1 Thessalonians 5:18 “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Were you expecting another verse on a week like this?!
Responding to what we see and hear is critical in our day to day lives. When we are driving and we see a ball roll out into the street we automatically translate that to this: There will be a child running out into the street very soon, so our reaction is to stop. When we see a big screen TV at the store we automatically see a Super Bowl party at our house and our spouse looking at us like we….well, let’s just leave at like we…. When we see one of the higher ups in our company that we hardly ever see walking down the aisle of cubicles in our office we automatically assume something is wrong and people might lose their jobs. If you think it through there is an automatic response or thought associated with almost everything that we see or what we hear. Those responses vary from confidence to doubt, strength to weakness, anger to peace and a variety of others. How we respond is important to us and important to those around us. It is also important to God.
One thing I’ve learned the deeper I get into studying the life of Jesus is that I simply do not think like He does because I do not always respond like He does. I’m trying and I will continue to try, but if there was a Jesus Odometer I could pull out for some of the situations I’ve been in life my response compared to the Jesus Odometer would probably read something much different. Those situations in which I placated a person, Jesus might have turned up the heat. Those situations in which I simply choose to ignore, Jesus may have stepped in. Those times that I decided to call it a day because of exhaustion, Jesus may have stayed up another hour and prayed. The times I did get involved, Jesus would have walked the other way. The point is what I see and how I respond to what I see, is often different than what and how God would expect us to respond to what we see.
We all should be daily learning how to respond as Jesus would in each and every situation, but one response that God desires is clear. “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Two things that hit me immediately are “Everything” and “this is the will of God…” It is clear that God desires a spirit of Thanksgiving and Gratitude from our responses on a daily basis.
Can we really give thanks for everything? When I’m taking out the garbage and the bag breaks before I make it outside, I’m to say thank you for that? When I’m diagnosed for diabetes I’m to say thank you for that? If we want to mock God and be sarcastic toward Him we can say thank you for those things, but the everything is about an attitude of gratitude rather than simply saying thank you for each event that occurs in your life. Thanks or gratitude is not about an event or about a place we find ourselves in, but it is about our attitude toward each event and place we find ourselves in.
If you remember the pre-world champion Red Sox of 2004 and 2007, sports radio station WEEI dubbed Red Sox fans as “the fellowship of the miserable.” Year after year Red Sox fans would go through the same thing spend time in first place up until about the All Star Break and then watch the Yankees pull away in the second half of the season, this formula never failed year after year Sox fans would endure watching the Yankees and every once and awhile other teams bring glory to their fans. Due to this we fans couldn’t bring ourselves to show gratitude for the excitement that the team provided all year long we could only sink in the muck and mire of not winning the World Series and thus displayed an attitude of misery as opposed to an attitude of gratitude. An attitude of gratitude of course longs for a winning final result but that attitude is not based on the final result which means that it fully enjoys and shows gratitude for the journey along the way, thus everything along the way is an opportunity for gratitude.
Seeing that giving thanks is the will of God for our lives that means that showing gratitude is worship. Worship is giving honor to the One in whom it is due. We honor God when we react in obedience to His call, His commands in our lives. One of those commands is to give thanks. The Psalm that we concluded the Prayer and Praise Service last night states:
Psalm 100:4-5 “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.”
When we give thanks it brings us to His gates and when we continue to give thanks we enter His courts with thank you's that echo with praise. Why should we continually be thankful to Him? Think with me a moment….
Notice that the verse from Thessalonians states that “it is the will of God in Christ Jesus…” Why in Christ Jesus? I had no way to reconcile myself back unto God. I had no way of ever entering into His courts with praise on my own. But God so loved the world that He gave His Son that whoever believes in Him will have everlasting life (will be reconciled unto God, will have access to His courts). That is awfully good and it is a show of great grace and mercy, so much so that it is everlasting. When I keep Christ at the forefront of my thoughts as I go through my days, weeks and years I remember God’s goodness and when people are good to me, I want to give thanks to them. When I keep Christ at the forefront of my thoughts as I go through my days, weeks and years I remember God’s grace for forgiving me of my sins, for loving me even when I fall short, when people bear with my sin and shortcomings and still stand by me, I give thanks to them. It is the will of God in Christ Jesus because in Him we will see God’s incredible goodness, mercy, truth and love and we will over time naturally begin reacting with thanksgiving, gratitude, thanks and yes, worship and praise in each and every situation, so we truly become individuals that “in everything give thanks…”
Have wonderful Thanksgivings, eat well, enjoy friends, family, laughter and give thanks unto God for each moment of it.
Questions to Ask Yourself:
Read Luke 17:11-19
1. How do I become more like the one and not the nine?
2. Luke 17:16 states the former leper fell down at Jesus’ feet and gave thanks. What did Jesus say He did in 17:18?
pastor e
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In this week of Thanksgiving I have much to be thankful for. God has certainly blessed me.
It took me far too long to realize that God needs to be the number one priority in my life. I hate to say it but there were many times when I took Him for granted. I was like the nine lepers for many years. I would call to God only in those desperate moments and then not call to him again until I had a need for Him. Instead of giving God glory like the one leper, I got what I needed and continued on with my life like the other nine. What a horrible way to live!
I now realize that without Him I am nothing. I have refocused my life so that God is at the forefront. I am so thankful that through Gods mercy I have come back to Him. I have been forgiven of my sins, my shortsightedness, and I have been saved. What a glorious God we have.
I LOVE YOU GOD!!!
Sunday night a special prayer service was held at New Heights. This was my first time attending such a service so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I sure am grateful that I attended. The energy was electric. The love and warmth that poured out from everyone was contagious. The entire service was uplifting. Burdens were lessened and chains were removed. This was a night that I will never forget. Thanks to all who attended. Like most of you I didn't want the night to end.
I would like to offer a special thank you to Sydnia, Zach, Logan, Fred, Mike and Pastor E for the time they put into making this such a great experience. God Bless you all.
Update from last week. It was put in my heart to write to two additional people. Thank you God.
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