Thanks In Prayer

How is your prayer life? Do you pray every day? How about multiple times per day? What do you pray about? Are your prayers all about you, your family, your friends, your wants? Do you include thanking God in your prayers?

We can all be a little selfish at times. We look at our needs, wants, and desires first. Beyond ourselves, we may extend our prayers to family and friends, including requests for what we believe is best for them. On rare occasions, we may make requests for our local community or country.

Giving thanks in our prayers is not always included, and when it is, it is often short and general. We aren’t likely to list off specific blessings. Our inclination is to generically thank God for all our blessings and move on. In fact, my personal experience is I often don’t stop to take time to remember every (or even just several) of the specific blessings God has blessed me with and thank Him for them.

When was the last time you thanked God for the following blessings? Your job, house, clothing, food, those new shoes, furniture, dishes, appliances, vehicle, pet, family, friends, acquaintances, the guy who was rude yesterday, the woman who bumped into you at the store, the kid who was screaming for a toy, the book you are reading, your phone, computer, internet, medicine, doctors, nurses, technicians, administrative people, and so much more.

God desires our thanks for everything we have, everything we experience, the person we are, and the person God is making us into. We run at a breakneck pace and forget to thank God for His blessings. We may not even think of some circumstances as blessings. Yet God uses every situation for our good.

I pray we all give thanks to God for His blessings. I pray we give thanks in all circumstances. I pray each one of us will take time to thank God for specific things we have and experience. Thank God for everything. Thank God in all situations. Thank God for who you are. Thank God for who you will be.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Root of Thankfulness

How do you live your life? What or who are you rooted in? Does that root go deep or is it shallow and spread out like a spider web? Do you receive the nourishment you need to strengthen you, or do you wither when it gets hot?

It may seem odd to compare ourselves to a plant, but it is a good way to understand how we are strengthened and grow. We have experience with growing plants, whether it is a vegetable garden, flowers, or we are a farmer.

We know that plants come from a seed or a bulb. We plant the seed, put down some fertilizer, and ensure we water it appropriately. The seed sprouts, the stem of the plant pokes out of the soil, and the first leaves are seen. The root drills its way down into the soil to gather nutrients and water so the plant will continue to be fed. The deeper the root goes, the more likely the plant will be able to withstand the heat of summer when there is no rain for several days.

It is much the same with us. Our initial planting comes at baptism. Initially, we are just like the seed. There is the sprouting, which includes wonderful joy and a feeling of exhilaration. Just like the plant, if the root doesn’t grow, we whither and die, meaning we fall away from the faith that brought us to baptism to begin with. When our root drills deeper in God, we gain strength and grow in our faith. The stronger we become, the better we withstand the attacks from Satan, the dry times, and the lonely times.

Throughout the growth process, we experience God in new ways. We see Him working in our lives and come to appreciate all He is doing. We give Him thanks for always being there for us. As we give thanks, our root grows deeper in God. It is a wonderful circle of life that is a gift from God.

I pray we all grow deeper in God. I pray we seek to gain strength from Him. I pray we are thankful for all God is doing in our lives, thereby growing deeper in Him, and being strengthened by Him. Grow in God. Be fully rooted in God. Be strengthened by God. Be thankful of all God is doing for you.

Colossians 2:6-7 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Being Thankful

How often do you give thanks to God? Are you a thankful person by nature? Or do you have to consciously think about giving thanks? Are you working on being a more thankful person? Do you know God is pleased when we give Him thanks?

Some of us say “Thank you” out of habit. Some of us only rarely say “Thank you.” Saying thank you can be a rote behavior, something we rarely think of, or a heartfelt thanks given to someone for doing something we truly appreciate.

The question we might want to wrestle with is, which of these do we normally give to someone? Are we genuine? Does our genuineness only last for the moment? We may forget all about what someone did for us ten minutes later. Okay, maybe a day later. Either way, if we forget, it likely wasn’t very genuine.

When we give thanks to God, He knows instantly if it is genuine or not. He knows if we are merely mouthing words we were taught or have full appreciation for what He has done for us. He knows our heart of hearts. He knows our motives. He knows our thoughts. He knows when we say the words while being distracted by some other random thought.

Jesus truly gave thanks to God the Father for all He did. He was genuine in His thanks. Perhaps that is just one small reason why He was able to feed five thousand men, plus their wives and children, with just two fish and five loaves of bread and have twelve baskets of food left over. His genuine thanks to God multiplied what was available through blessings from God above.

God has the ability to bless us through multiplication. He can and does bless those who are truly thankful—thankful from the depths of their heart. He knows our needs. He knows our wants. He blesses us in those as He sees fit. However, I have seen Him bless those who are most thankful in amazing, unthought of ways.

I pray we all give thanks to God. I pray we thank Him for all He has blessed us with. I pray each one of us will see every little thing we have is a gift from God. Give thanks to God. Thank God for your blessings. See all the blessings God has bestowed on you.

Matthew 14:19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.

Praise the Lord

Does praising God come naturally to you? If it does not, have you opened your eyes to see all He has done for you? Only when we recognize all we have comes from God, even the very air we breathe, will we praise Him at all times.

Do you tell others how God has blessed you? Not by bragging about all you have, but by giving thanks to Him for blessing you. Through our thanks to God, we can be an evangelist for God, spreading His Word to those who need to hear about Him.

When we sing His praise, lifting our voices in a loud chorus, we please Him and spread the joy He has given us. Singing His praises so others hear is another way to tell others what God has done for us and proclaim His awesomeness.

Telling others of God’s wonderful acts in our lives lets others know the goodness of God. It lets them know that God cares for each of us. Making it know that God takes care of those who love Him and commit to Him is a glorious testimony.

Glorifying God and rejoicing in Him is a beautiful way to tell others how God has worked in our lives. It cannot be faked. But true joy and rejoicing is attractive. Have you ever met someone who is always joyful and been offended by them?

Seeking God at all times is a good way to approach our lives. When we look to Him to give us wisdom, discernment, guidance, and strength, we not only are blessed, but we are able to bless others. Through our blessing with God’s blessing, we share God with people who need Him.

I pray we all praise God in all we do. I pray we tell others of God’s wonderful acts. I pray each one of us seek God at all times to both be blessed and to bless others. Praise God. Sing praises to God. Tell others what He has done for you. Give God the glory. Rejoice in the Lord. Seek God always. Receive His blessings. Bless others.

Psalm 105:1-4

Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;

make known among the nations what he has done.

Sing to him, sing praise to him;

tell of all his wonderful acts.

Glory in his holy name;

let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

Look to the Lord and his strength;

seek his face always.

Obedience and Thanks

How do you feel about obedience? Is obedience only something you demand of others? Do you dislike being obedient to someone else? Do you realize you are obedient to one or another? You are either obedient to evil or good?

Many people in this world like to believe they can live in a gray area. They like to believe they are good, and they often do good. Yet they also do things they want that are not good. However, there is no gray area.

As we see in today’s passage, we obey one or the other. We follow a life of sin or a life of righteousness. It is a black and white decision. There is no gray area. We follow God’s commands, guidance, and plan for our lives, or we don’t. We make a choice to be obedient to one or the other.

Paul gives thanks the people of the church in Rome had chosen to be obedient to righteousness. He understood there was a huge difference between the two. He knew the reward for following righteousness and the punishment for sin. As we understand the dramatic difference in the two, we will give thanks for the decision we make and those we love make to follow righteousness as well.

Thanks goes to God for providing us the choice. Thanks that He welcomes us into His arms when we choose to obey Him. Thanks that He is patient with us. Thanks be to God for continually pursuing us while we are sinners. Thanks to Jesus for willingly being our perfect sacrifice. Thanks that we can be confident God will forgive us. Thanks be to God for loving us and providing for all our needs.

I pray we all make the choice to be obedient to God. I pray we choose good over evil. I pray each one of us will give thanks to God for all He has done and continues to do for us. Choose good over evil. Choose to be obedient to God. Give thanks to God. Thank God for His provisions. Thank God for saving you. Thank Jesus for being your perfect sacrifice. Thank God for His patience.

Romans 6:16-18 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

Sacrificial Giving

Do you want to know how much God wants you to give? Have you been asking that question? Or have you been ignoring the question in hopes no one will bring it up? Do you know that God already knows your thoughts?

Some of us have heard all types of answers to the questions above. We have heard we are to give everything. We have heard we are to give generously. We have heard we are to give ten percent. We have heard we should give until it hurts.

Here is the truth of the matter, all those answers are correct—if they are given in the proper context. First, we should give all we have to God. That doesn’t mean we are not to use it ourselves. But we are to use all we have to serve God in doing the good works He has planned out for us in advance.

We are to give generously. After all, God has given to us generously. He has blessed us with everything we have, regardless of how much or how little. Think about your job, home, clothing, vehicle, food, drink, furniture, and on and on and on.

We are commanded to give ten percent. The same law God gave to the Israelites still applies today. Jesus did not abolish it, He fulfilled it. In fact, He more than fulfilled it–He gave all of Himself for us. So, giving ten percent of our income is not too much to expect.

We should give until it hurts. Only by giving sacrificially can we begin to understand in the smallest of terms what it means for God to give to us. He sacrificially gave of Himself to save us. He wants us to grow in our faith through sacrificial giving.

I pray we all decide to give sacrificially. I pray we will give generously. I pray each one of us will look to God as our example for giving. Give all you have to God. Give generously. Give ten percent. Give until it hurts. Give sacrificially.

Mark 12:41-44 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

Faith Building Through Tithing

Have you ever wondered why churches collect money—contributions or donations? Do you think it is simply to fill their bank accounts? Have you ever thought it was a command? Do you know it is more about obedience than it is about paying the bills?

We have likely heard, if not said or thought ourselves, that churches just collect money so they can pay their bills. We may remember they contribute to ministries. We may think pastors who talk about the need to contribute are money mongers.

There may be cases where those thoughts are true. If you find the church you attend is collecting for the reasons given above, you might want to consider finding another church. Sure, there are bills to be paid, but those should never be the reason for contributing. If that is a true statement, then why should we give?

Notice in today’s passage it is a requirement of the law. In other words, God commanded us to give. Now I know some of you will immediately point to the fact the Hebrew writer is referencing Levitical law. Your next argument will be that we no longer live under Levitical law. And you would be correct to some small degree. For example, we no longer need to sacrifice animals for the forgiveness of our sins—Jesus did that once for all.

However, to dismiss the Levitical law out of hand would be to dismiss the ten commandments, which I don’t believe any of us intend to dismiss. In fact, most of the Levitical law very much applies to us today, including the requirement to tithe. Is it because God needs our help to accomplish His works? No! Then, what is it about?

Our tithing is about obedience, trust, and faith. God commanded it and we are to obey. As we trust God and obey, we experience Him at work in our lives. As we experience Him, our faith increases. Therefore, tithing is for our good, not because the church needs to pay bills nor that God needs our help. After all, He is omnipotent—all powerful—and can do anything.

I pray we all consider our need to obey God. I pray we obey and experience Him at work in our lives. I pray our faith is increased as we experience God at work. Obey God’s commands. Trust God to provide. Trust God knows what is best for you. Increase your faith through experience.

Hebrews 7:5-10 Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also are descended from Abraham. This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.

High Expectations

Do you strive to meet the expectations of others? Do you have your own expectations of others? Are your expectations low or high? Is meeting expectations important to you? Are you meeting God’s expectations?

We all have our own expectations. We have expectations of ourselves and for others. After all, there are some people who we don’t care to be around. The simple reason is they don’t meet our expectations for behavior or achievement or perhaps looks.

Expectations drive what we do and how we behave. Code of conduct rules in our workplaces guide our behavior while on the job. Job descriptions and expectations are how we are measured for job performance and affect our possibilities of a pay raise.

God has expectations, too. He expectations our very best. Our best behavior and how we treat others. Our best effort in carrying out the work He has laid before us. Our best efforts to trust Him, growing our faith. He also expects us to give back to Him.

We see in today’s passage Jesus is chastising the Jewish leaders for being diligent in paying ten percent to the temple, but they were not acting as God wanted them to. In other words, they were attempting to pay their way into God’s favor. It doesn’t work that way.

By and large, I have observed the opposite in today’s culture. We attempt to justify ourselves by telling ourselves we are good people and working at various tasks in the church, but we won’t give God the ten percent He desires.

Jesus, as our perfect example, has set the bar high. We are to strive to meet all the expectations. Now, Jesus came to be our perfect sacrifice, to cover our sins. But that does not mean we are to give up trying to meet the high expectations God has for us.

I pray we all strive to meet God’s expectations. I pray we study His word to understand His expectations. I pray each one of us will spend time in prayer asking God to guide us and inspire us to be the person He wants us to be. Strive to meet God’s expectations. Know what His expectations are. Don’t give up. Make continual progress. Seek God’s guidance. Trust Him.

Matthew 23:23-24 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.”

Tithing

What are your beliefs about tithing? Do you believe they are required by God? Or do you believe it is simply a money-making scheme for churches? Do you really want to know the answer? Or are you satisfied to go on believing what you believe?

Tithing can be a very divisive issue. Some believe it is antiquated and no longer a requirement. Others believe tithing is required by God. Still others believe it is a good thing to commit to, but it is not required. What does the Bible say about it?

As we see in today’s passage, God desires us to tithe. He instructed the Israelites to tithe for a reason. It was not because He needed it to carry out His plan, but to provide for the needs of others. Initially, it was to provide for the Levites since they were given an inheritance of the land of Israel and to remove sin. You see, the Levites were to tend to the duties of the temple and perform worship activities. With no land nor a paying job, the tithes were the means by which they lived.

The Israelites were told to bring a tenth of all the grain they grew and the animals they raised. In fact, if they wanted to redeem or take back their tithe, they were to add twenty percent to it (Leviticus 27:29-33). In other words, pay it back plus twenty percent when they were able to do so.

That was the Old Testament. What does Jesus say about it? He says He did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. In fact, He goes on to say not the smallest part of it will disappear (Matthew 5:17-19). Some argue that since He fulfilled the law, it no longer applies. That would be arguing that murdering and thieving is now no longer a sin.

Why did Jesus need to fulfill the law? First, He came to be the perfect sacrifice and needed to fulfill the law to be perfect. Second, He fulfilled the law to be a perfect example for us. True, because of His sacrifice we no longer need to sacrifice animals to remove our sin. But that doesn’t negate the rest of the law.

Ultimately, it comes down to being obedient to God. As we see in today’s passage, as we are obedient, God blesses us richly. Make no mistake, this is not buying God’s favor. Tithing is one way in which we are to be obedient. We can list many other ways we are to be obedient as well.

I pray we all commit to being obedient to God. I pray we choose to tithe out of obedience. I pray each one of us will trust God to bless us richly as we are obedient to His desires. Commit to obedience. Commit to tithing. Trust God to provide. Trust God to bless you. He won’t disappoint.

Malachi 3:10 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”

Give Back To God

Are you frustrated with all the demands made on your finances? Do you wonder why so much of your paycheck disappears so quickly? Do you make every attempt possible to keep as much of it as you can?

We all have several different deductions coming out of our paychecks. There are federal taxes, state taxes, insurance, and social security taxes at a minimum. We may have other deductions such as investments or stock purchases. We sometimes wonder why we work at all.

We often complain about having to pay taxes. Most of us have probably heard the statement that we work for the first four months or so of the year for free and the rest of the year for ourselves. Obviously, we don’t work for free. But it is a way to quantify the amount of taxes we pay from each paycheck. We hear of tax cuts, and we don’t see a quantifiable difference. We still pay out roughly thirty-three percent of our earnings to taxes.

What does God say about paying taxes? We see in today’s passage that Jesus very clearly says to pay them. The Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus, to get Him to say something against the Roman government so they could have Him arrested. He doesn’t fall into their trap.

Many who read this passage may admit they should pay taxes, but they will question what is God’s. It is simple and yet not so simple. It is certainly a question most of us don’t really want to know the answer deep down in our heart. In fact, I would suggest many of us prefer to be ignorant of or are afraid of the answer. God wants all of us and all that we have. At the same time, He provides us with all we need. One way in which He provides is through our salaries.

Our next question is, “How much of my salary does God want back?” The first thing many will point to is that Jesus didn’t set a specific amount or percentage. However, the Jews were told to give back in various Scriptures the firstfruits, the first born of all their animals, and one-tenth of all they had. The next argument is that those commands are in the Old Testament. Yet, Jesus did not abolish the Old Testament, but fulfilled it.

Here is the hard question for us to wrestle with, if we are paying thirty-three percent of our income to taxes, why are we not giving God the ten percent He desires? I know the answer most will reply with, “I have to pay my bills and feed my family.” Folks let’s call a spade a spade. That is a lack of trust that God will provide.

I pray we all determine to give God what is God’s. I pray we decide to contribute to the building of His kingdom. I pray each one of us will commit to reworking our budgets to contribute to our local churches. Give to God. Trust God to provide. Put God first. You cannot out give God.

Mark 12:17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at him.