and started the fight with my luggage. My suitcase has two wheels missing, and of course I keep intending to do something about this. But I don't have time. So I make do with a crazy suitcase and a crazy life and a crazy sense I should just pack my family up and move out west somewhere. Live on a ranch where we grow our own food and I cook beans in a black pot over an open flame.
Surely that would fix everything.
Except that I know it wouldn't.
Because the chaos isn't from my circumstances.
It's inside me.
I boarded the plane. I stared out the window. I watched the gray clouds envelop us.
And then the gray broke.
Suddenly, we rose above the clouds and the sun was shining brightly. The sky was fabulously clear.
The clouds were just a temporary covering. They didn't stop the sun from shining. They just prevented my eyes from seeing the sun. And it wasn't just the sky that appeared a little brighter. My mood did as well.
I started to shift from feeling overpowered to empowered as I realized three things:
Just because I feel it doesn't make it real.
Just like the clouds prevented my eyes from seeing sun, my gloomy mood had prevented me from seeing the truth. I might feel like I'm not doing anything well, but it doesn't make it true. The fact that I have weaknesses doesn't make everything about me weak. I have plenty of strengths.
All I have to do is ask a couple of my friends or family members to help me see what I do well. I can celebrate those, and then get a plan for bettering things that need improvement. I can start by identifying one thing to improve on this month, and do a little toward making that one thing better.
There are a lot of people who would trade their best day for my worst day.
Yes, I have a lot to manage. And yes, sometimes things get a little foggy. But that doesn't mean I have to stay swallowed up in the gray. That means I need to get my head above the clouds and see all the many places where the sun is shining brightly in my life.
I can start by making a list of things for which I need to be thankful.
My mind needs some space to think.
If I always run at a breakneck pace, I'm eventually going to break. My mind is a powerful tool, capable of seeing things that can be done more efficiently and effectively if I give myself time to think. When is the last time I just sat quietly with a pen and paper and asked the Lord to help me think?
As 2 Corinthians 12:9 teaches, God's power is made perfect in weakness. When I'm sinking in thoughts of inadequacy, I remember that my ability is not based on what I can do. My ability and strength come from the One who can do all things.
With the Lord working in me and through my weaknesses, I can feel the transformation from being overpowered to empowered taking place.
If the clouds have been looming close lately, maybe it's time to stop. Pause. Lift your eyes to an altitude that can rearrange your attitude.
Dear Lord, thank You for all You've given me. I want to cultivate a thankful heart that relies on You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." Philippians 4:12 (NIV)
My grandparents were farmers on the plains of Kansas where the houses were separated by acres of wheat, so time with friends and neighbors was precious. One evening, a neighboring family came over for a meal at my grandma's house. My dad and aunt, still elementary-aged, played with the other kids until it was time to scoot up to the table ladened with food from the farm and garden - steaming vegetables, savory meat and sweet fruit pies.
Home-cooked goodness passed around until every plate had mounds of food. A happy silence fell while everyone chewed. Suddenly, little Mary Jane, one of the neighbor's daughters, piped up saying, "This steak is tough."
Her ever-vigilant mother cheerfully replied with just a hint of threat, "And that's the way we like it. Isn't it, Mary Jane?"
We never have a gathering of our extended family when that quote isn't evoked. Inevitably, someone will begin to complain and somebody else will say, "And that's the way welike it. Isn't it, Mary Jane?" No matter when it's said or who says it, the whole group explodes in laughter.
Maybe you have to be there to think it's as funny as we do, but I'll bet your family has a way to remind everyone to be thankful, too. Just like our family, you find a way to rejoice through the awkward, difficult moments.
As the holiday season starts, we try to focus on the blessings of life, yet the circumstances of life remain imperfect. The turkey is raw, or somebody's mad. There's not enough money to pay all the bills, or a loved one is missing from the table. You're still longing for a baby, or your resume hasn't landed on the right desk yet. No matter what the circumstance, big or small, there's always something that makes life seem a little tougher than it should be.
Life was hard for Paul as he wrote our key verse from prison. Even so, he calls us to be content in need, when we feel the ache of lack, and in plenty, when self-sufficiency and the quest for more seem to invade. What was Paul's secret weapon that led to contentment through tough times?
Gratitude.
Eight times through the book of Philippians Paul uses the word "rejoice." Gratitude is seeking out and finding joy no matter our circumstances.
Can we do it alone? No. Even super-Apostle Paul follows today's key verse with, "I can do everything through him who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13, NIV-1984).
It's difficult to be thankful in imperfect circumstances, but Jesus enables us through His power. Jesus gives us spiritual abundance even when there's lack in our reality.
As cornucopias, a symbol of abundance, fill the Pinterest boards and fall displays in the stores, memories of my grandma's garden come rushing back. The harvest from her garden that later filled her table didn't look like the perfect produce department in my local grocery store. Pumpkins from her garden were flat on one side, and the cabbage was often laced with insect holes. Fruit had bruises and vegetables showed signs of too much or too little rain. Life is like that too, yet an imperfect life can be a cornucopia of contentment when it's viewed through the lens of thankfulness.
A harvest of contentment springs from the soil of gratitude.
Even the flawed fruits of harvest in our lives can be nourishing if we'll choose gratitude, joy and contentment. As we face the great joys and sure disappointments of the holiday season, I encourage all of us with these words from Paul, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4, NIV).
Lord, even though our lives are imperfect, we pray You would give us strength to be thankful for Your faithful provision and abundance. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
"You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people." Genesis 50:20 (NLT)
It can be a real mess out there. And the crazy thing is, there can be whole rising muck of stuff on the inside too.
And yet - we do it anyways: String up a tangle of lights. Set a musty angel atop the tree.
Deck the front porch and the back streets and the whole tilted world in this twinkling robe, this tinseled robe. Watch how the whole world spins round in these lit colors.
But as much as the world decorates and prepares for Christmas, it's like the hem of our robe is dirty and dragging; there's always the ripped underside of things, the dreams and bits of us and unspoken hopes, all torn to pieces.
You can feel this - in a torn-up world, you feel a bit torn apart.
When you are brave, you give yourself the gift of facing and touching your own torn places. The places where we're torn to pieces - can be thin places where we touch the peace of God.
Like Joseph, in the book of Genesis, who reaches out touches his own worn-thin place. He feels along the edges of the torn places, and he sees through, telling his brothers that verse we can hold onto like a gift today: "You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good."
What was intended to tear you apart, God intends it to set you apart.
Whatever has torn you, God makes a thin place to see glory. Whatever happens, whatever unfolds, whatever unravels, you can never be undone.
You can stand around a Christmas tree with a family tree like Joseph's, with cheaters and beaters and deceivers. Or his dad, Jacob, who ran away and ran around and ran folks down.
But out of a family line that looks like a mess, God brings the Messiah. What was intended to harm, God intended all of it for good, and no matter what intends to harm you, God's arms have you. You can never be undone.
No matter what intends to harm you ... God is never absent, never impotent, never distant.
You can never be undone.
In the middle of all our collective mess stands the most monstrous evil. The wood of the crèche that held baby Jesus lies torn apart behind the wood of the Cross. The cries of the innocent Babe under the stars of Bethlehem twist into the agonized cries of the innocent victim atop the injustice of Calvary.
The holy dark over the manger gives way to the heinous dark over the Messiah and the slamming hammer and the tearing vein and the piercing thorn - the created murdering the Creator.
The Cross stands as the epitome of evil.
And yet God takes the greatest evil ever known to humanity and turns it into the greatest Gift you have ever known.
"If the worst things work for good to a believer, what shall the best things?" writes puritan Thomas Watson. "Nothing hurts the godly ... all things ... shall cooperate for their good, that their crosses shall be turned into blessings."
If God can transfigure the greatest evil into the greatest Gift, then He intends to turn whatever you're experiencing now into a gift. You cannot be undone.
Somewhere, Advent can storm and howl and look messy.
And still, the world all robed for Christmas can spin bravely and beautifully on - holding on to a God who won't let you be undone.
Lord, we come to You not because You are our last hope, but because You are our first love. We're coming to You before we do anything at all because waiting on You is wisest of all. We trust You to work all this out in Your good time. You are only good. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
"O my soul, bless God. From head to toe, I'll bless his holy name! O my soul, bless God, don't forget a single blessing!" Psalm 103:1-2 (MSG)
We'd argued on our drive to the hospital.
Soon I'd be lying belly up on an exam table as my stretched-out skin was covered with clear cold goo. Soon we'd get our first glimpse of the baby tucked beneath my heart.
However, my husband and I couldn't agree on one thing: Should we find out the gender of our baby or not?
His vote was yes; mine was no.
Two years prior, we opted for the moment-of-arrival surprise when we were expecting our firstborn. I loved the thrill of hearing the doctor say, "You have a boy!" after my son had entered the world on that momentous August day.
Since I was the one laboring, I figured I deserved a weighted vote. So, when the grainy glimpse of our wee one appeared on the ultrasound screen, and the tech asked if we'd like to know the gender, I stated my preference.
Rob didn't dispute my final call, but he did leave the hospital with measurably less excitement than his victorious wife. In fact, for the rest of the pregnancy, he tended to the daily grind - went to graduate school, paid the bills, played with our toddler - but he seemed blind to the gift growing right under his nose.
As the due date neared, I looked desperately for a way to awaken my husband to the blessing burgeoning beneath my heart. That's when my doctor suggested an ultrasound to check on the baby's questionable size.
With Rob stuck at work, I drove to the hospital alone. The ultrasound tech greeted me with a smile and a mint green hospital gown. She dimmed the lights and the screen alit with a wiggling silhouette of our second child. My heart ached with the weight of wonder.
Then, suddenly, I had an idea.
I pulled a post-it note from my purse and asked the technician to write the baby's gender on the slip of paper. She nodded knowingly and wrote something in slow, choppy scrawl. Next, she rummaged through a drawer and grabbed an envelope. She slid the post-it-note inside and sealed it.
That evening over dinner, I handed Rob the envelope and explained what it contained. At first he just looked at me with quiet confusion, but as he began to understand what I was offering, a smile spread across his face. He grabbed the envelope, excused himself from the table, and returned with a fresh sparkle dancing in those deep green orbs.
For the remainder of my pregnancy, my husband was a new man. He couldn't keep his hands off my bulging stomach or wipe the grin off his beaming face. When our bundle of wrinkles and wails arrived three weeks later, we named her Elizabeth Grace, for we both agreed she was an undeserved gift.
Once the frenzy of delivery day had grown quiet, I listened to the squeak of the rocking chair and watched my husband cuddle our baby girl. Then, I asked the question I'd been harboring for weeks. "What finally got you excited about this baby?"
Rob kissed our daughter's soft pink cheek and shrugged his shoulders. "I guess it was that little slip of paper."
He glanced at the miracle in his arms and cast me a sheepish grin, "Once I knew we were having a girl, I began to call her by name. That's what made her real to me."
Sometimes naming a gift helps us to see it more clearly. Maybe that's why God urges us to remember our blessings: "O my soul ... don't forget a single blessing!" (Psalm 103:2, MSG)
The One who is timeless invites us to carve out time to give thanks. Not because He needs our gratitude, but because we do.
The daily grind can make us blind.
It's easy to go through the motions of life and fail to see the gifts planted right beneath our noses. But God has given our eyes a prescription: "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (I Thessalonians 5:18, NIV).
Naming a gift doesn't change the gift; it just makes it real.
So make a list, tell a friend, utter a prayer or compose a song. Tell a story, keep a journal or post a praise.
Practice the habit of gratitude frequently and faithfully, and odds are, you'll begin to see some gifts that have been there all along, blessings burgeoning beneath your heart, just waiting for a name.
Dear Jesus, I don't want the daily grind to make me blind. Open my eyes to see the blessings in my life. Grow in me a heart of gratitude. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
"Blessed are those who act justly, who always do what is right." Psalm 106:3 (NIV)
It was a simple cinnamon roll. Well, not the run-of-the-mill, refrigerated whack-open canned variety. It was a jumbo pastry from our local all-night diner, laden with gooey cream cheese frosting. The cost? Just \$285.
My 16-year-old son was spending the night with some boys at a neighbor's house. A little past dark, they got a hankering for this famed treat and decided to make the less than 2-mile trek to satisfy their culinary desire.
Our state has rules for 16-year-old drivers. They may not have more than one other person in the car unless they are related or the group is heading to or from school. Also, they may not drive past 10 p.m. unless they're returning from school, church or work.
These boys knew all this, so they decided one of them - age 19 - would drive. However, his car was out of gas. So my son allowed him to drive our car instead. Upon leaving the restaurant, his friend discovered he didn't have his driver's license with him. The group decided it was better for my son to shuttle the gang the short distance home rather than for his friend to drive without his license.
When they were almost home, the red and blue flashing lights of a police vehicle interrupted their quick outing. My son got pulled over. Questioned. Busted. Not only was my son driving past curfew, but he also had three unrelated passengers in the vehicle with him. He was fined heavily and ordered to pay for an online driving refresher course. Additionally, he had to appear before a judge at the Secretary of State's office.
Although the authorities told us the hearing is usually just a stern lecture (which we were glad he would get!) when his turn came, the usual judge was ill. Instead, our son appeared before a judge from a neighboring county. She listened to his story. And then? She took his drivers license away completely for two months, and ordered him to pay another three-digit fine to get it back!
The diner's menu that fateful night listed the cinnamon roll for the meager price of \$3 and some change. In the end, it actually cost our son a total of \$285 dollars of his own hard-earned money because he did not do the right thing by obeying the laws of our state.
Although we know we should "always do what is right" as today's key verse urges, sometimes we think we can bend the rules ever so slightly. We might even have good reason, as my son felt he did that night. But a rule is a rule. A law is a law. Breaking them comes with consequences - sometimes even stiff penalties and hefty fines.
Likewise, we might bend God's rules. Flirt with sin. Rationalize wrongdoing.
Things such as ... It's not really "gossip" if I'm simply sharing a prayer request. I don't think of it as lying, just creatively leaving out a few minor details. Come on! I'm just reconnecting with a former guy "friend" I found on Facebook for a cup of coffee. What harm could there be in that?
We might know what God commands of us in Scripture by heart, but sometimes we decide ignoring a command "just this once" isn't really a big deal. We convince ourselves we probably won't get caught. However, these seemingly innocent actions could lead to more costly behavior. Sin snowballs. And it often cruelly crushes those foolish enough to stand in its path.
When we're tempted to twist God's commands oh-so-slightly, let's remember my cinnamon-roll-craving son. What we think has a very affordable and even enticing price tag might end up costing us a whole lot more.
Father, please help me to pause before I decide to bend Your commands even a tiny bit. Give me the strength to make right and righteous choices. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
There come times in each life when loneliness overshadows like a cloud, and no one is there to listen and provide counsel. Or perhaps there is some problem so personal and intimate that it seems unfitting or too embarrassing to share with anyone else.
But God will listen! No need is so small, no place too remote, no burden too heavy that He who is the "God of all grace" and "the God of all comfort" (1 Peter 5:10; 2 Corinthians 1:3) will not listen and care. "The LORD will hear when I call unto him" (Psalm 4:3).
Young people sometimes complain that their parents won't listen to them; wives may say their husbands don't listen; sometimes it seems that no one will listen to our questions or ideas about anything. But "the LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth" (Psalm 145:18). Therefore, "pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah" (Psalm 62:8).
But how can He listen? After all, God is far away upon His throne. The risen Savior ascended far above all heavens to sit down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. How can the Father hear when we whisper a prayer in our hearts that no human could hear?
God is indeed up there, but He is also right here! Jesus said: "It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you" (John 16:7). Our God is a triune God, and He can be both in heaven and in our room and even, as the Holy Spirit, within our very hearts. Of course, "if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me" (Psalm 66:18). But for those who confess and forsake their sins, "his ears are open unto their prayers" (1 Peter 3:12). HMM
Wonderful Words of Life
"Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them." (Psalm 119:129)
"Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them." (Psalm 119:129)
Modern liberals may ridicule Bible-believing Christians as bibliolaters, but the fact is that it is not possible to place the Bible on too high a pedestal. "Thy testimonies are wonderful," the psalmist says, for "his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor" (Isaiah 9:6), whose testimonies they are.
Consider just how wonderful are the Scriptures. They were written in the heart of God even before the creation. "For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven" (Psalm 119:89). Then, "at sundry times and in divers manners," this eternal Word of God was conveyed to men, as God "spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets" (Hebrews 1:1). Finally, it was complete, and the last of the prophets concluded it with an all-embracing warning: "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life" (Revelation 22:18-19). Critics who tamper with the words of the Bible are on dangerous ground, the psalmist said: "Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever" (Psalm 119:160). Jesus said: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (Matthew 24:35).
Eternal in the past; inviolable in the present; forever in the future! All we shall ever need for our guidance is to be found in God's wonderful testimonies: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable. . . . That the man of God may be perfect" (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
It is not possible to have too high a view of Scripture, "for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name" (Psalm 138:2). HMM
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