Category: gratefulness

Posted on

Parenting Tough Kids

If you have raised a godly child, consider yourself blessed. Do you know of a parent that needs some godly counsel? Why not disciple them?

2kings 20 dads sonsa

2Kings 20-24  Although Hezekiah was a good king, he was not a faithful father. His son Manasseh was the worst of the worst! The Chronicle writer tells us however that after being captured by the Babylonians, he repented and God returned him to his homeland. His story is just what is needed when you face a hardened sinner who has done just about the worst sin you can think of and feels that there is no hope for him/her. Tuck that away for such a time as that. Manasseh is the story of us all: sinners saved by His grace.

Manasseh’s son Amon followed in his footsteps but never repented.  Manasseh’s grandson Josiah was the model king; faithful, obedient and godly. He obeyed the Law to the letter, cleansing and rebuilding the Temple. He cleansed the land and its people. God blessed him in many ways. Yet, as godly as he was, his son Jehoahaz returned to the ways of his grandfather and uncle.

There are some lessons here for parents who are discouraged because of their children’s choices. God was gracious to Josiah that he never saw the ultimate rebelliousness of his son. Sometimes that happens to us as well. Even when you raise them correctly, children make choices; some good and some bad. Tuck that lesson away when you are facing an uphill battle.

Parenting is the toughest job given to a person. We need to remember that and pray and disciple these young parents.   Come alongside them; encourage them; listen to them.

Who is in your life that you need to disciple?

Posted on

Ahab the Crybaby King

What do you do when you don’t get your own way? This story in 1Kings 21 reveals the truth of

Jer 17:9 “The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?

ikings 21 ahab the crybaby king2a

God lists Covetousness, Deceit, Murder under the heading “all things God hates.” Yet, like King Ahab, we quickly push those under the rug when we want our own way. He is a man who wants his way all the time and when he doesn’t get it, he retreats to his “man cave” bitter, angry and pouting.  He knew the Law that inheritances of land were not to be sold according to Lev 25 but that didn’t seem to matter to this spoiled king. Queen Jezebel is used to his tantrums and thus takes matters into hand to get Ahab in a better mood. However, sly old Ahab doesn’t quite tell the truth to Jezebel but she goes on her way to deceive and commit murder in his name. Naboth will be stoned and Ahab will have his vineyard, end of the story—right? Well, not quite.

As Ahab tours his new possession, Elijah arrives and reminds him of the tenth commandment, “do not covet” along with the one “do not murder.” God is less than pleased and so Ahab’s days will be numbered. It is then that this crybaby King retreats to his “man cave” once more but this time he seemed truly repentant and God’s mercy and grace are invoked.

How would you react? Would you ask why God didn’t wipe him off the map? It is all because God’s grace is greater than our sin. It is all because God sees the heart whereas we only see the outward manifestation. Stop and think – 70×70 is how we are to forgive and God demonstrated that to Ahab and He does it to us!

Posted on

The Lord is my shield & protector

2Samuel 22  What do you do when you come to the realization that through all of life’s struggles God has been at your side? When you look back do you take time to journal or sing praises? David took an entire chapter to share his mindset and his praise to God for His loving kindness. He looked back and said, “God is my refuge.” God has saved me from violence—wonder if he was thinking how close he came to death when Absalom was seeking to take his life and install himself as king? It was at that time, as he notes, the currents of chaos overwhelmed me. Yet in vs 7, he recalls how in this time of distress he called out to the Lord and from His heavenly temple He heard and responded. His response came in the form of darkness, thick rain clouds, thunder, and lightning. How often do we see a thunderstorm as evidence of His listening and power? I can attest to that. Many years ago God did exactly that for me when I called out to the Lord; reveal Yourself to me for I am in a quandary.

2sam 22 refuge2a

Where have you been that you have called out to God and He revealed Himself in some miraculous way? Would you share that we all may praise God and share in your answer?

Vs 31 the Lord’s promise is reliable; he is a shield to all who take shelter in him.

 

Posted on

Be Careful What You Wish For…

1Samuel 8    Sadness entered the life of Samuel when those he had served for many many years decided he was too old and his sons were unfit. Feeling rejected, Samuel shared his hurt with God. God helped him to realize what they were saying in the flesh was really what was in their heart. God said, “They are not rejecting you, but Me.” That was a rude awakening for Samuel; it didn’t change his hurt heart, but it changed the perspective.

The people then and the people today want a God/King that they can see, hear, smell, and touch. I am sure you have heard people today say if God would only reveal himself I would believe that He is real. But, as Paul recorded: “For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse.” Also, this God they couldn’t see sent His Son that they could see and what did they do to Him? They crucified him.

1samuel 8 god king

You can’t have it both ways. Do you want a God who is here for only a while or a God who is eternal? Do you want a king that is human and makes human mistakes or do you want a God who is perfect all the time?

God Sent His Son…they Crucified Him! 

 

Posted on

A+ or F? What is your grade?

If you have not read this story please take time now to open your Bible and read John chapter 9.

john 9 pass the testw2aJohn devotes an entire chapter to the story of the blind man who was given the gift of sight,  but he is not the only character in this story. As Jesus is leaving his time of worship and his humiliation of others who scoff and deride him, the blind beggar may have overheard the incredibly insensitive questions by the disciples about his condition. Yet, Jesus puts aside his own hurt to minister to this one who also has felt the stinging remarks of the disciples. He lovingly explained in his hearing that he was innocent of sin but now God would get the glory for the miracle He would do for this sightless man. He had “passed the test”of faith and Jesus would now prove it.

Mixing mud and then applying it to his eyes might seem rather crude but we are made of dust and to dust we shall return. Why is it any wonder that Jesus would use the very material of which he was made? After obediently following Jesus orders to go and wash in the pool of Siloam, the man awoke to sunshine that he could see, birds in the air that were not just sounds but also visual images of the very freedom he was experiencing. He saw, not just heard, people jostling others as they rushed about in their work. And oh! So much more. As he joyously returned to his home and his neighbors  parents with this great news, he was met not with praises for God’s work but a silent astonishment. Instead of praising God, his parents would later tell the priests; he is of age ask him how he was healed. They all “failed the test.”

The neighbors, the city dwellers, the priests all had opportunity to give God praise. Instead they scoffed and turned him away.

So how did he respond?

Overcome with praise for seeing that which he had only heard, the man goes to the very place of worship where he would not be turned away; the Temple. Even if everyone else has “failed the test” he has not, for once again he hears the Master’s voice.  The Master says you have heard but now you will see Me.  Once again Jesus allows the man to not just hear but now to see him.  Unlike those who saw the miracle but scoffed, he bent in humble adoration, believed and worshiped the One who gave him sight.

When Jesus touches your life do you allow others to scoff and seek to deny your gift of spiritual sight or do you return to the Gift giver and believe and worship?

What will Jesus say about you? Have you passed the test? 

 

Posted on

Do You Need an Attitude Adjustment?

grateful journal2a2 Cor 12 “How to have an Attitude of Gratitude”

Have you ever given but did not receive even a thank you in return? The Corinthians needed an attitude adjustment and sometimes we do as well. Paul had given and given and given and yet this is how he felt in his heart:

“Now I will most gladly spend and be spent for your lives! If I love you more, am I to be loved less?”

In other words, Paul was saying I have bent over backwards to spend for you and yet this is how you treat me, you love me less! His heart was hurt and perhaps you can relate. You give and give and yet the person(s) do not return in like manner their gratefulness for what you have willingly and perhaps sacrificially given. We all, at times, behave in this way. We too need an attitude adjustment to see life through the lens of gratefulness.

Cultivating gratefulness or gratitude begins in the heart when we ponder how much God has given for us. Instead of the “o woe is me” attitude we need to plant seeds of gratefulness and cultivate them. Then let the Fruit of the Spirit pour forth from you. We need to take our focus off of self and pour it out upon others ….EVEN if we get nothing in return!

The hymn writer was right: Count your many blessings, name them one by one, and you will see what God has done.  For what are you grateful today?

Optimized by Optimole