Gratitude

P 2320 What illuminates our thinking?

/ DVH

There are many people in this world that regard the bible as a musty, dusty old book that has nothing much to say to them. They don’t see it as a series of stadium lights,  brighter than the sun, opening up new doors and possibilities. I think this is because Christians have inadvertently presented this book as a guide that God has given to them …kind of like ‘their own personal torch.’  We’ve become almost a secret society, with our own buzz words, and language. 

But, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Psalms 119:105 NIV. However His book is totally personal, based on the fact that it is not only filled with info that explains the Way into relationship with God, but it is also available to anyone who is looking for Him. “… he who comes to God, must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6b

The bible was given to everyone, not just Christians. It is a book filled with revelations and light for everyone. Because most religions have a ‘book’ – a manifesto if you will –  the bible itself has been casually thrown upon a pile of those kind of, ancient tomes into a corner. It has been filed under the heading of ‘books about stuff I don’t want to know about.’ 

In today’s world we have books and books – podcasts, media, social media, magazines, etc… plus the news! We all know that we can’t trust the news to tell us what we need to know that will benefit us spiritually. Because they have an agenda. That agenda is motivated by sales, money, power and popularity. Even social media, is simply old fashioned gossiping on steroids. It lies, it postulates and it is manufactured in order to make someone else money, or  to give others power. But how will people ever understand the power of those lies if they have never seen the real thing!

If we don’t tell others the bible is a different kind of book, because you read it with the Author – how will they know? Sad to say, shallow thinking produces shallow greedy people. “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” Romans 15:4 NIV. That hope is not just for us – we are meant to share that hope with everyone!

These other modern things are often too filled with man’s worst nature to do good. But the bible is different, it has the breath and heartbeat of God in it. Meanwhile this wonderful book it does not explain anything – it actually poses more questions than it gives answers! It is not ashamed of its story, or its characters, or WHO GOD IS.

I believe this is why Jesus Christ came here to earth. Books can be misread and misinterpreted – but Jesus Christ came TO SHOW US what life looks like when God’s ways are followed. HIS STORY, HIS PERSONHOOD, HIS ATTITUDES TOWARD MANKIND ARE ALL IN THIS BOOK.

God’s great love for us all in the Person of Jesus Christ is the overriding redemptive theme in the bible. Colossians 1:19 “For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him,…”Colossians 2:9 “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,…” Revelation 19:12-13: “His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a name written, that no man knew, but He Himself. [And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called The Word of God.”

Jesus Christ is our human visual aid. Our example. He shows us that it is possible for any one of us to live our lives obeying God. He made the things that seemed impossible – possible when He cancelled the power sin forever… By becoming our sin – Jesus totally identified with us. The best response to such a sacrifice is gratitude not permissiveness. We need to live this life questioning ourselves – what is illuminating our thinking?  👋🏻

P 2245 Some versus ALL.

/ DVH

Genesis 4:3&4 “In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock.” In this verse we can see the danger of having a partial commitment mentality. Cain brought some of his offering, but Abel brought the Lord the very best bit, the fat portions from a firstborn. Abel sacrificed a living thing. These two men show us that our relationship with Almighty God is not meant to be a part-time thing based on dead works.

The key to successfully walking with the Holy Spirit is a voluntary total surrender. And the thing that stands in our way, stood in Cain’s way – pride and rebellion. Mankind has struggled with those particular sins since the garden. We decided that we knew what was better for us, instead of what God wanted us to do. We’ve become filled up with our own self-importance.

In today’s society it is essential, despite all the protests and flag waving about everybody’s rights, that you and I live out our daily lives recognising and respecting the price that was paid for us. Our lives need to be lived laid down for Jesus, in loving gratitude for what He did for us. Christ was the firstborn of many obedient, loving sons and daughters. His cross was an exchange, even though it was a free gift. Our old life was exchanged for His new life. He took our sin, and now we freely take up His calling, empowered by His Spirit. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, Who is in you, Whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. 

There are a number of theories about why God accepted Abel’s sacrifice, and not Cain’s … but the real point is this – if Cain had responded to the Lord’s clarity about his behaviour differently … Abel would not have died. Jealousy and rebellion shoved Cain into a downhill slide, but I think that pride pushed him to react that way in the first place. He thought he knew better. Cain thought he could give Almighty God any old thing, after all it represented all his hard work (!) So he thought that God should accept it. But it is God’s right to chose what is acceptable or not!

Cain was the first-born son, so the younger son Abel knew his place in the pecking-order. But the eldest son was like many of us today, we can easily have an elder brother mentality. That stuff leads to jealousy when the pastor accepts someone else’s spiritual gift, and ignores ours, or someone gets healed, and we don’t. Or somebody becomes an elder, and we are still washing dishes in the kitchen. This is an entitled works-based mentality. It rationalises spiritual truths with logic. It sounds like this: “I did my best! I’ve kept on being a Christian even when it meant I had to make hard decisions. Why is my effort not recognised? Why is God not blessing me – He said He would. Why isn’t He doing it?” Offence takes the place of submission, and steers us away from living under God’s authority, into self-preservation.

And all that started in the garden, and has continued throughout man’s history. Mankind thinks it has a right to define itself and … well … really (!)… our God just ought to be grateful that we make the effort to follow Him at all … in days like these! 😳 But the bible shows us that our God will not be satisfied with some – He wants all! Just like He cautioned Cain to be careful, we need to be careful too. Giving the Lord what we’ve decided is right and good – is where Cain fell over in the first place! We cannot define what He gives us, He does. He’s God, the Creator of all things. We are not. And no matter how smart we think we are, our wisdom is not only finite – but vastly limited. Particularly by our own arrogance. 

Our God is not a despot. He doesn’t ask for all because He’s greedy or controlling. I believe He asks for all, because it is the safest place for us to live. With all of our lives laid down we are sheltered inside His love. Other people cannot steal from us if we do not own anything in the first place. This means we hold earthly things loosely. The Lord wants to do what He has promised to do, save, protect, guide us through hard things, and keep us safe from the enemy’s ploys and plots. But when we stand about in the enemy’s playground, giving in to satan’s logic and attitudes, it becomes extremely easy to grow resentful. Cain did.

Abel respected God’s wishes, and his offering was honoured – He offered an animal’s life to His Creator. Cain had an expectation that what he thought would be OK would be OK – and he got good and mad when God wanted to correct him. Our attitude to correction will reveal our heart to us – if we will let it. Some is not in God’s vocabulary – ALL is the only language God speaks … because HE GAVE US HIS ALL!👋🏻

P 2113 Perspective is extremely important.

/ DVH

“It’s urgent that you get this right: The time has arrived—I mean right now!—when dead men and women will hear the voice of the Son of God and, hearing, will come alive. Just as the Father has life in Himself, He has conferred on the Son life in Himself…” John 5:25a. Lazarus heard Jesus’ voice in his tomb, and although he was throughly dead, he came alive. That’s the kind of God we serve, when HE speaks – everything changes, even if it is impossible – we need to learn how to hold fast to what He says to us.

We also need to think about Who He IS – particularly when things in our lives are going badly. Sometimes the Lord allows things in our lives to bring out certain qualities, and to nudge us deeper into Him. Human beings like to live their lives superficially, but the safest place is right next to Him. Otherwise we can fall into the same sin that tempted Adam and Eve. Perspective is about knowing who we are, and to do that we must first know Who HE is, otherwise we can end up in presumption. And presumption will put us onto thin ice, remember, they fell in! If we are to be like Him, we will need His perspective – His way of looking at things.

Despite the many rumours flying about today, we are not equal with God. But Jesus Christ IS and He became a man and stood up in our place. Philippians 2:5-7. “In your relationships with one another, HAVE THE SAME MINDSET as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage;  rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” Remember, Almighty God already took the initiative on our behalf – HE CAME HERE.

Jesus Himself said this: John 8:55 “Though you do not know Him, I know Him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know Him and obey His word.” Knowing God’s ways means we obey Him. These are key things in the process of being transformed – Jesus chose to live that way and so should we. Here’s a handy helpful hint: When you read the bible ask yourself – ‘What does this teach me about Almighty God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit? What can I see here, that shows me about Who They are? What I am reading that I can DO?’ .

The way that Christ thought about His Heavenly Father while He was here on earth was remarkable. Jesus knew He was here on assignment from God and yet He acted with the same humility and authority He died to give us. He limited Himself! Human beings are not all that, we’ve been elevated by the One we keep company with. Giving Him glory is not just about singing worship songs passionately – it is about the way we revere and honour what Jesus told us to do. We are only made great by the Company we keep. 

Father God wants the same kind of relationship with each one of us that He had with Christ. I know we are members of a huge family – but the Lord dearly loves each one of us … specifically. This world may never ever know your name, but God knows it, and He is proud of you. Despite who we are and what we have done, and sometimes keep ON doing … He sees you and I through the blood of Jesus. Perspective means I know to my core, what was done for me. I cannot be arrogant because I know who I really am, and who I would be without Christ.

Now, there is no need to be ashamed in His Presence. Personally, I find that shame is a big red flag in my life. It tells me that I have done something that I am not sure about, and now I am making excuses for it. I need to go and get alone with Him and get His perspective, His POV, on what has happened. And I don’t have to be ashamed or afraid when I do it. When we go into His Presence our AIM is to be washed, changed, actively transformed, by what we are reading and what He says to us. Whether we are reading the bible, or simply praying, the Holy Spirit will remind us of what Christ did, and why He did it. Then gratitude takes over. Gratitude is a great perspective, and true generosity is another one. God has been incredibly generous to us, so, with His help, we need to be incredibly generous to others, no matter what they have done. 

Perspective highlights the way He thinks, as well as showing us how to think. I need to know what He thinks, so I can be transformed by looking at Who He is. That’s what the bible is for, to show us who Father God is, and what He has deliberately planned and done on our behalf before we ever came into this world. Biblical perspective changes our POV. I don’t give two cents about what I think anymore, I want to know what He thinks about it!  And I probably won’t value whatever someone else thinks either, no matter how important it seems, unless they are saying something that is in His book!

The things of this world fade into insignificance when we have His perspective. We need to take on His perspective desperately, because HE HAS THE WORDS THAT LEAD TO ETERNAL LIFE. That starts right here, right now. Christians live their lives eternity minded – that is true perspective. 👋🏻