Praying Thanks with Authority

PRAYING THANKS WITH AUTHORITY
Psalm 91:14-15
“ ‘Because he loves me,’ says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name. He will call upon Me and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.’”

No matter our trouble, God is standing by ready to help. Each new day comes with its own brand of trouble; isn’t God’s deliverance from trouble worth our thanks every day?

Proverbs 15:29

“The Lord is far from the wicked but He hears the prayer of the righteous.”

When we serve and obey God, He always hears our prayers. 24/7. He’s always available when His child calls.

Matthew 7:7-11

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!”

The verse numbers 7-11 remind us of a handy store in almost every city. God is that close, and that convenient.

John 15:7

“If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you.”

There is no other religion in the world that claims a family relationship between us as children and Almighty God as Father. Forget Santa Claus—we’ve got the sovereign God of the entire universe a prayer away. Nothing could be better!

1John 5:14-15

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.”

This means that we should thank God BEFORE we conclude our prayer of petition—certain that God already answered, “Yes.”

Hebrews 4:16

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

God is waiting to hear from His children. He loves nothing more than our climbing onto His lap in prayer. This gives us confidence to live our lives worry-free.

Take Home Nugget

Are you a child of God? If not, now is the best time to thank Him for forgiving your sins, trusting the Lord Jesus with all your heart. He is knocking at the door to your heart. Won’t you let Him in?

God mandates our gratitude in 1 Thessalonians 5:18. For Christians, thanksgiving is more than one day—it is a way of life!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL OF MY FAMILY.

J.D. Griffith

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Joyful

JOYFUL
Psalm 100

Vs 1: “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.”

Oswald Chambers had this to say about an unthankful attitude: “The will of God is the gladdest, brightest, most beautiful thing possible to conceive, and yet some of us talk of the will of God with a terrific sigh, ‘Oh well, I suppose it is the will of God,’” … as if God’s will were the most dreadful thing we could imagine.

Have we become spiritual whiners?

Psalm 100 is one of the best songs of thanksgiving in the Bible. “It is He who made us, and we are His.” (Vs. 3). We are indeed His people and the sheep of His pasture! Where is the majestic vigor and might we’re to express as His children? As Ambassadors of Christ, are we resigned instead of glad at His will? Vs. 2 implores us to serve Him with gladness, and come before Him with joyful songs. (Combination of KJV and NIV).

We’re to thank God and praise Him for His goodness and mercy—for His love endures forever. His faithfulness is a continuum throughout generations. (Vs. 5). Many times, my service to God is more begrudging than joyful. By expressing willing joy in service, our thanks to Him is tangible—so real that we and everyone around us, including God, knows it’s real.

Praising and thanking God is our responsibility AND we can be happy about that. Serving and giving thanks are not mutually exclusive.

Honest.

When the Holy Spirit nudges us into action, (or as some folks say, “the Lord laid it on my heart”) do we feel a crushing sensation? It is a privilege to be called on by the Sovereign God of the universe for service to others. “Whatever you do for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.” (Matthew 25:40).

WOW!

What is your reaction when someone asks you to do something or needs your assistance? Do they ask more from you than what they know you’re capable of handling? Of course not! Just because you might be busy, take a moment to honor their request. Now that’s joyful giving.

They will FEEL grateful to you for your willing service. That is tangible. Real. Priceless.

Take Home Nugget

Willing service urges us to be grateful recipients. True thankfulness is more than being grateful for possessions. God’s blessings are much more lavish than mere “things”.

Thanksgiving is an attitude that saturates our relationship to the Lord—and to each other. Let’s live with an attitude of gratitude!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO MY SISTERS AND BROTHERS IN CHRIST.

J.D. Griffith

Then let us adore and give Him His right,
All glory and power, all wisdom and might,
All honor and blessing, with angels above,
And thanks never ceasing for infinite love.

Wesley

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Eyes Skyward

EYES SKYWARD
Colossians 3:1-13
Vs 1b “Seek these things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.”

Jeremy felt restless. After dinner he said to Michael, “Want to take a short walk? My physical therapist told me to walk, walk, walk.”

“Yeah, OK. You’re going to be 100% soon; your ankle is all better.” his older brother said.

“There is trouble on the football squad.” Jeremy said as they walked side by side. Zipping up his coat, he shivered slightly, then looked up into the black sky. “Ahh, look how those beautiful stars twinkle!”

“What trouble?” Michael asked, then looking up, he gasped. “How can there be trouble when the night sky is this gorgeous?”

“Scott is arguing with all the guys, and dividing the school against Brad and me.”

Michael said, “That’s tough, Jerm. What’s his problem?”

“Brad and I tried talking to him about his bad attitude, and he said we were ganging up on him. He doesn’t want to be friends anymore. Does God even care?”

Michael paused before answering, “Look up. The enormity of God’s heavens do not make our problems tiny to Him. Regardless of everything that’s on God’s platter, He’s omnipresent (everywhere at one time) and omniscient (knows everything) you know, He cares deeply about us. Nothing concerning His children is trivial. He cares deeply about things that distress us. Remember, God is infinite, omnipotent (all powerful). We cannot overwhelm Him.”
“That’s a good thing.” Jeremy whispered, “Because I take up a lot of His time.”

The apostle Paul advised new believers to keep their eyes on things above. This raises our thoughts above earthly problems and focuses on our loving heavenly Father. We learn how to live peaceably with each other, knowing that one day we’ll live with Him for eternity in a place that’ll exceed all our expectations.

Take Home Nugget

“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You’re mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?” Psalm 8:3-4.

Can you remember to look up whenever life’s troubles overwhelm you? Looking skywards reminds us of our goal to be in heaven one day.
“The heavens declare the glory of God.” Psalm 19:1.

J.D. Griffith

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Best

BEST
1 Thessalonians 5:14-24
Vs 24: “The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it.”

Many times students are overwhelmed when attending college—many having left home for the first time. Parents are a phone call away, but while that makes the separation bearable, it also gives the young adult much freedom. For as unique as each person is, there are that many ways to handle this situation.

Nicole and Sheila met for the first time when moving into their room. The first week they were in college, Nicole signed up to play basketball and Shelia decided to pledge a Sorority. Their lives were crammed full, and their first test snuck up on them.

As usual, they met at dinner after all their extra-curricular activities had ended. Shelia slumped down in the chair as the servers closed the kitchen doors behind Nicole. “Whew! I’m starving! I’ve got to go back to Phi Delta after dinner. We’re hosting a party Friday night.” She bowed her head in saying a silent prayer of thanks.
Nicole said, “I’m late, glad I got dinner! Do you know that I’m already behind on my subjects? Tonight I’ve got to write an essay for tomorrow’s English class.” She sighed, then admitted, “I really should manage my free time better.”

“Me, too. Let’s make a pact to get two things done during free time each day?”

“Good idea, Shelia” Nicole agreed, nodding. “I folded the stack of clothes on your bed. Better tighten that loose button on your good shirt before you lose it. You really look good in that shirt.”
“Thanks, Nicole. I’m really glad that we get along so well. You can borrow my shirt sometime, if you want.”

Ben said to them from the next table, “Remember our test on Medieval China tomorrow.”
Nicole and Shelia looked at each other, their mouths forming a perfect “O”.

Shelia said, “Let’s skip TV watching tonight, I’ve got some cramming to do.”
“Completing that ‘fill in the blanks’ sheet would be a good review.” Nicole said.
“Yeah, we can help each other with that, tonight. Well, see you later. 7AM is too early for History class!”

Take Home Nugget

People who give their best, can prayerfully trust in God to do the rest. The apostle Paul outlined to the Thessalonians ways to best serve each other. They were to exhort (encourage), comfort, warn, rejoice, pray, and thank God in all things.
Does this sound like the way you treat your friends?

J.D. Griffith

Give of your best to the Master,
Give Him first place in your heart;
Give Him first place in your service,
Consecrate every part.

Grose

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Participation

PARTICIPATION
Psalm 119:129-136
Vs. 130: “The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.”

Mrs. Deturk knows something that all teachers understand: class participation is the key to learning. She was reviewing our Solar System for the test, and began by asking Brad, “In which galaxy does our Solar System reside?”

Brad looked up from his open book and responded, “Milky Way?”

“That’s right, Brad.”
“Who can tell me which planet from the sun is Earth?”
Hands went up, but she called on someone who wasn’t offering an answer. “Scott?”

Scotty looked at his buddies who were snickering behind their hands, then mumbled, “3rd?”

“Pay attention, guys, this test is tomorrow. That’s right, Scott. Next question, …”

The teacher does some work, the students do some work. This give and take of class participation is a proven method of teaching. Education happens when both parties are actively engaged. In Psalm 119, verses 129-136 see a pattern evolve where God is our teacher, and we are His students.
God’s role: He shows us mercy. (Vs. 132). He directs our steps. (Vs. 133). He redeems us from trouble. (Vs. 134). He smiles on our efforts. (Vs. 135).
Are we eager students? Are we ready to accept God’s teaching, guidance and help?

Here’s the answer: eager to participate, we are willing students. (Vs. 130-131). We anticipate with hope: “Your words give us light, and understanding to the simple. We open our mouth and pant, longing for Your commands.” We do sound engaged, don’t we?





Students are responsible for understanding what’s being taught. Our education happens when we reap insight from God’s Word, and take to heart what is read. Do we take this guideline seriously when reading the Bible?

Here’s a plan for understanding Bible study: first we’re to pray for God to open our hearts, then ask questions. “What am I supposed to get from this passage, Lord?” We have every right to expect His answer. Often a flicker dawns in our brain. An “ah-hah” moment.

What kind of a student are you?

Take Home Nugget
When we understand Scripture, we listen and learn from our teacher, Almighty God. Vs. 136 displays our response to His words: love and concern. “Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for Your law is not obeyed.”

We often take for granted what’s being taught in school,
And forget the Bible is life’s instruction tool.
For every teacher who’s dedicated to you
God’s loving concern is what no teacher can out-do.

J.D. Griffith

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Peace II of II

PEACE II of II
AT ANY COST?
Romans 12:17-19
Vs. 18: “If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

Brad invited Scotty to lunch, “Come eat with Jeremy and me today.”

“OK, let me tell my guys”, Scotty said.
Between pizza munches, Jeremy began, “How’re things at home, Scotty? Mom, Dad, and Tess alright?”

Scotty nodded and replied, “Yeah, every thing’s cool.”
“You’ve been acting pretty weird lately, Scotty. We wondered if there’s something wrong.” Brad wondered.

“What do you mean?” Scotty said, chewing.
Jeremy launched into what he and Brad had agreed on saying: “Well, you dissed me after I refused your steroids. When I broke my ankle, I heard that you told everyone that’s what happens when guys don’t bulk up on those things.” Jeremy paused.

Scotty shook his head in rebuttal, “No way! I said no such thing!”
Brad leaned in and said, “Yes you did, Scotty. I heard you! Why did you whack my shins with your hockey stick yesterday?”
“That? Well, sorry, but it was a clean play. If we’d been on the rink, you’d have been eating ice chips.”
“Scotty, you know that was a foul! You should have sat down in the penalty box!” Brad argued.
“No referee, no foul” Scotty insisted, his voice raising an octave.

Jeremy interjected, “Guys, let’s calm down.”
“What else are you going to accuse me of?” Scotty demanded, his face red. “Come on, let me have it.”
“I know it must have been hard when Coach Jiles made you leave the football team, Scotty.” Jeremy said softly. “We aren’t ganging up on you; we care for you and hope you’ll stop this lying and cheating.”

“Yeah, we’ve been buds since Kindergarten.” Brad said. “If we can’t talk to you to find out what’s eating you, who can?”
Scotty threw down his napkin and glared at his friends. “It is true we’ve known each other ever since Kindergarten. But, I swear to G_D that things are cool!”

“There’s no need to swear to G_D, Scotty” Jeremy said, laying a hand on Scotty’s arm.
“Yes there is! I don’t deserve this!” Scotty roared, shrugging Jeremy’s hand away. “You ARE ganging up on me! I don’t want to be your friend anymore.” He stomped out of the lunchroom.

Take Home Nugget
Scotty’s getting defensive over his friends’ concern breached their relationship. He was the one who dissolved their friendship. Sometimes believers cannot maintain peace with people who continue sinful actions. We’re to try making peace with others, but not at any cost. Remember Vs 19: “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: It is mine to avenge: I will repay.”

If two people witness a wrong, they are to talk to that person. (1Timothy 5:19). When possible, they’re to attempt a peaceful resolution to all disagreements. Their just and sincere actions will be sufficient to give them rest. The battle, and any vengeance belongs to the Lord.

J.D. Griffith

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Peace I of II

PEACE I of II
Romans 12:10-22
Vs 10: “Be devoted to one other in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

Brad slammed his locker door and turned to see Jeremy coming towards him. “Hey Jeremy, you’re making good time on those stilts” he said with a smile.

“Well, yeah, it gets easier every day.”

Speaking into Jeremy’s ear Brad said, “Sorry for laughing at you when you fell the other day. I’m sure you didn’t think it was funny.”

“No I didn’t think it wasn’t funny, but I think I know how it must have looked. I probably would have laughed at myself—if I could have seen me.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t mean to make fun of you. Those stilts make it so you can come to school, but you can’t carry anything.”

“I’m glad Mrs. D. allows me to bring my books in the backpack. It’s funny how you call my crutches stilts. I like that. It makes me feel tall.”

Brad smiled and placed his hand on Jeremy’s shoulder. “I’m glad that you’re not mad at me, Jerm. I never mean to hurt your feelings.”

“Brad, we’ve been friends since Kindergarten. You can say anything to me. My first day on crutches, er stilts, was just too hard for me. I lost my funny bone.”

Brad laughed out loud. “Your funny bone wasn’t what you lost, Jerm. You lost your balance! Ever since Vinny brought his pistol from home, you’re the first kid who is allowed to bring a backpack into the classroom.”

“Yeah, I know. Mrs. D. is cutting me some slack.”

“Well, I want to help you, too, but don’t want to butt into your business and make you mad at me.”

“Brad, it’s me—Jerm! You are always welcome to butt into my life. When I don’t like something you do or say, I’ll just bop you upside your head. That way you’ll know when you made me mad.” He was smiling, teasing Brad.

“OK, deal” Brad said smiling back and nodding his head. “Just tell me when I can help you.”

“Here’s something you can do for me. Find out what’s up with Scotty.”

“Yeah, I will. He deliberately whacked my shins with his hockey stick yesterday. What was that all about?”

“Was that how he won the game at recess?”

“Yes it was!” Brad said, shaking his head. “I almost forget about that.”

“Let’s ask him what’s up. I caught him in a lie yesterday. Is this what grown- ups mean by nipping trouble in the bud?”

Take Home Nugget
Vs 12-13 say: “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
Do these passages reflect your personality?

Good friends can work through trouble.
Opposite sides can share a single view-
One picture instead of double,
Two people work towards what’s true.

J.D. Griffith

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Out of Sync with God

OUT OF SYNC WITH GOD
1Samuel 9-31, Proverbs 16:18
Prov. 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Saul was anointed King of Israel by God Himself, through the prophet, Samuel. (1Samuel 5:16). His beginnings were humble. He was handsome, taller than other men, and impressive. (1 Samuel 9:2). But his life took a terrible turn when he got out of step with God.

We’ll follow Scotty’s life as a parallel study (the boy who tried pushing steroids to Jeremy one football practice).

Scotty was jealous of Jeremy. Scotty was one of the boys who laughed when Jeremy fell down, loaded down with books while using crutches to walk. “What’s wrong, Jeremy, having trouble walking?”

“Yeah, a little.” Jeremy said, scowling.

Their teacher, Mrs. Deturk, allowed Jeremy to use his backpack in bringing his books into the classroom. “Why does he get special treatment?” Scotty snarled to his friend. He went to his locker and loaded his books into his backpack.

When he tried walking into the classroom, Mrs. Deturk pointed outside, stopping him. “You know the drill, Scott! Store your backpack in your locker.”

“I hurt my arm, Mrs. Deturk.” Scotty said.

“I saw you horsing around outside, Scott, stop lying to me! Return your backpack to your locker outside this classroom NOW.”

During recess, the guys played hockey. Scotty hit one guy in the shins with his hockey stick, causing him to fall down. Then he slammed the puck into the net. His team, cheering their victor, scooped Scotty up onto their shoulders. Mrs. Deturk watched from the sidelines.

“You need to remain with me after school, Scott” she told him.

When they were alone, she sat down next to Scotty and said, “Something’s changed, Scott. Talk to me.”
“Nothin” Scotty said, shaking his head.
“Nonsense, Scott!” she said, studying him. “These past two days I personally witnessed you lie repeatedly, and accept victory after injuring Brad. Coach Jiles warned you about pushing steroids on the other boys. You’ve fallen a long way so quickly, Scott. We’ve got to stop this steep descent before you’re in deep trouble.”

Scotty shook his head, saying, “Things are cool, Mrs. D. Really!”

Take Home Nugget
If you read a few chapters in 1 Samuel, you’ll see how Saul’s pride caused him to lie, disobey God repeatedly, and he tried killing his son-in-law, David, in a jealous rage.

God stopped listening to Saul’s prayers because of his deliberate disobedience. Saul was all alone, distraught, and in very big trouble.

God allows people to follow their own plans when they clearly, deliberately step outside of His will. But being out of sync with God is a disaster waiting to happen.

It is good to check one’s heart
Before pride claims a hefty start.
Once begun, it’s hard to seek the light
Where Jesus leads to what’s right.

J.D. Griffith

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