Thanks-Living

"When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude."
                                                                                                                 Gilbert Keith Chesterton

     During this season of Thanksgiving, it is so important to push the pause button in our lives to ponder our many blessings. This requires a child-like accounting of every beautiful benefit we have received. Truth be told, each one of us has been given a cornucopia that overflows with myriads of grace, favor, mercies, and all manner of good provisions bestowed upon us by our Heavenly Father.

     Abundance abounds when our hearts are thankful. We remember to "rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (I Thessalonians 5: 16-18). When we focus on the good in our lives, it changes the trajectory to one that is fruitful and fulfilling.

     Too often, however, we get side-tracked  by directing our attention and emotions to the difficulties and challenges we face. We think to ourselves, "If this one situation would change..." or "If this one person would change..." then all would be well. Helen Keller addressed this by saying, "So much has been given to me. I have no time to ponder that which has been denied."

     We posture our hearts to either develop the habit of gratitude or develop the habit of grumbling.    (If I remember correctly, grumbling did not really help the Israelites as they wandered in the wilderness for forty years!) Therefore, we want to pattern our lives in the way that is obedient and beneficial.

     Jesus showed us that our thanks to God should reveal itself in the way we live. Over and over, Christ sets the example for a thanks-living existence. Never taking anything for granted, but in all things through praise, prayer, and petition, Jesus emulated the perfect picture of a grateful heart.

     "Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds, and they all ate and were satisfied. They picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve full baskets."  (Matthew 14:19-20).

     When Jesus blessed what He had ( instead of focusing on the multitudes of hungry people), God provided what they needed. He also provided an abundance that would be used as a future blessing to others. Gratitude begets the overflow that begats more gratitude!

     There is power in our praise! When we trust the invisible arm of our God more than we trust in what we can see, we stand on the precipice of witnessing miracles. We will become priveleged to witness the supernatural manifesting in our natural realm.

     Jesus' intentions were to provide for the physical needs of His followers, but it also was to give them a personal reason to be thankful to God. His actions were instructive in that He wanted them to grasp just how much God cared for each one of them. This, too, is a model for our lives.

     Each one of us has something that we can give to another. It might be a donation to a food bank or clothing ministry to help those in need. It could also be our time volunteering at a shelter or an orphanage. Perhaps it is opening your home to someone for a meal or a stay. It could be a word of encouragement to someone who is lonely, or a hug, or a prayer...

     Whatever it is, it becomes honorable when our motivation is to cause others to give thanks to God. We know that "every good and perfect gift is from above" (James 1:17), and we can pass that on! Instead of celebrating Thanksgiving this year, I am challenged to follow Jesus in a life of thanks-living!


"May He who gives you more than you could ask or think, cause you to be overflowing with His fullness--

May you heart be full of peace
                                                May your spirit be full of rejoicing
                                                                                             May your voice be full of thankfulness
May your soul be full of light
                                              May your vision be full of hope
                                                                                                May your walk be full of purpose
May your thoughts be full of truth
                                               May your words be full of wisdom
                                                                                             May your attitudes be full of righteousness
May your choices be full of obedience
                                                           May your actions be full of love!"
                                                                                                                           Roy Lessin


                                                       PASS IT ON!!!!!

Mercies In Disguise

"Praise is the beauty of a Christian. What wings are to a bird, what fruit is to the tree, what the rose is to the thorn, that is praise to a child of God."
                                                                                                                          Charles Spurgeon

     Holidays can be tough emotionally. Sometimes we are separated from loved ones, either by distance or be eternity. At other times, we can be sorrowful because of difficult memories from holidays in our past. At the very least, we can become frazzled by the frenetic pace of all the preparations that need to be done or disappointed by the unmet expectations of the "perfect" holiday.

     Why are there so many spoilers? Why can't every holiday be like the ones in the 'happily ever after' movies? Why do loved ones have to suffer under the weight of debilitating illnesses or be separated by nations due to the ravages of war? Why are families decimated by broken relationships and sin that severs? Really, why?

     The simple explanation is that this world is covered up in darkness. Jesus said, "I have come as a Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness." (John 12:46).
When we come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, we are transformed into "sons of  Light" (John 12:36).

     Even as 'sons of Light', we still encounter many trials and tribulations (John 16:33). The narrow road of the Christian life can be frought with challenges and hardships. Joni Eareckson Tada, who is paralyzed from the neck down from a diving accident, says this, " Take those road hazards- the potholes, ruts, detours, and all the rest- as evidence that you were on the right route. It's when you find yourself on that big, broad, easy road that you ought to worry."

     We have guarantees on this road of adversity. Jesus assures us that we can have peace and that we can also walk in holiness. As the "author and perfector of [our] faith", Jesus is our example of faith and patience within God's gracious design for our lives. Even, in the midst of suffering.

     Suffering well requires receiving grace from God in humilty and with gratitude. It also requires loving God and loving others more than we are concerned about ourselves. Suffering and illness should never become our identity. This is not the example Christ set before us.

     One of the sweetest Christian ladies I have ever known died three years ago from leukemia that ultimately was debilitating. She went through Chemotherapy and weekly blood transfusions. Her heart and attitude was never for herself. It took a couple of hours each week to get the transfusion, and while she did, she seized the opportunity to share the Gospel with the healthcare workers that assisted her. Some accepted Christ as a result and others got more serious about their faith. When she was bedridden at home with Hospice, she continued to love on every person that was around her. She prayed for them and blessed them abundantly. At the very end of her life, when she moved in and out of consciousness, often her arms would raise to worship the Lord. I imagine this is exactly how she entered into heaven!

     If we consider our lives to be a pilgrimage, we recognize that even our sufferings on this earth are transient. They would still be transient even if they were to last for our entire lives. Paul is the apostle that suffered more than any other apostle. He tells us that "our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." ( 2 Corinthians 4:17). All the while, we move closer and closer to our God. Whatever we are going through, we are not staying there because being "stuck" is never God's plan!

     Charles Spurgeon tells us that "through our trials God is slowly weaning us from this earth for the world beyond." Sin and suffering are not the work of God, but they are allowed within His sovereign plan. While all of universe bows to God's imminence, not all things are according to His perfect will.

     We deal with suffering by walking through it, and by knowing that we never walk alone. "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble." (Psalm 46:1). Not only will He never leave us or forsake us, but He also sends us His Comforter.

     True comfort does not come from understanding why we suffer, but in knowing the One who truly understands our pain. Trials and suffering either moves us closer to God (when we choose to trust Him) or they move us further away from Him ( when bitterness invades through our questioning God's design). J.I. Packer tells us, "We should not be upset when unexpected and upsetting and discouraging things happen. God in His wisdom means to make something of us which we have not yet attained, and is dealing with us accordingly."

     How we respond to trials is what will determine our ultimate destiny in Christ. In Psalm 13, David comes to God just as he is and shares his truest feelings when he says, "How long, O Lord?" He ends the Psalm with all the things he knows to be true about God. We cannot let our emotions be seated on the throne of our hearts.

     It is possible to forsake negativity and complaining  and feast on gratitude. This comes through immersion in God's Word and in deeply understanding God's character. Even in our darkest trials, there are still things in which we can be thankful. Circumstances do not control our joy. When we re-orient our thinking to the goodness of God, our emotions will follow.

     Trials can equip us to help others. God uses the hardest stories and deepest brokenness for Him to shine His light through to minister to others. We can never learn to be a good comfortor to others until we have been afflicted. Even then, we can only comfort others with the comfort we have received. ( 2 Corinthians 1:3-5).

     God's ways are not our ways. During our deepest sorows, we do not need explanations. Rather, we need revelation. Life truly comes into focus when we recognize God's tender mercies that appear in the form of a trial. And, when we can worship in the midst of it, we are far on the road to discovering who we were created to be. During these holidays, allow praise and worship to reign supreme!


"We were created for God's pleasure. In these closing moments of this age, the Lord will have a people whose purpose for living is to please God with their lives. God finds His own reward for creating man. They are His worshipers. They are on earth only to please God, and when He is pleased, they are pleased. The Lord takes them farther and through more pain and conflicts than other men. Outwardly, they are 'smitten of God, and afflicted' , yet to God, they are His beloved. When they are crushed, like petals of a flower, they exude a worship, the fragrance of which is so beautiful and rare that angels weep in quiet awe at their surrender. They are the Lord's purpose for creation."
                                                                                                                               Francis Frangipane

    

It's Harvest Time!

"Things great have small beginnings. Every downpour is just a raindrop; every fire is just a spark; every harvest is just a seed; every journey is just a step because without that step there would be no journey; without that raindrop there can be no shower; without that seed there can be no harvest."
                                                                                                                          William Wilberforce


     Harvest time is an exciting time for believers in Christ! It is a time of multiplication, maturation, and gathering...It s also a time of reflection regarding the fruitfulness of our lives. It is celebratory in nature, as well as an opportunity to re-calibrate in an effort to increase future yields.

     For many in the body of Christ, this past season has been one of intense preparation. Many of us have endured major challenges that have left us feeling: pressed, plowed, poked, prodded, and pruned. At times, it has felt like we were left in the dark. At other times, it seems as if our tears have watered our seeds of faith. Despite these difficulties, God has remained the Supreme Gardener, tending to the tiniest details of our lives. The plan has remained steadfast- the Gardener would feed and equip us so that our lives would ultimately be harvested to bring God glory through them.

     Not one of our experiences have been random or without purpose. God has orchestrated our growth and cultivation meticulously. The storms and torrents have produced growth. The fires and flames are producing purpose and passion. Every seed that has been sown and every sacrifice that has been offered will be multiplied to produce God's end-time harvest.

     If we had eyes to see, we would understand that delays are not denials. We would see that there really is order in the situations and circumstances that feel chaotic and out of control. We would be able to visualize God's goodness in our story and see the progress that has been accomplished. If we had eyes to see, it would be easier to be strong in our faith and courageous in our day to day walk. Unfortunately, it's just not always easy for us to see...

     My father-in-law raises beef cattle on a farm near Bowling Green, Kentucky. In order to feed the cattle, he sows alfalfa. It takes approximately 500 pounds of seed to sow the field. One sowing of seed will last for five to six years and will produce approximately 2 million pounds of hay. Alfalfa also improves the ground into which it is sown by adding nitrogen into the soil. So, not only does it produce a prolific harvest, but it also prepares the ground for the next harvest it will yield.

     Since we are made in God's image, how much more significant are the seeds we sow than alfalfa? And, when our Supreme Gardener touches and blesses our efforts, how much better will the yield be?  When we are yielded to the Gardener's plan, how efficacious and long-lasting will the harvest be?

     Practically speaking, we are living in unusual times. Radical times require radical faith. Each one of us are given a unique sphere of influence that not one other person on the planet has. Every person in our lives is God-ordained with purpose and intent. It is incumbent upon us to understand how God is working in the lives of those who are around us and assist Him in those efforts.

     We are also each given a mandate and a calling. This requires seeing ourselves as God sees us. His Word to each one of us is to step up into our rightful identity and calling in Christ: "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and His glory appears over you." (Isaiah 60:1-2).

     It is time for us to be a light in this dark world. It is time to utilize every gift, talent, and resource we have for the extension of Christ's kingdom. It is also time for radical faith to believe God for BIG things- things we could never accomplish on our own. You know, the David versus Goliath kind of faith!

     If we are willing to step out in this level of faith, we must also be prepared for the opposition that will inevitably come our way. When David was being persecuted by Saul in Ziklag, he rounded up troops from the twelve tribes of Israel. Each tribe was unique in the abilities they could contribute. The fewest number of men came from the tribe of Issachar. There were 200 men who were described as "men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do." ( I Chronicles 12:32).

     Biblically speaking, the number 200 means insuffiency. Without the wisdom, discernment, and power from God, these men could do nothing on their own. But, when God gave them power and resources, combined with their courage to speak, there was no opponent who could defeat them.

      Before David achieved his perfect victory, however, there were many trials and tests. At David's lowest point, his troops were ready to stone him because of their perceived losses. All of these experiences, both good and bad, were part of God's providential plan.

      Charles Spurgeon describes it this way, "When God means to bless us, He often takes away a part of the little strength we thought we had. We did not think our strength equal to the task and the Lord takes away a portion, even, of the little power we had! Our God does not fill until He has emptied."

      If you feel empty right now, just remember that God seeks to shower blessings on His people (Psalm 144:15). Moreover, God is "able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think." (Ephesians 3:20). Even now, He stands ready to do so!

     Ultimately, God gave David a complete rescue, as well as awarding him great spoils. He did become wealthy, but he also became a better man, a holier man, and a stronger man. These preparations were important for him to eventually wear the crown that God had reserved for him. As the King of Israel, David would become the man God used to accomplish mighty feats for His Names' sake!

"God is more anxious to bestow His blessings on us than we are to receive them."
                                                                                                                            Augustine (354-430),
                                                                                                                              Bishop of Hippo

Signed, Sealed, and Delivered

"The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why."
                                                                                                                                          Mark Twain
                (Not to be presumptuous, but I would add the day we are born again.)


     Ecclesiastes tells us there is a time and season for all things...A time to be born and a time to die.
Each time and season brings with it specific milestones and joys that are unique to it. Certain seasons also bring an enormous sense of anticipation and excitement, such as a wedding or the birth of a child. Exhilaration that is palpable can be felt during the times that offer an opportunity for a new beginning.

     I love new beginnings! Both Brent and I have given decades of our lives to the field of Obstetrics.
Brent is an OB/GYN and I am a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner. The best part of my career was the ten years I worked in Labor and Delivery. Bustling with excitement and new life, it was easily the most rewarding thing I have ever done professionally. Everyday, I was privileged to witness miracle after miracle emerge into the world. There was no sound more beautiful than when air first rushed into a newborns' lungs and they responded with a resounding cry! It still brings tears to my eyes.

     For most soon to be parents, much preparation is necessary. Every detail is deliberated and the thrill of a new family member is discussed, as necessary steps prepare the way for the littlest addition. The nursery is furnished, baby clothes are laundered, and a name is typically chosen beforehand. Additionally, there are Lamaze classes, delivery preferences, nursing choices, and anesthesia options that are decided.

     Finally, the big day arrives! Parents burst through the Labor and Delivery doors wide-eyed and nervous. Both Mom and Dad have minds and hearts brimming with thousands of questions! New Dads are particularly amusing as they try to compensate for their anxiety. ( Incidentally, it is typically the big, burly Dads that end up on the floor after they pass out!) The Mom is generally oblivious to her surroundings, as the contractions and pain serve to adequately distract.

     Every moment that ticks on the clock leads to the moment where emotions crescendo and the baby is delivered. The infant is warmed and swaddled and the memories of previous pain begins to fade... Every neck is strained to make eye contact with the tiny individual who has graced the room with his presence. It is as if the natural meets the divine in that there is a knowing that God has just blessed yet another family.

     As the new parents bond with their sweet baby, there are administrative documents that must be completed. The birth is first recorded in the Labor and Delivery registry book. After that, Birth Certificate applications are filled out, as well as the forms for a Social Security number. These records are the official documents needed for citizenship, education, passports, and every other important life event. These papers will  be utilized for all that is to come in the life of this child.

     A similar thing occurs when we are born again. God prepares and plans for our big day. His plan was conceived before He even created the world ( 1 Peter 1:20). The apostle, Paul, tells us that God's "eternal purpose" for us is His plan of salvation ( Ephesians 3:11). As soon as we accept Jesus into our hearts, our name is written in the Lamb's book of life ( Philippians 4:3).

     "There is a salvatian in no one else [except Jesus] for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12). Jesus is the only way! He is the perfect Lamb that made the perfect sacrifice to atone for every one of our sins ( past, present, and future). Donald Grey Barnhouse describes it this way, "Christ took our hell so that we might take His heaven."

     Once our name is registered in the Lamb's book of life, God continues to reassure us regarding our salvation. Paul asks the question, "Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ... For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." ( Romans 8:35; 38-39).

     Jesus not only removes our sins as far as the East is from the West, He also became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him ( 2 Corinthians 5:21). The divine exchange occured when He removed all that is unholy from us and replaced it with all that is holy. We can then become clothed in robes of righteousness that Jesus provides for us.

     John Newton describes our salvation like this, "I remember two things: that I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great Savior. " Our righteousness (without Christ) would always be insufficient for salvation. There could never be enough time or enough good works to compare with what Jesus did for you and I.

     Jonathan Edwards states it like this, "If there be ground for you to trust in your own righteousness, then all that Christ did to purchase salvation, and all that God did to prepare the way for it, is in vain."  The book of John tells us there are two requirements for our entrance to heaven. "Unless a man is born of water [ our natural birth] and of the Spirit [our spiritual birth] he shall not enter the kingdom of heaven." (John 3:5).

     God does not want us to be insecure regarding our salvation. The Bible tells us that if we "confess with our mouth 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved."  He pours out His grace, mercy, and peace on us so that we can be confident in Him. He also seals us and gives us His Holy Spirit in our hearts as the security deposit and guarantee of the fulfillment of His promise to us. ( 2 Corinthians 1:22).

     When we die, we are delivered from the power of sin among men. If we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him. ( Romans 6:7-8). Our citizenship is transferred to the Kingdom of Heaven, where, ultimately, we will reside. What a comfort to know that there will be no more sorrow, pain, death, or suffering in our permanent residence.

     In the interim, we are admonished, "be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the Name of our Lord Jesus." (Ephesians 5:15-20).

     Each one of our purposes and destinies are as individual as a snowflake or our fingerprints. We are not all designed to do the exact same thing in God's Kingdom. So, how do we know what God is calling us to do? Our example will always be Jesus. When Jesus walked this earth, He said that He only did what He saw His Father in heaven doing. Likewise, as we follow Christ in our daily lives, we emulate Him in what He is doing in this earth. In doing this, others will see God's reflection in our lives (John 10:37-38).

     As I am growing older (and hopefully, more mature), I now see that while our natural birth is important, it pales in comparison to our spiritual birth. Where we spend eternity is much more significant than the few decades we exist on this planet. It is so significant, in fact, that the Bible tells us all of heaven stops what they are doing so the angels can sing and rejoice. This happens every time one sinner repents. ( Luke 15:10). I sure would love to see that heavenly party!

     Gratitude for our salvation compels us to share Christ with others who do not know Him. Truthfully, that is why we are here. If God only wanted our salvation, He would bring us home the minute it occurred. At this point in our lives, Brent and I find it more exciting to see someone accept Jesus than it is to watch a newborns' birth. There is eternal hope in new spiritual life, which is an incomperable thrill.

     Witnessing another person enter into God's Kingdom is a sacred privelege. It is as if, for a moment, we are allowed to join the angels as they rejoice. I am so grateful for every provision God gives to secure each persons salvation. I can almost visualize God's heavenly pen inscribe a name into the Lamb's book of life, as we are signed, sealed, and delivered!


" I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its' temple. And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its' lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its' light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. In the daytime (for there will be no night there), its' gates will never be closed; and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. " ( Revelation 20: 22-27).