GIVING THANKS

God’s people have always been unique in expressions of giving thanks to the Lord for His blessings and provisions. Throughout history (His story), those that acknowledge the one true God have engaged in spiritually-based celebrations and festivities that both publicly, as well as privately, express collective and personal gratitude.     

Be glad in the Lord, you righteous ones, and give thanks to His holy name. Psalm 97:12

In some nations/people groups “giving thanks” events are deeply imbedded in the culture, as demonstrated in the Hebrew faith and those whose initial values and laws stem from a belief and/or subjection to a divine being.

These things I remember and I pour out my soul within me.  For I used to go along with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God, with the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival. –Psalm 42:4

As we approach the American Holiday (created from the words for holy (halig) and day (daeg) from the 14th century) of Thanksgiving, perhaps we could/should re-think the whole concept.  Are we giving thanks to the Lord based on our material blessings, or is our thanksgiving motivated by the Lord’s character and the spiritual blessing of being in Christ as His own possession? 

In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.  –Ephesians 1:13-14

A few weeks ago, I asked some young people why they needed to go to college.  The answers were not surprising or shocking, considering the materialistic influences that currently exist in our modern culture.  Generally their responses focused on having a comfortable life style, a good job, and making enough money to enjoy a life of affluence and abundance.  That life included concepts of what some would call the “American Dream” … a nice house, cool car, fashionable clothes, kids, comfortable lifestyle, etc.  While I’m not sure when the “American Dream” started evolving into a materialistic-based quest, certainly that was not its original prize. 

Although material gain may be the fruit or positive by-product of freedom and capitalism, how dare we refer to it as the “American Dream?”  Have we undergone a metamorphosis from spiritually-based moral values and the principles of individual freedom into collective hedonistic greed? Assuredly, when people are more concerned with the attainment of things than with the maintenance and continuation of ethics, truth, morals, righteousness, and freedom, it’s a sure sign of moral decadence/spiritual decomposition.

Perhaps this crumbling decay begins when the focus of “giving thanks” shifts from an appreciation and gratitude for God, His character, His holiness, His attributes, grace, mercy, love, etc. to the benefits and blessings of His abundant provisions.  Without question, the Lord God lavishes His goodness upon His people, but is that the foundation, motivation, and source for our “giving thanks” and expressions of gratitude?  Don’t get me wrong, undoubtedly we should offer thanksgiving for all our material blessings, but isn’t there much, much more that demands an appreciative response?

Consider Psalm 7:17 where thanksgiving is offered because of God’s righteousness:      

I will give thanks to the Lord according to His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.

 In I Chronicles 16:34 God’s goodness and lovingkindness is the cause for giving thanks:

O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Daniel 2:23 offers an interesting perspective … the prophet is thankful because of God’s provision … wisdom, might, and answered prayer:

To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for You have given me wisdom and power; Even now You have made known to me what we requested of You, for You have made known to us the king’s matter.

The psalmist in 107:8 establishes an opportunity for thanksgiving because of His works among humanity:

Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness, and for His wonders to the sons of men!

In the New Testament, I Corinthians 15:57 offers similar insight, focusing on the spiritual aspects of our Lord’s work rather than one’s abundance or excess of material blessing:

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory (over the power of sin, the law, and death … which includes our worldly/fleshly passions) through our Lord Jesus Christ!

Isn’t it time for true believers to reverse the trend of thanksgiving being offered upon valuations of possessions and wealth, comfort, or even health?  Should we humbly give thanks for these things?  Without question!  Wealth and assets aren’t evil, just like forks and spoons don’t make gluttons and guns don’t kill people.  It’s the greed, covetousness, and love of money that’s the root of all sorts of evil. (See I Tim. 6:10)  Remember:

The covetous are never satisfied with money, nor the lovers of wealth with their gain; so this too is vanity.(Ecclesiastes 5:9)  

May we never forget the scriptural warnings in Luke 12:15, Ephesians 5:3-5, and Colossians 3:5 –  all address this issue for Christ’s church.      

Together as individuals and His people collectively, let us be compelled to spiritually, mentally, and emotionally (in the flesh) embrace the words of the psalmist:

Direct my heart toward your testimonies and away from gain.  

Perhaps from this assessment will burst untainted, spiritually-birthed thanksgiving that’s pleasing to our Lord and provider, Jesus Christ.                                       

Think about it, then ask Him about it!  –Pastor Frank

MONEY

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY – some say you can’t live without it, and yet so many can’t live with it! Often, it’s so vital to an individual that it directly competes with one’s ability to even know and/or faithfully serve the Lord. Even though “money” itself is not inherently evil, wicked, or sinful, the undeniable truth is that any amount of money can be accompanied by many temptations and much danger.

King Solomon, who in today’s economy would have had a net worth of around two trillion (2,000,000,000,000 – two thousand billion) in US dollars (source – lovemoney.com), stated in Ecclesiastes 5:10,

“He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income.”

Here’s an individual who may have earned as much as 2,000,000,000 (yes, billion) a year through trade/commerce, tributes, and taxation (enough to spend a million dollars a day for 2000 years, or $5,479,452,054.70 a day for one full year) and what’s he really saying?

  1. The love of money is never satisfied, kind of like what’s found in Proverbs 30:15-16!

“There are three things that will not be satisfied, four that will not say, “Enough”: Sheol, and the barren womb, earth that is never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, “Enough.”

2.    Abundance (Hebrew root, hamon; in this text, meaning a great number of things, wealth, and / or funds) will never satisfy! Isn’t there always something else, something more, something better? 

Augustine of Hippo (early church father, aka St. Augustine) declared, “Until we find our rest in Him, no amount of wealth can ever satisfy.”

While undoubtedly greed is an instigator, a motivational chauffeur that drives individuals to dissatisfaction … who will actually come before the Lord with the heavy load of their unquenchable desire for more and place it on the altar?  Is there genuine peace … a full release of the restlessness in one’s heart with the sacrifice of “wants” and all its embellishments? Remember, those trappings are “never satisfied!”

Scripturally speaking, money / wealth / the accumulation of things is one of the greatest areas for a believer to demonstrate one’s trust in the Lord.  Isn’t that why our scriptures are overflowing with references to money and possessions?  

While certainly many have been blessed materially all their lives, Brenda and I included, that doesn’t mean there weren’t tough or difficult times. In fact, everyone who has, perhaps what some would call an abundance, directly dealt with, or is currently dealing with, the spiritual issue of money, wealth and possessions. Specifically, the devastating sin of greed, which according to Proverbs 28:22, a person with a evil eye (stingy, covetous, greedy) hastens and searches for wealth not knowing or understanding that “want,” in essence, poverty, is the ultimate result.  That’s why believers are reminded:    

Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,” so that we confidently say, “THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?”

Hebrews 13:5-6

For this to happen (become realty in one’s life), one must adopt a clear biblical view of money and wealth, recognizing that we are actually called to wealth creation and sound economics by God’s mandate to humanity in Genesis 1:28 concerning the earth (the word subdue in the Hebrew text means to conquer, subjugate and bring into subjection). Our Lord provides all the resources of this world for us to properly manage as good and faithful stewards. When this actually occurs, within the redeemed framework of human responsibility, it inevitably prompts and directs us towards sound, principle / value-based ethical and moral financial action along with decisions that are sensible, knowledgeable, not hasty, and God-honoring. 

Money, wealth, possessions, etc. are all intertwined with one’s spiritual maturity, daily walk, and development. Way too many Christians stagnate right here … ultimately hindering or even draining their spiritual vitality.  Sadly, this huge issue is either unrecognized or ignored, often crippling the effectiveness of one’s peace, service and testimony.  Now is the time for change and decisive action – may God’s people fully, unrelentingly, uncompromisingly, and willfully align themselves properly with our Lord and His Word /  Truth on MONEY, MONEY, MONEY.  The world wants to gobble you up … kill, steal, and destroy you on this issue.  However, Christ came that you may have life, and have it more abundantly!  While the primary focus of this statement from John 10:10 is spiritual, MONEY, for a believer, is spiritual!

His & Yours, PF