Psalm 50:22-23 "Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver! The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!"
Have you ever been around a true grump? Someone who not matter what happens can always find something bad, or something to criticize. I guess we all have. I personally do not appreciate being in their presence, especially when they use their special talents on me. I use to have a variety of thoughts towards them. Such as anger, resentment, fear, and even bewilderment. Until recently I rarely had feelings of compassion or sympathy. I always categorized them as mean, selfish people to be avoided.
But, I realized that the grumpiness was just a surface symptom of a deeper heart problem. The reason for this lack of joy in their lives certainly can be many, I believe one of the biggest failings is a lack of thankfulness, and truly thankful towards God. I must admit that as I bemoan and dread another Northwest Indiana winter with snow, I realize my depression may come in part to the discomfort and inconvenience, but really comes from being unthankful.
It seems that if we are not thankful for anyone, thing or event in our lives we usually hate, fear, or neglect the subject. The absence of thankfulness in a Christian's life becomes an ugly sore upon their character and testimony. The very joy of the Lord that the forgiven ones in Christ are suppose to show is choked off like a weed to a flower. The ability to show a lifestyle and commitment to the Savior, and Creator of this world is futile and frustrating without a thankful spirit.
To sum this up the grumpy critic that we all avoid will never experience true joy unless they become thankful. Thankful not just for the pleasant, but for the unpleasant. Which then brings the focus back to us. How thankful are we? Not just at Thanksgiving, but on January 23rd or March 16th or any other day of the year.
True Christian joy is born out of thankfulness, and can not exist without it.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Monday, November 03, 2008
Leaving My Mark
Psalm 78:2-4 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, Which we have heard and known And our fathers have told us. We will not conceal them from their children, But tell to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wondrous works that He has done.(NASB)
A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to run into an individual that I graduated high school with thirty years ago (1978). I did not recognize this person right away, but this person had happened to be wearing a name tag on a neck lanyard. I did recognize the name immediately. As I look again I did see the resemblance. But shamefully my first thought about this person was about how much older they looked. Thankfully I only thought this and did not say what I was thinking. I also must admit that I am sure that they would probably be thinking the same of me. Although when I look in the mirror I do not see the same aging. (I of course jest)
Now that I have been reminded again of my fleeting and probably extinct youth, I again re-examine my next responsibility of handing down to the next generation the "faith of our fathers". Sadly, I have wasted much of the time with what God would judge to be preferential issues. Certainly for years I tried to present the best witness to the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ. (Not a trivial matter at all!) But I also spent much of the time trying to hold on to pseudo-convictions of outward rule keeping, and worship practices. I use to believe if the next generation did not follow the same music, bible version, and clothing standards as I have followed then that generation would be lost forever.
It has been in the last couple of years that I have repented from such practices. My demanding my way of worship for the local church services was more about pride than it was about pleasing God. I have since realized that God has given each generation the freedom to find it's unique worship styles according to the abilities He has blessed them.
My responsibility to the next generations is to introduce them to the Lord Jesus Christ want to not only offer Heaven for eternity but a loving relationship with Him. I am to show them the Word of God (in a version that is easily understood for them) that is to be learned, loved and lived out in my life and theirs. I am also to show, by example a prayer life that is real, and alive. Making it obvious that God is real and alive in my life. Then finally (and probably most difficult) I am to show them how God has used the talent and gifts in my life to be used in the lost and dying world around us. Then I am to instruct and encourage them to do the same, but realizing that it my not be in a manner that is comfortable to me still within the guidelines of God's Word.
It is sometimes easy and comfortable to believe that something new may not be Godly, but we must be careful not to twist, manipulate, or conjure up scripture to prove our preferences to be convictions. Example: I grew up in the Chicago area in the 60's and 70's. A favorite childhood show of my generation was Garfield Goose. My generation gets a warm feeling just at the mention of it. It would be foolish and unfair for our generation to force the next generation to understand and like this in the way we did. They have other choices more to relate to in their time. It is unbiblical to force the next generation to follow your generations worship style. To say that no new music styles can be used is also unbiblical. Every generation deserves the right to make their mark in worshiping the Lord within His guidelines, not our preferences.
A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to run into an individual that I graduated high school with thirty years ago (1978). I did not recognize this person right away, but this person had happened to be wearing a name tag on a neck lanyard. I did recognize the name immediately. As I look again I did see the resemblance. But shamefully my first thought about this person was about how much older they looked. Thankfully I only thought this and did not say what I was thinking. I also must admit that I am sure that they would probably be thinking the same of me. Although when I look in the mirror I do not see the same aging. (I of course jest)
Now that I have been reminded again of my fleeting and probably extinct youth, I again re-examine my next responsibility of handing down to the next generation the "faith of our fathers". Sadly, I have wasted much of the time with what God would judge to be preferential issues. Certainly for years I tried to present the best witness to the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ. (Not a trivial matter at all!) But I also spent much of the time trying to hold on to pseudo-convictions of outward rule keeping, and worship practices. I use to believe if the next generation did not follow the same music, bible version, and clothing standards as I have followed then that generation would be lost forever.
It has been in the last couple of years that I have repented from such practices. My demanding my way of worship for the local church services was more about pride than it was about pleasing God. I have since realized that God has given each generation the freedom to find it's unique worship styles according to the abilities He has blessed them.
My responsibility to the next generations is to introduce them to the Lord Jesus Christ want to not only offer Heaven for eternity but a loving relationship with Him. I am to show them the Word of God (in a version that is easily understood for them) that is to be learned, loved and lived out in my life and theirs. I am also to show, by example a prayer life that is real, and alive. Making it obvious that God is real and alive in my life. Then finally (and probably most difficult) I am to show them how God has used the talent and gifts in my life to be used in the lost and dying world around us. Then I am to instruct and encourage them to do the same, but realizing that it my not be in a manner that is comfortable to me still within the guidelines of God's Word.
It is sometimes easy and comfortable to believe that something new may not be Godly, but we must be careful not to twist, manipulate, or conjure up scripture to prove our preferences to be convictions. Example: I grew up in the Chicago area in the 60's and 70's. A favorite childhood show of my generation was Garfield Goose. My generation gets a warm feeling just at the mention of it. It would be foolish and unfair for our generation to force the next generation to understand and like this in the way we did. They have other choices more to relate to in their time. It is unbiblical to force the next generation to follow your generations worship style. To say that no new music styles can be used is also unbiblical. Every generation deserves the right to make their mark in worshiping the Lord within His guidelines, not our preferences.
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