God

Giving Thanks — November 4
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Giving Thanks — November 4

“Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.  For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.“
Colossians 1:12-13 (NIV)

After photographing them every chance I get over a period of many years now, I never get tired of seeing a brand new sunrise or sunset.  In fact, I get rather disappointed when I have the availability of time at the beginning or end of a day and the clouds keep me from seeing the sun coming or going in its usual splendor.  I find darkness and dimly lit days, or rooms, depressing.  I suppose that is part of the reason I am so thankful that I serve a God who has called me into His glorious light.

In Jesus Christ, we are rescued from the power and authority of the darkness of this world so that we may share in the kingdom of light with those who, through faith, have already obtained that inheritance.  One of the problems of light, though, is that it exposes the things that can be hidden by darkness.  Things which often show us to be less than what others want or expect.  Yet I am thankful it is not those things either hidden by darkness or exposed by light that determines my eternal destination.  No, it is God who qualifies me through the blood of His Son, Jesus, to walk in His light both now and forevermore.

It is my prayer that I would never forget who has brought me into this kingdom of light and His desire for all to dwell within it.  I pray that my thankfulness to God for His work in qualifying me for this kingdom would extend to being thankful to Him for qualifying you also.  May each one of us not only know that we have been qualified by God for His kingdom, but may we also answer that call by stepping out of whatever darkness that we have become comfortable in.  And give thanks to God for those who have lived, and currently live, as examples of faithfulness within the kingdom of light.  

In prayer,
Tom  

How To Give THANKS! (Sermon Audio)
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How To Give THANKS! (Sermon Audio)

 

This will serve as the November 3 post in the series I am writing this month on giving thanks.  This is the audio from the November 3, 2019 sermon, “How To Give THANKS”, shared by Tom Lemler at the North Wayne Mennonite Church.

Text: Psalm 100, 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Anyhow, this version of “How To Give THANKS” is based around a “made-for-the-movies” stereotypical family thanksgiving day.  Here are six things I think we can learn about giving thanks from a traditional Thanksgiving Day gathering:

We give thanks to God, and to others, when we give:

  • Turkey:
    • Hebrews 5:11-14 —   I know, you probably have the same reaction that the congregation did this morning — “What?  Did he say what I thought I heard?  He didn’t just say turkey, did he?”.  Yep, I said turkey!  When you think of Thanksgiving, for most people, the first thing that comes to mind is turkey.  It is the traditional main course, the very center and substance to the meal which surrounds it.  When I say, “give turkey”, that is what I mean — give thanks with substance and meat at its very heart.  Don’t settle for simply mouthing the words thank you when you can give thanks with turkey — with real depth and meaning behind it.  This is a thanks that settles in and satisfies the deepest reaches of a person’s being.
  • Humor: 
    • Psalm 126:2-3 –Without a good sense of humor, Thanksgiving and other family gatherings can fall apart quite quickly.  We give thanks when we don’t take our self too seriously.  God says that a cheerful, or merry, heart is good medicine!  I believe that there are boundaries that need to be kept when it comes to humor but laughter is not only good for the spirit, it is good for the body.  This is not only true of an individual but it applies to a family, or a church family, as well.  Don’t take every situation more seriously than it ought to be taken.  True joy can shine through brightly when you give thanks with humor.
  • Abundance:
    • 2 Peter 1:2, John 10:10 — Does anything symbolize the American Thanksgiving Day gathering any more than a table overflowing with every variety of food imaginable — a table of Abundance?  Jesus said He came to not only give us life, but to give us life abundantly!  Do you give thanks with abundance, or just enough to get by?  When we want to celebrate or to remember great things, we would likely never ask how little can I do and still look good.  No, we would examine our resources of every kind to determine how abundantly can I celebrate to make my joy known to all.  When we want to express deep-felt thankfulness it ought to be the same way — not what do I have to do but how much can I do.  Your generosity overflows when you give thanks with abundance.
  • Naps:
    • 1 John 3:18-20 — Ahhh . . . turkey, plenty of good humor, an abundance of food . . . I’m tired.  What good Thanksgiving Day gathering would be complete without a Nap?  We give thanks when we give Naps!  When we allow a person to relax and rest we communicate that we value both them and their time.  If every interaction with a person has you walking away knowing that they expect something from you it is not likely that you will feel a true appreciation regardless of any words of thanks.  Resting is a God-given concept and gift that we typically don’t use enough ourself and seldom think to give to others.  The sabbath concept, a day of rest, is connected by God to the fact that on the seventh day He rested from His work of creation.  We, and those around us, are more tolerable when we give thanks with naps.
  • Kindness:
    • Ephesians 4:31-32 — What family gathering is complete without that cousin that’s . . . well, he’s just different.  Regardless of his different looks, different political views, different lifestyle, different pie preference, or different whatever, he is part of the family so we give Kindness.  Extending kindness doesn’t mean that we agree or approve of everything about him — we may pray and work desperately to influence positive change in his life.  It does mean, however, that we acknowledge his value as a person and do our best to include him in the family celebration of the Thanksgiving Day gathering.  We all sin and find our self in need of God’s greatest kindness — the undeserved gift of forgiveness and salvation through the blood of His Son, Jesus!  It is this example that we must follow when we give thanks with kindness.
  • Sweets:
    • Proverbs 16:24 — Finally, the part that no one really needs but no Thanksgiving Day gathering is complete without — Sweets!  Take away the pie, the ice cream, the cookies, the fudge, the chocolate, the candies, and the other desserts and what do you have?  You have one very unhappy and disappointed family!  Sweets are those over-and-above extras in life that shout “thank you” in ways that little else can.  When we really want to give thanks, we adopt an “and then some” attitude.  We do what is expected and required . . . and then some.  We walk the extra mile.  We take the extra time.  We give the extra attention.  With our actions we say loudly, “you’re worth it!”.  Just as dessert completes the Thanksgiving Day gathering, our expressions of gratitude are completed when we give thanks with sweets.

So, how are you at giving THANKS?  I pray that as you gather with others this Thanksgiving day, and any other day, you would give “Turkey”, give Humor, give Abundance, give Naps, give Kindness, and give Sweets!

Giving Thanks — November 2
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Giving Thanks — November 2

“Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.“
Proverbs 25:25 (NIV)

As I continue contemplating yesterday’s thought of being thankful for the indescribable gift of God that we have been given through His Son, Jesus, I am also thankful for the refreshing that comes from the good news found in God’s Word.  There has been no greater distance traveled in the sharing of good news to mankind than the journey Jesus made from heaven to earth.  As ambassadors of God’s kingdom, we have the privilege and responsibility to share that good news with others so they too would be refreshed.

As I thought about the above verse from Proverbs, I began to recall times when cold water has been most refreshing to me.  There were the summer days as a youth stacking hay in the uppermost parts of the barn, the garden work under the blazing sun, the early adult years working on a commercial roofing crew where the only thing hotter than the air temperature was the hot tar being used to lay the fiberglass roofing felt, and summer days when the outside work just had to be done regardless of the difficulty.  In all of those times, and so many more, there is a forgotten part that takes place just before the refreshing — the shock!

Sometimes the truth of God’s Word is such a shock to the way we’ve been living life that we’re not so sure we want the refreshing it offers — or if it even has the ability to refresh at all.  I am thankful that life has taught me the momentary shock of a tall glass of ice cold water is worth the eventual refreshing that it brings.  I am more thankful that God’s Word brings a lasting refreshment to my life that is so powerful the shock of conviction and needed change melts away quickly as the love of God transforms my heart, mind, and soul.

I pray that you and I would be thankful each day for the good news of the transforming power of Jesus that comes from a land so far away yet so very close.  

In prayer,
Tom  

Giving Thanks — November 1
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Giving Thanks — November 1

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! “
2 Corinthians 9:15 (NIV)

I think I would be rather amiss if I began a series on giving thanks without an umbrella focus of being thankful for God.  The gifting I receive from God is so multi-faceted that it would be impossible to list all of it without missing something.  Yet most of the list would be things I could describe once I recognized I had received it.  The one gift that I’ll never be able to fully describe (at least not until I see Him face to face, and then there would be no point in describing it) is the gift God has given of Himself.  There is so much wrapped up in this indescribable gift that I’m sure elements of it will be present in most of this series of giving thanks posts.  And while there is an element of God giving and me receiving because God has given Himself, I will still use this as a reminder to simply be thankful for God.

For me, God is at the very center of my ability to be thankful.  Yes, I know people who don’t believe in God yet live with varying degrees of thankfulness.  But even without their recognition of it, He is generally the source of that for which they are thankful.  Being thankful for God, and the gift of Himself through Jesus, helps me to acknowledge His goodness as the provider of every “good and perfect gift”.  Beginning each day with a genuine thankfulness to God for Jesus helps me to have a thankful attitude when the day doesn’t go as I would wish or plan.  When I am truly thankful for God’s grace extended to me each day, I find it is much easier to remain thankful when I need to extend that same grace to others.

As I spend this month thinking, and writing, about being more thankful, I pray that you and I would always begin by being thankful for God’s indescribable gift!

In prayer,
Tom  

Giving Thanks — October 31
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Giving Thanks — October 31

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus to you.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ASV)

It is that time of year again, at least here where I live, that people begin to think about being thankful.  Actually, I don’t know if there is a real increase in the level of gratitude or just in the expression of it; but either way, thankfulness becomes more visible and that’s a good thing.

So, what better way to start a series on giving thanks than with the above verses from First Thessalonians where we find it is God’s will that we give thanks in all circumstances.  You’ve likely heard time and time again that one of the keys to this command is the simple word, “in”.  With that one little word, we find instruction to be thankful even in the midst of things that no one would be particularly thankful for.  One of the benefits of a national Thanksgiving Holiday is that it tends to lead many to consider the things for which they are thankful regardless of their current circumstances.

Also key to being able to give thanks in everything is the command to rejoice always.  Our level of gratitude is usually tightly connected to our attitude.  Choosing to live with a joyful heart will lead each of us to a greater recognition of the many things for which we ought to be thankful . . . even in the midst of difficult circumstances.  As a Christian there are many things that should lead to greater rejoicing, but at the top of that list should be the knowledge that our name is written in the Book of Life.  When we choose to “rejoice in the Lord”, it will be in that act of rejoicing that we find much to be thankful for.

But even more important than rejoicing, I believe the command to pray without ceasing may be the greatest key in learning to give thanks in all circumstances.  You see, all of these (rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks) are God’s will for us and prayer is the communication tool that connects us with the heart and will of God regardless of the circumstances of life surrounding us.  When we pray about the good things of life, we will find we are more thankful to the One who provides them all.  When we pray about the difficult things of life, we discover One in whom we can be thankful as He has the understanding, power, ability, and desire to hold us and carry us through all things.

It is my prayer that each of us would take to heart the message of God’s Word and continually grow in our practice of giving thanks in all circumstances — not just in a season of Thanksgiving, but every day God gives us life here on earth.

In prayer,
Tom  

One Wish
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One Wish

If I had one wish
that I knew would come true.
Would I spend it on me,
or give it to you?
If I had one wish
that could ease someone’s pain.
Would I wish for more sunshine,
or maybe more rain?
If I had one wish
that could right something wrong.
Would I cast someone out,
or help them belong?
If I had one wish
that could fill someone’s cup.
Would I worry about mine,
or fill theirs right up?

If I had one wish
that I knew would come true.
I don’t have to guess
about what I would do.
Far more than a wish,
God has called me to pray.
And my heart is revealed,
in what I do say.
As I pray for my brothers
and those in great need.
Do I pray with compassion,
or words filled with greed?
My prayers have more power
than any wish could.
So I look out for others,
when I pray like I should.
© 2019 by Tom Lemler

I’m not sure if there will be more to these rhyming lines eventually, or not, but here’s what fell out of my head this afternoon.

In prayer,

Tom

Living As ONE! (Sermon Audio)
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Living As ONE! (Sermon Audio)

 

This is the audio from the October 6, 2019 sermon, “Living As ONE!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the North Wayne Mennonite Church.

Text: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27

Here are the main points from the sermon:

Being one in Christ means we learn to live as:

  • Obedient:
    • 1 Corinthians 12:15-16, 2 Corinthians 10:5 —  Living as one with Christ and with one another will require a steadfast pursuit of an obedient life.  One key to bringing our actions into obedience to the will of God is learning to “take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ.”  Our obedience to Christ will lead us to do the work that God uniquely created us to do.  Not only do we grow in obedience to Christ, our living as one should lead us to a greater obedience or submission to one another.  .
  • Necessary: 
    • 1 Corinthians 12:17-21, Ephesians 4:11-16 — Living as one with Christ will also require a recognition of how necessary we are as a part of His body.  Our culture seems to have trained us in the very bad habit of evaluating a person’s usefulness based on a standard that doesn’t take into account what each person was created to do.  When we come to understand that we are vital to the well-being of the body as a whole, we are more likely to live as one with those who bring different gifts and abilities to the body.
  • Enough:
    • 1 Corinthians 12:22-25, Romans 15:5-14 — Living as one with Christ will also require that we accept that we are enough just as Christ made us.  To be fair and honest, this isn’t an excuse to quit growing and improving.  God’s desire is that we would always give Him our best and be our best in our interactions with others.  What it does mean, however, is that when we offer ourselves fully to the work of the Lord, what we offer is enough.  We don’t have to become what someone else is or what they want us to be — in fact, doing so would often lessen the effectiveness of the body as it would be missing the part we were created to be!  

Choosing to live as ONE will always have to begin with me.  I must live as Obedient, Necessary, and Enough before I can expect that from others.  Because we are part of one body, the body of Christ, after applying these lessons to ourselves we then begin to see how each attribute benefits the body.  Our obedience prospers when it is built on the Word of God and grows out of submission to one another.  Our sense of belonging grows when we realize just how necessary we are and how equally necessary all of the other members of the body are.  Our value is measured accurately when we no longer have to measure up to the standards and expectations of another person whose task is different than ours.  When the body functions as one and each part of the body lives as Obedient, Necessary, and Enough, we will make great strides in being the disciples God has called us to be and the witnesses for Jesus that He needs us to be.

Praying For the BEST! (Sermon Audio)
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Praying For the BEST! (Sermon Audio)

 

This is the audio from the September 29, 2019 sermon, “Praying For the BEST!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Philippians 1:9-11

Here are the main points from the sermon:

When it comes to praying for the best, ask God to give you His:

  • Benefits:
    • Psalms 103:2-5, Romans 6:22 —  While our culture has gradually changed the concept of employee benefits to being something that is earned or deserved, it hasn’t always been this way.  For many generations, the “benefit package” was something a company gave to benefit their employees in ways that were above and beyond what they earned.  I believe it is in that former context that we pray for, and receive, the best benefits a person could ever obtain.  These benefits are completely unearned and belong to all who come into relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.  When we pray for the best benefits, we find that God is generous in supplying so much more than we could think or imagine because what He supplies will last for eternity.
  • Equipment: 
    • Ephesians 6:10-13, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 — At least in my life, and I suspect the same is true for many of you, much has been accomplished with whatever tools happened to be available when the work needed done.  What I’ve learned over the years, as better tools became available to me, is that using the best equipment generally yields a result that is far superior to most of my “make do” efforts.  As we live the Christian life, God has offered to equip us with the absolute best tools possible if we would only go to Him in prayer.  In fact, prayer itself is at the top of the list of the best equipment we can have in living a life of victory over the temptations of the evil one.  When we pray for the best equipment, God clothes us with His armor so that on the day of evil we may stand.
  • Strategy:
    • Isaiah 55:8-9, Psalms 119:1 — Growing up in a culture that has taught us that we not only can have it our way, but we deserve it our way, makes it difficult to accept that our way isn’t the best way.  Growing up on a farm I learned that it was possible to accomplish just about anything given enough time and determination.  Looking back I realize there were many things accomplished that took much more time and effort than they would have had to simply because I didn’t know the best way to do them.  Too often we settle for mediocrity, or worse, because we insist our ways and plans are somehow superior to anything else.  We will only experience the best when we realize and accept that God’s ways are so much better in every aspect than ours.  When we pray for the best strategy, we must begin from a position of listening with a blank slate rather than asking God to bless a strategy we have come up with either on our own or through observing others.
  • Testimony:
    • 1 John 5:9-12, John 4:39-42 — How people respond to what you say has a lot to do with how they perceive the authenticity of your testimony.  I suspect we have all received unsolicited advice throughout our life that we simply ignored because there was no evidence that the advice being given had in any way benefited the person giving it.  Our prayers for the best testimony begin to be answered when we accept the testimony of God about His Son, Jesus.  It is then through living out an authentic relationship with Jesus that we find our testimony about His working in our life is a powerful tool in helping others even have a desire to know Him.  When we pray for the best testimony God doesn’t make it more dramatic, He simply shows us how even the small details of our life have a purpose when we use them to share with others how we are a witness of God’s love and power.

Praying for the best will mean we truly want the best. When we pray for the Benefits, Equipment, Strategy, and Testimony that only God can give, we discover He has answered our prayer and filled us with the very best He has — His Son.