What Happens When We Refuse to Thank God?

The Bible is my favorite book.  I love to read it and hear it read.  It is filled with compelling stories.  One in particular is about a man who had been born with a disability and was unable to walk.  Friends would carry him from home to the entrance of a local religious temple where he would spend the day begging.  In a single moment though, his whole life changed when he met two men walking into the temple.  He asked them for money, like everyone else.  But these two, Peter and John, responded differently.  Peter stared deep into the eyes of this beggar, seemingly looking right through him, then boldly spoke, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!’” (Acts 3:6)  And so he did!  For the first time he stood up on his own power.  He was so excited he not only walked but jumped, hopped, skipped and ran all over the place. 

That story has impacted millions of lives.  Notice the part which described his reaction.  He was “walking and leaping and praising God” (Acts 3:8).  In a word the man was “thankful.”  More like two words, “extremely thankful.” 

Notice how he acknowledged the true source of his miraculous healing.  Was it the two men, Peter and John?  No.  It does not seem as if he was much of a religious man, but he knew enough to realize God was behind it all. 

It is normal to thank a person who does something nice for us, because we can see them.  But do we ever pause to honor the one who is truly behind it all?  We may attribute the positive report of cancer going into remission to early detection and excellent treatment.  We may consider it good timing that the 12-point buck finished crossing the road just as we zoomed by.  But our conscience knew there was the unseen, humble presence of a divine being behind it all.  Our conscience knew it was God’s kindness.  

What happens when we sing the praises of medicine, technology, skill, education, determination, or good karma, instead of acknowledging the invisible hand of Almighty God?  When we give thanks to another source and dismiss our Creator it has a very real effect. 

It is plain to all who God is, because He has revealed Himself to everyone.  And because of that, people are without excuse.  As a result, not honoring Him has a negative impact.  When a person forgets God, the Scriptures say they become “futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts [become] darkened” (Romans 1:21). 

A refusal to see and praise the King of the Universe is dangerous.  It adversely affects our lives in practical ways.  Thanksgiving toward God is not about an American holiday.  It is necessary for the sake of our eternal soul.  Jesus came from heaven to earth, died and rose again to reveal His Father to the world, that all might know and worship Him.  If you do not praise Him now, then on judgment day you will be forced to.  You know it is the right thing to do.  Praise Him today!  See Jesus in laughter and in sorrow.  See Him in the gains and losses.  See Him in the times of peace and chaos.       

A prayer for you - “Lord God, I pray you will open our eyes to see your invisible hand in our lives.  Let us see we are mere mortals at your mercy.  Humble us.  For we are not as wise and able as we think.  We turn from our independent and selfish ways.  Forgive us.  Cleanse us by the work of Jesus on His cross.  Draw us close that we might know you afresh and anew this hour.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen."

Where to Find Happiness

Have you ever said to a friend or family member, “I just want you to be happy”, as they were considering marriage, a new job or some other major decision? 

Recently I watched a documentary on a highly accomplished NBA basketball player from the 1980s and 90s.  The program ended with the camera on him as he said, “I have five NBA Championships and I’m world famous.  Is that supposed to make me happy?”  Then he bowed his head and began to weep. 

Happiness is that inner experience some label as a state of contentment and well-being.  How many of us want that for ourselves or wish it for those whom we love?  It often seems the inner experience of happiness is tied to something external.  Like if we find marriage or love externally, that will provide us happiness internally.  If we find success externally, that will provide happiness internally.  As a result, we search the world over for something that will provide us that inner happiness. 

I firmly believe we were all created to want this happiness for ourselves.  This is the common human experience.  Rich or poor.  No matter our race or religion, we hunger to be happy. 

Jesus once made a startling claim to a crowd about Himself, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).  These words of Jesus show His understanding of the human heart.  He knew people were searching outwardly for what they longed for inwardly.  Sometime after these words were spoken, Jesus went on to suffer, die, then rise again.  After He arose and ascended back to His home in heaven, He sent His Spirit to live on the earth.  His Spirit indwells anyone who turns from their evil ways and trusts in Jesus alone for complete forgiveness for all they have ever done wrong.  When this happens, the Spirit brings the life of Jesus into that individual which gives, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).  Right there, that is what every human truly longs for.  It is something deeper and more profound than superficial happiness.   

What we are looking for is not found in marriage, success or any other earthly human experience we can control or create for ourselves.

The contentment, joy and meaning in life we seek is found in Jesus and nowhere else.  And it is not something He dispenses outside of Himself.  He embodies it all.  When we come to our senses and realize we have been going after the wrong things and receive the Spirit of Jesus within us, we receive all of who He is.

Are you ready to stop going here and there looking for temporary happiness?  Are you ready to surrender all to Christ?  

A prayer for you - “Lord God, I pray you will lead those who are searching for contentment and inner well-being to Christ.  Open their spiritual eyes to see that Jesus is all they are looking for, that in Him all their desires and longings will be met.  Bring them to surrender all, to turn from their ways and trust in You with all their heart.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

When Only A Miracle Will Do

For nearly 10 years I served inmates in our small rural county jail as a minister, and saw over 100 of them come through our Bible studies and annual Christmas outreaches.  They were there because of drugs, alcohol, theft, sexual violations and more.  Men and women.  Young and old.  While they sat with me in their white and orange jail issued clothes, I would often say, “When you were young and thought about the future, none of you set out to be in jail.  You are here because something went wrong.”  

Have you ever known someone, where at some point, something went terribly wrong and one bad decision seemed to pile on another?  And maybe you thought, “If they continue down this path, outside of a miracle of God, they are going to wind up in either jail, the hospital, on the street or dead?   

Jesus told a story about a young man like this.  One day he came to his father in a spirit of anger and hate and demanded his inheritance while his father still lived.  His dad amazingly and graciously complied and gave his younger son what he wanted.  Then his son packed up his belongings and abruptly left home and family.  He travelled far away to a large and bustling city, where bad decisions began to mount.  Jesus said he, “squandered his property in reckless living” (Luke 15:13) and eventually he spent everything he had been given.  And things got worse when a famine hit the region.  He became penniless, friendless, jobless, foodless and homeless.  At this point in his life, his dad described him dead and lost.  Something had gone wrong and he was speeding head-first down a path of destruction and ruin.  His only hope was a miracle.

And that is what began to happen!  God’s invisible hand was mysteriously working on the young man’s heart, where in a moment of wise reflection he said to himself, “How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!”  (Luke 15:17)  This led to a key turning point where he stood up and began a long and discouraging walk back home.

 While still a long way out, his father saw him and immediately ran to meet him.  After the father’s compassionate embrace, his son began his humble confession, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son” (Luke 15:21).  Wow!  That was all his dad needed to hear, when he said, “For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’  And they began to celebrate (Luke 15:24). 

That miracle caused the young man’s life to go from death to life and ruin to overflowing joy.  What everyone else thought was impossible; God knew was possible. 

This is what Jesus was sent from heaven to earth for.  This is why he died and rose again.  To do miracles just like this.  When people are living for themselves and leaving a wake of heartache and pain wherever they go, it is easy to get frustrated and angry with them, to look down at them and write them off.  But God is merciful and patient.  He does not treat any of us as we deserve.  Instead, in His kindness, He keeps drawing us to Himself until we humble ourselves and surrender all to Him.                   

 A prayer for you - “Lord God, I pray for those who are living destructive lives.  God, you are their only hope.  Intervene, I pray.  Save their physical lives and their eternal souls from destruction.  Open their spiritual eyes to see the danger they are facing, then mercifully bring them to repentance that they might live again.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.”