My Thanksgiving Message to You
Photo by?Yael Hofnung?on?Unsplash
?Again I Say, “Rejoice!”
Philippians 4:4:?Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
You can’t say this enough – so Paul says it many times, “Rejoice!”
It is the natural response to joy and joy is the natural progression of grace in our lives. It is giddy, chuckle joy, the kind that giggles and sings and sets the heart to rhythm
It is gratitude and evangelism and worship wrapped up in one all encompassing emotion of inner gladness. It is command and promise in one admonition. It is Christmas and Easter and New Year’s Day mingled with the Fourth of July and St. Valentine’s Day exploding exponentially into a chorus of praise to God.
It is perpetual. Rejoice in the Lord, ALWAYS! That means whatever the passing emotion of the moment, no matter how deep the despair or bitter the defeat, no matter how lonely one may be, disheartened, disappointed, or discouraged, rejoice! Whatever the circumstances of one’s life, the great motivation for rejoicing is a joy so deep and enduring that it surpasses all sorrow.
It’s not about “fake it till you make it,” although there may be a way of understanding that advice that can be helpful. Nor is it about any sort of superficial gladness. It is about connecting to something real, permanent, and spiritually authentic that never changes,
It is Christ in you the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).
It is Christ’s peace, presence, and power.
It is faith. It is hope. It is abiding love and sovereign grace.
It is God’s joy. Therefore, we rejoice in the Lord and all other reasons for rejoicing are passing fancies.
Such a simple verse! Such a crucial reminder! Follow God’s Word at this point and it will change your attitudes, your moods, and your outlook on everything. Develop it as a skill (It doesn’t happen over night) and you will begin to see the difference it makes in your life.
Famous for Moderation
Philippians 4:5:?Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Many of us have longed for fame and fortune. Few of us have considered that having already been made infinitely wealthy through our adoption in Jesus Christ, we might become famous for our moderation.
We are connected to the greatest power in the universe and yet, are called to be gentle.
We are heirs to all the riches of the cosmos; yet, we are called to moderate our appetites.
We are privileged beyond comprehension; yet we are encouraged to restrain ourselves in the exercise of our prerogatives.
The Lord wants for His people to be known as gentle folks, moderate in all things, able to speak softly and quietly trust Him for our provision. We are not reborn as bulls in china closets. We have as our example, Jesus, to whom the children came without intimidation or fear.
As?he often does when admonishing us, our Brother Paul gives us a reason for moderation. It is simply this: the Lord is at hand. He is near.
To you that may mean His second coming and you would be correct. To another it may mean His imminent presence through His Holy Spirit and that would also be correct. He is near and that is a sobering thought as well as a cause for rejoicing.
The time is short for men and women to see Jesus through our lives. It always has been and always will be. Life is a flicker in time. Someday we will understand how true that is of all history.
As we redeem the time for the sake of our witness in the world, let the word of our gentle moderation be spread and let the peoples exclaim, “Behold what God can do. If He can work such grace into their lives, what can He do in mine?”
Peace that Keeps
Philippians 4:6-7:?Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
On July 4, 1776, a company of farmers, merchants, scholars, and business men gathered to ratify and sign a document to which they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.
Most of these men paid a heavy cost for that signature. They were not crippled by undo caution or timid in the petition that they brought before the King of England.
In the realm of the Spirit, we have also been called to affix or signatures upon an invisible document of faith with visible repercussions. In it, we declare our absolute loyalty to Jesus Christ. We lay everything on the line without the constraints of care or caution, without reservation or regret, without whining or complaint.
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We come in complete trust rejoicing, thanking, and bringing our petitions before God. And we find in God, not an insecure despot lashing out at us, but a loving Father whose greatest desire is that we come to Him.
As we come, He gives us His peace and that peace becomes the security of our lives standing guard over our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
In 1776, there was great conflict in store for the signers of the Declaration of Independence. In our day of declaration, we may also find conflict ahead, but in the midst, we are surrounded by the peace of God that is completely beyond our comprehension.
Let us boldly declare our liberty and surrender our hearts to the One who sets us free indeed.
THINK
Philippians 4:8: Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
There is way too much “stinking thinking” in the world. What we sow in our thinking, we reap in our behavior and lifestyles and ultimately in the fruit of our lives. If we want to change our lives, we have to follow a trail that leads back to our attitudes. We have to change the way we think and what we spend our time thinking about.
Read these verses slowly. Let them be a template against which you test your thoughts. Allow them to help you determine to conform your thoughts to the higher standards of a Christian mindset.
Ask yourself: Is this thought true? Is it honest or am I kidding myself? Is it just or am I plotting something in my mind that is wrong by God and by my neighbor? Is it pure or is it polluted? Is it lovely or is it ugly? Is it a thought I would want others to read on my face or is it of ill repute? Am I thinking the best of my neighbor or have I engaged in gossip in my own mind? Am I thinking virtue or am I dwelling on something less worthy and noble? Are my thoughts leading me to praise God or to wallow in self pity and disgust?
Try to remember this teaching with an acronym; THINK:
If you will practice positive, God-centered thinking, focused on His goodness and beauty daily for an extended period of time, you will begin to see positive results in your life. Embrace the mind of Christ as your way of thinking and repent of all else.
Find a Mentor and Pay Attention
Philippians 4:9:?Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
You need a mentor. You most likely need several. Certainly in your walk with Christ, you need some models to follow. Some are around us, living and breathing. Others have gone on and left only their reputations and writings behind. We can learn from both kinds of mentors.
Paul boldly encourages the believers to learn from Him by watching his life. What kind of integrity of word and deed does that require? Would you be willing to let folks follow you around and observe your life knowing that they would do what you do, respond as you respond, and believe what you profess with your actions? Would you be wiling to take that kind of responsibility for the fragile lives of young believers?
Paul was willing. He was willing knowing that he was not a finished product. But he was willing to let his life be an open book, frailties and all. He was willing to let people see how God dealt with him and how well he did at forgetting the things that were past and pressing on the mark.
He was willing to be observed. Are you?
The application is two-fold here. First, we are called to live transparent lives before God and men. It is the stewardship of our influence that can mold hearts and encourage the downtrodden.
Second, we are to be humble enough to learn from our elders. We are commanded gently to benefit from the generosity of their example and to learn the finer points of discipleship by observing their lives.
Christianity is a movement of duplication. We are to replicate ourselves in the lives of others and thus, perpetuate the movement down through the generations. At some point, our influence ceases to be ours. We lose control of it through death or infirmity. Yet it continues. It lives on and multiplies beyond even the memory of our names.
That is the genius of God’s plan.
Excerpted?from my book, "The Confidence Factor."?
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