Thankfulness - The Text Messages

January 29, 2023January 29, 2023

Spotlight on The Risen Lamb of God – My Hero is Jesus

“And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.” (Revelation 5:1–3)

Everyone at one time or another looks “for a hero to ride in and save the day.” Our favorite movies be they apocalyptic – end of the world scenarios, or set on some foreign field of battle, thrive on the hunger of our hearts for a hero.

Our heroes are larger than life – men and women of great courage, outstanding achievement or possessing some noble quality. My heroes run into burning buildings. My heroes ran into the towers on 9/11 or were victims on the inside whose focus was on the others victims in the building rather than upon themselves. They have a quality of selflessness which, under the pressure of a hopeless situation emerges from them in incredible acts of courage.

The most pivotal question in Revelation comes at arguably the second most pivotal moments in human history (v.2):

“Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?”

Note it was not God, “Him who sat upon the throne” with a scroll in His hand asking this question. We are not told whether the “strong angel” was Michael the arch angel or Gabriel; what we are told is that this angel announced, he proclaimed with his question a challenge to the host of heaven and to men – produce if you can one who is worthy to open the scroll.

Our Champion

How long did the search take before it became clear that none of the elders, beasts, or representatives of men contained one so worthy; we cannot say. But that there was a dramatic pause in heaven is clear in John’s response in (v.4):

“So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it.”

Could it truly be that John, the beloved apostle did not know the only one worthy to take the scroll?

Go back with me for a moment in your thoughts to the other pivotal moment in human history – the first one; the moment Jesus Christ made it possible for sinners to be forgiven, restored, and redeemed by God through His own precious blood.

Jesus did not shrink back from what His mission on our behalf would require of Him (John 12:27). Ours was a situation of absolute hopelessness. Consider the view from (Ephesians 2:1): we “were dead in trespasses and sins.”We were doomed to eternal destruction (John 3:18) because of our sin and unbelief but Jesus stepped into human history (Gal. 4:4-5): “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”

Jesus made war with Satan from the cross (John 12:31-32) “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”

I love the song by Carmen called The Champion; the first time I heard it, I was on the road, headed towards Denver with a heavy load of steel.

At first, I was upset by what I was hearing, the song, more like a dramatic dialogue involves the scorn of Satan, demons as well as the humans who were present to see Jesus nailed to and hanging on the cross. But then, in much the same way as a boxer is counted out after being knocked to the ground by his opponent, the “referee” in the song began to apparently count someone out as well; and as he began with 10, 9, 8, 7, 6….I began to weep. This was not the counting out of my Savior – this was His victory!!!! Satan, that deceiver of men and enemy of God was being counted out as the countdown continued – the demons couldn’t believe it, they were out of their minds as the Savior of man overcame the “odds’ and defeated their leader.

What does it say in (Eph 2:1)? “And you He made alive!” (Eph.2 12-13):

“…at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

Worthy is the Lamb

In light of the victory which the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus gained for you and I, it should come as no surprise to us that He alone is worthy! He has prevailed over sin, over Satan and over death!

“Do not weep” declared one of the elders to John in (v.5), “Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.””

These two titles point to Jesus deity as the “Root of David” and to His humanity as the “Lion of the tribe of Judah.” As the “Root of David,” Jesus Christ is according to Paul in (Romans 15:12) quoting (Isaiah 11:1,10) “He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope.””

It is His blood which the Elders sing about in (v.9) – Jesus’ sacrifice for the sins of man. His selfless obedience to the will of His Father seems to be the greatest reason for His worthiness to take the scroll. The price He paid; the suffering which He endured – all that our redemption cost Him make Jesus Christ the ONLY ONE WORTHY to take the scroll.

But to me, He is worthy because of His courage and love for me. He did what I could not do – I was dead in trespasses and sins yet He ran into my life to rescue and redeem me.

Take note: it was not the Lion standing before the throne. Not a figure of power or might. Consider what the spotlight of heaven landed on in this moment (Re. 5:6-7):

“And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.”

There, before the throne stood a lamb, blood stains still apparent upon Him who had been slain.

Worshipping Our Hero and Great King

Note the response of the “four living creatures and twenty four elders” in (v.8); as soon as the Lamb took the scroll, and before He opened it, they all fell down in worship before Him:

“Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”

Much has been said about the prayers of the saints because many prayers have been prayed and all prayer is seen as a sweet smelling aroma to God offered by His people – prayers of worship, praise, and adoration; prayers of dependance and of surrender. But considering what is happening in the moment depicted in (v.5), it seems as if the prayer Jesus taught men in (Matt. 6) is the specific “prayers of the saints” in mind here; do you remember it?

“In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:9–13, NKJV)

As the light shines on Him who has the scroll – just then His kingdom was coming! Just then, His will was about to be done on earth as it was already in heaven.

I cannot imagine that worship in heaven is ever lack luster, is ever less than over the top, full blown, heartfelt, worship and yet the moment before us here depicts even GREATER worship! The elders and creatures “sang a new song” (v.9-10) to the Lamb:

“And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”

Beginning with their new song, praise rippled out from before the throne of God to the corners of heaven. A numberless assembly of angels joined their voices to the worship saying (v.12):

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

Finally all of creation – every created, living thing with a voice in heaven and on earth joins in the refrain of the new song, saying (v13): “Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

Eternal praise to the eternal God and His Son Jesus Christ is the theme of heaven’s worship.

Wrapping up, I have to say that in my life, I have looked up to a scant few people, but I have only ever had one true hero.

Jesus Christ is my hero.

I picture the moment highlighting Jesus amid all the host of heaven, spotlight on Him alone as I worship. I see Him with all the filth and evidence of the battle He fought for me still upon Him. I see Him who went to such incredible lengths to set me free. His blood is certainly NOT a common thing!

Can I challenge you to fix your minds eye and heart of worship on Jesus as you live, as you praise and as you worship Him? Our worship in prayer and in song is fueled by our knowledge that we are both known (1 Cor. 8:3) and also (Eph.1:6) “accepted in the beloved.” One day, we will be a part of the group singing that new song (this is prophecy after all) of the redeemed in the very presence of the Lamb of God who took away our sin!!!

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain; worthy is the King who conquered the grave!!!

May we ever worship Him in deepest devotion – even now, for all He is and all He has done for us.

November 24, 2022November 24, 2022

A Reflection on Thanksgiving

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8–9)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!! This morning, I’d like to share a brief reflection on thanksgiving.

When I think about gratitude – when I think about being thankful, I always find myself thinking of the converse of thankfulness as well because we are naturally prone to complain. Being thankful or unthankful seems to depend on what our minds are focused on. If we focus on what we lack, we’re going to be ungrateful. If we focus on what we have, we’re going to be grateful. That’s why I think Paul is on to something with that statement that he made to the Philippian church quoted above. If there is anything praiseworthy, think on – “meditate (reflect) on these things.” In fact, he goes further. He says, “whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, lovely, and of good report – meditate on these things.”

Today, you may come to the Thanksgiving table with many grievances. I dare say all of us can think of some things to complain about. And yet, for the cancer patient who has come into remission – I’m sure that gratitude rather than complaint fills their heart today; they would give thanks for their recovery. For many of us today, layoffs have either come or are on our horizon and even with pay increases, its been hard to make ends meet. The state of the economy has wreaked havoc on us; focusing on these things however will not lead to our gratitude, but to complaint. However, when we focus on the fact that we still have a home, we still have a family, we still have a job, and above all believer: we are still recipients of the grace of God through His Son Jesus Christ, then we have SO MUCH to be grateful for. I know how easy it is to fall into the trap of ingratitude; however, while humbling, I don’t think that pointing to the fact that others may have it worse than you is the best way to inspire a heart of gratitude. It is true, it is always true that someone else has it worse than you or I but there must be something more that drives our gratitude than the fact that we have it better than the other guy.

As I write, I wonder if you and I, under the poorest and saddest of circumstances could be grateful If all we had in this life was a relationship with Jesus – would that be enough? Would you agree that if we have Jesus, we always have something for which to be grateful to God about?

Paul himself said a few verses later in the above passage: (v.11) “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.” He learned how to be content with a little or a lot; in either case he was grateful because Jesus was enough. Frankly, many Christ followers could take a lesson from Paul on what it is to be grateful simply because what we have begins with Jesus: Eternal life, salvation, grace mercy, forgiveness; if Jesus isn’t enough, we’ll always be complaining. I know this too, that nothing in this world can truly satisfy – whatever you have of it, you’re always going to want more of. It’s difficult to be thankful when you’re always chasing after more. So, as we sit down to our Thanksgiving meal, whatever it might be, however much or however little, is there something you can be thankful for today?

One parting thought: Our gratitude should be our life song. We praise God from a heart of gratitude; we obey God from a heart of gratitude; we serve God from a heart of gratitude, and we love God from a heart of gratitude; not just on Thanksgiving; not just one day a year or every Sunday – gratitude is to be the pattern of our lives, our hearts song. Our life song. I’m grateful for the God who saved and is always patient with me. What are you grateful for today?

Happy Thanksgiving.

November 26, 2020

Thankful?

It’s always easier to be thankful when things are going our way; it’s harder when they are not. Nevertheless, to the Christian believer God’s word declares:

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

How is this possible? How can a person be full of joy and thankful in every situation and season of their life? At a time when panic, pandemic and pandemonium wreak havoc on our lives, families and nation. At a time when freedoms are endangered and our very way of life is imperiled by leaders using panic, pandemic and pandemonium as an excuse to strip it all away. Add to our collective grief the countless and varied personal struggles that each of us have encountered as we have traversed the year that will go down in infamy and the question echoes louder still – how can a person be both full of joy and gratitude in times like these?

The problem lies in the fact that for many people, thankfulness is strongly conditioned on whether or not they get their way; this is a pagan attitude – not a Christian one. Be that as it may, Christians are also susceptible to being ungrateful when they let sight rather than faith control them and when they make themselves rather than God the priority in their lives. Paul identified the fact in (2 Timothy 3:1–5):

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”

The Christian today who in light of his or her circumstances can not find anything for which to be thankful for needs a reset; they need to, as it were, “turn their eyes upon Jesus and look full in His wonderful face.” As believers and followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are not supposed to be anxious or worried about ANYTHING!!! We ARE supposed to call to mind His promises, His gift to us, His love toward us, His presence with us no matter what we go through, His faithfulness, His grace, His mercy and His many kindnesses toward us. We are to consider the fact that “this is the day that the Lord has made” and that because He has given us a place in it, to “rejoice and be glad in it!” (Psalm 118: 24) There is joy in calling to mind such things which can eclipse the circumstances one may find themselves in – joy that both produces and is produced by our thankfulness to God. Then we will pray, not just when things fail to go our way but ceaselessly as we walk with Him. That verse in Philippians (4:6) that instructs us not to be anxious also instructs us to be thankful when we approach God in prayer for this very reason – that whether God answers as we hope or not, through Christ He has granted us the privilege of a relationship with Him which allows us to boldly come before Him (Hebrews 4:16), a relationship in which He calls us His children (John 1:12) – even His friend (John 15:14-15). And if God never answered another prayer as we hope He has already granted us more than we deserve or could ever hope for through His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ.

A true attitude of gratitude begins with a new life and a new focus.

Today, you may be driven by circumstances to be either thankful or unthankful but I invite the one who has never turned, never trusted, never BELIEVED in Jesus Christ to abandon their fear for a future that only faith in Him makes possible. It begins with understanding that your sins have separated you from God; and before you say, “what sins;” consider the word of the Lord which declared that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). The Bible also declares that eternal separation from God is the compensation you can expect for sin (Romans 6:23) but that “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” God has made new life possible through His Son and by faith you may have it. My hope is that, as He draws you to Himself you will not resist but come and take hold of eternal life.

There is no greater cause for thanksgiving in the heart of a man or a woman than that God has saved your soul!

Happy Thanksgiving!

May 24, 2020May 24, 2020

The Demand of Freedom

Arlington is full of memorials reminding us all of the cost of freedom; they also remind us of the demand of it.

Those headstones remind us of the more than one million Americans who have given to the last full measure. – over 100,000 in World War I; over 400,000 in World War II; almost 40,000 in Korea; over 58,000 in Vietnam and over 5,000 have been killed in action since 9/11.

I was impressed by the comments made by a recent Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff speaking a few years ago at a Memorial Day Wreath Laying ceremony at Arlington. Rather than leading the people to consider how they died General Dunsford said of those man and women who are remembered there:

“It’s how these men and women lived that is important. It is how they lived that makes us remember them. In life, these individuals chose to be something bigger than themselves. They chose to accept hardship and great personal risk. They were people who truly embodied the most important values and traditions of our nation.”

The general concluded by challenging those in attendance to leave “with the resolve to strengthen their commitment to our nation and the values for which it stands.”

Today we not only remember those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom as a nation but we also remember the One who died to liberate all men from a tyranny even more sinister than that of a Hitler, Stalin or a Bin-Laden.

When we look upon His cross we think not only about the way He died but about the way He lived, the truths He taught and the purpose in His coming. Even more, we remember that the grave DID NOT have the last word but Jesus rose again and will one day, as promised, return for those who trust in Him.

I mentioned earlier that there was a demand of freedom upon those who enjoy it; that demand of freedom is (in my mind) loyalty to the One who has provided it and sustained it. It is a loyalty that will not shrink back or compromise but will stand fast and refuse to allow anything to steal away that which was gained at such a great cost.

Considering the life of the Lord today, I challenge you as General Dunsford challenged those in attendance at Arlington to strengthen your commitment to the Lord and to the freedom that He procured at the cost of His life for you.

Our gratitude today is to those who fought for our nation and paid the ultimate price for freedom with their life blood and to Him who fought for our souls, paying the ultimate price for our eternal freedom with His blood.

Never forget…

November 27, 2019

A Grateful Witness

“There is an old Jewish legend which says that, after God had created the world, He called the angels to Him and asked them what they thought of it; and one of them said, “One thing is lacking: the sound of praise to the Creator.” So, God created music, and it was heard in the whisper of the wind, and in the song of the birds; and to man also was given the gift of song.”^[i]

Thinking about the praise due our Creator Charles Spurgeon wrote, “Doth not all nature around me praise God? If I were silent, I should be an exception to the universe. Doth not the thunder praise Him as it rolls like drums in the march of the God of armies? Do not the mountains praise Him when the woods upon their summits wave in adoration? Doth not the lightning write His name in letters of fire? Hath not the whole earth a voice? And shall I, can I, silent be?”

When I consider all the reasons to thank and praise God today; two immediately come to mind:

God gives.

God gives “life, breath, and all things” (Acts 17:25), “power to get wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18), “food to the hungry” (Psalm 146:10), “hope” (Romans 15:13), “grace to the humble” (Proverbs 3:34), “wisdom” (Proverbs 2:6), “power to the weak” (Isaiah 40:29), “rain on the earth” (Job 5:10), “songs in the night” (Job 35:10), “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3), “victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57)

God gave.

God gave us “His Son” (John 3:16), “His righteousness, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe” (Romans 3:22), “eternal life” (1 John 5:11), “His Spirit” (Romans 5:5 and 2 Corinthians 5:5)

Because the Lord redeems, the psalmist wrote in (Psalm 107:1-3)

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy, and gathered out of the lands, From the east and from the west, From the north and from the south.”

Psalm 107 is about God’s mercy toward sinful rebels who finally come to see their need of rescue, cry out for it, receive it and then joyfully rejoice in the rescue and the rescuer. God’s grace and mercy revealed to and outpoured upon them gave them a story to tell!

Likewise, each of you who has believed that what Jesus did through His death, burial and resurrection, He did for you personally – has a story to tell!

“Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story.”

It is when we tell our story that we truly communicate the goodness of God and declare His wonderful works. Can we but give grateful witness to our God among those around us and in the assembly of His people in the church? Our story is “the song of the redeemed,” it is the “celebration and love song borne of a grateful choir” as the Newsboys lyric states. Our story is life changing, inspiring and worth telling. Our story is the gospel according to us and it tells of the power of God to deliver captives, restore hope and instill within all who trust in the Lord – peace.

This Thanksgiving, your story is bound to touch someone close to you – if you’ll tell it.

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works! Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!”

“Sing to the Lord, all the earth; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is also to be feared above all gods.” (1 Chronicles 16:8-10, 23–25)

Go, tell your story!

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^[i] Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (p. 479). Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.