Thank Offerings

The last thing we want to do when things are going bad is thank God. We plead, we ask for help, we complain, but we don't typically give thanks.

That's why scriptures refer to the sacrifice of praise. "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name" (Hebrews 13:15).  Isaiah says, He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God" (Psalm 50:23). When we sacrifice thank offerings, we prepare the way for God's salvation. Amazing! 

The only way to give thanks and praise in bad times is to intentionally shift focus. We look away from terror to Truth, from fear to Faithfulness, and we change. Not only do we find strength to persevere (see Hebrews 12), but we experience an other worldly peace that keeps our hearts and minds focused on what is true and lovely (Philippians 4:6-8)--a far cry from anxiety.

It's not Pollyanna thinking. We have to admit our challenges before Jesus our Intercessor. But as we start looking for things for which to give thanks, the Holy Spirit cleans our lenses and adjusts their focus. We become more aware that God's power and love far surpass our needs. Soon we learn to see the Almighty's hand in our lives even after we've shrunk back from some of the ugly gift wrapping.

This rediscovery (that we can trust God) prepares us to lay down worry and fear. It deactivates our default complaint button. The sacrifice of thanks and praise accustoms our eyes to behold our Savior in grander dimensions, including ones that speak to our needs.

While it's not easy or natural, sacrificing thank offerings honors God. It lays out the red carpet for Jesus, our Savior, to show us the stuff of His salvation.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

Is there a situation in your life that is dragging your attention away from Christ and diminishing your sense of God's great care and presence? How might your sacrifice of thanksgiving impact your well being?

What aspect of God's salvation in your life is God revealing? 

Thank God anew for a time when your sacrifice of praise refocused you on God's presence and perspective. 

Revealer of Mysteries

It's an interesting story of crushing circumstances, uncommon integrity, and courageous trust.

King Nebuchadnezzer had called his wise men and asked the impossible: that they describe his troubling dream and interpret it. If they didn't deliver, they wouldn't live.

Only the gods could do that, they said. And the gods didn't live among humankind.

True. Except for the one true God who can reveal mysteries.

Daniel and his friends fasted and pleaded with God to have mercy and give them the answer.

After God revealed the mystery, Daniel was quick to give God thanks and praise (Daniel 2:20-23).

 I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you. (Daniel 2:23, NIV)

Sometimes only God can resolve our complicated situations. We do our research and weigh our options, but variables stretch like an endless country road. Our God is with us. He is real and vitally involved in our lives. As we earnestly seek God's wisdom, He will reveal what we need to know.

Trusting Him brings life.


FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

See Jeremiah 33:3, then read Daniel 2.

Where can you see yourself in this story? What can you learn about God? What can you learn from Daniel?

Do you have a mystery that needs God's help?

Notice Daniel's strategy. Have you ever asked others to join you in prayer for a critical situation? Have you ever added fasting with prayer? What kind of insights did you gain?

 

Soaring

 

Like a child flying a kite in a gust of wind, circumstances had me tugging at the string while my kite spiralled.

But a fresh study of Philippians chapter four accessed God's Spirit to show me how to harness and soar on the adverse wind.

It seemed too simple to make a difference -- like God's instructions that Naaman dip seven times in the Jordan river to rid himself of leprosy (2 Kings 5).

The simple choice of praising God in the midst of concerns got worry to work for, not against, me. It reminded me that my Creator cared and was powerful to intervene when I gave the situation to Him.  I started cooperating with the Master again instead of going it alone. It brought strength and a new perspective that used the resistance to climb higher. As I continued to praise, give God my concerns and expect His help, my kite steadied and climbed -- like an eagle.

I proved that worry depletes, but praise exhilarates.

Now I'm loving it as I look past what used to worry me into my Creator's eyes and experience Christ's peace.


For Your Consideration

Choose one of the following readings. Prayerfully read and listen for the Holy Spirit's revelation to you.

Philippians 4:6-8-- Replace worry with God's peace.
2 Kings 5: 1-15a-- An obstacle in executing simple instructions.
Isaiah 40: 27-31 -- All-knowing, God wants to renew us.

If you have forgotten God's power or lost sight of God's love, what renewed focus would help you mount up with wings as an eagle?

Has God given you some critical instruction that you might have dismissed as being inconsequential?

Thanksgiving in Suffering

While he suffered, bed-ridden from pulmonary thrombosis, Dr Bill Bright wrote his last book, The Journey Home: Finishing with Joy.

When his doctor announced the grave diagnosis, Dr Bright said, "Thank You, Lord." Thinking that his friend was either in denial, or didn't understand the gravity of his situation, the doctor got quite perturbed with him and explained again how he would suffocate to death.

Dr Bright explained that he was quite aware of the pronouncement, but was living out God's injunction to give thanks in all situations.

I marvelled at how the Word of God, deeply embedded in his psyche and spirit through years of reading, meditation, memorization, and practice, rose up to equip him to face that horrible news.

The last public record from this outstanding man of God makes me read carefully. I am observing how the Word of God shaped everything: his family life, his ability to dare great things for the Kingdom of God, maximize his gifts, and glorify His Master and Savior -- even in suffering.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

How do you treat the Word of God? What influence does it exert in times of hardship/ suffering?

What influences you most, your senses, perceptions, or what God says in His word? How might those affect each other?

Letter To A Friend

My dear friend,


Your note struck home with me. Reminded me of times the accuser gets in my face taunting me with my own shortcomings.

The Lord reminds me that because we have experienced Christ's forgiveness and are journeying to freedom, we are truly bearers of good news.  If we had no struggles, we could not empathize with each other.

I pray that the Lord will help you STAND while He purifies you. I know it's hard... even excruciating at times. We need the LORD's protection to keep the enemy from gaining ground. The conniver would like to pummel us into the ground, tell us how worthless we are -- poor representatives of fabulous good news.

Humility and trust are hard lessons to learn.

HARD lessons -- but so worthwhile. They are gained by dying to our preferences and discovering Christ's power, humility, and faithful love.

I agree. This is not an easy journey. But the Holy Spirit faithfully teaches and reminds us we can't do it on our own. He loves to help us!! Praise Him.

Praise Him quietly.
Praise Him loudly.
Praise Him as you wash dishes.
Praise Him as you help with homework.

Praise Him as you love.
Praise Him as you are loved.
Praise Him when you feel unloved.
Praise from a broken and contrite heart.
Praise Him for He is WORTHY of our best praise.


May Christ's peace and transforming presence keep you from beating up on yourself.

Praise Practice

I have prayed with people who weep, with folk who sing their prayers, and with people who pray through lists. At first, I did what most novices do. I compared myself with seasoned pray-ers and their various styles.

I thought, 'There's no way I can pray like her!' But my heart longed to improve. To pray better. More effectively.

So I started asking God to help me pray like the ones who seemed confident that God was hearing. They seemed to know God well. I would recognize Scripture woven into their prayers with praise sprinkled everywhere.

Praised flowed fluently from one of my friends, while I found praising God beyond 30 seconds difficult. It was just too easy to fall back into asking for things!

To replace my old gimme habit with a longer time of praise, I found the Scriptures the best tool. I'd find a psalm and make the words my own.

As I did that more frequently and for longer times, I found my heart became lighter. It was easier to tell God how I loved and appreciated Him. I started smiling more.

That motivated me to find other passages to pray: Chronicles, Revelation, Ephesians. The more I joined Biblical streams of praise, the more my heart flowed with joy. Practice praying the scriptures gave me what both God and I wanted. I was enjoying His "river of delights."

"How priceless is your unfailing love!
Both high and low among men
find refuge in the shadow of your wings.

They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.

For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light." Psalm 36:7-9, NIV


For Your Consideration

If you've never tried practicing praise, perhaps you can ask God's help to guide you to scriptures you can turn into prayers.

Do you find that the more you praise, the more God whets your appetite for His presence? I'd love to hear your experiences.

Try timing yourself. Thirty seconds is longer than you think!

An Experience with the Beauty of Holiness

It always intrigues me to observe how the Holy Spirit weaves a theme when people pray together with unified purpose.

Today, three friends and I met to pray for local government and church leaders in our city. The theme that developed was holiness: the beauty of God's holy presence, and holiness expressed through His people. One friend prayed for holiness to be more evident in the church. Another prayed that we would see God's face. A third praised God for His beauty.

We interceded on behalf of various groups -- pastors, worship leaders, small group teachers -- then, toward the end of our session, we came to a place of unusual silence. It was not the silence of the "heaviness" of God's presence, not the kind that hushes you with awe. It was a pause indicating a shift was coming.

So we chose to start reading and praying Scripture, starting with Revelation 5, a chapter that describes worship around the throne room of God.

Verse 5 reads,
"In a loud voice they sang:
'Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!'"

Though we didn't sing the words, we did read loudly -- more loudly than usual.

Then Carol turned to Psalm 99 and prayed verse 9.

'We exalt you, LORD our God
and worship at Your holy mountain,
for the LORD our God is holy.'

Sometimes we read in unison, sometimes one of us prayed a passage we'd noticed. The more we read, the stronger our voices grew. It was as if God's Spirit was fanning glowing embers into a fire. I felt I was getting a shot of joy. I listened and participated as we prayed excerpts from the Psalms.

From time to time, two of us would start praying the same Scripture and we would laugh in joy and astonishment. God seemed to say, 'Yes, I am holy, and I will guide your praise. I will show you my delight and bless you as you praise Me.'

We asked... and we had an experience with the Beauty of Holiness.

For Your Consideration:

Will you share with me some nugget of your experience with the "Beauty of Holiness?"

What characteristics of God might be displayed when the Holy Spirit fans corporate prayer, using one prayer to inform or ignite another.

Why not take a literal 30 - 60 seconds to praise the Beauty of Holiness and get a fresh experience of God's delight?

I found that picture at www.renovare.us, a great site for spiritual formation resources.