Strength from God

²⁸ Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
²⁹ He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
³⁰ Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
³¹ But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

--Isaiah 40:31

Perhaps you have recently found yourself to be experiencing weariness, weakness, and worthlessness.  Maybe something in your life has caused you to need a strength that is beyond what you are capable of handling with your own power.  This is not a time to turn inward and wonder "WHY me?!?", nor is it the time to give up on trying because "I'm incapable".  Trying and failing does not mean that you cannot do it; it either means you were not meant to do it that time, there is another way to complete the task, you need help/assistance to move forward, or you must find another path to follow.  God has given us discernment and ability to figure out with method to use.  We just have to learn to trust him more.












God does not wear out, he will continually encounter us and provide ways to give fearlessness in our lives.  Do not give into the temptation  to blame yourself for failures and mistakes.  Moe forward and allow Him to work on/in your life.  Even though God may not have revealed all parts of his plan, following his guidance is fruitful.  He is there all the time for you to provide the strength you need.












All throughout Scripture, men of faith encountered God and received a bountiful gift as they followed Him.  Abram left his comfortable homes in both Ur and Haran and went to Canaan, becoming Abraham and the father of God's people.  Moses departed from Egypt and the peace of pharaoh's place eventually to return and to defend the honor of God's people and lead the millions of complaining people for 40 years in the desert to God's Promised Land.  Daniel and his friends stood for the standards of God, refusing to eat the king's rich food, which had been offered to idols.  They were each rewarded a  strength, keenness, and knowledge that was 10 times greater than that of the other students.  Saul, a scholar to the highest degree and highly skilled man, encountered God in a most powerful way.  From that time, he left his comforts and power to spread the Gospel all around the known world.  Following the direction of God through literal and figurative storms, stonings,  imprisonment, and persecution, he witnessed to countless individuals, including his guards. Each of these heroes of the Christian faith made their decisions in spite of the trials and struggles they may have to face, because they understood that God knew what he was doing.








Paul wrote in Philippians that "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."  It does not mean that I can do whatever I want and get Christ to help us,  but rather in context, indicates that as we follow the will of God, and turn our eyes upon Jesus, he will take us through the affliction, pains, sufferings, and anything else and help us to flourish instead of muddling in the midst of malcontent and malfunction.  We are called to abide in Him through everything.  He is not just there when we need him, God, though the Holy Spirit, is always there.  We must depend upon His word, and fight the feelings of fruitlessness, functionlessness, and fear; knowing that he is more powerful than anything that stands in the way of his will.  IF we are in his will, it will not be always be an easy journey.





Eagles are soaring birds, because of their bulky nature, and have to take much effort to initiate flight from the ground.  Gravity holds them back, but once they reach heights where the wind is powerful, the force of gravity actually propels them in soaring flight.  They glide for 58 of 60 minutes, but that is only after they have overcome the struggles of what they are and their nature.  Even if they could try eagles could not become a goose or hummingbird.  The bird is still huge and weighted by its personal burden of self, yet it moves forward in flight.








So it must be with us. We cannot allow our personal struggles to hold us to the ground.  Just because we feel weak and worthless does not mean we cannot spiritually thrive. The great men of the faith constantly dealt with physical and mental issues, but with the strength of God, they were able to follow his guidance.  Though we may not be able to grasp how eagles fly we now they do.  It is the same with God:  How he is omniscient and omnipresent is beyond our finite human understanding, but we certainly can experience it.  It is a picture of what we cannot see or fully comprehend; the richness and pureness of God's love gives us the strength to carry on, and help us in our mission to follow Him.








All God wants is for us to abide with Him.  Placing our trust in Him, not just because of what he can do for us, but rather of how we can serve Him and do his will. How do we express his love in spite of our struggles?  How do we move forward when there is something that holds us back?  We do NOT do it on our own; it is not possible.  It is only what God does in us that allows us to stand firm and completely devote our lives to Him.  It is not on our own; through the Holy Spirit we receive the ability to overcome out problems and soar, to move forward and not stop, and to take each day step-by-step and never faint back into worry and weariness. When we fully trust him and rely on God to bring us through every trial and tribulation, it is then that we can truly experience the love of God and receive the joy and peace that comes by trusting in Him.

 Today is the day to consider the truth of God's Word and evaluate where you stand in allowing Him into every part of your life, not only so that he can have control, but so that he can have your back in any and every situation.  Let Him go with you every step of the way and guide you on life's journey.

 

What is the Motive of your Effort?

Hiatus over...not that I really have regular readers, but I know that before I begin I must admit one thing:  If given the choice of laziness, I would no doubt choose it.


Yet, my new job does not allow that at all.  For the last month-and-a-half, I have been an employee at a creamery.  I am at the bottom again, the newest member of the crew and not given the most respect from some of the crew, all younger than I (my supervisor being almost 10 years younger).  But since I have I job, out of many I applied to, I will not complain.


The greatest thing is that this job allows me to be home in the evenings and a chance to relax at the end of the day.  I must say that I have not used my time too wisely, but in light of recent events I am changing that.  One of the things I can now participate in is our Wednesday evening prayer meetings at church.  That has been a challenge to my lazy evenings, and the studies in Ecclesiastes have been amazing!


Last week, I was struck by the personal message I received from the meeting last week, hit me between the eyes:  "What is the motive of my effort?"




I knew I took shortcuts at work.  I knew that my evenings were filled with laziness-sitting at the lappy and binging on online shows and consuming social-media(aka Facebook).  I knew that I had mentally prepared myself to work in a less physical environment, so I can check out sometimes at work.  I never stop working, while at work, but I just didn't put the most effort into the task of running milk and putting it into the right order.  I never used my skills to the mostest, but I would use them kind of.  My focus was on getting the job done, not doing it to the best of my effort.


While at work, I would often think that I was working hard. I mean I was pouring sweat after a few hours, I was completing the tasks, I was working overtime with little complaints, and doing what I thought was my best. I was definitely working for the pleasure of my supervisor and letting him feel that I was doing my best.  Looking back however, it was not the case.


This past Wednesday, our pastor was in Florida, our one deacon was ill, and at the last minute our other deacon prepared the session.  He said that we shouldn't expect much, but in reality that is when God seems to speak the most.  I do not even remember the exact topic of discussion and the true direction of his message to the few of us that gathered, but I know that I took away two verses that will stick with me for a while:  Colossians 3:23-24 and James 4:17.


I know this verse is quoted constantly, and while most versions do Colossians justice, the Amplified Bible gives a unique perspective that enforces the message that I am putting forth in this post:

²³ Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men,

²⁴ Knowing [with all certainty] that it is from the Lord [and not from men] that you will receive the inheritance which is your [real] reward. [The One Whom] you are actually serving [is] the Lord Christ (the Messiah).

We mentioned this in our service and talked about how our workplace (the marketplace) is the most-often neglected area of effort toward God as opposed to pleasing men. We are coached to please the company, to make sure we follow their rules, to listen to the boss/supervisor.  Yet, oftimes we forget that we can go beyond this.  As Christians, we are called to actually serve the Lord, above all.  Meaning that like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah, we should do what God desires of us, not just what we are "expected" to at our jobs. Not just because we will be given a reward and blessed for what we do, but rather because we love God and know others are looking to us as an example and reflection of Christ.


I knew this already, but it was the next verse that made me rethink my habits at work (especially the part of taking shortcuts).  I know that I still would be tireless, but I would also complain less (on the inside) about the attitude and motives of any of my co-workers that did not seem to be putting the same effort in as I did,  I knew what I had to do, I knew that was right, I just wasn't doing that, and I was sadly ok with it.  (I mean, I get paid by the hour, right?)


Consider the second verse:

"Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."

Well, isn't that just a slap in the face to the "know-it-all" self I can be...Seriously, though, this is one of those "amen-ouch" connections that Christians can have, especially if they believe they are living a life that is PERFECTLY acceptable to God as it already is....


Think how this affects the modus operandi, the M.O., the motive, the actions of anyone.  If you know the GOOD you ought to do, you must do it, or you are disobeying God.  You are doing something that displeases Him, If the thought occurs to you to help someone, but because it will be inconvenient to your "effective and efficient" plans, you do NOT, it is saddens God.  It is not enough to know what is good to do, but you must actually act upon the impulse that the Holy Spirit places in our hearts.  At work, we must not just work to appease our bosses, but rather make an effort to please God.  When we see someone in need, we must offer to assist by any means we can.  Just let that sink in, marinate in your mind; God has expectations/standards which he desires us to work toward, but we must follow his commands and love him (Deuteronomy 7:9).


Following in God's Steps and thinking with the servant's heart of Christ is a good way to renew our desire to whole-heartedly work at the tasks in front of us.  Daily, Christians are responsible for every action they take, but more importantly for the actions they know they should have taken and yet did not.  That is the wisdom I am trying to apply to my life, and I challenge you to do something similar.  My challenge started at my workplace; yours can be in another part of the marketplace, but do NOT forget to have following Christ and acting through the guidance of the Holy Spirit as your motive for every single effort. 

7 Habits of Less Effectual People

Authors have been writing books for a long time, and often they create ideas and patterns for people to feel good about improving themselves.  I have not read much of any of these books, but I do know that while positives are helpful, sometimes it takes seeing the negatives before the positives can be effective.  For this reason, I have come up with a list and commentary concern seven things I know have made me ineffective and less than productive.  Perhaps you, the reader, can reach a personal conclusion from my remarks.

7.  Sitting around when there are tasks to complete.

In this age of Information, the Internets have provided us with a great way to access the bits and pieces of knowledge that was not easily accessible even 15 years ago.  It allows us ways to find past TV shows, games, toys, and things that help us relive memories.  The internet is a useful tool in instantly sharing information that was once shareable only through letters and boxy video cameras and tapes.  Yet, if it is not balanced, and it consumes the majority of our time and energy (Netflix season marathons and World of Warcraft gameplay etc.) and replaces the physical interaction with live people, it is not right.  Sitting around watching hours of your favorite shows that you missed the night before and staring at the screen to find out what others are doing, via Facebook or other social media, certainly makes a person less effective in completing tasks at hand or even tasks unknown. Go out and make new friends, invite people to your house/apartment, volunteer at a local food bank or literacy council, just get out of the house, and you can make someone's day (maybe even your own). Taking action is the first step to becoming more effectual.

6.  Not being organized or living with a messy space.

Now obviously if you want to invite someone, or a group, to your abode, it is important that your home is inviting.  A little clutter is ok, especially if you are cooking for your special guests, but having a clean space is more important than having friends and family for a visit.  Being organized is a pattern that I find to be very difficult; I am organized in my head, but physically I am certainly NOT organized.  I have tried many times to break the bad habit of never keeping a calendar/schedule in written record, and each time I have failed.  I bought three calendars for the new year, and one month into the year, I only wrote in a week of entries combined. I left my two pocket calendars at home, when I visited, and have not gotten them back yet.  I keep falling back into the pattern of pure laziness with that, but especially with cleaning.


I find the best excuses when it comes to not readying up my apartment.  Sure I am a male, and my "level of clean" is visual, but I could do a lot better, although #7 keeps getting in the way.  I see what I have to do: wash the week's worth of dishes in the sink, dust the table tops and bureaus, sweep the floors, and the other things that go with tidying up a place.  Most people don't like living in dirtiness, but they just don't take the time to clean.  A clean house not only makes the place look nicer, it makes you feel better.  It enlightens your mood, gives you a better outlook, and knocks a task off your list, therefore, giving you the confidence to focus on other issues for which to find a solution.

5.  Focusing on the problem and not finding a solution.

There is one man issue with doing the same thing over and over again: when it is not effective.  That is trying the same thing and expecting different results; sure the situation may be different, but if the motives and methods are the same, the result will most likely be the same.  When problems arise, looking at the issues caused by the problem is a good first step, but should not be a big step or even the last one. Analysis should not take long, rather you should move toward a solution quickly by seeing how a solution should take place.  Sure there may be set backs when attempting to reach goals and new heights, but you got to keep working hard to push through it.  IF you do well, you will excel, even if it takes longer than anticipated because of a small bump in the road.  Don't make a mountain out of a molehill.

4.  Letting the negative critics getting into their head.

Sometimes there is a need to prove your worthiness and skill level to those who are more skilled than you, or you are faced with tasks that require the criticism of a professional.  I recently began a marathon watching of the cooking show called "The Taste".  On this show homecooks and professional chefs are teamed with a mentor that teaches them strategy and skills.  Mentors advise the teams, both together and individually, and most of the members are humble and listen. However, despite the positive encouragement of a mentor, one team was too stubborn to be open to the directions given.  They constantly mentioned how comfortable they were, how many skills they had, or how everything was fine...yet things were not.  Within 3 competition episodes the entire team imploded and was eliminated from contention.  Attitude makes all the difference.


Even if someone attacks everything that you believe in, and yet you are willing to learn and flexibly open about receiving the criticism, then you can move beyond being ineffectual.  If you allow their negativism to plague your thoughts and actions, you will probably fall flat and never improve-ending up like the team.  Instead you should keep the positive portions of advice, be willing to listen, even if you have to be a phoenix that must rise from the ashes. However, being cocky, and thinking that you do NOT need any help is just the same as the allowing negativity to get into your head. It has the same lasting effect, delusions of grandeur and potentially foreshadowing of failure (at least until there is an attitude adjustment.)

3.  Creating a plan of attack without a strategy.

My most famous strategy is to attack with a wing-and-a-prayer, not always the best idea, but it has been successful for me.  I know that I am a procrastinator (I wanted to complete this post last month), but I can change my plan when necessary.  Each plan of attack must come with a plan for success.  Today in church, my pastor spoke about the cost of being a disciple in Luke 14 and verses 28-30 state this:

²⁸ “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? ²⁹ For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, ³⁰ saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

Sitting down and looking at the pros and cons, discovering small steps and big advances, determining a cost of the process and the risks, and then beginning to complete the task is a necessary step in the creation of a plan.  Laying down a plan leads to effectiveness, plain and simple, but even with a completed plan some things are outside the scope of prediction.

2.  Trying to control the things beyond your control.

Enough said just with this statement, just don't do it, you cannot be effective if you try to control the things you can't predict.  Playing chess and predicting the moves of your opponent is one thing in a game, but that same prediction is truly another in life;  just go with the flow and leading of the Holy Spirit.

1.  Not talking to God before taking action.

If you are listening to the Comforter and following the will of God for your life, you will be constantly asking for his advice and praying to Him.  When doing this, don't ask for what you want, ask for how he can guide you.  Right now, my biggest thing is that I was asked to be a Sunday School teacher, appointed to the missions committee, and volunteered to be the janitor for the church...it is all new to me, but wow, God is guiding, but I still have trouble following...  He is still working on me, I just have to be ready and willing.  IF I do so, I will be much more effectual in life and for the Kingdom of Heaven, here on Earth. Hopefully, as a reader you were able to take something away from this post.

Evaluating the Inventory

This past year and one half have been life-altering and simply interesting.  I have learned that while being a stick in the mud can be enjoyable for a time, sometimes an individual can change, for a positive.  Not saying that everything I have done is wonderful, or even great for that matter, but I know that I have completed shifts in my resolve to be resolute. Still posted on my corkboard in my kitchen are the list of 8 changes that I decided to focus on this year.  Those were certainly some major shifts that began to actually take place, some more than others, but at least I kept to my commitment.

I now I could have done better, seeing I have probably been out of this recliner for about an hour of the 7 that I have been home since church this morning.  It was in church that Pastor reminded us to evaluate our lives, goals, and beliefs, as we walk through everyday, but specifically here at the end of the year when it is common to set "resolutions" for the upcoming year.  He mentioned how the United States professes to be about 70% Christian, yet more than half of those individuals are "in name only".  It is important for each one of us to be on our guard and focus on shifts/decisions that need to be made to bring us closer in our relationship to God and other believers.  That was certainly on my mind as I evaluated the choices I made with regard to my list.

I did very well with being straightforward and being much more expressive, which has allowed me to increase/solidify my relationships with other believers, even some with differing systems of thought.  The best thing I did this year was begin Paying It Forward, especially at Shippensburg Produce and Outreach, in tipping and handing out free tickets for Frosties.  The last time I did it was Saturday, and the look on those young families' (especially the little girl) faces, is priceless. Handing out the bracelets each time I do it, has proved to be a wonderful tool in spreading cheer and happiness, hopefully they continued the passing of good deeds.  I also know that without trying to improve this area of my life I would never have consented to relinquishing my role as a learner and becoming a Sunday School Teacher. Or so I thought I was relinquishing that role; I was enhancing it, because I knew that I had to return to my CEF roots and relearn all I knew to make it understandable for the elementary children.  It is awesome the new information that I have learned by hearing the reason the students give for Jesus coming to Earth, why to be a friend, and performing Christmas plays after a month of Sundays spent practicing.  Along with that I am trying to teach them to grow in prayer as I have, but that is probably a lesson for later.

I myself have improved in that area, but I still have to remember that Everything works out when we listen to God (Romans 8:28).  Something I am certainly needing to work on, but I know that as I pray and hand things over to His care, He will be faithful to help me in all circumstances, not just the ones I want help in.  But I can choose my attitudes and perspectives in every situation...as my friend Amy pointed out. "Will this be important a year from now?...Do I really need to worry that much about it."   Just being positive can change everything.  I know I am still working on placing my passions through productive emotions, but since being called out (last month) on my "anger" at work, I have certainly reached positive progress...

Yet there are many, many more things that must be adjusted/drastically changed for me to be more well-rounded, kind, and loving.  I know that I am nice to everyone, unless they don't listen to me or allow at least some credence when I speak.  I shared this with a friend who dared poke into my wound further to define the real cause:  selfish pride.  Not just the "WHOOOOOOO---HOOOO-I-am-awesome" type of pride, but the deep down I-know-better-than-you-do kind. I don't feel I belittle people, but I have now been told that people are scared of me (thanks...it was truly a wake-up).  Yet it was not really what I expect to hear, since I cannot even see that about myself (silly nohari window blind spot http://kevan.org/nohari?).  It is just that I figured that if I didn't think about it (my anger) it would go away...and that is why my past decisions still come into play so often.  I played the role of the insensitive, intolerant individual so well, that I began to become those qualities without seeing it; but I know now how to fix it, and have been letting God do it, with the help of near and far away friends praying for me.  That is my one major goal for life-changing directionality shifts.

My second major resolve is due in part to my reading of Robert Rogers book, Into the Deep, which is available from his ministry Mighty in the Land. (http://files.tyndale.com/thpdata/FirstChapters/978-1-58997-378-7.pdf).  He came and spoke at Roxbury Holiness Camp, and the message hit me hard and stuck with me:  Give everything to God, Live with no regrets, and Make memories with the special people in your life.  (Wow...it still gives me the chills, just trying to imagine how he dealt with everything that happened to him and his family.)  Simple, yet profound; easy to say, yet even harder for me to do.  I have surely begun to work on the memories part already (a 5k and a 10k with Megan Hahner this year), and I plan to finally meet Amy Sickles face-to-face on the 4th of January...but I certainly can do more to improve in that area.  It is those other two that I specifically offer as a challenge to anyone who reads this post:  Let God control ALL of your life, and Live focusing forward only.  God knows what happened, and He has a plan to care for you, in every step of the way.  I still have plenty of regrets that I must lay to rest, but I know that with God's help and guidance, those things with definitely be put to rest sooner that later...within the next year.  It is time for me to stop putting it off.  God has already blessed me with a good job and loyal Christian friends, it is past time to allow Him to bless me with what he has prepared in advance (Ephesians 2:10 ).  Perhaps I will get a jump start by purchasing Rogers guide to living without regrets, but before that happens I can launch myself into better devotional and prayer time with God.  Yet in taking a full inventory, I know I am missing some things.

Do I continue to find new things to learn?  Not enough.  Do I read  like I used to?  Not with the internet distraction (Facebook and online programs).  Should I visit/call/Skype friends more?  Probably, yes.  Should I exercise/run more?  You bet!  Nap?  less...lol. I certainly need to get out of the apartment-to-job and job-to-apartment pattern of laziness.  Should I cook for myself more?  For sure..(Although eating out is ok.)  Should I be more clean/organized?   YES, hands down.  Should I focus more on my work and use more effort?  Definitely!  Should I become who God wants me to be?  That is the plan.  Could I go on?  Yes, but I won't....because reading it would be tedious, but these questions are to start your critical thinking.  Hopefully I stirred your neurons and got you thinking about resolving to be resolute about the future, giving you a platform from which to launch, and add more to you inventory in the next year.

Happy New Year!
Joeyb

Ya Gotta Wanna

This post is for thinking about how much God wants to be Immanuel (With Us).  If we take time to read the Scriptures, it is obvious that God loves us (Jeremiah 31:3, Romans 5:8, Ephesians 2:4-5) and he desires fellowship with us (1 Corinthians 1:9).  God has given us the opportunity to reciprocate that love.  We are given a choice if we would like to return it, as he will always love us, but we can choose not to as well.  God has given us the free will to choose Him over following another, and he as been the closest to us as he has ever been.

God walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden, but when they broke that fellowship by sinning against Him and disobeying His rules, God only made a few appearances to righteous men.  He came to Abraham many times, walked in front of the former slaves guiding them, spoke with the prophets giving them signs and warnings, and sent his angels at other times throughout the Old Testament.  The Israelites, his people, needed Him to bring them words and statements of comfort, but at times they missed God's warnings or refused to heed.  Yet all those centuries between Adam and Mary (14 generations times 3), God was waiting to fulfill his promise to Eve at the proper time.  When that time came, Jesus would walk among us.  We celebrate that occurrence around Christmas time.

Now think about the Olympic Athlete.  Each one works toward a specific goal, a certain race, that all comes down to the one chance on the biggest stage.  These men and women focus on the minute details and the big picture and work tirelessly to become "the best".  While it may come naturally to some and they may not have to work as vigorously, everyone still has to work to get closer and closer to the goals of success and a gold medal.  These individuals want to win, they want to achieve, they want to be the best they can be, to beat the others that believe that they are the best.  Their dreams carry them, their motivation is always different, but each athlete has the same focus.

The want to work, because they know that the end result will probably be amazing and potentially record breaking.  Our desire to be with God should surpass the desires these athletes have.  He gave up everything to be Immanuel (Philippians 2) just so that He would be closer to us.  No longer do we have to go to a priest to speak with God, BUT we still must choose to spend time with Him.  We must choose wisely how we spend our moments, how we live, and how God becomes the force that moves our lives.  We gotta wanna allow Him to have that complete control.

Just like the athlete, who wants that medal so badly he will do whatever it takes (within reason or not) to achieve,  it takes time and effort to learn to let go of our problems, issues, and circumstances and let God have complete control.  While it can happen overnight, it is not always the case.  God works on us, but we gotta wanna let Him  God sent his son to be with us, so that the Holy Spirit could come and dwell among us.  We are his children, and he takes us back when we fall, but we gotta wanna let Him do his bidding.  We gotta wanna follow his leading and be willing to do what he asks of us, IF we want his promised blessings.  And not just in the good times either, in the hard times it may be harder, but we gotta wanna trust God even more.  We must fully rely on his loving-kindness and patience as He molds us.  Yet before this transformation can take place, we gotta wanna let him do it.

Sure we will struggle at times, there will be problems, but we can have peace, as God is "with us."  Jesus promised many things to his disciples.  One that I cling to most often is in John 16:33 where Jesus says this: "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  God is greater than our struggles and fears.  Our hearts gotta wanna allow Him to care for our struggles, we must turn our hearts toward our Heavenly Home and be heaven-minded, because the fourth quarter is coming.  While this is not a post about the last days, it is important to note that we draw nigh the time of Jesus' return.  When that happens God will no longer walk on this earth "with us", as he has for the past 2,000 years, but rather we will either be taken to walk with Him in Heaven or be separated forever from Him.   Yet, for now we gotta wanna bring our minds to focus on God, our hearts to desire His will, and our bodies to follow the direction the Holy Spirit leads.

God has had this plan for the last 6,000 years, we cannot thwart what He has set in motion.  We just need to learn to follow Him, and we cannot do it, if we are not willing.  We must choose to loyally follow his guidance and be led to his throne, until he comes for us.  Faithfully serving God will bring benefits beyond our understanding, but we gotta wanna.  It is just that complexly simple...or as Nike says "Just Do It".  Ya just gotta wanna.

Keeping the Thanks in Thanksgiving

"And thus they [the pilgrims]

found ye Lord to be with them in all their ways, and

to blesse their outgoings & incomings, for which let

his holy name have ye praise for ever, to all posteritie."

--William Bradford in Of Plimoth Plantation 

During this time of year (commonly referred to as "the holidays", since the general public forgets to separate Thanksgiving and Christmas), we as Americans begin a period of thankfulness immediately followed by a instant need for new things-at least in the adult world.  In elementary and secondary schools across the country there are references to the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving.  While much detail is not available about the specifics of this day.  It can be seen in the quote above, that the leaders were praising the holy name of the LORD, forever.  Yes, forever, not just when it was convenient, or after they had survived the longest winter of their lives. Reading the entire anthology shows that these Separatists found time to praise God always for his provisions; despite being driven to the Netherlands, stored on a Ship for months, and stuck in a perilous winter, they worshipped and were thankful to God.  This model should be followed by current generations, but it seems being truly thankful, in a heartfelt way, has gone by the wayside (along with many other core Christian values).

This quote also serves as a lead in to my point of remembering that having an attitude of thanks is NOT just a once a year thing.  It is not simply a time of gathering and sharing words that have no meaning; we may SAY we are thankful, but is the statement true?  Or are we just impressing others with our "skill" of stating sayings of gratitude. I know that in reality it is easy to share thoughts that come to our minds without bringing in any heart, that is why an effort must be made to be truthfully thankful.  Being in that emotional state, shows true gratitude over the mental ability to share thanks. It may seem that I am talking in circles, but the point is that we must always have an attitude of gratitude.  NOT just toward others, but we must honor the Lord with our Thanks, praising his holy name forever.

Today in church, my pastor shared with the congregation how God is not only deserving of out thanks because he created the universe and us, but because and attitude of thanksgiving in our hearts draws us away from the world and closer to Him.  If we just take time to observe our natural surroundings, we can find simple things to be thankful for (air, trees, birds, sunlight, eyes, etc), that we forget the complex nature that God placed in each of these objects when he created the world.  His divine nature and omnipotent power should be obvious, unless our spiritual eyes have been clouded by this world and the sin therein.  We are certainly thankful for our lives, in spite of the fact we rarely share it aloud.  I know that personally I am more silent in my sharing/giving thanks, but I am working on sharing more expressively.  Therefore, if we are truly children of God and followers of His son, Jesus, our first inclination should be to give Him praise and thanksgiving.

Throughout David's emotional pleas in the Psalms, there is frequent mentioning of thanking, praising, honoring, glorifying, and singing to God for what He has done.  As His followers we must giving thanks to Him, even in our petitions, as I mentioned in an earlier blog about prayer.  God deserves these because He is God, obviously.  Psalm 100 provides a blueprint for the reasoning and words it much better than I could:

"A psalm. For giving grateful praise.

¹ Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
²     Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come before him with joyful songs.
³ Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he who made us, and we are his^[a];
    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 

⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵ For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations."

 Again, forever, not just because we are specifically happy or joyous, but always.  Thanksgiving can bring us to guard our hearts from evil.  As mentioned above, we are His because He made us, and for that reason alone we should praise his holy name.  Praise should also be bestowed because He is good and He loves and cares for us faithfully.  Yet, it seems that we have forgotten this, as a culture, as Americans.  We know of God, but we forget to try to know Him more deeply, especially on a positive emotional level.  I am not saying that to know God one must be emotional, rather I am attempting to indicated that to fully know God, and His purpose in our lives, we must allow Him to affect our attitudes and our emotions.  If we turn our eyes from Heaven and focus on thanking things of this world there are consequences.

Being drawn to the world means that we are drawn away from the heart of God and the peace that He gives. Romans 1:21 makes this clear "For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened."  As the chapter progresses, Paul shares the foolishness and futility that comes to pass if God does not have full control of our lives, AND IF we do NOT thank him for is indescribable gifts.  While we must appreciate the things we have on this earth, those things must not be held in esteem above God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit.  Our attitude should be monitored and controlled with the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).  Above all, our thankfulness should be a mindset (and emotion) of God first.

Putting our faith and trust in God, should naturally force us to honor and glorify Him ALWAYS and praise Him constantly.  Although it is necessary to highlight this need for thanksgiving around the fellowship table, our bond with God should last throughout the year and not just when we need reminded around the Thanksgiving and Christmas season.  Yes, turkey family, food, and football are great things to pass the time on a certain day (thanks Abe Lincoln), they are not what is most worthy of all our praise.  That honor is reserved for the Creator God, let us put the true Thanks back into Thanksgiving, and let us bring praise and glory to our Lord for the blessings that He bestows upon us and for His faithfulness that lasts forever.

Purposeful Prayer Partnerships

In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul gives final instructions to the Christians in Greece. He gave a short succinct listing of admonitions in order to direct the followers to simple tasks to keep them close to Christ.  One verse (17) shows the need for us to pray continually-to pray without ceasing.  Never stopping to share with God our praises for Him, our thanks for His provisions especially in our weakness, and our desires to hear from Him our personal petitions.

Sometimes these prayers come in our deepest glooms; other times these requests come during the glorious highs in life.  Yet, during times of restoration and renewal the desire to pray can be repressed.  Rather than trusting and turning to God, we hide our brokenness and weaknesses, but we trend away from our faith at the same time.  This simultaneous straying can cause a systematic failure that causes separation from our ability to give thanks in all circumstances and rejoice always.

With this struggle for direction, it is important to find a brother, or sister, in Christ to join you in your search (Galatians 6:2).  While the burden Christ gives is not impossible to get out from under, and should be light, it can be difficult to escape if we, as Christians, cannot share our struggles with others, without fear. In my first year at Shippensburg, our McLaugle Men's Cell Group was encouraged to find an accountability partner.  We were asked to bond with this individual and to join in responsibility for one another.  Each of us were to remind the other of need for fellowship, friendship, and faithfulness to God, while having each others back in any circumstances, but especially through prayer.  These prayer partnerships must not come with shame, but rather with peace and purpose.

Fellowshipping with a brother in need is helpful, but coming together in unison can bring restoration, renewal, and revelation.  Recently, I joined in an intense week a prayerfulness with a distant friend from Georgia.  Because of the personal requests that Amy Sickles kept sharing with me, and my desire to assist, we decided to do a week of fasting and praying over the lunch hour.  We decided to daily share the encouragements/inspirations/songs/scripture that we would receive during the hour or so of prayer. Although we were praying together whilst separated, each day it was more intense and fulfilling.

The first day of our prayer-fast Amy sent me a powerful scripture that set the tone for the week.  In Isaiah 8:11-22, the prophet shares the need for people to test the encouragement of others against the truth of God's Word and it also warns of actions that can occur if one does not turn to God, especially during times of worry.  This went along with my verses from Matthew 6, where Jesus spoke about not worrying but rather trusting in God...basically the core answer to the request we had brought to God.  Amy was thinking of shifting her major and direction at her Christian college and other things, whist being concerned about the future.  I was searching for my worthiness in my work for God (which was answered when I started teaching Sunday School to the 3rd-6th graders at Mowersville) and trying to find peace in a decision.  Our hope in Christ became more unshakeable each day we prayed and fasted.

Each day more peace and direction was delivered in songs and scripture that allowed us to come to a wonderful conclusion about our prayer partnership.  It was an amazing experience and increased my passion for serving others through allowing God to be my awe-inspired director and having the Holy Spirit be my guide.  Not just in a superficial façade, but rather in a responsible, reflective way, showing that my strength is not my own, but rather it comes from Him being in control.  Amy received many answers to her petitions, while still having some specific questions to be answered.  She did receive an overarching answer that shows that a purposeful prayer partnership yields positive results, and enhances our personal relationship with God, but it CANNOT replace it but any means: "Don't put your trust in men, trust Me [God].  Come to Me. Take refuge in Me."  This wondrous message sounds like the conclusion that David came to many times within the Psalms.  We both realized the importance of our prayerful partnership and upholding each other spiritually, despite our physical separation. 

While she has since changed her major and made decisions about her future, we still share in this partnership, just not as intensely.  I have been awaked to the need for trusting others with my struggles and burdens, despite my difficulty of being open about my "issues and problems" (aka fears).  Being ferociously fearless also means being open and vulnerable in all situations, in spite of how exposed we may feel. However, if our fellowship with others is clouded by mistrust, ask God to bring a mentor, friend, and/or prayer partner into your life.  Allow Him to nurture that trust, build it, and cause it to grow...it is an amazing feeling.  I know, because there is a small emptiness in my heart when I have not communicated with Amy in a while. In His omnipotence, God will help us to find that person that can be our partner, because we all need a close fellowship with other believers.  I am privileged to have someone that I can trust with highly guarded requests; it is making it easier to embrace my desire to be proactively real with God.  I have also noticed changes in my pursuit of my personal life resolutions.

This purposeful partnership has almost forced me to address my statements of resolve from the beginning of the year.  Over the past month, I have surely begun to share more expressively and be more straightforward.  When asking Amy to pray for a request, I have to be willing to open my heart and share what is on my mind, not in words of cheap expression, but rather in specific terms.  I need to directly share what is on my conscience, or it will be difficult for us to pray for each other.  While we are still praying from a distance, I am hoping to soon close that gap with the use of Skype over the Internets...which will be a very interesting experience, when it finally occurs.  The best result is that I now pray with more positive expectations.  My expectations are more for Amy's requests, because I have seen her succeed, and because of that I have trusted more in the fullness of God, who sustains those who serve Him and obey his commands. (Obviously, I need to see results...smh.)  I just can't wait to see how integrating this personal approach will help others as well.  Feeling the Glory of God while supported by another believer is a blessing that has caused spiritual growth in my life...try it!



Joeyb


P.S. A special thanks to Amy Sickles for allowing me to share part of her personal life.