Does Your Life Reveal Jesus

 

Introduction

On this Mother’s Day of 2022, as a people of God, we remember the mothers of the Bible, women, like Esther, Ruth, Naomi, Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Mary, Martha, Lydia, and the much-heralded Proverbs 31 women. We even recall our own mothers and the gifts they shared with us and other people, gifts like love, compassion, forgiveness, wisdom, a cool hand on a fevered brow, a meal out of little food, an effervescent joy in the face of difficulty, and an unparalleled love of God. We also can remember the women in our lives who loved us, encouraged us, gave us food, sent cards to us, and helped us in our hour of need. We might not remember their names, but we remember their actions. I know for me, as I recall actions of kindness, goodness, and love, several women served God by caring for me. I do not remember their names, but when I think about each one, I say, “You know, Ms. Whatshername.”

Today, I will use a much forgotten and possibly unknown woman of the New Testament. Six verses in three Gospels - Matthew, Mark, and Luke - tell us about her. This woman is the unnamed mother-in-law of Simon, later called Peter. Mark’s recounting to his readers about this incident wants them to understand the woman’s name is not as important as Jesus. He is the object of this brief retelling in the Gospels. We will call Simon’s mother-in-law Ms. Whatshername.

What if you heard about a young lady who finally had finished her formal studies and began her career? She was a diligent worker. One Mother’s Day, she surprised her mother. She told her mom to dress sharply. This young lady had something she wanted her mom to see. She drove to where her mother lived, a house without running water or electricity. A house she herself remembered as home, a home filled with unending love by a mother who raised her and her four siblings. That day, she drove to her mother’s home and took her to an unknown destination. She and her mother walked into a building and met a young man. This man dressed sharply, too. He handed the mother a royal blue box with a red bow on it. The mother looked at her daughter, then back at the box. The young lady nodded at her mother. The mother took the box and looked at her daughter again. The daughter smiled and nodded. The mother, trembling, gently lifted the hinged lid. She saw a shining key in the box. The mother looked at her daughter with a question in her eyes. The daughter told her to hold on to it. Next, mother and daughter returned to the daughter’s car and rode several kilometers from the office. The daughter stopped in front of a yellow house. It had a front porch and clean windows, surrounded by blue shutters. The daughter got out of the car, opened her mother’s door, and helped her out of the car. She took her mother’s arm and walked her to the front door. The mother stood trembling. “Could it be?” she wondered as her daughter opened the box for her, then placed the key in her mother’s hand. The daughter pointed toward the keyhole and watched her mother insert the key with trembling hands. As the lock turned and the door opened, the mother, with tears in her eyes, turned to her daughter and hugged her. This loved daughter had given her mother a house for Mother’s Day. More than that, she had shown to her the love she had sown in her. The person to focus on in this story is the mother. Her daughter’s life revealed even more who the mother was.

Background

¹⁶As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother, Andrew, casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷“Come follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” ¹⁸At once, they left their nets and followed Him.

¹⁹When He had gone a little farther, He saw James, son of Zebedee, and his brother, John, in a boat, preparing their nets. ²⁰Without delay, He called them, and they left their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired me and followed Him.

²¹They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. ²²The people were amazed at His teaching because He taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. ²³Just then, a man in their synagogue, who was possessed by an impure spirit, cried out, ²⁴“What do You want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are–the Holy One of God!”

²⁵“Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” ²⁶The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

²⁷The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching–and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits, and they obey Him.” ²⁸News about Him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee. (Mark 1:16-28 [NIV])

In the day or two before the time at Simon’s house, Jesus had traveled around the Sea of Galilee and called four fishermen to come with Him. As they walked into Capernaum, He and the men entered the synagogue because it was the Sabbath. While there, Jesus taught the scriptures with power and authority and cast out evil spirits from a man (Mark 1:21-24). The evil spirits recognized who Jesus was. They said He is the “Holy One of God.” Jesus commanded them to be silent (vs. 25). The time for His identity to be known had not come. The people in the synagogue were amazed at what and how Jesus said taught. They wondered aloud at the power and authority by which He did and spoke these things (vs. 27-28).

Mark’s Gospel emphasizes the unfolding ministry of Jesus. His purpose was to tell people who Jesus was by telling of His ministry. For this reason, Mark did not begin with Jesus’ genealogy, like Matthew. With the first two chapters of Mark, Jesus’ ministry rapidly unfolds, showing readers and listeners Jesus’ power and authority. He did this so they would come to believe in Jesus as the Messiah.

The Encounter

²⁹As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. ³⁰Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. ³¹So He went to her, took her hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and she began to wait on them. (Mark 1:29-31 [NIV])

Matthew’s account of this is found in Matthew 8:14-15. He said, “When Jesus came into Peter’s house, He saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. He touched her and the fever left her, and she got up and waited on Him.” (NIV) Luke’s retelling of this same encounter is in Luke 3:38-39. He said,

³⁸Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. ³⁹So, He bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them (NIV).

Each of these men tells of this encounter Jesus had with Simon’s mother-in-law, whom we will call Ms. Whatshername, and the men who were with Him. Though each man wrote about it from his own perspective, each included three key details. Jesus looked at the woman with the fever. The fever left her. Ms. Whatshername was healed. The passive verb tense in Mark shows Ms. Whatshername is the recipient of the healing; Jesus did the action; He healed her.

In each of the Gospel accounts, the joint story moves from the woman, who is sick, to the fever having left her. In two of them, Jesus touched her. In one, He rebuked the fever and commanded it to leave her. In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus raised the Ms. Whatshername from her lying down to sitting. Next, He helped her to stand. The fever would have dehydrated her and made her weak. Jesus shared His strength with her. At this point, Mark makes the statement that the fever left the Ms. Whatshername. He does not state Jesus’ touch healed her. Neither Matthew nor Luke said this either. Mark made this emphasis on Jesus easier to understand when, later in chapter one, he wrote about Jesus healing the leper. In that encounter, Mark told his readers and listeners, “A man with leprosy came to Him and begged Him on his knees, ‘If You are willing, You can make me clean.’ Jesus was indignant. He reached out His hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ He said. ‘Be clean!’” (Mark 1:40-42 [NIV]) The healing Jesus did for Ms. Whatshername occurred because Jesus willed it. Jesus desired, willed, to heal her like He did the leper.

Jesus wants everyone to be free from their bondage, be it sin, illness, demons, false teaching, or anything else that keeps people from believing in Him for salvation. Jesus desired to heal Ms. Whatshername, and she was. Jesus is most important to remember and focus on as one reads the Gospel accounts. The person He “touched” is secondary. Jesus was the One who changed people’s lives back then and now. His intention for all people to come to know Him as their Savior is why He came to earth, died on the cross, and rose to life again. Jesus, by using His power to heal Ms. Whatshername, opened a door for her to be receptive to the gospel.

The Purpose

Since each encounter with Jesus has a purpose, what were the purposes of this mother-in-law’s encounter with Jesus? What are the purposes for us and each person who listened to and/or read about this story? Jesus met people. He did things for them. Why? The obvious Sunday School reason is so they would believe in Him and be saved. Think deeper than that. Jesus did these things so that His disciples would see and model them and teach about them. Why was it so important they and Jesus did these things?

Power and Authority

It was important to show Jesus’ power and authority over sickness. Just as Jesus showed He has power and authority to cast out demons and preach the scriptures authoritatively, He could heal people. Remember, Mark’s Gospel shows people Jesus really is the Messiah. That would hopefully lead them to trust in Him for salvation. The mother-in-law’s life revealed Jesus as the Messiah to the people who watched, listened to stories and read about her encounter with Jesus. Consider it another way. Jesus met Ms. Whatshername because she was sick. His meeting with her could reveal even more who He is.

Think about the story of Lazarus. Jesus did not go to Mary and Martha until four days after Lazarus died. Why? Jesus explained it to His disciples in John 11:14-15 when He said, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake, I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” Consider the Jewish point of view. For Jews at the time, a person’s death was verified if they had not awakened within three days after a dying. Jesus going to Bethany, where Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived, on the fourth day proved something for the Jews. It proved to the Jews Lazarus was undeniably dead. When Jesus called Lazarus to come out of the tomb, they would know without a doubt Jesus raised him from the dead. Jesus used Lazarus to reveal who He is. He used Ms. Whatshername of Mark 1:29-32 to reveal who He is. He proved He is all-powerful and has all authority.

Love and Compassion

We Christians believe Jesus has power and authority. We have had two-thousand years to read about Him and see God work in amazing ways during this time. Let us consider another reason Jesus used Ms. Whatshername to reveal Himself. What purpose did Jesus have? Jesus showed His love for her and had compassion for her because she suffered from a high fever. Back then, no antibiotics existed for infections. Fevers came in many ways, including malaria, typhoid, cholera, or flu. What Jesus noted was this woman was sick. She was special to Simon and Andrew. How do we know this? They mentioned her to Jesus, hoping He would do a miracle and cure her. Jesus recognized their love for the woman. Jesus loved her, too. He wanted to help her. Jesus revealed His love and compassion for Simon’s mother-in-law by healing her.

Equal Importance

Though different statuses existed in the ancient world of Jesus’ time and people’s value depended on who they were or what they did (Does this sound familiar?), Jesus showed to the people in Simon’s house and to Ms. Whatshername that all people are equal in importance. God made each person in His image. When He finished creating them, He said, “It is good.” God did not choose one person or people group to be less important or inferior to others. Similarly, Jesus considered women as important as men. “Whether slave or free, man or woman, Jew or Gentile, all people are one in Christ (Galatians 3:28).” In that vein, all people in the world are made in God’s image. Jesus came to save each person. He does not care if you come from a Christian, other religious, or atheist background. Jesus includes all people to receive the salvation He offers for sins. When any person believes in Jesus for salvation, he or she gains identification as a child of God. That means God begins making the person into the image of Christ by the Holy Spirit that lives in him or her. Paul said in Romans 8:15b-16, “The Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by Him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” People who trust in Jesus for salvation are no more what they were. The Holy Spirit transforms him or her into the image of Jesus. Read these verses to understand more. 

For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son that He might be the firstborn among man brothers and sisters. (See Romans 8:29 [NIV])

Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–His good, pleasing, and perfect will. (Romans 12:2 [NIV])

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with an ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18 [NIV])

Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. (2 Corinthians 4:16 [NIV])

Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6 [NIV])

Jesus met Simon’s mother-in-law to reveal He loves everyone without prejudice.

Gratitude

Ms. Whatshername’s life revealed gratitude. Because of Jesus’ care for her, His love and compassion because He healed her, she cared for Him. This healed woman wanted to thank Jesus. She thanked and loved Jesus by serving Him. Ms. Whatshername may have served Jesus by washing His feet, giving Him the best pillow to sit on, taking His outer garment to clean, and feeding Him her best food. The Gospel writers did not say in what way she served them. Ms. Whatshername knew how to serve. This loved woman wanted to give her best to the man who healed her. She said, “Thank you,” with her actions. Ms. Whatshername recognized who healed her, thanked Him with what she had, and thanked Him openly so other people saw. This story of Jesus’ encounter with her shows people how they can express gratitude and that saying thank you is a good thing. Jesus' encounter with Ms. Whatshername came to be written and shared. The writers told the story to point to Jesus and tell who He is. It shows what He does. Ms. Whatshername’s life became an example of how to respond to meeting Jesus. Her life spread the news about Jesus. Does your life spread the news about Jesus and the salvation He gave you?

Think about the opening story of the young lady giving her mother a beautiful house. Is there someone you have not thanked? Do you take what they gave for granted? Does your life give a testimony about who helped you? We each have Ms. Whatshernames in our lives. We remember the kindness they showed us, but we cannot remember her name. Her life was not her own, just as yours is not. You are made in the image of God, like her. The young lady did not give her mother a house to display the amount of money she was earning. She gave her the house because of what her mother had given to her. A heart of gratitude and generosity. Consider who you have not thanked. Consider if that may be Jesus. Have you thanked Him and testified about Him because of His power and authority, love and compassion, and unprejudiced gift for you?

Recap and Conclusion

Jesus came to save people from their sins. Simon’s mother-in-law was no exception. None of us are sinless. The Gospel writers wrote about Jesus and His encounters with people to show He is who He says He is. His ability to speak with power and authority, to heal and cast our demons with power and authority, and to die and rise to life again all come from who He is, the Son of God, Deity. Jesus is part of the Trinity and has all power, might, love, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, grace, etc. needed to do what He did and continues to do in this world.

On that day, Jesus taught the scripture with power and authority. He told four men to follow Him. He walked to the home of two of the fishermen. Simon and Andrew told Him about Simon’s extremely sick mother-in-law. Jesus knew of this woman’s illness. He realized Simon and Andrew were concerned for her health. Jesus understood before the day began what would occur and who He would meet. At the right time, He arrived at the home. One purpose Jesus followed Simon and Andrew to their home was to heal Ms. Whatshername. At the right time, Jesus understood her illness would be concerning. He recognized the time was right for people to see the truth of His deity by seeing His power to heal Ms. Whatshername’s body.

We do not know if Ms. Whatshername had heard of Jesus. He had only made Himself known in Capernaum that day. Would news have traveled to her about Jesus’ teaching in the synagogue even while she was sick? Whether or not she had heard of Jesus’ power and authority and the miracle He performed, Jesus walked to her and compassionately raised her up to sit. His power over life and death healed her. This woman may not have known yet that Jesus is the Messiah, but she recognized Him as a guest, a man with power, and the one who healed her. She arose from her bed and served Jesus and the other people who arrived at their home with Him.

Jesus revealed to people who He is through Simon’s mother-in-law’s life. Consider another way to say it. Ms. Whatshername’s life revealed who Jesus is. How so? Her life, because of this illness, resulted in six things being known. 

1.     Her life resulted in her family loving and respecting her.

2.     Her life resulted in Jesus showing compassion and love that led to showing His power through healing her.

3.     Her life resulted in praise and thanks to Jesus.

4.     Her life resulted in the spread of Jesus’ name and fame.

5.     Her life showed Jesus’ modeling for His disciples how to minister to and heal people.

6.     Her life resulted in the men being well-fed. (Which man does not want plenty of tasty food?)

Matthew, Mark, and Luke’s writings about Ms. Whatshername’s high fever allowed each person who read or listened to the story about her to learn of another area of Jesus’ power. It causes us to consider if our lives reveal who Jesus is. Three questions you should ask yourself.

1.     Who is your life story about you or Jesus?

2.     Does your life reveal Jesus to other people?

3.     Do you show your gratitude by trusting Jesus, and loving and serving Him?

God made you in His image. You should reflect Him. If not, what is in the way? Do you believe in Jesus as the Son of God and that He died for your sins? Have you confessed your sins to Jesus and promised never to do them again? You can avoid sins by relying on Him for strength. If you have never made this decision to believe in Jesus for salvation, today is not too soon. Your life can still reveal Jesus. Most importantly, Jesus is showing you, right now, who He is. Will you trust what He has revealed to you and become a child of God? Will you accept Jesus as your Savior?

Jesus was unafraid to show He is the Son of God. He was bold. You never walk in your own power to live your faith boldly. The Holy Spirit will give you strength and empower you to be bold for Jesus.

Be like the daughter who continued to reveal who the mother is.

Be like Simon’s mother-in-law and reveal who Jesus is through your life.

More Than A Drop

 

¹I will praise You, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things You have done. ²I will be filled with joy because of You. I will sing praises to Your name, O Most High. Psalm 9:1-2 (NLT)

      Myriads of raindrops make a river or ocean, but they are all the same. They are H₂O. Humanity is like these drops of water; it is an ocean of human beings. Like each water drop is H₂O, each person is the same. God makes each person in His image. Each person has another thing in common; God offers each person salvation. We, each, can choose Jesus or not. The person who chooses to believe in Jesus for salvation becomes different and has a lifeboat, of sorts. The one who told him or her about Jesus sits in that boat with millions of other people who have believed in Jesus for salvation. Being a Christian should involve more than just being saved from sin and death, being more than a saved water drop. It should involve telling and bringing people to the lifeboat so they can be more than one water drop among myriads. In Psalm 9:1-2, David explains this.

      In Psalm 9, David began his song with a testimony about God in verses one and two. The original Hebrew text states David said, “I confess You, LORD.” People confess (testify) to what they saw and heard, what/who they know, and of what they have been a part. David received joy by living with Yahweh as His God and by confessing Him. In this psalm, David’s confession about God came from the joy he received because of being God’s child. The joy from God, the inward attitude, expresses itself outwardly. For David, his joy expressed itself in worshiping who God is (praise) and what He has done (thanks). H expressed his inward attitude outwardly with worship and praise.

      God acts from His character, just as people act from their character. Sometimes He casts judgment and enforces truth. Other times, God provides food or protection. Upon occasion, He disciplines. God is active in our world. He did not create humanity and all creation, then sit back and watch us figure out life. God acts upon that which comes from within Himself. He loves, shows kindness, offers mercy and forgiveness, judges, disciplines, helps, protects, etc. Each of these actions comes from His character. He said in verse one, “I will tell of all the marvelous things You have done.” David was more than a drop of water. He was more than a passenger in the lifeboat. David loved God and wanted other people to learn about and love Him, too. He wanted all people to know God personally then confess praise and thanks to Him so other people would learn about Him. David said in verse two, “I will be filled with joy because of You. I will sing praises to Your name, O Most High.”

      David “confessed” about God in Psalm 9. Joy is the outward expression of confessing God. David praised God for who He is, was, and will be as his expression of the joy he received. He expressed joy to the Lord because of what He had done for him. David took joy in the Lord because he understood God’s blessings would be upon His children. He took joy because he realized God’s love, mercy, kindness, goodness, etc. forever touched the lives of His children. David received joy from the Lord because of His character. His joy sprang forth in praise and thanks to the “Most High”. David’s trust in who the Lord is sprang from his being. It caused his praise and thanks to bubble forth joyously to God and about Him so all people would learn about the LORD.

      Where are you today? Are you experiencing hard times and wonder where God is? He is right there with you. Trust in His love and goodness for you. Praise Him for who He is, what He has done in the past, and what you recognize He can do now. Testify of the hope you receive from Him because of Jesus' death and resurrection. Receive the joy that hope gives you. Expect to experience His hand in your situation. Are you experiencing wonderful times in your life? Did you praise God for His love, goodness, and provision, and thank Him with your whole being? Have you testified about His love? Have you proclaimed God is in control, He is good, and He is faithful, so other people will learn about Him? Have you received good things, claimed them for yourself, and not offered them back to God for His purposes? You may not be the person for whom He gave the gift. You may be the conduit whom God uses to help another person recognize Him and His love and goodness. This may lead that person to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, too. Receive God’s blessings with joy and joyously share them with other people. The biggest blessing God offers to each person is salvation from his or her sins and death. Have you joyously shared about the depth of God’s love? Have you told of His deep love that willingly allowed His Son, Jesus, to die to give salvation to each person who believes?

      No matter what your situation is now, confess about God. Because of whom He is, you receive joy, then praise Him. You receive joy and show it by thanking Him for what He has done, is doing, and will do. Receive joy from God like David did. God’s not done with you. He is not finished with this world. Many still will hear from Him and receive His help. Will you be the one who confesses Him to them and shares His goodness with them? You may wonder what you can do. Realize you are more than one drop among a multitude in the ocean. Be like David. His psalm ensured people knew about God and his own relationship with Him. David was more than a drop of water. He confessed about God and His actions to each person who would listen. David did not idly and quietly sit in the lifeboat.  

Be more than one water drop in the ocean.

Be in the lifeboat confessing hope and help. 

Sing praises to the LORD who reigns in Jerusalem. Tell the world about his unforgettable deeds. Psalm 9:11 (NLT)

More than Prayer

“Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” Colossians 4:2 [NASB]

Paul wrote this verse is written in the letter to the church at Colossae. He wrote it because of a heresy that was causing problems in this Gentile Christian church. Paul wanted to expose the heresy, stop it, and encourage the church in their faith.

Notice Paul did not write to them and command them to keep praying, being vigilant and thankful when things were good. He commanded these three things when things were gray and troublesome in the Colossae church. What Paul specifically told the Colossian Christians is very important.

He told them to devote/persist, that means to persevere steadfastly. This command uses an active verb. Don’t let something or someone cause you to stop praying. Don’t make your request to God once. Be persistent. Pray and keep on praying. Once you have a relationship with someone, you don’t just suddenly stop relating to that person. That is not relationship. Relationship requires work from humans. It requires commitment and determination to keep on relating. Prayer is relating with God. It is seeking Him, speaking to Him, and asking for His will to be done. Therefore, from the first part of this verse, Paul commanded the Christians of Colossae should pray and keep on devoting themselves to prayer. Don’t stop when you ask once. Keep praying because you are in a relationship with God. Keep praying because God hasn’t answered your prayer yet. Keep praying because asking is not the only part of prayer.

Next in this verse, Paul said, “keeping alert in it.” Again, this is an active continuing verb. This command means you don’t just make your request then go about your business. It goes along with persistently devote yourselves to prayer. Pray and keep praying. Keeping alert or being watchful is an active verb that means to be on the alert, be awake, expect God to act upon your prayer to Him. When you pray, God hears and will answer. Expect Him to answer and wait and keep on waiting expecting Him to answer. This vigilance is like the watchman on the wall of a fortress. He knows the enemy is out there and so he will keep watching so he is not caught off guard. When we pray, we know God is there listening to us and with that knowing-our faith in God-we can expect and should keep on expecting that He will answer in some way. Don’t ask and then walk away. Don’t ask and say, “Oh well, God doesn’t really love me.” He does love you. God might have a bigger plan in action than what you asked for. Watch and He will often surprise you in how He answers your prayers.

The final command of this verse Paul wrote in his letter is “keeping an attitude of thanksgiving.” This verb denotes activity, too. It comes in relation to “keeping alert.” If one does not expect God to answer, one does not anticipate having to give thanks. Keeping alert anticipates God answering prayer. Keeping alert gives an impetus for us to be thankful. As we pray, we can be thankful we have a relationship with God. As we pray, we can be thankful for what God is going to do, though we may not know how He will do it. Devoting ourselves to prayer and being alert should mean we are ready to give thanks when God answers and for how He answers. Finally, being watchful and alert means we thank God afterwards for hearing our prayers and being faithful to His relationship with us.

Without anticipation of God hearing and answering our prayers, we don’t stay alert and watchful and we are not thankful for whatever happens in life. Sometimes God appears not to answer prayer. Sometimes God’s answers seem contrary to that for which we asked. Other times, God’s answers are so beyond anything we could think or imagine, and we are amazed at how He answered our prayers. The first scenario when it seems God does not answer our prayers reveals that we have either not been alert after we prayed, or we have not been thankful and so are blinded by our lack of growth in relationship or self-centeredness. The second scenario when God seems to answer our prayers in ways contrary to what we want or expect reveals the smallness of our thinking and pettiness of mind. We have not grown enough in our relationship with and faith in God to see that how God answered was for our good, though it may have hurt when He answered because He was growing us. The third scenario reveals a person who prayed and kept on praying, stayed alert and watchful expecting God to answer, and was always ready to thank God for who He is, what He was going to do, and what He did to answer our prayers. God answers prayer in ways we expect, in ways we can’t fathom and leaves us amazed, and sometimes waits to answer so that we can grow in our faith and relationship to Him.

Paul taught the Colossian Christians to steadfastly and persistently pray. He taught them to be ever watchful and expect God to answer prayer. Keep alert, he commanded. Finally, Paul taught the people always to be ready to give thanks to God because of His faithfulness to you. You can do this knowing that in whatever way He answered, His love for you and His will are perfect. God is to be thanked and praised for being omniscient, omnipotent, loving, merciful, and faithful to you.

Let’s put this lesson of Paul’s into perspective. This year has been one of the hardest, if not the hardest, my family has endured in almost twenty years and possibly the whole 30 years of my family’s life. We’ve experienced eleven major life stressors this year-illnesses, surgeries, torn ligaments, three deaths, family members walking away from their faith, and a handful of other things. Going through each of these stressors is hard. Going through them back to back is almost life-crushing.

As the year unfolded, we periodically looked back at the year at what happened. We saw where God’s hand entered into our lives to undergird, sustain, protect, guide, and provide for us. We didn’t enjoy going through the stressors. Some of them were downright painful to our hearts and minds. Still, we kept up our relationship with God. We persistently devoted ourselves to prayer daily minute by minute. We know Who reigns over all and Who will always be victorious. We trust God completely. That is how we were able to stand up during this year. We knew God would answer. We didn’t know how, when, or where, just that He is faithful and would intervene. We watched and waited for Him to answer and intervene. It did not seem at times as if He had, but those times of looking back helped us gain perspective to see where God had walked with us and sometimes carried us through the storms. Because of this year, our faith in God is stronger and our relationship, love, and trust of Him has grown exponentially.

Our faith in God made us persistent pray-ers and made us stay alert because we knew God had a plan and would answer. Our faith in God meant we could be thankful even before God answered prayer because He is always faithful to His children. He always does what is best for us though at the times it may hurt and seem not to be the best way. Perspective often comes when you look back over that time and recognize God’s hand intervening in places. Only then can you see a better picture of what God was doing for you and in you.

We could thank God for what He would do and Who we know He is. We could also thank God for how He was going to get us through the stressors. When we think we have it all figured out, God often surprises us with His ways because our view is so limited. He sees all possibilities and knows what is best for us, which is to grow us closer to Him and for us to be more like Him. Finally, we can be thankful after going through these stressors because God led us to the stressors and through them. He did not shelter and pamper us from hardships. God loves us enough to want us to grow and allows trials and testing to come into our lives to mold us and make us stronger. He does it because He is stronger than the trial and expects to help us go through them. You see, often people can’t get through hard times because they have forgotten to hold onto the One Who is greater than the trial. We humans lose focus and see the storm instead of the Master of the storms. When we lose our focus, we become like Peter who began to sink into the sea as he looked at the magnitude of the storm instead of the love and power of the Savior. He let troubles blind him to the power of God.

Paul did not teach the Colossians, “Do as I say and not as I do.” He taught from his personal experience with God. Paul had lived through persecution, flogging, imprisonment, and a myriad of other things. Yet he could still say, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” Paul still had a relationship with God as he went through a trial and afterwards. He expected God to answer his prayers and so he kept alert. Paul even praised and thanked the Lord before He answered his prayers. He was bold as to preach while in prison knowing preaching the gospel was what got him put into prison. Paul had learned the reality of an active alert, and thankful relationship with God. He prayed without ceasing because he knew Who is Lord and Master over all things and people. As some say today, Paul had an “attitude of gratitude.” He expected to thank God and so began immediately.

Have you kept your relationship with God during everything that has occurred in your life this year? Have you persistently prayed? Have you actively watched for God to work and answer your prayers? Have you thanked God for what He has done and, even before that, for who He is and what He was going to do? Each of part of this verse, these three commands, is active and continuous. They do not exist in isolation from each other. I encourage you to look back on your year and see where you kept up your prayers to God, where you actively sought Him to work, where you stopped expecting Him to answer your prayers, and where you have given or not given thanks for what He did. If at no other time in this year, this time of Thanksgiving should strongly encourage us to reflect on this year to see how we fared in our relationship with God.

Dear Lord, I am so fallible and sinful. I am selfish and see only my needs and my ways of fixing them. Please forgive me of my sin of self-centeredness. Forgive me of my laziness in relating to You. Forgive me of my lack of thankfulness and praise of You. Teach me, nudge me, remind me to devote myself to our relationship, to actively wait and watch for You, and to keep thanking You even when it seems You are silent. I thank You now for what You have done this year, and what You are going to do now and in this next year. I trust You completely. Let Your will be done.

The King of Glory

The King of Glory

                                                                       Psalm 24

“The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness of it, the world and they who dwell in it. For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the currents and rivers. Who shall go up into the mountain of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted himself up to falsehood nor sworn deceitfully.” (vs. 1-4 [NASB])

We could top there and just praise, confess, and repent. David takes us through the first two parts of prayer-adoring and confessing. David wanted to be in the Lord’s presence. He wanted to praise God, but recognized his own sinfulness. Yet, that did not get David down. He knew God had the power to make him clean so he could be in the presence of God as He sat on His throne in His temple. David recognized he needed clean hands, hands that had done no sin, and a clean heart, one that had not contemplated evil thoughts that led to evil actions or words. Remember, from the heart comes the evil a man does or the good he does. Jesus said this when he said it is not what a man puts in his body that defiles him, but what comes out of his heart and mouth that makes him unclean (Matthew 15:11). David came to the Lord and said he had confessed and the Lord cleansed him. Have you confessed and allowed God to cleanse you and make you pure so you can be in His presence to worship Him?

David did not stop with just praise, confession and repentance. He gave us something for which to thank God in verse five. He said, “He shall receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” David understood the greatest reason for him to thank God after his confession and repentance. Once a person genuinely comes before the Lord confessing and repenting, God will clean him or her. With this newly received forgiveness and salvation, the natural response is thanks and praise. David did that here. He said we must thank God for his blessings and the righteousness He gives us through the salvation Jesus provided through His death and resurrection.

With verse six, David explained who would receive this blessing and salvation. He said, “This is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face, O God of Jacob.” [AMP] David used the name Jacob to refer to all the Israelites in the Old Testament. For Christians today, this means all who have believed in Jesus for salvation as the Son of God and have received His forgiveness and mercy. No one will be left out. All people are called to believe in Him and receive salvation, being made righteous-cleansed from our evil thoughts, words, and actions. Any of the people of Jacob can go up the mountain to the temple of Zion, go into God’s great heavenly throne room and stand in His presence adoring, thanking, praising, and confessing to God.

After adoring, confessing, and thanking God, the One who made heaven and earth and all that is in it, the One who makes us clean and pure, the One who gives blessing and righteousness, and will be found by His people, David brought us back to why we should worship the Lord with verses seven through ten. He said, “Lift up your heads, O you gates, and be lifted up, you age-abiding doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is the king of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates, yes lift them up, you age-abiding doors, the King of glory may come in. Who is the King of glory? The Lord of hosts. He is the King of glory!”[AMP]  We should worship the King, the Lord Jesus, because He is mighty and victorious in battle. He took on the powers of hell and defeated them for each of us. Open up, you gates of heaven and let your King enter and take His place. He is mighty and strong in battle. Again, David explained who the King, the One we should worship? He is the King of glory, Jehovah, our righteous and all-sufficient Savior.

Just as the angels in heaven bowed down when Christ returned to sit on the right hand of the Father, He calls us to open our doors and let Him into our hearts and lives. Do you know God? Do you recognize Him in creation on earth and in heaven? He is the One who created all things and deserves adoration and praise.

Have you looked into your heart and mind and recognized you are not innocent; you are unrighteous? Jesus died so you can be clean from your sin. Confess and repent now and the Savior, the Lord who died and won the victory over death and sin, will clean and save you.

Are you one who has tasted the victory Christ gives, but have forgotten to seek and praise Him? We are of the house of Jacob and we have oh, so many reasons to thank and praise Him. He is our Savior. He died because of His love for you even while you were a sinner and far away from Him. For this, we should heartedly and with humbleness thank and praise God.

Have you wondered who this Jesus, the Son of God is? Do you need a reminder why you should praise Him? He is the mighty warrior who defeated sin and death. He died and rose again to walk into the throne room of the temple in heaven. He is the King of glory. Jesus is the One to whom the angels and all the heavenly hosts bow down and the One to whom you bowed when you confessed, repented, and accepted Him as your Savior. He is the Lord of hosts and is your Lord.

If you have not believed in Jesus Christ as the Savior, the One who lived a sin-free life and died an innocent death, who rose back to life three days later and then ascended back to heaven, He waits for you to believe in Him, and confess and repent of your sins so He will clean you from your evil thoughts, words, and actions. Jesus loves you and wants you to receive salvation so you can be free of sin and death and live in an eternal relationship with Him, receiving His blessing of eternal life. Will you come before the Lord now opening your heart, adoring God for who He is and what He’s done? Will you believe Jesus Christ is God’s Son, the One sent to be the Savior for all people so you can be cleaned from your sins and receive eternal life? Will you come before Him thanking Him for all He’s done for you and what He will do for you? Will you come before Him praising Him because Jesus, Jesus alone, is the King of glory, mighty in battle, and victorious over sin and death?

Christian, will you come before God adoring Him? Will you come confessing and repenting so God will cleanse you from your sins? Come before Him thanking Him and confessing Him with all the hosts in heaven and on earth. All creation will rise up and praise His holy name.

“All the earth shall bow down to You and sing praises to You. They shall praise Your name in song.” Psalm 66:4 [AMP]

Lord, God almighty, we get caught up in doing life and forget about you. We do, think, and say evil things. Without you we are powerless over sin and death. Jesus, you give us this power because of your innocent death and resurrection. Please forgive us now, we pray. Bring us back into a right relationship with you so we can praise and thank You with our whole being-heart, soul, mind, and strength. You, O Lord, deserve all praise, glory, and honor. Thank you for dying and defeating sin and death for us. Thank you for Your love.

God-focused: Beginning with Thanks

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken throughout the whole world.” Romans 1:8

Paul told the Roman Christians he was thankful for them. He spoke about a people he had never met. Paul expressed thanks for the future-theirs, and his with them.

Paul was thankful the world knew of the Romans’ faith. People heard Roman emperors expelled the Jews from Rome. Since the Roman Christians worshiped in Jewish temples at first, they experienced similar persecution without expulsion.

Paul desired to be with the Roman believers. He was thankful in advance he could enjoy their companionship. Paul anticipated giving them further knowledge of the gospel. He wanted western believers to be able to stand firm in their faith.

Still, Paul didn’t expect only they would benefit from his visit. He wanted to be encouraged by/with them. Surely Paul’s faith was greater than that of the Roman Christians. Yet, Paul said together they would be encouraged mutually. For this, Paul was thankful.

Paul’s travels created home bases for him in the east. He’d never been to the west. Paul needed a home base in Rome. Often growth in faith comes from standing with other believers supporting each other. Christianity is a faith in community. We meet to pray, study the Bible, worship, encourage, and grow stronger in knowledge and faith to proclaim the Gospel. Paul understood he needed a home base for encouragement and growth in faith.

Paul began his letter to the Romans with thanks for them-past, present, and future. We must begin our day thanking God for who will enter our lives-Christians for growth and encouragement or unbelievers to hear the Gospel.

Lord, help us recognize the importance of being in a community of believers and seeking unbelievers with whom to share Your Gospel

The Hope of Glory

Want a better year than last?

Follow Jesus,

Give thanks to Him, &  

No matter what comes, hold on to the hope you have because of Him.

Maybe the last year was hard. - many times you struggled to keep pushing on, friends and family left you or died, or God seemed nowhere near you.

Remember, if you are a child of God, God promises He will never leave you or forsake you.

Remember, as James said, God allows trials to come into each of His children's lives to make them stronger and to help them to grow in Christlikeness. 

v  Celebrate that you are a child of God and He loves you so much He wants you to grow to be more like Him.

v  Celebrate you are a child of God and He has prepared a place for you.

v  Celebrate you are a child of God and you have an eternal hope that this world is not all there is. There is more! This world cannot keep you nor can it take away your promised place in God's kingdom.

v  Celebrate in the end, God wins and you are His child!

This year take a stand for God. 

      Stand firm in the hope Jesus lived, died, and rose from the grace to give you. 

      Proclaim God and His glory for His is the glory and He gives the hope of glory.

      Remember the saints who went before us.

      Become a servant of God and His body.

"I (Paul) have become its (the body of Christ, the followers') servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness-- the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:25-27 [NIV])

  

Thanksgiving – Drawing Attention to God

¹Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.

²Serve the LORD with gladness;
 Come before Him with joyful singing.

³Know that the LORD Himself is God;
            It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
            We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

⁴Enter His gates with thanksgiving
            And His courts with praise.
 Give thanks to Him,

bless His name.

      ⁵For the LORD is good;
            His lovingkindness is everlasting
            And His faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 100 [NASB])

In these five verses, David expressed thanks to God. David exhorted the people of God - Israel and all who followed God by faith - to thank the LORD, too. Who God is and what He has done overwhelm David and cause him to pour out thanks to God. Who God is and what He has done has not changed over the millennia and so God’s people today have cause to thank God, too.

In these verses, David gave six exhortations. He told God’s people to shout, serve, come before, enter, give thanks, and bless. By themselves, these actions are meaningless. When seen in relation to or for whom they are done, great meaning occurs.

In each of these exhortations, David said the actions were to be done for the LORD. David mentioned the LORD by name in verse one and referred to Him throughout the text. He reflects on the LORD – who He is and what He has done - in verses three and five. Let us consider the six exhortations and reflections closer.

“Shout joyfully to the LORD,” David urged. This was not just making a loud racket with no purpose. Shouting is not an inward action. It draws people’s attentions to someone or something. The tone of voice and words said while shouting leads listeners to consider something or someone and possibly act in response to the shouting. David told them to shout joyfully. Here the people were to shout out with joy as applause toward the LORD – Yehovah, the “existing One.” David led people with his words to worship and praise the LORD because of the joy He caused in and gave them.

Next, David told the people to serve the LORD with gladness. Serving requires recognition that someone is greater than one’s self or is worthy to be considered greater than one’s self. It is personal submission before another and working for that other person. In this verse, David told the LORD’s people to serve the LORD. Their service was not with reluctance, but with gladness. With joy and pleasure, the LORD’s people are enhorted to serve the LORD as a result of being filled with joy.

As the LORD’s people shout joyfully to the LORD and serve Him with gladness, they are to come before Him with joyful singing. The LORD’s people can be in His presence. He accepts them as His own and wants them with Him singing and shouting joyfully. The LORD is not distant and unapproachable neither does He want reluctant service. He wants his people to be joyful and full of gladness. To be joyful and glad, people need a reason and the LORD gives them the reason – Himself.

David noted the reason the LORD”s people are joyful and glad in verse three. He said, “The LORD Himself is God.” Know this, David said. The LORD is God. The existent One from before time began is big “G” God, the God of gods. No other being is God. Know that. Perceive, recognize, admit, acknowledge, and confess the LORD - the One you know from your history - is God. “He made us,” David said. “We did not make ourselves.” God was here before us, and powerful and wise enough to make humankind. He chose us as His own and cared for us just as a shepherd chooses and cares for his sheep. God protected us. Just as God is from before time, He continues into the future. We are His and He protects and cares for us. For who God is - the
“existent One before time” and Creator - and for what He has done - created, chose, protected, and provided, David said we can shout with joy, serve the LORD with a glad and joyful heart, and come before Him singing joyfully.

Because we are the LORD’s people - His children - we can enter His gates and courts. We are not just servants or “the created,” we are His and He enjoys our presence. God wants a relationship with each of us and provided the way for us to be in an eternal relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. Those who are His children through Jesus Christ are in an eternal relationship with Him and can enter His gates and courts with thanks and praise. God made the way for us to be with Him because of His love. Our thanks cannot be contained, but must pour forth from our mouths in shouts and songs. Praises to God for who He is and what He did pour forth proclaiming Him with joy and gladness.

Give thanks to Him and bless His name. Humble yourself and admit God gave you what you have – life, provision, relationship with Him, eternal life with Him, and Himself. These come to you because of His love, goodness, and mercy, not from anything you did or could have done. Give thanks to Him! He deserves it because of who He is and what He has done. What more to do then? Bless the LORD’s name. Bless – kneel adore, and praise Him. Bless His name that leaves such a reputation of greatness and love. Bless Him that His reputation is justifiable and true. On the LORD’s fame and reputation humankind can count and hold onto knowing God is faithful, steadfast, loving, and true.

With a final thought, David said we shout with joy and cry out with song to draw others to the LORD and worship Him in His gates and courts because of His goodness. The LORD is good. His lovingkindness and faithfulness to all generations is everlasting. God is the embodiment of all things good, excellent, and right. God does only good and right things. His being is only good and righteous. From His goodness comes His lovingkindness and faithfulness forever. God’s lovingkindness is shown through His mercy, kindness, faithfulness, loyal actions, and unchanging love. His faithfulness is unending and He is fully trustworthy. God is steadfastly loyal to His people. Because of God’s goodness, excellence, faithfulness, mercy, and trustworthiness, we shout for joy and sing joyfully to the LORD. Come now and know the LORD; He is good. His love endures forever.

David’s psalm of thanksgiving led him to shout and sing out about the LORD. It continues to lead people to recognize the LORD as God and as the giver of all good and excellent things. They then will shout out and sing with joy and praise to the LORD until all creation is caught up in the offering of thanks to the LORD God, the holy and eternal God of gods and King of kings. What begins with one man shouting out and singing with joy and praise leads to harmonious voices rising together in joy and praise of God. One begets many. If one does not begin to sing of God’s praises, how will others know Him?

Thanksgiving is one day set aside to remember and call attention to God. We draw attention to God by shouting out with joy and crying out with song in praise of who God is and what He has done. Hopefully Thanksgiving is not the only day we shout and sing with joy and gladness to the LORD for Who He is and what He has done. The attention of people around us should be drawn to God when we serve others. His joy should be evident in our hearts by our love, kindness, and mercy during those times. When we enter His house – His place of worship - each week, the attention of people should be drawn to God by our worship of Him and by our relationships with other believers there. Joy and gladness should be seen in our love, mercy, and forgiveness toward other believers. Whether we are among other believers or out in the world, God’s love and faithfulness should be seen and experienced by people in our encounters with them. They should be able to experience God through us. When that happens, these other people can experience and recognize God. They can then join us shouting out and singing with joy and thanksgiving to the LORD. Our shouts and songs of joy and praise testify about the LORD. Others will hear and know the LORD and join us in the procession of shouting joyfully to the LORD and singing with gladness and joy about Him. One voice leads to other voices. Your voice leads to other voices declaring the praise to and about the LORD. There is responsibility in this.  Praise the LORD and give thanks for God is good and His love endures forever.

Shout joyfully to the LORD.

Serve the LORD with gladness.

Come before Him with joyful song.

Draw attention to God.

Declare and proclaim His name today – Thanksgiving – and throughout each week so others come to know and confess Him as their God and join us in joyfully blessing and praising His name.