Thankfulness

NKJV Psalm 100:4
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

NKJV Romans 1:21
Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

NKJV Colossians 3:15
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

I just returned from Nicaragua and I saw something that was very convicting. It has stayed with me all week. We were closing out the project on Thursday when the church in Nicaragua wanted to thank us for our part in what God had blessed them with. They made their presentation to us and the pastor of that church was fighting back the tears. These people live usually in a one room house with sheets up to separate the bedroom. They have dirt floors and very few of what we call necessities. When I presented the pastor with the keys to the new church building, neither the pastor nor could the church hold it any longer. The tears flowed for their gratefulness to God for all He had done for them. They had planned to have a church building within the next 10 to 15 years and God moved that time table up. I have been doing this over 20 years and these were the most thankful people I have ever met – so thankful that I was convicted.  

I was convicted because I do not thank God enough for all that He does in my life. Thankful for: 1) my wife who has supported me and loved me when I did not deserve it, 2) my home that He provided, 3) my children and friends that He uses to teach me, 4) my needs and wants supplied (I am abundantly blessed when you look at the world), 5) running water (it went off there by 2pm each day), 6) electricity (it went off there and you never knew when it would happen), 7) God's love (not measured by what I do or don't do).  The list can go on and on.

I read Romans 1:21 and began to realize that not thanking God would cause my "foolish heart" to be darkened. I have already become calloused toward all my blessings and what God has allowed me to experience. This trip has made me want to stop and thank those around me for love and patience and thank God more. Paul tells us in Phil. 4:11 to be thankful or content wherever we find ourselves. I normally want more, want to be loved and waited on by my wife more or do not see all the things around me that God has blessed me with. I am selfish and self-centered when I do not verbally state my thankfulness to others or God. 

Maybe we are not pulling others into the game because they do not see the change that God would want to see us make in our life. Are you really thankful? Tell God and others. Make it a lifestyle.  What is different in your life because of what God has allowed you to experience? 

Thank you, Lord, for your goodness.

Not Natural

How many things do you have to do in life that are not natural for you or that are not where you are gifted? I think that one of the "not natural" areas that show up in many of our lives would be in the area of humility. Have you ever wondered why? I'm studying the devotions for our mission trip to Nicaragua and God caused me to reflect on why humility doesn't show up in my life or why it is not natural. Scripture tells us that Moses was very humble.

Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth. Numbers 12:3

What words come to mind when you think of great Christians leaders? I doubt very much if the word "meek" appears at the top of your list. We are told in Numbers 12:3 that God looked at Moses and described Moses as humble.

Moses had reasons to be humble. He did not think that he could be used by God. He had already killed a man and fled. Nothing in Scripture indicates he attracted or led anyone during the first eighty years of his life. After the murder, Moses spent the next forty years in exile in the desert of Midian, a time so uneventful that Scripture sums it up in three verses (Exodus 2:21-23).

²¹ Then Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses.
²² And she bore him a son, and he called his name Gershom; for he said, "I have been a stranger in a foreign land." 
²³ Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.  

I read this morning that you don't have to be a "natural" to become a great Christian leader; you simply need a heart for God and a teachable spirit. Most of the great leaders in Scripture were made, not born. Happily for us, God is still making them today. Could you be one? Is God calling you to get off the bench and get into the game? Don't forget to take someone with you. Are you practicing radical faith?

Inner Circle

I'm finishing up a study of Maxwell's 21 laws with some business men and last week I saw again the importance of having the right inner circle. We all need the right people around us so that we can be all that God wants us to be.

1 Chronicles 11:10 (NKJV)
¹⁰ Now these were the heads of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel.

David had his mighty men around him. Some were being mentored to be great warriors and some were lifting him up. Like David we need other Christians around us. Some of the people around us should take us to the next level in our Christian life and some we should be mentoring for kingdom work. 

Some Christians try to make it through life without mentoring anyone or having any accountability for themselves.  If you're alone and not taking anyone on the trip with you, shame on you.  God poured out His Holy Spirit in Acts 1:8 so that you would have power to be a witness and be the Christian that He wants you to be. Examine the way David pulled together the core people that God wanted around him.

1. He started building a strong inner circle before he needed it: David began building his team long before he was crowned king. We do not know what the future holds but you will need key people in your life that God will use to make you usable for Him.
2. He attracted people with varied gifts: David attracted men of diverse abilities. We need people that will take our family to the next level and hold us accountable. They need gifts that you do not presently have.

3. He engendered loyalty: David's followers displayed incredible loyalty to him throughout his life. Those closest to him seemed willing to put their lives on the line for him. You will need strong friends when you go through tough times or when God wants to do something great with you.
4. David recognized his mighty men's strengths and used those strengths to make him of greater use for God. How can the people around you take your family or you to a new level? Do you need new friends that will cause you to be what God wants?

The people you need in your life could be sitting on the sideline and not in the game today. What will you do this week to get the right people involved in your life? You and they will grow to be used of God. Do you have a plan?