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“. . . giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:20 ESV) |
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Teaching on the above scripture, I was blessed with many remarkably wise notes from the brethren. Here are a few … Jonah & gratitude As I read those texts on gratitude I was reminded of Jonah. Is that what lack of gratitude looks like? It didn’t work out so well for him. Bet it won’t work out so well for us either when we’re like that…The ungrateful miss out on the beauty and wonder that surrounds them. They see failing light and mud puddles instead a beautiful storm and rainbows. That appears to be Jonah’s situation. I pray it can be ours less of the time. One with most toys One of my boys is forever asking for more. For years I have sung the AWANA verse for Hebrews 13:5 to him in reply. [Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you” NASB] If we cannot be grateful for a God that will “never leave us or forsake us,” then more stuff is never going to satisfy. Weight of good and glory You are right: the default setting of my heart is ingratitude, discontent and unhappiness because of what I perceive to be bad; rather than joy and thankfulness and contentment for what is good. When I think about this objectively rather than emotionally, it is not even rational! The good far, far, far outweighs the bad in my life and focusing on the bad just puts a black cloud over what is good. Say “thank you” often There is a little sign hanging in my kitchen window. It says “Miracles happen, say thank you often.” As I look back over the years I can see time and time again when God moved people and circumstances to benefit me and mine. God is good ALL the time. Saying “thank you” is what gracious people do, what grace filled people do. Perhaps Christians should be more aware of the grace we have been shown/given. Then, overcome by its enormity, we will want to share it. |
January 9, 2014 | Say “Thanks” Often
January 2, 2014 | Thanks!
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“In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NASB)
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Gratitude changes everything Starting this next week, I am blessed to begin a series on gratitude – the attitude that makes all of life better. Preparing for this series has been amazingly transformative. I have been appalled to discover how much I resemble humanity as described by Mark Twain:
God has picked me up, as the psalm so brilliantly summarized, “out of the miry clay and planted my feet on the king’s highway.” He has blessed me with “every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies.” And yet, I have discovered anew just how ungrateful I am most of the time. I have also subsequently uncovered how such churlishness makes me ineffective in all of life. By contrast, gratitude makes one healthier and stronger. It doesn’t just bless the Lord who deserves our thanks; it changes one for greater success: “Therefore 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 NASB As a pun-loving friend of mine remarked, “This attitude of gratitude shifts one’s latitude to a place of beatitude.” Even as we groan, we note that he is absolutely correct. Therefore, I ask you all to pray with me that those who study this series will be changed into more thankful children of God.
[Editor’s note: The Gratitude series begins at Frisco Bible Church January 5 and will be available at www.friscobible.com beginning early the following week. It will air on All The Difference radio and www.allthedifference.us in mid Spring 2014.] |
December 19, 2013 | Nibbled To Death By Ducks
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“For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.” (Romans 8:22-23 NASB)
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Romans 8 expounds the incredible reality of God’s grace lived out in our present and future; however, the chapter also exposes the realistic pains that are our lot on this present earth. Much of that groaning this side of heaven is engendered by the niggling little bothers of life. Often it is not the major trauma that collapses our hope; rather the continual build-up of tiny splinters unhorses us. And those little pains are very often connected to people. As we all experience, interpersonal hurts can build up and dampen our enthusiasm for life. I was recently teaching on this painful dynamic (and rejoicing in the Holy Spirit who comforts and intercedes for the Christian through it all). After the lesson, a friend shared the following old Peanuts © cartoon. It brilliantly captures both the unquenchable joy that is ours and the little troubles that spot the landscape. 
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December 12, 2013 | Adoption
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“So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.”(Romans 8:15-17 NLT)
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I once witnessed an adult adoption ceremony. It was so incredibly moving that I struggle to communicate the power of that scene. The man was black; the family that had taken him in was white. As a young teen, he had run away from a horrible situation; they brought him in and loved him as their own. In fact, their son of the same age was the one who brought him home and – in a massive sacrifice for any Middle Schooler – willingly gave up sole possession of his bedroom in order to share it with his orphan friend. The new parents, whom we’ll call Mr. and Mrs. West, became his legal guardians all through his youth. Asking nothing in return, this family raised the young man as their own son. Years later, a college graduate, he was going to court with them to officially have his name changed to theirs. As his pastor, I was asked to come along and lead a prayer. At the ceremony, the judge said something that immediately flashed me back to Romans 8, “Now, Mr. Murphy, you have enjoyed all the benefits of being around the West family. Should you accept this adoption, you will be legally bound as a member of the West clan. That means you will be entitled to inheritances and blessings, but you will also be subject to any pains that come with the name. Your future will include taking care of aging parents and other trials that go with your new surname. Do you understand?” He of course said yes. Then she asked, “Do you accept this?” He again answered affirmatively, though it was hard to hear because he was crying for joy. In fact, we were all weeping happy tears – even the judge! Ever since, I cannot read Romans 8:15-17 without seeing that scene in my mind and recognizing that a lost, orphaned soul like me has been given to opportunity to bear Jesus’ name. Rescued from a literally hellacious situation, I am granted all the temporal pains and blessings as well as the eternal inheritance that goes with joining God’s family. Wow! Think on that and one cannot help but weep for joy. |
December 5, 2013 | Mailed To Singapore
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“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.” (Romans 8:1-2 NASB)
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In his book The Normal Christian Life, Chinese pastor Watchman Nee describes the night he was trying to help a brother understand Romans 8:1-2. They looked at the scripture and discussed it, but the guy just couldn’t seem to grasp the idea of freedom in Jesus. So Watchman Nee took a piece of paper and placed it inside a book. He then said, “Brother, if I mail this book to Singapore, where is the paper?” The guy answered, “In Singapore.” Nee said, “Right. And since you are in Christ, then where will your soul always be? It will be where Jesus has placed you – justified before God in heaven.” The guy’s eyes got really wide. He grabbed the book from Pastor Nee and began running around the house, saying, “I’ve been mailed to Singapore.” He held the book over his head and started yelling, “I’ve been mailed to Singapore!” He ran out in the street, shouting, “I’ve been mailed to Singapore!” My dear brethren in Christ, you and I have been mailed to Singapore! We are in Jesus and that makes all the difference. Don’t you want to run out in the street and shout about it? Texted to Singapore I told that wonderful story in a sermon recently and the next morning a mother and son put the idea into practice. They were texting back and forth, discussing trials this high school boy was going to face that day, when this exchange broke out . . .  |
November 21, 2013 | I Need Thee
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“Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.” (Romans 7:24-25 NASB) |
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Help! Recently I was thinking through Romans 7, meditating on the message of this chapter and how it has blessed real people with real needs for 2,000 years. I was again reminded that every Christian’s struggle with the flesh:
Then, after this remarkable description of pain, sin, law, flesh and their interactions, Paul concludes Romans 7 with a beautiful cry for help to the only Helper – Jesus Christ our Lord. As I listen to this universal plea in Romans 7:24-25, I feel the same appeal rise in my own heart. I need the Lord and the Lord alone. Wonderfully, God has provided the solution to all our struggles: it is found in the relationship with God detailed in for us in Romans 8. I encourage you to read Romans 8, and we’ll discuss it in the coming days. I Need Thee The worship band where I teach recently led a great rendition of the hymn “I Need Thee,” a song that brilliantly captures the message of Romans 7. Even if you weren’t able to be with us for that moment, you can get a feel for the beauty of this message in song by looking up a recent recording by a young British man named Sam Robson. Be ready to get chills! |