A Different Side Of The Pandemic

I had the opportunity to see a different side of the pandemic this week. A side that I knew in theory existed but something I had not yet experienced.

On Thursday my wife had an appointment with her gynecologist for her weekly check up. She had four weeks left in her pregnancy so she was now being checked on bi-weekly. Due to the pandemic I was not permitted to attend the appointment with her so I ran a few errands and then sat in the parking lot preparing for my General Science class I was teaching the following day.

I didn’t notice my wife until she opened the door and silently slipped into her seat. I looked at her and asked how it went. Looking straight ahead she told me that we had to go to the hospital. Why, I asked. She calmly told me, after they took her blood pressure, they suddenly rushed her into the doctor ahead of the people who were there before her. The doctor took one look at her numbers and told her she was to go to the hospital immediately and they would take care of her there.

So we headed to the hospital.

When we presented ourselves at the birthing center we were brought into an observation area. They kept checking her blood pressure and then took blood and urine samples for testing. No one told us anything but we knew this wasn’t routine. All this time we were talking through masks and watching nurses, doctors and cleaning staff hurry about their duties in all their protective gear. It was strange to watch, like something out of a Sci-Fi movie.

They must have rushed the tests because it didn’t seem we were there very long before the results were back. A very gentle doctor came to talk to us. She informed us that the results indicated pre-eclampsia, a life-threatening condition for baby and mother if not attacked upon. She informed us that there was only one cure: delivery. They would have to induce my wife four weeks early.

We were not prepared for this physically or mentally. We suddenly realized that we were at the hospital birthing center, preparing to give birth, with no baby, mommy or daddy bags. We had the clothes on our backs. No music. No extra pillows. No snacks (for dad). And worst of all, no phone chargers.

At first the doctor said I could go home and pick up what was needed because they would start the induction in the morning. Then everything changed when the medication failed to lower Melodie’s blood pressure. I was told to stay put. Wait, what? It was the only moment that we had any apprehension. Were they going to end up doing a c-section? But thirty minutes later the doctor was back to explain they were going to transfer my wife to her room and start the induction now. The doctor turned to me, smiled, and said that I had time to go home and get what was necessary. Then she added, but don’t be long.

Armed with a long list of things I needed to get for baby and mom and where I would find them at home, I left the hospital. Round trip, not counting seek and find time, it was 34 minutes. Thankfully my eighteen year old daughter was waiting for me and gave me a hand putting things together and even packed a lunch for me. By the time I got back with everything (more or less), my wife was comfortably installed in her room and the procedure had started. 

Being people of faith and belonging to a large faith family, there were people all around the world praying for us. This was something incredibly comforting in knowing that friends in Greece, Belgium, France, the US, throughout Canada, in the Philippines and places we didn’t even know about were praying for us and little Samuel, who was being forced into this world before he was ready. We had a wonderful sense of peace in the Lord’s presence. All was well.

Over the next eighteen hours we had the privilege of meeting many incredible doctors and nurses. Their compassion and tenderness was amazing, but something happened that made me see people in this pandemic in a whole new way. The thing that changed everything, that made me sit up and take note happened at the most incredible moment of our time in the hospital.

Melodie was in active labour. Nurses seemed to be coming out of the woodwork. The doctor was in the catch position. Everyone in the room became the cheerleaders and my wife was immersed in the moment. It was loud. It was busy. And it was then, as the sweat was washing over my wife’s face and the pain was at its most intense, with her breathing deepened to the point I thought the medical mask would disappear into her breath, that one of these beautiful cheerleading women reached over and flicked my wife's mask off her face. She was free to suck in all the air she needed. In one simple motion, compassion trumped protocol. I was stunned by this act’s insane nature of beauty. It was second only to the arrival of our beautiful baby boy.

Pause and reflect for a moment. That mask on my wife’s face was not there for the benefit of my wife. It was there to protect everyone else in the room. The act of removing that mask was entirely for my wife’s benefit, to the endangerment of everyone else in that room. This significance was not lost on me.

There was something absolutely wondrous how the beautiful part of humanity overshadowed the masks, gowns and hand sanitizer. Not once did I hear these beautiful people raise doubt about the pandemic or the protocols in place because of it. There were no complaints or fussing or frowns. After a bit I stopped noticing what they were wearing because their hearts of service caused these things to evaporate in their soft tones of tender compassion. They were not focused on themselves or the inconvenience of working twelve hours in this equipment. Their focus was caring for these new mom’s and their beautiful new born babies. If they were tired of all this they never showed it beneath those beautiful voices and those healing hands.

So my take away : no matter the circumstances of the day, the best parts of humanity can outshine it when we are determined to focus on love.

PS. My wife gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, weighing only 5.5 lbs, just this side of being a preemie. Mother and baby are resting comfortably at home, healthy and well. We consider ourselves tremendously blessed and are eternally thankful for such a large praying family.

Be Careful Little Tongue What You Say

Last week I wrote that we need to be careful about the words that we allow to be spoken into our lives. When destructive words are allowed to take root they can undermine Yahweh's glorious purpose for us. In the same sense, we need to be careful of the words we speak. The easiest thing for us to do is complain. It is the most natural thing for our flesh to do and it does it often.

Our Father hates complaining.

That statement alone should cause us to sit up and take notice. Few of us would want to be engaged in any activity that our Father hates and yet every day we find ourselves complaining about people, situations, our perceived lack or the many great injustices in the world. Consider this one simple example from God's Word:

"When the people complained intensely in the Lord's hearing, the Lord heard and became angry. Then the Lord's fire burned them and consumed the edges of the camp." (Numbers 11:1)

Obviously we live in the age of grace, an age in which we are covered by the grace of our Lord as we grow into maturity. But just because the Lord does not punish us for the things we do does not mean they do not hurt him. Our God takes our complaints personally. That should mean something to us.

What really hurts is when we complain against his goodness. Our flesh has selective memory. It remembers the slavery of sin so much differently than the reality of it. It remembers the pleasure of it and forgets the consequences. It even exaggerates the pleasure so that we will complain about where  we are in freedom in Jesus and long to go back to slavery. Remember this:

"The riffraff among them had a strong craving. Even the Israelites cried again and said, 'Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish we ate in Egypt for free, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. Now our lives are wasting away. There is nothing but manna in front of us." (Numbers 11:4-6)

Funny how these complainers forgot about their lack of freedom, forgot the chains, forgot the whips, forgot the hard labour, forgot the thousands of dead. We need to take warning from this moment in Israel's relationship with the Lord. Complaining goes beyond our Lord hating it; these words also have an effect on our trust relationship with the Lord. Every word of complaint is a testimony against the goodness of our God. We hold on to enough of these words and it will erode our trust in Jesus and his promises. We will begin to believe that there is something better for us elsewhere. When we get into a crisis we will try to find help from another source. And when it comes to the good gifts of our Lord, we will reject them.

This complaining generation of Israel is the generation that failed to enter into the land of "milk and honey" that Yahweh had promised them. Because of their complaining attitude they could only see the giants, the fortified cities and the great armies that they faced. Their complaints turned their eyes away from the LORD God Almighty to the things of this world that, in themselves, they had no hope of overcoming. No wander our God hates a complaining tongue; he knows the effect it has on the heart.

If we are to remain his children we need to follow the example we find in the Word and fill our mouths with praise and thanksgiving. We need to put effort into this relationship and cultivate a heart of gratitude in all things. Whether in the desert or the land of plenty, our Lord remains the same, his love remains the same, his promises remain the same, his provision remains the same and all praise is due him. We can trust him. Today, let us sing with the psalmist:

Shout triumphantly to the Lord, all the earth!
2     Serve the Lord with celebration!
    Come before him with shouts of joy!
3 Know that the Lord is God—
    he made us; we belong to him.
    We are his people,
    the sheep of his own pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanks;
    enter his courtyards with praise!
    Thank him! Bless his name!
5 Because the Lord is good,
    his loyal love lasts forever;    his faithfulness lasts generation after generation.  (Psalm 100)

I Am Afraid And Anxious. How Can I Have Peace?

It is crazy how we walk through our day as if we are clueless about the incredible spiritual realm all around us when we have a direct view of it through God's Word. We are not normal so why do we act normal? Why do we act as if the natural laws of this world apply to us? Do we not realize that Father wants to glorify himself through us so the world will see him and know him? This means that we need to learn to live by the laws of the Kingdom. Let's pick a simple example.

It is a disservice to Jesus for us to be worried and filled with anxiety about anything. In fact, it reveals either our ignorance of the Word or our unwillingness to apply it. Yes, it is not good enough to know the Word, you actually have to do the Word, live it, put it into action. Let's pick our example here from Philippians 4:6-7:

"Do not be anxious about anything..."

There you go, a direct command that we are not to have anything to do with anxiousness. You tell me that is impossible because anxiousness is a natural reaction to our environment. And I remind you again that we are not governed by the natural laws of this world but by the laws of the Kingdom, as we are in relationship with the King. So how is it possible for us not to be anxious because of our environment?

"Do not be anxious about anything...
"but in everything..." 
"by prayer and petition..." 
"with thanksgiving..." 
"present your requests to God."

I broke it down there so that you can see we are given specific instructions on how to walk with Jesus as invincible super heroes in this world. "In everything"; doesn't matter what the circumstances are, does not matter your situation, doesn't matter how big or small it is, it doesn't matter if it looks impossible to you, you are to present your requests to God.

How do you present the requests? Sack clothe and ashes? Cutting yourself? Laying in bed for days? Laying on your face on the floor for days? No. It is by prayer and petition. You don't have to do anything to earn Yahweh's favour, you already have it. You accepted the sacrifice of the Son and are part of the family. He enjoys responding to your needs. It is not a burden to him.

Take note though that it is with an attitude of thanksgiving. No long faces. No great tears. No expressions of "IF". We are to come before him remembering everything that he has already done for us. We come to him with praises of thanksgiving because we are thankful for his love, presence and his desire to help us. We come with an attitude of joy that happens in a relationship of trust. We don't come expressing doubt of his favour but with thankful joy for his assurances.

Then something incredible happens, something that cannot be understood by hearts governed by the laws of this world. If you are trying to live by those rules you will not understand it or perceive it but those of us who walk in the Lord, trusting and obeying, can testify to the truth of the matter.

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

Notice this doesn't take place when we simply sit back and play the part of the victim. We are not a victim when we are citizens of the Kingdom. Father uses everything for our good, to benefit us, to mature us and bring us closer to him. When we bring everything to Jesus in prayer, he gives us a peace that does not make sense in the natural but that's because it is supernatural peace. It is this peace that guards us, preserves our hearts and minds as we live in Jesus.

It's all as simple as that, if we choose for it to be that simple. Or we can make it as complicated and horrible as we want. All of this and so much more is ours if we would simply trust Jesus, learn the Word and apply it to our living. Why would anyone choose not too? The answers are all there, just apply them.

How To Change The Attitude Of Your Day

All praise is due him! But do we live that way? All praise is due him? But is it seen in our attitude? All praise is due him! But do we acknowledge it in the rush of our day? We know a lot of stuff in theory but it does not mean we live it out in our days. Indeed, all praise is due him, but sometimes, in our quest for survival, we don't let it play out in our lives. We reserve a time of remembrance and praise but the other moments of our lives is more an "every man for himself" attitude.

Often we slip into an ungrateful attitude without realizing it, with it becoming the "norm" for us, how we feel every day. We read a little less, pray a little less, praise a little less. The colour slowly drains away and we are left with that "overcast" feeling in our life. And it becomes normal for us. But it is not normal. It is not Jesus' normal.

Throughout the Scriptures we are told time and again that thanksgiving is the key to a healthy relationship with the Lord. We are also told that it is the key to keeping the blessings fresh and flowing. Thanksgiving pleases Father because it indicates that we are very grateful for all his loving kindness. Psalm 107 is a great psalm where the psalmist took the time to describe various situations people find themselves in and how the Lord intercedes on their behalf. Most of the situations are caused when people don't turn to the Lord but when they do they are delivered from their situation:

They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way;
They found no city to dwell in.
Hungry and thirsty,
Their soul fainted in them.

Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He delivered them out of their distresses.

And He led them forth by the right way,
That they might go to a city for a dwelling place. (Psalm 107:4-7)

The psalmist concludes every situation with the same statement:

Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
For He satisfies the longing soul,
And fills the hungry soul with goodness. (vv. 8-9)

All praise is due him! When we let go of our pride and seek his face, he floods our soul with great love and kindness. He satisfies the longing of our soul, he sets us free from our imprisonment, his works are to our advantage; he loves us deeply. If we would stop our struggling, trying to find our own solutions and cry out to our Lord, we would remember why all praise is due him.

Praise, adoration, worship, thanksgiving are not something that is for a reserved moment in our week. No, these things are part of an attitude within which we exist. A heart of praise produces a heart of cheer. Perhaps you recognize that your attitude is not right these days. You can easily change it by changing your words from complaining to praising as you reflect on the goodness of our Lord. The psalmist concluded:

Whoever is wise will observe these things,
And they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord. (v. 43)

Indeed, a little reflection on the "daily and eternal loving kindness" of our Lord Jesus will work a wonderful work of grace on your heart and will be seen by all in your attitude throughout your day. As you realize "his wonderful works to the children of men" (count your blessings one by one) I pray your heart will explode with gratitude and you will pour out on him all the praise that is due him.

He Is God, And I Am Not

O man, it is Sunday morning and I can't wait to get to church. This is my favorite day of the week as I get to set aside everything else and just concentrate on loving Jesus and loving the Church, his bride. Yes, it is a messy place, but I don't care, because it is family. It is in the context of this family that I have learned to love Jesus even more. I could concentrate on everyone's shortcomings and point out how they don't measure up to my standards but I won't. The reason I won't is a simple one. Jesus told me that if I do that to them it will be done to me in the same manner. So forget that; they are family and sometimes family is messy.

That is why the apostle Paul told us the only way Church works is with a huge application of Jesus' love. We don't build the Church; the Spirit builds the Church with us. There is a difference. It is just like we don't build our lives; the Spirit does through us. Oops. I forgot. That's the problem. Most of us don't live by that truth. Most of us pay lip service to our King and still consider ourselves to be the masters of our own destinies. We are still building our own lives. The problem is, we are not very good at it.

It's like me thinking I can build my own house. I can certainly try but I know now I would not want to live in it. The first strong breeze to come along would knock that thing right on my head. I don't know anything about building a house just like we don't know anything about building our lives. We certainly participate in the building but under the direction of the Master Builder. I can't say it any better than the psalmist:

Know that the Lord, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. (Psalm 100:3)

Notice how he starts it off? Know, understand, accept that the Lord is God. I can almost hear along with it, "We are not". That is the crucial bit that we leave out of our lives. Jesus is Lord of my life; I am not. He directs me; I don't direct him. It is he who is making me; I am not making myself. He gives me direction according to his will for me, and I follow.

I enjoy the simplicity of this psalm and this statement:

"God is God. He has made our nation, not us. We belong to him."

The Church was formed in the same manner as Israel; by Father's will. He grew Israel from the seed of Abraham. He grew the Church from the seed of the Holy Spirit. Just as Israel belongs to Yahweh, so does the Church. We don't get to define her because she is defined by the Spirit. She belongs to him.

It is no different for us as individuals because we are the Church. Each of us were born into the Kingdom by the Father's will, by his supernatural act of grace. We have not done this for ourselves but he has done it for us. He has made us, not we ourselves. Our lives belong to him, not us. We are his sheep and sheep obey the Shepherd's voice. We do not build our lives; the Shepherd does.

It is in this knowledge of our reality that we are able to enter into Sunday worship with such gusto and thanksgiving:

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. (v. 4)

Be thankful indeed. Rejoice indeed. Enter into his presence, indeed. I am his and he is mine. He is God and I am not. He is building me and I am not. I am his child and I belong to his family. There is no better place I would rather be than right here.

Counting My Complaints

What are you thankful for this morning?

I actually have to stop to think about that. Strange, because I can easily list my complaints. I have already spent a good part of my morning complaining to people about one thing or another, and most people would never consider me a complainer. That's how common it is. Complaining is just a natural part of our day.

But should it be?

Yes, there are all kinds of things that go wrong every day. We live with the reality that we are in a fallen and imperfect world. We live in a system that is in rebellion to God on top of the small every day imperfections. So we have a whole slue of things we can legitimately complain about. But just because it is legitimate does not mean that it is conducive for a heart that is one with Jesus.

I look at where my heart is right at this moment and I can feel that I have allowed my "legitimate" complaints to disturb my peace. And to what end? What has my complaining accomplished? Has it made me or anyone else feel better? Has it changed the situation or circumstances? Not at all.

Although our God will listen to our complaints, as he did with the psalmists, he is really looking for his children to maintain a thankful heart. I shouldn't have to work at it. With all the great stuff that our Father does for us, thanksgiving should be an ever flowing stream from our mouths. It should be a natural product of an ever increasing relationship with Jesus but we have to be aware of the need for it. We need to cultivate it until it takes root in us. It is the Spirit transforming us. Paul wrote to the Colossians:

Each one of you is part of the body of Christ, and you were chosen to live together in peace. So let the peace that comes from Christ control your thoughts. And be grateful. (Colossians 3:15)

I like the the word "let" in this verse. Let the peace that comes from Christ control your thoughts. We have to give it permission, to allow it to control. This is fundamental if we desire to live life with a grateful heart. The things that rob us of our thanksgiving are usually things that are beyond our control and belong to someone else. We have to overlook those things to let the peace control our thoughts and to be thankful.

It's true. When I examine each subject of my complaints this morning I see that it was the result of someone else's actions. Each thing was either out of my control or something I was not brave enough to deal with directly. So I need to accept what I cannot control and take action on what I can deal with, all the time allowing Jesus' peace to control my thoughts.

Suddenly those things don't seem so important. Suddenly I remember who holds my day. Suddenly I begin to remember all the good things for which I am thankful. It's a much better way to start my day, praising my God from the overflow of my thankful heart.

The Problem With Complaining

What are you complaining about today? What is the thing that is disturbing your peace and joy? For me it is the fact that I am being accused of not attending an online training session yesterday. I got up at 4 am so that I could attend a 5:30 am session. However, the company had made a mistake and I was unable to sign in for the 5:30 am session so I tried the 6 am with the same result. They resolved that problem but then the room would not load at 6:30 am. Finally at 7 am I was able to get in. Then this morning I received an email accusing me of not being in attendance. As soon as I saw it that complaining spirit rushed through the door and filled my heart.

The problem with complaining is that it doesn't leave room for anything else. It also goes contrary to the Spirit of God. Complaining robs us of our thankful heart. If there is one attitude that should be constantly ours it is the attitude of thanksgiving, no matter the circumstances. Thanksgiving is provoked in us when we make the decision to trust Jesus with everything, and I mean everything.

There is a lot to complain about in this world and in our life. We could find things to complain about all day long but what does it do for us other than disturb our spirit, turn us into an ugly person and seed terrible things in other people. Complaining constantly got the Israelites in trouble. Complaining tells God that you do not trust or appreciate him. It also promotes ourselves above the needs of other people.

We are told time and again in the Word of God to be a thankful people. It is when we let go of the negative stuff, trusting God to deal with it, while we concentrate all the good things God fills our day with. You will find it throughout the Word but in Ephesians Paul wrote:

Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:19-20)

"Always giving thanks to God" keeps us where we need to be, in that place of peace and joy. Giving thanks is a decision that gets easier every day as we begin to recognize, more and more, the good things God is pouring out into us. Giving thanks leads to a life of rejoicing:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (Philippians 4:4)

In fact, it is in that same section that Paul writes:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Notice the place of thanksgiving  With thanksgiving, not a spirit of complaining, present your requests to God. There is the promise of peace.

Complaining does nothing but destroy the peace that Jesus promised to us. However, thanksgiving benefits not only us but everyone around us. Check yourself today. Is it a complaining spirit that fills your mouth or a spirit of thanksgiving? Are those complaints falling off your tongue or the sweet praises of our loving Father. No matter the situation, trust that Jesus has your back and rejoice. I repent of my complaining spirit this morning and pray blessing upon the company that God is using to provide for me and my family. Rejoicing because of the blessing of work today.

How To Have A Drama Free Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Here's how to have a drama free celebration:

Remember:

1. why you are thankful and who you are thankful to - Jesus.
2. to start the day off with the one to whom you are thankful
3. it's only food; it's the people that matter
4. that the past is the past, leave it there. Today is a new day
5. to forgive every slight and every offense today
6. to laugh ... a lot

Allow God to use you today to remind your family and friends the purpose behind this harvest feast of thanksgiving. To paraphrase apostle Paul: Without love we have nothing and we are nothing.

Enjoy your food but enjoy your family and friends more. But enjoy Jesus most of all.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

    Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he who made us, and we are his;
    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;

    give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations. - Psalm 100

Thanksgiving With Arms Wide Open

So, it's Thanksgiving Sunday in Canada and we will all be talking about how thankful we are about God's blessings. But are we? Stop and think over for a moments the last three months, or even the last week. Perhaps we don't need to consider anything further than yesterday, or even this morning? How many times have you complained? How many negatives things came out of your mouth, born from an ungrateful heart? I think we are far more ungrateful than we really want to admit because we still make life to be about us.

We say that we have "given things up" for God, as if that is some kind of great sign of our appreciation. "Hey God, in gratitude for your kindness to me this week I am going to bless you by going to church and I may even have a few coins to put in the offering plate. I love you." Do you know what God has to say about that?

Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
    as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord?
To obey is better than sacrifice,    and to heed is better than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22)

Why is obedience better than sacrifice? Because God is interested in our hearts more than our words and actions. He wants our love not meaningless sacrifice. Jesus said it very simply:

 If you love me, you will obey what I command. (John 14:15)

Our praise and thanksgiving should not be dependent on what God has done for us. "Because you have been so good to me this week I will praise you". Does this mean that if it has not been a good week according to our understanding of good that we will not praise him? That we will not love him? That we will turn from him? Just because we did not get what we wanted? I don't think that this is what God meant when he told us that his desire was for us to love him with our entire being. Again, this physical state should have no bearing on our heart for God. Jesus told us:

So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:31-33)

I bring this up often because we have to be reminded often. If God considers our heart to be the great prize then we too should consider our heart condition to be of greater value than anything else. And complaining, seeking the negative, and allowing things of this world to disturb our peace devalues our heart.

You know, things we fill our day with that provoke worry and fear are a snap to deal with by the power of Jesus Christ in us. It is ridiculous that we would allow anything in this place to interrupt this love affair we have with God. Do you know how easy it is to be healed by a God who loves us enough to sacrifice himself on the cross for us?.

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

Understand, God loves us and by this love he takes great pleasure in responding to the needs of his children. He doesn't do these things to bribe us so we will love him. He does it simply because he loves us. He doesn't want great sacrifice from us as a demonstration of our love. He doesn't want us to pour out gifts on him because of what he has done for us, even though he deserves all that and more. He wants us to love him as he has loved us, without conditions.

Yes, we can be very thankful for all the things God has done for us, the physical and spiritual blessings, but make sure there is more to it than that. If that's all there is to it, the thanksgiving will fade away. Be thankful just because God is who he is. Be thankful for his love and the relationship we have with him. Be thankful because he chooses to be involved in our lives every day and because we get to spend time with him as he loves a dying world through us. Just be thankful because it is your heart response to our God who threw wide open his arms and declared to us all,  "I love you".

Overcoming Bitterness

Life can be hard. It isn't necessarily the decisions we make that cause it to be that way, often it is because of other people's decisions. It is hard when other people's decisions have the potential to impact you, especially when you are young. I have to admit this is a hard one for me. If we mess up we can usually deal with it knowing it is our own fault, but when we have to work through other people's messes it can cause some bitterness and resentment. But bitterness and resentment have never added anything to anyone's life. We need to find a better way of dealing with it.

We really have no excuse for things like bitterness in our life. That and a lot of other negative emotions happen when we allow this world and things in it to be more important to us than they should be. These feelings are provoked in us when we consider our rights to be greater than someone else's. They overwhelm us when we are always looking at how things effect us instead of focusing on other people. They take root when we consider our way to be greater than God's way.

There really is only one attitude that we can maintain that will allow the character of Jesus to shine through us in every situation, and it is the attitude of thanksgiving. Too many of us concentrate on the negatives in live and it effects our attitude, mentality, perspective, emotions and health. I could understand it if this life was all there was and we needed to live it to the fullest because after this it is all done. Even writing such a drab thought brings me down. Imagine if this was it? But it's not. So it's crazy for us to allow anything in this world to have such an effect on us who are eternal creatures destined for a glorious home.

We can keep away from the negative side of things by simply being thankful for everything in our lives. Jesus has filled our lives with blessings and just the fact that he lives in us and us in him should be a daily encouragement. We also have the promises that God uses everything for our good, to benefit us. So whether we find something to be negative or positive in this world, for us it is all good and God turns it in our favour. But even this isn't exactly a proper attitude.

When we are filled with praise and thanksgiving in every situation we stop being concerned with ourselves and we start looking at how things are effecting others. People become our focus and as gratefulness buoys our spirit and eternal hope fills our heart, we are able to serve the needs of those around us. Do you not understand what Jesus was telling us when he said:

So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:31-33)

Do we not understand that true worship is found in the overflow of a thankful heart? This is not a glass half full / half empty thing. This is "I am thankful for whatever is in that glass" thing. Be thankful for what you have and praise the Lord. But be thankful more for the spiritual blessings than the worldly blessings. The worldly is  just temporary, destined to spoil and fade away. The spiritual however is for eternity and if your life is rich with these things you are rich indeed. So be thankful, fill your life with others and allow Jesus to be seen in you regardless of the circumstances. Not another word of complaint but thank Jesus for everything in your life. It is there for your benefit.

People Are Not Put Here To Annoy Us

People are a fact. We may not always like them and appreciate them but they are part of our tiny universe. They may get on our nerves at times, they may cause us to become angry, or frustrate us, even provoke us to hatred, but they are still part of us. People are not going away so we had better learn to cope.

In fact, if we are Jesus' disciples, we need to go far beyond cope, we need to learn how to love. I don't mean learn by reading books and attending classes. I don't even mean learn by being determined to be loving. That's the strange thing, as a disciple of Jesus, the only way we learn to love is by dying to ourself and allowing Jesus to love through us. The first step is to acknowledge that people are important to Jesus.

You can't hate someone and love Jesus. Apostle John knew that and told us that hatred is a sure sign that we are not disciples of Jesus. In fact, John is rather blunt about it:

If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar." (1 John 4:20)

People are important to God and he has made them the second greatest priority, right after loving God. We cannot make any spiritual progress as long as we hate, even our enemies. Jesus was blunt as well when he told us:

You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:44-45)

Of course this is all part of the transforming work of the Holy Spirit. In our natural we do not have the ability to love our enemy and to evict hatred from our life, but the Spirit does. However, the Spirit is gentle and will not force himself upon us. He will convict us of what pleases and displeases God but he will not make us do anything. He will give us the capacity to love but he will not bind us with something we are fighting against. The Holy Spirit requires our cooperation.

The best thing we can do to make our heart open to the Spirit is to be grateful. It is how we allow all the blessings of our Lord to flow through us, by being thankful for everything. Even worship comes from the overflow of a thankful heart. It is the same for the love of people. It rises up from a heart that expresses thanksgiving for the people in our lives. Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians:

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you,remembering you in my prayers. (Ephesians 1:15-16)

Paul heard about them long before he met them. I am sure he heard the bad along with the good. Today we emphasize the bad reports we hear, forming an opinion about someone from one little thing. Paul grabbed hold of the good that he heard and he filled his heart with thanksgiving for these people. In this thanksgiving he also prayed for them, petitioning the Lord on their behalf. It is really hard to hate someone for whom you are praying. It is hard to be frustrated with the person you see good things in. It is hard to be angry at the person for whom you are thanking God.

We need to desire the best for people. Even for those who would consider themselves our enemies we need to desire God's blessings, out of love. By blessings I refer to salvation, grace, mercy and such. Over the next few days we are going to examine Paul's desire for the Ephesians in what he prayed. We will do this in the hope that we can discover how to cultivate a heart that allows the Spirit to love through us. If you have never been a people person it is time to give up that thought of yourself so that the Spirit can make you what you aught to be.

It has nothing to do with preference and personality and everything to do with God's will. Love God and love your neighbour, that is what our life here is all about and that is how we please God. So examine your heart, see if you are giving way to the Spirit of God and ask yourself if loving people is your second greatest priority. If not, join me over the next few days as we learn how to open our heart to people.

A Life Worth Living

I so wish I could accurately express to people how we are getting Christianity wrong. The basic problem is that we continue to live as if it is something that goes outward in whereas the reality of it is that it goes inward out.

Jesus explained to us that it is not what goes into people that make them unclean but what comes out. Think about it.

Most people want a set of rules or instructions to follow. I have even heard preachers describe the Bible as a "How To" book on life. Others refer to it as an instruction book. But it isn't. The purpose of the Bible is to reveal what God has done for us and is doing in us. It's an explanation.

So many people try to "live by the Word" but forget that we are miserable failures at it. So we come up with excuses, "I'm only human", "I'm not perfect, only forgiven" and so on. But in truth the greatest failure is not understanding that these things that God is doing is done by the Spirit in us.

Again let me say, God's place is to do and ours is to submit to the Doer.

It is God who changes us, not us changing ourselves.

However, in Colossians 3 we do find a few things we can do to better facilitate God's work in us:

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:15)

There is number one and two right there. Let, allow, permit, make way for, submit to, invite in the peace of Jesus so it may rule in your hearts. When Jesus told us he was giving us peace he emphasized it was his peace and he did not give as the world gives. It is ours, never to be taken away. But he is the one who gives it. We receive it from him as a gift, not something we earn because we have removed all the stresses from our life and we know how to do yoga or have mastered meditation. His peace exists in us in the worst of times because of Jesus and we "let" it rule our heart. That's our part, letting it.

The second thing is being thankful. He does so much for us that he creates this natural condition of thanksgiving but we have to choose to be thankful. A complaining spirit is not thankful. Neither is a heart filled with rage, anger, hurt, pride and all the other junk we pollute ourselves with. A thankful heart should be natural in the light of God's grace but it is still our choice. We have to "let" it.

There are a few other things that we can do as well. These are all things that allow God to have the freedom to work in us and in the Church:

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. (v.16)

God can't force us to study his Word, that is our choice. But it is more than study, it is allowing the Spirit to put that Word into effect in our living: "dwell in you richly". It is seeing the Word come alive in all its depth when it says to love one another, to respect the elders, to love your enemies. God will write it upon our heart and the Spirit will enrich our lives with it as the Word takes life through our living. It is amazing stuff that works from the inside out but we have to let it, allow it, permit it, make way for it, submit to it, invite it in.

Part of the riches of the "Word alive in us" is the vibrancy it brings to the Body of Christ, the Church, our family. It is not a community, it is family, and it is vibrant when each member allows the Word of Christ to dwell in us richly. It turns us into teachers and ones who are able to admonish with all wisdom and not with anger and hatred. It overwhelms us with love for each other and the desire to see the best in people. It fills us with praise so that we are known as a people of singing and dancing as the praises of our God flow out of us. And, it brings us back to this point again, it provokes gratitude in our hearts to God.

Interesting how it always seems to bring us to thanksgiving, gratitude, thankfulness, appreciation. When we are busy being thankful we don't have time to complain or criticize.

So what is the end game? What results from these few things that we are able to do since it is up to God to transform us? The bottom line of our life is this:

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (v. 17)

There you go, a life worth living!

These few things that we can do amount to nothing more than facilitating the inward transformation that God is working in us, but it lets, allows, permits, makes way for, submits and invites in our ability to live our life in the name of Jesus. And don't forget the giving thanks bit. It provokes us to be a people of constant thanksgiving.

I don't know what other kind of life we are living but this is the only life that is actually worth living. This is life in abundance. This is freedom. This is joy. This is love. This is Christianity as it is meant to be.

Your First Thought This Morning Is A Clue To Where Your Heart Is

What was your first thought as you woke up this morning? Was it one of thanksgiving or complaint? What was the first task that came to mind? Was it giving or taking in nature? There are little clues that reveal to us the true nature of our heart. It is good when we have the discipline to take the negative in our life and place it in submission to the Spirit but it is even better when our heart is so changed that thanksgiving and selflessness is our knee jerk reaction.

The transformation of our heart and mind is only possible by the power of God's Spirit in us but he does need our cooperation in the process. When we accept Jesus we are given a new heart and mind, or at least the capacity of righteousness is changed in them. They are now freed from the bondage of our sin nature and given the capability to be filled with the righteousness of God. This means that we are now capable of living according to the Father's heart and the character of Jesus Christ. We will stumble as a toddler stumbles, learning how to walk and negotiate the obstacles in his life, but the grace of Jesus picks us up, dusts us off and sets us on our way again.

One of the things that helps in this transformation process is the development of thankfulness. The greater our heart is possessed with thanksgiving the easier it is for us to submit to the Spirit of God. Let's go back to my opening question: Was your first thought this morning one of thanksgiving?

"Jesus, thank you for this new day of opportunity."

"Thank you for such a wonderful night sleep."

"Thank you for your presence this morning."

"Lord Jesus, thank you for your love."

There are so many of Jesus' promises we can wake up thanking him for, such as our salvation. That one thing alone is worth an eternity of praise:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Galatians 1:3-5)

Jesus "gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age" is enough to wake us up every morning with a new song on our heart. If not, we are losing sight of God's goodness in all the busyness of our day. There is no need for it. If things begin to fade in our life it is because we have stopped paying attention to them. If your great passion for Jesus is fading, it is because you have stopped giving him the number one place in your life.

I've been at this for far too long to listen to people's excuses of why they think God has become distant to them. It hardly ever starts with sin. It usually begins when we start spending less time learning about Jesus, less time in prayer, less time talking about Jesus and less time in worship. These things are what allows the Spirit to pour freshness into us. If we dam up these sources then the river is going to run dry. A dry river always leads to sin taking over again. It is never that Jesus has withdrawn from us but us who have stopped paying attention to him.

However, remembering what we need to be thankful for is a means to keep the sources clear of any debris. It is hard to forget Jesus when we keep praising him and thanking him for everything in our life, starting with our first thought in the morning. A person possessed by Jesus Christ is a joyful and obedient person. Their character is attractive due to this attitude of thanksgiving and joy. They leave no room for a negative thought to take root and the Spirit of God continues to refresh them throughout the day. Thanksgiving is our way of oiling our heart and mind so the Holy Spirit has an easy time of continuing with the transformation. So, let us lift up holy hands and thank our Lord Jesus for the great things he has done, is doing and will do. Fill your thoughts with Jesus and your heart will fill with love and praise. Praise the Lord!

The Church Is About Intimacy Not Entertainment

I have seen a lot of people come and go from church and from Jesus. Every church I have pastored I have brought new people in or welcomed them as they walked in but I have also seen a number of these people walk away. Is it because I am not a great preacher? Perhaps I don't tell enough jokes or not entertaining enough. Maybe it's the music. Is it too loud, too fast, too slow, too quiet? Maybe it's because there are not enough chairs or perhaps the chairs are too old. It could be because the message we preach is too hard, too demanding, too personal. Or maybe it's because these people got what they wanted and moved on.

We all remember the story of the ten lepers right? Jesus sent ten men with leprosy to present themselves to the priests. On the way they discovered they had been healed but only one returned to worship and thank Jesus. The one who returned wasn't even a Jew. This is how so many people are who come into the church out of desperation, needing something from God. They come in all sincerity but once they have what they want they are off again, not understanding relationship, intimacy and the need for worship. I see this portrayed in the masses who almost crushed Jesus with their needs:

When they heard all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. (Mark 9:8-10)

These people knew there was truth in the actions of Jesus. They could see the power to meet their needs but there was no desire for relationship. Our churches have a revolving door for these people. They come in out of desperation but they leave out of boredom. It is wrong for us to try to hold on to people using the trappings of this world, with entertainment and programs. It is wrong to bring the Church down to the level of this world when she is a house of prayer and intimacy with Jesus. It is wrong to hold on to people who fill the pews with no sincerity in their seeking.

There were those who achieved intimacy with Jesus. There were the eleven disciples and the women who supported the ministry. There were people like Mary and Martha who were friends with Jesus. There was Lazarus who also became a victim of the Sanhedrin's plotting simply because of association with Jesus. But these were the people who saw greater worth in Jesus then what they could get out of him. They had received a lot from Jesus but they stuck around because they had fallen in love with him, the Son of God. They had realized that God gave to them out of love, not because he was some kind of wish granting god. That love compelled them into a deeper place with Jesus.

Just like with those lepers, we need to live with the reality that not everyone is going to understand the invitation to become intimate with Jesus. There will always be those who come in all beat up from life, who get doctored and healed by Jesus, and who do not feel the compulsion to return to his feet to worship. But that does not give us an excuse to stop teaching and guiding people to this place of intimacy. It does not give me license to lower my expectation. It does not give me just cause to change my church into just another entertainment alternative in the hopes of holding on to more people. The Body of Christ is about intimacy with Jesus or it's not the Church.

So go out to the highways and byways and invite them in. Those who get it will stay and those who don't will move on. Celebrate with those who seek greater intimacy and pray for those who lack the maturity to understand but don't stop pressing on. Don't try to hold on to people for the wrong reasons. Don't dilute the message of the cross and the hope of the empty grave so a thankless people can fill the Church. Let's celebrate the sincerity of the one who returned and desired intimacy with Jesus. Forget the numbers and let the Church be what it was always meant to be: a place of intimacy with God and with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Remember What Jesus Did For You

Imagine where you would be right now without Jesus. Sometimes we forget what we were before he saved us. Sometimes we forget what transformation we have been going through. Sometimes we forget how we used to think and act. Sometimes we forget just how wretched we were before encountering the Son of God who called us to himself, to be transformed from what we were, to become what we are, the children of God. We also forget the trust he has shown us by calling us into the mission of redeeming lost souls. When we remember all that we can say with apostle Paul:

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. (1 Timothy 1:12)

Paul served with all his heart because he never forgot what Jesus did for him. He never forgot what he was before he met Jesus:

Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. (v. 13)

This blasphemer, persecutor and violent man deserved death but he did not receive it. Instead Jesus revealed himself to Paul and called him into his service. He extended great grace to him and that grace turned Paul from a persecutor to the great champion of the Body of Christ. The Spirit poured incredible revelation through Paul so that we today could have better understanding of many spiritual matters. From a man who hated Christ to a man who has been used by Christ for nearly two thousand years. Paul's appreciation of what Jesus did for him are expressed in simple, humble words:

The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. (v. 14)

In the same way Jesus called Paul he has called you. You don't think he wants to use you in your service to him? You think you are unworthy? Yes, you are unworthy, but he has declared you to be worthy. He took a murderer and turned him into a great lover, so imagine what he can do with you if you trust him with your heart, mind and soul. Imagine what he can do with a life that presents itself like putty in his hands. Imagine what his will is for you if you would only remain sensitive to his Holy Spirit.

There are many things you and I should have in common but one in particular should stand out for us: a grateful heart. Each of us should be shouting out praises as they rise up from the overflow of our gratefulness. Every morning should start off with "Thank you Jesus". Throughout our day we should be lifting our eyes up and thanking Jesus. In the sunshine and the rain it should be "Thank you Jesus". In winter and summer, spring and fall - "Thank you Jesus". Remember what you have been saved from. Remember his grace. Remember and serve him well today, with all your strength, from a thankful heart.

How To Avoid The Christmas Blues

So, Christmas is over. After all that rushing around and preparation, the gifts are open, the feast has been eaten, the anticipation has ended. Now what? That's the feeling that sometimes gets to people in the days following Christmas. So much went into the preparation, now that it's over they are left with a void. It's only natural so in order to avoid this feeling we need to switch our focus from the activity back onto the reason for that activity.

A good thing to do is make a list. Yes, there I go again with the list, but this list is helpful in getting our focus back in place. Make a list of all the blessings from God you have experienced in the past year. It's kind of like the top 20 songs on the past year, or the top 10 movies. It will take some reflecting and remembrance, which is always a good thing too. I can make a short list for you just from this past month as an example:

1. We found out that my wife is pregnant
2. God arranged for all of my children, except one, to live in the same city
3. He provided the finances for me to help move a friend
4. He provided the finances for all the school staff to be paid before Christmas
5. He gave me a glimmer of hope in a situation where there was no hope so that I could have peace this Christmas
6. He reminded me this month of the great friends he has given me as they helped me on a project for someone
7. He allowed me to see the fruit that is being produced in the people of my church
8. He provided a good Christmas for all my children who were together to celebrate it

As I make this short list just from this past month my heart begins to feel really warm and any void that may have started to grow has been stuffed full of these blessings. I suddenly feel very thankful for the love and faithfulness of my God. I want to shout from the rooftops my praise and thanksgiving. He is so good, so very good to me. Now you give it a go.

If you begin to feel this void over the next few days don't think you are a failure or that you don't love God. Such a feeling is natural after a busy season of preparation. What you do with this feeling is what matters. I encourage you, make your list; get your thoughts, heart, and eyes back on Jesus, the one who we are celebrating. With him there is no emptiness or disappointment, only love and security.

Ask Yourself, Why Are You Going To Church Today?

Seriously, why are you going to church today? Is it because you have such great friends there and you enjoy hanging out with them? Is is because it is what other people are expecting of you? Is it because you are simply following in the footsteps of your parents? Is it because you have experienced God there in the past and you just want to experience that again? I think that at least a quarter of the people going to church this morning don't really know why they are going.

We go because we are the children of the God of promises. We go because God is faithful to the promises he has given us. We go because our hearts are overflowing with thanksgiving for these many promises that are applied to our lives. We go because we  desire to worship our God of the promises. His faithfulness goes beyond our failings. It even goes beyond our unfaithfulness. It goes beyond the darkness of sin. It reaches down into the depths of the deepest caves and up to the heights of the tallest mountain tops. It even reaches to the far side of the oceans. His promises go wherever we can imagine going because his is an unfailing love.

The psalmist understood the faithfulness of God as he reminded him of his promises to David:

For the sake of David your servant,
   do not reject your anointed one.

The LORD swore an oath to David,
   a sure oath that he will not revoke:
“One of your own descendants
   I will place on your throne—
      if your sons keep my covenant
   and the statutes I teach them,
then their sons will sit
   on your throne for ever and ever.” (Psalm 132:10-12)


We can be such a foolish people, running about, trying to save ourselves, trying to find our own solutions, behaving as if we are all on our own. What crazy nonsense from the children of the one who created everything. Do we think he lacks the power or is it his will of which we are not convinced? Do we not realize that every promise ever uttered by God is applied to every generation of his children? Are we not yet convinced of his love? Was Jesus, the cross and the empty grave not enough for us?

The Word says:

My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. (Hosea 4:6)

We do not call on the promises because we do not know the promises. We lack knowledge and we are perishing because of it. We are wandering around in the dark, falling into great pits, hurting ourselves for no reason. If we knew the promises we would remind God and find our joy in his faithfulness. If we knew the promises we would enter worship this morning with hearts that are exploding with worship and praise. We would live in great confidence and boldness. Our worry and fear would disappear and anxiety would find no foot hold in us. We would walk the streets with a smile on our face and a song in our heart. No matter what life would bring our way we would handle it with the promises of God. He is faithful. He never fails us. All he asks is for our trust and obedience.

Why are you going to church today? I don't know about you but I am going to worship my Jesus with a grateful heart because he continues to cover me in the promises of God.

We Really Don't Know Much About God's Desire For Thanksgiving

I am still taking a break from my writings on maturity because today is Thanksgiving Day in Canada and I would like to address the idea of thanksgiving to God. Most of us think we are a people with a grateful heart but in truth we act more like spoiled rich kids. Most of our prayers are centered on ourselves and we treat our Father as if he is a terrible provider. We are seldom satisfied with his provision and are constantly demanding more. Those who disagree with me I encourage to consider the amount of debt you are carrying on your credit card. The credit card is a huge indication of our dissatisfaction with our Father's provision.

Setting that aside for a moment I want us to consider how we give thanks when we do manage to remember we owe it to our Father. Many of us do not like the thought of sacrifice because of our selfish nature. For a few people the great act of sacrifice is giving up Sunday morning to attend church and the tithe they put in the offering plate. Let's consider those two things and the attitude we have concerning them.

Would you say that you have a joyful attitude in going to church or is it a thing you need to do because it is what is expected? The real expectation is that our relationship with Jesus would fill us with such a joy that we would be rushing to get to church, and I mean rushing in the good sense:

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
   and his courts with praise;
   give thanks to him and praise his name. (Psalm 100:4)

It is a worthless "sacrifice" to give up your Sunday morning if your attitude nullifies your action. It you realized the great things Jesus has done and is continuing to do you would be overwhelmed with the desire to praise him. There should be excitement to enter into corporate worship. There should be an atmosphere of expectation and longing in offering up the sacrifice of praise.

Then there is your sacrifice of your tithe. Considering that everything you have has been given by the grace of God, offering back 10% is not much of a sacrifice. And before the anti-law crowd jumps all over this, the tithe is a heart response not a law requirement. Abraham existed long before the law and yet he offered up his tithe out of a grateful heart. Back in the beginning Cain and Abel brought sacrifices out of thanksgiving. Abel brought the very best and it pleased God. It is not that God needs these tithes. As he told us, he owns everything anyway so it is not that he needs it, but what we bring and how we bring it reveals our heart toward him. Do we really love and appreciate our God?

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Does love not compel us to bring our very best to God? It is sad that we use God's grace as an excuse for our lack of love toward him. Dressing up for worship does not make a person better but what we wear can reveal our attitude in the same way that our tithe does; in the same way we treat people does; in the same way we do our work does. God's grace should propel us to the top of everything as we want to respond to God with our very best in everything we do, say, write, create.

We have been called to sacrificial living as we deny ourselves to serve Jesus. Most of us want the best of both worlds but if our relationship is authentic then we are glad to give up the one to possess the other. Our salvation is not by works but by the sacrifice of Jesus, given freely to us. But our heart response to this is obedient love. Our response is a sacrifice of praise. Our response is to freely give, with great generosity. Our response is to love each other in the same manner Jesus loved/loves us. He calls on us all the time to set aside our needs for the sake of others, to be consumed by people and this is our worship.

In Isaiah 58 God is dealing with a people who have the right appearance but the wrong heart. Among the things he says he asks these questions:

Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
   only a day for a man to humble himself?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
   and for lying on sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
   a day acceptable to the LORD? (Isaiah 58:5)

I encourage you to read the whole passage to understand the impact of these questions because it is followed by this revealing of God's heart and what he considers to be the true sacrifice of worship. Think of Jesus' teaching and example concerning the Sabbath day as you read this:

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
   and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
   and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
   and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
   and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
   and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness^[a] will go before you,
   and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
   you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. (Isaiah 58:6-9)

We have a lot to learn about the sacrifice of thanksgiving and I pray we will continue our learning today. Many of us will stuff ourselves on this day in Canada with fine food. We call it a day of thanksgiving but I wonder who we are giving thanks to, and if we are worshiping ourselves instead of God. Make it a true day of giving thanks by sharing your food with the hungry, clothing the naked, giving shelter to the wanderer and looking after your family. Do this and God will find your sacrifice of thanksgiving acceptable and pleasing, and it will reveal your heart of love.