Happy Thanksgiving to My Family in Christ

Hebrews 2:10-11 (NIV) ¹⁰  In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. ¹¹  Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.

            As you know – if you were with us in worship on Sunday – I had the joy of introducing my grandson Mason and praying for him. We also took time for everyone to pray for a child, grandchild, niece, or nephew of their own. The Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are a time when the closeness of family means so much. While we are glad Mason and his parents will be with us for Thanksgiving, we are sad that our son won’t be able to be with us. He’s far away in Florida. While he will have a warmer Thanksgiving than us, we will miss him here where the days are shorter and the temperatures are dropping. Families experience these kinds of celebrations and separations all the time. I am glad that April leads a GriefShare program for people in our church and community who have lost loved ones. The holidays can be even more difficult for them.

            This was the second year that our church gathered for a pre-Thanksgiving dinner (on Sunday). This is one of my favorite gatherings in our church life, because it brings us together in a family atmosphere around the tables. The language of Scripture reminds us that we are a family. This is a powerful metaphor for the followers of Jesus. We’ve been adopted by the Father through the work of Jesus, His Son – our “elder brother”. In this sense every believer can know he is never without a family.

            May our love for one another be as it is in the closest of earthly families. In Christ our ties are eternal, and that is exciting to think about. But it is nice to have the hugs and the caring that a family gives “here and now”. I pray that we all will come to a deeper experience of familial love in our own church: that it will be personal, warm, caring, and that we will become more involved in each other’s lives. As a part of this church, you have much to offer others… just by being a faithful brother or sister. May you make our church family to be a home for others each day. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you..

Galatians 6:10 (NIV)  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Ephesians 3:14-19 (NIV) ¹⁴  For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵  from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶  I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸  may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹  and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

PRAYER:  Father, thank you for our elder brother Jesus, who has brought us into your family and calls us brothers and sisters. May I be true family to my brothers and sisters in Christ. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott

Every Breath I Take

Psalm 139:14 (NIV)  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

            Your heart beats around 100,000 times each day. Your body has about 6 quarts of blood. This 6 quarts of blood circulates through the body three times every minute. In one day, the blood travels a total of 12,000 miles—that's four times the distance across the US from coast to coast. When was the last time you thanked God for one of those heartbeats?

            You take approximately 23,000 breaths every day. The process of inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide is a complicated respiratory task that requires physiological precision. We tend to thank God for the things that take our breath away. And that's fine. But when was the last time you thanked God for one of your breaths?

            Your kidneys are bean-shaped organs, each about the size of your fist. They are located near the middle of your back, just below the rib cage. They are sophisticated trash collectors. Every day, your kidneys process about 200 quarts of blood to sift out about 2 quarts of waste products and extra water. The waste and extra water become urine, which flows to your bladder through tubes called ureters. Your bladder stores urine until you go to the bathroom. When was the last time you went to the bathroom that you thanked God that your “plumbing” works?

            Your eyelids blink about 10,000 times each day (assuming about 8 hours of sleep). We have to blink to cleanse and moisten the eye. Each time the eyelids close, salty secretions from the tear glands are swept over the surface of the eye, flushing away small dust particles and lubricating the exposed portion of the eyeball. Our eyes are always forming tears. The blink wipes them away and protects and cleans the eye. When was the last time you thanked God for one of those “cleanings”?

            You have roughly 1.6 trillion skin cells. Humans shed about 600,000 particles of skin every hour - about 1.5 pounds a year. By 70 years of age, an average person will have lost 105 pounds of skin, but it’s not the best way to plan on losing weight. Humans shed and re-grow outer skin cells about every 27 days - almost 1,000 new skins in a lifetime. When was the last time you thanked God for the protection your skin gives… and continues to give day in and day out?

The average human mouth produces about two liters of spit every day. Our salivary glands, which are located on the inside of each cheek, at the bottom of the mouth and under the jaw at the front of the mouth, churn out about two to four pints (one to two liters) of spit every day. Saliva contains many important substances, including electrolytes, mucus, antibacterial compounds and various enzymes. Saliva keeps your mouth moist and comfortable and helps you chew, taste, and swallow. It fights germs in your mouth and prevents bad breath. It also has proteins and minerals that protect tooth enamel and prevent tooth decay and gum disease. When was the last time you thanked God when you smelled or saw something good to eat and your mouth began to water?

            Giving thanks should be as natural as all the ways our bodies were designed to work by God. But, unlike all these things, thanksgiving is not involuntary. It is an intentional act of worship. The more we know about God and His world (which includes the way He created us), the more we find to praise Him. Whether we do so is a moment by moment decision we make. May the Lord bring to our minds and hearts a thankful spirit with every breath we take.

     

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV) ¹⁶  Be joyful always; ¹⁷  pray continually; ¹⁸  give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 3:15 (NIV)  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Philippians 4:6 (NIV)  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Colossians 2:7 (NIV)  rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

PRAYER:  Father, increase in me an attitude of appreciation and thankfulness to you in all things. Each time I learn something new, may it become an occasion for gratitude. I do not take for granted the wondrous way you have created me. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott

So That Others May Keep Them

John 15:13 (NIV)  Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

            Ever since reading J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings in college, I have picked it up again every five to ten years or so. It is on my list of top five favorite books. I read something in the last chapter yesterday that caught my attention and gave me something to think about. The main character, Frodo (an “insignificant hobbit”), along with his closest friend Sam, has been back in his homeland for a short while after having been away doing great and perilous deeds which, in effect, saved their world of Middle Earth from great evil and ruin. Wars had been fought, many lives had been lost, and great deeds of courage had been done. But the time came for Frodo to leave Middle Earth, much to the grief of Sam. Through his tears Sam expresses how he had hoped Frodo would enjoy the Shire – their homeland – for many years. It is Frodo’s response that struck me:

“So I thought too, once. But I have been too deeply hurt, Sam. I tried to save the Shire, and it has been saved, but not for me. It must often be so, Sam, when things are in danger: someone has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them.”

            Tolkien had personally experienced the horrors of war in the trenches in Europe in World War I. He understood all too well the sacrifice soldiers make for those they leave behind. He saw death firsthand and knew that some gave up their homes, families, jobs, communities, friends, and much more when they went to war. They went because those things were in danger. They sacrificed comfort, safety and – in many cases – their own lives because what they loved and cared about was in danger. Such is the calling of the soldier. Our own nation has been served faithfully by hundreds of thousands who understood and made this sacrifice – losing that which they left behind so others could keep them. Veterans Day is a day to honor, recognize, and give thanks for those who have served our nation. May the Lord bless them with His love and grace.

            Jesus, in teaching His disciples that God’s will for them is to love one another, described the greatness of a life sacrificed for another person. He said there was no higher form of love. And Jesus did much more than talk about love. That in itself is a great example to us. It is easy just to talk about love. But true love always costs us something as we place the needs of another at a higher level than our own. Jesus placed our need for forgiveness of sin above His remaining at the Father’s side. He knew we lacked the righteousness that the Father requires for us to be in fellowship with Him, so He took upon Himself human flesh and lived His life without any sin. And in His death on the cross His righteousness became a gift to men. You could say that Jesus gave up the “comforts” of heaven, if you will, so that others may have them and keep them for all eternity. We are those “others”, and now we live to glorify Him and walk in His love. His grace has done it all, and His work for us is glorious.

Philippians 2:1-8 (NIV) ¹  If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ²  then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. ³  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵  Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: ⁶  Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, ⁷  but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. ⁸  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!

PRAYER:  Father, I praise you for the humility and grace of your Son, Jesus. It amazes me that I am the object of His love. I glorify you for the perfections and wonders of your plan, and for your gift of faith that I might be redeemed from my sin and have the hope of eternity with you. Have mercy upon our veterans and their families. Comfort them in sorrow. Make your love known to them. Give them peace. Meet their needs according to your grace. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott

A God-Informed Optimism

John 8:10-12 (NIV) ¹⁰  Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" ¹¹  "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." ¹²  When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

            What do the people whom Jesus healed, delivered from demons, reached out to, made a part of His group of disciples, forgave of sins, saved from death, comforted, and spent quality time with… have in common? Perhaps it is that they were broken people. Broken people have something in their bodies, minds, relationships, and/or souls that is messed up. It’s not the way God designed it to be. Sometimes they know they are messed up and broken. And in their pride or ignorance, sometimes they don’t. God (and His plan) is the measure of our brokenness. And… God and His plan alone can heal our brokenness and set us on a path of wholeness. This happens through the power of Christ’s death and resurrection for us and through the power of the gift of His Spirit to those who are objects of His love and grace. In God’s hands, what we see as broken has potential for wonderful transformation into what is beautiful and glorious in His sight.

Speaking about the power of Christ to redeem sinners and build his church, Russell Moore wrote the following in an early October blog: “The next Billy Graham might be drunk right now. The next Jonathan Edwards might be the man driving in front of you with the Darwin Fish bumper decal. The next Charles Wesley might currently be a misogynistic, profanity-spewing hip-hop artist. The next Charles Spurgeon might be managing an abortion clinic today. The next Mother Teresa might be a heroin-addicted porn star this week. The next Augustine of Hippo might be a sexually promiscuous cult member right now, just like, come to think of it, the first Augustine of Hippo was. But the Spirit of God can turn all that around. And seems to delight to do so. The new birth doesn't just transform lives, creating repentance and faith; it also provides new leadership to the church, and fulfills Jesus' promise to gift his church with everything needed for her onward march through space and time.”

            I don’t quote Moore in order to narrowly focus on a few particular sins. I do so because his thoughts woke me up when I read them. I need encouragement and hope regarding many people I know. This is a reminder to me to have an optimism informed by the power and love of God. It is easy for me to “write off” people as unchangeable or even “not worth the effort” of sharing the Gospel. I need to hear and heed Jesus’ words again: “… with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26). The better I know the Lord… the closer I am to Him… the more my life should be characterized by a “Word-informed” and “Spirit-informed” optimism, especially when I think about broken people. My attitudes toward others have a direct correlation to my faith – or lack of faith – in the Lord. Jesus saw Paul (the named Saul) so differently than I would have. But He had a plan for Paul and worked in his life to bring it to completion. So in the end, my faith – my belief in what Jesus can, and will do – is tested by broken, messed up people. Do I believe in a God who can… or not?

            I pray we will have the joy of observing God’s transforming power in the broken people in our own lives, and may His glory shine brightly through them. AMEN.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Ephesians 4:8-16 (NIV) ⁸  This is why it says: "When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men." ⁹  (What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? ¹⁰  He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) ¹¹  It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, ¹²  to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³  until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. ¹⁴  Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵  Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. ¹⁶  From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

PRAYER:  Father, if you can do for others what you have done for me, then wonderful things are in store for messed up people. Be glorified in the great things your love and grace accomplish in the lives of broken people. Build your church with people whom you are transforming. Increase my faith when I look at others, especially those who are unlikely in my own mind to become followers of Jesus. All the more glory for you. You are awesome! In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott