I AM GOD...not me HIM!

Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless.

Genesis 17:1(NASB)

Little by little throughout scripture God gently and gradually unveils His gracious character and His eternal attributes.. first to one person and then to another. To David, God proved Himself to be his Shepherd. To Hagar, God was revealed as the all-seeing One. He became a Banner and Standard to the wandering Israelites in the wilderness and to the frightened Gideon He became Shalom - the Lord is my Peace.

There was one occasion when the Lord revealed Himself to Abraham as his Provider, but in this unique and touching episode, God disclosed Himself to the aging Abraham as: Almighty God (El-Shaddai). 

'EL' adequately speaks of God's tremendous work of creation and the mighty power He displayed during the great deluge of Noah's day. It speaks coherently of His majesty, strength, greatness and power, as further exhibited in the tremendous plagues that ravaged Egypt's fertile plain. And yet the name, ‘El Shadai’, identifies our heavenly Father as the all-sufficient God - the God Who is totally adequate to provide ALL we need according to His riches in mercy.

Insufficient emphasis has been placed on the meaning of the nourishing nature of the word ‘Shadai’ in this astonishing revelation of God. While the word 'EL' signified the strength and power of the great Creator EL-ohim, the word 'Shadai' additionally speaks of tender nourishment; gentle reassurance and the provision of strength that a tiny babe derives from the comforting breast of his mother.

Abraham had been promised the Seed through whom all the families of the earth were to be blessed. His advancing years appeared to contradict God's former Word. It seemed impossible that the 90-year-old Sarah and her 100-year-old husband could parent a child, as God had promised some time before. Yet, in this gracious encounter, God reveals Himself to Abraham, in a new and wonderful way - as 'God Almighty' - 'El Shadai' -  the All-Sufficient God. He gently admonished His doubting child while giving Abraham ample reassurance that His Word is true, and would be fulfilled in His time, and His way.

And as it was with Abraham, so it is with all of God's people. The All-sufficiency of God enriches, empowers and provides for all God's children. The precious promise of God's all-embracing sufficiency, is equally relevant today as it was in those dim and distant days, when God called a pagan Gentile, out of  Ur of the Chaldees.. to leave his land, his wealth and his relatives, and go to the land God promised to show him.

The young Abram had obeyed the Lord many years earlier and his faith was already credited to him as righteousness. But many years later, when that same man of faith was ninety-nine years of age, the Lord appeared to him in a new and special way. Abraham was granted further revelation into the essential nature of the God, in Whom he had placed his trust so many years before... for there were still lessons for this man of God to learn. There were many truths that had not yet been disclosed to this man of faith. "I am God Almighty", he was told. "I am El Shaddai - the All-Sufficient One. Walk before Me, and be blameless".

The same Lord nourishes, multiplies and makes abundantly fruitful the seed of faith that is planted in the heart of each of His children. And in the same way, that He overshadowed and stirred the womb of the elderly Sarah and empowered old Abraham to father this child, so God is able and willing to work His all-sufficient grace in the lives of each of His children.

If God has placed a seed in your heart, never doubt that He is All-sufficient to carry it through to its final delivery - for He Who started a good work in you has promised to bring it to completion, by transforming you into the likeness of the Indwelling Seed - the lovely Lord Jesus, in Whom we trust.

My Prayer

Loving Father I recognise Your almighty power and great glory - for the heavens declare its truth and Christ proved it with outstretched arms on Calvary's cross. But You are also my great Provider for which I thank You. Your gracious provision is All-sufficient and I long to serve You faithfully, and to live a blameless life before You. Lord, I know that living blamelessly before You is only possible as You provide the sufficient grace and power through the Holy Spirit's work within. Bring to fruitfulness the seed that You have planted in my heart, that I may live as You desire - this I ask in Jesus' name, AMEN.

Knowing Jesus is the beginning of wisdom!

Ted

The God Of Heaven Instructs Us To Listen To His Son!

Hebrews 4:14 - "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession."

Not only is Jesus our Saviour and King, our Prophet and Lord but He has also become our great High Priest. Jesus is God's anointed High Priest, through Whom we have been made fit to approach the grand and awesome throne of the most high God. His high priestly position is a heavenly one, and it is a position that is so much more superior to the earthly Levitical order, which came through Moses.

Christ's high priestly role is a continuous, eternal, spiritual headship. He is our perfect Priest, Who by virtue of His own spotless sacrificial life-blood, which streamed over the heavenly mercy-seat, has once-and-for-all atoned for all our sins - forever and ever, amen.

He was born for this priestly role and anointed as God's great High Priest by the Holy Spirit, Who rested on Him in the likeness of a Dove at His baptism. His exquisite position was further confirmed by the thunderous voice of the Almighty God, saying: This is My Beloved Son - listen to Him.

The Lord Jesus is the ultimate and final Word of God. He is the incarnate Word, Who took upon Himself human flesh, and as our great, heavenly High Priest, He is interceding day and night for the Church, which is His Body. Jesus is the only Mediator between man and God and He is the only One who can defend our case when the accusational finger of the evil one is pointing at you or at me.

There were a succession of men from the earthly Mosaic economy, who functioned as high priest, but none could be compared with Christ Jesus, for all were sinners in need of salvation. He alone was called 'great' and He alone was appointed after the order of Melchisedek - the Kingly-Priest of righteousness and peace, who was honoured by Abraham and is identified as a type of Christ.

He alone rose from the dead and passed through the earthly atmosphere and starry heights into the heaven of heavens. He alone is seated on the right hand of the Majesty on high. He no longer officiates in an earthly Temple. His is an eternal Priesthood that is vastly superior to everything that went before.

He is our righteous, kinsman-Redeemer, Who has become our heavenly Mediator. He has been given a Name that is above every name - Jesus Christ the righteous. And we who have trusted in His death, burial and resurrection for the forgiveness of sin and life everlasting, have been called to hold fast to our confession. We are commanded to stand firm on the witness of the cross - that Jesus is the Son of God; that Jesus is our great High Priest; that Jesus has put away our sin forever by His sacrificial death and glorious resurrection - that JESUS ascended into heaven by passing through the heavens, on our account, and in Whom are the words of eternal life. 

No wonder we are urged by the writer to the Hebrews to HOLD FAST to our confession - to keep a firm grip on our trust in Christ's finished Work; to believe all God has said through His Word; to unreservedly remain firm to His Truth - and to boldly approach the throne of grace. For it is only and ultimately through Jesus, the Son of God - Who is God the Son, that we can find grace to help in time of need, for His grace is sufficient; His office is efficacious and His loving-mercy is everlasting.

YES INDEED - since we DO have a great High Priest Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God - let us hold fast our confession. Hallelujah. Praise His holy name. 

My Prayer

Loving heavenly Father, Your plans and purposes for me are staggering. I can scarcely take in that God Himself should come as my Saviour and High Priest, so that I can approach You on Your great and gracious throne of grace. Keep me ever mindful of this amazing privilege. Open my ears to hear Your voice and cleanse my heart to pray into Your will. Have grace on my brothers and sisters in Christ, and have mercy for a lost and dying world, which needs to acknowledge Jesus as 'kinsman-redeemer'.  Hear and answer my prayer, I ask, in the name of Jesus Christ Your only begotten Son, and my great high heavenly priest, AMEN.

Knowing Jesus is the beginning of wisdom!

Ted

An Everlasting Covenant!

For he has made with me an everlasting covenant.

 2 Samuel 23:5

This covenant is divine in its origin. "He has made with me an everlasting covenant." Oh, that great word "he"! My soul, consider--God, the everlasting Father, has positively made a covenant with you; yes, the God who spoke the world into existence by a word; He, stooping from His majesty, takes hold of your hand and makes a covenant with you. Isn't this act so stupendous and such an example of condescension that it would overwhelm us forever if we could really understand it? "He has made with me an everlasting covenant."

A king has not made a covenant with me—that would be something; but the Prince of the kings of the earth, Shaddai, the Lord All-sufficient, the Jehovah of ages, the everlasting Elohim—"He has made with me an everlasting covenant."

But notice, it is particular in its application. "For he has made with me an everlasting covenant." Here is the sweetness of it to each believer. It is nothing for me that He made peace for the world; I want to know whether He made peace for me! It is a small matter that He has made a covenant; I want to know whether He has made a covenant with me.

Blessed is the assurance that He has made a covenant with me! If God the Holy Spirit gives me assurance of this, then His salvation is mine, His heart is mine, He Himself is mine--He is my God.

This covenant is everlasting in its duration. An everlasting covenant means a covenant that had no beginning and that will never, ever end. How sweet in all the uncertainties of life to know that "God's foundation stands firm,"1 and to have God's own promise, "I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips."2 I will sing of this through all my days and at their ending and forever.

1) 2 Timothy 2:19
2) Psalm 89:34

Pastor Alistair Begg

Would You Be Willing To Fight A War If Victory Was Assured?

Revelation 12:11 - ""And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death."

Satan is the great accuser of the saints of God who has pursued the people of God down through the centuries with an intense hatred... and the coming tribulation is a time when the devil's vicious attacks on God's servants will increase in intensity against both Jews and Christians.

Although Church-age believers are not appointed to face the wrath of the Lamb, during the coming time of terrible tribulation.. the enemy of our soul attempts to accuse the saints, despite being covered and cleansed by the blood of Christ. Revelation gives believers a multi-pronged approach to victory over Satan, "they overcame him by of the blood of the Lamb. They overcame him because of the word of their testimony. They overcame because they did not love their life even when faced with death." 

The time is coming when Satan and all his fallen angels with him, will be flung out of the heavenly realm and cast to the earth. It is during the terrible time of tribulation that his fury will target the Jewish nation and all that have trusted Christ as Saviour. But we read that: they gained victory over Satan because they were cleansed by the blood of Christ and they defeated him by the word of their faithful witness - they trusted Christ for salvation, and were willing to die for His sake.

Church-age believers are instructed to "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you," and although we will not face this terrible time of tribulation, this verse is as relevant for saints today who are facing increasing persecution from all sectors of society. Just like believers today, tribulation saints, who live in the final seven years of Daniel's great end-times prophecy, will also overcome the enemy because of their faith in the cleansing power of the blood of the Lamb. Victory for them and for us is secure in the testimony of Christ.

Although we will be raptured before the great and terrible day of the Lord, oppression against the church is rampant and persecution in all its guises is instigated by that old serpent who is the devil and Satan, who prowls around like a roaring lion seeking believers to trounce and devour. Only those covered in the blood of the Lamb have victory over the evil principalities and powers.

Christ Himself told us that victory is assured for those of us who are part of the Body of Christ, for He Himself has promised that the gates of hell will never prevail against His Church. Today we live in an age of martyrs, and the martyr spirit has predominated throughout this dispensation of 'grace'... but like saints in this Church-age, those who trust in Christ during the coming time of tribulation have the same security in Him.

The foundational bedrock upon which all victory rests is the shed blood of Christ... the Lamb that was slain - the perfect Sacrifice, Who with one glorious cry of IT IS FINISHED, pronounced sin, death and hell, 'forever conquered'. Nothing can dislodge that unshakably firm foundation. For the holy lives, faithful testimony and patient sufferings of those standing on the promises of Christ, the shout VICTORY is an eternal watchword.

The salvation, security and strength of saints in every dispensation rests on Christ alone.

Salvation is of Christ - for He is the Sacrifice slain, His is the blood of the Lamb. 

Strength is of Christ - for His is the faithful testimony, the glorious gospel of grace. 

Security is of Christ-for His is the life - eternal, that no enemy can destroy.

The spiritual strongholds of the enemy are powerless against the weapons of our warfare, which rest on Christ and Christ alone. Hallelujah!

My Prayer

Thank You, Father, for the wonderful salvation, strength, and security I have received from the Lord Jesus Christ and for the victory He won for me through His blood. Thank You that we are overcomers because of faith. Thank You that the penalty and power of sin, Satan, death, and hell has been overcome through faith in the cleansing blood of the Lamb.. Who died and rose again so that we might never die - but be raised into life immortal. May I live every day of my life in faith through Christ... in Jesus' name, I pray, AMEN.

Knowing Jesus is the first step to wisdom

See you next blog,

Ted

Perplexed At How Evil Seems To Get Away With It?

Do you ever wonder why people who do bad things seem to get away with it?

Habakkuk 2:4 ""Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith."

How often we stand perplexed that God does not punish the wicked but seems to allow them to be acquitted of their wrongdoing and even rewarded for their evil works,(we have example before us with the sham House impeachment) and Habakkuk was faced with the same dilemma.

He was a man of God who was justifiably grieved by the sins of the kingdom of Judah. Rather than honoring the Lord with their heart and soul and mind and strength, he witnessed nothing but iniquity and sin. Judah had become a violent nation and Habakkuk complained that God's chosen people had become a people of strife and contention, where the law was ignored and justice perverted.

God reassured His servant that Judah's disobedience and rebellion would not go unpunished. He astonished his prophet by revealing how He would punish his errant people. The Lord told Habakkuk that He was going to raise up a fierce and impetuous people to bring judgement on Judah. The Chaldeans were a dreaded nation who were feared by the surrounding people. They were a law unto themselves and were altogether wicked. Punishment would be swift and violent. Judah would be helpless before this formidable foe.

He likened the swiftness of the Chaldean horses to leopards and their warriors to eagles, who would swoop down to devour their prey. Although Habakkuk knew that God's people were ripe for judgement, he was astonished and shocked to discover the magnitude of the punishment awaiting them. Habakkuk's initial indignation against Judah's ungodliness turned to concern for God's people.

So troubled was Habakkuk by this knowledge that he determined to stand guard on the rampart and keep watch to see if the Lord would provide some hope for His people. God did not leave His servant in any doubt that He would carry out a national chastening but also gave him some reassurance.... "Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; BUT the righteous will live by his faith."

Habakkuk was given a truth that has stood the test of time - a principle that was rediscovered in Paul's epistle to the Romans during the Reformation and one that has blessed centuries of God's people... we are not only credited with righteousness by faith in God's Word - but we are to LIVE our life by faith..."for the righteous will live by his faith".

Those who are not credited with righteousness because of their lack of trust in the Almighty are living in spiritual darkness because their soul is not right within themselves, for they are not trusting God's Word. Those who are proud and self-important, foster pride in their heart. They rely on their own inner strength, power, talent and wisdom. These are ungodly fools who deny their Creator. They are not credited with righteousness because they have not believed the truth - HOWEVER, the righteous one will live by his faith - which may be better translated 'the justified-by-faith one - SHALL LIVE. The one who is justified in the eyes of God - will live

Unlike Church-age believers, not all Old Testament saints were indwelled by the Holy Spirit, nevertheless, everyone who believed God's Word, both before and after the cross, is credited with righteousness. Those declared righteous by faith WILL live, while those who are not justified by faith will not live - they shall surly experience the wrath of God.

Although the guiding principle of justification can be traced through every book of the Bible, it was to Habakkuk that the unchangeable truth of justification was given - The just shall live by faith. The man or woman who is justified by faith WILL LIVE.

Eternal life is a free gift to ALL who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and once we have been covered in Christ's righteousness we are called to LIVE the rest of our life BY FAITH. But we are also blessed to realise that the justified man or woman will live eternally - because he or she have trusted in the Word of God - our Saviour Jesus Christ.

May we KNOW in the inner recesses of our heart and mind that "a man is not justified by the works of the Law, but through faith in Christ Jesus". May we have that assurance that eternal life is already ours, because we have been justified by faith, and having been justified, by faith, may we LIVE by faith - as we trust in Him to supply all our needs - day by day.

Praise God that WE, who have believed in Christ Jesus, are justified by faith in Christ. How thankful that we are not justified by our own good works or legalistic practices, carried out in our own strength; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.

My Prayer
Thank You Father for the witness of Habakkuk who first shared the wonderful truth that the justified man and woman will live, because of their faith. Thank You for those who have continued to teach this truth down through the centuries - like the apostle Paul and those in the reformation. How I thank You, heavenly Father, that because I am justified by faith I will live eternally with the Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that having been justified as Your free, and forever gift of grace, I may live every day of my life by faith - by trusting in You and not relying on my own strength or abilities. May my life be honouring to You and a testimony of Your goodness and grace to those with whom I come in contact - this I ask in Jesus' precious name, AMEN

Knowing Jesus is the first step to Wisdom!

See you next blog,

Ted

Eternal ONE

Eternal One His were the everlasting ways.  Habakkuk 3:6 What God has done on one occasion, He will do again. Man's ways are variable, but God's ways are everlasting. There are many reasons for this most comforting truth. Among them are the following: The Lord's ways are the result of wise deliberation; He orders everything according to the counsel of His own will. Human action is frequently the hasty result of passion or fear and is followed by regret and change; but nothing can take the Almighty by surprise or happen contrary to what He has foreseen. His ways are the outgrowth of an unchanging character, and in them the fixed and settled attributes of God are clearly seen. Unless the Eternal One Himself can undergo change, His ways, which are Himself in action, must remain forever the same. Is He eternally just, gracious, faithful, wise, tender? Then His ways must always be distinguished by the same excellences. Beings act according to their nature: When those natures change, their conduct also varies. But since God cannot know the shadow of turning, His ways will remain everlastingly the same. Furthermore there is no external reason that could reverse the divine ways, since they are the embodiment of irresistible might. The prophet tells us that the earth is split with rivers, mountains tremble, the sea lifts up its hands, and the sun and moon stand still when Jehovah marches out for the salvation of His people. Who can prevent Him or say to Him, "What are You doing?" But it is not only might that gives stability; God's ways are the manifestation of the eternal principles of right and therefore can never pass away. Wrong breeds decay and involves ruin, but the true and the good are marked by a vitality that time cannot diminish. This morning let us go to our heavenly Father with confidence, remembering that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in Him the Lord is always gracious to His people.

Devotional material is taken from “Morning and Evening,” written by C.H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg. Copyright © 2003, Good News Publishers and used by Truth For Life with written permission. See you next blog, Ted

He Made You Alive!

Ephesians 2:1 "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,"

The living-spirit and life-soul of Adam was breathed into his lifeless, dusty frame by the life-breath of the eternal Holy Spirit. But the spirit of Adam died the moment he sinned. From that time forward, every member of the human race comes into this world as a fallen creature, estranged from their Creator - a pro-created being, who from conception is spiritually dead.

From the 'fall' of Adam in the paradise of God, every man born of woman and every woman procreated by man is birthed into this fallen world, dead in trespasses and sins, depraved in heart and mind and at enmity with their Creator. Paul's opening statement in Ephesians 2 says bluntly, "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins." Before being justified by faith every Christian is an unbeliever. Before salvation, every man is under the eternal condemnation of God.

Paul had just finished outlining the incredible privileges that are our in Christ. He spoke of the spiritual blessings, in heavenly places that are ours in Him. He reassured us that we were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. He encouraged us to be holy and blameless before Him - in love. He reminded us that we were predestined to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ and that we have received redemption through His blood. The wonderful truth is... that we are forgiven of our sins, according to the riches of His grace - which has been lavished on us in all wisdom and understanding.

He told us that we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to God's eternal purpose and will, and related glorious truths and that we were sealed in Christ with the Holy Spirit of promise, Who has been given to us as a pledge and guarantee of our eternal inheritance.

It is only when new-life is breathed into the lifeless spirit of a man, at the point of salvation, that the eternal barrier between God and man, which was erected at the fall, is removed. It is only at the point of the 'new-birth', when the Holy Spirit of Life breathes the resurrected life of Christ into a sinner.. saved by grace through faith, that the human spirit is revived and spiritual death is changed into spiritual life.

Without the new-life of Christ being breathed into the one that is dead in their sins, the entire life of that man is lived out with no capacity for spiritual things. Until we are born into the new creation-in-Christ, we are estranged from God, under His eternal condemnation and bound for the fires of hell.

Sin was the cause of man's downfall and spiritual death the result. Sin was the root of our spiritual ruin, and separation from God is the bitter fruit of a man's disobedience. Sin was the cause... and the result is a race of men born spiritually dead in trespasses and sins, without hope and without God. BUT God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Praise His holy name.

The significance of this truth is astounding. All of us were operating as children of disobedience BUT every converted sinner becomes a heavenly saint and a child of God, for you who were dead in trespasses and sins, have been made alive in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Every believer is delivered from the wrath to come by faith, and everyone who believes in Christ receives the remission of sins. His perfect righteousness becomes our outer garment. It is grace that has brought about this truly amazing transformation and it is grace that has provided God's wonderfully free and undeserved favour. It is God's amazing grace that made us alive in Christ and by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone we are set free from condemnation and eternal separation from our Creator.

This change is not accomplished by the Law or the keeping of rules, but by God's pardoning grace. This metamorphosis has nothing to do with good works of the flesh, but by God's justifying grace. This grace of God is so abounding and precious that there are neither words to describe nor songs sufficient to sing of His amazing love and the gracious gift that has been poured into our hearts, through the finished work of our Saviour, Jesus Christ our Lord. Praise His holy name - Hallelujah! - Amen.

My Prayer

I praise Your wonderful grace that made me alive in Christ, when I was dead in trespasses and sins, and without hope in the world. Thank You Father for Jesus and thank You for loving me so much that You sent Him to give me new life through faith in Him. I pray that Your Spirit will more and more open my understanding to this indescribable gift that is mine. Make me bold in proclaiming the saving blood of Jesus to those that are born dead in their sins, and use me in the furtherance of Your plans and purposes. This I ask in Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.

Knowing Jesus-The Beginning Of Wisdom!

See you next blog,

Ted

Is God Paying Attention?

by Pastor Greg Laurie

As the disciples made their way across the Sea of Galilee, a storm arose that was so severe it made them panic. Jesus had sent them ahead while He went to pray on a mountain. He told them to go to the other side, which meant they would get to the other side.

It didn’t mean they would have smooth sailing, but it did mean they would get to the other side. Even so, they wondered if they were going to survive. They prayed and called out to God.
And then we read that Jesus came to them in the fourth watch of the night.
What does that mean? Back in those days, a day was divided into four watches. The fourth watch of the night was that time just before dawn. This meant the disciples had been battling that storm for nine long hours.

Maybe you’re going through a storm right now, a storm that just won’t seem to let up. And just about the time it seems to be getting better, it actually gets a little bit worse. You wonder whether God knows what you’re going through. Is He paying attention? Is He aware of the hardships that you’re dealing with?

Yes, He’s aware. Even when the disciples were out at sea, even though Jesus wasn’t in the boat yet, He was watching. And He was praying. You need to know that God is watching over you. Proverbs 15:3 says, “The Lord is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good” (NLT).
Jesus arrived at what seemed like the last minute. But as someone has said, when you get to the end of yourself, you get to the beginning of God.

Are you at the end of yourself right now? The Lord will come through for you!


I need to add my take on this because at my age I have seen God come through when I did not see a way for Him to answer my needs. Part of the problem was me-Doubting Ted...should have been my name. The other part was feeling my own sinfulness and not realizing God knew I was a sinner saved by His Grace! That did not stop His great love for me. I am nobody in the grand scheme of things but the Lord knows my name. Pslms 139 says He knew me before one of my days was even yet to come. He gave us His only begotten Son a child born to die for our die for our sins as a righteous man who knew no sin. Trust is very important when it comes to believing that our Lord really does care and He does know our situation in life. You are loved even you don't feel like it. He will deliver us!
See you next blog,
Ted

Thanksgiving Should Be Practiced Every Day!

Jerry Newcombe, D.Min.

“Grateful people report higher levels of positive emotions, life satisfaction, vitality, optimism and lower levels of depression and stress. The disposition toward gratitude appears to enhance pleasant feeling states more than it diminishes unpleasant emotions. Grateful people do not deny or ignore the negative aspects of life.”

There are valuable lessons to be learned from the first Thanksgiving but the first grade class of Stone Bank Elementary School in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin won’t be learning them. Even though no one had complained, school administrators sent the following message to disappointed parents, “Out of respect for Native Americans, and the sensitivity of this time in our history, we are not going to reenact the first Thanksgiving story.”

The ingratitude of political correctness strikes again. They could learn a thing or two about the importance of Thanksgiving, not only in our nation’s history but in our daily lives.

The first Thanksgiving was actually a beautiful three-day celebration by the Pilgrims with their new friends, the Native-Americans—with whom they made a long-lasting treaty of peace. At harvest time 1621, in Plymouth, Massachusetts, this festival was a wonderful example of people of different cultures sitting down together and breaking bread. And they gave thanks to God, who made it all possible.

Rev. Billy Falling, author of My Cherokee Roots, is grateful for people like the Pilgrims. In an interview for Christian television, he told me, “As a Native-American, I thank God for the Europeans that brought us the Gospel and brought us Western Civilization.”

Falling observes, “Native-Americans were just as pagan as the rest of the world. They practiced cannibalism, they practiced devil worship, they practiced slavery, they practiced polygamy, they practiced all the sins of the flesh that the rest of the world practiced….they needed God just like the rest of the world.”

He adds, “It’s hard today to find a sweat [lodge] where you can go as a Native-American and go inside and smoke out your sins, but it’s easy to find Native-Americans in any congregation in the United States, worshiping the Lord Jesus Christ because of the Europeans. And I thank God for that.”

Granted, much later, terrible things happened to Native-Americans at the hands of Europeans and Americans. Very unChristian things. But it does not make sense to blame the Pilgrims for that.

That would be like blaming the Wright Brothers for all the airplane accidents in history.

Meanwhile, the Pilgrims were onto something by their practice of gratitude. Gratitude is good for us. Even modern psychologists are discovering this.

While ingratitude comes natural to us, and often it is the norm, it’s also true that some people can find ways to be grateful—even in difficult circumstances (like the Pilgrims)—while others might be in paradise, yet they find all sort so of nitpicky things to complain about.

Gratitude does not come naturally. “Give a man everything he wants,” declared Immanuel Kant, “and at that moment, everything will not be everything.”

When something bad happens, what is your immediate reaction? “Oh great.” I must confess how often that has been my instinctive reaction—a complaining one.

Two psychologists, Robert Emmons of the University of California, Davis and Michael McCullough of the University of Miami, said: “Gratitude is the ‘forgotten factor’ in happiness research.”

Their research found: “Grateful people report higher levels of positive emotions, life satisfaction, vitality, optimism and lower levels of depression and stress. The disposition toward gratitude appears to enhance pleasant feeling states more than it diminishes unpleasant emotions. Grateful people do not deny or ignore the negative aspects of life.” In short, the grateful focus more on what they have, not what they lack.

Too often we focus on the negative—even if, overall, we have many reasons to be positive. I remember years ago hearing Jerry Lewis being interviewed on the radio, and he described a scene in Europe, where he was being warmly received by this huge crowd. People were standing and wildly cheering him. But he noticed “that one guy.” That one guy in this sea of humanity that was giving him this great reception. That one guy wasn’t smiling. He wasn’t standing. He had his arms crossed. And Jerry Lewis said that he should have felt great. Here were all these people cheering him on. But his mind focused instead on the one guy who wasn’t clapping (for whatever reason).

My wife and I have often observed to each other (jokingly): “I’m not complaining. I’m just stating facts.”

The Bible tells us that we should give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God for us in Christ Jesus. What is God’s will for your life? To be thankful! Grateful for the Lord has done for us and to us for all eternity through Jesus Christ.

Footnote: James Kennedy once observed that gratitude is “the Christian’s magic wand.” It transforms everything.

I am grateful for the tradition of Thanksgiving in this country. The Pilgrims chose gratitude over bitterness. Half their number had died several months before the harvest. Rather than grousing, they chose to give thanks. And now somehow this beautiful American holiday is becoming politically incorrect.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! 

Ted

Who Do You Trust To Sustain You?

Psalm 27:14  "Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD."

When I was in the army during the Vietnam War era, I heard many guys talk about how a real warrior depends on himself. I saw movies that said the same thing. The funny thing is that when you are in the middle of a fire-fight I will never forget the guys who suddenly remembered to pray the words, "God if you get me outta here alive I'll serve you the rest of my life," or something similar because not one of them meant it at the time. I found myself saying those same words with no intention of meaning it...but God remembered. In the fall of 1972 I found myself in Bible College! Not a direction I had planned to take when I got out of the army. David, was a warrior, a poet, a singer, etc. Many men of war were the same way. There was song I loved in chapel and sang it with a whole heart. The song was The Lighthouse. I find myself singing it today at times when I am troubled because I remember like a ship in danger on the sea at night, if it hadn't been for the lighthouse I too would have ended up on the rocks of life. God's word and that song gave me courage to face the troubles that come my way in life. David was such a man. He knew who his God was and God called him "a friend." My friend if you have troubles, I challenge you to wait on the Lord. He has the answer and if you are one of his, He will deliver you! 

The psalms of David, which were penned thousands of years ago have as much relevance in todays, anti-God, Christ-rejecting sinful world, as they did in the time of David's trouble.

David had been betrayed by one of his best friends and his soul was in deep distress. He was restless and complaining, oppressed by wicked men and distracted by a multitude of threats from his evil enemies. He was overwhelmed by trouble, broken-hearted with grief, anguished in heart and in deep emotional distress.

Like many believers today, David was fearful of his growing number of enemies, overwhelmed by his many troubles, and sinking into a bottomless slough of despond.. and yet despite his overwhelming difficulties, David was enabled to turn his eyes on the Lord, and to cast his burdens upon Him - David knew that God would sustain him through every difficulty he faced, for God will never allow the righteous to be shaken.

Today we too are increasingly overwhelmed by terrors and threats without, which cause many fears and fainting within.. but throughout the Word of God we are reminded not to fear, for the Lord our God is with us, whithersoever we go, and we are encouraged to cast all our cares upon Him, for He cares for us.

My Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You that no matter what dangers and evils threaten me, and no matter what terrors and difficulties come near me, that I may cast all my burdens upon You, knowing that You will sustain and strengthen me.. and knowing that in Christ I need never be shaken by terrors or threats.. praise God that greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world, in Jesus name I pray, AMEN.

Knowing Jesus-The beginning of wisdom!

See you next blog,

Ted

Metaphors and Similies That Have A Deeper Meaning

2Cor 5:3 inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked.

Because there are many anomalies in the Christian faith, Paul often set out the truth of our great Salvation and the glory that is ours in Christ in a very systematic way. For instance, he points out that the suffering we undergo for Christ's sake, brings with it great reward, and equips us for the ministry of comfort - in that when we are weak in ourselves we are strong in the Lord, but when we are proud of our self-sufficiency, we will suffer a tremendous fall.

Paul also used many metaphors and similes in his teaching, and in this section, he shows how things that appear permanent in this world are passing and will fade away, while spiritual things, which are unseen and indefinable are both secure, permanent and everlasting. 

In this chapter, Paul moves from comparing the distresses of Christian suffering.. with the joys of our future glory in heaven. He contrasts our earthly body with the new heavenly body, which will one day replace this old dying frame. He points out that he would prefer to put off his mortal body - to die and go to be with Jesus, rather than keep on living in this fallen world and a dying body.

He wanted to show that death is not the end of life but the start of a glorious and eternal future AND that this body of ours is nothing more than a temporary lodging place. It is like an old, deteriorating tent that can be taken down at the end of our life-journey and will one day be replaced with a new dwelling place - a glorious body, just like Christ's resurrection Body.

He likened our mortal frame to an old tent - a temporary covering for the soul, on our brief, journey through life. He explained that one day this mortal body will be discarded, at the point of death, in preparation for a new, eternal body, where we will receive a permanent and immortal body. As believers, we have a promise from God that we will one day receive an incorruptible body - a body like Christ's resurrected body.. a body of flesh and bone.

He wanted us to know that in the eternal ages to come we would not be a spirit without a body. We will not become an unclothed, disembodied spirit, with no physical covering. As part of the new creation in Christ we will one day be given a new body - a permanent, immortal body - a body that will never die and one which will be like Christ's glorified body. We will one day have a new covering - a building from God - an eternal dwelling in the heavens - a body not made with hands.

When God created the world, he built man's earthly body from the dust of the earth. Adam was the federal head of the first creation - the old creation in Adam... but by faith in Christ, we are born into the new creation - with Jesus as the Federal Head. When man disobeyed God, sin entered the world. The first creation was cursed and death was the result of sin. And death places its icy fingers around the throat of every human being, as a result of Adam's fall.

Because of sin and death, we groan in this body, and desire to put on our new, heavenly dwelling place. Because of our mortality, this earthly body will one day be destroyed and return to dust. Because of sin and death, we have many physical limitations. We get sick and become disabled. We have problems with joints and organs that become painful, malfunction and eventually expire and die. 

Because of sin and death, we do not want to be unclothed and naked. We want to be clothed in our new, eternal, bodies.. so that mortality may be swallowed up by immortality and death may be enveloped by life... and the encouraging truth in verse 3 is that having been born-again into the family of God - by faith in Christ, we have an assurance that when we pass from this life into the next.. we will be given a new, glorified state. We will be housed in a literal body. What a tremendous hope. Praise His holy name.

My Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You that in Christ we have an assurance that we are not only forgiven of our sin and have received the gift of eternal life, by faith, but are part of the new creation in Christ and have passed from death to life. Thank You that in Him we will not be found naked, but have received an inheritance in heaven and will soon be clothed with a new, eternal body, that far surpasses this frail, dying frame. Thank You for sending Jesus to be the propitiation for my sin and thank You that by His death and resurrection, sin and death have been defeated. We praise You for the wonderful assurance that our bodies will also be resurrected and we will be complete and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ - spirit, soul, and body. Hallelujah! Praise His holy name, AMEN. 

Knowing Jesus-the beginning of wisdom!

See you next blog.

Ted

Trusting God's Faithfulness...through Prayer

Nehemiah 2:4 - "Then the king said to me, "What would you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven."

Nehemiah was a Jewish exile, who lived in the Persian city of Suza. He held the responsible position of cupbearer to the king, but Nehemiah was a man of God, who was also a man of prayer. He gives us some wonderful insight into powerful, prolonged and effective prayer - "for the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much".

When the news reached his ears from the remnant in Israel, that the walls surrounding Jerusalem remained broken and in ruins, and its gates were burned to the ground, Nehemiah sat down and wept for a number of days. He fasted and mourned for many days and prayed fervently to the God of heaven. Although many exiles had returned to the Holy City, they had failed to rebuild the city wall and sanctury of God.

Nehemiah was deeply grieved that the Holy City of God was still lying in utter ruins, following its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar. He confessed his sin before the Lord and the sins of the entire nation. He acknowledged they had acted corruptly toward God, and not kept the commands, statutes, and ordinances He gave through His servant Moses. "I confess the sins we have committed against You." he cried, "both I and my father’s house have sinned".

In His prayers, Nehemiah pleaded for God's mercy on his nation, his city and the people of Israel, reminding the Lord of His never-failing faithfulness, and precious promises to His people. "You are a God Who preserves His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments", was his pleading prayer. Nehemiah reminded the Lord that Israel was still His covenant people.

For four months he prayed about the distressing condition of the Holy City. He pleaded with the Lord for forgiveness and mercy, and his grief over Jerusalem was reflected in his service to Artaxerxes, the king.. who questioned him by asking "Why is your face sad Nehemiah..even though you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart".

Those in the emperor's service knew very well that any display of emotion or pain, anger or sadness should be kept hidden before the king and his court. Nehemiah knew that men had been executed for exhibiting such emotions in the presence of a king, and he became 'overwhelmed with fear'. However, Nehemiah explained that his sadness of heart was on hearing that the city, where his ancestors were buried, lay in ruins and its gates destroyed by fire.

Artaxerxes did not dismiss his servant's grief as irrelevant, but was moved, by God, to find out if there was any way that he could help him in his distress, and so we read, "Then the king said to me, "What would you request?"  Despite being very much afraid, Nehemiah, was a man of prayer, who sent a quick, but silent prayer-arrow to God, for both wisdom - to speak the right words before the king, and for grace in his master's eye.

Although Nehemiah was caught in this dangerous situation, he was so saturated in prayer and accustomed to calling on the name of the Lord, that he was spiritually equipped to shoot his silent supplication to God.. so he prayed to the God of heaven. Nehemiah was in fellowship with the Father, for his sins were forgiven and confessed up to date, and so he was well able to come to the throne of grace for mercy to find help at this time of need.

He had spent months pleading with God for the restoration of Jerusalem's walls. He had no doubt reflected much on what could be done to restore the dignity of the Holy City. His quick prayer arrow that sped its way to the Lord was founded on months of prayer, fasting, confession of sin and pleading his case to God. Nehemiah did not know that God was preparing the heart of Artaxerxes, to respond favourably toward his servant, and his answer, to the king, was inspired by God... because it was founded on the effectual fervent prayers he had offered over many months.

"If it pleases the king", was his quick response, "and if your servant has found favour before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may rebuild it."Then the king said to me," How long will your journey be, and when will you return?" So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time. And I said to the king, "If it please the king, let letters be given me for the governors of the provinces beyond the River, that they may allow me to pass through until I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress, which is by the temple, for the wall of the city and for the house to which I will go " And the king granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me".

It was not because of his cup bearing skills that Nehemiah found grace in the eye of the king, but because he trusted the Lord, and had a relationship with the God of his salvation. God's ear was attentive towards his servant because he was a faithful prayer warrior, who was consistent in his intercessions, prayed continually with all prayer and supplication and trusted God to fulfil His promises to His people.

The praying man or woman may not know how their prayers will be answered, but those who wait on Him and maintain close communion with their heavenly Father, will be used by God, in wonderful ways. God does not always answer prayer in the way we expect, but will always carry out His plans and purposes for His greater glory and for His servants' eternal joy. 

In Nehemiah's life, we see that the supernatural work of God being carried out, in answer to the faithful prayers of His servant, for when plans are conceived in prayer.. prayer is the foundation on which God's answer rests. May we practice powerful, prolonged and effective prayer and be ready to be used by God to fulfil His plans for our life.

My Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for men of prayer like Paul and Nehemiah, Daniel and the Lord Jesus, Who have become such examples to follow in the important ministry of prayer. Teach me how to pray without ceasing and to pray effectively. Help me to develop a practice of powerful, prolonged and effective prayer and use me in whatever way You choose to carry out Your plans and purposes in my life. Thank You that Your ear is ever open to our cries, whether they are simple, silent arrow-prayers or long-term, persistent pleadings... and thank You that we have access to the throne of grace - for mercy to find help in time of need - in Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.
Knowing Jesus is the first step to wisdom!
See you next blog,
Ted