Reflections in The WORD

Latest Posts

I am Thanking You Now

Published by reflectionsintheword

I am not going to wait until I see results or receive rewards…
…I am thanking You now.

I am not going to wait until I feel better or things look better…
…I am thanking You now.

I am not going to wait until the pain in my body disappears…
…I am thanking You now.

I am not going to wait until my financial situation improves…
…I am thanking You now.

I am not going to wait until the children are asleep and the house is quiet…
…I am thanking You now.

I am not going to wait until I get promoted at work or get the job I want…
…I am thanking You now.

I am not going to wait until I understand every experience in my life that has caused me pain or grief…
…I am thanking You now.

I am not going to wait until the journey gets easier or the challenges are removed…
…I am thanking You now.

I am thanking You because I am alive!

I am thanking You because I have the ability and the opportunity to do more and do better.

I am thanking You because… Father… You haven’t given up on me.

I am thanking You for Your precious Son, Jesus, who died to save me from sin.

I am thanking You now because I know this life is only temporary and someday pain and sadness will cease.

I am thanking You now Lord, because I know that one day I will forever be with You.

Thank You, Father.

(Adapted) Author: Unknown

“O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever… In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (Psalm 136:1-2; 1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Gladly!

Published by reflectionsintheword

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. ~ Psalm 100

“…hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul” ~ Deuteronomy 11:13

Psalm 100 is one of the great songs of thanksgiving in the Bible. It calls us to realize that we belong to God our Maker (vv.3-4), and to praise Him for His goodness, mercy, and truth (v.5).

In verse 2 it tells us: “Serve the Lord with gladness”. Many times our service to God is more grudging than glad. We do what we consider our duty, but we’re often not so happy about it.

Oswald Chambers put his finger on this unthankful attitude when he said:

“The will of God is the gladdest, brightest, most bountiful thing possible to conceive, and yet some of us talk of the will of God with a terrific sigh—‘Oh well, I suppose it is the will of God,’ as if His will were the most calamitous thing that could befall us… We become spiritual whiners and talk pathetically about ‘suffering the will of the Lord.’ Where is the majestic vitality and might of the Son of God about that!”

True thankfulness is more than being grateful for what we possess. It’s an attitude that permeates our relationship with the Lord so that we may serve Him with gladness and joy.

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

For the Christian, thanksgiving is not just a day but a way of life.

Adapted from Gladly! by David C. McCasland

The Therapy of Thanksgiving

Published by reflectionsintheword

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians 4:6-7

As I have tried to apply what Paul prescribes in the verses quoted above, I have found this prescription for peace to be more helpful than any other spiritual discipline. According to Paul, an attitude of gratitude leads to the therapy of thanksgiving as we apply thanksgiving to our stressful circumstances.

Be sure to make the observation that Paul does not prescribe giving thanks for all things. He instructs us to give thanks in all things. When we do this it automatically moves our mindset from the negative to the positive. The apostle promises that the peace of God will protect or stand guard (like the soldiers chained to Paul as he writes these words), over our hearts and minds as they rest or trust in Christ Jesus.

We cannot always control our circumstances, but we can control the way we respond to them. Paul is telling us to respond with thanksgiving, because if we do, we will find this response to be God’s prescription that will bring the peace that can contribute to our victory over those circumstances.

When a pastor asked one of his members how they were doing, their response was “Pretty good pastor, under the circumstances.” The pastor responded “Whatever are you doing there?”

The therapy of thanksgiving can lead us out from under our circumstances and into the peace of God.

Adapted from The Therapy of Thanksgiving by R. Woodward.

.
.

Look Up & Step Out!

Published by reflectionsintheword

“And Moses said unto the people, FEAR ye NOT, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” ~ Exodus 14:13-14

“But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.” ~Jeremiah 1:7-8

God told Jeremiah not to consider himself as too young: not because he wasn’t young; not because he was mature; not because of anything about Jeremiah himself. Jeremiah was told not to think of himself as too young simply because God said so “for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee”. Likewise, God told Jeremiah not to be afraid, not because the situation wasn’t frightening, not because it wasn’t real. Jeremiah was told not to be afraid because of what God would do: because of God’s power and control over the mission “for I am with thee to deliver thee”.

Our weakness and fears will not stop God from calling us to serve Him. Our weaknesses are not of consequence, they cannot imperil the mission, because God is sending us out in His unfailing strength. Likewise, our fears are of no concern, because God has given us all we need to triumph over the adversities that we will face. The only thing that does matter is our OBEDIENCE! How will we respond to God’s call? Will we obey or disobey him?

Consider another prophet: Jonah. Jonah started out with a bad attitude (Jonah 1) and ended with a bad attitude (Jonah 4). But, in between, he obeyed God and the mission was successful. To be clear, a good attitude is always best to have, but obedience is the most critical factor for success. We can’t wait to be perfect to obey God; rather, obedience to God perfects us.

“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” ~ 1 Corinthians 13:12

Finally, it is not how we see ourselves that matters, it is how God sees us. Paul reminds us that we see through a “glass darkly” (1 Corinthians 13:12); that is, we don’t have god’s perfect perspective. For example, our personalities often distort the real image of ourselves. Some people are so negative about themselves, that they can only see their weaknesses when they look in the spiritual mirror. Conversely, some others are so confident that they only see their strengths. However, what really matters is what God sees in us. We can see only partially, but God sees us perfectly: both our weaknesses and our strengths.

God knows what He can accomplish through us, if we will let Him. Moreover, He won’t be buoyed by on our strengths or hindered by our weaknesses, because it is His omnipotent power that will sustain us through the mission He has called us to do.

Essentially, God told Jeremiah and is telling us, not to look at our weaknesses… but to look at His strength; not to look at the enemy and become afraid… but to look at His control over ALL the universe and be encouraged.

.
.

God knew you BEFORE you knew yourself | God Chose you BEFORE you chose Him!

Published by reflectionsintheword

“Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” ~Jeremiah 1:4-5

Like Jeremiah, this is true for ALL Christians: we are ALL called and ordained/sanctified (i.e., set apart for God) to minister in The Kingdom of God (1 Peter 2:9). We are ALL chosen by God to do SPECIFIC work here on earth (Ephesians 4:11-12). God laid out a unique plan for each and every one of us before we were even born.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. ~ Ephesians 2:10

God knew us BEFORE we knew ourselves and God chose us to serve in His Kingdom BEFORE we chose to serve Him!

Therefore, we must ask ourselves: “Am I doing the task(s) that God chose for me to do in His Kingdom?”

“For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.” ~ 1 Corinthians 3:9

The accompanying question that is often asked (often in rebuttal) is, “How do I know what specific task God has called me to do?”, “How do I know my calling?” However, that question misses the point, God has chosen the work so He WILL lead us into our calling.

Surely, we wouldn’t expect our earthly bosses/leaders to orchestrate a plan for us to execute and then hide it somewhere and ask us to find it, like a treasure hunt! Likewise, God, our omnipotent, omniscient Father will lead us into the plan He has laid out for our lives. The ONLY thing we have to concentrate on is making ourselves available to Him. It’s our willingness to serve that we must work on.

God not only has the blueprints, He is ready to build; will we let Him?

We have no excuse, there is work for us to do NOW.

There is a person that needs to hear the gospel: “Will you tell him?”
There is a Sunday School that needs a teacher: “Will you teach?”
There is a choir that needs a singer: “Will you sing?”
There is a brother/sister who is discouraged: “Will you encourage him/her?”
There is a people who haven’t heard the word: “Will you go on the mission field?”
There is a child that needs a home: “Will you share yours?”
“There is a family that needs some food: “Will you give them some of your food?”

Or will we tell God (again!) to wait… until we are ready?

Jesus saith unto them, ‘My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.’ ~ John 4:34-36

There is work to do… Let’s do it!

The Gates of Thanksgiving

Published by reflectionsintheword

“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.” ~ Psalm 100:4

According to David, the worship experience is like having an audience with the greatest Monarch in the world. The protocol that leads us into the presence of that Monarch begins at the gates of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a gate that leads us into the presence of God (Psalm 100).

In practical terms this means that when we want to enter into the presence of God in our own private prayer closet, we should begin with thanksgiving. In other words, just start by thanking God for everything we can think of for which we are grateful.

In my own experience I have discovered that no matter how bad things get, the good stuff outweighs the bad stuff. When I, therefore, start thanking God for all the good things, I not only find myself in the presence of God. I confirm the reality that God is good and things are not as bad as I thought they were.

So no matter how bad things may be for you right now, discover the therapy of thanksgiving. Start thanking God for every good thing you can think of for which you are grateful until you discover, in the presence of God, that the good stuff outweighs the bad stuff and things are not as bad as you thought they were.

Adapted from The Gates of Thanksgiving by Woodward.

Again Lord…

Published by reflectionsintheword

“Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.” ~ Micah 7:18

Again Lord

I have looked away from You Lord
again
Lord let me look upon You
again

I have walked away from You
again
Lord let me walk with You
again

I have not read Your Word
again
Lord give me a hunger for Your Word
again

I have doubted You
again
Lord give me faith to trust You
again

I have disappointed You Lord
again
Lord strengthen me so I will not disappoint You
again

Free me Lord from this circle, grant me the victory found within You, in the power of Jesus Christ’s blood.
for always..

Amen

By Andre’ Mulder

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” ~ Romans 8:1-2

.
.

Pressed Close to God

Published by reflectionsintheword

“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.” ~ Job 13:15-16

The vines that sometimes grow up the side of oak trees cling to them during the fiercest storms. Although the wind beats upon them, the tendrils hold tightly to the tree’s bark. If the vine is on the side opposite the wind, the great oak is its protection; if it’s on the exposed side, the wind presses the vine more closely to it.

As Christians, we are sometimes sheltered by God, while other times He allows us to be exposed so we will be pressed more closely to Him. After years of faithfulness, some Christians suddenly find themselves greatly tested and in deep distress—seemingly without reason. They are subjected to terrific battles with doubts, fears, and unbelief. Doesn’t God care how much they suffer? Of course He does. But He has a special purpose in withholding immediate relief.

When God spoke to Satan about Job, He described him as “blameless and upright,” one who “holds fast to his integrity” (Job 1:8; 2:3). God knew He could trust Job to cling to Him no matter what. Job’s persevering faith in the midst of overwhelming trials would refute Satan’s argument that he served God only because God blessed him.

The Lord may have a similar purpose in your trial. Remember Job’s example. Hold fast to God.

Though trials come, though fears assail,
Through tests scarce understood,
One truth shines clear—it cannot fail—
My God is right and good. (Hager)

Our afflictions are designed not to break us but to bend us toward God.

Adapted from Pressed Close to God by Henry G. Bosch

A Call for “The Little Engines” That Can’t

Published by reflectionsintheword

“Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.” ~ Jeremiah 1:6

Wherever the details of a ‘calling’ are recorded in the Bible, the person who God calls always expresses self-doubt. For example, Moses doubted his importance and his eloquence (Exodus 3:11; 4:10-13); Isaiah was concerned of his own sinfulness and his complicity with the sinful culture of his day (Isaiah 6:5); and Gideon saw himself as weak and insignificant (Judges 6:15). And here we see Jeremiah concerned that he was too young.

The lesson for us is that God calls people who are aware of their weaknesses and inadequacies. That is because we look to God when we are aware of our insufficiency; we look to God when we know that we cannot do anything without Him. As The Bible puts it:

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. ~ James 4:6

God calls on those who are humble enough to recognize their complete insufficiency and hopelessness without His sustaining power. Therefore, we might ask ourselves, “Am I ‘inadequate’ enough for God to call me?” This is completely opposite to our usual approach where many of us look at ourselves and say, “God cannot use me, I am just not good enough.” God wants to use you, BECAUSE you know you are not good enough!

In the children’s classic, “The Little Engine that Could“, the Little Engine is famous for saying, “I think I can, I think I can…”. However, God calls those who (unlike the ‘Little Engine that Could’) say, “I think I can’t, I think I can’t…”. God then teaches them to say, “I know I can’t, but I know God can; I know I can’t, but I know God can…”

“But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” ~ 1 Corinthians 1:27

Paul, while reflecting on a physical weakness that he could get no relief from, puts it this way

And he [Jesus] said unto me, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9

God’s grace is made sufficient for us when we realize our insufficiency! We have to first see our own weakness to know, to experience, God’s strength! To be clear, we don’t glory in sin/sinfulness. Rather (like Isaiah), we welcome God’s redemptive and sanctifying work in our lives. And we realize that we can never do anything good without the sustaining grace of our God and Father.

If you are really convinced that you are not good enough, that you can’t manage without His constant help, then watch out… you are probably going to hear from God, very soon… just like Jeremiah, He might have a BIG job for you to do. God calls those who can’t, because He CAN!

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. ~ Philippians 4:13

.
.
.

How do you see things?

Published by reflectionsintheword

The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. ~ Matthew 6:22-24

"The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes" ~ Psalm 19:8b

According to Jesus, the difference between a life filled with light or happiness and a life filled with darkness or unhappiness depends on how you answer this question. He taught that if our eye, or the way we see things, is healthy, then our life can be filled with happiness. But if the way we see things, if our outlook or mindset is messed up, there is no end to how dark our life can be.

If you are one of the millions who have lost big in the stock market it’s so important for you to have the right attitude toward your losses. When we suffer a loss we have two options: we can focus on what we have lost and be depressed, or we can focus on what we still have and be filled with gratitude.

The next thoughts Jesus shared were that we cannot serve two masters. We cannot and we should not try to serve God and money. Is money the driving force of your life? Are you trying to serve those two masters? Are you trying to serve God and money? Is your life filled with light or darkness: with happiness or unhappiness?

How do you see things?

Adapted from How do you see things? by R. Woodward.