What's RIGHT with America?

 

“The American, by nature, is optimistic. He is experimental, an inventor, and a builder who builds best when called upon to build greatly.” John F. Kennedy 

  When was the last time you heard a news report or commentary on what’s right about America? Maybe on the 4^th of July or some other national holiday, you might hear or see posts about what people love and appreciate about America but it’s not the normal fare. Both left and right-wing media increase ratings by highlighting what’s wrong with America. Even Christian organizations use crisis and impending doom to raise funds. 

  Please understand, that America has its share of problems but what country would you rather live in? If America is so bad, why is it that so many from other countries seek to immigrate here? In fact, over three times as many people immigrate to the U.S. than the next most popular country which is Germany. Both Canada and Australiahave have half of even Germany's numbers who seek to immigrate there. In spite of the benefits of socialism and Marxism that are sometimes spouted as improvements over our system, very few actually immigrate to socialist or Marxist nations. 

  God’s people are to be grateful and He wants us to be thankful for the many blessings He’s given us (James 1:17) in America. That’s not to say that there aren’t problems that need to be addressed, yet our spiritual health and witness is affixed to our grateful outlook for His blessings. This is why most of us need to limit our media intake and even social media. It’s often mental junk food that directs our minds toward anger, anxiety or depression. If you narrowly focus on the news, economics, morality, and politics in general, then you’ll overlook the many blessings that God has given us in America. Let me share just a few of the many blessings we have as Americans. 

  We have freedom of religion. Around the world eight believers are martyred every day and 182 Churches are ravaged each week. More than 360 million Christians suffer high levels of persecution for their faith. Many Christians worship in secret in fear of arrest. Very few have Bibles. 

  Slavery was a horrible cancer in America and Britain. If it had not been the freedom of religion, it might still be legal today. Slavery is driven by a love for money and profitability. Horribly there were Christians who worshipped money more than God and neglected that God had created every person as Imago Dei, (made in the image of God). But the Quakers got it and even before the Constitution was ratified protested against slavery and wanted it abolished as part of the Constitution. British statesman, William Wilberforce, fought to end slavery until his death. There’s a connection that in the many countries where slavery is still legal or “illegal” yet allowed, none have religious freedom. Because of religious freedom, philanthropic organizations like Goodwill, YMCA, the Salvation Army, and countless hospitals were started by religious individuals. 

  We have economic freedom and opportunity. Why do so many immigrate to America? Because it’s the land of opportunity. You can have any job that you want. You have the right to own property, including your own home and car. You can own your own business. One has the freedom to produce, trade, and consume goods and services acquired without the use of force, fraud, or theft. While we unfortunately have increasing governmental oversight, entrepreneurs still thrive and are successful.  

  The Sugar Bowl Bakery founder Andrew Ly fled Vietnam after the U.S. pulled out in 1975. After living in a Malaysian refugee camp, Ly arrived in the U.S. with just a dollar to his name in 1979. In 1984, Ly and his four brothers pooled their savings and opened the Sugar Bowl Bakery, which went on to be a $400 million dollar business. Iranian-born Ahmad Meradji, the CEO of Booklogix moved to America from Iran at 21. After working as a busboy and doing other menial jobs, he climbed the corporate ladder and in 2006 started his own self-publishing service, Booklogix, which today is worth $4.5 million. America is the land of opportunity.

  We have a justice system that protects the rights of individuals. While our justice system has problems, it surpasses that of much of the world. One can’t be arrested without cause. Most Americans in an emergency will still dial 911 and be confident that law enforcement or emergency personnel will come to their aid. We have laws against unlawful detention and discrimination and the right to a speedy trial with a jury of your peers. There is to be impartiality amongst judicial officers. Discrimination against women and the violation of fundamental human rights is illegal. 

   We have a representative form of government. Though all of the political advertising can be irritating, we have free and open elections. We have an open government that shares information, empowers citizens with tools to hold the Government accountable, and fosters and encourages the participation of its citizens in the deliberation of public policy. If a law or situation is unjust, we have the right to assemble and protest. Unlike in many countries, peaceful protesters are not arrested, beaten or shot. 

  We live in the land of plenty. While there is a supply chain shortage and some items are either difficult to obtain or more limited or more costly than in the past, the shelves of our grocery stores are still filled. Not only that there are multiple grocery stores to choose from, not to mention fruit and vegetable stands and farmers’ markets in nearly every community. We have so much that there are thrift stores and discount stores that sell second-hand goods of items that others have discarded.

  Compared to much of the world even those in poverty are “wealthy.” The word poverty suggests destitution: an inability to provide a family with nutritious food, clothing, and reasonable shelter, yet only a small number of the 35 million persons classified as “poor” by the Census Bureau fit that description. Most of America’s poor live in material conditions that would be judged well-off compared to much of the world. 46% of all poor households actually own their own homes. The average home owned by those classified as poor is a three bedroom house with one and a half baths, a garage, and a porch or patio. 76% have air conditioning. As a group, America’s poor are far from being chronically undernourished. Even our poor are not as poor as much of the world.

  Does America have problems? Yes. Yet, we have countless blessings given to us by God and we need to thank Him for His goodness to us! 

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Don't Bury Your Praise!

 “Eternity will be too short fully to recount His praise. 

Let us not shorten our joy by neglecting to begin on earth.”  Henry Law

   A gravestone has finally returned to its resting spot in a Michigan cemetery after it went missing nearly 150 years ago. It was discovered by an auctioneer who found the gravestone during a Lansing, Michigan estate sale last August. The family had used the marble slab to make fudge, but no one could remember where it came from. 

  So, with the family’s permission, the auctioneer contacted a local cemetery preservation society to return the stone to its rightful place. Society members looked for relatives of the gravestone owner, Peter J. Weller, who died in Lansing in 1849, but they couldn’t find any survivors. Eventually, they learned that when Weller’s grave was moved to a different city cemetery in 1875, the monument somehow ended up in the family’s home. On Sept. 26^th, the group conducted a memorial service for Weller marking the return of the gravestone. 

  We’ve all made our cooking mistakes but I think that they really “fudged” on that one. Using a gravestone to cook with has to be up there with one of the top gauche decisions of all time. It’s a bit like using a human femur to stir soup. Some things just ought not to not be done.

  Just as wrong is designating gratitude to the month of November or to the Thanksgiving Season. Praising God needs to permeate our lives 365 days a year, 24/7. Nothing so changes your life as growing into a person of praise. Too many of us compartmentalize praise and make it “church stuff,” when it should be life stuff. Gratitude should be woven into the fabric of everything we do, not relegated to a few hours at church on Sunday. 

  Have you ever tried to think of things to praise God for and struggled to come up with much? While I rarely have difficulty coming up with things to pray for, praise isn’t as easy. Here are five that will help: 

  1) His love endures forever! God loves us so much, He sent His Only Son to be the sacrifice for our sins. Never mind all the time that we spent ignoring Him, disobeying, etc., He still loves us. (John 3:16; Rom 5:8).

  2) His grace is amazing! His capacity for forgiveness is never-ending. No matter how much we fail, His grace is more than enough. (Eph. 2:4-5).

  3) He is sovereign overall! While none of us know all of the mysteries of life, God does. When you feel out of control, or that the world is out of control, He has it all under control (Ps. 103:19).

  4) He is omnipotent and omniscient! God has the power to do anything and everything! He knows everything and is never surprised. Nothing is beyond His power or knowledge. (Mt. 19:26).

  5) He is always faithful! The Bible promises that the Lord will be with us always, and He’s our ever-present help in times of trouble. (Ps. 46:1). God is awesome and has designed us to praise Him. After your personal quiet time with the Lord, the best place to praise the Lord is in your own home…Our homes and marriages should be permeated by praise. Parents become frustrated when their child whines or chronically complains. Yet, where did they learn that? Too often, it’s from us. How often do our children hear us praising the Lord? How often do we thank our spouse or praise our children? 

  If you put a dollar in a jar over the course of a week for every time you complained and took one out for every time you praised the Lord or thanked someone, you’ll probably have lots of money in the jar by the end of the week.

  Praise and gratitude must be the believer’s default setting. Last year when the pandemic rules began to loosen New York Times reporter, Soumya Karlamangla described how she experienced “a small burst of joy.” Every return to some old, familiar activity, from hugging people to getting haircuts to wandering the aisles of grocery stores, became “almost wondrous” to her. At least for a while, but then, she admits, the feelings began to fade. 

  Karlamangla had some advice for people looking to preserve that “post-lockdown feeling:” practicing the lost art of gratitude. “Once a day, stop and appreciate what you’re able to do now that you weren’t last year. You can make a mental note, tell your partner, text your friend or write it down in a journal. The method doesn’t matter, as long as you’re making a deliberate effort to acknowledge that things have improved.” 

  She goes on to cite scientific evidence of the physical and mental health benefits of cultivating gratitude, including better sleep and higher levels of happiness. “Feeling thankful for the little pleasures in our lives,” she concludes, “can add up to make us happier people overall.”

  Precisely because the pandemic was so disruptive to normal life, our emergence from it provided incredible opportunities for embracing this kind of gratitude. Habitually practicing gratitude is extremely beneficial for us, even for those who don’t believe in God. For that reason alone, we can hope that Times readers take Karlamangla’s advice seriously. Yet for us as Christians, gratitude isn’t some mental health strategy. It’s a profound way of telling the truth: to ourselves, to others, and to the whole world.

  Complaining isn’t harmless; it’s serious sin. The Apostle Paul wrote, “And do not grumble, as some of them did — and were killed by the destroying angel” (1 Cor. 10:10). Think about it. Who are our complaints really against? God. That’s so convicting! Who gave you whatever you find it most tempting to complain about from your spouse to your children to your job to your country to your government to your church (Nah, no one ever complains about church).

  Israel lost forty years wandering the wilderness because when they should have been praising the Lord for His deliverance from slavery in Egypt and provision and protection in the wilderness, they bellyached. We must grow weary of wandering in our own wilderness of discontent and ask the Lord to forgive us. Then, we must learn the habit of praise. Yes, there are some terrible things going on in our world and in our lives. Our Father though is in control. He’s the One we need to share our cares with. We must learn to live in Philippians 4:6, and not just at Thanksgiving, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

  Grumbling should be as rare for a believer as using a tombstone to cook with. Let’s commit to being people of praise!

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Gratitude: The Gift that Keeps on Giving

 

“If you can’t be thankful for what you receive,
be thankful for what you escape.”

  Matthew Henry, an 18th-century Puritan preacher whose Bible commentary is one of the most popular of all time, was once accosted by robbers while living in London. Being robbed, having something stolen, or having your home or car broken into is a horrible feeling. You feel so violated. It’s among the most unsettling things that can happen to a person. I’m sure it was, as well, for a quiet, thoughtful pastor and man of letters like Matthew Henry. Yet, somehow, as he reflected on it (as he wrote in his diary), even in that invasive act, Matthew Henry couldn’t help but find something to be thankful for as a result of his misfortune.

  He wrote: “Let me be thankful. First, because I was never robbed before. Second, because although they took my wallet, they did not take my life. Third, because although they took my all, it was not much. Fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.” 

  Wow! I hope my growth in godly gratitude reaches that pinnacle someday. God has worked in my life and I’m so much further than I was, yet I have so far to go. A spirit of thankfulness isn’t something you can check off your “To Do” list and you’re done. It’s an area that you and I will need to continue to work on and grow in until we’re Home. 

  So, how are you doing with gratitude? Hopefully, our series, Thank-full, has helped you. I know it’s helped me. Early in this series, I mentioned Ann Voskamp’s powerful book, One Thousand Gifts. As Ann began to record God’s blessings in her life, others noticed. Before recording God’s blessings in her life she’d struggled with depression and sadness. Writing down God’s blessings revolutionized her life. 

  Are you becoming more grateful? Have others noticed? Have they said anything? If not, let me encourage you to ask a godly friend to let you know how you’re doing in gratitude. We all need the encouragement. And if they honestly share that we’re known more for griping than our gratitude, then we need to repent and grow in thankfulness. 

  Today is our last sermon in this series, but it must not be the end of growing in gratitude. Individually and as a church we must continue to grow in gratitude. It must be part of our spiritual DNA. We have so much to be thankful for. Growing gratitude carries with it countless blessings. 

  Gratitude draws us closer to our Father. All of us love to be thanked. Recently, I took a box of donuts to a local group that I support and someone on their staff took the time to send me a thank you note. It made my day. I took the donuts because I wanted to encourage them. Their thank-you note encouraged me! God designed us that way. Our Father loves it when we sincerely and habitually thank Him. 

  Do you long for a greater sense of God’s closeness? As stress intensifies, when nighttime worries seem to magnify in strength, when days are piling up one after another, or when life simply feels dull and routine, do you crave the assurance of His presence? The Bible says that God inhabits the praise of His people (Psalm 22:3). God lives in the place of praise. If you and I want to go where He is, we must go to His address. 

  Expressing gratitude to our Father makes Him more real in our lives. It increases our depth perception of the One who knows our name, loves us, and knows all about us. He knows our deepest wounds, vilest sins, and failures and still loves us. Intentional gratitude transports us nearer to Him! 

  Gratitude is the path to deep, soul peace. Peace is not a change of scenery. Prayer, peace and thanksgiving all go together. As I pray and leave my burdens with the Father, He floods my soul with peace. And then I thank Him over and over again (Philippians 4:6-7). They’re interrelated. 

  When prayer tag-teams with gratitude, when we open our eyes to see God’s grace and mercies even in the midst of pain and trials when we exercise faith and thank Him even in the storm when we can’t see blue sky anywhere, He meets us with indescribable peace. Praise and prayer are vital. Yet, to really experience His peace we must come to Him in gratitude. Hard gratitude. Costly gratitude. The gratitude that trusts that He is working for our good even in the midst of the fire. It’s the kind that garrisons our hearts with His unexplainable peace. 

  Gratitude is the yardstick of our hearts. When you ask friends over for a meal or out to dinner, it’s a sure sign that you like them and enjoy their company, and are comfortable spending time with them. 

  One common trait of those in the pages of Scripture who were close to the Lord is gratitude. All the other traits of godliness are connected to it. When we’re grateful to God for His obvious and even more subtle (or hard to understand) forms of blessing, it’s a measure of the condition of our heart. It reveals you believe that He is good, faithful, and can be trusted. 

  Complaining, negativity, and pessimism are sadly measures of our heart, too. They may even indicate we don’t really know the Lord. Christians have been rescued at the expense of God’s only Son from Hell. We’ve been forgiven freely because of the cross though we’re absolutely undeserving. The very worst in this life is truly a pittance of pain compared to an eternity separated from God. Stop and think about what Jesus really did for us on the cross. How can we not continually praise Him? 

  In May of 1915, the British passenger ship, Lusitania was torpedoed by a German submarine. When the Lusitania was hit, there were 1,962 people on board. In a matter of minutes, the huge ship began to come apart. In the next few hours, 1,201 passengers and crew died. One of those who went down with the ship was American millionaire, Alfred Vanderbilt. Survivors reported that he spent his last moments helping others to safety. He rounded up as many children as he could and got them into lifeboats. Just before the ship went down, Vanderbilt handed his life jacket to a young mother with a baby in her arms. 

  While it was a brave and noble sacrifice, the Lord Jesus did so much more for us! He took upon Himself all of our sins and died our death, our spiritual death. Without Jesus, we were going down for all eternity. Now we’re going to spend eternity in heaven with Him because of His sacrifice. How can we not overflow with gratitude?

  The forgiven must be known for being thankful! It’s obedience. It’s God’s will. Are you? Let’s grow in gratitude!

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

 

Gratitude

 

“Every time I hear the word grace, I am reminded that I must live a life, every day, which reflects my gratitude to God.”  Charles W. Colson

 

A man once lived in his small house with his wife and six children. The house was loud and crowded. There was no peace to be found. For years, his ever-patient wife heard his complaints, shouldering the burden, until one day she asked him to go speak to the rabbi about the problem.   “Rabbi, we are too many. Our house is too small. There is too much noise. I cannot think. I cannot breathe. What do I do?” The rabbi instructed him to go home and bring his six chickens inside his house. The man went home and did as he was told. Three days later he returned to the rabbi.  “Rabbi, we are now even more. The chickens are pecking away. They poop on our floor. It is louder and messier.” “Go home and also bring your goat into the house,” the rabbi instructed. The man went home and brought the goat into his house. However, after three days he went running back to the rabbi. “The goat is eating at our furniture. He rams into our legs. Things have only gotten worse.” “Go home and bring your cow into the house as well.” The man went home and brought the cow inside the house. Three days later, he went back to his rabbi once again. “Rabbi, the house is filthy and reeks of manure. We can barely move around all the animals. The snorts and moos and sounds of the animals breaking wind keep me awake all night. Rabbi, this is terrible.” “Go home and remove all the animals from your house.” The man went home and did as he was told yet again. Three days later he returned to the rabbi, nearly skipping the entire way, joy radiating from his face. “Rabbi, thank you so very much. We removed the animals. Our house is clean and calm and quiet now. A man can find rest within its walls.”

  Gratitude! It’s amazing how much our perspective affects our gratitude. It’s amazing how many things we take for granted and even complain about. I know that I do. This pandemic has highlighted many things that we took for granted prior to all of this. 

  For example, eating out is nearly one of our “inalienable rights. Even now many restaurants only have a drive-through or pick-up. Yet how often before all of this did we gripe because of the service, food, or cost. We took it all for granted. Places like Starbucks were a go-to place to read or meet a friend. It never crossed our minds that it might cease…even temporarily. 

  A year ago who would have thought that we’d so appreciate toilet paper, cleaning wipes, paper towels, etc. All things that we assumed would always be there, took for granted, and never gave a second thought. 

  Smiles. Do you miss smiles? I do. We took facial expressions for granted prior to the pandemic. Often it’s hard to read true feelings behind a mask. 

  Family gatherings, meeting with friends, worship services…even long chats with neighbors on the front lawn. In 2020 they virtually disappeared.  At best, they happen with a good bit of social distance. 

  How did you respond to all of this? Too often my attitude stunk. I went from disbelief, thinking it’d all be over in a few weeks, to anger and even bitterness. There was even some grieving and depression mixed in there. 

  Often I begin my day by asking the Lord to use me to encourage someone that day. With the social isolation and self-pity that fell by the wayside. 

  It all clicked for me one afternoon. I was in a local store where I’m a regular. The clerk smiled when she recognized me but I was in a foul mood. Something petty going on bothered me and I complained to her. I can still see her face dropping, even behind the mask. She’d been glad to see me. I was normally a friendly face, an encourager…not that day. 

  And I remember getting into my car afterward and the Holy Spirit struck my bitter heart with a thunderbolt. How dare I be so petty, so ungrateful, such a poor representative for the Savior? And I had to confess my sin, my bitterness, my ingratitude, my selfishness, and my poor example. 

  If there is anything that makes a Christian different, it’s gratitude. It’s not that we’re pro-life, go to church or read our Bibles. Gratitude, a thankful heart distinguishes us as children of our Heavenly Father probably more than any other one trait. A grateful non-believer is an anomaly. 

  If anyone should be filled with gratitude and joy, it should be us. We know that we’ve been forgiven an unpayable debt of sin and guilt by our Savior on the cross. We know that we’re loved even though we know how terribly unlovable we are. We know that everything, the absolutely worst hell that this world can dish out is temporary. We know that even when are alone and isolated, we’re never alone. We know that nothing happens to us by accident. We know that we have friends not just for this life but for eternity, brothers and sisters who have also trusted Christ as their Savior. We have confidence that we can share our hearts, even our greatest hurts, worst failures, and deepest struggles with Jesus, our great high priest. We know that whether we’re rich or poor, talented or untalented, beautiful or ugly, live in a mansion or are homeless, drive a sports car or walk everywhere…and a million other details, that we have a Savior who loved us so much that He came to this world to rescue us from ourselves. We have a new Home beyond the stars with streets of gold where there is no sickness, pain, or loss…ever again! 

  What will make the difference in your heart? Gratitude! What will make the difference in your marriage and in your relationship with your children? Gratitude! What will make a difference in your workplace, in your neighborhood, in our church? Gratitude! Gratitude changes everything because it changes us. And as believers, we have so much to be grateful for. Our theme for 2021 is: “Gratitude is the Attitude that Changes the Altitude of our Life.” And it does. 

  But here’s the tragedy. We who have so much to be thankful for are often the worst complainers and grumblers. We too easily forget that every good thing is from our Heavenly Father (James 1:17). So, for the next eight weeks, to help us grow in this vital area and to assist us with doing a reset on our hearts, we’re working through a sermon series, Thank-FULL. 

  You don’t want to miss a single one because we all need this! Our Lord wants this for us! Our world desperately needs to see grateful Christ-followers! Will you be one? Will our church be a grateful, joyful church?

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

 

Gratitude is the Best Attitude

“Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.”   Zig Ziglar

  Earlier this week I sat through a presentation to raise funds for a great cause. But one of the things that really stood out to me in the presentation – misspelled words. The project is putting in new bathrooms for a school of 400 students in a 3^rd World country. It’s a great and worthy project and compared to American costs, very reasonable. Yet, I found that I was more focused on a few misspellings than the huge impact of this project.

  Please understand, I’m not suggesting that we become sloppy and overlook misspelled words or other errors, and not aim for excellence. What I am confessing is that I’ve been so contaminated by a sinful world, that my tendency is to notice what is wrong before I notice what is right.

  With 10 stalls for 400 students, 5 for girls and 5 for boys, I’d surmise those students don’t care what it’s called – whether a bathroom, restroom, toilet, privy, washroom, powder room, loo, lavatory or some slang term. They’re just thankful that they have a bathroom with indoor plumbing.

  Are you like me? I find that the Spirit is continually convicting me for my petty, ungrateful heart. I have to be spiritually aggressive with my sinful spirit that’s more prone to groan than to give gratitude.

  John MacArthur insightfully writes, “A thankful heart is one of the primary identifying characteristics of a believer. It stands in stark contrast to pride, selfishness, and worry. And it helps fortify the believer’s trust in the Lord and reliance of His provision, even in the toughest times. No matter how choppy the seas become, a believer’s heart is buoyed by constant praise and gratefulness to the Lord.”

  For the past few weeks I’ve been thinking about what trait or traits most identify and distinguish a Christian. I was wrongly taught and believed for too many years that it was behavior, appearance or following a list of rules. I was a very good Pharisee.

  I’m so thankful that sanctification is a lifelong process and that my Heavenly Father is so patient with me. As I look through the pages of Scripture, there is a consistent identifying trait for a godly person, someone who is maturing in their walk with the Lord – constant gratitude. The last book of the Bible, Revelation, is permeated with hymns of praise. We end in eternity with praise in our hearts that flows from our lips.

  Yet, gratitude is a habit that must be empowered by God’s grace and continually cultivated. Every believer has a life filled with blessings now that overflows into eternity. It’s not a matter of what we have or what’s  going on, it’s what we see and focus on and fill our minds with.  

  Recently, I read of a study that took three groups of people and had them go for daily walks. The first group was told to focus on the good things they noticed, the second one on the bad and the third group was told just to walk for exercise. What was the result?

  At the end of the week, when the walkers’ well-being was tested again, those who had deliberately targeted positive cues were happier than before the experiment. The negatively focused subjects were less happy, and the just plain exercisers scored somewhere in between.

  The point, according to the researchers, is that “you see what you look for. And you can train yourself to attend to the joy out there waiting to be had, instead of passively waiting for it to come to you.” What I found very noteworthy was that though this wasn’t a Christian study, these individuals had significant positive change because they learned to focus on what we call “common grace.” Unknowingly, they were living out the Lord’s command: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

  Nothing so sets apart a believer as gratitude. We can be the kind of people who truly feel and appreciate the good in life because we know who it comes from (James 1:17). At first, like any habit, it takes work. It requires continued focus. Yet, if we develop the habit of gratitude, it will radically change us and our testimony for the gospel. Here are a few simple steps to help you begin.

  Confess ingratitude and pray for grace to grow in gratitude. We must by confession clear out the filth in our hearts so that the Lord can fill it with grace and gratitude. It means being honest and coming clean. Afterall, Jesus died for our sin of ingratitude. But most of us don’t take the sin of ungratefulness seriously. The nation of Israel learned a hard lesson and spent 40 years wandering the wilderness because of grumbling.

  Limit contaminations of bad news in your life. Personally, I rarely watch the news. I may listen to the headlines or scan them on a periodical, yet I don’t linger there. That’s because rarely is there anything encouraging. Most is broadcast void of a biblical worldview, that even in the “bad” God is in total control. Then, I avoid negaholics and seek to surround myself with grateful people and those who see God’s hand in this world.  

  Increase the amount of good news in your life. It’s rare to find a miserable believer who is faithfully in their Bible. Spending time in God’s Word changes our outlook and help us be aware that God is working even when we can’t see it and helps us see life from His eternal perspective.

  Start early, yet start small. Begin your day thanking the Lord for another one. Throughout your day look for God moments, little blessings like the beauty of His creation or some unexpected kindness. Perhaps keep a log and write down a blessing or blessings from each day.

  Ask the Lord to help you see those things from His perspective which most easily cause you to complain. I’m not a masochist. I don’t like trials. Yet, I know from Scripture that my Father is behind trials. Of late, I’ve been asking Him to use them to burn away dross and make me more like Jesus. It’s changed my perspective of trials from something to get through to that which I’m confident He is using to make me into His masterpiece.

  Would those around you describe you as a grateful person? Do they hear the song in your heart because you know Jesus and are confident that He has everything under control, even the trials?

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Thank You: It's NOT just the thought that counts

“As the Lord loveth a cheerful giver, so likewise a cheerful thanksgiver.”

John Eliff

  This is a little embarrassing, yet, I’ve found when you need to do something, dive in. It’s an area that the Spirit has convicted me about. Godly friends have encouraged me, telling me they’ve seen growth in this area of my Christian walk, yet I know I have a long way to go. Preaching about ministry at Bill Lincoln’s Installation Service a few weeks ago made me aware that I owe you an apology. What’s my struggle? Gratitude, telling others I appreciate them, saying “thank you.” Unfortunately, it’s not one of my strengths. A growing spirit of gratitude is truly the Spirit working in me. Forward steps of sanctification are a God-thing in my life.

  Please understand, I’m not excusing my failure. I’m an adult. Children are victims, adults are volunteers. That means that adults must take responsibility for who they are, and then by God’s grace, choose to change.

  So, this is also for parents who want to help their children become godly adults. Gratitude wasn’t modeled for me. It may seem hard to believe, but I wasn’t taught to say, “Thank you!” I can’t remember ever being encouraged to write a thank you note. While it may have happened, I don’t remember anyone in my home expressing gratitude of any kind.

  But what was modeled was harshness, pettiness and a constant barrage of criticism. Nothing was ever good enough. There was no affirmation or encouragement. Because it wasn’t modeled during those formative years, it’s a missing part that I’ve had to learn and develop as an adult. Please help your children’s future by encouraging and modeling gratitude today.   

  And wonderfully, God blessed me with a wife who has a strength where I have a weakness. Add to that, through the years Jane has lovingly put up with my ineptness in this area.

  The bottom line though is that I’ve failed you, terribly in this area. Over the years, I’ve not told you nearly enough as my church family how grateful I am for you! Though I haven’t verbalized it, words are not enough to express how much I love our church and how thankful I am for you!

  I know that I’m rough around the edges, yet you are so continually gracious and kind to me. I’ve often quipped, “God has a sense of humor – He put me in the ministry.” Many colleagues in ministry ooze kindness and graciousness. It’s not my default setting. Yet, even though I may not say it, I am so thankful for you! Here are just a few of the many reasons.

  You’re gracious when I teach the tough stuff from Scripture. At Grace, we’re committed to expository preaching and systematically working through a book of the Bible. Because of that approach, we often deal with truths in Scripture that’d be easier to skip. They confront us, rattle us and make us uncomfortable. Yet, we can’t dodge them because they’re part of God’s written revelation. When some of my friends preach through a tough text, they get push back. Not me. It’s very rare that I have anyone ever question what I shared in a sermon or a Pastor’s Pen. In fact, quite the opposite. Often, I’m thanked or encouraged for saying the “hard things.”

  You’re so kind to my family. Then, I have friends in the ministry whose wives or children are brutalized by their churches. Some have become so discouraged that they left the church and even the ministry.  

  As you know, Jane is not just my wife, she’s my best friend. I don’t know if I could stay in the ministry if I went through what some of my friends have. Yet, you are so kind to Jane! My wife is not just the “pastor’s wife,” she’s surrounded by loving sisters and brothers. It’s been very, very rare for something harsh or unkind to be said either to or about Jane. 

  Add to that, you allowed my children to be…children. They weren’t and aren’t perfect, yet you’ve been so kind to them. Only very, very rarely (like almost never) did we hear, “Pastor’s kids should…” When they were young and we had ministry responsibilities which required both Jane and me to attend, many were willing to babysit. Our children were continually encouraged and affirmed. That’s why they love and appreciate you because you’ve been so kind and loving to them. Recently, when Aaron got married in Taiwan, our family was overwhelmed at your thoughtfulness.

  You encourage me to take breaks. Periodically, I’ll have a pastor friend call me who is being criticized about his vacation or taking time off. Yet, I’m encouraged to rest, take time off, and go on vacation…not do more.

  Our godly leadership is a continual blessing! In my thirty years at Grace, I’ve been so blessed with godly, committed leadership. In many churches, leadership meetings are huge arguments and fights. It’s not uncommon for people to leave in a huff. While there are strong opinions, differences and disagreements among our leadership, we’ve been free of politicking, and carnal, self-willed agendas. I’m grateful for godly leaders who think outside of the box, who can differ without being divisive. They know how to have an opinion without being opinionated. Sometimes there’s a need for confidentiality. We’re blessed with those who practice discretion.

  Over the years I’ve appreciated being privately pulled aside and graciously corrected because I was off track. And over the years, I’ve been able to graciously correct, yet not offend. It’s living out, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend…” (Proverbs 27:6). 

  In 1988 when our little family pulled into Burlington, I never imagined that God’s plan would be for us to serve the Lord here for 30 years. Now I can’t imagine serving the Lord anywhere else! I’m very blessed. I have the greatest church family! I love you and am so thankful for each of you…even though I drop the ball and don’t tell you enough. Thank you for putting up with my shortcomings. By His grace, I’m growing in this area.

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Sometimes my wife, Jane, can be so annoying...

“Is it not lamentable that men will never thank God for the countless blessings He confers upon them, and then remember Him only to complain of the evils which they have brought upon themselves, and which are never half so great as their misconduct deserves?” 

John Broadus

  Thanksgiving is that season of the year when my wife, Jane, can be a real source of irritation for me. Complaining about Jane is not something I typically do, yet most people have no idea of how much I suffer. The Thanksgiving Season highlights this obnoxious behavior of hers more than any other time of year. So let me share my “thorn in the marriage.”

  All of us have our standard approach to life…and that’s where we have an issue. Jane habitually approaches life with gratitude whereas I, sadly, too often approach life with grumbling. Since we first got married, I’ve grown and become much, more quiet about it. And I don’t mean to shock any of you, but when Jane and I were first married, there were times when we’d be out shopping and the ineptness and incompetence of some local store (at least in my professional opinion J) irritated me. So I’d become a little loud in letting those around me know that I thought that this was completely unacceptable. Rather than chiming in and supporting my whining, Jane would hurry her pace and walk quite a bit ahead of me…almost like she didn’t know me or want to be seen with me. It was completely gauche but I soon got the hint.

  Praise the Lord! I’ve come a long way since then…unfortunately, I still have a long ways to go. Yet, I’m very thankful that both the Lord and Jane are so patient. Maybe that’s why I’m so thankful that in heaven we’ll spend so much time being thankful and praising the Lord. I’ve got a lot of catching up to do.

  God’s Word commands us to be consistently thankful (Ouch!). In writing to the Thessalonian Christians who were suffering intense persecution, the Apostle Paul wrote, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). I wonder how they received that. It sounds nice enough in church, until you find yourself in difficult, even painful circumstances. Then, God’s Word can feel a bit like an insensitive platitude.

  “How can I be thankful when _________?” Countless scenarios complete the sentence. “How can I be thankful when this is the first Thanksgiving since my Mom died? How can I be thankful when I’m so depressed? How can I be thankful when I’m in the middle of chemotherapy? How can I be thankful when I’m not even sure if I’ll have food for dinner tonight?”

  Those are honest questions, ones honest believers have asked throughout the ages. Add to that, some of us struggle more with gratitude than others. Yet, as believers, most would really like to feel grateful, yet their life circumstances seem to make genuine gratitude impossible. They feel stuck in discouragement and despair.

  If we take the book of Psalms as a model for prayer, then we should certainly feel free, even obligated, to share with the Lord our hurts, frustrations and disappointments. Genuine prayer is not putting a happy face on our true feelings. If you’re grieving the loss of a loved one, or feeling afraid because you’re facing a serious illness, you should certainly share those feelings with your Heavenly Father. Being thankful in all circumstances doesn’t mean pretending or denying.

  It does mean though that we must look beyond our circumstances. Gratitude comes when we look at the bigger picture, when we remember the multitude of ways in which we’re blessed, even if we’re also feeling sadness, fear or whatever else seems inconsistent with being thankful. It means realizing that everything we experience in this life is temporary!  

  As I was writing this, I received a phone call that my adopted Mom (Mary Cummins) had been rushed to the hospital. Last week she had a stroke. She was doing better and had been moved to rehab. Yet, now she has pneumonia, is having trouble breathing and has congestive heart failure. It’s very likely that she’ll be going Home soon. None of us who love her would for the briefest moment want to prolong her suffering. Ever since the Lord called Dad Cummins Home, she’s been lost without him. In recent years she’s suffered from dementia and confusion. I’ve wondered if possibly her heart was so broken with the loss of the love of her life, that it was God’s gift to her to help her cope with a broken heart.

  Yet, I praise God for Mom Cummins. At some of the lowest points of my life, she and Dad Cummins were there for me with grace and strength. So I’m able to offer genuine thanks without denying the sadness of loss.

  Yet, what about believers who are in the midst of suffering right now? Can they be truly grateful? My answer is “Yes.” How do I know this? Because I’ve seen it time and again in God’s Word, in my own life and in my pastoral ministry. I’ve watched people in the midst of a horrible crisis nevertheless be able to express authentic thanks to God.

  That ability to look beyond our immediate circumstances is itself a gift of God’s grace. If you’re struggling to be grateful, ask the Lord to give you a fresher and truer perspective on your life, to help you see life from His perspective. Allow yourself enough time to remember and reflect upon God’s innumerable gifts. Most of all, think about who God is – that He’s your Father. Meditate upon His mercy and love. The more you do, the more you’ll find true gratitude growing and flowing from your heart.

  So while we don’t thank God for all things, we can thank Him in all things. When we pray, we can pray with thanksgiving. The healthiest human emotion is not love, it’s gratitude. As we cultivate an attitude of gratitude, of being thankful in everything, God in turn gives us more grace. It reduces both the pain and stress in life.

  And it’s not enough to pray and give thanks. We must follow up with that by choosing to change our mental diet. Most of us “meditate” on the negative. It’s imperative that we change the way we think, because the way we think determines how we feel. The way we feel determines how we act. 

  Scripture teaches that if you want to change your life, you must change what you’re thinking about. It requires a deliberate, conscious choice where you choose to think about the right things. We must choose to think on God, hope, His grace and Word. We must choose to think of God’s blessings and what we have to be grateful for. It’s simply obeying Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

Looking for quality used Christian books and other types of books at prices lower than even Amazon. Check out our family's online used bookstore at resurrectedreads.com or visit our store at the Waterford Unique Antique Market at 209 North Milwaukee Street in Waterford, WI -- 262.534.3500. 

Burnout is normal!?!

 “Burnout is nature’s way of telling you, you've been going through the motions your soul has departed; you're a zombie, a member of the walking dead, a sleepwalker. False optimism is like administrating stimulants to an exhausted nervous system.”   Sam Keen

 

Currently, Jane and I are on vacation in Tennessee. It’s our third year at a wonderful cabin in an out of the way place called Muddy Pond. With a name like that, you know it’s a bit off the beaten path. So it’s some two weeks of being basically unplugged and technology free in natural quietness. Our neighbors are the bullfrogs who serenade us each night, a blue heron who periodically drops in, and more catfish than I can count. I buy a big bag of dog food and feed them. It’s like having underwater pets.

  But there’s one hurdle I’ll struggle with nearly every day. Unfortunately, it’s not just when I’m on vacation. Like many of you, I wrestle with this monster nearly every day, particularly on a day off. His name is GUILT.

  The work of a pastor, like that of a farmer (maybe that’s why the Bible calls us shepherds) or the mother of young children, is never done. There’s always one more person you should call, one more letter you should write, one more sermon to prepare. Where’s the line? When is enough time spent in prayer or Bible study? What about evangelism or encouragement? Papers to file start piling up, books that should be read, another meeting to attend. Somehow you’re supposed to be a good husband, available parent, friendly neighbor, keep up with house chores, yard work and car repairs. Many of you feel the same pressure. In our day of economic cutbacks where employers are seeking to stay competitive, they continually ask less people to produce more and more.

  Often I find myself waking up in the middle of the night, remembering things I need to do or some forgotten detail that I overlooked. Then, as much as I try, sleep seems to allude me.

  Busyness, burn out, fatigue are so much a part of our lives that tragically, we’ve accepted them as normative. It’s why many fall asleep in front of the TV or looking at a screen. It’s why we don’t read. The quietness of stopping, just sitting down is difficult for us. And when we do, we fall asleep, so we give up. It’s why too many of us are on the brink of burn out.

  What are some of the signs of burnout? A biblical example of burn out is the Old Testament prophet, Elijah. I’d encourage you to take time to read his story this week. You’ll find the account of Elijah on the verge of a major breakdown in 1 Kings 19. As a high fever can be a sign of serious illness, these are some of the symptoms of burn out.  

  We depreciate our life and worth. Your life is filled with negative self-talk. Dark tapes play over and over in your mind like a broken record: “I’m a nobody. My life doesn’t matter. I don’t count. I have no value.” We compare ourselves with others and their accomplishments: “I’m not doing enough.” We compare our problems with the seemingly easy life others have. We compare our talents or gifts, and think how meager they are compared to the super star quality of the person next door or in the next office. But the worst thing we do is when we compare our expectations with the way life has really turned out. Failures then become final. When we begin to look at the way life turned out compared to the way we expected it would, we set ourselves up for anger, bitterness and burnout.

  We take on responsibility that’s not legitimately ours. You can’t make your kids do the right thing. A preacher can’t get people to respond in the right way to God’s Word. You can’t make an addict quit. But we still try, we up the ante on our inner control freak. Then, we blame ourselves for things we can’t control and that aren’t our fault. We develop a superhero syndrome, attempting to be general manager of the universe.

  We exaggerate what’s wrong and our problems. We overemphasize all that’s wrong in our lives, yet overlook God’s blessings. We consistently focus on the negative whether it’s in our life or in the world around us. We become critical, negaholics…and it often shows on our faces. When you’re drained, fatigued or exhausted, you have difficulty seeing life accurately.

  We pay too much attention to our feelings. Ours is an emotionally driven world. When we focus on how we feel instead of what’s true, it discourages us. Our emotions continually deceive us. Just because you feel a certain way doesn’t mean it’s real. Ask any professional athlete and he’ll tell how discouraged he can feel after a great performance. He’s drained emotionally, so it’s easy to distort reality. He may have done a great job, but that’s not the message he hears from his emotions. Sometimes we must ignore our feelings. Feelings are highly unreliable. So what’s the cure?

  Rest, both physically and spiritually. When we feel overwhelmed, most cut back on the one area that helps us deal with being overwhelmed – rest. We need to go to bed at a decent time. Sometimes taking a ten minute nap helps us recharge in the middle of the day. God understands your body better than you do. Psalm 127:2 (Living Bible) “God wants His loved ones to get their proper rest.” Sometimes in life the most spiritual thing you can do is go to bed. When you’re tired, you can’t handle a whole lot. Often a good night’s rest will radically change your perspective, literally overnight.

  If you’ve set aside (or never started) the habit of spending time in God’s Word and prayer, restart. Physical exercise is helpful; spiritual exercise is the best. Resist the tyranny of the urgent. Instead, renew a fresh awareness of God’s power and presence in your life. Learn to pray for others, too.

  Grow in gratitude. I’ve found that if I’ll take the time to write notes of gratitude, it lifts up my spirit and recharges me. We must learn to thank God for even the “little” blessings and work at turning our focus from the negative to the positive. It’s easy to let negative things dominate our time and thoughts. When we stop letting them control us, when we start spending more time with positive/grateful people, our emotional state dramatically improves. Serving others does the same thing, getting our mind off ourselves. There’s something very powerful about serving others. It’s regenerating. Depressed individuals are self-absorbed, yet serving others is medicine to our souls. 

  Learn to have fun. There’s a world of difference between taking life seriously and taking myself too seriously. Most of us need to learn to lighten up, to laugh more, to do something unplanned, even spontaneous. When we do, we find ourselves rejoicing in the Lord more.

  Remember the famous entertainer, Frank Sinatra? He was known for his song, I Did It My Way. Sadly, his last words before he died were, “I’m losing it.” Even Frank Sinatra didn’t have power over life and death. He wasn’t God and couldn’t control the timing of his own death. If you’re a believer, God is your Father and He has it all under control. We can trust Him. As we do, we learn to rest in Him more and more. 

Looking for quality used Christian books and other types of books at prices lower than even Amazon. Check out our family's online used bookstore at resurrectedreads.com.