THANKSGIVING BLESSINGS

 

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

and into His courts with praise:

be thankful unto him, and bless His name.

Psalm 100:4

Every day for us should be a day of thanksgiving. There shouldn't be just one day that's singled out for that purpose. As Christians, we know that God is just too wonderful to be explained and finding words to thank and praise Him is so insufficient for our limited vocabularies. I just decided to look up some attributes of God using the word “thanksgiving” as sort of an acrostic. Perhaps you too, like me can be so grateful for these traits of God that He is so gracious in pouring into our lives. This list by no means is exhaustive nor put in order of importance. There are so many more we could use and you may think of some as you read. I hope this will be a tool for us to just focus on Him and His faithfulness in our lives.

T- truth

I am the way, the truth and the life. John14:6

H- hope

For thou art my hope, O Lord God: ...Psalm 71:5

A - almighty

And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters,

saith the Lord Almighty. II Corinthians 6:18

N- name above all names

I will praise the name of God, with a song, and will magnify him with

thanksgiving. Psalm 69:30

K- king (Eternal)

For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.

                                                           Psalm 47:7

S- salvation 

Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Ps. 3:8

G- great

For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou ar God alone.

                                              Psalm 86:10

I- immortal, invisible

Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor

and glory for ever and ever. Amen. I Timothy 1:17

V- victory

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus

Christ.      I Corinthians 15:57

I- inspiration

But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them

understanding. Job 32:8

N- near

Thou art near, O Lord; and all thy commandments are truth. 

                                 Psalm 119:151

G- glorious

His work is honorable and glorious, and His righteousness endures forever.                                                Psalm 111:3

Dear Father...thank You, thank You, thank You for all You have done, and are doing in the present for us. In our words, we simply thank You from the bottom of our hearts for who You are and for every promise You have given in Your Word. May we live with attitudes of gratitude as we seek in all things to please You. Amen

REALLY Believing God's Word

All scripture is given by inspiration of God,

and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,

for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

II Timothy 3:16

I must confess that prior to even typing a title for this blog, I sat looking at the blank screen of my lap top for several minutes. I was hesitant to even put the title into words and thus on the network for all to see. There are times in my spiritual walk that I must admit to times of confusion when it comes to God's Word. I have known the best of Christians who have out and out questioned certain things in the Bible. I'm talking about some of the godliest people I've known in my life.

Our humanistic, politically correct society has done a real mind job on many Christians. We find ourselves at times falling into the theories of the world without even realizing our own slippage. I'm not calling Christians to question any more than they have already questioned. I'm calling all of us to a renewed dedication to and complete faith in the Bible. It is here that I will give all of us a caution. There are translations/transliterations of the Bible being published yearly if not more frequently. This is a big business. Every known preacher has put out a study Bible while big publishers have put out all sorts of of versions of Scripture. It frightens me when I see Christians always having to purchase the latest translation much like purchasing the latest cell phone. Many of these are flawed beyond what some of the best Bible scholars can detect.

Bible confusion can cause us spiritual stress. I recently went through a time of this. I have Bibles in abundance, good solid translations. I have had to make a decision as to which ONE will be my Bible. It's a Bible I not only read but one I teach from. I have a smaller lightweight one that I take with me to the mountains when I'm not doing “study-reading.” Both are older translations. I don't want a steady diet of translation confusion that can cause confusion in my spiritual thinking.

So, let me give some examples of some things I've personally heard good Christian people say that's caused me to raise an inner eyebrow.

“When you get down to it, people are basically good.”

Now this should be elementary. It's a bottom-line fact we have to acknowledge even in our own salvation experience. Romans 3:23 states clearly “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” If you have a translation that minces words with that fact, you would be better off burning that translation. Paul goes on to say that there is none righteous, not even one person. Every person born on the earth, other than Jesus, has the potential for being Jack the Ripper or worse. Don't let the psychologists of this world tell you anything different.

“I won't forgive her until she apologizes for what she did to me.”

Where on earth did we ever come up with this, but I've actually had Christians claim that this theory is in the Bible. On occasion, I've asked some of them to explain Jesus' prayer from the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” I don't see in Scripture where anyone apologized to Him for their offenses toward Him. I don't know that any other human being has gone through what Jesus did on that cross...what He did in taking on the sins of the world. He was innocent of all charges and yet He endured the cross for all. Bottom line is that I don't need an apology from anyone to forgive them...that's what Jesus did and I'm supposed to pattern my life after His.

“I don't believe a loving God would send people to Hell.”

This generally comes up when having a discussion about salvation. Even some Christians have become complacent in this area. Simply put, I believe this statement but from a different perspective. Bottom line is that Hell was created for the Devil and his angels. Hell was never made for human beings. Every human being though has a choice to make. We are called upon to choose sides...God's or Satan’s. We will spend eternity with the one we choose to accept.

“She died and came back to life after having been in Heaven.”

This is a touchy one because this seems to have been the experience of some you and some older. I wish I knew all the ins and outs of this statement but I don't. All I know is that

Hebrews 9:27a tells us that it is appointed unto man ONCE to die...” This is a tough one because a book dealing with this subject is always a big seller in the bookstores be they Christian or secular. I'm not questioning that someone may have had some kind of experience but Scripture is clear that we will physically die one time. We can't go back and forth between here and there. When a person REALLY dies, there is a funeral and burial of some sort. I can't even explain this. I only mention it so that we will be cautious regarding this kind of thing when we hear about it.

“God doesn't believe in spanking children.”

This is an area where Child Protective Services and other agencies have done a real job on us, even Christians who should know better. Let's look at some verses:

“He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” Proverbs 13:24

“Foolishness in bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of

correction shall drive it far from him.”

Proverbs 22:15

“Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest

him with the rod, he shall not die.”

Proverbs 23:13

I sat in a Bible study one day where a lady, well versed in Scripture tried to explain these words away. She said her child had never required corporal punishment in the child's life. Good for her and her child. There may be children who never “earn” a spanking but don't be so foolish as to question what the Scripture clearly says about this subject.

Lastly,

“I don't feel like God is present in my life right now.”

That word “feel” can be a scary word. We women, as chemical as we are, should have learned by now that our feelings can betray us and skew truth in our lives. When a lady tells me that she feels God isn't near in her life, my question is always: “Who moved?” It certainly isn't God. In the last part of Hebrews 13:5 we read:

“...for He hath said, 'I will never leave thee,

nor forsake thee.'”

Hebrews 13:5c

Notice this says “for He hath said...” which means that God has made this statement in other parts of Scripture. This isn't a casual statement made by Him. Perhaps in those times we don't “feel” God is near, are those times our circumstances, or even sin clouds our vision. When we feel God isn't near, I will be so bold to say that the responsibility is our own, never His. We need to draw near to Him in our prayer and Bible reading. This is a part of spiritual self-discipline that comes with the territory of being in right relationship with our father.

May I give you a beware: Be very careful of everything on television specials that has the latest spiritual revelation on them. I saw just the other day, a seemingly know-it-all female scholar of some sort that was doing a promo for the latest Bible revelation. Her teaser comment was that Jesus wasn't virgin born, that Mary wasn't a virgin. It was chalked up to there being a mistranslation of the word “virgin.” Do you have any idea the doubts and questions that can arise for weaker Christians or even some stronger ones if they watch this junk? That fact of the virgin birth is a foundational tenet of our belief that winds it's way through Scripture. Something like that can cause doubts in the entire Word of God. The History Channel, National Geographic and Discovery channels are always coming up with new Bible facts that no one has ever seen and can't really prove. Christians race to watch that stuff and many believe it. These things can cause more questions than I could list.

Let's stand firm in our faith in the Word of God. There is much we'll never understand in the Bible especially when we don't rely on Holy Spirit guidance as we read it. When Scripture clearly says something, we have no choice but to believe by faith what God has presented to us. Review again the opening verse...cuddle up with it in love and appreciation for God giving to us so much of Himself between the covers of this precious book.

Thank You Father, for Your Word that was instrumental in my salvation and that continues to teach me about Yourself. Help me to read, trust and learn from it. Thank You for the added benefit of having Your Holy Spirit to be my teacher. I love you. In Jesus precious name... Amen

You're My Hero

...looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher

of our faith, who for the joy that was set

before Him endured the cross, despising

the shame, and has sat down at the right

hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:2

What is a hero? A dictionary tells us that it's a person of distinguished courage or ability, admired for brave deeds but also noble qualities.

For us, in common language, a hero is someone who does above and beyond the call of duty for another, even to the point of risking one's life. A real hero wants no recognition and often may say, “I was only doing my job” or “I did what anyone else would do under the same circumstances.” Being a hero may not be that one risks their life. Someone of great character and integrity can also be regarded as a hero. In our day it takes real bravery to be a person of character before a fallen society. A hero is usually an ordinary person who did extraordinary things. Rarely is a hero a hero in his/her own eyes.

We saw real heroism the day of 9/11. There were those who risked their lives and even died helping others in those two tall buildings get to safety. I think of a young husband and father by the name of Todd Beamer, a passenger on United Air Flight 93 on that fateful day. He with others knowing the plan of terrorists who had taken over their plane, decided to take action rather than let the plane be driven into a major building in Washington, DC. The last words Todd's wife heard from him on her cell phone was his call to other passengers, “Let's roll.”

There was Captain Chesley Sullenberger, pilot, to was forced to land his passenger jet in the Hudson River. It was miraculous as we watched the event on television, seeing the passengers standing on the wings of that plane after an unbelievable “landing” atop that river. Sully, of course, was the last to leave the plane because of checking every seat for stray passengers. He's never wanted the title of “HERO.”

We've had heroes in the military. Those who stormed the beaches of Normandy. POW's who spent years in prisoner of war camps, enduring untold torture but true to their country. Ours is a military whose goal is to keep us safe and free.

A lady I have admired for years is Corrie ten Boom who also spent a long stretch of time in concentration camps and should have died but for the grace of God, was miraculously released. She traveled the world spreading the story of Jesus.

We started when very young establishing hero's and they changed regularly depending on our maturity levels. When very young, our heroes centered around family...dad, big brother, or uncle. For some reason, our heroes were usually men. As we got into school, perhaps a teacher was someone we looked to and admired with great enthusiasm. Into high school, the heroes were often athletes, youth pastor with some glances of admiration aimed at cheerleaders. In college, our heroes became a mix of all of the aforementioned but probably got whittled down to a handful of heroes who were just that and for the right reasons.

CAUTION!!!

I must alert you of one important thing....HEROES WILL LET YOU DOWN...WILL DISAPPOINT YOU IN THE WORST OF WAYS!

I have watched this process for years, especially in church settings. I have watched pastors who have achieved almost rock-star-prominence with their congregations. They have elevated themselves as ecclesiastical heroes of the faith who are never to be questioned because of their status. These can often be the most disappointing.

Other heroes in our lives sooner rather than later show in their behavior that they have feet of clay just like we do. Even if we look to the Bible and see there, great heroes of the faith, which so many were, we find that each one was a sinner. Something I love about Scripture is when God tells the stories of individuals, he doesn't leave out their “warts.” He then shows some wonderful redemptive processes that take place in those lives.

In the Bible, I have read of and admired folks like Moses, Esther, David, Abraham, and Peter among others. I have been encouraged by their lives lived but in some cases have admired as much the restoration process in their lives after going through a time of great sin. I see how in the case of those who really tripped up that God never gave up on them. I can't refer to them as heroes but I learn from them and appreciate the example they set for all of us.

In passing, may I suggest to you that each of us is a hero to someone. We may never know who is watching us or perhaps hanging on every word we speak when they are around us. All of this falls into the category of our bearing a strong testimony and witness for Christ in our every day living. Lives can be changed if others see Jesus in us.

Bottom line is that you and I have only one hero...Jesus. He will never disappoint us or let us down. He will never take us in the wrong direction. He will always be looking out for what is in our best interest. In fact, unlike most heroes, He will always love us with no strings attached. He always wants whatever is best for us. Unlike present or past heroes, He is near us everyday, every hour. I could list other things because He does so much more; however, the icing on the cake is that this Wonderful Hero of ours actually died for each one of us...He died that we might have life. I am blessed by the testimony of Jesus who became a common, ordinary human being, but my real hero in all of His humanity will always be my true Hero...a hero like no other.

Dear Father...Thank You for sending Jesus Who did and does so much for me. I thank You for others from whom I have learned vital lessons during this life of mine. Help me to keep my focus on Jesus and not on good but ordinary people. I love You, my Father of all Fathers. Amen.

Scars

Then saith He to Thomas,

Reach hither thy finger, and behold

my hands; and reach hither thy hand,

and thrust it into my side: and be

not faithless, but believing.

And Thomas answered and said unto Him,

My Lord and my God.

John 20:27,28

I was a case manager for a Christian foster care agency. I loved my families that I serviced from my home. I looked forward to home visits that I was required to make on at least a monthly basis if not more than that. There was one group home I loved visiting. This home had what I referred to as a “foster dog.” I'll call him “Dawg” for now. He was one of the large Shar Peis with all of the wrinkles and folds of the skin. He was a pretty big dog.

When I arrived at the home, Dawg always greeted me at the front door. On this one occasion, Dawg was a little too excited. He jumped up on me with front paws on my shoulders. The foster mom immediately called out to the dog, “Get down!” Dawg did just that but in the process, his left front paw came down on the back of my right hand and cut about three huge, deep scratches there. Without being too graphic, the cuts began to bleed profusely. I headed to the kitchen sink, grabbing paper towels. The foster mom felt so bad about it and I assured her that I would heal.

It took a long time for my hand to heal after becoming a little infected but it did heal. The scars almost look like an upside down “Y” shape. I will say though that I still have those reminders of Dawg on the back of my hand. When I look at the scars, I can't help but smile as I think of Dawg and the unique foster care relationship we shared. You see, the scars are there but they don't hurt anymore. Scars are odd things as they age with us.

Scars can be caused by some pretty big events in a persons life. Scars from severe burns take a lot of time to get over as they create some real difficult problems even in simple movements. Some scars people bear often from bad car accidents. Scars can come as a result of bad falls, and some can be a result of various degrees of surgery.

No matter the scars, they come as a result of pain. We wonder at the time when the body is offended, if there will ever be healing. There are circumstances that may delay healing and soreness can go on for a time but eventually, healing comes even if there is a scar that remains.

Physical scars aren't the only kind of scars we bear. There are emotional scars, that although they can't be seen, are still present. In fact, there is emotional damage that unless given over to the Lord for His healing, can remain with an individual for a lifetime. These scars can come as a result of negative events during childhood but can come through the teen years on into adulthood where major events tend to take place. Emotional scars can come as a result from abuse in different forms, cruel, demeaning words, poverty, abandonment, loss of various types but all through life, the cruelness of words meant to hurt tends to be something that's hard to get over. Feel free to add to the list for each of us have experienced heartbreaking events that crush our spirits often dished out by people who just don't care about the cruelty they may casually render.

Along the emotional line, one thing, one major thing that intensifies the hurt and resulting scars comes when we are damaged by other Christians. I have to wonder about Christians who treat others with horrible cruelty seemingly without conscience. These are injuries that can damage us for long periods of time that should not come at the hand of Christians. The best support we should have in this world is from other Christians whether we are in agreement or not.

Scars when fully healed serve only as reminders. Those reminders will be what you and I make of them...positive or negative. They can remind us of God's goodness in aiding us to be survivors to His honor and glory. I have both emotional and physical scars, and because of them through God's mercy have grown and matured. All of us because of our scars are able to minister to those who perhaps are not doing as well through their own scars as they would like.

Scripture is very vague about scars. The word itself is found only a couple of times in the Bible but may be found various places depending on the translation. There is a rather familiar hymn that keeps running through my mind. There is no one who has walked the earth, who endured so much for others like Jesus did. His scars were on His hands, feet, brow and really over most of His body from the horrendous beatings He endured. Scripture tells us that He was hardly recognizable as a human being.

Because of His scars, you and I have a recourse when we are hurt physically or damaged emotionally. We can place everything in the nail-scarred hands of Jesus. Oh, we'll keep physical scars until we receive our glorified bodies, but the emotional ones, we can hand over to Jesus for His keeping. I have known people to carry the pain of emotional pain and insult well into their adult years. That pain marks most things they do, decisions they make and ways they treat others. For Christians, that is unnecessary when we have Jesus, our burden bearer...our everything. Scars remind us where we've been but don't have to dictate where we're going. I agree with David Guinn who said:

Our scars prove we have a past...

Christs scars prove we have a future.

When we place our hand in Jesus' nail scarred hands, as did His disciple Thomas, may we with Thomas say: “My Lord and my God.”

Dear Father...most of us have gone through battles of life that have left us hurting. Some of us have some pretty deep scars perhaps as a result of physical injury. Even more of us have emotional scars that often rise up to nag us...while some have caused bitterness for some they don't know what to do with. Thank You for the scars Your Son endured for each of us. Thank You, Jesus for those scars and the fact that you can relate to us in whatever pain we endure. Thank You for strengthening and empowering us. We love you. Amen