Part 6 of the Power of Giving Thanks
Here's an interesting scripture to consider - "But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God." Let that sink in. "For this you know...." "For" meaning because - for this reason. It links what follows with what preceded it. "Immoral, impure or covetous man, who is an idolater" is equated with immorality, impurity, greed, and is characterized by filthiness, silly talk, or coarse jesting. And, the alternative to those characteristics is giving thanks. Just as in Romans 1, giving thanks keeps us from sin, and the lack of it opens the door to immorality and idolatry.
In what follows, the point is not to create rules or New Testament "thou shalt nots" for right or wrong language. Rather, by understanding what is unacceptable and characteristic of an evil heart, we have a basis for examining our own hearts. If these things are common parts of our vocabulary, replacing them with an attitude of giving thanks to God will change us from within, making God our focus and bringing honor to Him.
So, watch your language. No, I mean watch your language; listen to what comes out of your mouth. Is it filthy? (The Greek word here means deformity or ugliness, obscenity. Could "deformed" words be literal? Would that include cleaning up our swearing by substituting gosh, golly, and gee for God and Jesus? Maybe. Certainly it means offensive, ugly, unacceptable speech. In other words there is a standard. Whose standard? Who's to say what is right or wrong or offensive or unacceptable? You know. No one has to say what the standard is. It used to be much more obvious. Words that even coarse men used when alone or in each other's company, they would avoid (or apologize for) when in the company of women, or Christians whom they respected. Now, even women and children let fly with such language, and woe to you if you're offended. But they still know it's offensive.
The next phrase, silly talk, is foolish talk, moronic words (from the Greek, morologia - moros meaning "dull, not acute," and logos meaning "word"). Is this immature talk? Is it telling jokes? Is it just foolish speculation about things? I honestly am not sure what ground this might cover. Maybe it's just ridiculous things like being discouraged and down on yourself when in reality, you're a child of the King, joint heir with Christ, and an overwhelming conqueror because of His overwhelming love for you.
The word for jesting actually has a positive sense in which it refers to wittiness. The root word carries the idea of turning or changing. It's the "turn of phrase" that can bring a chuckle or get a point across. Paul used it when standing in chains before King Agrippa: "I wish to God... not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains." However, it is also the insult that is clothed in politeness. It's the lewd comment or rudeness phrased in such a way as to seem innocent. (A lot of our modern comedy falls into this category). You may not come right out and say something crude, but yo say what you want in a way that suggests something crude or vulgar. The resulting mental image in the listener's mind is the same. Is it any less wrong to actually say the words than to suggest them in such a way as to generate the same image?
Having standards for behavior, or rules or laws or commandments, won't keep us from sinning. The standard is there to let us know what is right and wrong. Giving thanks to God, and continuing to do so until it becomes an attitude of our heart will also make it a normal part of our speech. It will override the attitudes of anger and immorality that are often evidenced in our language. This really is a heart issue, not a mouth issue; but what comes out of our mouth is evidence of what's in our hearts. And, as lesser drugs can lead to harder drugs, stepping off into the sinful pleasure of a little coarse language opens the door to "immorality, impurity and covetousness."
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
The Power of Giving Thanks for All Things, pt.5
"As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude" (Colossians 2:6-7). The way you get in is the way you go on. You have been firmly rooted (God's doing) and are now being built up and established (also God's doing). And, just as you were thankful and rejoicing and overflowing when you "got in," so should you be as you "go on." The God who saved you sanctifies you. He laid the foundation, and He's building on it. The building up and maturing process should bring you just as much joy and thankfulness as the getting saved part did. In a couple of earlier blogs I dealt with what it means to go on the way you get in and how it leads to true Sabbath rest. Overflowing with gratitude is again how we express faith in God's process of salvation and growth - by His doing, not by our works.
2 Corinthians 4:6-18 reveals a couple of more benefits of giving thanks. "For all things are for your sakes so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God. Therefore, we do not lose heart...." The God who said, "Let there be light," is the God who qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light (Col.1:12). Or, as Paul put it, "The God who said, 'Light shall shine out of darkness,' is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." He goes on to talk about the suffering and affliction we experience as frail humans, made of clay, and about the meaning of the cross for our experiencing the crucified life and living in the power of Christ's indwelling. He echoes Hebrew 12, that the suffering in the temporal is to point us to the eternal, so that all things result in our increased faith, and in our sharing the good news. That results in more people coming to know the grace of God.
Even the decay, as he called it, of our physical body should only remind us to let go of the temporal and embrace the eternal. So, it's okay that our bodies wear out as we get older. It's okay that we get bifocals, our hair grays and thins, our joints ache. Thank God that our inner man is being renewed daily.
What's important is that our lives and our speech proclaim the grace of God - sufficient for all our needs, and the needs of a lost and dying world. That will be accomplished by, and result in, abundant, abounding thanksgiving to the glory of God. All things are "for your sakes." So we can thank Him for all things and through doing so, help spread His grace. The more people who experience His grace, the more people will give thanks, and the more God will be glorified. So, we don't "lose heart." We are not discouraged by "all things" (good or bad). We know that He will use this to bring glory to Himself, and to grow us and mature us.
Thanksgiving for all things brings us rest as we express faith in the process of God to save us and grow us spiritually. Thanksgiving brings glory to God. God uses all things to accomplish His purpose of spreading grace in the world, and shining forth His light through the darkness that we may know Him. Thanksgiving for all things keeps us from losing heart by reminding us that all things are for our benefit when entrusted to His wise and loving hand.
2 Corinthians 4:6-18 reveals a couple of more benefits of giving thanks. "For all things are for your sakes so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God. Therefore, we do not lose heart...." The God who said, "Let there be light," is the God who qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light (Col.1:12). Or, as Paul put it, "The God who said, 'Light shall shine out of darkness,' is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." He goes on to talk about the suffering and affliction we experience as frail humans, made of clay, and about the meaning of the cross for our experiencing the crucified life and living in the power of Christ's indwelling. He echoes Hebrew 12, that the suffering in the temporal is to point us to the eternal, so that all things result in our increased faith, and in our sharing the good news. That results in more people coming to know the grace of God.
Even the decay, as he called it, of our physical body should only remind us to let go of the temporal and embrace the eternal. So, it's okay that our bodies wear out as we get older. It's okay that we get bifocals, our hair grays and thins, our joints ache. Thank God that our inner man is being renewed daily.
What's important is that our lives and our speech proclaim the grace of God - sufficient for all our needs, and the needs of a lost and dying world. That will be accomplished by, and result in, abundant, abounding thanksgiving to the glory of God. All things are "for your sakes." So we can thank Him for all things and through doing so, help spread His grace. The more people who experience His grace, the more people will give thanks, and the more God will be glorified. So, we don't "lose heart." We are not discouraged by "all things" (good or bad). We know that He will use this to bring glory to Himself, and to grow us and mature us.
Thanksgiving for all things brings us rest as we express faith in the process of God to save us and grow us spiritually. Thanksgiving brings glory to God. God uses all things to accomplish His purpose of spreading grace in the world, and shining forth His light through the darkness that we may know Him. Thanksgiving for all things keeps us from losing heart by reminding us that all things are for our benefit when entrusted to His wise and loving hand.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Another Look at Thanksgiving Brings Peace
Colossians 3:15 is one of my favorite verses. Where I first found it meaningful was in seeking God's will and direction in life. The peace of God is a valuable guide. This verse says, "let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts...." The word "rule" here is like an umpire in athletic games. It isn't rule as king. Rather, it is the one who lets you know if you're in bounds or out, following the rules, making the right kinds of plays, etc. As an umpire, the peace of Christ is a valuable resource for staying on the right track. No peace? Probably not the right choice.
This was one of those verses I mentioned where the idea of giving thanks seemed to be almost randomly thrown in. But it was also one of the first that made me realize that was not the case. Thanksgiving was the thread that tied all the lessons I was learning as a Christian into a unified whole, and not a unrelated pile of random spiritual truths. There was more to the idea of giving thanks than I realized. The verse goes on: "...to which you were called in one body, and be thankful." The "be thankful" part wasn't too hard to see. It's easy to be thankful when you have His peace. It's easy to be thankful when His peace is assuring you that you're making the right choice. It was the middle part of the verse that threw me.
As a body, we as Christians, the Church, are called to the peace of Christ. That seems easy enough, but I always felt like there was more to it. The next two verses, 16 and 17, also mention being thankful, but I saw them, and heard them taught by others as well, as three distinct items on a list. Verse 16 talks about teaching and admonishing one another. One another, our fellow believers, the Church, is taught and reminded of the Lord by our singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with thanksgiving in our hearts. That, in effect, is what started me on this journey to understanding thanksgiving, though I didn't realize it at the time. I was in church one Sunday soon after graduating high school, planning to go to college and prepare to be a missionary. I looked around as we were singing hymns, and saw faces that looked blanked and bored, routinely mouthing the old familiar words without thought to their meaning, and no expression of joy or thankfulness at all. At that moment, I felt God speak to my heart that He didn't want me in foreign missions, "I have plenty for you to do in this country." At least part of that is reminding the Church that whatever you do, in word or deed, do it giving thanks through Christ to God the Father. When you sing, sing with thanksgiving. When you do, it will admonish (put in mind) and teach one another of the truth that God is real. He exists. He is worthy of praise. He is worthy of our faith. He rewards those who seek Him. We truly have reason, as a body of believers, to rejoice and give thanks.
Thanksgiving brings peace. It protects us from sin. It's how we teach and admonish one another as the body of Christ. It makes our service acceptable.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Thanksgiving Brings Peace
This is The Power of Giving Thanks for All Things, pt.3
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:4-7) Here is another passage that is often preached. The part we most remember, if not that which is most emphasized when the passage is taught, is generally the last half: "the peace of God...will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Be at peace, and that peace will guard your heart.... It becomes almost a command to know His peace, rest in Him, and everything will be okay. Don't be anxious or troubled; be at peace. But how?
By prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. When you do, His peace will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
If you believe He is God, you will believe that He is capable of meeting your needs. If you believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him, you will believe that He is willing to meet your needs and there is no need for anxiety. Thanksgiving is the expression of faith that He is & He is a rewarder. Thanksgiving says, "God, I have this need. I thank You for it because You will bring glory to Yourself through it, and You will use it to make me more like Christ. I voice my need to You, and ask that You resolve it; meet my need by Your awesome power and grace. I faith that You will do so, and so I thank You for that, too. I don't see the answer yet, but I thank You anyway, because I know that You are faithful, and You will take care of me." Thanksgiving replace anxiety with an expression of faith that He is, that He is a rewarder, and that He will hear your prayers and supplications and supply all your need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Phil.4:19).
So, thanksgiving brings peace, freedom from anxiety, and rest. Thanksgiving is an expression of our faith in a God who is real, and who really loves us.
What does it mean that His peace guards your heart? I think it's two-fold. I think it guards in the sense that You know He is watching over you, that you are protected, and that brings you peace, so you are guarded from anxiety. More than that, it guards from sin (from the perspective of Romans 1). When you have His peace, you don't need anything else. You know that He is sufficient. You don't need anything the world offers to meet your need in that area of your life. So, temptation is defeated. There is no need to embrace or do anything sinful. If man would learn this lesson, to give faith God, and give thanks, we would not find ourselves embracing foolish speculations, having our hearts darkened, and falling into sin.
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:4-7) Here is another passage that is often preached. The part we most remember, if not that which is most emphasized when the passage is taught, is generally the last half: "the peace of God...will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Be at peace, and that peace will guard your heart.... It becomes almost a command to know His peace, rest in Him, and everything will be okay. Don't be anxious or troubled; be at peace. But how?
By prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. When you do, His peace will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
If you believe He is God, you will believe that He is capable of meeting your needs. If you believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him, you will believe that He is willing to meet your needs and there is no need for anxiety. Thanksgiving is the expression of faith that He is & He is a rewarder. Thanksgiving says, "God, I have this need. I thank You for it because You will bring glory to Yourself through it, and You will use it to make me more like Christ. I voice my need to You, and ask that You resolve it; meet my need by Your awesome power and grace. I faith that You will do so, and so I thank You for that, too. I don't see the answer yet, but I thank You anyway, because I know that You are faithful, and You will take care of me." Thanksgiving replace anxiety with an expression of faith that He is, that He is a rewarder, and that He will hear your prayers and supplications and supply all your need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Phil.4:19).
So, thanksgiving brings peace, freedom from anxiety, and rest. Thanksgiving is an expression of our faith in a God who is real, and who really loves us.
What does it mean that His peace guards your heart? I think it's two-fold. I think it guards in the sense that You know He is watching over you, that you are protected, and that brings you peace, so you are guarded from anxiety. More than that, it guards from sin (from the perspective of Romans 1). When you have His peace, you don't need anything else. You know that He is sufficient. You don't need anything the world offers to meet your need in that area of your life. So, temptation is defeated. There is no need to embrace or do anything sinful. If man would learn this lesson, to give faith God, and give thanks, we would not find ourselves embracing foolish speculations, having our hearts darkened, and falling into sin.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Giving Thanks - the Key to "Acceptable Service"
Do you want your service to God & His kingdom to be acceptable? It isn't by working harder and harder in your own strength to do whatever you think is His will. Heb.12:28-29: "Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire."
How often have you heard sermons warning that our God is a consuming fire? "Offer an acceptable service because our God is a consuming fire." Or, "Be reverent and in awe of God because He is a consuming fire." Or even a "turn or burn" salvation message warning that our God is a consuming fire. How often have you heard a sermon on this passage that focused on gratitude? As I shared in the blog on Hebrews 12,this chapter demonstrates how the problems, struggles & persecutions of life serve to remind us that we need to depend on God and trust Him totally in all things, and let go of the temporal in order to know and embrace the eternal. We should do so, knowing that we receive an eternal, unshakeable kingdom, showing gratitude (because He has qualified us to inherit this kingdom). The result is that we will be able to offer to God an acceptable service. Is reverence and awe a matter of sitting quietly in church, straight-faced and dour? Here it appears to be a matter of showing gratitude-glorifying Him as God and being thankful. Sometimes that will be joyful and exuberant, and sometimes so amazed and in awe of God and what He's done that we stand, sit, or lie down before Him in quiet reverence.
An "acceptable service" is accomplished when offered out of a heart that trusts God through all things, and expresses that faith by showing gratitude. He is a consuming fire. He is working in our lives to burn every cord that binds us to what is temporal, and to free us to passionately, joyfully, and by faith embrace the eternal-to live a kingdom life, now and for eternity.
How often have you heard sermons warning that our God is a consuming fire? "Offer an acceptable service because our God is a consuming fire." Or, "Be reverent and in awe of God because He is a consuming fire." Or even a "turn or burn" salvation message warning that our God is a consuming fire. How often have you heard a sermon on this passage that focused on gratitude? As I shared in the blog on Hebrews 12,this chapter demonstrates how the problems, struggles & persecutions of life serve to remind us that we need to depend on God and trust Him totally in all things, and let go of the temporal in order to know and embrace the eternal. We should do so, knowing that we receive an eternal, unshakeable kingdom, showing gratitude (because He has qualified us to inherit this kingdom). The result is that we will be able to offer to God an acceptable service. Is reverence and awe a matter of sitting quietly in church, straight-faced and dour? Here it appears to be a matter of showing gratitude-glorifying Him as God and being thankful. Sometimes that will be joyful and exuberant, and sometimes so amazed and in awe of God and what He's done that we stand, sit, or lie down before Him in quiet reverence.
An "acceptable service" is accomplished when offered out of a heart that trusts God through all things, and expresses that faith by showing gratitude. He is a consuming fire. He is working in our lives to burn every cord that binds us to what is temporal, and to free us to passionately, joyfully, and by faith embrace the eternal-to live a kingdom life, now and for eternity.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
The Power of Giving Thanks for All Things, pt.1
This could also be called the "benefits" of giving thanks. As I looked at the verses on giving thanks, and considered what I'd written, it occurred to me, if you want people to accept something or understand the importance of it, you have to explain the benefits. I touched on this in an earlier blog, looking at Romans 1. If not giving thanks opens the door to sin as Paul indicated in Romans 1, then giving thanks opens the door to overwhelming victory, life, holiness and light.
Paul's prayer in Colossians 1:9-12 reveals another benefit of giving thanks. "Strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light" (vv.11-12). Paul's prayer for the Colossians is one we can pray for ourselves and for others. It is a prayer that they would be filled with a knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. The results of this filling, of knowing His will in this context, are that we may walk in a manner worthy of Him, please Him in all respects, bear fruit in every good work, increase in the knowledge of Him. God's part in this is strengthening us with His power for the attaining of steadfastness and patience. Our part, realizing that He has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light, is to joyously give thanks. When you realize that attaining steadfastness and patience is not your job, it's being accomplished in you by His strengthening with His power, and that you don't have to qualify, but He has qualified you to share in this inheritance in Light - Hallelujah! - how can you not joyously give thanks? When you do, it is an expression of faith in His working on your behalf. It not only indicates your receptivity to His work, but provides further context for being filled with a knowledge of His will. Do you want to walk worthy of Him, please Him, bear fruit, increase in the knowledge of Him? The starting place for all these things is a knowledge of His will in spiritual wisdom and understanding. And the starting place for this is His strengthening you for the attaining of steadfastness and patience, and your joyously giving thanks for what He has done to qualify you to receive your inheritance.
Paul's prayer in Colossians 1:9-12 reveals another benefit of giving thanks. "Strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light" (vv.11-12). Paul's prayer for the Colossians is one we can pray for ourselves and for others. It is a prayer that they would be filled with a knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. The results of this filling, of knowing His will in this context, are that we may walk in a manner worthy of Him, please Him in all respects, bear fruit in every good work, increase in the knowledge of Him. God's part in this is strengthening us with His power for the attaining of steadfastness and patience. Our part, realizing that He has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light, is to joyously give thanks. When you realize that attaining steadfastness and patience is not your job, it's being accomplished in you by His strengthening with His power, and that you don't have to qualify, but He has qualified you to share in this inheritance in Light - Hallelujah! - how can you not joyously give thanks? When you do, it is an expression of faith in His working on your behalf. It not only indicates your receptivity to His work, but provides further context for being filled with a knowledge of His will. Do you want to walk worthy of Him, please Him, bear fruit, increase in the knowledge of Him? The starting place for all these things is a knowledge of His will in spiritual wisdom and understanding. And the starting place for this is His strengthening you for the attaining of steadfastness and patience, and your joyously giving thanks for what He has done to qualify you to receive your inheritance.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Hebrews 12
We must lay aside like old clothes the things that entangle us & keep us from running the race that is before us. When it gets tough, and the temptations are fierce, and the pain is deep and burning, consider (that means think about) Jesus. He endured the cross. He hung on two pieces of wood, probably getting splinters in His already raw, scourged, torn & bleeding back, with nails through His arms & feet, with long sharp thorns digging into His scalp for about six hours. He had nothing to eat since the day before, and nothing to drink. He was stripped and hung up to die a humiliating death before a crowd of people. To be executed this way indicated He had committed a serious crime. But He was sinless. He endured the humiliation and death you & I deserved, and died for our sins. He endured the cross. In your striving against sin in your life, have you resisted to the point of shedding blood? Or are you bucking against the discipline of the Lord, which for a season is quite unpleasant, but will produce in you the very righteousness, peace, strength, and sanctification (holiness) you desire?
Some of the "what abouts" mentioned in the blog a day or 2 ago were very painful things. (When you say "give thanks for all things" people immediately say, "All things? What about...?") Most of us have experienced those kinds of pains, trials and wounds. In what I have said, and in what I'm about to say, please hear this: When wounds are deep, you are going to feel hurt, physically &/or emotionally, and probably anger, and maybe an array of other feelings. This is normal. This is okay. (Look at Job, and Jeremiah). What isn't "normal" for the Christian (it may be common, but it isn't normal) is to stay there. "See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau who sold his own birthright for a meal." You see, God has grace for every situation. He has dying grace for a dying day. He has cancer grace (and radiation and chemo grace). He has my baby is crying & I don't know why grace. He has rape grace. He has incest grace. He has abuse grace. He has I failed miserably grace. He has jobless grace, homeless grace, tornado grace.... Do not fall short of that grace. It is your way out. To refuse the grace is to refuse to embrace Him. To refuse His grace is to hold on to the hurt, and that results in bitterness, and more pain, and more defilement. To refuse His grace will result in looking for other ways to ease the pain. Like Esau, you will grasp something the world offers. Since the world will someday end, that's essentially giving up the eternal for the temporary. It's giving up your birthright for a meal. It is not faith. It is the doorway to sin. See Tuesday's blog for more on that. The way to grasp the grace is gratitude.
You see, you have not come to Mt Sinai, where Moses went up to get the law, and the voice of God speaking to Moses was so awesome that the people requested God stop speaking out loud. No, instead of the mountain of the law, you have come to Mt. Zion. The city there is the one Jeremiah spoke of when he foretold the coming of the righteous Branch of David saying: "Jerusalem will dwell in safety; and this is the name by which she shall be called, 'the Lord is our righteousness'." (Jer.33:16) The righteousness of God Himself is the city He has given us to dwell in. He has brought us to Himself, to dwell in His presence with Jesus Christ as mediator of a new covenant based on our being sprinkled clean by the blood of the lamb to enter into His presence and abide there forever.
Even so, there is a warning. Just as the earth shook when God spoke, giving the law at Sinai, He will shake the earth again, and only those things that are eternal will remain. What are you holding onto? When the shaking comes in your life, if you are not holding onto Him, you will be left holding onto nothing, because "created things" will be removed.
Now, I'm not suggesting that child abuse, bullying, rape, incest, or any of these other hideous sins of men are God's methods of chastising people. Those things are sins of men, birthed out of evil, lustful hearts of men who neither glorify God as God or give thanks. What I am saying is that if you have experienced any of these things, they are part of the "all things" of your life. And, God can use them to help you let go of things that will not last anyway, and learn to embrace Him. There is nothing else to hole onto that is dependable. There is nothing else that will bring you healing, comfort, rest, peace or restoration. There is no one else as trustworthy, who will never let you down or forsake you. Only the eternal will remain stable through shaking as severe as what you have experienced.
Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire" (Heb.12:28-29). Whether it is a gentle, or even a firm, chastisement from the hand of a loving heavenly Father, or cruel defilement from the heart of sinful man (even an earthly father), when entrusted to the God who is faithful, the results are the same - a kingdom which cannot be shaken. Therefore, the response should ultimately be the same: "always giving thanks for all things."
Some of the "what abouts" mentioned in the blog a day or 2 ago were very painful things. (When you say "give thanks for all things" people immediately say, "All things? What about...?") Most of us have experienced those kinds of pains, trials and wounds. In what I have said, and in what I'm about to say, please hear this: When wounds are deep, you are going to feel hurt, physically &/or emotionally, and probably anger, and maybe an array of other feelings. This is normal. This is okay. (Look at Job, and Jeremiah). What isn't "normal" for the Christian (it may be common, but it isn't normal) is to stay there. "See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau who sold his own birthright for a meal." You see, God has grace for every situation. He has dying grace for a dying day. He has cancer grace (and radiation and chemo grace). He has my baby is crying & I don't know why grace. He has rape grace. He has incest grace. He has abuse grace. He has I failed miserably grace. He has jobless grace, homeless grace, tornado grace.... Do not fall short of that grace. It is your way out. To refuse the grace is to refuse to embrace Him. To refuse His grace is to hold on to the hurt, and that results in bitterness, and more pain, and more defilement. To refuse His grace will result in looking for other ways to ease the pain. Like Esau, you will grasp something the world offers. Since the world will someday end, that's essentially giving up the eternal for the temporary. It's giving up your birthright for a meal. It is not faith. It is the doorway to sin. See Tuesday's blog for more on that. The way to grasp the grace is gratitude.
You see, you have not come to Mt Sinai, where Moses went up to get the law, and the voice of God speaking to Moses was so awesome that the people requested God stop speaking out loud. No, instead of the mountain of the law, you have come to Mt. Zion. The city there is the one Jeremiah spoke of when he foretold the coming of the righteous Branch of David saying: "Jerusalem will dwell in safety; and this is the name by which she shall be called, 'the Lord is our righteousness'." (Jer.33:16) The righteousness of God Himself is the city He has given us to dwell in. He has brought us to Himself, to dwell in His presence with Jesus Christ as mediator of a new covenant based on our being sprinkled clean by the blood of the lamb to enter into His presence and abide there forever.
Even so, there is a warning. Just as the earth shook when God spoke, giving the law at Sinai, He will shake the earth again, and only those things that are eternal will remain. What are you holding onto? When the shaking comes in your life, if you are not holding onto Him, you will be left holding onto nothing, because "created things" will be removed.
Now, I'm not suggesting that child abuse, bullying, rape, incest, or any of these other hideous sins of men are God's methods of chastising people. Those things are sins of men, birthed out of evil, lustful hearts of men who neither glorify God as God or give thanks. What I am saying is that if you have experienced any of these things, they are part of the "all things" of your life. And, God can use them to help you let go of things that will not last anyway, and learn to embrace Him. There is nothing else to hole onto that is dependable. There is nothing else that will bring you healing, comfort, rest, peace or restoration. There is no one else as trustworthy, who will never let you down or forsake you. Only the eternal will remain stable through shaking as severe as what you have experienced.
Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire" (Heb.12:28-29). Whether it is a gentle, or even a firm, chastisement from the hand of a loving heavenly Father, or cruel defilement from the heart of sinful man (even an earthly father), when entrusted to the God who is faithful, the results are the same - a kingdom which cannot be shaken. Therefore, the response should ultimately be the same: "always giving thanks for all things."
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
The Most Important Thing to Do Today
If you've read my last few posts, you know what the most important thing to do today is. If not, you might want to, just to make sure you really understand why the most important thing you can do today is: be thankful.
Why be thankful?
I remember years ago, I think I was still in college. A long time ago.... I read a book called "Praise the Lord, Anyway." (PTLA was the predecessor to WWJD for those that remember that fad.) It was a good book about praising the Lord no matter what happened. It really was a good book, and helped me a lot. Where it fell short, I think, in retrospect, #1, was that it emphasized "anyway." Kind of like "in everything give thanks but not for everything." And, #2, as important, valuable and helpful as praise is - for one thing, it is in effect recognizing that God is, and probably even that He is a rewarder - it's still one step short of gratitude - actually thanking God for the situation.
To thank God for whatever you are facing, good or bad, is to lay open your heart and say, "I fully trust You." No matter what, you know that God cares for you. He has your best interest at heart. He will not allow you to suffer beyond what you are able and He will make a way of escape. He will bring glory to Himself and show forth His grace through this situation. He will use this situation to mold you into the image of Christ, to help you become more like Him, holy, full of faith, joyful, to lead you into a life abiding in His presence, resting in His power, His love, His grace, His arms. He will use this situation to bring you into the most wonderful, intimate relationship with Himself. And if you really believe that God is, and you have any concept at all how magnificent, powerful, & awesome He is simply because He is God, then you have to admit, that kind of fellowship with God is really a pretty fair outcome for whatever it is life is throwing your way.
To thank God for whatever you are facing often involves dying to self. It's hard to let go of our comfort zone and our idea of what life should be like and what "good" is. For example, cancer is not good. Being healthy and having energy and clarity of thought to do your work, make a good living for your family; being able to spend time with your family, quality time doing fun things together - these are good things. Cancer interferes with all that. But through having & being treated for cancer I learned nuances and depths to the lessons God had been teaching me I would not have learned otherwise. I moved into a deeper level of faith in God. I was challenged to apply the lessons I'd learned about the importance of knowing Him, about going on the way I got in, about Sabbath rest, about giving thanks for all things. And all of that is good. My choice would have been to feel strong and healthy and spend that summer working beside my wife doing yard work, and with my daughter doing portrait sessions, and to be working hard building my business, and generally living a "normal" life. It was frustrating. I could either get angry, or I could trust God for the grace to deal with the frustrations and thank Him for the whole experience and the truth that He was using it for His glory and my growth.
To not give thanks is to not faith that He is God - at least not in the area of your life for which you are refusing to thank Him. It's saying, "God, you are not powerful enough or loving enough to use this in my life. This is nothing more than a bad situation without any value, reason or purpose." Giving thanks for all things says: "God, I trust You that You are God, that You are faithful, and that You are using this for the highest purposes possible: 1. for You, to bring praise and glory to You for Your grace; 2. for me, to mold me into the image of Christ.
Faith is one of the key things we express and learn through giving thanks. But "faith" is not just blah spiritual principle. Faith is how we see and know and experience God. It's how we enter into and remain in relationship with Him - that intimate, loving, resting, joyful relationship I was talking about.
Why be thankful?
I remember years ago, I think I was still in college. A long time ago.... I read a book called "Praise the Lord, Anyway." (PTLA was the predecessor to WWJD for those that remember that fad.) It was a good book about praising the Lord no matter what happened. It really was a good book, and helped me a lot. Where it fell short, I think, in retrospect, #1, was that it emphasized "anyway." Kind of like "in everything give thanks but not for everything." And, #2, as important, valuable and helpful as praise is - for one thing, it is in effect recognizing that God is, and probably even that He is a rewarder - it's still one step short of gratitude - actually thanking God for the situation.
To thank God for whatever you are facing, good or bad, is to lay open your heart and say, "I fully trust You." No matter what, you know that God cares for you. He has your best interest at heart. He will not allow you to suffer beyond what you are able and He will make a way of escape. He will bring glory to Himself and show forth His grace through this situation. He will use this situation to mold you into the image of Christ, to help you become more like Him, holy, full of faith, joyful, to lead you into a life abiding in His presence, resting in His power, His love, His grace, His arms. He will use this situation to bring you into the most wonderful, intimate relationship with Himself. And if you really believe that God is, and you have any concept at all how magnificent, powerful, & awesome He is simply because He is God, then you have to admit, that kind of fellowship with God is really a pretty fair outcome for whatever it is life is throwing your way.
To thank God for whatever you are facing often involves dying to self. It's hard to let go of our comfort zone and our idea of what life should be like and what "good" is. For example, cancer is not good. Being healthy and having energy and clarity of thought to do your work, make a good living for your family; being able to spend time with your family, quality time doing fun things together - these are good things. Cancer interferes with all that. But through having & being treated for cancer I learned nuances and depths to the lessons God had been teaching me I would not have learned otherwise. I moved into a deeper level of faith in God. I was challenged to apply the lessons I'd learned about the importance of knowing Him, about going on the way I got in, about Sabbath rest, about giving thanks for all things. And all of that is good. My choice would have been to feel strong and healthy and spend that summer working beside my wife doing yard work, and with my daughter doing portrait sessions, and to be working hard building my business, and generally living a "normal" life. It was frustrating. I could either get angry, or I could trust God for the grace to deal with the frustrations and thank Him for the whole experience and the truth that He was using it for His glory and my growth.
To not give thanks is to not faith that He is God - at least not in the area of your life for which you are refusing to thank Him. It's saying, "God, you are not powerful enough or loving enough to use this in my life. This is nothing more than a bad situation without any value, reason or purpose." Giving thanks for all things says: "God, I trust You that You are God, that You are faithful, and that You are using this for the highest purposes possible: 1. for You, to bring praise and glory to You for Your grace; 2. for me, to mold me into the image of Christ.
Faith is one of the key things we express and learn through giving thanks. But "faith" is not just blah spiritual principle. Faith is how we see and know and experience God. It's how we enter into and remain in relationship with Him - that intimate, loving, resting, joyful relationship I was talking about.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Why Is Giving Thanks Important?
Why would I say it's the key to victory? They cynic would say it sounds like a way to overstate the importance of a message to increase the likelihood people will believe it. But consider Romans 1:18-32. This is a classic passage for teaching about the wrath of God and the sins that men fall into. It's also one of those passages that mentions giving thanks, in which giving thanks is usually glossed over and ignored. If you're like me, you've probably heard sermons on most of the passages I listed that talk about giving thanks. I can't recall a single time I heard one in which giving thanks was emphasized or even really dealt with beyond just a brief reference. It's as though we think: "That doesn't really fit here, but since it's mentioned, I'll mention it too, but I don't want to distract from the real message of the text." I submit that in many of these passages, it is a significant part of the real message!
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.... For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse." The implication seems to be that if men looked at the beauty of the world around them, all its intricacies, all its detail, and recognized it as evidence of the creator God, and worshiped Him as God, they would be saved. Instead, even though they could have, no man apparently has. Instead, they began to speculate about what all this meant, where it all came from. They professed themselves to be wise, and became fools with darkened hearts. They went on to trade the glory of God for darkness, and instead of worshiping eternal God, they worshiped temporal man, animals, and other parts of creation--none of which will last, and none of which can save. But look at the verse that describes this transition: "For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks" (vs 21 emphasis mine). From there they proceeded into speculation and darkness, hardness of heart, worship of creation, and all the sins that follow through the end of the chapter. Not being thankful is where they lost it.
Not giving thanks is the turning point! Why? Because giving thanks is the ultimate expression of our faith! Think about it.
If God really is, what does that mean? What is He? What is He capable of? What has He done? What has He promised? According to scripture, He is love. He is all powerful. He is righteous and holy, but not unapproachable. He seeks relationship with man - fellowship, joyful relationship, not cruel domination and subservience. He adopts us as sons and daughters and makes us joint heirs with His only begotten Son! He provides us His righteousness and holiness not on the basis of our works but on the basis of His love and the work of His Son on our behalf. He doesn't force us to live in a way that qualifies us for this inheritance, but He qualifies us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light (not darkness). He works to build in us godly character. Our maturity is His job not ours. He is totally on our side! Look at creation! Look at the beauty with which He's surrounded us! Why? Because He loves us. Consider the marriage relationship. Why does it give so much pleasure? He could have made us like the trees. Men could blow pollen out of the tops of their heads and women could have pollen receptors in theirs - it could be totally random and impersonal and we still could effectively procreate. He made us so that the experience would be very personal and intimate and pleasureful. He didn't have to. He wants good things for us! It's just that there isn't any "gooder" thing than Him! Don't you see, Christianity isn't about rules and laws to limit us and squash us and hold us down. It's about embracing a relationship with a living, loving eternal God and not settling for anything less! Wow! Thank You, God! ..... and that's where it starts.
If God truly is God, He can be trusted. If He can be trusted, we can and should thank Him for all that He does and all that He allows. If we really believe in Him, we will want a relationship with Him. He wants one with us! Wow. That makes it easier. How hard is it to be friends with someone who doesn't give a rip about you? God loves you! He wants a relationship with you! Thank you, Lord.
And, the way you get in is the way you go on! He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it! This same God, who put everything in place from the foundation of the world to bring about your relationship with Him through Christ Jesus is doing everything to maintain that relationship and keep you holy and righteous and growing and learning and maturing. The new (as in never existed before) man that you became at salvation is being renewed (renovated, as in existed, but not to its full potential) according to the image of the One who create him (Col.3:10) from the moment you were saved throughout your life. God not only is, but He is a rewarder of those who seek Him! Wow! Thank you, God!
Giving thanks is the natural, spontaneous response to believing the incredible truth about God.
Giving thanks expresses your faith (believing) in these truths and in Him.
If you believe (faith) - If you "faith" that He is using everything (all things) in your life to bring honor to Him and to mold you into the image of Christ, that is the beginning of faithing that He is trustworthy, faithful, truly caring - a rewarder. If you know that He is using this (whatever your "this" is) to accomplish His will in your life, you can trust Him and even thank Him for it. To say thank you when I was diagnosed with cancer was the best way I could think of to say: "God, I really trust you in this situation. I don't know the outcome of it in terms of my life and health, but I know you will use it to make me more like Christ. And you will use it in the lives of my family and friends who are affected by my having cancer to do the same in their lives. I can't think of anything I want more. So I trust you, and I thank you." Did I feel that way every day throughout my cancer treatment? No. Radiation & chemo can be kind of rough on you. Did I say that every day? Can't say for sure that I did, probably not. But overall, I knew it to be true, and I held on to that truth, and it saw me through. Have I said it everyday since as we've dealt with the impact of having cancer on our finances and on my business? No. Frankly, it's been even harder to maintain that attitude dealing with those situations than it was dealing with the cancer itself. But it's still true, and the months of dealing with it have convinced me with even greater passion - God is, and He is a rewarder. God is using this to make me more like Christ. He is using it to take me into a deeper relationship with Him, and to strip away the stuff of earth that I would settle for when I could instead be enjoying Him! Wow! Thank you, God.
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.... For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse." The implication seems to be that if men looked at the beauty of the world around them, all its intricacies, all its detail, and recognized it as evidence of the creator God, and worshiped Him as God, they would be saved. Instead, even though they could have, no man apparently has. Instead, they began to speculate about what all this meant, where it all came from. They professed themselves to be wise, and became fools with darkened hearts. They went on to trade the glory of God for darkness, and instead of worshiping eternal God, they worshiped temporal man, animals, and other parts of creation--none of which will last, and none of which can save. But look at the verse that describes this transition: "For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks" (vs 21 emphasis mine). From there they proceeded into speculation and darkness, hardness of heart, worship of creation, and all the sins that follow through the end of the chapter. Not being thankful is where they lost it.
Not giving thanks is the turning point! Why? Because giving thanks is the ultimate expression of our faith! Think about it.
If God really is, what does that mean? What is He? What is He capable of? What has He done? What has He promised? According to scripture, He is love. He is all powerful. He is righteous and holy, but not unapproachable. He seeks relationship with man - fellowship, joyful relationship, not cruel domination and subservience. He adopts us as sons and daughters and makes us joint heirs with His only begotten Son! He provides us His righteousness and holiness not on the basis of our works but on the basis of His love and the work of His Son on our behalf. He doesn't force us to live in a way that qualifies us for this inheritance, but He qualifies us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light (not darkness). He works to build in us godly character. Our maturity is His job not ours. He is totally on our side! Look at creation! Look at the beauty with which He's surrounded us! Why? Because He loves us. Consider the marriage relationship. Why does it give so much pleasure? He could have made us like the trees. Men could blow pollen out of the tops of their heads and women could have pollen receptors in theirs - it could be totally random and impersonal and we still could effectively procreate. He made us so that the experience would be very personal and intimate and pleasureful. He didn't have to. He wants good things for us! It's just that there isn't any "gooder" thing than Him! Don't you see, Christianity isn't about rules and laws to limit us and squash us and hold us down. It's about embracing a relationship with a living, loving eternal God and not settling for anything less! Wow! Thank You, God! ..... and that's where it starts.
If God truly is God, He can be trusted. If He can be trusted, we can and should thank Him for all that He does and all that He allows. If we really believe in Him, we will want a relationship with Him. He wants one with us! Wow. That makes it easier. How hard is it to be friends with someone who doesn't give a rip about you? God loves you! He wants a relationship with you! Thank you, Lord.
And, the way you get in is the way you go on! He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it! This same God, who put everything in place from the foundation of the world to bring about your relationship with Him through Christ Jesus is doing everything to maintain that relationship and keep you holy and righteous and growing and learning and maturing. The new (as in never existed before) man that you became at salvation is being renewed (renovated, as in existed, but not to its full potential) according to the image of the One who create him (Col.3:10) from the moment you were saved throughout your life. God not only is, but He is a rewarder of those who seek Him! Wow! Thank you, God!
Giving thanks is the natural, spontaneous response to believing the incredible truth about God.
Giving thanks expresses your faith (believing) in these truths and in Him.
If you believe (faith) - If you "faith" that He is using everything (all things) in your life to bring honor to Him and to mold you into the image of Christ, that is the beginning of faithing that He is trustworthy, faithful, truly caring - a rewarder. If you know that He is using this (whatever your "this" is) to accomplish His will in your life, you can trust Him and even thank Him for it. To say thank you when I was diagnosed with cancer was the best way I could think of to say: "God, I really trust you in this situation. I don't know the outcome of it in terms of my life and health, but I know you will use it to make me more like Christ. And you will use it in the lives of my family and friends who are affected by my having cancer to do the same in their lives. I can't think of anything I want more. So I trust you, and I thank you." Did I feel that way every day throughout my cancer treatment? No. Radiation & chemo can be kind of rough on you. Did I say that every day? Can't say for sure that I did, probably not. But overall, I knew it to be true, and I held on to that truth, and it saw me through. Have I said it everyday since as we've dealt with the impact of having cancer on our finances and on my business? No. Frankly, it's been even harder to maintain that attitude dealing with those situations than it was dealing with the cancer itself. But it's still true, and the months of dealing with it have convinced me with even greater passion - God is, and He is a rewarder. God is using this to make me more like Christ. He is using it to take me into a deeper relationship with Him, and to strip away the stuff of earth that I would settle for when I could instead be enjoying Him! Wow! Thank you, God.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Always Giving Thanks For All Things
For all things
I closed yesterday's blog with some of the "what about this?" examples that we would find it difficult to give thanks for - cancer, abuse, illness, injury, divorce, rape, incest, death of a loved one.... All these things and any others you can come up with are part of "all things" in your life. So they are included in the "all things" for which we should be giving thanks. Let me share why I believe this is true and why I believe it is of vital importance for us as individuals and for the body of Christ, the Church.
Jesus is heir of "all things." You are a joint heir with Him. All things that happen in your life, all the things you do, all the things that are done to you - all things are given to Him, to Christ, to be used to the praise and glory of His grace, and for the purpose of molding you into the image of His Son. There is no thing that is not included in all things.
1 Corinthians 10:13 declares: "No temptation [test or trial] has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it." A key phrase here is "God is faithful." You can trust Him. He knows what you can and cannot bear, and what He can and cannot use in your life to accomplish His purposes. He does not promise we will not face temptation, persecution, testing or trouble. He does promise it will not exceed the limits of what we can bear. And, He does promise a way out. If you think about this verse, you'll begin to see the implications of this.
If your brain is just not wrapping around this, that's okay. Feel free to comment, question, argue. You might look back at some of my earlier blog posts, as they were foundational to this. You might particularly look at the April 26 blog about Job. And follow the posts for the next few days as they will further develop and clarify what I'm saying.
I closed yesterday's blog with some of the "what about this?" examples that we would find it difficult to give thanks for - cancer, abuse, illness, injury, divorce, rape, incest, death of a loved one.... All these things and any others you can come up with are part of "all things" in your life. So they are included in the "all things" for which we should be giving thanks. Let me share why I believe this is true and why I believe it is of vital importance for us as individuals and for the body of Christ, the Church.
Jesus is heir of "all things." You are a joint heir with Him. All things that happen in your life, all the things you do, all the things that are done to you - all things are given to Him, to Christ, to be used to the praise and glory of His grace, and for the purpose of molding you into the image of His Son. There is no thing that is not included in all things.
1 Corinthians 10:13 declares: "No temptation [test or trial] has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it." A key phrase here is "God is faithful." You can trust Him. He knows what you can and cannot bear, and what He can and cannot use in your life to accomplish His purposes. He does not promise we will not face temptation, persecution, testing or trouble. He does promise it will not exceed the limits of what we can bear. And, He does promise a way out. If you think about this verse, you'll begin to see the implications of this.
- If you are facing, or have faced, a given problem or temptation, it is proof that it is not more than you can bear, even if there are times you feel like it is. To say, "This is more than I can bear," is to call God a liar. It is also to agree with the "father of lies."
- You can have confidence that the situation or temptation you are facing will never go beyond the limits of your endurance, though it may push you to the very edge.
- If God could not in any way use a given situation in your life, you will never have to face that situation.
- The fact that you have experienced what you have (rape, abuse, neglect, whatever), done what you did (drugs, adultery, pornography, foul language, bad temper, whatever), is proof that God can use and is using those very things to mold you into the image of Christ.
- Not only is there a way out of temptation, but since that word can also be translated "tested" or "tried," however you see your situation, there is a way out. You do not forever have to remain in bondage to the hurts or scars of the past, whether inflicted upon you or self-inflicted.
If your brain is just not wrapping around this, that's okay. Feel free to comment, question, argue. You might look back at some of my earlier blog posts, as they were foundational to this. You might particularly look at the April 26 blog about Job. And follow the posts for the next few days as they will further develop and clarify what I'm saying.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Give Thanks for What?!?
What we've looked at in the last several entries is leading up to a key lesson that will bring great peace and victory to our lives. It is both the result of growth and learning and maturing, and a doorway into greater understanding.
I think most Christians would agree that two very important things we all desire in our lives is that we could bring praise and glory to God, and that we could could become more Christ-like. All that I've written so far leads to this point. Especially in the last few blog entries, we've looked at the sovereignty of God in the context of the events of our lives (all things - good & bad), and how He uses "all things," how He gives us "all things," both to bring glory and praise to Himself, and to mold us into the image of Christ. So, not only is God trustworthy in all things, He is actually using "all things" to bring about the two things that true believers desire probably more than anything else.
In 2 Corinthians 1:11, Paul gives an additional insight into God's use of all things, including suffering. He points out that through it, God is able to bring honor to himself. He demonstrates that suffering trains us to depend on God, and that as God comforts us in our suffering, we are thereby equipped to comfort others. (So we have glory to God, and growth - into the image of Christ - for us). Then he adds: "And you can help us with your prayers. Then many people will give thanks for us - that God blessed us because of their many prayers." The obvious implication is that prayer helps. God blesses as people pray. The part we gloss over is "many people will give thanks." The more people there are praying, the more people there will be expressing thanks when the prayer is answered!!
Giving thanks is probably one of, if not the, most important and powerful things we can do as Christians, and one of, if not the, most neglected things we can do, not only as Christians, but as human beings in general, in relation to God. I'm going to take several blog entries to write about this. Please tell your friends about this and encourage them to read it. If you, or they, have any feed back, please feel free to comment. You can disagree. You can ask questions. You can share testimonies of your own experience with these truths. If a light bulb comes on - and you suddenly realize: "Oh! That's how that works," or "That's why that happened that way" - share that. If it's just too much for you to accept, argue with me.
The pastor at the church I attended as a boy preached one Sunday from 1 Thessalonians 5:18: "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God concerning you in Christ Jesus." He made it very clear that the passage says "in everything, not for everything." He emphasized this with an illustration: "If you were in a car wreck, you would not thank God for the wreck. You might thank Him that you were not hurt as badly as you might of been, that the wreck was not a bad as it could have been, but you would not thank Him for the wreck itself."
Over the years following this I ran across a lot of Bible verses that talk about giving thanks. Many of them apparently have nothing to do with praise of thanksgiving, yet, suddenly, there it is - smack in the middle of an otherwise perfectly good scripture passage, some totally unrelated admonition to give thanks! The kind of phrase that leaves you wondering what does this have to do with what the passage is about. And so, it is also the phrase that is glossed over and mostly ignored when the passage is taught or preached, or applied to our lives.
The more I encountered these passages, the more I began to realize that all the lessons God had been teaching me through the years about various aspects of the Christian life were actually part of a unified whole. The relationship between them is broad, but this - giving thanks - was the thread that first began pulling them together. That's why this blog, and my book, deal with a variety of topics. They are all related to and foundational to this (and this is foundational to fully understanding and experiencing all the rest)!
I already mentioned by way of introduction, 1 Cor. 1:11. Here are some of the others:
Already your mind is going. "All?" "Giving thanks for all?" "All?" And then the flood of "what abouts?".
What about losing my job? the economy? bankruptcy? my rebellious child? my broken arm? my amputated leg? that car wreck? being blamed for something I didn't do? divorce? my spouse's alcohol addiction? adultery? sexual abuse? child abuse? cancer? diabetes? (even harder than our own suffering as parents, someone's probably thinking:) my child's illness - cancer, diabetes....?
I'd like to go on, but this is long enough for 1 day's blog entry. More tomorrow. Again, in the meantime, please feel free to comment, and please share this with others.
I think most Christians would agree that two very important things we all desire in our lives is that we could bring praise and glory to God, and that we could could become more Christ-like. All that I've written so far leads to this point. Especially in the last few blog entries, we've looked at the sovereignty of God in the context of the events of our lives (all things - good & bad), and how He uses "all things," how He gives us "all things," both to bring glory and praise to Himself, and to mold us into the image of Christ. So, not only is God trustworthy in all things, He is actually using "all things" to bring about the two things that true believers desire probably more than anything else.
In 2 Corinthians 1:11, Paul gives an additional insight into God's use of all things, including suffering. He points out that through it, God is able to bring honor to himself. He demonstrates that suffering trains us to depend on God, and that as God comforts us in our suffering, we are thereby equipped to comfort others. (So we have glory to God, and growth - into the image of Christ - for us). Then he adds: "And you can help us with your prayers. Then many people will give thanks for us - that God blessed us because of their many prayers." The obvious implication is that prayer helps. God blesses as people pray. The part we gloss over is "many people will give thanks." The more people there are praying, the more people there will be expressing thanks when the prayer is answered!!
Giving thanks is probably one of, if not the, most important and powerful things we can do as Christians, and one of, if not the, most neglected things we can do, not only as Christians, but as human beings in general, in relation to God. I'm going to take several blog entries to write about this. Please tell your friends about this and encourage them to read it. If you, or they, have any feed back, please feel free to comment. You can disagree. You can ask questions. You can share testimonies of your own experience with these truths. If a light bulb comes on - and you suddenly realize: "Oh! That's how that works," or "That's why that happened that way" - share that. If it's just too much for you to accept, argue with me.
The pastor at the church I attended as a boy preached one Sunday from 1 Thessalonians 5:18: "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God concerning you in Christ Jesus." He made it very clear that the passage says "in everything, not for everything." He emphasized this with an illustration: "If you were in a car wreck, you would not thank God for the wreck. You might thank Him that you were not hurt as badly as you might of been, that the wreck was not a bad as it could have been, but you would not thank Him for the wreck itself."
Over the years following this I ran across a lot of Bible verses that talk about giving thanks. Many of them apparently have nothing to do with praise of thanksgiving, yet, suddenly, there it is - smack in the middle of an otherwise perfectly good scripture passage, some totally unrelated admonition to give thanks! The kind of phrase that leaves you wondering what does this have to do with what the passage is about. And so, it is also the phrase that is glossed over and mostly ignored when the passage is taught or preached, or applied to our lives.
The more I encountered these passages, the more I began to realize that all the lessons God had been teaching me through the years about various aspects of the Christian life were actually part of a unified whole. The relationship between them is broad, but this - giving thanks - was the thread that first began pulling them together. That's why this blog, and my book, deal with a variety of topics. They are all related to and foundational to this (and this is foundational to fully understanding and experiencing all the rest)!
I already mentioned by way of introduction, 1 Cor. 1:11. Here are some of the others:
- 2 Cor. 4:10-15 talks about the effect of the cross in the lives of believers in bringing us into the life of Christ. Vs. 15 says, "For all things are for your sakes, that the grace which is spreading to maore and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God."
- 2 Cor. 9:8-12 is about the collection of money to help believers in Jerusalem. Vs. 12 says, "For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God."
- Ephesians 5:3-4 deals with purity in lifestyle and speech, saying "there mus be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks."
- Philippians 4:6-7: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
- Colossians 1:9-13 is a prayer that you will know the will of God in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Among the results is our being "strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might... joyously giving thanks to the Father...."
- Col. 2:6-7: "As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted.... and overflowing with gratitude."
- Col. 3:15-17: "And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which you were called in one body, and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father."
- 1 Thess. 5:16-18: "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks...."
- 1 Tim. 2:1: "First of all, I urge that entreaties and prayers, and petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men."
Already your mind is going. "All?" "Giving thanks for all?" "All?" And then the flood of "what abouts?".
What about losing my job? the economy? bankruptcy? my rebellious child? my broken arm? my amputated leg? that car wreck? being blamed for something I didn't do? divorce? my spouse's alcohol addiction? adultery? sexual abuse? child abuse? cancer? diabetes? (even harder than our own suffering as parents, someone's probably thinking:) my child's illness - cancer, diabetes....?
I'd like to go on, but this is long enough for 1 day's blog entry. More tomorrow. Again, in the meantime, please feel free to comment, and please share this with others.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Glory, Grace, Reconciliation & All Things
I took some time off from blogging because I needed to think some things through - mainly in relation to my personal life. However, I knew it would affect and be affected by what I was planning to post in my next few blog entries. In addition, we photographed a dance studio - 200+ girls, & a few boys, many in 2, 3 or even 5 or 6 different costumes. So on top of my regular work load, there have been hundreds of photos to sort through, edit and prepare for clients. I wound up being away from the blog much longer than I expected. I'll try to pick up where I left off. We had been talking about "all things," and about the power and sovereignty of God.
God's grace has a cyclical function and effect. He is reconciling all things to Himself in order to give all things to His heirs for the maturing of His heirs into the image of His Son. For us, this process is learning how to go on (live as mature believers) the way we got in (were reconciled). Remember? You get in by grace through faith, you go on by grace through faith. You get in by the cross, and go on by the cross. You get in by ceasing from your efforts to save yourself & resting in His work on your behalf, you go on by ceasing from your efforts and resting in His working and power for the living out the Christian life day-to-day (going on). The way you get in is the way you go on. As you received Christ, so walk in Him.
As we do this, others will see how to get in by the way we go on, and thereby, they will be reconciled to God. "Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:18). If you are "going on" the same way you "got in," others will observe how you go on and learn how to get in. That's why so many people are confused about what it means to be a Christian. Our going on doesn't often enough match our getting in! We forget it was with a view to reconciling all men to Himself that God has sealed us with His own Holy Spirit as both the proof and the promise of our inheritance in Him!
To reconcile means "to restore to friendship." It means to so put away all enmity that friendship follows. It is the process whereby He gives us His own righteousness so that we may be qualified recipients of the love He wants to give us. In other words, we do not deserve His love, so He makes us deserving of it. It is by His doing that we are in Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 1:30-31), not having a righteousness of our own, but that which is through faith in Christ (Philippians 3:9). It is the mystery of the ages now revealed, Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:26-27). It is an expression of His grace, lavished upon us, to the praise and the glory of His grace.
The ministry of reconciliation is not a job given to executives in the institutional church hierarchy. It is the task given to each of us by Jesus in the great commission: to introduce others to His plan of restoring man to Himself. In ministering His reconciliation to the world, we fulfill His "household economy" of summing up all things in Christ and redeeming His purchased, blood bought possession to Himself, to the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1:10).
So God uses all things to bring glory to Himself. He uses all things to bring men into reconciliation with Himself. This means all things! Health and sickness, life and death, wealth and poverty, happy marriages and broken relationships - car accidents, cancer ("easily cured" or "long-term battle" or "3 months to live" cancer), live birth or miscarriage or still born, amputated limbs or broken bones.... You get the idea: all things! It is important - crucial - that we believe that He really exists and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. He delights in blessing us. He delights in reconciling men to Himself through His Son Jesus Christ. He takes great joy in us. He desires that we take as much joy in Him, and introduce others to the joy of finding joy in Him.
In the next few days, we'll talk about the key factor on our part that brings our life into alignment with Him and His will so that all things actually do work together for good to those who love Him.
God's grace has a cyclical function and effect. He is reconciling all things to Himself in order to give all things to His heirs for the maturing of His heirs into the image of His Son. For us, this process is learning how to go on (live as mature believers) the way we got in (were reconciled). Remember? You get in by grace through faith, you go on by grace through faith. You get in by the cross, and go on by the cross. You get in by ceasing from your efforts to save yourself & resting in His work on your behalf, you go on by ceasing from your efforts and resting in His working and power for the living out the Christian life day-to-day (going on). The way you get in is the way you go on. As you received Christ, so walk in Him.
As we do this, others will see how to get in by the way we go on, and thereby, they will be reconciled to God. "Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:18). If you are "going on" the same way you "got in," others will observe how you go on and learn how to get in. That's why so many people are confused about what it means to be a Christian. Our going on doesn't often enough match our getting in! We forget it was with a view to reconciling all men to Himself that God has sealed us with His own Holy Spirit as both the proof and the promise of our inheritance in Him!
To reconcile means "to restore to friendship." It means to so put away all enmity that friendship follows. It is the process whereby He gives us His own righteousness so that we may be qualified recipients of the love He wants to give us. In other words, we do not deserve His love, so He makes us deserving of it. It is by His doing that we are in Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 1:30-31), not having a righteousness of our own, but that which is through faith in Christ (Philippians 3:9). It is the mystery of the ages now revealed, Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:26-27). It is an expression of His grace, lavished upon us, to the praise and the glory of His grace.
The ministry of reconciliation is not a job given to executives in the institutional church hierarchy. It is the task given to each of us by Jesus in the great commission: to introduce others to His plan of restoring man to Himself. In ministering His reconciliation to the world, we fulfill His "household economy" of summing up all things in Christ and redeeming His purchased, blood bought possession to Himself, to the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1:10).
So God uses all things to bring glory to Himself. He uses all things to bring men into reconciliation with Himself. This means all things! Health and sickness, life and death, wealth and poverty, happy marriages and broken relationships - car accidents, cancer ("easily cured" or "long-term battle" or "3 months to live" cancer), live birth or miscarriage or still born, amputated limbs or broken bones.... You get the idea: all things! It is important - crucial - that we believe that He really exists and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. He delights in blessing us. He delights in reconciling men to Himself through His Son Jesus Christ. He takes great joy in us. He desires that we take as much joy in Him, and introduce others to the joy of finding joy in Him.
In the next few days, we'll talk about the key factor on our part that brings our life into alignment with Him and His will so that all things actually do work together for good to those who love Him.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)