Running the Race of Life God’s Way

Do you like physically running or jogging? Have you run a half or full marathon? Have you run in a track and field sprint race?

I like to watch the fastest runners in the world race, like in the Olympic games. They are very impressive.

I don’t like to run personally because I have problems with my feet but there are a couple instances of a running/race metaphor the Apostle Paul uses in the NT of God’s Word that are meaningful to me and I hope to you. In a few Bible passages, the English words “run” and “race” are metaphors about how we engage in the course of life set before us. I am going to walk through three of these Bible passages and I’ll point out three key stages in running this race of life God’s way.

The first stage to running the race of life God’s Way is

1) Start Well

As you have probably noticed in a sprint race, the start is very important to how well you run the rest of the race. The best sprinters in the world know that starting well is essential. And when you start well you should not only have the end in mind, the finish line in mind, you should desire to run well along the way. Of course, a Marathon may be a better metaphor for living a long challenging life but we can still learn some life principles from a sprint race.

Check out this first passage, I want to highlight, about a running race.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (ESV) ²⁴ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. ²⁵ Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. ²⁶ So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.
²⁷ But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Paul first began writing about a physical running competition race where one person wins the race and receives a perishable reward. He exhorted the readers to run for the prize. He pointed out the importance of self-control in all things and self-control surely contributes greatly to victory. How are you doing at self-control in your life?

Then, Paul mentioned an imperishable reward. What does imperishable mean? Something that doesn’t perish; something that is eternal.

Paul is really writing here about an eternally significant race of life. And I wonder, have you started this eternally significant race of life yet?

Paul then wrote that he doesn’t run aimlessly and he keeps his body under control so that he doesn’t disqualify himself related to preaching the Gospel.

There are different courses of life; some are God-honoring and some are not. There is a course of life for those who trust Christ as their Savior that includes eternal life with God in His heaven. This is the race of life that every true Christ-follower has before them and they are to run this race God’s way and there are divine rewards to be enjoyed. In this particular race, every Christian exists for Christ, is to glorify God in everything, and be conformed to the image of Christ. In this particular race, there is also a divine vocational/ministry calling. This is the part of the race that maturing Christ-followers discern over time and are to also run God’s way and there are divine rewards to be enjoyed.

If you are a saved Christ-follower, do you know yet what God’s vocational/ministry calling is in your life? For me, it includes pastoral ministry; pointing people to Christ, His Word, and His church to be the people of God He wants us to be. If you don’t yet know this calling in your life, pray for God to bring that to light in His timing and seek out some wise counsel.

There is also a race of life that is aimless. Either the Christ-follower is aimless in that he or she doesn’t intentional live for the Lord or there is aimlessness (no eternal significance) because the person doesn’t yet know Jesus Christ as their Savior.

I believe that in order to run the race of life God’s Way, you and I must start well, and I believe this can’t happen until you and I give our life over to Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord. When I was 9yrs old I received Christ into my life as my Savior because God spiritually called me to be saved by Jesus and I knew and still know that I need Him as my Savior and Lord.

What about you and Jesus? Who is Jesus Christ to you? We all have a sin problem and we need Jesus Christ to save us from this sin problem. The great news is that our Holy Creator God loves you and I so much that He sent His one and only eternal Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for all of our sins and He rose in victory over sin and death and offers us eternal life by His grace through faith in Him.

If any of you are not genuinely trusting Jesus as your Savior, then check this out about God’s plan for true life, eternal life. I don’t believe there is anything more important than personally knowing Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord and this is how you start well when it comes to running the race of life God’s way.

The second stage to running the race of life God’s Way is

2) Run Well

Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV) ¹ Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

The witnesses here are likely redeemed people who have already run their races of life the Lord set before them. We can learn from those mentioned in Hebrews 11 and other believers who have run the race of life before us. Now, it’s our turn, so let’s remove what hinders us from running a God-honoring race of life. Can you imagine a world-class sprinter trying to run a race with a ball and chain attached to his or her ankle?

We must identify sin footholds in our life and give those over to Jesus to deliver us from sin bondage. Maybe its legalism or pride or lust or selfishness. Ask God to show you what sin is entangling you in this race.

Paul exhorts us here to run with endurance this race of life set before us and keep our eyes on Jesus along the way.

The Greek word here translated as “race” is the word “agon” which is where we get the English word agony. This Christian race of life is not simple, smooth, and easy. Christ says, “Deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow me.” This Christian life can be grueling; there is persecution, suffering, difficult storms, spiritual warfare, etc…We need to endure.

This word endurance refers to steadfastness and faithfulness. For example, are we engaging in consistent holy living, building our lives consistently upon the holy foundation of Jesus Christ and His Word for us?

And are we keeping our eyes of faith focused on Jesus Christ? Peter got out of the boat and walked on water briefly out to Jesus until Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and looked at his circumstances, the waves around him, and that’s when Peter was afraid and began to sink. Jesus is the author of our salvation and the object of our living faith day by day. Let’s revolve our lives around and in Christ!

J. Vernon McGee wrote the following about Christians not running the race of life well (Thru the Bible Commentary; Hebrews 12:2), “They are like the little girl who fell out of bed one night. When the little girl began to cry, her mother rushed in and said, “Honey, how come you fell out of bed?” The little girl replied, “I think I stayed too close to the place where I got in.” That is the problem of the Christian today. We stumble and falter and fail because we are staying too close to the place where we got in. We need to go on—this is a race, you see.”

You and I must continually determine in our hearts to run this race of life God’s way; that is to run well!

Okay, the third stage to running the race of life God’s Way is 

3) Finish Well

Has there been something in your life so far that you believe you finished well? Maybe a challenging competition, goal, or project? An example in my life is my seminary experience at LU. God helped me learn a lot and I grew in Christ. I was involved in some eternally significant ministry through TRBC. I made some good ministry networking connections. I got married to a godly Liberty girl. God blessed me with a pastor job when I graduated. I look back at that time of my life and believe, by God’s grace, I finished that seminary experience well.

Paul wrote about finishing well. 2 Timothy 4:5-8 (ESV) ⁵ As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. ⁶ For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Paul wrote to his young apprentice in ministry, Timothy, to fulfill the ministry God has called him to. God helps to equip and lead you in such a calling but you are responsible for being faithful to God and His calling in your life.

Paul knew he was nearing the end of his physical life so he reflected upon his race of life in Christ and he also looked forward into eternity. Paul stated that he fought the good fight, finished the race, and has kept the faith. Amen! Praise God. Paul believed he completed the race of life set before him; that he accomplished what God directed him and empowered him to accomplish. He was like a soldier, an athlete, a guardian and herald of God’s Word.

Paul also looked ahead to eternity which includes divine blessings in eternity like the crown of righteousness mentioned here.  I believe Heaven will be amazingly wonderful for all the redeemed saved people and in addition there will be some other divine blessings to enjoy for some believers who did well according to God’s will here.

We don’t work for salvation but I think we can put forth certain efforts in Christ toward rewards in heaven.

In 2 Cor. 5:10 we read about the judgment seat of Christ moment when the redeemed will receive rewards for their works that had eternally significant value.

We have one life in this physical body, so, let’s make it count for God’s purposes, His will, and His glory! Let’s redeem the time and honor the Lord with our lives and then by God’s grace and our God-honoring living perhaps when we draw near to death we will be able to say the same thing Paul wrote here; reflecting backward that we lived for God’s glory and looking forward to divine blessings in eternity. May we too be Christ-followers like Paul, who finished well.

So, when it comes to running the race of life God’s way I believe it is biblically important to start well, run well, and finish well.

What about you and this race of life set before you?

Have you started this race well, God’s way? Are you saved by Jesus Christ yet?

Are you running this race well, God’s way? Are you enduring in Christ, keeping your eyes of daily faith and obedience focused on Jesus?

Are you planning to finish this race well, God’s way? By fighting the spiritual fight for the cause of Christ and keeping the doctrines of the Christian faith according to God’s Word?

What do you and I need to change or adjust in our life to be more consistent at running this race of life God’s way?

What are your next steps to being all that God calls you to be and do what God calls you to do? And how can we help others in this same way?

God bless you in running the race of life God’s way!

Mike

Koinonia; Community among Christians

Someone once said of “fellowship”, “two fellows on the same ship,” and if when you are out to sea on a long journey you should partner with that other fellow and get along or life won’t go as well.

In the New Testament of God’s Word, we first come to the English word “fellowship” in Acts 2:42. This is one of the great model passages for Christian living and church related ministry, doing God-honoring missional life with other Christ-followers. The original Bible language of Greek for “fellowship” here is “koinonia” which refers to community, sharing, partnering, togetherness.

One time I preached at a church on the subject of this kind of fellowship and I used the following illustration.

“Today, I want to do something that may help some of us remember the Greek word, koinonia, and its meaning of fellowship a little better. The ushers are going to give a real nickel coin to everyone here this morning. When you receive this coin, just hold it in your hand.

First, notice that the first few letters of the Greek word, koinonia, sound just like the English word “coin”. This coin is a reminder of the beginning sound of koinonia.

Second, now, we all have a nickel in common. This is a reminder that all redeemed Christ-followers have one very important thing in common. One of the meanings of koinonia is commonality. Christians have one key spiritual truth of oneness in common. All true born again Christians are spiritually in Christ. The nickel, of course, doesn’t mean you are a true Christian.  

By God’s grace through faith in Christ as your personal Savior and Lord means you are a saved Christ follower.

Third, one nickel by itself is worth five cents and it’s just a small piece of metal, but all our nickels together provide more value and a stronger weightier collection of metal. When individual Christians practice healthy biblical fellowship with other Christians they have more synergy and strength for the cause of Christ and are better able to minister to one another and grow in Christ. Christians are not islands intended to be isolated or separated from fellow Christians long term. Christ-followers are members of the Body of Christ, members of one another. We need Christian community and God’s will is to work in and through Christian community; doing life together with fellow Christ-followers. This is God-honoring fellowship.

Keep the nickel and let it be a reminder to you of koinonia; the meaning, the importance, and the practice of Christian fellowship.”

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, ²¹ in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. ²² In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22 ESV

What are your thoughts about biblical community among Christ-followers that can be lived out today?

Mike

Struggling with Addiction? There’s Hope in Christ!

Here are my notes from a recent podcast I contributed to about addiction and the hope one has in Christ through His Word and with the help of His people. Listen at http://liftyourvoice.podomatic.com/entry/2015-03-02T19_54_07-08_00

Hello, I’m Mike, a grateful redeemed Christ-follower and I’m recovering from a former addiction to smokeless tobacco and sexual lust when I was an adolescent and young adult and I continue to struggle from time to time with various issues like perfectionism, controlling behaviors, and anger. Basically, I’m a mess without the regular intervention of Jesus Christ, His Word, and His people in my life to help me be the person of God He wants me to be.

We all have broken areas in our lives. No one has it all together. Everyone has been hurt by others, we’ve hurt ourselves, and we’ve hurt others. These things can result in some sort of hurt, hang-up, or habit that prevents us from being all that God wants us to be.

When I was nine years old I received Christ as my Savior and I’ve been a Christ-follower for about forty years but it was a very up and down spiritual journey in my adolescent years.

As a teen, God blessed me with a powerful youth ministry experience related to church but away from church I engaged in a lot of foolish immoral behaviors. It was during those years that I developed an addiction to lust and to smokeless tobacco. I also knew someone close to me who struggled with drug abuse and following a suicide attempt was placed in a drug program. There were also some alcoholics in our family tree. I praise God that I was never hooked on drugs and alcohol but I know I am vulnerable to getting hooked on those substances. I was certainly hooked on dip/chewing tobacco and lust which were bad habits I could not stop on my own in the flesh. I needed help beyond myself, especially God’s help.

At around twenty years of age, I was spiritually convicted to be more surrendered to Christ which led to a more God-honoring set of friends, improved behaviors, and leadership involvement in the church’s youth ministry. I wanted to help younger people avoid the foolish immoral activities I engaged in during my teen years.

It was during this timeframe that I zeroed in on a computer programming career and volunteer youth ministry on the side and God blessed greatly on that path. I backslid a little bit in my twenties regarding drinking alcohol and lustful behaviors but God redirected me on the right path and I stepped up with my personal responsibility as a Christ-follower to be more consistently God-honoring with my life.

I remember with smokeless tobacco I could never seem to stop for more than a few months until one day I cried out to God in prayer to take away the craving and help me lead the girl, I loved at the time, to Him as Savior and about thirty minutes later we were on our knees and she received Christ. And for the past twenty years or so I no longer have the craving to use smokeless tobacco. God got my attention with an answered prayer and I stepped up with consistent self-control abstaining from tobacco and He removed the craving.

My fairly consistent victory in Christ over lust was more of a tapering off journey of me engaging in more holy thinking and behavior and less and less worldly carnal thinking and behavior. Prayer, Bible application, Christian community, accountability, serving the Lord, and getting married to a godly woman has helped greatly with experiencing more consistently victory over temptation to lust.

God has blessed with me a wife and we have four children. I’ve been a pastor for 14 years and I was involved in lay ministry for years before that. I’m passionate about helping people know Christ and become more like Christ and help others in the same way.

And in such ministry, we have to address various hurts, hang-ups, and habits that prevent a person from being all that God wants them to be.

An example of a negative habit that gets in the way of God’s will for our life is addiction.

When I use the word “addiction” I’m referring to a negative reoccurring action or thought that can be pleasurable at first but interferes with normal life situations and responsibilities like relationships, employment, and health. Such addictions include compulsive behaviors, lack of self-control, and a sense that one can’t live without the addiction whether they acknowledge the word “addiction” or the truth about their “addiction” or not.

People can be addicted to all sorts of things like drugs, alcohol, nicotine, gambling, lustful thoughts, sexual activity, spending, caffeine, over-eating, and over-working.

I’ve known people who are addicted to drinking soda daily. They will not stop drinking it because that drink and their behavior have their hooks in that person as a habit that runs deep. A daily soda may seem like small potatoes but it can become unhealthy and may point to some spiritual issues, biblically. A more obvious problem addiction is shooting heroin into your veins which is illegal, unhealthy, very difficult to stop, and could kill you.

There are various reasons why people fall into addictions. Perhaps there is some genetic vulnerability due to addicts in the family, or influence from people close to you, or poor emotional processing and not coping with stress well, escapism, curiosity, medical use, and others.

Addictions often snowball and get worse over time. They should be acknowledged and taken seriously.

There can certainly be a complexity to addictions, like how it came about and whether it is physical, psychological and/or a moral issue. I usually approach it holistically; that is to say that we have thoughts, emotional processing of feelings, physical conditions and behaviors, and a spiritual aspect to our lives.

Of course, being a Christ-follower and believer in God’s holy Word, I believe what matters most is a person’s relationship with Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, so the spiritual component when addressing addiction is most important in my approach to helping someone, but I understand that there are other aspects of the human life and experience to address.

Depending on the individual’s addiction and circumstances they may need medical and law enforcement intervention and removal from what they are addicted to. Sooner rather than later, I want to know who that person thinks Jesus Christ is and do they know Christ as their Savior or not because I believe true freedom from sin bondage, true healing from addictions, and true hope in this life and for eternal life with our Holy Creator God is only found in Jesus Christ.

I want to write briefly about a model (Overcoming Temptation to Sin) I use personally and help others with one on one when it comes to reoccurring sin habits. And then I will summarize a group ministry approach (Celebrate Recovery) that can help as well.

Sin is anything that goes against the character and commanding will of God. Temptation is not sin but can lead to sin. Not only does everyone have experience sinning, we also have lots of experience being tempted to sin.

Check out this early occurrence of the Holy Bible of the word ‘sin.’ God was speaking to Cain.

Genesis 4:7 NLT You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”

Here are three principles to heed from this verse:

First, acknowledge and learn more about the temptation to sin conflict. There is a real spiritual war going on and we continue to be tempted to sin.

Secondly, discern between right and wrong. Our greatest resource and standard for such discernment is God’s Word.

Third, master your temptations to sin. The master of all masters, the master over all, is Jesus Christ (Mt. 28:18, 1 Tim. 6:15). The key to our mastering temptation is based on the person and work of Jesus Christ, trusting Him as Savior and Lord, and living for the glory of God based on God’s Holy Word for His people today.

Here are ten biblical principles to help you overcome temptation to sin and overcome spiritual enemies of God:

1) Trust God; He’s Powerful and He’s faithful to His people.

2) Pray for victory over your temptation.

3) Keep God's Word close to your heart. 

4) Christ followers are to stand strong in the Lord and put on the full armor of God.

5) Holistically submit yourself to godliness.

6) Abstain, resist, and flee from what’s wrong in the eyes of God. Don’t just say “no” to temptation to sin, say “yes” to holiness and godliness in Christ.

7) Be an overcomer by faith in Christ. 

8) Be an overcomer with good.

9) Walk the way of the wise and understand the Lord’s will.

10) Do all to the glory of God.

Think of this spiritual war in terms of your offense and defense. The offense includes preparing for battle, preparing for the attacks of the enemies of God, building on the foundation of Christ day to day with increased faith in Him, learning and living out biblical principles individually and in Christian community, and honoring the Lord. I call this The Holy Foundation Stage. This is how we are to live daily according to God’s Word. Then there is the defense that includes responding to specific temptations by crying out to Christ and praying some ‘go to’ prayers and Bible verses, and reaching out to mature Christ followers for help. I call this The Holy Fighting Stage. Consistently overcoming temptation must include both of these stages.

God provides and promises His people all kinds of help in the battle with temptation and sin.  

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 2 Pet. 1:3-4 ESV

If a person is willing to trust Christ and apply these biblical principles, I believe they will begin to experience more and more victory over the temptation to sin, and healing and freedom from a struggle like addiction. You can read this link for the longer version of the above principles, which includes several Bible verses (http://mikesmorals.blogspot.com/2014/10/overcoming-temptation.html).

For some people, I believe they can receive help with their addiction by participating in a group program or ministry. Celebrate Recovery (CR) is one such ministry. I’ll summarize it for you.

CR began two decades ago in a CA church and is now global, being used in 20,000+ churches and other locations. At the core of the CR ministry is Jesus Christ, His Word, the Christian 12 steps for recovery, 8 recovery principles based on the Beatitudes, and a community of Christ-followers who help CR participants through recovery and spiritual growth in Christ. And it has worked and continues to work in many lives; to the glory of God.

CR is designed to provide a safe place to find freedom and healing, in Christ, from life’s hurts, hang-ups, and negative habits including addiction and any other issue that keeps people from being all that God wants them to be. There is a celebration of God’s healing power through the recovery process which is based on the power of Christ through God’s Word and His people. The entry level to a weekly CR ministry has a large co-ed group in the first hour that includes worship, teaching and/or a testimony of life change in Christ, and some fellowship. Then participants have the opportunity to open up in a same-gender small group setting and possibly in one-one-one coaching/accountability relationships.

Here are a couple of the recovery steps, principles, and verses used in CR:

Step 1. We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors. That our lives had become unmanageable.

Romans 7:18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.

Principle 2 Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and that He has the power to help me recover.

Philippians 2:13 For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

Step 3. We made a decision to turn our lives and our wills over to the care of God.

Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.

Principle 5 Voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects.

Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires, Matthew 5:6a

You can see all the CR steps, principles, and their corresponding verses at http://mikesmorals.blogspot.com/2015/02/celebrate-recovery-8-principles-12-steps.html

One key component of CR is the testimony. People who have been experiencing recovery and spiritual growth in Christ, people who have been healed of hurt, hang-ups, and/or addictive habits share their testimony to the participants of CR. Praise God! This can be a powerful ministry tool for the person sharing, their own healing journey, and to impact people’s hearts who are also on a journey of recovery or need to be. There is hope in Christ!

You can go to CelebrateRecovery.com to find out more about this ministry and to find a CR location near you.

Regardless of the addiction, hurt, hang-up, or habit in your life or loved one’s life there is hope in Jesus Christ!

God bless you and your loved ones.

What are your thoughts on Jesus Christ, His Word, and His redeemed helping people experience healing and freedom from addiction?

Mike

Note: the above notes are not intended to be a comprehensive look into the issue of addiction or give the impression that helping someone struggling with addiction is a simple quick process. My goal was to share a little bit about addiction and point to the hope that exists in Jesus Christ working through His Word and working in and through His people. 

Praise the Lord

Here’s a demonstration of “praise” time in some youth meetings I attended in the past. “Who has a praise they want to share? Come on, I know some of you have a praise.” One youth says, “Oh! Oh! I got an ‘A’ on my math test.” Another youth says, “We didn’t have school Friday because of the snow.” And on and on they go. The ministry leader asks for praises and the youth are sort of programmed into sharing something ‘feel good’ that has happened to them or someone else. Is this what praising God is all about? No, there’s more to it.

One of my favorite “praise God” chapters in God’s Word is Psalm 150 which provides us with some basic answers to five question words regarding praising God.

1) WHAT? 

vs. 1a Praise the LORD!

“Praise” is the action and “the Lord” is the object of that action.

When I was very young I remember singing a song in Children’s Church; half the group sang one part and the other half sang the other part. It went something like this: “Praise Ye the Lord, Hallelujah!” It was very simple and catchy. What does “Praise Ye the Lord” have to do with Hallelujah? They mean the same thing.

“Hallelujah” is the Hebrew word for “praise ye Yahweh.” The first part means to shine, make a show, boast, rave, celebrate, commend, magnify, glorify, honor, be worthy of praise. The second part means “Yahweh” or “Jehovah” which is God’s sacred name that comes from the four letter Hebrew word that states “I am who I am”, the name God revealed to Moses thru a burning bush.

2) WHERE? 

vs. 1b Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens!

Sanctuary is a consecrated place which in this verse likely refers to the physical temple sanctuary where Hebrews worshiped God.

His Mighty Heavens refers to the expanse of space that is over the earth like a dome; the visible arch of the sky. This Hebrew word is found several times in Genesis 1 describing the creation of God such as the water, land, and sky. God is the Creator of the Heavens and the earth and we are to praise Him as we walk down the beach, hike the mountains, camp in the woods, or hang out in a church building. We are to praise the Lord everywhere and anywhere.

3) WHY? 

vs. 2 Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!

Perhaps you don’t think it is a big deal that the caterpillar becomes a butterfly or that the lilies float, then how about the oceans, the mountains, the stars and solar systems? Have you ever been far away from a city, outside on a clear night looking up into the sky? It is amazing! That is fruit from God almighty. He made the stars, the sun and beauty in nature and living creatures. His mighty deeds are too numerous to list and we can’t even understand all that He has done, but I know this, His works are amazing! Amen?

God wants His mighty acts to be seen, to be known. He wants you and me to talk about them not only to other people but also to God as a praise to Him.

His Excellent Greatness refers to who God is. We should be ongoing learners of His nature, essence, character, and attributes. For example, God is spirit, love, holy, all-knowing, self-existent, eternal, just, merciful, and on and on.

4) HOW? 

vs. 3-5 Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

We can praise the Lord by using musical instruments. Three primary types are present here: wind, stringed, and percussion. I like that there is variety and God likes variety. Also, the sounds from these instruments are attention getting not some sort of soft mellow-out put me to sleep music. We are to celebrate God when we praise Him.

This passage also mentions dancing as another example of how to praise God. I kind of envision this to be like Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music movie when she was skipping around on the hilltops singing “the hills are alive with the sound of music.” This is not about some sort of sensual dancing which is so popular in our culture today.

5) WHO? 

vs. 6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!

I remember years ago, before I came to LU for seminary, when I heard the Youth Quest singing team from LU visit the church I was part of (GABC in Richmond, VA) and sing a song that stood out to me. The title and main chorus was “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.” It moved me. I was actually not familiar with this Bible verse at the time, but sometime later I came across it in my studies and drew the connection of this moving song I once heard and the powerful Holy Word of God.  Everything that has breath definitely includes me and you.

Is there any doubt what Psalm 150 is about and what we should be doing? This Psalm writer is emphatically proclaiming the importance of praising God. All these verses should end with the exclamation point.  “Praise” occurs 13 times in this chapter of 6 verses which is at least twice per verse. Emphasis is used here to get our attention. Does God have your attention; to praise Him according to His Word?

John Wesley was a great Evangelist a couple hundred years ago who founded the Methodist movement and whose name the Weslyan church is named after. I read somewhere that when he laid on his deathbed at the age of 88 those who gathered around him realized how well he had learned the lesson of praising God in every circumstance. Despite Wesley's extreme weakness, he began singing the hymn, "I'll Praise My Maker While I've Breath" based on Psalm 150:6.

God is so praiseworthy; and we are to praise Him for who He is and what He does, through different God-honoring means, anywhere, anytime! Let’s do this, let’s praise the Lord according to His Word for His glory! Amen!

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!

What are your thoughts about praising the Lord according to God’s Holy Word?

Mike

Celebrate Recovery 8 Principles & 12 Steps

8 Principles & 12 Steps

1) Realize I’m not God. I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and my life is unmanageable.

Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor, Matthew 5:3a

Step 1. We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors. That our lives had become unmanageable.

Romans 7:18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.

2) Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and that He has the power to help me recover.

Happy are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4

Step 2. We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

Philippians 2:13 For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

3) Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control.

Happy are the meek, Matthew 5:5a

Step 3. We made a decision to turn our lives and our wills over to the care of God.

Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.

4) Openly examine and confess my faults to myself, to God, and to someone I trust.

Happy are the pure in heart, Matthew 5:8a

Step 4. We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

Lamentations 3:40 Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD.

Step 5. We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being, the exact nature of our wrongs.

James 5:16a Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

5) Voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects.

Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires, Matthew 5:6a

Step 6. We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Step 7. We humbly asked Him to remove all our shortcomings.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

6) Evaluate all my relationships. Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I’ve done to others, except when to do so would harm them or others.

Happy are the merciful, .. Happy are the peacemakers, Matthew 5:7a, 9a

Step 8. We made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.

Luke 6:31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Step 9. We made direct amends to such people whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

Matthew 5:23-24 Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

7) Reserve a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to follow His will.

Step 10. We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.

1 Corinthians 10:12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!

Step 11. We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and power to carry that out.

Colossians 3:16a Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly.

8) Yield myself to be used by God to bring this Good News to others, both by my example and by my words.

Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires. Matthew 5:10a

Step 12. Having had a spiritual experience as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others, and practice these principles in all our affairs.

Galatians 6:1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.

Note: Matthew 5 verses above are based on TEV & NIV; Step Bible verses are NIV

Advent

The word “advent” is from the Latin word “adventus” which means “coming.”  In the Old Testament of God’s Word (i.e. Isaiah 53), it is clear that the Messiah Savior was predicted to come in the future.  In the New Testament of God’s Word (i.e. Gospels of Matthew-John), it is clear that the Messiah Savior came as Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  We can call this event, the First Coming of Christ, the First Advent of Christ when He came as the Sacrificial Servant Savior.  It is also clear in God’s Word (i.e. Revelation of Jesus Christ) that Christ will come again.  We can call this future event, the Second Coming of Christ, the Second Advent of Christ when He will come as King Lord who will then fully establish His reigning kingdom on earth.

Observances such as an Advent season before Christmas, an Advent wreath with candles, Advent fasting, etc.. are of traditional origin and there have been different variations on how different Christians and Churches observe these Advent related traditions.  In General, this observance of Advent occurs on the four Sundays before Christmas which means, the first Sunday of the Advent season this year, 2015, is November 29^th.

There is typically an emphasis on honoring the birth of Christ, repenting, and looking forward to Christ’s return, especially being spiritually faithful to Christ and ready for His return.  An Advent wreath may be used along with a candle being lit each Sunday in the Advent season.

Some Christians and churches as a whole don’t emphasize some of the traditional observances of Advent.  For example, most of the churches I’ve been a part of in the south have not emphasized the traditional observances of Advent but they/we have emphasized the importance of both comings of Christ, trusting Christ as Savior and Lord, proclaiming Him as such, and living for the glory of God. Whether the Lord leads you to participate in some form of Advent observation or not, be sure to give God the glory and may the Biblical truth of the first and second coming of Christ lead you to an increased faith in God and more consistent God-honoring obedience in response to Christ.

Jesus Christ has come once, died for our sins and rose in victory over sin and death, and Jesus Christ is coming again as King of Kings Lord of Lords. Are you trusting Him (Rom. 10:9)? Are you living for Him (Col. 1:16)? Are you ready for His return (Mt. 24:44)?

What are your thoughts about Advent?

                                                         

Pastor Mike

Thanking God for Everything

We are to thank God even in difficult times.

Matthew Henry, a famous Bible Scholar of 250 years ago was robbed one day of all his money he had in the world. He wrote this in his diary afterwards, “What reason have I to be thankful to God, that having travelled so much, yet I was never robbed before now.” "Life of the Rev. Matthew Henry", in Christian Biography (1799), p.66

Helen Keller, a blind and deaf Christian, wrote, “I thank God for my handicaps. Through them I have found myself, my work and my God.” The Preacher’s Commentary: Luke; Bruce Larson; Thomas Nelson Publishers

Those are examples of having an God-honoring attitude of gratitude through a difficult experience.

At a minimum level of thanking God we are to do so out of obligation to thank Him as our Creator and the source of blessings.

Ps. 107:1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!

Heb. 13:15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

Psalm 150:6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!

God is worthy and deserving of our praise and thanksgiving.

As we mature in thanking God we thank Him regardless of our circumstances.

1 Thess. 5:18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

At this level, in every situation, we can always find something to be thankful for. We can look away from what is negative or wrong and focus on what’s right and give thanks. When the glass is half empty remember to be thankful for the half full part.

At our most mature level of thanking God we can thank Him for everything.

Ephesians 5:18b, 20 ..be filled with the Spirit, ²⁰ giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

At this level we are being thankful to God in all things. This is when you trust God knowing that God knows best and He cares about you, loves you, and ultimately provides for His people. What seems bad to you, you still thank God for it, even things you would not chose for yourself to experience like a health crisis, great sorrow, or huge need. We acknowledge to God that this is the very thing right now He is using according to His will even if we don’t understand it all but we know He loves His redeemed and we trust Him and thank Him even for this thing that seems so negative.

We are to have an ongoing attitude of gratitude that honors God. I want to point out three biblical principles related to gratitude based on an encounter Jesus had with ten lepers.

Luke 17:11-14 ESV On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. ¹² And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance
¹³ and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” ¹⁴ When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed.

1) Jesus is Merciful and Gracious to People.  

Some lepers noticed Jesus walking by and they cried out to Him for mercy, for compassion toward them, for they were in great need. Jesus saw them and told them to go get checked out by the priests. It was the task of the Jewish Priests to examine people to determine whether they were lepers or not. Infected people were isolated and could not return to normal society unless declared cleansed.

Jesus told these men to go show themselves to the priest and on the way they were healed. I’m not sure about the faith of all these lepers (the faith of one of them is highlighted by Jesus later in this passage) but they did what Jesus told them to do. When they started in the direction of the priests they were physically healed of their skin disease. Wow! They each received an incredible grace gift from God. The healing was not something earned or paid for. Jesus healed them according to His grace.

Luke 17:15-16 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; ¹⁶ and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.

One of the ten healed lepers was pumped up with genuine gratitude toward God, toward Jesus. And notice this man’s humility, returning back to and presenting himself at the feet of Jesus. And this man was a Samaritan, as well. Jews and Samaritans mostly hated each other, yet this foreigner was the one who thanked Jesus, a Jew, in person.

Many people don’t realize that God’s common grace is blessing everyone; things like sunshine, gravity, oxygen, food supplies, a beating heart, etc…And then there are moments like in this passage, when God extends His special grace. We have much to thank God about on a regular basis and we don’t need to wait for some sort of sensational miracle to take place to do so but when such a thing does occur we should give some serious shout out praise and thanks to the Lord God Almighty!

Only when we acknowledge God as the merciful and gracious provider of blessings in our lives, do we begin to comprehend our need for God in a more personal way and begin to express a greater living faith in Him and deeper gratitude toward Him.

Paul basically wrote in Romans 1 that God created the universe and within the heart of every human is a basic awareness of the reality of God and apart from thankfulness awareness of God will be suppressed. In vs21, Paul wrote….they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

At the heart of those who reject God is a resolute unwillingness to thank Him. May we not reject God and may we not be unthankful to God. We have so much to thank God for. Jesus is merciful and gracious to people.

2) Jesus Notices Ingratitude

Luke 17:17-18 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?
¹⁸ Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”

These questions were rhetorical. Jesus knew the answers and He didn’t like the truth that nine of the ten healed men showed no gratitude toward Him. That was outrageous considering Jesus just gave them amazing grace, dramatic healing.

The life of a leper back then was horrible. These lepers were outcasts with painful disease in which the Bible implies was incurable in Bible times without a miracle. You would have expected all ten men to run to Jesus and thank Him for a fresh new start to life, but only one did and he was not even a Jew.

“How grateful the men should have been for the providence of God that brought Jesus into their area, for the love that caused Him to pay attention to them and their need, and for the grace and power of God that brought about their healing.” Warren Wiersbe

The Bible Exposition Commentary; New Testament, Volume 1, Matthew-Galatians; Warren Wiersbe, David C. Cook Publ., p244

These healed men should have jumped up and down and formed an impromptu men’s chorus and sung some Psalms of thanksgiving and praise.

Thanklessness is all too common among people. Ingratitude is the way of sin, the way of the world, but God-honoring gratitude is the way of God’s people.

Before we look down on these ungrateful healed lepers, what about our attitude of gratitude toward God? How often do we take our blessings for granted and fail to thank the Lord? Too often we are content to enjoy the gift but we forget the Giver. We are quick to pray for help but slow to praise the Helper. Let’s not be ungrateful. Let’s thank the Lord.

Jesus is merciful and gracious to people.  Jesus notices ingratitude. And

3) Christ-centered Gratitude Goes Well with Saving Faith

Something additional happened to this one grateful healed man.

Luke 17:19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

All ten lepers were physically healed but only the one who returned to thank Christ had Jesus say “your faith has made you well.” The literal translation here in the Greek is “your faith has saved you.”

He was made well in a deeper way, I believe, a spiritual way. There is more going on here with this man than physical healing. The other nine were declared clean physically by the priest, no doubt, but this one grateful man was declared saved by the Son of God. I don’t believe this was saved from just leprosy suffering or living a shorter life because of leprosy, but saved spiritually.

While it is wonderful to experience the miracle of physical healing, it is even more wonderful to experience the miracle of spiritual healing in Christ. We don’t have all the details in the Bible text, but I believe this grateful man returned to Jesus not just viewing Jesus as the Master physical healer, but also the Master of all Masters, the Master of his salvation, the man’s needed Savior. And so, I think it is worthy to notice here the connection between Christ-centered gratitude and saving faith. Thanking Christ draws us to Him and His people are to thank Him often. Amen!

Having a God-honoring attitude of gratitude is a personal decision you and I have to make moment to moment in life.

Ps. 107:1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!

Giving thanks to God is not blind gratitude. There is always much to be thankful for rooted in who He is and what He does. An attitude of gratitude is a life-changing decision. Notice the “Oh” at the beginning of Ps 107:1; something important is to follow. There is passion here. Give thanks to the Lord! Amen!

This grateful healed leper in Luke 17 came back praising God and yet he still had enormous problems. He had been an outcast and he had to integrate back into society, relationships, and routines. He is praising God even in the midst of his unsolved problems. Each of us likely has a problem right now. Let’s think about how we can praise God in that present problem.

Instead of complaining about and worrying about our problems, let’s focus, rather, on the belief that God is bigger than the problem and is present right now in the middle of this difficult thing we’re caught up in. Say, “God, I praise You and thank You. You are bigger than the struggle I’m going through.”

Here are three questions to ask ourselves, to help us develop an attitude of gratitude that is God-honoring.

1) Am I a grateful person, regardless of my circumstances and feelings?

2) Am I seeing the blessings of gratitude in my life? These blessings can be the acknowledgement of and experience of real joy, peace, and contentment in Christ.

3) Am I choosing gratitude over ingratitude and complaining?

Note: I adapted these questions and the three levels of gratitude at the top of the blog from “Lord, Change My Attitude Before It’s Too Late,” James MacDonald; Moody Publ.; Chp2

Let’s ask ourselves these questions now, moment to moment, and day by day. Let’s learn from God’s Word about who God is and what God has done, is doing, and will do and let’s thank Him and praise Him.  Try journaling what you are thanking God for.  Recognize God’s sovereignty in your life and give Him thanks in all circumstances for everything. This is biblical. This is God’s will. This is for the glory of God. Let’s cultivate an attitude of gratitude toward God. It will open our hearts to further blessings and it glorifies and pleases God.

On my office wall is a framed sign that includes the phrase “an attitude of gratitude.” Some Christian friends (the Salvatores) of our family heard me use this phrase so often at church that they thought of me when they came across this sign and wanted me to have it. It is a reminder, to me and others who see it, of the importance of having an attitude of gratitude. What do you have to remind you to have an attitude of gratitude?

And oh, by the way, the greatest thing to be thankful for is salvation in Christ. If you are reading this and you have never given your life over to Christ, there is great news and hope: God loves you with amazing love. He died for your sins to pay the penalty of God’s wrath for your sins to bring you to God. Praise God, the Son of God rose in victory over sin and death and wants you to be in relationship with God now and forever.

Respond to God now from your heart with faith upon Jesus. Give your life over to Jesus as your Savior and keep asking Him daily to help you live for Him as the Lord of your life according to Holy Scripture. If you have never made this life commitment to Christ, then why not right now, right where you are, within your heart, respond to God’s call to you to give your life over to Jesus Christ and live for His glory. Thanks be to God for His amazing gift of salvation in Christ. Here's a summary of the great news of Jesus: http://mikesmorals.blogspot.com/2013/09/great-news-gods-plan-for-true-life.html

And remember, let’s thank God for everything, in Christ, and let’s have an ongoing God-honoring attitude of gratitude.  

What are your thoughts about thanking God for everything and having a consistent God-honoring attitude of gratitude.

Mike