What Are You Thankful For?

What Are You Thankful For?

Let me ask you, what are you truly thankful for? As strange as it may seem, the answer you give is likely the very opposite of the answer Paul would give. Read his words, then read them again, slowly. “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake” (2 Cor. 12:10).

How can anyone take pleasure in infirmities? The word signifies the opposite of strength, it signifies weakness and the inability to produce results. If this seems strange, keep reading.Thankful script

How can anyone take pleasure in reproaches? The word indicates insult, contempt, and harsh treatment. So many of us can hardly go without words of encouragement from others. If this seems strange that Paul would find pleasure in this, keep reading.

How can anyone take pleasure in needs? We are living in a time when the cost of what we consider necessities is almost overwhelming. Paul took pleasure in those times when the necessities of life were scarce. If this seems strange to you, keep reading.

How can anyone take pleasure in persecutions? Compare in the previous chapter his list of all he had suffered and compare it to what we have to endure. Paul took pleasure in those periods in his life where his enemies pushed so hard against him. If this seems strange to you, keep reading.

How can anyone take pleasure in distresses? This word is best defined as being pressed on every side so severely that it appears there is no escape. If this seems strange to you that Paul would find pleasure in this, keep reading.

To understand Paul’s “Thanksgiving List,” read the rest of the verse. “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Pay special attention to the words “when” and “then,” for they point to the same time. It is not that “after” I am weak and look back on a situation that I became strong. At the time of his greatest weakness, he had his greatest strength.

When life is easier and we have so many good things for which we can be thankful, we can so easily forget how good circumstances can make us forget about living close to God. However, when circumstances are not “pleasant,” we sense our need for God and turn to Him. He is there, because when we draw near to Him, He draws near to us. James says that such times when trials come, we should count it all joy. He then gives the reason, and it is the same one Paul gives. The results of such trials strengthen us and bring us to spiritual maturity (James 1:4). It might be a good time to look at our lists and see that the best times in our lives is when we are having trials!

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It’s About People!

It’s About People!

One of the greatest challenges that we face in our lives is connecting with other people.  When we think about our purpose, to love God and love our neighbor (Matthew 22:37-39), we realize that this is the great challenge God has given us.  We let things get in the way of doing that.  We also let things get in the way of others showing love to us.  Being about the Lord’s business is being about the business of visiting with and learning about other people.  The more that we can do this, the better job we will do in fulfilling our purpose in life.person group

One of the greatest obstacles that we place in our path of connecting with other people is simply failing to talk to them.  So often we conceive of prejudices in our mind as to why a person is one way or another.  We think, “I can’t talk to him/her about this because he/she will never listen.”  How do we know until we try?  Jesus told us that if we have a problem with another that we need to go to him/her and talk (Matthew 18:15).  Jesus’ way is the best way.  More often than not, we will be able to resolve our differences.

Many times the reason we don’t want to talk to other people lies within our own heart.  We allow others to control us by blaming them instead of doing what we can.  This is debilitating.  We must take responsibility for our own thoughts, beliefs, decisions, feelings, and actions.  This will put us back in control of our own life and go a long way toward helping us be more relaxed and comfortable around other people so that we can fulfill the purpose that God has given us in this life.

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Eve: The Mother of all Living

Eve: The Mother of all Living

Eve was the first female upon the earth.  Genesis 1:27 records her creation in brief.  She was created in the image of God.  According to Genesis 2 she was created after the first man, Adam.  Eve was created from a rib which God took from Adam.  She was created because there was not found a help who would be a mate for Adam.  After God created Eve, He brought her to Adam.  The first recorded words Adam spoke to this female were: “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”  The first recorded command by God to Eve, including Adam,  was: “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

The mention of Eve’s name occurs only four times in scripture.  Genesis 3:20, 4:1, 2 Corinthians 11:3, and I Timothy 2:13.  The first passage mentioning her is interesting.  Adam “called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.”  The reason this passage is interesting is that to this point no children had been mentioned.  Were there children already?  How could she be a mother, especially of all living, if she did not?  Additionally, what did Adam call her before she became the mother of all living?  It would not be shocking if she had a different name prior as many well known individuals in the Bible were renamed: Abram, Jacob, Gideon, Daniel, Cephas, and Saul to name a few.

Genesis 4:1 is the second passage Eve’s name is mentioned.  Adam and eve had sex and she conceived a son.  The boys’ name is Cain and Eve gives honor to God.  Was this the first child?  It is the first child recorded.  Eve and her husband were obediently following the command given by God to be fruitful and multiple.

Assuming Genesis was written by Moses by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Bible does not mention Eve’s name again for over 1600 years.  In 2 Corinthians 11:3, the apostle Paul recalls a life altering event from Genesis 3.  In the garden, Eve was deceived by the serpent (The serpent is identified in Revelation 20:2 as Satan, the devil.).  The context of Paul’s usage is his concern over the Corinthian Church.  He uses the language of marriage in explaining he was instrumental in their betrothal (by baptism) to Christ.  Paul is worried that they will be deceived by others and led away from their “sincere and pure devotion to Christ”.  Paul’s comparison comes from the fact that God had told Adam in the garden that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was not to be eaten.  This command had been shared with Eve, likely by her husband.  Rather than being devoted to him and respecting his authority and God’s, she fell to deception and ate of the fruit, and gave Adam to eat as well.

The final passage mentioning the name of Eve is found in I Timothy 2:13. The context of this passage begins with verse 9.  The apostle Paul is proclaiming in this letter to Timothy that godly women are not to be focused on drawing attention to themselves by their adornments but rather their focus should be upon good works.  They are to learn quietly and in subjection.  They are not to conduct themselves as a teacher or exercise authority over a man.  Why? “For Adam was first formed then Eve.  And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in transgression.”  These are the two eternal reasons given.  They are given by God through the Holy Spirit to Paul and shared to Timothy.  The reminder of the woman’s role and Eve’s sin in the beginning (An eternal reminder of the need to be devoted to her husband, a given role and responsibility, not an inherited sin.) is not meant to overwhelm a woman.  As a comfort to her, she will find healing and fulfillment (“shall be saved”) in the raising of godly children (Genesis 3:16).  This was from God’s intention from the beginning: Malachi 2:15 “And did not he make one? [He Bound them like a rope with the breath of life]. And why one? That he might seek a godly offspring...”.

Although Eve is only mentioned 4 times by name in scripture, she still plays an important role in the shaping of mankind.  She was created to be a loving help to her husband.  Her role was not to lead, but to be devoted to Adam’s wellbeing.  Additionally, serving in her role she was to bring about godly offspring.  These items are what  God desired from Eve, the mother of all living,  and He still desires the fulfillment of women in this same role today.

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The Dogs

The Dogs

I share my home with my darling wife, two dogs, and two stupid cats.  The cats and the wife have days where they really don’t like me much.  However, the dogs just love me.  Every morning, I open my eyes and as I peer to my side of the bed, there my dogs are.  They are happily resting and waiting for our routine to start.  I get out of bed, stumble around the bathroom, get dressed, and then leave the bedroom.  At this point my English Shepherd pops up to follow me.  We go to the kitchen, take morning pills, then pour a cup of coffee.  Often, I will plop down on the couch for a bit and wake up.  The shepherd lays down on my feet happy to be there.  At some point, I head upstairs to start my studies.  This is when the Bluetick Hound comes and joins us.  The hound comes and gets a pat on the head, greets the shepherd, then they lie down as I try to work my brain.The Dogs

While I regularly work on articles, lessons, or word studies, my most frequent activity in the morning is listening to lessons online.  I imagine my dogs have listened to more lessons than many people.  They have heard lessons on baptism, premillennialism, marriage, and many books of the Bible. The list would be quite extensive if I wrote it all down.  I know I have a drawer with piles of lesson notes that the dogs have been present to hear.

Typically, around 9 am, the hound lets me know it is time for her to go outside and bark at the brush for 15-20 minutes.  The shepherd joins her and then they beg to come back in to eat some breakfast and be in my presence as I finish up my morning studies.  Next on our agenda is a few hours of outside work, some lunch, and then some late afternoon study.  Finally, at the end of the day, the bluetick heads to bed while the shepherd typically gets in one more lesson with me and my darling wife.

Did you know the words dog and dogs appear a combined 65 times in the King James Bible?  (Cat does not appear once.)  There really aren’t many kind comments you are going to find about dogs in the Bible, but there are some.  The Bible makes it clear comparing someone to a dog typically isn’t a compliment.  It is pointed out that dogs enjoy vomit.  They can be noisy.  They will howl.  They sleep a lot.  Unfortunately, the term is lumped into this verse from Revelation 22:15 – “Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.”  However, it is mentioned they can work with a flock (my shepherd would like that).  They will clean up the crumbs from your table (my hound would like that).  They will lick your sores if you have them.  And last but not least, a living dog is better than a dead lion.

Regarding my two pups again, the question might be asked, “With all the exposure to Biblical investigation and analysis, how much has it helped them?”  The truth is, when you get right down to it, and you consider the serious nature of scripture, all the exposure to the spoken words of the Bible has not done them a bit of good.  They are dogs.  A human can understand, will benefit from, and needs the Word of God in their life.  A dog? No.  My dogs certainly do recognize a number of words I use such as: sit, stay, get back, outside, lay down, go get it, are you ready, and treat.  However, when it comes to spiritual matters, dogs do not understand.  God put them here as beasts upon the earth for man.  He gave man authority over them.  Dogs are good companions, but they aren’t human.  They aren’t made in the image of God.  They are not eternal.  According to Ecclesiastes 3:21 and 12:7 a dog’s spirit goes to the ground while the spirit of a man returns to God.  God values man above all his creation.  A dog’s life is not comparable to the value of a human.

I am thankful to God for dogs.  My two bring me a lot of joy.  Studying about the occurrence of their mentions in the Bible has been interesting, but it only benefits me, and you if you take a look too.  It is amusing to see the dogs stare at the computer or television screen as if they knew what was going on.  Yet, they don’t.  Therefore, I just love them and enjoy them which is what God intended.

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Jesus Found Eating with Others

Jesus Found Eating with Others

The last chapter of John describes the third time Jesus appeared to the disciples after His resurrection. He had manifested Himself to them when Thomas was absent, then again when Thomas was with them. This chapter describes how seven of the disciples (including Thomas) had spent the entire night fishing and had caught nothing. They did not recognize the Man who told them to cast the nets on the right side of the boat, but they did as He told them.  The events which followed convinced them, and they saw and recognized that the “stranger” was Jesus. They rushed to shore and discovered He had prepared a fire and had fish and bread ready for them to eat. Think for a moment about the Lord and His eating with them. The Jesus who had been raised from the dead was the Jesus who had walked among them. It was His nature to share food with those around Him.

Jesus often ate with others. Just a few days earlier He sat in the upper room and ate the Passover meal with the apostles, and now He shared that fish beside the Sea of Galilee. They had toiled all night in their boat, but without fishing He had a fish already cooked for them. Jesus ate with others.

He ate with sinners and tax collectors. Shortly after He called Matthew to become a disciple, He went to Matthew’s house where there were many other tax collectors and shared a meal with them (Mark 2:15-16). The religious leaders of Jesus’ day would never have eaten with such “evil” men, but Jesus came to live among sinful men and lead them to heaven.

He fed the multitude of followers with only a handful of loaves and fishes—five thousand and then four thousand men (not counting the women and children who also ate). What is remarkable is that many of them only followed Him because of the food He gave (John 6:26).

He ate at the home of a Pharisee and did so without washing His hands (Luke 11:37-38). The Pharisees always ritualistically washed their hands, but Jesus did not do this. He was not concerned about how one ate food but was gravely concerned about sin which in the hearts, even of those who washed their hands.

There are many other accounts of Jesus eating with men while on this earth but take time to consider one special account of Him eating with others. In the upper room, He spoke of how the Passover was to be fulfilled in the kingdom of God where He would assemble again with them in a weekly feast, the Lord’s supper (Luke 22:15-16). He gave them a direct command to insure that it was done remembering Him. He longs to eat around that table with you every week. How can anyone choose to fail to be at that special feast with Him!

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