Counting Thankfulness

Paul writes to the Philippian church in Philippians 1:3, "I thank my God every time I remember you." I feel the same way when I think of my God, my family members, and my church! 

Thanksgiving is just over 2 weeks away and I can't help but pause and reflect upon what I am thankful for in 2021. When so much is wrong with the world today, it is imperative that we reflect on what is right. Below are my top 4 things I am thankful for today. What are you thankful for today? Do our lists have some of the same items on them? I would encourage you to jot down your own list and share it with those on it. 

The old hymn goes: 

"Count Your Blessings, 

Count them one by one

Count your many blessings; 

see what God has done."

Here is a list of the blessings in my life. It's not long, but each one is near to my heart and a gift from God. 

#1 Blessing - Faith, God, Jesus, Salvation - Whatever you want to call it, the biggest blessing in my life is the promise that there is more! There is an eternal dwelling that Jesus is preparing for all those who claim His name through faith. There will be a new heaven and earth. "God is my father, and Jesus is my brother, and the blessed Holy Spirit is my guide," the children's song says. I am just a sojourner here. My home is far away.

#2 Blessing - Family - Those closest to me who know my inner dreams, hopes, and ambitions. My wife, Anita, and I just celebrated our 20 year anniversary with the Kalkaska Church of Christ. She has been right by my side all the way. Our children, Scott and Kaylin, have grown up in the church, and are now branching out into college. I am so proud of their character, integrity, and maturity. My mother introduced me to church as an infant. My father modeled the Christian life for me. 

#3 Blessing - Church - The place where people know your name. A place where people can be authentic. A place to serve other people. The Body of Christ is the church. That body consists of human beings committed to the principles of Jesus Christ as laid out in the New Testament of the Bible. My home church in Kalkaska is a huge blessing. As we live life together, we support one another in good times and bad. 

#4 Blessing - Missions, Job, Work - God's direction for my life took me to the county of Haiti located on the island of Hispaniola when I was only 19 years old. I served 13 years with 3 different missions over that time - Go Teach Others (GTO) in St. Marc, Christianville in Gressier, and Sonlight in Port-de-Paix. The labor brought incredible blessings into my life. That experience gave me a worldview unlike no other. I am thankful for that. 

What makes your "list of blessings" this time of year? Who or what are you thankful for? Remember that what you are thankful for could be negative experiences too. A health emergency may have brought family members closer. A job loss may have opened up a better opportunity that would not have been there otherwise. Sometimes God allows bad things to happen in our lives only to set us up for something better. So pause your busy day to think about what would make your list. 

A Base for TRUTH

TRUTH has come under fire in the last decade. Culture has made TRUTH subjective, more of a feeling than a fact. "You have your TRUTH and I have my TRUTH," they say. Or maybe you have heard, "That may be TRUE for you, but it's not TRUE for me." (To debate type of reasoning, check out "I don't have enough faith to be an atheist" by Norman Geisler & Frank Turek)

However, is this whittling away at TRUTH, ready that new? It's interesting that in the book of Acts, Pontius Pilate scoffed at the idea of knowing TRUTH when he said, "What is TRUTH!?" It was as if he were saying, there are so many half-truths, lies, misinformation, and hearsay out there, how could anyone know what is TRUE?! 

We live in a similar environment today. Practically anyone can say anything they like to without any degree of fact-checking or accountability. Some would call it freedom of speech, and while that may be true, it's challenging for those who hear to discern what is TRUE and what is false. 

TRUTH has been illustrated as being like an anchor that doesn't move. Perhaps a more current illustration could be made from the game of baseball. The Post Season in Major League Baseball (MLB) is in full swing right now with teams vying to compete in the World Series. Of course, the objective of any baseball game is to hit the ball and run around the bases. How could this shed any light upon TRUTH?

TRUTH is like a base in baseball. It's steady, fixed, and doesn't move. It's objective, and not subject to a person's feelings, opinions, or whims. You can't move a base even an inch to the left or right. It is solid. It's very evident to all whether a baserunner's foot or hand touches the base. Video replay can also confirm a call. 

The umpire is the judge whenever there is a dispute over whether a runner is safe or out. In the MLB, close calls are looked at again and again using video replay by a team of officials in New York. The official decision is final with all players, coaches, and fans accepting it. 

Could it be that Jesus is our ultimate official as to whether something is TRUE or not? The Holy Spirit is similar to the video replay confirming or overturning the call on the field. The rule book by which we play is the Bible. And the correct call frees everyone up to continue the game. 

Scripture says:

Jesus is TRUTH: "I am the way, and the TRUTH, and the life." John 14:6

The Holy Spirit is TRUTH: "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, we will guide you into all the truth..." John 16:13

The Bible is TRUTH: "...a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of TRUTH."  2 Timothy 2:15

The TRUTH will set you free: "Then you will know the TRUTH, and the TRUTH will set you free." John 8:32

TRUTH does exist and it is consistent, steady, and unchanging. We can commit our lives to what is TRUE. The greatest TRUTH upon which we can stand is the gospel of Jesus and His resurrection from the dead. Those who live by that TRUTH can move through this life with confidence and faith!

Speech and Authority Today

How do I say this kindly? Brothers and Sisters in Christ, please remember when you disagree with a policy or desire to have your opinion heard, that you still represent Jesus Christ to the world. People know you are a follower of Jesus - and that fact alone should overshadow everything you say and do. It should guide your behavior and your speech. So when you are expressing your opinion regarding this current Covid climate or vaccinations, or masks, be mindful of how you come across both in-person and online.

The Bible is full of verses on how we ought to speak using wholesome speech, and with grace, and with peacefulness without any tinge of anger. Here are just a couple examples. 

Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:29:

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

We read in Colossians 4:6: 

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

And finally, Colossians 3:8

But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 

One other thought, and then I'll step aside... I see this modeled more and more for our young people, is the lack of respect for those in authority. Our culture is slowly witnessing the erosion of authority for those over us such as teachers, policemen, parents, public officials, the president, etc. I understand you don't agree with them. I understand you have differing opinions. But we, adults, parents, grandparents, citizens, must maintain respect for those in authority over us. If we don't, we run the risk of very grave consequences. My personal experience is coming from living in a third world country where this authority has already eroded. It's not pretty. And it's not a world you want to live in. 

Titus 3:1-2 reads this way:

Remind them (Christians) to be in subjection to rulers and to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing all humility toward all men. 

Finally, in Hebrews 13:1-2:

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

Summer Games and Faith

The Summer Olympic Games are happening in Toyko, Japan this week. Over 11,000 athletes from all over the world representing 206 countries are competing for their homeland and prestigious gold, silver, and bronze medals. Each athlete represents countless hours of practice, sacrifice, and dedication to their sport. They discipline themselves through diet and exercise in such a way to become one of the best in their game. The training is both physical and mental as they push their bodies to the pinnacle of excellence. 

Karsten Warholm breaks world record on 400-meter hurdles

There are several parallels that can be made between the Olympic athlete and the Christian believer. The Bible speaks about them either directly or indirectly as relating to the Christian life. Let's take a look at 4 areas that the Christ-follower can learn from the Summer Games athlete. 

The Commitment and Sacrifice

The commitment and sacrifice the Christian must make is ultimate. Jesus calls us to leave everything and follow Him. The athlete is said to have "left everything out on the floor" or in other words, not holding anything back or giving 100%. Luke 9:23 says, "...If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." In Bible times when someone took up their cross, they were on their way to die. Christ calls us to die to ourselves and our sinful desires and live for Him. Deitrich Bonhoeffer said: “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” As the athlete denies himself anything not beneficial to his training, the Christian likewise, is daily saying "no" to self and "yes" to God.

Diet and Exercise

Prayer, Devotions, Bible Reading, and Fellowship all go into the life of a Christian. The "food" of our faith is a steady diet of God's word, the Bible. Prayer is an open channel of communication to our heavenly father. Similar to having a good parent or a coach, God is our greatest influencer and encourager. It's vital that we stay in contact with Him. Fellowship comes from joining other believers in their Christian walk. It can come from Sunday church, mid-week studies, or special one-time events. That fellowship sharpens our Christian walk or "run" just like other competing athletes make each other better. 

Run in Such a Way

Olympic athletes and even entire countries have been disciplined and even removed from the Games due to cheating and disobeying the rules. Paul writes to the Corinthian Christians, "...run in such a way to get the prize...I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to them, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." The New Testament contains examples of some people who started out well, but didn't finish the race. Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss. Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit. The immoral brother in 1 Corinthians 5 was to be "handed over to Satan." Jesus himself said, "But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." We must keep a strict eye upon our faith and persevere until we reach the very end. 

Prize

The Bible speaks of salvation, heaven, treasure, and rest as the final gifts from God. It also talks about a "crown" waiting for those who have "stood the test, In James 1:12 we read, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." Jesus says in the final book of the Bible, "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done." Gold, silver, and bronze are all precious medals and metals, but they will perish with time. What God has in store for the believer is eternal, priceless, and to be desired above all else. 

A Letter From God

"You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts." 

Those words were written by Paul in a letter to the believers at the Corinthian Church (2 Corinthians 3:2-3).  

We don't write handwritten letter too much any more, do we? It's easier to write an email, a Facebook message, or just send a text. We may write an occasional note in a graduation or wedding card, but for the most part, handwritten letters have become as rare as a rotary dial phone hanging on the wall. 

When we do receive a handwritten letter, it is something special. Perhaps it is from a grandparent or a friend from long ago. It could be in cursive, which the younger generation would have a hard time deciphering, or it could be written with colored ink, but it is still an unexpected source of encouragement and a personal expression from someone we know. 

Paul says that Christians are a "letter from Christ." We are literally a walking, talking missive from Jesus himself. And how we treat other people, is the message they hear from that "letter." Showing compassion, love, empathy, and grace are all part of what our letter should convey to others. Our day to day lives ought to reflect all the attributes of who Jesus was when He walked this earth. 

God didn't write using traditional means such as pencil or pen.  Nor did He write on paper, or as they did long ago, on stone. But instead the means of transmitting the message is through the Holy Spirit. And the receptacle of that message is our hearts.

William Barkley writes, "There is a great truth here, which is at once an inspiration and an awful warning - every man is an open letter for Jesus Christ. Every Christian, whether he likes it or not, is an advertisement for Christianity. The honor of Christ is in the hands of his followers. We judge a shopkeeper by the kind of goods he sells; we judge a craftsman by the kind of articles he produces; we judge a Church by the kind of men it creates; and therefore men judge Christ by his followers."

Let us live in such a way that the message the world hears is that which emanates from the very heart of the Father and his son Jesus Christ. 

A Culinary Parable

I am so happy to be able to eat again! My favorite restaurant has finally opened back up! Their menu is new and improved. They have the best cook in the area. My favorite meal, a cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato, steak fries, and coke is once again right down the street! Oh, how I have missed food.

In case you are wondering, I stopped eating when the pandemic forced my favorite restaurant to shut its doors. I knew it might affect my health to not eat, but I assumed it would just be for a couple weeks. Then weeks turn to months and months to over a year. 

Don't get me wrong, I tried cooking myself. But I didn't have all the ingredients I needed at home. And when I read the recipe and saw all those measurements, I was just confused. My conclusion was that I just needed to leave the cooking up to someone trained in culinary arts. After all, they could cook much better than I could. 

The Bible says in Matthew 4:4, "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." 

How ludicrous would it be for someone to not eat physical food for an extended period of time? How silly to say, "Since I'm not a great cook, I just won't eat?" Yet how many of us fail to "eat" spiritual "food" on a regular basis. Our spirits were created to consume spiritual food. And that food comes from the Word of God - the Bible. 

Sadly, when the pandemic hit, many could no longer attend their church in person. And equally sad, is that many Christians only "eat" once a week from the Sunday morning message. Instead we ought to read and study God's word on a daily basis in order to stay spiritually healthy. "Crave" the word. 

"Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation." 1 Peter 2:2

It's the new Christian that needs someone to feed him the word of God, but the mature Christian has learned how to "feed" him or herself. Reading, studying, and praying all feed the spiritual man. You don't have to understand everything you read either. That's okay if you don't. What is important is that you have a regular intake of scripture. 

"Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." Hebrews 5:13, 14

A great way to feed ourselves spiritually is by spending time daily in God's word. If you don't already have a regular habit of Bible reading, now is a good time to start. 

The folks at LifeChurch.tv have assembled countless Bible reading plans. 

Through the Word is another great resource to help you "feed yourself spiritually."

I gotta go now, there's the "dinner bell." Time to "eat!"

Springtime Reminders

Springtime brings new growth including tree blossoms, flowers, and grass. God takes out his colored markers and daps color all over His creation. Greens and blues are prominent on the ground and sky. Oranges, yellows, and reds highlight the flowers while whites and pinks set the trees and bushes apart. 

Tiger Swallowtail

Squirrels, chipmunks, birds, and butterflies seem to appear out of nowhere. The Robins are out early pecking in the yard for worms to feed their young ones. Grey and Fox Squirrels scamper up and down trees playing tag with one another. The Tiger Swallowtail flutters from bush to bush attracted by their brilliant colors. 

Eastern Grey Squirrel

This season brings to mind the words of Jesus in Matthew chapter 6 from the sermon on the mount:

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these." 

Budding Ornate Bush

Springtime highlights new life, but it also demonstrates how God sustains life. Plant life may be dormant for a time, but it springs forth in March or April. Butterflies emerge from their winter pupas. Chipmunks awake from hibernation through the cold months. While some of God's creation is out of our sight, they are not abandoned, but are simply in a resting state. He is still cares for them.

To us, Jesus says:

"Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things (food, clothing, etc) will be given to you as well."

As you venture out into the summer of 2021, remember the value God places on you! Remember to put God's kingdom first in your life. Live righteously. Then rest upon His promise to care for you.