HOW THANKFUL ARE WE REALLY?

"In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

(1 Thess. 5:18, NASB).

Yes, my friend, you read correctly. We are to give thanks "in everything." Challenging text to live out in our life, isn't it? It is not easy to be thankful in everything. It's easy to be thankful when things are going well in our life, but very difficult to be thankful when everything seems to be going wrong in our life. It's hard to be thankful when you don't get that job promotion. It's not easy to be thankful when you lose a loved one. It's difficult to thank God when prayers don't get answered in the way you like, or when you are still waiting on the Lord for an answer. The fact is, it is God's will that we give thanks in everything, whether good or bad. Oh, that we would be wise and adopt Job's attitude when he said: "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him" (Job 13:15, KJV).

The danger in being a Christian here in America, is that we are so blessed that we have become ungrateful and dissatisfied. Compared to most of the countries of the world, we are extremely wealthy. We have become far to comfortable and complacent in our attitude. Far too many in the Church here in the West have become proud, self-centered, narcissistic, and privileged. We have taken God's blessings for granted, we have taken Him for granted. Instead of thanking the Lord for His many wonderful blessings, we selfishly complain. Yet, there are many people in third world countries that would gladly trade places with us. It seems the more God shows His goodness to us, the less we thank Him for it. How ironic, that even animals show more gratitude to their Creator than man does. The truth is the Western Church is materially wealthy, but spiritually poor. John writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit wrote this indictment on the Church in Laodicea: "'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,.." (Rev. 3:17, NASB). Does this not aptly describe the state of the American Church today? 

Today, I had the blessing of being invited to a friend's house for Thanksgiving dinner. After dinner, we were asked to share what we were thankful for. When my turn came I stated I was thankful for the trials and difficulties in my life that has given me invaluable wisdom and experience, and has helped to contribute to the book I am presently writing, and God willing, will soon get published. I don't find it easy saying that, especially when life gets hard and frustrating. Yet, my attitude during such times needs to be like that of the Psalmist, "It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes." (Psalm 119:71, NASB). In God's school of difficulties, no child of God gets exempt. The only way to genuine spiritual growth and maturity is the way of the cross. It is when life's hardships visit us we should consider them life's opportunities for spiritual growth.

The Apostle Paul gives cause for the Roman Church to give thanks, when he wrote: "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28, NASB). Later in the same chapter, Paul said: "But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us." (Rom. 8:37, NASB). Then there is Paul's words to the Philippian Church: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." (Phil. 4:6, NASB). There's that phrase again, "in everything." The NIV says, "in every situation." The phrases in the above Scripture texts, "all things" and "all these things" carries the same truth as seen in the phrase in today's text: "In everything."

So we have the truth being conveyed here that we are to give thanks "in everything;" next, "in all these things" we are more than conquerors. Why? Because the Lord is with us, which makes all the difference (see Phil. 4:13); then "in everything" by prayer and supplication, there's that word again "with thanksgiving" make our requests known to God. Not only are we to give thanks in everything, but it is God's will that we do so. So tell me, how thankful are you?

When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed, 

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done. 

Count your blessings, name them one by one, 

Count your blessings, see what God has done!

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your many blessings, see what God has done. 

(Johnson Oatman, Jr.)

MODERN DAY PHARISEES!

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves." (Matthew 23:15, ESV).

The Pharisees who lived during the time of Christ were quite zealous for their efforts in winning people to Judaism. However, they really lacked in the areas of showing love, justice, mercy, and faith. When the Lord Jesus renounced the Pharisees, He pointed out this very thing (see 23:23). Because Pharisees were not known for their love, they could be cruel indignant, and arrogant. This certainly can be seen in their ill treatment of their Messiah, Jesus Christ that their Old Testament Scriptures prophecied about. Sadly, do we not see this type of attitude creeping into our local Churches today? Sure, some of us may be just as zealous in winning souls to Christ today as the Scribes and Pharisees were in their effort to proselytize people to Judaism. Sadly, for many of God's children today, that is not the only thing we have emulated from the ancient Pharisees. Unfortunately, we have adopted their cold, unloving, harsh, indifferent, and legalistic ways as well. The believers in many local Churches today have become quite Self-centered, when they should be Christ-centered. God forbid if this is true of us.

So what are some of the Symptoms we need to watch out for in regards to Phariseeism?

(1.) Pharisees love the praise of men. For Matthew writes, “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward." (Matthew 6:5, ESV). Again Matthew says, "They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long," (Matthew 23:5, ESV). Notice what Jesus says here "that they may be seen by others" and "to be seen by others." The scribes and Pharisees were NOT concerned about bringing glory to God, for they wanted the glory for themselves. They were more concerned about drawing attention to themselves, rather than to the Lord. They desired the approval of man rather than God's approval. Hence, the Lord Jesus says of them, "Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward."

(2.) Phariseeism is legalism. Their focus was more on the letter of the law then the Spirit of the law. They were also more taken up with keeping the traditions of the fathers, than they were the Holy Scriptures; they were more interested in condemning people then they were commending them; they majored on the minors and minored on the major issues. Not much has changed since then. There are modern day Pharisees within the body of Christ who do the same thing today. Often legalistic Christians will pressure other believers to feel they have to measure up to their standard of righteousness.

(3.) Phariseeism glorifies the FLESH, therefore robbing God of the glory due to His name; whereas the Christ centered believer glorifies Christ in the SPIRIT, therefore rightly taking back from the flesh the glory that only belongs to God! May the Lord preserve us from adopting a Pharisee attitude as we seek to live and serve our beloved Lord Jesus Christ.