Thank you, Lord

Do you feel entitled, that is, having the feeling that something is your right, that it is owed to you? The entitlement mentality creeps up on us stealthily and becomes an ugly blot of darkness in us. When we don't get what we feel that we are entitled to receive, we become miserable.
"The government owes me that check."
"I deserve to be paid better than I am by that stingy boss."
"My kids owe me some gratitude after all I gave up to raise them." And on the list goes....

Many is the marriage that suffers under the weight of entitlement, for example. Each of us brings certain expectations into our marriage- that our spouse will always be supportive, that our spouse will be warmly affectionate, that he will always remember to be romantic and thoughtful. Those are not bad things, are they? But if they are demanded, if no thanks is expressed to our spouse when she meets our expectation, something wonderful is lost in the relationship! The truth is that her kindness, his thoughtfulness - while admirable - are a gift and as such, should be appreciated.

Do you believe that God owes you - blessings, healing, salvation, peace, joy? Many Christians do! They twist God's rich and wonderful promises into entitlement contracts and their prayers are more like legal briefs that present demands for actions than conversations with a Friend. These Believers turn faith into a 'gimme' system that says, "God, you promised; now, pay up!" How tragic, how misguided. Our Father in Heaven loves to bless and He does, but He owes you and me NOTHING. His gifts are based in grace, not merit.

One day Jesus was traveling and came upon ten men who suffered one of the worst fates in that time. They were lepers. When leprosy became evident on a person's skin, he was immediately separated from the community, as a means of keeping the spread of the disease to a minimum. No more living in his home, no more meals with his family, none of life's pleasures were available. Instead, the wretch lived as a beggar outside of town, usually near the dump from which he scavenged the scraps that kept him alive! When the ten lepers realized who was approaching, they yelled - "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, their leprosy disappeared. Luke 17:14 (NLT) Imagine their joy when they saw their skin clearing, all evidence of their leprous condition gone, given the desperate situation that they lived in because of it! Now, here's the part of the story that I want to emphasize today. "One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God, I’m healed!” He fell face down on the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine?" (Luke 17:15-17, NLT)

If we think that we are entitled to the blessing of God, we will not even think of thankfulness! Instead, we'll simply believe that God paid up, made good on the deal. The downside of that line of thinking is that when things go badly, when life falls apart, we will beat ourselves up wondering what we did that brought such grief on our heads. Mercy is God's method. The Psalmist reminds us - "He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust." (Psalm 103:9-14, NIV)

Are you grateful today?
Does thankfulness overflow from you?
Or is God asking, "where is the gratitude, where is the recognition of My mercy?"

Let's not be AWOL when it comes to returning thanks. In this season of Thanksgiving, check your heart for areas where entitlement has taken up residence. Get rid of it and realize, anew, the gifts of kindness and mercy that come your way. Then, liberally give thanks - to God, to friends, to family.
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There will be a Testimony and Thanksgiving service, celebrated with Communion, at the Assembly tonight at 7. You're invited.

TFTD will be back in your inbox next Monday - HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
and -- Thanks for reading along day by day. I do count it a privilege to be invited into your life via TFTD!

"I believe in you!"

When I was a very young preacher, I worked with a man for several months who was an encourager. Dave saw past the foolishness of immaturity and encouraged me to develop the ministry gifts God gave to me. There was much in me he could have criticized, but he choose a different course. That's not to say he didn't correct me. He did, from time to time, with painfully honest words, but I always felt that even his corrections were designed to produce a better man, not to destroy me. Thirty plus years later, I still can feel the warmth of his affirmation, which he expressed even when my zeal outran my good sense!

The world is full of critics! Sadly, I have too often allowed myself to be one of them! One of the more amusing instances is during Sunday afternoon football. What I really know about football could be summed up in a very short essay, but as I watch teams play, I'll say things like, "What a dumb play! Why did that coach go for the field goal? They could have run the ball in for a TD." And so it goes! From my comfy perch in my big recliner, safely ensconced in my living room, I'm a 'big man' critic of the professionals who devote their entire lives to the game!

We criticize our politicians, our pastors, our neighbors, our kids, our wives, our co-workers, our kid's teachers... seeing their perceived failures and missing, too often, the real and wonderfully unique person we might otherwise know so much more deeply. Critics are dangerous, and thus, we avoid them, leaving them to wonder why they feel so alone, so alienated from their world; but encouragers are seldom lonely! We are drawn to people who call the best from us, who forgive us for our failures, who love us enough to tell us, "I believe in you!"

Are you a critic or an encourager? Please do not confuse flattery or empty praise with encouragement. Encouraging words are honest, without ulterior motive, unselfish, and from the heart. The Bible urges us to offer strength and encouragement to each other. Take a look at the wisdom of the Word. "Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, NLT)

I cannot think of a better way to mark Thanksgiving week than to cultivate an encouraging spirit.
Let me leave these thoughts from the Proverbs with you today. Meditate on the wisdom they contain and then - encourage!
Proverbs 11:25-30 (NLT)
The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed....
If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you!...
The godly are like trees that bear life-giving fruit, and those who save lives are wise.
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Out in the highways and byways of life,
Many are weary and sad.
Carry the sunshine where darkness is rife,
Making the sorrowing glad.

Make me a blessing,
Make me a blessing,
Out of my life may Jesus shine;
Make me a blessing, O Savior I pray,
Make me a blessing to someone today


Make Me A Blessing
Wilson, Ira B. / Schuler, George S.Copyright: 1924.
Renewed 1952 Word Music, Inc. (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.).

God, as an accessory.

The Ten Commandments begin this way: "I am the Lord, your God, ... worship no other gods; and do not make idols of any kind!" We think that means creating a new religion or carving a little figure and praying to it. Those words could be read that way, but in the context of my life - they speak to a tendency to make Ego my god, to give my strength and resources to my own plans instead of His.

Does God serve you or do you serve God? Let me ask it another way - is your life arranged around God's purposes or do you require that He fit into your plans? Yes, of course, the Lord is never subservient to you or me, nor does He ever really take a second place in the universe. He is First, Pre-eminent, and Sovereign. But, I find that in the business of life, He get pushed aside; my focus on His will replaced with my own desires. In my life, this is not an intentional choice, nor does it happen because I declare a rebellion. I simply get distracted and my focus gradually shifts from the Spirit to Self!

Even good things can be done for the wrong reasons. Let me illustrate. What could be more godly than becoming involved in a ministry; shall we say - collecting and distributing food to those who are in need? God Himself directs us to show concern for the poor so that would have to be a God-centered activity, right? No! If the person engaged in that service does it to gain attention, to prove he is a 'good Christian,' or to as a means of gaining power - it is idol worship; the god truly served being Self.

God asks for all of our resources, imposes His will on us, and makes demands. Those are His godly prerogatives. If we have given Him first place in our minds and hearts, we will not respond to His will with complaint, or by thinking He is unfair, or that He has showed up in a time that is 'inconvenient.' We will obey gladly, finding joy in knowing that we are obedient children of the Heavenly Father.

Jesus asks a question that I hope needs no answer in my life, nor in yours. "Why do you call me ‘Lord,’ when you won’t obey me?"

He continues by explaining the reward of God-centered life and the folly of making God an accessory. Read His words thoughtfully -- "I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then obeys me. It is like a person who builds a house on a strong foundation laid upon the underlying rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against the house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who listens and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will crumble into a heap of ruins." (Luke 6:46-49, NLT)

As we begin Thanksgiving week, I encourage you to prayerfully, thoughtfully evaluate your relationships, your leisure activities, your ministry and worship, your heart attitudes, your fiscal decisions -- yes, all of your life -- in light of this question -- Is He truly God of all?

Unless He is Lord of all, He is not Lord at all. Our words of worship and songs of praise will be hollow, if they are offered when our hearts are divided, following another god.
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Let My Words Be Few

You are God in Heaven
and here am I on earth,
So I'll let my words be few,
Jesus, I am so in love with You.

And I'll stand in awe of You
Yes, I'll stand in awe of You
and I'll let my words be few,
Jesus, I am so in love with You.


Author: Matt Redman, © 2000 Kingsway