THANKSGIVING BEGINS IN THE HEART!

 

Wednesday, November 20, 2024

 

THANKSGIVING BEGINS IN THE HEART!

 

Ps 116:12-14

12 What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?

13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord .

14 I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people.

 

Luke 17:12-17

12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:

13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,

16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?

 

          The word “render” as it is used in Psalm chapter 116 and verse 12 is the Hebrew word shuwb and literally means “to turn back” with the idea of “returning to the starting point.” This is perfectly illustrated in Luke 17:15 where we find only one of ten lepers returning to give thanks for his healing. Ninety percent displayed no thanks.

 

          The plain fact is that no one can force you to be thankful! You either are thankful or you are not. Our parents taught us to say a simple table grace. This introduced to our young minds the concept of thanksgiving. If someone were nice to us or gave us candy, mother would always ask: “Now what do we say?” The answer, of course, was “Thank you.” But even mother could not make us truly thankful. She could only teach us the actions of thanksgiving.

 

          When we receive benefits for which we did not have to work, it should make us grateful. However, it is also possible to begin to think of these benefits as entitlements. We think someone else owes us all these things and we become like pouting spoiled children who throw their toys and pick at their food. Good things are greedily gobbled up without thanks.

 

          Thanksgiving always causes us to turn back and sometimes to return to the starting point. We begin to consider our true self-worth and how little we deserve. When we make lists, they are not wish lists but lists of blessings already received. We look around and observe a bounty that is not only sufficient but enough to share. Thankful people are always giving people.

 

I am thankful because of an event that happened many years ago on a lonely hill in Jerusalem. On that hill the Son of God hung on a cross and paid my sin-debt. I didn’t deserve it, and certainly was not entitled to it, but God adopted me into His family because of the sacrifice of His Son. Since that day, because my Father is a great king, I have lived like a prince!

 

Dear Father, you have lavished upon me great gifts and privileges. Lord give me one more thing. Give me a thankful heart. AMEN

 

HOLINESS OF CHARACTER

 

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

 

HOLINESS OF CHARACTER

 

Matt 5:20

20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

 

          This was revolutionary thinking! Most Jews in that day felt that the officials of their religious system were the gold standard of right thinking and doing. Those who aspired to be accepted by Jehovah looked to the Pharisees as examples. So, when Jesus cast doubt upon this thinking, it was truly troublesome.

 

          The listeners surely thought that they must then try even harder to be good, wholesome, and pure. Greater effort must be applied, they thought, and so think most scholars who read what Jesus said. However, I think Jesus was referring to the absolute impossibility of pleasing God with human effort. For proof of this, I suggest you read Matthew 19:16-22.

 

Phil 3:7-9

7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

 

Lord, my self-manufactured goodness is not only worthless but despicable. They are ashes and rags. Thank you for the gift of a worthy righteousness that is by faith alone. AMEN

 

GOD IS!

 

Monday, November 18, 2024

 

GOD IS!

 

          What do you think about when you close your eyes and consider God? What kind of God do you imagine? The Bible gives us some insight into the nature and person of God. Let’s look at a few of those aspects.

 

1. GOD IS QUIET!

 

1 Kings 19:9-12

9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:

12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

 

2. GOD IS RYTHMIC – THERE’S ORDER WITH GOD!

 

Gen 8:22

22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

 

3. GOD IS UNHURRIED!

 

Gal 4:4-5

4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

 

John 11:5-6

5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.

 

4. GOD IS SIMPLE!

 

1 Cor 1:27-29

27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

 

Matt 18:3-4

3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

 

Matt 11:25

25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

 

Dear Lord, thank you for being the kind of God you are. Thank you for revealing yourself to children. AMEN