What the World Needs Now
By Barbara Henderson
I thought I would start this article with the ending. What the world needs now is Christians who:
• believe in the Absolute Truth revealed to us in the Bible,
• who understand that it was established by the Absolute Authority of creation, and
• who live their lives accordingly. .
An absolute truth is an unalterable fact.
Absolute truth is not relative to culture, time, personal feelings or experiences, or political and social pressure.
An absolute truth must be established by an absolute authority.
The downward spiral of society begins when mankind steps off the foundation of Absolute Truth and into the shifting sand of doing what seems right in their own eyes. This is called Relativism.
Relativism – The doctrine that no ideas or beliefs are universally true, but that all are, instead, ‘relative’ – that is, their validity depends on the circumstances in which they are applied. (dictionary.com) Relativism progresses to:
Tolerance – freedom from bigotry. (dictionary.com)
Tolerance progresses to:
Acceptance – favorable reception; approval. (dictionary.com)
Relativism creates a cesspool of self righteousness. There are no standards by which to live. The individual must observe the environment, assess the situation, and then reason out the right thing to do. The things that society considers ‘right’ today, may be wrong tomorrow. Nothing is permanent. Everything is subject to continual change. There is no anchor to which the weary can cling.
Honestly, if the Absolute Authority is rejected, then there is no one or anything that has authority to declare anything right or wrong.
Today, society clings to some of the old values that are written down for us in the Bible. It is still considered wrong to murder someone unless they are unborn, terminally ill, elderly, or feeble. Most people don’t steal unless they can do it legally. Lies are only acceptable if they are told to protect someone, or cause something good to happen at a later date. But you have to wonder why society bothers. Without the Absolute Authority to set the rules, rules really have no basis.
Relativism has many devout followers. New Agers, Wiccans, Eastern Mystics, and Collectivists (Communists, Socialists, Fascists, Nazi’s, etc.) are all Relativists. They decide what to do based on current circumstances.
The only thing that Relativists do consistently is to tolerate others. For some, such as the Collectivists, tolerance is merely temporary. I found it very interesting that the dictionary defines ‘tolerance’ as ‘an absence of bigotry’. I thought ‘tolerance’ was just putting up with something. I didn’t know it had anything to do with bigotry.
Tolerance is soon morphed into acceptance. Here again, the dictionary gave me a surprise. I thought acceptance was saying, ‘OK, this is the way things are. I am just going to have to live with it.’ Instead the dictionary says acceptance means ‘a favorable reaction – approval’.
This chain reaction is easily seen in the homosexual movement.
Those who want homosexual behavior to be acceptable must first step off the foundation of Absolute Truth. The Bible is clear that this lifestyle is not acceptable to God. They say, ‘Well, God couldn’t possibly have meant that. He must have made a mistake. Or, maybe someone made a mistake in translation some time or other.’
From this point they move in the Relativist arena. If homosexual behavior is incorrectly stated as sin in the Bible, then everything else in the Bible might be in error also. Everything must be decided on the basis of circumstances at the time.
Social and political pressure are applied to society as a whole in order to assure that personal decisions are tolerated. Homosexual behavior must be tolerated, or you are a bigot! When Christians say, homosexuality is not acceptable to God, they are called narrow minded bigots. Of course, the true Christian knows that the rules were made by God. If society has a problem, they need to take the problem to the ‘Rule Maker’. No earthly power has authority to change the rules set by God.
Then from tolerance of homosexuality, society pushes for it to be ‘accepted’. According to the dictionary, that means society is supposed to have a ‘favorable reaction’ and ‘give approval’ of the movement.
Sadly, we are living in a time like in the book of Judges when, ‘there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.’ (Judges 17:26)
As wicked as society is as a whole, it is not surprising. Many people don’t profess any form of Christianity. We cannot expect them to live in obedience to the commandments and the other instructions in the Bible. Instead of condemning the lost, Christians need to pray for them. The lost of the world need Christians to tell them about the Absolute Truth, the Absolute Authority, and the Perfect Way of salvation. Christians should also be free to make it clear that certain behavior is unacceptable.
The church today has set itself to be the watchman of society, focusing on the wrong doing of the world. In so doing, they have taken their focus off what is going wrong in the church itself.
Many churches are all too willing to step off the foundation of Absolute Truth laid by Jesus Christ ‘just a little bit’ if they see it is a means to accomplish a particular goal.
Most churches play the ‘numbers game’. They will do almost anything in order to get more people through the church doors. In an attempt to make the church ‘relevant’ to people today, radical changes are often made within the church. Music unfit for human ears is often played in churches. Of course the lyrics are changed to something that sort of sounds a little bit Christian. Preachers are careful not to offend the congregation so they accept the music.
Church leaders believe the circumstances make a little compromise acceptable. Of course it never stays at just a little compromise. Soon the church is nothing more than a social club. The church building may be filled to capacity at every service and activity, but the congregation might as well be going to a local country club or even a night club. (‘Night Club’ is a fancy word for ‘honeky-tonk’, or ‘beer joint’. They are all bad places.)
Many churches also play the money game. Church leaders will do what they deem necessary to bring in enough money to live very lavish lives. This is sometimes called the Word/Faith movement. They attract members by teaching that the Lord wants everyone to be healthy and wealthy. They teach that all you have to do is have faith. You name what you want, and then claim it. They claim they have proof that God is with them because of the numbers in their congregations. Some even teach that people are ‘little gods’. Some in these congregations may know better, but they will not speak out because they consider the circumstances. To speak out would be divisive and maybe even cause a church split. That might be ‘quenching the spirit’.
The truth is that where the scripture is compromised, the Spirit is already quenched.
Other churches set the material needs of people above the spiritual needs. They preach a social gospel, convincing members that ‘doing good’ for the poor and oppressed does more good than preaching salvation by grace. They believe that circumstances dictate such a paradigm shift in how the church operates. After all, the poor and sick of the world are helpless. The material preachers ask themselves, ‘Why not provide the poor with salvation right now – save them from their poverty. That ought to work out just fine.’
A social gospel church will affiliate themselves with associations not connected to the church. This is done in consideration of the current circumstances. Why shouldn’t’ a church work with Planned Parenthood or the World Health Organization if good can be done that way? A preacher might even say, ‘This problem (like aids in Africa) is just too big for the church!’ Such thoughts are of the inadequacy of the church to help with the problems of the world are CORRECT - IF the church has already compromised its principles and blended with worldly ideologies.
Churches whose main goal is numbers, or health and wealth, or social transformation will do whatever circumstances dictate in order to achieve their goals. Church members are expected to tolerate and accept whatever methods church leadership employs. They will also choose to ignore any part of the scripture that they consider divisive. This often means leaving out Bible prophecy. One denomination virtually leaves out the entire Old Testament.
There is also a disturbing trend toward environmentalism is the church. It has somehow become necessary to save the planet instead of saving souls.
Churches should not wander into the heathen theology of running a church based on circumstances. The church cannot reach the lost of the world when it is floundering from the inside.
Jude 1:3 says, ‘Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Our faith is worth fighting for. What the world needs now is Christians standing firmly on the solid rock of Absolute Truth established by the Absolute Authority who are willing to fight.
The song for this article is ‘I Know Whom I Have Believed’. http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/k/ikwihb.htm (lyrics at end of article – this is a great song)
I chose this song because I personally know whom I have believed. I would like others to have an opportunity to believe on Jesus Christ as well. Christians standing on the Absolute Truth of Jesus Christ cannot silence the false teachers, but they can expose their errors. Christians can earnestly contend for the faith.
Thank you for reading my article. God Bless you.
Barbara Henderson
I know not why God’s wondrous grace
To me He hath made known,
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
Redeemed me for His own.
Refrain
But I know Whom I have believèd,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.
I know not how this saving faith
To me He did impart,
Nor how believing in His Word
Wrought peace within my heart.
Refrain
I know not how the Spirit moves,
Convincing us of sin,
Revealing Jesus through the Word,
Creating faith in Him.
Refrain
I know not what of good or ill
May be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days,
Before His face I see.
Refrain
I know not when my Lord may come,
At night or noonday fair,
Nor if I walk the vale with Him,
Or meet Him in the air.
Refrain
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
When Counting your Blessings Be Thankful for Hope
Thankful for Hope
By Barbara Henderson
As we approach the day set aside to give thanks to our God, the Christian has far more for which to be thankful than those who do not know Jesus Christ. Most Christians can say they are thankful for their salvation, their families, their freedoms, and whatever material possessions they may have. Christians can also be thankful for the love of God, a love that is immeasurable and eternal. In His immeasurable love, God has given us more. God has given us hope.
For the Christian, ‘hope’ is not a feeling. Hope itself may produce a feeling that things are going to turn out right, or that we will get something specific, or be able to accomplish some specific task. But hope in itself is not a feeling. Hope for the Christian, is, at least in part, fore-knowledge of events or actions that are going to eventually come to pass. Hope is the encourager, pushing the Christian to leave behind the thoughts and actions of their old life, and go forward into a closer and purer walk with Jesus Christ. Hope is the catalyst that spurs the Christian to forward actions. Thank God for hope.
Here is what the Bible says about hope.
Hope of immortality is confirmed in scripture.
‘And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.’ Acts 24:15
Hope of heavenly rewards
‘For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;‘ Colossians 1:3
Hope of the second coming
‘Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;’ Titus 2:13
Hope that anchors the soul
‘Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;’ Hebrews 6:18
Hope based in the resurrection of Jesus Christ
‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,’
1 Peter 1:3
Hope that abides forever
‘And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity’
1 Corinthians 13:13
Hope that inspires the believer to clean living
‘And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.’
1 John 3:3
Now, where does one gain hope such as this? Where else can a hope that endures through emotional highs and lows be found?
Hope is gained through scripture
‘For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.’ Romans 15:4
If you have already become a Christian, this life changing hope is available to you. You will find it through hiding the words of God in your heart. The more of God’s words and teachings you know, the more hopeful you will become. It really is that simple.
If you do not know Jesus Christ as your savior, then this hope is NOT available to you.
The Bible tells us, ‘But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.’ 1 Corinthians 2:14
The hope available to Christians is clearly not available to the ‘natural man’, which is to say unbelievers.
Seeing that we Christians have such hope through Jesus Christ, should we not pray to be able to direct those without hope to the Giver of Hope? The hope that is in us should make us bold to proclaim salvation to the lost, that they might have hope also.
Hope that makes believers bold
‘But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:’ 1 Peter 3:15
We Christians have hope not based on the world system, which is made up of government, economics, mystery religions, and the society these things produce. Our hope is not of this world. It cannot be crushed or defeated by events occurring in the earthly realm. Our hearts may be broken, but hope in God and His promises will abide.
The hope of the Christian is built on the solid rock of Jesus Christ and His abilities to make good on the promises He has made to us in scripture. (Romans 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.) Hope based on performance by any human being is risky. The thing is, even when someone has the best of intentions in fulfilling a promise, circumstances beyond their control may prevent it. But hope in God is sure. In Psalm 42:5 says, ‘Why are thou cast down, O my soul? And why are thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God” for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.’
Do you find that your hope is faded or even fainted? Maybe I should ask if occasionally it seems your hope has ‘passed out entirely’? It happens to Christians. Their hope seems gone. The problem often lies in taking our eyes off our source of hope, which is God Almighty. We begin to hope in things of the world. We hope a political election will change things, or a new medicine, or a new boss at work, or more education, or less education, whatever the case may be. What really changes things is hope in God. Let your soul hope in God.
Sometimes to continue to hope is hard or close to impossible. Consider Psalm 119:81 which says, ‘My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.’
This poor psalmist said his soul was fainting for the salvation or deliverance he was seeking: but, he refused to see hope as a feeling. Instead he hoped in or relied upon the sure word of God. His hope in God defended him against Satan’s attack. When we despair to see the deliverance of God, we are to go back and encourage ourselves through scripture to continue to hope in God. When the chips are really down, you don’t need the emotionalism of worldly hope to help you get through whatever is going on in your life. You need the hope in God that is greater than ‘how you feel’ at the moment. Thank God He is greater than our feelings.
This is my ‘Thanksgiving Prayer’ for you.
‘Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.’ Romans 15:13
The song for this article is ‘My Hope is Built’. This is a song of encouragement for those, who like the psalmist, are fainting in the flesh, but continue to hope it God.
Barbara Henderson
________________________________________
On Christ the Solid Rock I stand
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkMapZB8qMk
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.
Refrain
On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
Refrain
His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.
Refrain
When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
Refrain
By Barbara Henderson
As we approach the day set aside to give thanks to our God, the Christian has far more for which to be thankful than those who do not know Jesus Christ. Most Christians can say they are thankful for their salvation, their families, their freedoms, and whatever material possessions they may have. Christians can also be thankful for the love of God, a love that is immeasurable and eternal. In His immeasurable love, God has given us more. God has given us hope.
For the Christian, ‘hope’ is not a feeling. Hope itself may produce a feeling that things are going to turn out right, or that we will get something specific, or be able to accomplish some specific task. But hope in itself is not a feeling. Hope for the Christian, is, at least in part, fore-knowledge of events or actions that are going to eventually come to pass. Hope is the encourager, pushing the Christian to leave behind the thoughts and actions of their old life, and go forward into a closer and purer walk with Jesus Christ. Hope is the catalyst that spurs the Christian to forward actions. Thank God for hope.
Here is what the Bible says about hope.
Hope of immortality is confirmed in scripture.
‘And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.’ Acts 24:15
Hope of heavenly rewards
‘For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;‘ Colossians 1:3
Hope of the second coming
‘Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;’ Titus 2:13
Hope that anchors the soul
‘Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;’ Hebrews 6:18
Hope based in the resurrection of Jesus Christ
‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,’
1 Peter 1:3
Hope that abides forever
‘And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity’
1 Corinthians 13:13
Hope that inspires the believer to clean living
‘And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.’
1 John 3:3
Now, where does one gain hope such as this? Where else can a hope that endures through emotional highs and lows be found?
Hope is gained through scripture
‘For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.’ Romans 15:4
If you have already become a Christian, this life changing hope is available to you. You will find it through hiding the words of God in your heart. The more of God’s words and teachings you know, the more hopeful you will become. It really is that simple.
If you do not know Jesus Christ as your savior, then this hope is NOT available to you.
The Bible tells us, ‘But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.’ 1 Corinthians 2:14
The hope available to Christians is clearly not available to the ‘natural man’, which is to say unbelievers.
Seeing that we Christians have such hope through Jesus Christ, should we not pray to be able to direct those without hope to the Giver of Hope? The hope that is in us should make us bold to proclaim salvation to the lost, that they might have hope also.
Hope that makes believers bold
‘But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:’ 1 Peter 3:15
We Christians have hope not based on the world system, which is made up of government, economics, mystery religions, and the society these things produce. Our hope is not of this world. It cannot be crushed or defeated by events occurring in the earthly realm. Our hearts may be broken, but hope in God and His promises will abide.
The hope of the Christian is built on the solid rock of Jesus Christ and His abilities to make good on the promises He has made to us in scripture. (Romans 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.) Hope based on performance by any human being is risky. The thing is, even when someone has the best of intentions in fulfilling a promise, circumstances beyond their control may prevent it. But hope in God is sure. In Psalm 42:5 says, ‘Why are thou cast down, O my soul? And why are thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God” for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.’
Do you find that your hope is faded or even fainted? Maybe I should ask if occasionally it seems your hope has ‘passed out entirely’? It happens to Christians. Their hope seems gone. The problem often lies in taking our eyes off our source of hope, which is God Almighty. We begin to hope in things of the world. We hope a political election will change things, or a new medicine, or a new boss at work, or more education, or less education, whatever the case may be. What really changes things is hope in God. Let your soul hope in God.
Sometimes to continue to hope is hard or close to impossible. Consider Psalm 119:81 which says, ‘My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.’
This poor psalmist said his soul was fainting for the salvation or deliverance he was seeking: but, he refused to see hope as a feeling. Instead he hoped in or relied upon the sure word of God. His hope in God defended him against Satan’s attack. When we despair to see the deliverance of God, we are to go back and encourage ourselves through scripture to continue to hope in God. When the chips are really down, you don’t need the emotionalism of worldly hope to help you get through whatever is going on in your life. You need the hope in God that is greater than ‘how you feel’ at the moment. Thank God He is greater than our feelings.
This is my ‘Thanksgiving Prayer’ for you.
‘Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.’ Romans 15:13
The song for this article is ‘My Hope is Built’. This is a song of encouragement for those, who like the psalmist, are fainting in the flesh, but continue to hope it God.
Barbara Henderson
________________________________________
On Christ the Solid Rock I stand
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkMapZB8qMk
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.
Refrain
On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
Refrain
His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.
Refrain
When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
Refrain
Monday, November 16, 2009
An Attitude of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving – It Ain’t That Easy!
By Barbara Henderson
Well, here we are again. Thanksgiving is coming. Then it will be Christmas. Then we will start a new year. We will hope for a new year filled with joy and good things. In fact, we hope for a joyful holiday season. I know, the term ‘holiday season’ is now thought to be offensive, as it puts Christ out of the season. However, when I was growing up, the phrase ‘holiday season’ was meant to include the three holidays beginning with Thanksgiving and ending with New Years. Christmas was practically a ‘holiday season’ all by itself. Each particular holiday was an occasion to celebrate God’s love and mercy. The culture of that time pre-supposed that Jesus Christ was the reason for all three days of celebration.
Last week’s article covered the tendency of some people to spoil everyone’s holiday season by reliving past grief to the point that it seems the holiday season is spent in mourning. The article encouraged people to consider their grief well prior to the onset of the holiday season, and mourn as they feel the need; but, with God’s help, set aside their grief for the holiday season, beginning with thanksgiving. The Bible itself tells us there is a time to mourn. So, I am not saying that grief should be ignored, but that at some point, grief should not control your seasons of joy.
The spirit of thankfulness is a tremendous gift from God. It is the beginning of change for the better. It is the beginning of a new and better way of living. But, thanksgiving is also hard work. It leads the thankful heart into an unknown future. To be truly thankful, requires that one launch out into the wilderness without really knowing where they are going, or what they will actually be doing. I think that is why people hang on to grief. Grief is a known element. Everyone knows how to grieve and mourn. You just bawl your eyes out, or keep a pained look on your face while you go about your daily life. You focus on the past, another known element, and shield your eyes from an unknown future.
Thanksgiving, on the other hand, requires courage. Here’s why.
First, thanksgiving acknowledges your own inability to achieve or gain anything without help from God. Thanksgiving tells you that the things you have were not gained by your own hard work and perseverance. If you had gotten things on your own, then why the need to give thanks in the first place? Thanksgiving is a tool by which a believer may rid his or her self of pride. Thanksgiving leads to humility.
Somewhere in between thanksgiving and humility is repentance. As you begin to give God the credit for all your blessings, you become aware of more blessings that you have taken for granite in your life. You have a glimmer of understanding of how blessed and favored you are with God. Humility begins to grow in your life. From the extreme advantage point of a humble heart, you begin to see how pride has crept into your life. You begin to feel the weight of burdens you are carrying that you don’t have to carry. At some point, you begin to repent of thought patterns and a life style that thanks yourself for all your hard work and success. You become sorry for your sins. You come to an understanding that the measure of success or failure is not what is visible to the eye. It is not in the measure of what you have or don’t have. This requires a paradigm shift in one’s thinking.
This attitude adjustment, this change in your way of thinking, is not easy. In fact, it is so hard that many and even most people turn back. They set their shoulder to the plow and start out with their eye on the prize at the end of the row. But then, all the changes that thanksgiving brings become frightening. They would rather go back to the known elements of an unthankful life.
For those who persevere in developing an attitude of thanksgiving and praise, there is a tremendous reward. That reward is meekness of spirit. Meekness is the most powerful tool a Christian can have. Here is an exert from an article that I wrote on meekness some time ago.
‘Meekness - Meekness is reliance on God instead of yourself.
A mighty man of God was Moses; yet Moses was meekest of all men. Now how can that be? Simple. Moses, a former prince of Egypt, came to understand that through God working in him, he could accomplish more than all the mighty armies of Egypt. That is the meekness that we should seek. It leads us to understand that 'I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me'. (Philippians 4:13)
So, meekness does not mean 'I am a door mat. Come stomp on me!' It means that you have begun to understand that your success in any endeavor is not based on YOUR own abilities. Remember that Moses had plenty of natural abilities and talents. Yet, he set those aside in favor of reliance on the Lord.
Moses did spend 40 years in the wilderness caring for sheep between the time he rejected the power of Egypt and chose instead to be counted with the people of God. Like Moses, we may grasp the concept of meekness, but be slow to be able to fully implement meekness as a way of life. That means we should all get started working on fully relying on God instead of ourselves right away.
Right now, are you on the path to meekness; or, are you still trying to do all things through your own ability, wealth, or authority? Or have you set these things aside and chosen to rely on the ability, wealth, and authority of God Almighty?
No matter how great your personal talents and power, the arm of flesh will eventually fail you. If you were even greater than Alexander the Great, you would still eventually meet his fate. You would die, and your kingdom and possessions would be given to another mortal.
The inheritance God has for the meek is eternal. Reliance on God instead of your self is the path to success.’ (end quoted article)
This is just a simple explanation of the benefits of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a process, not a holiday. Thanksgiving brings changes. Some of the changes will be hard. You can bet that some of the changes will be very hard. They will be so hard, than many will turn back from thanksgiving, and go back to living on their own. These people may be saved, but the joy of their salvation will be overshadowed with the cares of the world. Meekness will elude them all their lives. No matter what their earthly success may be, it will pale in comparison to what it could have been through meekness.
Perseverance in thanksgiving is somewhat like Peter walking on water. When he kept his focus on the Lord Jesus Christ, he stayed above the water. When he looked at the water, he began to sink into the sea. If a Christian gazes on the things of earth such as material wealth, hurt feelings, genuine grief, or bitter disappointments, they are going to be overwhelmed by these things and fall back into grief and things of the past. Their only option for help in their distress is to keep their eyes fixed on the Lord. And, I will be the first to admit that it really ‘ain’t that easy’. In fact, it is well night impossible sometimes. Thankfully, nothing is impossible with God. (Matthew 19:26, Mark 9:23, mark 10:27, Mark 14:26, Luke 18:27 )
So, there you have it. The question is, are you one of the few who will be willing to set a course of thankfulness in your daily life? Or, will you be one who finds the road of thanksgiving to hard and difficult?
Barbara Henderson
http://askbh.com
http://tobarbara.blogspot.com
barbara@askbh.com
By Barbara Henderson
Well, here we are again. Thanksgiving is coming. Then it will be Christmas. Then we will start a new year. We will hope for a new year filled with joy and good things. In fact, we hope for a joyful holiday season. I know, the term ‘holiday season’ is now thought to be offensive, as it puts Christ out of the season. However, when I was growing up, the phrase ‘holiday season’ was meant to include the three holidays beginning with Thanksgiving and ending with New Years. Christmas was practically a ‘holiday season’ all by itself. Each particular holiday was an occasion to celebrate God’s love and mercy. The culture of that time pre-supposed that Jesus Christ was the reason for all three days of celebration.
Last week’s article covered the tendency of some people to spoil everyone’s holiday season by reliving past grief to the point that it seems the holiday season is spent in mourning. The article encouraged people to consider their grief well prior to the onset of the holiday season, and mourn as they feel the need; but, with God’s help, set aside their grief for the holiday season, beginning with thanksgiving. The Bible itself tells us there is a time to mourn. So, I am not saying that grief should be ignored, but that at some point, grief should not control your seasons of joy.
The spirit of thankfulness is a tremendous gift from God. It is the beginning of change for the better. It is the beginning of a new and better way of living. But, thanksgiving is also hard work. It leads the thankful heart into an unknown future. To be truly thankful, requires that one launch out into the wilderness without really knowing where they are going, or what they will actually be doing. I think that is why people hang on to grief. Grief is a known element. Everyone knows how to grieve and mourn. You just bawl your eyes out, or keep a pained look on your face while you go about your daily life. You focus on the past, another known element, and shield your eyes from an unknown future.
Thanksgiving, on the other hand, requires courage. Here’s why.
First, thanksgiving acknowledges your own inability to achieve or gain anything without help from God. Thanksgiving tells you that the things you have were not gained by your own hard work and perseverance. If you had gotten things on your own, then why the need to give thanks in the first place? Thanksgiving is a tool by which a believer may rid his or her self of pride. Thanksgiving leads to humility.
Somewhere in between thanksgiving and humility is repentance. As you begin to give God the credit for all your blessings, you become aware of more blessings that you have taken for granite in your life. You have a glimmer of understanding of how blessed and favored you are with God. Humility begins to grow in your life. From the extreme advantage point of a humble heart, you begin to see how pride has crept into your life. You begin to feel the weight of burdens you are carrying that you don’t have to carry. At some point, you begin to repent of thought patterns and a life style that thanks yourself for all your hard work and success. You become sorry for your sins. You come to an understanding that the measure of success or failure is not what is visible to the eye. It is not in the measure of what you have or don’t have. This requires a paradigm shift in one’s thinking.
This attitude adjustment, this change in your way of thinking, is not easy. In fact, it is so hard that many and even most people turn back. They set their shoulder to the plow and start out with their eye on the prize at the end of the row. But then, all the changes that thanksgiving brings become frightening. They would rather go back to the known elements of an unthankful life.
For those who persevere in developing an attitude of thanksgiving and praise, there is a tremendous reward. That reward is meekness of spirit. Meekness is the most powerful tool a Christian can have. Here is an exert from an article that I wrote on meekness some time ago.
‘Meekness - Meekness is reliance on God instead of yourself.
A mighty man of God was Moses; yet Moses was meekest of all men. Now how can that be? Simple. Moses, a former prince of Egypt, came to understand that through God working in him, he could accomplish more than all the mighty armies of Egypt. That is the meekness that we should seek. It leads us to understand that 'I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me'. (Philippians 4:13)
So, meekness does not mean 'I am a door mat. Come stomp on me!' It means that you have begun to understand that your success in any endeavor is not based on YOUR own abilities. Remember that Moses had plenty of natural abilities and talents. Yet, he set those aside in favor of reliance on the Lord.
Moses did spend 40 years in the wilderness caring for sheep between the time he rejected the power of Egypt and chose instead to be counted with the people of God. Like Moses, we may grasp the concept of meekness, but be slow to be able to fully implement meekness as a way of life. That means we should all get started working on fully relying on God instead of ourselves right away.
Right now, are you on the path to meekness; or, are you still trying to do all things through your own ability, wealth, or authority? Or have you set these things aside and chosen to rely on the ability, wealth, and authority of God Almighty?
No matter how great your personal talents and power, the arm of flesh will eventually fail you. If you were even greater than Alexander the Great, you would still eventually meet his fate. You would die, and your kingdom and possessions would be given to another mortal.
The inheritance God has for the meek is eternal. Reliance on God instead of your self is the path to success.’ (end quoted article)
This is just a simple explanation of the benefits of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a process, not a holiday. Thanksgiving brings changes. Some of the changes will be hard. You can bet that some of the changes will be very hard. They will be so hard, than many will turn back from thanksgiving, and go back to living on their own. These people may be saved, but the joy of their salvation will be overshadowed with the cares of the world. Meekness will elude them all their lives. No matter what their earthly success may be, it will pale in comparison to what it could have been through meekness.
Perseverance in thanksgiving is somewhat like Peter walking on water. When he kept his focus on the Lord Jesus Christ, he stayed above the water. When he looked at the water, he began to sink into the sea. If a Christian gazes on the things of earth such as material wealth, hurt feelings, genuine grief, or bitter disappointments, they are going to be overwhelmed by these things and fall back into grief and things of the past. Their only option for help in their distress is to keep their eyes fixed on the Lord. And, I will be the first to admit that it really ‘ain’t that easy’. In fact, it is well night impossible sometimes. Thankfully, nothing is impossible with God. (Matthew 19:26, Mark 9:23, mark 10:27, Mark 14:26, Luke 18:27 )
So, there you have it. The question is, are you one of the few who will be willing to set a course of thankfulness in your daily life? Or, will you be one who finds the road of thanksgiving to hard and difficult?
Barbara Henderson
http://askbh.com
http://tobarbara.blogspot.com
barbara@askbh.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)