Giving Thanks

There is a giving of thanks that surpasses all others. One line of thought is to appreciate everything one has. A second line of thought would be to appreciate everything one has and always say, “thanks,” to all who were involved in the process of giving it to the one who has received it. Ah, but there is yet a higher form of giving thanks.

The highest form of giving thanks is to do all of the above, and then pay it forward. Yes, that’s right, give back. This is why Jesus said, “forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” This is why Jesus said, “to whom much is given, much will be required.”

The point is that whatever blessing we receive, we ought to seek out opportunities to bless others in the same way. If we have a house, we should seek to bless someone else in a way that helps them to get a house. I dont mean give them a house outright (although God may enable you to do just that.) Maybe you can, though, seek out a nonprofit organization that helps low income individuals find affordable mortgages and you could donate there. Or maybe you know someone who lost their job and they have a car loan among other bills. You could offer to pay on their loan for one month or more. Perhaps you know someone struggling to put food on their table. You know you’ve been blessed with food on your own table, so you offer them home cooked meals from your place for a week. Maybe you might even buy them a month worth of groceries. These are all examples of blessing others by paying it forward. The best is when you know they’d never be able to afford to pay you back. That’s what God did in offering His life to us through Jesus to pay for our sins. God knew there would be no way for us to pay Him back. That’s why Jesus said, “greater love has noone than this, than that one lay down their life for their friend’s.” This thanksgiving let’s celebrate giving thanks to the highest degree and pay it forward. Amen.

Mind and Spirit

If I consider God with my mind, I am speechless with amazement. If I consider God with my spirit, I am in union with Him. When I hear of the wonders of God it affects my mind in that I am in a state of awe. I must, though, acknowledge that this state of awe is not enough. I cannot bear to keep myself from going a step further. I must take hold of faith and exercise faith. Faith’s excercise then leads me to engagement and union with God. This is precisely why Christ said, “if you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it will be done.” We must be in union with God, and He will show us what is possible. What is possible, is beyond imagination. What is possible is beyond the mind. What is possible, is found in union with God in the spiritual dimension. The spiritual dimension, in union with God, then changes the psychological dimension (i.e., thought patterns). When the psychological dimension is changed, the physical dimension changes. When the physical dimension changes, it is of no mistake that is was the work of God through a union with some person(s).

Standing Firm

I’ve posted previously on faith. Standing firm is the perfected end of faith. Standing firm is unwavering in our belief. If we waver our faith becomes nonexistent. If we waver, then we’re no longer sure or certain. If we waver between two opinions the Epistle of James 1:7 reminds us that those who waver “ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord.” When God has said something we must receive it with blind faith. That’s right, blind faith. If faith is not blind, it ceases to be faith by definition. If it is not blind faith, then there is nothing to stand firm on. How would someone stand firm, if s/he wavers between two opinions. It is a challenge to stand firm, but God says in His word that we are to have faith. So standing firm in faith is possible. Let’s stand firm in faith concerning God’s promises, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

National Association of Evangelicals meets with President Obama.

http://www.faithnews.cc/2011/10/13/obama-meeting-was-like-talk-%e2%80%98amongst-believers%e2%80%99/

Faith and Doubt

Hebrew 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Here we have the definition of faith. So what’s the definition of doubt? I would say that, “doubt is the substance of things not hoped for, the evidence of things seen.”

Doubt requires a lack of hope. Doubt requires observable or empirical evidence. When we lack hope, we can find ourselves in a pretty miserable state emotionally, spiritually, and physically. When we lack hope, we have only focussed our attention on the negative, empirical status of current affairs. We thus fail to recognize God being greater than ourselves or our circumstances.

When we fail to recognize God as greater, we displease Him. He is not praised by this. Therefore, the Bible says, “without faith, it is impossible to please God, for He who comes to God must believe that He (exists) and is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

We will never find faith in God, unless we seek Him. Those who do not seek, will not find.  No wonder there are some who doubt. So where does faith originate.

The Bible says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” There must be something that one hears. If a person does not hear a word of faith, that one cannot believe. What is it that she must hear? She must hear the word of God. What constitutes the word of God.

The word of God is the Scripture that is not just simply read from a printed page. The word of God is a Scripture that is read from a printed page and is breathed upon by the breath of God in that moment and in the hearers soul.  When the breath of God has breathed in such a fashion, the hearer has a choice to respond or not to respond. The hearer can receive the gift (Gr. charis) or reject the gift.

Even faith itself is a gift, “For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8)  For a gift to be owned, it must be received. If it is not received, it is not owned. We own God’s salvation only if we receive it. How else do we have ownership of something we reject?

So then we have faith because we have received the word of God and have received faith itself. Therefore, let us receive as much of God’s word and as much of faith as we can. In this way we please God and live without doubt and without a lack of hope.

Here’s a great article from the Jerusalem Post on an aquaintance of mine, Rev. Robert Stearns, and his day of prayer for the peace of Jerusalem in Israel.

http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=240167

Honoring God

How do we honor God? Some would say we honor God by attending religious services or practicing certain sacraments or disciplines.  Some would say that we honor God by what we say and do to other people. I think that honoring God includes both these ideas, but it requires more.

To honor God, we must have a lifestyle that honors Him. By “lifestyle”, I mean that my entire being must be permeated with honor directed toward God. Who I am on Sunday morning is who I should be all week long. To do this I must have a lifestyle of prayer. The Bible says, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Dwelleth and abide both mean lives or live, respectively. The “secret place of the Most High” and the “shadow of the Almighty”, refer to the “Tallit” (or prayer shawl which Jewish men cover their heads with) used in prayer.

The Tallit is more than a physical prayer shawl; it represents the spiritual covering that one has in God. Spritual covering is protection from enemies. So, the one whose life in dedicated in continual prayer is protected from physical and spiritual enemies.

Israel, because of prayer, is protected from other national enemies. Christians, in prayer to God through Jesus Christ, are protected from the spiritual enemies of sin and Satan. When one is forgiven from sin and protected from Satan, s/he is able through the power of the Holy Spirit to live a life that honors God in every way. Honoring God is what we refer to as The Way of holiness. Jesus said, “I am the Way…noone comes to the Father except through me.” To honor God, to be holy: this must be accomplished through Jesus Christ in prayer.

Thanks

I am reminded today about giving thanks. We give thanks for family…for friend…for work…for financial wealth…for a roof over our heads…for food on the table…for fuel in our automobiles…for many things. Every time we give thanks to people, every time we give thanks to God, we open ourselves to receive more. The converse is also true. Every time we do not give thanks, we close ourselves to reject more. It is more blessed to give than to receive. It is more blessed to give thanks for the blessing than to receive the blessing. For in giving thanks we enlarge our heart to receive that which would have otherwise gone unnoticed, thereby missing the blessing. Give thanks, today! Be blessed!

The Way it Ought to Be…Christians Helping Others Regardless of Faith.

http://ugandanwaterproject.com/moonlight-school-50

In this article by my friend James Harrigton, it is the Lord Jesus Christ’s command, to “love our neighbour as yourself,” is exemplified. Yes, the Muslim (although religiously different) is the neighbor of the Christian. We as Christians have a responsibility to all our neighbors.

Abiding in the Incarnate Christ

We understand that Christ is incarnate: that is, God became humyn.  Christ said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask what you will and it will be done unto you.” He understood that it was possible for us to abide in Him. To abide is to have life. To abide in Him is to have life in Him. What does “in Him” mean? In Him means in union with Him. He told us that He and the Father are one. So if we are to be in union with Christ, it makes sense that we are to be in union with the blessed Trinity. Yes to be in union with God in His totality. While we do not become God, we are yet in union with Him as He had become humyn to become one of us (incarnate), to make this all possible. Without the Incarnation there would be no union of humyns with God. Thus, salvation would not be possible. It is in our union with God through the Incarnation that we are saved. You might say, I thought I was saved through His death and resurrection. You are right, but the death and resurrection would not have happened without the Incarnation. Let us give thanks to God for the Incarnation.