Give Thanks...

To me Thanksgiving is a day of family, friends and good food. It is one day out of 365 set aside for us to reflect on what we are thankful for. But it seems that it has become just another day on the calendar. Unfortunately, for many it has just become another day of work or a day to start Christmas shopping early. 


This year at dinner my mom ask what I imagine many families ask that day - What are you thankful for? I was stumped by the question this year because I was the last person at the table to answer and I wanted to say something different. Unfortunately, I drew a blank.


I know the answer to her question is late, but here it is. I am thankful for...

• My parents who love me and tolerate me. The ones who loved me, protected me, and taught me to be the person I am today.
• My brother who is always there for me; who I know is there even though we don't talk every day; who calls me at odd times just to say hey and catch up.
• My sister-in-law who sends random texts to me to brighten my day and to wish me a blessed day.
• My nephew who finally has a job he loves and that allowed him to be home with us for Thanksgiving day (Yeah!).
• My students who are the most awesome young adults on the planet; who make me smile, laugh and cry (sometimes all at the same time).
• New friends.
• Growth and maturing as our church goes through a transition period.
• New experiences - singing on the worship team and teaching Children's Church.
• But most of all, for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who gave the greatest gift and sacrifice by laying down His life so that I can have salvation and eternal life. And because He cares enough about me to walk with me daily.

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you found a few moments to reflect on what you are truly thankful for.

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (I Thessalonians 5:18)

Psalm 23:4

Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

We read this verse in relationship to death and the journey we take when our time arrives.  We gain comfort to know that God will be there with us. 


But when I read it this time I saw it in a different light, with a new meaning. Why do we only look at this verse at a time of death? Why not take comfort from it in our daily lives?  


The Life Application Bible had a note that the verse could also read "through the darkest valley." Our darkest time is not always death. We go through times of highs (mountains) and lows (valleys) in our lives. Those valleys are not always a physical death. It could be pain, sickness, injury, conflict, etc. 


I have a reoccurring valley in my life. I am one who copes with migraines. They are the most excruciatingly painful things that I have experienced. I have prayed in the middle of them that God would either take away the pain or take me home to be with Him. It gives me great comfort to know that God is there with me at these dark time. I know that I am not alone when that debilitating pain is there. God is there when no one else can help me. 


Strength and comfort cannot overcome the valley of pain, sickness, injury or conflict, but just as God is there to get us through the valley of the shadow of death, He is there to get us through the other valleys too. Take comfort that you are not alone. Take comfort that God is there to defend you with His rod and to keep you from danger with His staff.

Psalm 23:2-3

Psalm 23:1 tells us that if we depend on God then we will not want. What more could we ask for? God does not leave us there. He offers even more in verses 2-3. He says "He will make me lie down in green pastures, he leads me besides still waters." When I hear green pastures and still waters I get a tranquil picture in my mind. I see myself stretched out in that green pasture next to the still waters. I hear the birds singing, I feel the gentle breeze blowing. I feel the weight of the world left off my shoulders. I fell renewed and refreshed.


God does not say He will put you in a car in rush hour traffic or chaos. He takes us to a calm and tranquil place. He offers restoration to our souls. That sounds great but what does it mean? To restore means to replace, to renew or revive, to return. How wonderful to know that when I am beaten down, torn apart by the world, God will replace, renew or return me to how He created me. He doesn't just leave me in the state I am in.


God offers this to all. All you have to do is accept Him as your Shepherd too.

Psalm 23:1

I have been reading Psalms and a couple days ago I read Psalm 23.  I have read this chapter before.  It is one of those that you memorize in Sunday School as a child and it is one that you hear at just about every funeral you go to.  But reading this chapter this time, I saw it in a whole new light.  The chapter is about God and who He is.  It is about what He gives us in the relationship we have with Him.


Psalm 23:1 identifies "The Lord is my shepherd."  "Sheep are dependent on the shepherd for provision, guidance, and protection" (Life Application Bible, p848).  That's what we are to do - depend on our Great Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20) or Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4) for provision, guidance and protection.  The second part of verse 1 is so important.  It gives us hope when it says "I shall not be in want."  So if we depend on God for provision, guidance and protection then we will not want.  God will provide!  What more could we ask for?

Divine Appointments...

"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.  Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'?  I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields.  They are ripe for harvest.  (John 4:34-35)


"God ordains divine appointments for each of us who will let Him work through us.  In God's planning, we will experience opportunities to witness to strangers and casual acquaintances" (The Local Church in Evangelism, p121).  God sets up and gives us opportunities to share our stories, share His story and to pray with people, but we have to be sensitive to when those situations happen.  We have to be aware that those situations are happening.  We need to take that step of faith and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.


There is an old saying - "Opportunity doesn't knock twice."  This is so true.  Every opportunity is unique because people and circumstances are different.  Therefore we cannot get those opportunities back.  I can think of three opportunities I have missed.  Three times that I still think about today where the outcome could have been different.  Three times when I could have reached out to someone else in their time of need.


There is another saying - "Hindsight is twenty-twenty."  That is true for these three opportunities.  I did not see them at the time or I was not confident in the prodding I received from the Holy Spirit.  But I saw them after.  I felt the lost for not reaching out.  I have also learned from these that "we need to be spiritually alert to seize opportunities" (p121).  Colossians 4:2 says "Devote yourselves to prayer being watchful and thankful."  We need to be watchful for those opportunities to seize.  We need to work on our foresight being twenty-twenty instead of our hindsight.  We also need to pray for those opportunities.  "Pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ (Colossians 4:3).


So slow down and be watchful for those divine appointments to seize so you will not carry those regrets later.

The Confidence Factor...

This week in class part of what we read and talked about was motivation for evangelism.  The opening question of the chapter was "Why don't more Christians tell others about Jesus Christ?"  The answer was "For most people, the problem is lack of confidence" (The Local Church in Evangelism, p135).  I can understand that answer.  I am not a "people-person," an extrovert, outgoing, or whatever else you want to call it.  I am afraid to step out there where people are concerned.  I am afraid of standing out; I want to blend in.  I am not sure where it comes from but it is there.  Talking to people (strangers especially), making small talk is something I rely on God to help me with - to get me through.  I feel inadequate and intimidated about talking to people, let alone sharing Christ with them.  I fear not being an effective witness for Christ.  

The confidence with which the first Christians shared the message of Christ was not based on their own persuasive ability.  It came from knowing who Jesus is, their understanding of what God was doing, and the power of the Holy Spirit (p135).

I am confident in who Jesus is, I understand what God does and the power of the Holy Spirit.  I am confident that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.  That He died for me.  That He loves me and wants the best for me.  He gets me through every day, every minute and every moment.  He gives me the strength and power to do all He has for me to do.  


So if I have confidence in Jesus and I rely on Him for everything that I do, why do I lack confidence?  Why am I afraid?  We talked in class about being politically correct.  We talked about how we become afraid because we might offend.  I think this is were my lack of confidence comes from.  Not only am I afraid of embarrassing myself, I am afraid of offending others.  But aren't I offending Jesus when I do not share?  Don't I offend Him when I am not obedient to His leading to share?


One thing that I have learned through this study is that all I have to do is share who Jesus is and what He has done for me.  Those are my thoughts that people can take or leave.  They are not given to offend but shared to encourage.  My part is not the hard part.  I am not the one who has to persuade or convince - that is the Holy Spirit's job.  My job is to be confident in Him, to share, and to be obedient to Jesus Christ.

Above all, believers need to be reminded that God is the One who saves people.  The Holy Spirit is the One who convinces of sin.  Jesus is the One who builds His church.  We simply take part in the work God is doing in people's lives (p149).

Pastors and Deacons...

The Bible says the pastor, minister, overseer, or what other name you choose to call them, is the spiritual leaders of the church.  But God does not say they are the leader of everything in the church.  As a matter of fact, God set up positions in the church to help lighten the load of pastors.  In Acts 6:1-7, Luke describes the choosing of the seven.  The disciples realized they could not do it all so they wisely chose to share the burden by choosing seven men to handle the administrative work.  They shared the burden.  Each group had their responsibility and they concentrated on their responsibility.

The choosing of the seven was quite possibly the beginning of deacons.  Deacon means “one who serves.”  The description of deacons is given I Timothy 6:8-13.  Deacons were leaders.  They were the ones who were doing the administrative work in the church.  They were the ones taking care of the physical needs of the church and the congregation.  Deacons have many of the same qualifications as the pastors or overseers (I Timothy 6:1-6).

So why do pastors today feel that they have to work alone?  Why do they feel they have to do or be in charge of everything?  Why do they not utilize the helpers God has sent to lighten their load?  Is it pride?  Lack of humility?

Peter tells us

Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older.  All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another because
God opposes the proud
But gives grace to the humble. (I Peter 5:5)

 Peter is telling us, no matter our age, maturity or position, to be submissive to those above AND below us.  Listen to those we serve so we know how to better serve them.  Paul also says “…To submit to each of these and to everyone who joins in the work, and labors at it” (I Corinthians 16:16).  Paul does not distinguish who is to submit other than to say everyone who joins.  Everyone is a powerful word.  It does not leave anyone out.  One last thought… “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21).