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2 Thessalonians 1:3, Various

An Attitude Of Gratitude

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
November 28, 2024

I love Thanksgiving! I love sleeping in on a Thursday!  I love getting up in the morning with the knowledge that it’s a holiday, and no one will be going to work in the family. We’ll have a lazy morning with a donut and coffee as we smell the turkey baking in the oven! We’ll watch some early football games and then enjoy a wonderful turkey feast. The kids will bring their families over, and we’ll celebrate this day together. I get to eat cranberry sauce. It’s the only day of the year when I have that. I think it’s traditional. But why is it that we only have it on Thanksgiving day? We don’t have it any other time. It’s almost like a law! I wonder if that’s like “Thanksgiving” as a whole. We go without being thankful all year except for one day a year. Is it only on Thanksgiving day at the end of November that we give thanks and eat cranberry sauce? I think it should be the other way around. We should give thanks every day of the year except for one day. That’s the day we set aside time to grumble and complain about everything. When that day is over, we go back to being thankful.

I think that would make for a happier life. Bob Morgan says, “Few things can change a person’s life more dramatically than developing an attitude of gratitude. Your attitude does indeed affect your altitude. It affects how far you will go in life and how much you will enjoy the journey. An attitude of gratitude is a biblical principle. There are 138 verses in the Bible dealing with ‘thanksgiving’ alone. Many more talk about rejoicing, happiness, and joy.”[1] Many of these verses are in the Psalms. In Psalm 92:1-2 the Psalmist writes, “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night.” Joy is often accompanied by thankfulness. That’s what Paul meant when he told the Colossians in 3:15-17. He said, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Then Paul tells the Thessalonians a thankful spirit is what they should have “all” the time. 2 Thessalonians 1:3 tells us, “We ought always to give thanks to God…”

An attitude of Gratitude “moves the heart of God.” We sometimes forget that God has feelings, too. The scriptures show us that God is hurt, angry, grieved, jealous, etc. When I sent my Mother a 25th wedding anniversary gift, along with a letter thanking her for being my Mom, she was moved. My Dad said she showed that $1.98 plate to everyone at their party. Although she had a huge collection of Hummel plates, some worth nearly $1,000.00, she showed them my little saucer from Gibraltar that said, “Gibraltar, Gateway to the Mediterranean.” She bragged about it as if it were the most valuable plate she had. I remember also that she even mentioned that plate to me 20 years later on her deathbed. I had no idea that such a simple gesture of gratitude would move the heart of someone!

[1] Morgan, Robert J. 2004. Nelson’s Annual Preacher’s Sourcebook. 2004 Edition. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

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Colossians 3:15-17, 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Being Thankful in all Circumstances

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
November 27, 2024

The primary function of the Spirit of God in the world today is to convict us of our sin and our need for a savior and to convince us of the infallibility and authority of God’s Word. The truths of scripture have many different titles. It’s called the Word of God, the Truth, the Holy Writings, the Scriptures, God’s Word, and at times the Word of Christ. When the Spirit fills our lives, and we let the Word of God live in us, the natural result is thanksgiving! Paul exhorted believers everywhere to Surrender to the Spirit of God and submit to God’s Word, and let the results fill their lives. The result of living such a life is always a life of peace with God as well as a thankful heart. He wrote in Colossians 3:15-16, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.”

The Apostle Paul, the hero of thanksgiving, understood the universality of human suffering. He writes about it in Colossians and in Ephesians but really delves into it in the book of Romans. Many times I’ve heard people tell me that it’s really easy for me to say we should all be thankful, but I don’t know what’s going on in their lives right now and if I did I would say such cliché’s to them. My first reaction is a personal one and I’ve learned never to voice it. I think “do you think my life is all perfect and that I don’t have any problems or that I haven’t suffered any loss of any kind?” I don’t say that, but I usually think it. I like to quote Paul’s comment to the Corinthians that there is no trial or temptation that is not common to man. We want to say “poor me,” and we sing the old spiritual “nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen.” The truth is we all know trouble and suffering and loss. It’s a shared human experience, a thread that binds us all.

No one knew it better than the first century believers in Rome. Nero was great and setting them on fire to light the walk in his garden. He was great at sending them to the coliseums to be attacked and eaten by wild dogs and lions for the entertainment of his constituents. He was great at many other creative ways of torture and execution as well. But Paul tells the Romans the truth about their situation that transcends all the sufferings of life. He writes, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, for your sake we are being killed all the daylong; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” If this word dwells in us, we can’t help but be thankful no matter what’s going on in our lives.”

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

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2 Corinthians 2:14

Gratitude & the Victorious Life

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
November 26, 2024

In the 1960’s movie, “Shenandoah,” Jimmy Stewart plays the father of a large southern family who settled the land and built his life together with his wife and children. When the movie starts, we see that the mother of the ten or so children has passed away. They all sit down together for dinner, and Jimmy tells everyone to be quiet and honor their mother’s last wishes by saying dinner grace together at meals. He prays (words to this effect), “We thank you for this food even though we’ve cleared the land ourselves without your help. We cut every tree, moved every rock, calved every animal, and did it all ourselves, but we say thank you anyway.” His tone and mood are obviously one of condescension and disbelief. He prays only because he promised his dead wife that he would. He’s a self-made man, and he did what he did without any help from God.

But, when the Civil War breaks out, one by one, his sons become involved in the war on one side or the other. The soldiers from both sides confiscate his crops and cattle. He gets word of the death of his sons, and the youngest one runs off to join up also. The movie is about this father seeking out and bringing home this lost son. At the end of the movie, there are very few at the dinner table: the youngest son, two daughters, and the father. He begins the same prayer but breaks down and weeps. The lesson for us all is that the things that matter most in life are things that are indeed out of our control. The blessings of God should never be taken for granted or seen as something we have earned or deserve.

Like Jimmy Steward many of us today have lost the attitude of gratitude and have allowed the economic system to confuse us regarding the true source of our wealth and welfare. We think we have what we have because we somehow have earned it and deserve it. The truth hasn’t changed. The most important things in life are still out of our control and we should never forget the great provider and sustainer of us all. Be sure to tell each person around your dinner table how thankful you are for them. David Jeremiah writes, “Although it is possible for us to ritually bow our heads before we eat and not be grateful people, there is something about thanking God over three meals a day that reminds us we are not responsible personally for all we have. We owe our allegiance to God. The Bible speaks very strongly to the Christian about the importance of thanksgiving. In fact, it very carefully links the spirit of gratitude with the victorious Christian life.”

“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ Jesus.” 2 Corinthians 2:14

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Colossians 2:7

I Thank God for You

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
November 25, 2024

There are so many things for which I am thankful in my life. As I sat down and looked through my digital pictures of old Thanksgiving, I was surprised to find how many I had. Dad always diligently took pictures of us at our table with Turkey.  As I mentioned, we didn’t practice saying Grace at many meals, but at Thanksgiving, we always did, and Dad would lead it. I don’t remember what he said. I wish I could, but I know he prayed the standard prayer we had all learned, “Bless us, Oh Lord, and these thy gifts which we are about to receive from thy bounty, through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.” As my kids grew up, we’d say more personal prayers and even share what we were thankful for. I still like to do that today during the Thanksgiving season.

It’s always good to be specific when thanking God. Paul was. In his letter to the Romans, which was to be the longest of his letters, after his opening, and before he got into the content of his main reason for writing, he said, “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you…” That’s a great thing to thank God for. He was grateful for the believers in the world’s capital city of Rome. He knew how hard it was to be a believer in the 1st-century world and rejoiced that God had blessed him with other believers to share his life within every part of the world. Paul did not plant the church in Rome but was thankful for every believer there.

I’m thankful for all of you who share my faith in Jesus Christ. It’s not easy in our society to be a serious believer, and we need each other to nourish our faith, to encourage us in the face of opposition, ridicule, and often shame. We comfort each other. We give credence that we’re not crazy; if we are, there are many crazy people like us. I always enjoy the thought that I’m not in this alone. You are with me! There are believers all over the world, and everywhere I go, we find those who love the Lord and subscribe to the wonderful values and teachings of the scriptures. That has always helped and sustained me in my mission and call to preach the Gospel. Like Paul, I thank God for all of you!

“Keep your roots deep in him, build your lives on him, and become stronger in your faith, as you were taught. And be filled with thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:7

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1 Timothy 4:3-4

Celebrate!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
November 24, 2024

At the beginning of Chapter 12 of the Gospel of John, Jesus is about to enter Jerusalem, which would begin the last six days of His life. The city was thronged with people from all over the world who had come to celebrate the Passover, and they were celebrating His entrance, but the Priests were plotting his death. However, on his way into Jerusalem, he passes through Bethany, where his old friend Lazarus lived. He’s the one Jesus raised from the dead earlier in his ministry. A special dinner was held in His honor. Martha served, and Mary sat at his feet to listen and learn. Mark tells us that the house belonged to Simon the Leper (14:3). Matthew reveals that the rest of the disciples were there (26:8). So evidently, the table was set for at least seventeen. The dinner was a celebration, a “thank you, Jesus” dinner for Lazarus’ resurrection. It was certainly a time of great joy and celebration. It was the first real “Thanksgiving meal.”

Our Thanksgiving day is also celebrated with a great meal! I love Turkey. My whole family loves turkey! We eat turkey every year! I love leftover turkey! I love turkey and gravy! I love turkey and dressing. I love turkey and cranberry sauce. I love turkey and dinner rolls. I love turkey with beans, corn, or peas! I love hot turkey and gravy sandwiches. I love cold turkey sandwiches. I love turkey. My family scrapbook is filled with pictures of turkeys. They are treated like one of the family. My Dad always insisted that we’d get a picture with us and the turkey before we ate when I was growing up. The turkey was always well baked and set in the middle of the table with all of us standing around admiring it.

Every Thanksgiving is a celebration in God’s honor. Although we seldom prayed when I was growing up, at the dinner table, Dad always said the blessing at Thanksgiving. It was the one meal that we remembered where all the good things in life, especially this turkey, came from! It was a gift from God. I don’t know if Martha served turkey at the celebration in Jesus’ honor, but she should have. This is another great way to say Thank You to God: celebrating with family over the good things God has blessed us with.

“God created food to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.” 1 Timothy 4:3-4

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Psalm 50:14, Micah 7:19

A Debt of Gratitude

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
November 23, 2024

The Bible teaches us that there are many different ways to say “Thank You” to God. We can sing out our gratitude. We can just say “thank you” or “give thanks.” Or we can give something to God out of gratitude for what He’s done for us. Giving to God is one of the clearest expressions of thanks we can give to God. Psalm 50:14 says, “Give an offering to show thanks to God…” When Malachi speaks of the tithe, he speaks of it as the test of our gratitude to God, and he calls the ungrateful, selfish Israelites who test God.  Give it to God and watch God open the windows of heaven and pour out His blessings upon you. When Solomon received the offering for the building of the temple, he said a prayer of dedication in which he said, “You test people’s hearts, and you are happy when people do what is right. I am happy to give all these things, and I gave with an honest heart. And your people gathered here are happy to give to you, too.”

I can’t think of a more profound way to say “thank you.” In 1943, an American pilot named Fred Hargensheimer was shot down over New Guinea. Local natives rescued him from the Japanese and cared for him. After the war, Hargensheimer remembered his debt. He personally raised money to finance a school on the island. Finally, in 1970, he and his wife left their home in St. Paul, Minnesota, for New Guinea. They planned to donate fourteen months of their lives toward the development of a cacao plantation at the school.

Jesus Christ rescued us from eternal damnation and the power of the worst enemy of all, Satan. God so loved us that He gave His only begotten Son to die on the cross and pay the penalty for our sins, and through His death and resurrection, He purchases for us a place in heaven that he offers as a free gift that’s received by grace through faith alone. He saved us! Though we were under the spell of Satan and Sin, God took upon himself the task of redemption, and He hid us from the condemnation that’s ours and removed our sins from us. We owe Him much more than Hargensheimer owed the natives in New Guinea.

“You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” Micah 7:19

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Ephesians 5:20,

There’s Always Something!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
November 22, 2024

Things don’t always go how I’d like them to go, and I don’t always feel like singing out my thanks to God or even saying “thank you” to God. Sometimes, I’m discouraged and sometimes even depressed and don’t feel joyful. The Bible teaches us that we’re to thank God in every situation. I’ve shared that thought with many people who are in the throes of some suffering, and it comes across as rather insensitive and trite. Yet when Paul says, “I can do all things in Christ,” he’s speaking very specifically about being thankful in the clouds as well as the sunshine. But I sometimes tell myself that saying thank you is wrong when you don’t feel it. Isn’t it hypocritical to say “thank you” when you don’t mean it or when you don’t really feel thankful?

Nike says, “Just Do It!” Don’t sit and wait for thankfulness to overtake you. Overtake it! You are not a hypocrite for doing your duty. If you know that being thankful is the believer’s duty, and you don’t feel thankful, tell God how you feel and thank him anyway. It’s part of the Christian battle that we face every day. I expect there is such a thing as a hypocritical Thanksgiving that’s done in public to gain the admiration or acceptance of others when a person isn’t really thankful, simply showy. But the true aim of a believer in saying “Thank You” when he doesn’t feel like it is to open ourselves to God’s Spirit in hopes he will fill my words with the genuine emotion of gratitude. We’re called to do many things, whether we feel like it or not, and meeting our obligations often changes our hearts.

Although it sometimes seems impossible to be thankful under certain circumstances, there’s always something to say “thank you” to God for. Matthew Henry, the famous scholar, was once accosted by thieves and robbed of his purse. He wrote these words in his diary: “Let me be thankful first because I was never robbed before; second, because, although they took my purse, they did not take my life; third, because, although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.”

“Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…” Ephesians 5:20

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Psalm 105:1

Just say it: “Thank You!”

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
November 21, 2024

The Psalmist tells us to “sing out your thanks to Him…” (Psalm 147:7), but they also tell us to say it. Psalm 105:1 says, “Give thanks to the Lord and pray to him.” In the book of Philippians, Paul tells his readers to pray about every concern in life and trust God to deal with it. Then, he says, “Tell God what you need, and thank him for all He has done.”

The Supreme Court in 1963 banned prayers in public schools. The following prayer by kindergarten children was declared illegal: “We thank you for the flowers so sweet; We thank you for the food we eat; We thank you for the birds that sing; We thank you, God, for everything.” The woman who was instrumental in getting prayer removed from public schools wanted it banned also from outer space. Madelyn Murray O’Hair, after hearing words of prayer radioed by the three astronauts as they circled the moon, said, “I think that they were not only ill-advised but that it was a tragic situation. … ” The noted atheist said she would register a protest with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which, she declared, had prompted the three test pilots in scheduling the prayer. Something happens to the heart of an unthankful, ungrateful person. Paul says, “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:21).

In “God Is Inescapable,” Dr. David Soper suggests that the difference between a prison and a monastery is just the difference between griping and gratitude. Undoubtedly, this is true. Imprisoned criminals spend every waking moment griping; self-imprisoned saints spend every waking moment offering thanks. Dr. Soper says that when a criminal becomes a saint, a prison may become a monastery; when a saint gives up gratitude, a monastery may become a prison.

“For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful…Avoid such people.” 2 Timothy 3:2-5

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