THANKFUL HEARTS

1 Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!
2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.
3 Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
5 For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.  (Psalm 100)

Today is Thanksgiving Day in the USA. It is a day set aside by President Abraham Lincoln when he declared the final Thursday in November as a national day of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving Day was made an official national holiday in 1941.

BUT, we are to give thanks ALWAYS: Not just on Thanksgiving Day. The Bible says; “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1Thessalonians 5:18). God wants us to give Him thanks for everything: The good, the bad, and the ugly; knowing that He is in control of our lives.

All day (every day) we are to give thanks: From the time we get up to when we go to bed; and all points in between. This includes when you:

• Get up (grateful that you had a place to sleep last night and that you slept)
• Take a shower (warm water, soap…something to not always take for granted)
• Get dressed (Wow, look at the amount of clothes in the closet to choose from!)
• Eat (So many have nothing to eat all day)
• Drive to work (the car works and has gas in the tank; the bus came on time)
• At work (Yeah, you still have a job!)
• Drive home (the car still works and has gas in the tank; the bus came on time)
• Eat (So many have nothing to eat all day and here you are eating again!)
• Bedtime (tiredness after a long day is a gift)
• Other activities (what else can you thank God for… what else comes to mind?)

How do we do this? Start at home – literally walking thru your house; thanking God for everything that you see. Let God remind you where and how you got each of your possessions.

Thank God for His indescribable gift of salvation available to each one of us through Jesus Christ!

More information? Call 1-888-NEED HIM (633-3446)

I love this, I don't know who the author is:

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the millions who won't survive the week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 20 million people around the world.

If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world.

If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the worlds wealthy. 

If your parents are still married and alive, you are very rare, especially in the United States.

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer God's healing touch. 

If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read anything at all.

You are so blessed in ways you may never even known. 

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO SIN?

Sin is something that we all do, but no one really wants to talk about because it makes us uncomfortable. It reflects a failure on our part to uphold God’s Word in our lives.

It seems that many preachers don’t talk about sin any more from the pulpit. I think that pastors are afraid that if they talk about sin and a need for a Savior, people might not come back to their church. After all, talking about Christ and the cross or hell might leave some “worshippers” feeling bad.

I thought that the Gospel was the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16) and that as Christians we are commissioned to proclaim this truth (Mark 16:15). Maybe we all missed that message as we heaped another preacher to our itching ears to tell us about how we too can get everything we could ever want or imagine (2 Timothy 4:3). 

Even though churches may run from the topic, sin still it invades our lives and destroys hopes and dreams and leaves a trail of brokenness. Too many of us get stuck in the dark and sinful side of life; when God’s best is only a prayer away. Often the enemy creeps into our lives without us noticing. While the “big” sins are still obvious, the “little” sins often times slide by. But it only takes one sin to separate us from God. None of us are innocent. “All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isa 53:6 NKJV) Yet all of us can be forgiven.  

So, what are you doing about the sin in your life? It is easy to see the sin in leaders’ lives and compare ourselves with them. But this is a day when each of us, individually, must look sin in the eye; see it for what it is, and run as far away from it as possible! I believe that our whole earth is shaken because of sin. 

Sin alienates us from God. If we are walking in sin, we can’t be in His presence. This, in part, is why God hates sin; HE WANTS TO BE WITH US and we can’t when we sin. “That God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5b NKJV). “You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on wickedness.” (Habakkuk 1:13 NKJV) 

Sin brings death. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 NJKV). Every time you sin, it is as though you come up with another reason why Jesus had to die for you. 

Sin enslaves us. Sin is more than an unfortunate outward act. It can involve a deep-seated inward corruption. Often it is an outward manifestation of our corrupt hearts.  “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man." (Mark 7:21 NKJV).  

Sin affects our relationships with others: We are supposed to love God first, others second, and then ourselves. Sin reverses the order: ME first, then God (if we give Him any place at all). Sin’s character is the desire to get; love’s character is the desire to give. “So he answered and said, "'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND,' and 'YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'" (Luke 10:27 NKJV) 

How should we respond to sin? RUN: From sin: In our society it is fashionable and even “admirable” to sin; almost like a badge of honor. Our society calls good bad and evil good. Pastors have become afraid to preach against it. The Bible says; “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight!” (Isaiah 5:20-21 NKJV). 

How should we respond to sin? RUN: To God’s Word: In this crazy mixed up world, we need to use the Bible as the standard for all truth; instead of what the world, media, and even our legislators tells us as truth.  

How should we respond to sin? RUN: To God. He is eager to forgive us and show us how to walk righteously. The first step is to know that God has made a way. The second step is recognizing where we have gone wrong. Thirdly, humbly repent of this sinful behavior. Fourthly, once we are forgiven, REJOICE in the LORD for His mercy to us! Finally, tell others the Good News that they too can know God and His forgiveness. 

Don’t delay. RUN from sin into the loving arms of the Everlasting only True God through His Son Jesus Christ.

Garlic on My Hands

I really enjoy eating and cooking with garlic. Along with toast, chocolate, coffee, hot peppers and spices it is a must staple in our daily diets; or at least mine.

However I don’t enjoy the smell that can linger on my fingers for days when I cut up garlic; I’m not sure too many of you do either. And, need I say anything about how after eating garlic; we can become hypersensitive to cover our mouths as though our hands are now a shield against this toxic emission. And even if you use a bottle of mouth wash, that garlic still finds a way to leech through your body. Sometimes this smell can seem to find its way to escape our bodies through our sweat gland, and those around us know that we have been eating garlic.

Ever notice how washing and scrubbing endlessly doesn’t remove the smell? You try scrubbing until your hands are raw and still days later you can smell it on your hands! Feeling bad about it doesn’t make it go away nor does promising to “do something good”. It is a consequence of a moment of pleasure that can affect all of those around us. It is in our skin and others around us smell it. It doesn’t “affect only me”.

There are many suggestions for getting rid of that garlic smell from our hands, but very few really work. Probably the best suggestion is to rub your hands against stainless steel after cutting garlic. The solution is simple, and yet for some reason we don’t seem to do what we know to do. Instead we search and try ideas, but they don’t work and still days later you can smell it on your hands!

I wish that we only did this when it came to garlic, but it is my observation that we try to deal with sin our lives the same way we deal with garlic on our hands. The solution is simple, and yet for some reason we don’t seem to do what we know to do. Ever notice how washing and scrubbing endlessly doesn’t remove the consequences of our sin? You try some religious ritual until your hands and knees are raw and still days later you can “smell it on your hands”! Feeling bad about it doesn’t make it go away nor does promising to “do something good”. It is a consequence of a moment of pleasure that can affect all of those around us. It is “in our skin” and others around us smell it. It doesn’t “affect only me”.

And, need I say anything about how after sinning we can become hypersensitive to cover our tracks as though our efforts are now a shield against this toxic emission ever coming into the light. In time our sin still finds a way to become known to those around us.

There are many suggestions for getting rid of sin in our lives, but very few really work. Probably the best suggestion is an old fashioned word; a biblical word called “confess” which means to acknowledge that what God calls sin is sin. The Bible says; “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1John 1:9 NKJV).

In other words, it means to admit with our own mouths to God that we blew it. No attempts at trying to “scrub” it away or to mask it are ever going to remove it. It will linger on you like garlic on your hands. Admit it; “God, YES, what you call sin I did. And I was wrong to do so.” The Bible also says that we are to confess what He did. He died for our sins so that we are forgiven.

“And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” (1John 1:4-10NKJV)

"Nothing But The Blood"
What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

For my cleansing this I see--
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
For my pardon this my plea--
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Nothing can my sin erase
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Naught of works, 'tis all of grace--
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

This is all my hope and peace--
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
This is all my righteousness--
Nothing but the blood of Jesus

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT

I was watching "Simply Ming" on PBS and a guest of his said; "You are what you eat. And if you don't know what you are eating, you don't know who you are" I like that statement! Cathy and I try to eat only healthy foods (except for chocolate!); which means that we take time to research where our foods come from. We’ve come to realize that what we put into our bodies DOES make a difference on our overall health and well being. What can I say; I’m a “health-nut”! We came to realize that we didn’t need to eat bad foods and be overweight. There are good stores and farms and markets FILLED with great healthy foods to feed our bodies. We simply do not have to stay being the people we are today; yes, we can change.   

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT. This is also true for our souls (mind/will/emotions) and our spirit. It doesn’t take us long to realize how true that is when you look at the overall health of the people in the USA. People are over-weight, sad, depressed, and emotionally unstable. Proverbs 18:21 says; “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it shall eat the fruit of it.” Some of you have had a lifelong steady diet of criticism, negative thoughts and words. “You’re no good!” “You’ll never amount to anything!”  

If I’ve just described you, hang in there, I have some hope. Once you realize that we are the results of what has been put into us, then we can do something about changing who we are.  

So, WHAT ARE YOU EATING? Not physically; but what is feeding your thoughts – your soul?

The Bible tells us; “7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, that he also will reap. 8 For he sowing to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh. But he sowing to the Spirit will reap life everlasting from the Spirit” (Galatians 6:7-8). 

What that means is; “Garbage in, garbage out”. This is true physically, spiritually, and emotionally. This comes from people we hang with as well as movies we watch or books we read. I think that is why I like to read the Bible. I have come to learn to turn to the Bible to find out who I am in Christ to replace what I had believed through wrong “messages” poured into me over the years.  

But, I am still amazed at the number of people who “quote” passages they’ve heard from the Bible, but have never actually read the Bible from cover to cover for themselves. And, they wonder why they have no real nourishment for their souls and spirit.

The Bible, God’s Word to us, is FILLED with messages of hope and encouragement to feed our soul and our spirit. We simply do not have to stay being the people we are today; yes, we can change. We can read it for ourselves to find out what God really thinks about us and feed our souls and spirit.

You may say; “But Tom, I’ve tried reading the Bible, but it just doesn’t make sense to me!” I understand. That is because you are trying to discern spiritual things without the Holy Spirit. “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:14) 

Ask God to allow His Holy Spirit help make sense of what you are reading; and He will; because He wants you to understand. He loves you and wants you to feed on good things. And when you eat good things, you will be healthy in body, soul, and spirit. “How sweet are Your Words to my taste! More than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103)