A Tough Command
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” (NIV)
Some verses are easier to memorize than practice. If we could simply remove a word or two, God’s command would feel do-able. Giving thanks is easy, but giving thanks in everything is a nearly impossible task. Often gratitude seems inappropriate, considering the depth of pain or turmoil we are experiencing, but we have a Comforter who helps us exercise thankfulness in every situation.
The Holy Spirit helps believers to do what God requires, and part of His work involves teaching us a habit of gratitude. Psalm 92:1-2 tells us that since “it is good to give thanks to the Lord, ” we ought to “declare [God’s] loving-kindness in the morning and [His] faithfulness by night.” In other words, we should regularly anticipate and recall His provision. But when believers awaken to painful circumstances that have no logical reason for thankfulness, our Comforter provides the motivation and words.
Thanksgiving during turmoil takes place neither spontaneously nor apart from another spiritual activity; prayer. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 links the disciplines of rejoicing, prayer, and thanksgiving: both exultation and gratitude hinge upon regular communication with God. A prayer-less man cannot remain thankful for long because he is too overwhelmed by his problems. Talking to God forces problems to recede, so they can be replaced by peace.
The Lord commands us to exercise gratitude because He knows that the spirit is lifted and courage is strengthened when we focus on His work in our life. And as we watch Him intervene, we rejoice more, pray harder, and learn to give thanks in everything.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
Accepting God’s Solution
Accepting God’s Solution
2 Chronicles 20:14-25 “Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly. He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.' " Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD. Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with very loud voice. Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful." After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever." As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The men of Ammon and Moab rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another. When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it.” (NIV)
"God, my boss is intolerable. Please help me find another job.” “Lord, this back pain is ruining my life. Have mercy and heal me!”
Christians almost universally agree, “God answers prayer.” But many people, if they were honest, would amend the phrase to say, “The Lord answers most prayers, but not mine.” A believer can fervently call upon God without receiving what he considers a satisfactory answer. The stumbling block isn’t God’s unwillingness or inability to respond, but rather the word satisfactory. If we come to God with a preconceived idea of how to solve our problem, we will likely overlook His true resolution.
Suppose King Jehoshaphat had decided that God could answer his prayer only by giving the army extra strength for the forthcoming skirmish. He would have called a war council, arrayed his soldier in armor, and set up battle lines. God’s solution was entirely unexpected: First, send the choir out singing praises; then watch the Lord save Israel. If Jehoshaphat’s soldiers had attempted combat, they would have lost Jerusalem.
Sometimes we don’t like God’s solution. We desire freedom from physical pain rather than an extra measure of grace to endure the hurt. Or we want a new job, not a command to seek the boss’ forgiveness for our poor attitude. In essence, we want the Lord to fix everything without requiring any effort from us. But our willingness to obey is key to answered prayer. When He tells us how to resolve our problem, we must act just as He specifies, or we will never be satisfied.
2 Chronicles 20:14-25 “Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly. He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.' " Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD. Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with very loud voice. Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful." After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever." As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The men of Ammon and Moab rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another. When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it.” (NIV)
"God, my boss is intolerable. Please help me find another job.” “Lord, this back pain is ruining my life. Have mercy and heal me!”
Christians almost universally agree, “God answers prayer.” But many people, if they were honest, would amend the phrase to say, “The Lord answers most prayers, but not mine.” A believer can fervently call upon God without receiving what he considers a satisfactory answer. The stumbling block isn’t God’s unwillingness or inability to respond, but rather the word satisfactory. If we come to God with a preconceived idea of how to solve our problem, we will likely overlook His true resolution.
Suppose King Jehoshaphat had decided that God could answer his prayer only by giving the army extra strength for the forthcoming skirmish. He would have called a war council, arrayed his soldier in armor, and set up battle lines. God’s solution was entirely unexpected: First, send the choir out singing praises; then watch the Lord save Israel. If Jehoshaphat’s soldiers had attempted combat, they would have lost Jerusalem.
Sometimes we don’t like God’s solution. We desire freedom from physical pain rather than an extra measure of grace to endure the hurt. Or we want a new job, not a command to seek the boss’ forgiveness for our poor attitude. In essence, we want the Lord to fix everything without requiring any effort from us. But our willingness to obey is key to answered prayer. When He tells us how to resolve our problem, we must act just as He specifies, or we will never be satisfied.
It's Just Manners.....
Please and Thank you!
Psalm 100:4 "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name." (NIV)
Manners seem today to be a lost art. But good manners are timeless. Not only do they allow us to succeed as a society, they are commands from the bible and help us to understand the difference between Praise and Worship. I often think we worship too much and praise not enough! Remember the proper form for a prayer? ACTS? Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication? We should start out every day in prayer; and then maintain the connection throughout the day, closing it out as our last thought of the day as we lay our heads upon the pillow.
The great majority of Jewish prayers all start out the same way. "Blessed art thou oh Lord Our God, King of the Universe..." Before a Request, before giving Thanks, before a confession, give Praise. So we say Please! Acknowledge his omnipotence, for he IS truly worthy. As a child, if you wanted something from your mother, didn't you walk up to your mother and say "Gee Mom, you look pretty today"? And what was her response? "Thank you dear, now, what do you want?" God is omnipotent, but you need to gain his attention, not only so he hears you, but so that he knows you. So you start out "Lord of Lords, King of the Sabbath, who has numbered the hairs on my head" and immediately his head turns and he says "Thank you my child, now, what can I do for you today?"
Now talk to him as you would a close parent, for he IS the father. He listens, and he speaks and that is how a relationship is nourished. And when the conversation is over for the day, say Thank you! Say "Thank You Lord, for the blessings that you have bestowed upon me and my family. Thank you for listening to my prayers, for answering my prayers, Thank you Lord, for loving me so much that you sacrificed your only son for ME"!
References: Luke 12:7, Psalm 100:4, 2 Chronicles 5:13, Galatians 5:14
Psalm 100:4 "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name." (NIV)
Manners seem today to be a lost art. But good manners are timeless. Not only do they allow us to succeed as a society, they are commands from the bible and help us to understand the difference between Praise and Worship. I often think we worship too much and praise not enough! Remember the proper form for a prayer? ACTS? Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication? We should start out every day in prayer; and then maintain the connection throughout the day, closing it out as our last thought of the day as we lay our heads upon the pillow.
The great majority of Jewish prayers all start out the same way. "Blessed art thou oh Lord Our God, King of the Universe..." Before a Request, before giving Thanks, before a confession, give Praise. So we say Please! Acknowledge his omnipotence, for he IS truly worthy. As a child, if you wanted something from your mother, didn't you walk up to your mother and say "Gee Mom, you look pretty today"? And what was her response? "Thank you dear, now, what do you want?" God is omnipotent, but you need to gain his attention, not only so he hears you, but so that he knows you. So you start out "Lord of Lords, King of the Sabbath, who has numbered the hairs on my head" and immediately his head turns and he says "Thank you my child, now, what can I do for you today?"
Now talk to him as you would a close parent, for he IS the father. He listens, and he speaks and that is how a relationship is nourished. And when the conversation is over for the day, say Thank you! Say "Thank You Lord, for the blessings that you have bestowed upon me and my family. Thank you for listening to my prayers, for answering my prayers, Thank you Lord, for loving me so much that you sacrificed your only son for ME"!
References: Luke 12:7, Psalm 100:4, 2 Chronicles 5:13, Galatians 5:14
Resurrection Day
A few weeks ago, I was talking to my high school sweetheart and told her that I was preparing to hold a Passover Seder at my father’s house the following Monday night. She said “Are you still a Christian” to which I replied yes. So she asked the logical questions “Why do you still celebrate Passover? Do you celebrate Easter also?” My reply was glib, for I have given it several times. Being a Christian means to be more Christ-like. Christ celebrated Passover which alone is a good enough reason for me to celebrate it also. Then today, I was sitting at the Resurrection day service at church and watched a little drama performed by two members of the church, and I was struck by what I think is one of the “great” truths.
The Passover story is read from a Passover Haggadah. Haggadah is a Hebrew word that means telling. What we are charged to do is tell the story of Exodus. “In every generation each individual is bound to regard himself as if he had gone personally forth from Egypt, as it is said “And thou shalt relate to thy son on that day saying, this is on account of what the Eternal did for me, when I went forth from Egypt” Thus it was not our ancestors alone, whom the Most Holy, blessed be He, then redeemed but us also did He redeem with them, as it is said, and He brought us forth from thence, in order to bring us in, that He might give us the land which he swore unto our ancestors.” I have often said that there is nothing in the New Testament that you will not find mention of in the “Old” Testament. And herein lies the Great truth.
Our God doesn’t lie. He always keeps his promises. We were slaves unto the Sin and Darkness. He sacrificed his one and only Son, to bring us forth from our captivity, washing away our sin and bringing us into light, so that we might inherit the Promised Land of His Kingdom. The Haggadah tells us “ Rabbi (teacher) Gamliel saith, that whoever does not make mention of three things at the Passover Feast, has not done his duty, namely, the sacrifice of the Passover, the unleavened bread, and the bitter herbs.”
And so I say to you my brethren, that he who does not make mention of three things on this Resurrection Sunday has not done his duty, namely the sacrifice of our Lord, the rending of his flesh by the stripes he bore (remember, the unleavened bread is his body), and Redemption from the embittered lives we led while enslaved to sin and darkness through His resurrection. And so we are charged on this day to tell the story of our Redemption in the first person, for through the Stripes, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection, not only were our ancestors brought forth but we were also. This must be done, for not only did our Lord God and Father redeem our ancestors, through our belief in Jesus Christ, he does also redeem us. Selah
The Passover story is read from a Passover Haggadah. Haggadah is a Hebrew word that means telling. What we are charged to do is tell the story of Exodus. “In every generation each individual is bound to regard himself as if he had gone personally forth from Egypt, as it is said “And thou shalt relate to thy son on that day saying, this is on account of what the Eternal did for me, when I went forth from Egypt” Thus it was not our ancestors alone, whom the Most Holy, blessed be He, then redeemed but us also did He redeem with them, as it is said, and He brought us forth from thence, in order to bring us in, that He might give us the land which he swore unto our ancestors.” I have often said that there is nothing in the New Testament that you will not find mention of in the “Old” Testament. And herein lies the Great truth.
Our God doesn’t lie. He always keeps his promises. We were slaves unto the Sin and Darkness. He sacrificed his one and only Son, to bring us forth from our captivity, washing away our sin and bringing us into light, so that we might inherit the Promised Land of His Kingdom. The Haggadah tells us “ Rabbi (teacher) Gamliel saith, that whoever does not make mention of three things at the Passover Feast, has not done his duty, namely, the sacrifice of the Passover, the unleavened bread, and the bitter herbs.”
And so I say to you my brethren, that he who does not make mention of three things on this Resurrection Sunday has not done his duty, namely the sacrifice of our Lord, the rending of his flesh by the stripes he bore (remember, the unleavened bread is his body), and Redemption from the embittered lives we led while enslaved to sin and darkness through His resurrection. And so we are charged on this day to tell the story of our Redemption in the first person, for through the Stripes, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection, not only were our ancestors brought forth but we were also. This must be done, for not only did our Lord God and Father redeem our ancestors, through our belief in Jesus Christ, he does also redeem us. Selah
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