The Power in Thankfulness

Read I Thessalonians 5:16-18, Philippians 4:6-7, Psalm 92:1-2

The death of a child. The abuse of a loved one. The report of cancer. The betrayal of a friend, the closest friend. A rebellious child. The searing pains of life that leave us marred and overflowing with depression. The phone call relaying the message that a loved one is not returning from war. What emotions well up? Anger. Resentment. Fury. Self-pity. Despair. Hopelessness. Thankfulness?
Many divine commands seem perfectly reasonable—for example, no adultery, no idols, and no murder. However, the Lord also gave some instructions that ostensibly make little sense. One of those commands is the seemingly impossible task of giving thanks in everything. The Scriptures clearly teach that giving thanks is meant to be a way of life, not just a seasonal event. The problem is that we often do not feel appreciative, particularly when facing painful circumstances or tests of our faith. In fact, expressing gratitude for bad news seems irrational. Our limited claim to rationality, however, cannot compete with God's greater knowledge of what is best for His children. Just like the natural parent realizes that the struggle a child has to learn their “ABC’s” will one day allow that child to read, God knows that sometimes the struggle and disappointments of life prepare us for future blessing. As a result, we live a successful Christian life only by choosing to thank Him for everything He sends or allows across our path.
What the Lord knows is that gratitude powerfully impacts the believer. Tribulation can leave us feeling isolated, but thanking God for His ongoing care or provision reminds us of His constant presence. Equipped with the knowledge that He is in control, we can submit our will to His. Though our circumstances remain the same, our attitude is divinely changed through trust. In God's perfect time, the divine plan is revealed, and we can tell Him with sincere hearts, "Lord, thank You!"

“Gratitude changes the pangs of memory into a tranquil joy.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Perhaps the most used words by a parent are, “Because I said so.” Do you agree? When that darling young child finally learns the famous question, “Why”, very soon you can hear the response, “because I said so.” If things got really intense between child and parent, the response might grow into this; “because I am you MOTHER, and I said so.” How many remember hearing those words in your lifetime. I remember them plenty.
Have you ever thought about God in those terms? I think that there are times when God just finally must say, “Because I said so.”
“Why do I have to love my enemy?” “Because I said so.”
“Why do I have to fast and pray?” “Because I said so.”
“Why do I have to tithe and give?” “Because I said so.”
“Why did my father have to die?” “Because I said so.”
There are so many instances when the only answer to our question is, “Because I said so.” The problem that we have with that answer is that so many of us are more educated than our level of obedience. What I mean by that is we are trained from childhood to figure out and find the truth in everything. Think about it. All through grade school, we are taught math and science and English, and we are taught by equations and methods and sentence structures to the point that everything has a nice, tidy answer to it. Unfortunately, I have found since graduating the third grade, that life does not supply many nice and tidy answers. There seems to be more gray areas than an old black and white photo.
It is when we are wandering through those gray areas that we must learn to accept His answer of “Because I said so,” and be obedient without understanding it all. Why do some people pass away and others live? I don’t really know, but I trust that He does, and I must continue to be obedient to him. Why do institutions of ill repute flourish, and churches struggle to pay the bills? I am not always sure, but I still am obedient to Him.
Is your day warm and sunny, or is it cloudy and cool? Either way, the best advice anyone can give is; obey, “Because He said so." Like the old song says, "God is too wise to be mistaken, God is too good to be unkind, so when you don't understand, when you don't see His plan, when you can't trace His hand, trust His heart."

We are having a wonderful vacation in Gatlinburg, Tennessee and when I awoke this morning and looked out from our deck, I was reminded of the wonderful creative love of God. It seems that just as we begin to wonder how bad this world may seem to be getting, He has this beautiful tendency to walk me above the clouds and give me a different perspective. When I looked out today, I saw the picture that I have attached to this post. While the picture doesn't do you justice - it is amazing in person.

What I am so grateful for today is that from God's perspective, all things are quiet and in control. As I looked from the deck, I couldn't see the "rat race" that was happening below the tree level. All I could see was the calm, glorious view of His creation. When He looks at us, He doesn't have to dwell on our stress, busyness, worry or any of the other things we have to constantly "think" about. He just sees His creation and when He sees us, He sees His creation and declares that He did a pretty good job? When we can get to the point that we agree with the Master Designer, we will become everything that He wants us to become and stop fretting about "not being enough"! After all, He is the Creator!

The Intersection of Hunger and Desire

I felt the Lord minister a word to me yesterday. It was one of those things where my mind began to jump when I realized the key to a move of God.

It is found in the story of the blind beggar in Mark 10:46 - 52. Bartimaeus when he heard that is was Jesus (Dare I say he heard the Word) and faith came by his hearing of Jesus. Most of us stop there and think that if we hear the Word of the Lord, then we can expect a miraculous move of God. The blind man didn't settle for just hearing about the Lord, he wanted an experience with the Lord. He realized two things: what he needed and what he wanted! What he was hungry for and what he desired!

You see, he knew that he needed the mercy of the Lord, thus that is what he shouted. Need is expressed through hunger, and Jesus promised that the hungry would be filled. However, I noticed in this story that his hunger is what stopped Jesus in his tracks. Now I believe that Jesus knew what was getting ready to happen, but nevertheless, he asked this man what he desired. It is at this point that the miracle of God takes place. It is at this intersection of the blind man's hunger and his desire that the power of God would be made manifest! His hunger was for mercy, but his desire was his sight, and when these two things collided, Jesus responded by not just meeting his desires, but also feeding him by making him WHOLE! He didn't just receive his sight, he was made whole!!!!

How about you? Have you been looking for a move of God in your life? If so, has your hunger intersected with your desire? If it has, get ready for the miraculous power of God. If it hasn't, you now know where to begin your prayer - Lord, lead us to the intersection of hunger and desire!!!

"Everyday holds the possibility of a miracle."                               Elizabeth David

 Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Those who belong to Him learn to recognize His voice and listen carefully to it. God’s goal in speaking to us include that we--Comprehend the truth. God wants His perfect Word to take root in our mind and become a permanent part of our thinking. Scripture is central to God’s plan to understand who He is and what His purposes are.
Conform to the truth. His objective is that biblical truth will be reflected in our daily choices and lifestyle.
Communicate the truth. God not only wants us to assimilate His Word and be transformed by it; He also desires to work through us to impact others’ lives. If we are not submitted to the truth and been changed by it, our words will lack divine power and have little effect on the listener. If we are absorbing the Scriptures and allowing God to mold us, then His divine “fingerprints” will be visible in our plans, schedules, thoughts, and attitudes. As a result, our conversation will reflect His viewpoint and include topics important to Him.
When we comprehend the truth, conform to the truth and communicate the truth, we become a force that the prince of darkness does not want to deal with. If these three attitudes are evident in our lives, submission to God is easy. When we are submitted to God, we can resist the devil and he will flee.
Achieving God’s goals requires a teachable heart, a cooperative spirit, and a listening ear. Do you have all three? God desires to be intimate with us; to whisper with His still small voice into our lives. He does not want to have to yell through the whirlwind. Are you ready to listen?

"Society speaks and all men listen, mountains speak and wise men listen."
John Muir