He didn’t call Himself “the reverend Holiness Angelic Divinity III.” He didn’t insist on plush, royal robes or gleaming, golden scepters. He didn’t come on the wings of a heavenly host, live in a celestial palace, or march at the head of an angelic honor guard. He was the son of a carpenter in a remote section of an oppressed nation. He was God’s greatest surprise. The heart of heaven wrapped in human flesh. If you’ve forgotten what He’s really like—or you’d like to get to know Him better— read on! “You mean to tell me God became a baby… The one posing the questions was puzzled. His thick eyebrows furrowed in doubt and his eyes squinted in caution. Though there were places to sit, he opted not to do so. He preferred to stand safely behind the crowd, unsure, yet intrigued by what he was hearing. Throughout the lecture he had listened intently, occasionally uncrossing his arms to stroke his whiskered chin. Now, however, he stood upright, punching the air with his finger as he queried. …and that he was born in a sheep stable?” He looked as though he’d walked down from one of the adjacent Colorado mountains: stocking hat, down vest, nylon leggings, hiking boots. And he sounded as though he honestly didn’t know if the story he was hearing was a mountain legend or the gospel truth. “Yes, that is what I mean to say, “ the lecturer responded. “And then, after becoming a baby he was raised in a blue-collar home? He never wrote any books or held any offices, yet he called himself the Son of God?” “That is right.” The lecturer being questioned was Landon Saunders, the voice of the Heartbeat Radio program. I’ve never heard anybody tell the story of the Nazarene like Landon can. “He never traveled outside of his own country, never studied at a university, never lived in a palace, and yet asked to be regarded as the creator of the universe?” “That’s correct.” I was a bit unnerved by the dialogue. I was fresh out of college, gung ho, enthusiastic. As a volunteer helper in the lecture series, I had come with memorized verses and responses loaded in the chamber of my evangelistic six-shooter. However, I came prepared to defend a lifestyle, not a Savior. I was ready to argue morality, doctrine, heaven and hell. I wasn’t ready to argue a man. Jesus had always been someone I just accepted. These questions were a too aggressive for my virgin faith. “And this crucifixion story. . . he was betrayed by his own people? No followers came to his defense? And then he was executed like a common junkyard thief?” “That’s the gist of it.” The authenticity of the questioner didn’t allow you to regard him as a cynic nor to dismiss him as a show-off. To the contrary he seemed nervous about commanding such attention. His awkwardness betrayed his inexperience in public speaking. But his desire to know was just an ounce or two heavier than his discomfort, so he continued. “And after the killing he was buried in a borrowed grave?” “Yes, he had no grave of his own, nor money with which to purchase one.” The honesty of the dialogue kept the audience spellbound. I realized I was witnessing one of those rare times when two people were willing to question the holy. Here were two men standing on opposite sides of a deep chasm, one asking the other if the bridge that stretched between them could actually be trusted. There was a hint of emotion in the student’s voice as he carefully worded the next question. “And according to what’s written, after three days in the grave he was resurrected and made appearances to over five hundred people?” “Yes.” “And all this was to prove that God still loves his people and provides a way for us to return to him?” “Right.” I knew which question was coming next. Everyone in the room knew it. It could have gone without being asked. In my heart of hearts, I was hoping that it wouldn’t be asked. “Doesn’t that all sound rather. . .” He paused a second, searching for the right adjective. “Doesn’t that all sound rather absurd?” All the heads turned in perfect sync and looked at Landon. All the heads, that is, except mine. My head was spinning as I was forced to look at Jesus from a new angle. Christianity … absurd? Jesus on a cross. . . absurd? The Incarnation. . . absurd? The Resurrection… absurd? My Sunday school Jesus had been taken down from the flannel board. Landon’s response was simple. “Yes. Yes I suppose it does sound absurd doesn’t it?” I didn’t like that answer. I didn’t like it at all. Tell the fellow how it made sense! Diagram the dispensations. Present fulfilled prophecies. Explain the fulfillment of the Old Law. Covenant. Reconciliation. Redemption. Sure it made sense. Don’t let him describe God’s actions as absurd! Then it began to dawn on me: What God did makes sense. It makes sense that Jesus would be our sacrifice because a sacrifice was needed to justify man’s presence before God. It makes sense that God would use the Old Law to tutor Israel on their need for grace. It makes sense that Jesus would be our High Priest. What God did makes sense. It can be taught, charted, and put in books on systematic theology. However, why God did it is absolutely absurd. When one leaves the method and examines the motive, the carefully stacked blocks of logic begin to tumble. That type of love isn’t logical; it can’t be neatly outlined in a sermon or explained in a term paper. Think about it. For thousands of years, using his wit and charm, man had tried to be friends with God. And for thousands of years he had let God down more than he had lifted him up. He’d done the very thing he promised he’d never do. It was a fiasco. Even the holiest of the heroes sometimes forgot whose side they were on. Some of the scenarios in the Bible look more like the adventures of Sinbad the Sailor than stories for vacation Bible school. Remember these characters? Aaron. Right-hand man to Moses. Witness of the plagues. Member of the “Red Sea Riverbed Expedition.” Holy priest of God. But if he was so saintly, what was he doing leading the Israelites in fireside aerobics in front of the golden calf? The sons of Jacob. The fathers of the tribes of Israel. Great-grandsons of Abraham. Yet, if they were so special, why were they gagging their younger brother and sending him to Egypt? David. The man after God’s own heart. The King’s king. The giant-slayer and songwriter. He’s also the guy whose glasses got steamy as a result of a bath on a roof. Unfortunately, the water wasn’t his, nor was the woman he was watching. And Samson. Swooning on Delilah’s couch, drunk on the wine, perfume, and soft lights. He’s thinking, She’s putting on something more comfortable. S he’s thinking, I know I put those shears in here somewhere. Adam adorned in fig leaves and stains of forbidden fruit. Moses throwing both a staff and a temper tantrum. King Saul looking into a crystal ball for the will of God. Noah, drunk and naked in his own tent. These are the chosen ones of God? This is the royal lineage of the King? These are the ones who were to carry out God’s mission? It’s easy to see the absurdity. Why didn’t he give up? Why didn’t he let the globe spin off its axis? Even after generations of people had spit in his face, he still loved them. After a nation of chosen ones had stripped him naked and ripped his incarnated flesh, he still died for them. And even today, after billions have chosen to prostitute themselves before the pimps of power, fame, and wealth, he still waits for them. It is inexplicable. It doesn’t have a drop of logic nor a thread of rationality. And yet, it is that very irrationality that gives the gospel its greatest defense. For only God could love like that. I don’t know what happened to that inquisitive fellow in Colorado. He disappeared as quickly as he came. But I’m in his debt. He forced me to see Jesus as I’d never seen him. At first I didn’t recognize him. I guess I was expecting someone in a flowing frock with silky-white hands. But it was he. The lion. The Judean Lion. He walked out from among the dense trees of theology and ritual and lay down in a brief clearing. In his paw was a wound and in his mane were stains of blood. But there was a royalty about him that silenced even the breeze in the trees. Bloodstained royalty. A God with tears. A creator with a heart. God became earth’s mockery to save his children. How absurd to think that such nobility would go to such poverty to share such a treasure with such thankless souls. But he did. In fact, the only thing more absurd than the gift is our stubborn unwillingness to receive it. “From Heaven to Earth with Love,” “The Choice of the Carpenter,” “Jesus, Our Approachable Savior” taken from God Came Near © 1987 by Multnomah Press. Excerpt from www.maxlucado.com. Used by permission.

It’s rather shocking to examine the history of Jesus’ family tree- a lineage of prostitutes, scandal, adultery, murder, and idolatry– but all to prove that it doesn’t matter who you are; Christmas is for everyone. Fresh Life Church. Used by permission.

Grace really is, relationally speaking, it really is the unsettling solution for just about everything. Jesus was full of grace. He extended it to people who were nothing like him, and then he asked people like us, who are nothing like him, to extend it to people who are nothing like us, and who may not even like us. So let’s do that. This Christmas season, let’s do something unsettling. Let’s be unsettling. Let’s give to someone what they don’t expect, and what they perhaps don’t necessarily deserve. When you do this, you will be like your Father in heaven. You will be part of the unsettling solution. You will be amazing, amazing, just like, just like grace. Preached at North Point Community Church. www.sermons.love.

MONDAY GRUMPY? Gratitude is learning to recognize and express appreciation for the benefits we have received from God and from others. Be on the lookout for blessings, making each day a treasure hunt. Be intentional about thanking God and others for the blessings that come your way. Overall, how would you rate your “Gratitude Quotient”? • I look at the world through grateful eyes and consistently express my gratitude to God and others. • I know I’ve been greatly blessed, but I don’t often stop to actually express my gratitude to God and others. • To be honest, I had not thought a lot about gratitude until starting this challenge. I’ve got a long way to go to develop a lifestyle of gratitude. • I’m a whiner! I tend to focus on my problems and I frequently express them to others. Ask the Lord to cultivate in you a more grateful heart over these next thirty days. If you have realized that your “Gratitude Quotient” is not what it should be, confess your ungrateful spirit to the Lord. Ask Him to forgive you and to transform you into a truly thankful person. TUESDAY READ Colossians 1:3, 12; 2:7; 3:15-17; 4:2 The central theme of Colossians is Christ. He is exalted and worshiped for His divine nature, being the Creator and Sustainer of all things, His preeminence over all creation and over all cosmic rulers and powers, His redemptive, reconciling work on the cross, defeating the powers of darkness, being the Head of the church which is His body, being the fulfillment and substance of Old Testament types and figures, being the believer’s life and our hope of glory, and so much more! As those who have “died” with Christ, “been buried with him in baptism,” and “raised with him through faith,” our joy and hope do not emanate from any earthly source or from our religious practices, but from Him. Within the four chapters of this short epistle, Paul calls us to be: sexually pure, compassionate, kind, humble, meek, patient, forgiving, loving, peaceful, obedient, just, wise, gracious, and thankful! Read through one or more of the following passages from Colossians, meditating on them, praying them back to God, and using them as a basis for giving thanks to Him: • 1:12–14 • 1:15–22 • 2:9–15 • 3:1–11 WEDNESDAY READ Psalm 107:1–32 The theme of Psalm 107 (stated in the first two verses) is followed by four “personal testimonies”—illustrations of those who have been redeemed by the Lord and have reason to give Him thanks. Each testimony includes a similar progression: distress—the straits people found themselves in; a desperate cry to the Lord for help; and Divine deliverance. The passage is punctuated by a response—a “thanksgiving chorus” that is repeated at the end of each testimony. Today, write out your personal testimony of God’s saving grace, following the progression found in Psalm 107. • What was your life like before He redeemed you? • How did God bring you to the end of yourself, to the place where you cried out to Him for mercy? • What has changed since He delivered you from your slavery to sin? If you have additional time, write another brief testimony of a time subsequent to your initial salvation, when you were in distress, you cried out to the Lord, and He came to your rescue. Then share your story (His story) with someone else today. Tell them how grateful you are to the Lord for saving you—eternally, as well as daily. THURSDAY READ Psalm 103:1–5 As we recognize and identify the specific blessings we have received from God and from others, we discover countless reasons for expressing gratitude. The psalmist took time to bless the Lord for specific benefits—he didn’t want to forget even one of them! As you open your heart to Him in prayer today, ask God to reveal to you just how great your “benefits package” really is. Make two lists under these headings: “Gifts from God” and “Gifts from Others.” Then put down everything that comes to mind. Don’t try forcing this into a one-time, ten-minute exercise—stop and start as it seems natural. Keep adding to these lists as additional gifts come to mind every day. After you’ve written out a list of your blessings, take some time to walk through your list line by line, thanking God for each of these “benefits.” Then, read Psalm 103 aloud. Try memorizing and meditating on at least the first five verses over the next week or so. FRIDAY READ Ephesians 5:15–21 I hope you’re becoming more alert to the many reasons you have to be grateful. I remember hearing a friend tell how, while brushing his teeth and meditating on one of the verses in today’s reading (Ephesians 5:20), he was struck by the word “everything.” He was reminded of the importance of thanking God for even those “little things” that we often overlook. It made him pause and be thankful for, well … his toothbrush. And his toothpaste. And, while he was at it, he thanked God for his teeth, for probably the first time in his life. This may require another separate list from the ones you made yesterday, but it’s definitely a category worth considering. Since everything is a gift from God (James 1:17), “everything” is something to be thankful for. My friend told me he also asked himself: “If tomorrow’s supply depended on today’s thanksgiving, how much would I have tomorrow?” What “little things” can you add to the gratitude lists you’ve started? Some of the items on your “everything” list will make you realize you’ve taken certain people in your life for granted. Say thank you today in some way. SATURDAY READ Romans 11:33–36 Robertson McQuilkin, former president of Columbia International University, tells of a time when, following his wife’s diagnosis with Alzheimer’s and the death of his eldest son, he retreated alone to a mountain hideaway, trying to reorient his heart and recapture a love for God that had slowly evaporated in the heat of personal, tragic loss. After a day devoted to prayer and fasting, he began writing God a love letter, enumerating the gifts he had received from the Lord’s hand. He identified ten particular blessings from God that just absolutely exceeded his imagination, things he could hardly find words to express how invaluable they were, how impossible life would be without them. I encourage you to flip back through the lists you’ve been making and choose a top ten— spiritual blessings that are so big, you could never generate enough gratitude to express what they mean to you and what they tell you about your Savior. The next time your mind is troubled by sad or worrisome thoughts, pull out your top ten and consciously transfer your focus from whatever is weighing you down, and start giving thanks for the things on your list. SUNDAY READ Luke 17:11–15 As you read today’s passage, notice some things about the leper who returned to thank Jesus. First, he came loudly. He couldn’t contain his gratitude. This occasion called for an unrestrained, extreme, public display of thanks. Second, he came close. The ten lepers “stood at a distance” (v. 12) from Jesus—lepers were ceremonially defiled and weren’t allowed to come close to those who were “clean.” The healed leper who “fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks” (v. 16) was the only one of the ten who ever got close to Jesus. Gratitude places us in close proximity to Christ, where we experience the fullness of His redeeming power and enjoy the blessing of His presence. Third, he came from a distance. “He was a Samaritan” (v. 16). This man had never known the true God until Jesus came into his world and transformed his life. After being separated from Jesus by a religious, cultural, and physical gulf, he loved what he saw in Jesus. Gratitude will draw you close to Jesus. Look for an opportunity today to thank the Lord for what He has done in your life—aloud, and in the presence of others. TAKEN FROM 30 Days of Gratitude © Revive Our Hearts. Used with permission. www.ReviveOurHearts.com Info@ReviveOurHearts.com

Prayer is not mainly a peace-time activity in the New Testament. It is surrounded by a sense of urgency and alertness and warning. It is a war-time instrument. It’s made for battle. And the point this morning is this: We need to know the designs of Satan and how to focus our prayer successfully against those designs. We need go beyond general, peace-time conversations with God and learn how to use prayer in a focused, war-time thrust against specific Satanic designs. So what I want to do is give a quick overview of Satan’s designs. Then, we will look at Christ’s victory over Satan. And finally we will relate prayer to this victory. Satan’s designs Can you say this morning with the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 2:11, “We are not ignorant of his designs!” We should be able to say that. That’s why I list now ten things that the Bible says Satan does. These are some of his designs. Satan lies, and is the father of lies. John 8:44, “When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” As soon as he appears in the Bible in Genesis 3, the first words on his lips are suspicious of the truth (“Did God say, You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?”) and the second words on his lips were a subtle lie (“You will not die.”). John says, “He has nothing to do with the truth, because there is not truth in him.” We are dealing with the essence of falsehood and deception. Satan blinds the minds of unbelievers. 2 Corinthians 4:4, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the likeness of the Son of God.” So he not only speaks what is false. He hides what is true. Satan masquerades in costumes of light and righteousness. In 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 Paul says that some people are posing as apostles who are not. He explains it like this: “And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is not strange if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness.” In other words Satan has servants who profess enough truth to join the church and from inside teach what Paul calls in 1 Timothy 4:1 “doctrines of demons.” Jesus says they will be like wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matt. 7:15). Acts 20:30 says they will not spare the flock, but will draw people away to destruction. Satan does signs and wonders. In 2 Thessalonians 2:9 the last days are described like this: “The coming of the lawless one by the activity of Satan will be with all power and with signs and wonders of the lie.” Some people say that Satan can only fake miracles. I doubt that, and even if it’s true his fake is going to be good enough to look real to everybody. One reason I doubt it is fake is that in Matthew 24:24 Jesus describes the last days like this, “False Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” There is not a hint there that the signs and wonders will be tricks. The fact is, our faith better be grounded in something more sure and firm than someone’s ability to do signs and wonders. (Even in the name of Jesus! Matthew 7:22). Satan tempts people to sin. This is what he did unsuccessfully to Jesus in the wilderness—he wanted him to abandon the path of suffering and obedience (Matthew 4:1-11). This is what he did successfully to Judas in the last hours of Jesus’ life (Luke 22:3-6). And in 2 Corinthians 11:3 Paul warns against this for all the believers, “I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” Satan plucks the word of God out of people’s hearts and chokes faith. Jesus told the parable of the four soils in Mark 4:1-9. In it the seed of the word of God is sown, and some falls on the path and birds quickly take it away. He explains in verse 15, “Satan immediately comes and takes away the word which was sown in them.” Satan fights the word because he hates faith which the word produces (Romans 10:17). Paul expresses his concern for the faith of the Thessalonians like this, “I sent that I might know your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and that our labor would be in vain.” Paul knew that Satan’s design is to choke off the faith of people who have heard the word of God. Satan causes some sickness and disease. Jesus healed a woman once who was bent over and could not straighten herself. When some criticized him for doing that on the Sabbath he said, “Ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” Jesus saw Satan as the one who had caused this disease. In Acts 10:38 Peter described Jesus as one who “went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil.” In other words the devil often oppresses people with illness. This too is one of his designs. Satan is a murderer. Jesus said to those who were planning to kill him, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth” (John 8:44). And John says (in 1 John 3:12), “Do not be like Cain who was of the evil one and murdered his brother.” To put it in a word, Satan is bloodthirsty. Christ came into the world that we might have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10). Satan comes that he might make life wretched and destroy it wherever he can. We are seeing it more and more clearly—from the vampire murders, to the human sacrifice in Satan worship, to the bloodbath of four thousand shredded unborn babies a day in the abortion mills of our land. You look into the eyes of the hardened men and women who run these clinics around the Twin Cities, where some 200 babies a week are ground up, and tell me if you don’t see the darkness of the devil. He is a murderer, a hater of life. And I fear the church is ignorant of one of his darkest and ugliest designs. Satan fights against the plans of missionaries. Paul tells of how his missionary plans were temporarily frustrated in 1 Thessalonians 2:17-­18, “We endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face; because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us.” Satan hates evangelism and discipleship, and will throw every obstacle he can in the way of missionaries and people with a zeal for evangelism. Satan accuses Christians before God. Revelation 12:10 looks to a future victory and says, “I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, ‘Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.'” It’s with us the way it was with Job. Satan says to God, “They don’t really love you; they love your benefits. Their faith isn’t real. They just learned it from their parents. They just like the music. It’s socially respectable.” And so on. Satan accuses us before the throne of God. These, then, are some of the designs of Satan. Peter says he is our great adversary. He roars around like a lion seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). And today in America he is showing his teeth more clearly than in many years. And here at the beginning of 1989 we as a church need to take heed, be sober, and serve him notice that we will not be intimidated! For all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Christ and He has sent us in this power to plunder the strongholds of Satan. So let’s look now to the victory of Christ over Satan. The Victory of Christ over Satan The more real Satan appears in our day, the more precious the victory of Christ will become to those who believe him. The New Testament teaches that when Christ died and rose again Satan was defeated. A time of limited freedom is granted to him, but his power against God’s people is broken and his destruction is sure. 1 John 3:8, “The Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil.” Hebrews 2:14, “Christ took on human nature that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil.” Colossians 2:15, “God disarmed the principalities and powers and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in him.” In other words the decisive blow was struck at Calvary. And one day, when Satan’s time of limited freedom is over, Revelation 20:10 says, “The devil . . . [will be] thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone . . . and will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” (See Matthew 8:29; 25:41). What does this mean for those of us who follow Jesus Christ? “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies!” (Romans 8:33). “Neither angels nor principalities nor powers nor anything else shall separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ” (Romans 8:38f). “He who is in us is stronger than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). “We conquer him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony” (Revelation 12:11). Therefore, the trumpet call here at the beginning of 1989 is this: “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you!” (James 4:7) He has been defeated, and we have been given victory. Our task now is to live in that victory and make Satan know his defeat. How do we do that? Prayer and the Defeat of Satan The answer we want to emphasize during this week of prayer is this: focused, war-time prayer is an essential part of our assault on the strongholds of Satan . Jesus said to Peter in Luke 22:31f, “Satan demanded to have you that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.” In other words Jesus gives us an example of how He opposed a specific Satanic threat with prayer. Satan aims to sift you Peter, but I interpose with prayer. I block him with prayer, I frustrate his design with prayer. Do you know how to do that? Do you pray in a focused, war-time way as part of your assault on Satan? Jesus commanded us to pray, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,”—that is, deliver us from the successful temptation of the evil one. Meet the designs of the devil with the determined power of prayer. Do you know how to do that? Ephesians 6:18 says that we are to “take the sword of the Spirit, praying at all times in the Spirit.” In other words all spiritual warfare—all use of the armor of God—is to be done by means of prayer. Focused, war-time prayer is an essential part of our assault on the strongholds of Satan. www.desiringgod.org/messages/resist-the-devil

Are you really excited about the holidays, or are you dreading them? Many people dread “family time.” Russell Moore writes: “We tend to idealize holidays, but human depravity doesn’t go into hibernation between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. One thing that will hit most Christians, sooner or later, are tensions within extended families at holiday time. Some of you will be visiting family members who are contemptuous of the Christian faith and downright hostile to the whole thing. Others are empty nest couples who now have sons- or daughters-in-law to get adjusted to, maybe even grandchildren who are being reared, well, not exactly the way the grandparents would do it. Still others are young couples who are figuring out how to keep from offending family members who are watching the calendar, to see which side of the family gets more time on the ledger. And others are new parents, trying to figure out how to parent their child when it’s Mammonpalooza at Aunt Judie’s house this year. And, of course, there’s just always the kind of thing that happens when sinful people come into contact with one another. Somebody asks “When is the baby due?” to an unpregnant woman or somebody blasts your favorite political figure or…well, you know. Here are a few quick thoughts on what followers of Jesus ought to remember, especially if you’ve got a difficult extended family situation. 1. Peace Yes, Jesus tells us that his gospel brings a sword of division, and that sometimes this splits up families (Matt. 10:34-37). But there’s a difference between gospel division and carnal division (see 1 Cor. 1, e.g.). The Spirit brings peace (Gal. 5:22), and the sons of God are peacemakers (Matt. 5:9). Since that’s so, we ought to “strive for peace with everyone” (Heb. 12:14). Often, the divisiveness that happens at extended family dinner tables is not because an unbelieving family member decides to persecute a Christian. It’s instead because a Christian decides to go ahead and sort the wheat from the weeds right now, rather than waiting for Judgment Day (Matt. 13:29-30). Yes, the gospel exposes sin, but the gospel does so strategically, in order to point to Christ. Antagonizing unbelievers at a family dinner table because they think or feel like unbelievers isn’t the way of Christ. Some Christians think their belligerence is actually a sign of holiness. They leave the Christmas table saying, “See, if you’re not being opposed, then you’re not with Christ!” Sometimes, of course, divisions must come. But think of the qualifications Jesus gives for his church’s pastors. They must not be “quarrelsome” and they must be “well thought of by outsiders” (1 Tim. 3:3,7). That’s in the same list as not being a heretic or a drunk. Your presence should be one of peace and tranquility. The gospel you believe ought to be what disrupts. There’s a big difference. 2. Honor The Scripture tells us to fear God, to obey the king, and to honor (notice this) everyone (1 Pet. 2:17). If your parents are high-priests in the Church of Satan, they are still your parents. If cousin Betty V. does Jello shots in her car, just to take the edge off the cocaine, well, she still bears the imprint of the God you adore. You cannot do the will of God by opposing the will of God. That is, you can’t evangelize by dishonoring father and mother, or by disrespecting the image-bearers of God. Pray for God to show you the ways those in your life are worthy of honor, and teach your children to follow you in showing respect and gratitude. 3. Humility Part of the reason some Christians have such difficulty with unbelieving or nominally believing extended family members is right at this point. They see differences over Jesus as being of the same kind (just of a different degree) as our differences over, say, the war in Afghanistan or the future of Sarah Palin or the Saints’ winning streak this year. Often the frustration comes not because of how much Christians love their family members as much as how much these Christians want to be right. The professional Left and Right cable-TV and talk-radio pontificators may value the last word, but we can’t. Jesus never, not once, seeks to prove he is right, and he was accused of being everything from a wino to a demoniac. He rejects Satan’s temptation to force a visible vindication, waiting instead for God to vindicate him at the empty tomb. Often Christians veer toward Satanism at holiday time because we, deep down, pride ourselves on knowing the truth of the gospel. The rage you feel when Uncle Happy says why “many roads lead to God” might be more about the fact that you want to be right than that you want him to be resurrected. Plus, we often forget just how it is that we came to be in Christ in the first place. This wasn’t some act of brilliance, like being accepted into Harvard or some exertion of the will, like learning to put a Rubik’s cube together in 20 seconds. “What do you have that you did not receive,” the Apostle Paul asks us, “And if you received it, then why do you boast as though you didn’t receive it?” (1 Cor. 4:6-7) Satan wants to destroy you through his primal flaw, pride (1 Pet. 5:7-9; 1 Tim. 3:6). He doesn’t care if that pride comes through looking around the family table and figuring out how much more money you make than your second cousin-in-law or whether it comes by your looking around the table and saying, “Thank you Lord that I am not like these publicans.” The end result is the same (Prov. 29:23). Unless you’re in an exceptionally sanctified family, you’re going to see failing marriages, parenting crises, and a thousand other shards of the curse. If your response is to puff up as you look at your own situation, there’s a Satanist at your family gathering, and you’re it. 4. Maturity The Scripture tells us that if we follow Jesus we’ll follow the path he took: that’s through temptation, to suffering, and ultimately to glory. Often we think these testings are big, monumental things, but they rarely are. God will allow you to be tested. He’ll refine you, bring you to the fullness of maturity in Christ. He probably won’t do it by your fighting lions before the emperor or standing with a John 3:16 sign before a tank in the streets of Beijing. More likely, it will be through those seemingly little places of temptation—like whether you’ll love the belching brother-in-law at the other end of the table who wants to talk about how the Cubans killed JFK and how to make $100,000 a year selling herbal laxatives on the Internet. Some of the tensions Christians face at holiday time have nothing to do with outside oppression as much as internal immaturity on the part of the Christians themselves. I’ve had young men who tell me they feel treated like children when they go home to see their extended families. Their parents or parents-in-law are dictating to them where to go, when, and for how much time. Their parents or parent-in-law are hijacking the rearing of their children (”Oh, come on! He can watch Die Harder! Don’t be so strict!”). Some of these men just give in, and then seethe in frustration. Sometimes that’s because the extended family is particularly obstinate. But sometimes the extended family treats the young man like a child because that’s how he acts the rest of the year. Don’t live financially and emotionally dependent on your parents or in-laws, passively dithering in your decisions about your family’s future, and then expect them to see you as the head of your house. Be a man (if you are one). Make decisions (including decisions about where, and for how long, you’ll spend the holidays). Teach and discipline your children. Your extended family might not like it at first, but they’ll come to respect the fact that you’re leaving and cleaving, taking responsibility for that which has been entrusted to you. 5. Perspective Remember that you’ll give an account at the resurrection for every idle (that means seemingly tiny, insignificant, unmemorable) thought, word, and deed. At the Judgment Seat of the Lord Christ, you’ll be responsible for living out the gospel in every arena to which the Spirit has led you… including Aunt Flossie’s dining room table. www.russellmoore.com .

Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:12–14) Paul’s prayer is a model or pattern for all believers to follow. Like his prayers here and elsewhere, our prayers should include praise as well as petitions. To the Philippians Paul wrote, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). In 1 Timothy 2:1 he urged that “entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men.” Later he told the Colossians to “devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2). Paul constantly gave thanks in his prayers (cf. Acts 27:35; Romans 1:8; 1 Timothy 1:12). Giving thanks is too often demoted to a secondary place in the prayers of Christ’s people. Our attitude in approaching God is often reminiscent of the leech’s daughters: “Give, Give” (Proverbs 30:15). We are quick to make our requests and slow to thank God for His answers. Because God so often answers our prayers, we come to expect it. We forget that it is only by His grace that we receive anything from Him. The Bible repeatedly stresses the importance of giving thanks. “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving” (Psalm 50:14). “Let them give thanks to the Lord for His loving-kindness, and for His wonders to the sons of men! Let them also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of His works with joyful singing” (Psalm 107:21–22). “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Thy name, O Most High” (Psalm 92:1). “Always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father” (Ephesians 5:20). “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father” (Colossians 3:17). “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name” (Hebrews 13:15). Thanksgiving should permeate our speech, our songs, and our prayers. Our Lord knew the importance of giving thanks. In Matthew 11:25 He said, “I praise Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou didst hide these things from the wise and intelligent and didst reveal them to babes.” Before feeding the five thousand, Jesus “took the loaves; and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated” (John 6:11). Just before raising Lazarus from the dead, “Jesus raised His eyes, and said, ‘Father, I thank Thee that Thou heardest Me’ ” (John 11:41). Revelation 7:11 tells us that the angels give thanks: “All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, ‘Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.’ ” David (2 Samuel 22:50; Psalm 28:7), the Levites (1 Chronicles 16:4; Neh. 12:24), Asaph and his relatives (1 Chronicles 16:7), Daniel (Daniel 6:10), and the priests, Levites, and descendants of Asaph (Ezra 3:10–11) also gave thanks to God. In addition to those positive examples, the Bible teaches that failing to give thanks characterizes the wicked. One indictment of unbelievers is that “even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks” (Romans 1:21). Evil men are marked by ungratefulness (Luke 6:35; 2 Timothy 3:2). Scripture instructs us to thank God for many things. We are to thank Him for who He is. Psalm 30:4 says, “Sing praise to the Lord, you His godly ones, and give thanks to His holy name” (cf. Psalm 97:12). We should also thank God for His nearness. “We give thanks to Thee, O God, we give thanks, for Thy name is near” (Psalm 75:1). Paul gave thanks to God for his salvation and his opportunity to serve Him: “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service; even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. And yet I was shown mercy, because I acted ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Timothy 1:12–13). The apostle also gave thanks for the spiritual growth of others: “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater” (2 Thessalonians 1:3). Even mundane things like food call for giving thanks (1 Timothy 4:3–4). First Thessalonians 5:18 sums it up: “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” What makes Christians most thankful is the work of Christ. In 2 Corinthians 9:15, Paul exclaims, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” He gave thanks for the result of the work of Christ, which is our salvation (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:4). That is also his theme in Colossians 1:12–14. Paul sums up the doctrine of salvation in three great truths: inheritance, deliverance, and transference. They are both a description of salvation and a cause for thanksgiving. He unfolds the specifics of his gratitude in those verses . www.gty.org . Adapted from John’s commentary on Colossians & Philemon (Moody, 1992).

Being thankful is a nice idea and something that we’re supposed to do. There’s something right and proper and good about it. But sometimes in the rush of life we don’t feel we have time to be thankful, or that our situation isn’t really something to be thankful about. Life sometimes is more about survival and less about anything else. So there doesn’t seem to really be any rationale for being thankful because there’s nothing that’s really abounding or overflowing or anything that we’d honestly be able to describe or define as a blessing. Being thankful is something we reserve for the special stuff; the stuff that’s above and beyond. We’re thankful when something really great happens, or when we have a fortunate turn of events, or when things fall our way, or when we get what we perceive as a long overdue break. We’re thankful when life really steps up in our favor and grants us a reprieve or cuts us some slack. There’s a sense that we need to express some sort of thanks when things break in our direction, there’s a spree of good fortune, or life smiles on us and rains down a blessing or two or three or more. It’s when there’s a flurry of good stuff, or some load lightens, or we get a break. That’s when we’re supposed to be thankful. Cheap Thankfulness We assume that a sense of thanks or thankfulness is based on the receipt of something. Thankfulness is a cordial ‘tipping of the hat’ to some courtesy that life or some person has afforded us. We feel that being thankful is a response to something being granted or given to us. It’s the natural outcome and right response of having things go our way or getting a break of some sort. Thankfulness is contingent upon our receiving something for which we express a sense of gratefulness and gratitude for whatever it is that we’ve received. But that makes thankfulness something cheap and shallow. If giving something back because we got something in the first place is what thankfulness is really all about, then it only exists when it’s all good, or we’re on the receiving end of some blessing or favorable turn of events. It has absolutely no inherent value of its own and it’s only granted value as some act of socially appropriate courtesy. Is thankfulness really that cheap, that thin and superficial? Have we gutted it to the point that it’s just a medium of exchange and nothing more? Is its value only as something we trade for some success or bit of good fortune? Is it little more than a social formality that’s due only if something works out for us? What’s Our Attitude? Our view of thankfulness reflects our attitude. We’ve lost an appreciation for life and our attitude reflects that. We see life as something we have to chase after, accumulate and often hoard. In the chasing, accumulating and hoarding it becomes all about what we don’t have. What we don’t have then drives what we want to have. We inventory our lives, we make a tedious tally of whatever things we don’t have but think we should have, and then we generate some sort of golden shopping list that drives everything else that we do. We’re on a mad hunt for whatever it is that we feel we want or are entitled to have. And when these things are achieved or obtained we’re thankful. When they aren’t, we’re not. What’s Our Perspective? An anonymous author wrote that “some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses.” That’s perspective. What’s our perspective? Are our minds so landlocked that our entire focus is on what we don’t have, or what’s not comfortable, or what’s contrary to our goals, or how far we haven’t come? What is it that we see anyway? Can all we see is disappointment, what hasn’t worked, the stuff we haven’t been able to check off our lists, the rungs that we haven’t been able to ascend on whatever ladder we’ve put ourselves on, the pinnacles that others have ascended that we haven’t? Is that all we see? If that’s all that we see, then there’s absolutely no room and certainly no rationale for thankfulness. In fact, there may indeed be no tolerance for it. Thankfulness is about an appreciation regardless of where we’re at or what hits us. It recognizes life as a privilege despite how difficult living out this privilege can be. It’s an inherent belief that life is sacred and ultimately that life is good. Thankfulness recognizes that we have the immense privilege of struggle and the far-reaching opportunity of failure because we likewise have the ability to mine deep, transforming lessons out of both. It’s being thankful that the thorns in our lives, despite how many there might be, always have roses somewhere if we look. So what are we going to focus on, the thorns or the roses? Thankfulness rests not on what we have, but on what’s possible. Not on what we possess, but on what’s ours to enjoy without the burden of possession. Thankfulness is a deep appreciation for the lavish gifts of life that sometimes come packaged in the gift wrap of pain and loss. Real thankfulness rests in the reality of ceaseless opportunity, the endless ability to savor something new and fresh, the existence of limitless challenges, and the ever-abounding transitions of life that offer us innumerable new paths to explore. Yes, sometimes this stuff doesn’t appear to have any shred of good in it at all. Sometimes it looks all bad only because we haven’t developed the vision to see the good that looms rich and full behind the bad. Sometimes all we see are endlessly tangled vines of thorns with not a single rose in sight. We don’t see roses because we’re not looking for them. But because we’re not looking for them doesn’t in any way mean that they’re not there; we’ve just chosen not to see. And if we don’t see them we won’t be thankful for them. An Attitude of Thanks In the New Testament, Paul said that we are to always give thanks for everything. That’s a tall order. We’re to give thanks for everything because in everything there is always something to be thankful for if we can just get past the anger and disappointment and frustration in order to see it. Thankfulness is an exercise of faith; faith in the fact that life is a whole lot bigger than we perceive it to be and it grants ever increasing opportunities that run right alongside of whatever ever increasing losses we’re experiencing. Thankfulness is realizing that life is not about possession, but realizing that while we can’t possess everything, we can enjoy everything without the onerous burden of possession. Finally, thankfulness is just realizing that despite it all, life is a privilege despite the fact that it might not feel that way at times. Because all of these are authentically underlying foundational realities of life, there will always be room to be thankful. Maybe we need to rethink our attitudes, intentionally push aside the thorns and reach for the roses. © Craig Lounsbrough, M.Div., Licensed Professional Counselor

Mass shootings. Violence. Hate. Max Lucado writes, “We seem to lurch from tragedy to tragedy, shooting to shooting, bombing to bombing. The kids didn’t deserve such a death. Their parents don’t deserve such grief. And we received an all too common reminder: life isn’t fair. When did you learn those words? It’s not fair. What deed exposed you to the imbalanced scales of life? Did a car wreck leave you fatherless? Did friends forget you, a teacher ignore you, an adult abuse you? Have you ever prayed the psalmist’s prayer? “O Lord, how long will you look on?” (Psalm 35:17). When did you first ask the question of the prophet, “Why does the way of the wicked prosper?” (Jeremiah 12:1). Why indeed? Why do drug peddlers get rich? Sex offenders get off? Charlatans get elected? Murderers get out? Cheaters get by? Scoundrels get in? Hypocrites get chosen? How long will injustice flourish? God’s answer is direct: Not as long as we might think. Scripture reveals a somber promise: “For [God] has set a day when he will judge the world” (Acts 17:31). He is not sitting idly by. He is not twiddling his thumbs. Every flip of the calendar brings us closer to the day in which God will judge all evil. A Judgment Day has been chosen. The hour is marked and moment reserved. Judgment is not a possibility, but a stark reality. “Judgment Day” is an unpopular term. We dislike the image of a great hour of reckoning. Which is ironic. We disdain judgment but we value justice, yet the second is impossible without the first. One can’t have justice without judgment. For that reason, “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). Followers of Christ hold to this promise: Jesus will forever balance the scales of fairness. A day is coming, sooner than we might expect, in which we will see the devil pay for all the evil he has inflicted upon the world. Satan, and all who follow him, will hear the sentence: “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). Justice will prevail. This promise may not matter to you. For some people, life feels fair and just. If that describes you, count your blessings. There are others, however, who fight a daily battle with anger. They’ve been robbed; evil people have pilfered days they would have had with their loved ones, disease has sapped health from their body. They believe that justice must be served. I’m one of these people. My brother was robbed. Alcoholism heisted the joy out of his life. For two-thirds of his fifty-seven years, he battled the bottle. It cost him his family, finances, and friends. He was not innocent, I get that. He bought the liquor and made the choices. Yet, I am convinced that Satan assigned a special goon squad to tempt him. When they found his weakness, they refused to let up. They took him to the mat and pounded the self-control out of him. I’m ready to see Satan pay for his crimes against my brother. I am looking forward to that moment when I stand next to Dee, our bodies redeemed and souls secure. Together we will see the devil bound and chained and cast into a lake of fire. At that point we will begin to reclaim what the devil took. “For [God] has set a day when he will judge the world” (Acts 17:31). Let this covenant abate the anger you feel at the hurting world. Devastations have wounded every home. Just last week I met with a family whose six-year-old twins were sexually abused by a grandparent. Two nights ago, our neighbors were assaulted and robbed in their own home. One of our church members spent two years in prison for a crime he did not commit. The guilty party went free. He went to jail. It’s not right, it’s not just, it’s not fair that evil prospers. When you wonder if wickedness will go unpunished or injustices will go unaddressed, let this promise gratify your desire for justice. God will have the final word. “God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day” (Psalm 7:11).”

“Jesus didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.” Phil. 2:8 MSG She’s the bride at every wedding and the corpse at every funeral. High-maintenance people wear me out. I’ve decided that I’m not going to be a spectator or victim of their behavior. Join me in resisting demanding, overly needy, selfish people. Don’t feel obligated to tolerate their behavior or cater to their whims. Here are some characteristics of high-maintenance people (HMP) that should cause your crap-detector to peak. Excessive and insatiable emotional needs. We all have legitimate emotional needs (attention, encouragement, comfort, respect, etc.) and relationships are deepened when these needs are mutually acknowledged and met. But some people are excessive in their neediness and are never satisfied. Their neediness is like a relational black hole that sucks all the light and energy out of relationships. And there’s seldom any reciprocity; they take but do not give. Extremely picky and hard to please. It takes them two hours to make it through the cafeteria line because they are micro-processing all the options. Their indecision adversely affects those around them. Negative. Instead of owning a pleasant, positive outlook on life, HMPs often reside on the dark side; their default setting is pessimism. Unhappy and hard to please. HMPs are rarely satisfied; there’s always a controversy brewing and something to be upset at. They nurse a low-grade fever of discontent. Melodramatic. We nickname them drama queens (or kings) because they are attracted to drama and if they can’t find any, they create it. They are uncomfortable with peace and calm; they gravitate to, or create, storms. Unorganized. Often, they live disordered lives and expect us to compensate. They expect their lack of planning to be our emergency. Hold grudges and keep picking the scab off old wounds. HMPs have difficulty in letting things go; they coddle hurt feelings and offenses; they would rather keep old wounds and misunderstanding alive than simply forgive. Self-centered and self-absorbed. With apologies to Copernicus, they think they are the center of the galaxy. They act as if the world revolves around them. Lack of self-awareness. All these characteristics are exacerbated by the fact that HMPs are clueless about their annoying behaviors. They either don’t own a mirror or never take the time to look at themselves. Now, put down your digital device, go look at yourself in the mirror and ask, “Am I high-maintenance?” Or better still, ask those who know you best, “Am I high-maintenance?” If you are, stop it. Secondly, identify people in your life who are high-maintenance and decide how you’re going to deal with them. Tough-love may be the answer. For sure, as long as you allow them to be high-maintenance, they will be. Occasionally, everyone benefits from a well-thought-out, intentional thump on the nose. www.thinkwithme.com .

Today, I would like to get practical by offering biblical wisdom regarding work for a few specific groups of people. Those groups are students, stay at home moms and dads, those who don’t like their job, those who love their job, and retirees. For students: Even though you’re not paid, you do have a job right now. You do have dominion. That dominion is being a student and taking care of your home with your parents. Don’t neglect your job. There isn’t an opt-in age for dominion, meaning we can all contribute, no matter how old we are. For the youngest, that might just mean helping to put away toys and empty the dishwasher. Even a toddler has dominion and is called to exercise it faithfully. For older students, lean into your dominion. Take more, not less responsibility at home. If you have a part time job, great! Treat it like it’s your career. No matter what your task is, you are ultimately working for God, not your parents. Paul says in Colossians 3:23-24, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” Cleaning your room? That’s dominion. Do it for the Lord! Picking up dog poop? Dominion. Do it for the Lord! The dishes? That’s your dominion. Own it. Do it for the Lord! Schoolwork? Dominion. Do it for the Lord! “But what about my career (future)?” you might ask. Often, the advice that is given to students is to follow your dreams and passions. That is half-true. If those dreams and passions are good and holy, it is very likely that God is calling you to exercise dominion in that area in some way in your life.[i] If you love art, develop as an artist. If you love football, be the best football player you can be. Even more so, find passion in whatever you do. Passion is a terrible master, but a good servant. Steward well the education God is calling you to have dominion over. Expand what those areas of dominion look like in your life. It’s likely that one of those areas become your paid vocation one day. God often calls us to paid vocations that are secondary areas of passion. For example, you might be gifted and have a passion for acting or for art, therefore God probably has an area he is going to call you into to exercise that dominion as an adult. In fact, often adults stop enjoying art and athletics. We shouldn’t! Those are areas God calls us to steward, even when we’re not getting a pay check for them. After all, we’re going to be using those gifts in eternity. However, statistically speaking, it’s a lot more likely that you’ll be paid to be a nurse or an engineer than an artist or an athlete. And that’s okay. Keep developing the gifts God has given you and keep an open mind about what God might have your paid vocation. God develops perseverance and holiness in us as we serve a need for dominion on this earth. For stay at home moms and dads: What I have to say to you is very simple: you are absolutely doing dominion. Regardless of a paycheck, what you are doing is work. You are doing some of the hardest, most meaningful work there is: parenting. From the bottom of my heart, thank you! Thank you for doing one of the hardest and most unthanked job in the world. Thank you! For those who struggle with their job: First, be encouraged. Know that just by working, you are fulfilling God’s good purpose in your life. Continue working hard. Paul exhorts the church at Thessalonica this way: “For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.”[ii] God calls us to work, even when we don’t enjoy it. Blessed are those who work faithfully even when it is hard! Second, find your purpose in what you are doing. I know firsthand that it can be difficult to see God’s productive purposes in your work. There are, of course, some jobs, that Christians just shouldn’t do, because they don’t serve a redeemable purpose. However, a vast majority of jobs serve a meaningful and God-honoring purpose. It was hard to go to work when I was a Detention Officer. It is a thankless, hard, and dangerous job. Even then, I found that it has a holy purpose. More than protecting the public from inmates, your first job as a Detention Officer is to protect inmates from other inmates. As a Christian, we are called to treat every inmate as one who bears the image of God. We are called to respect and even love every human being. That truth anchored my purpose in my time as a Detention Officer. For those who love their job: I’m so grateful that I can now be counted in this group. Yet danger still lurks for us. Friends, you were made to work, but you are more than your work. Your identity is as a child of Christ. Christ has done the work for us. On the cross, Christ proclaimed “It is finished!” Those words speak to the finality of our salvation, yes, but even more than that; it speaks also to the work God will use us to do. Paul says these words of hope about not only our salvation, but our work in Ephesians 2:8-10, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Is work part of our call? Absolutely. But grace comes first, work is actually God’s grace to us. You are, first and foremost, a child of God. Purchased by the blood of Jesus, adopted by him. That is not a result of anything you’ve done. And the works too are prepared beforehand by God for us and given to us as a grace of God to walk into. Get your identity right. You are a child, not an indentured servant paying back your master. He has freely given you the gift of your adoption. Don’t be anxious. Don’t work as the world works. For those who are retired: Just because you’ve hit 65 doesn’t mean that God’s intention for you to have dominion has expired. While retirement can be a great and beautiful thing, it can also be deadly. Recent studies show that those over 65 spend nearly twice as much time in front of a screen than those under 50.[iii] There is nothing wrong with TV, but we need a purpose bigger than our TV’s. What is your purpose right now? What is your plan for today? One of the most significant engines of ministry at New Life are retirees who know exactly what their purpose is, and, in turn, pour themselves out in the good works that God has prepared beforehand for them. God calls you to partner with him and find a place where he is working and where your gifts lie. Finish strong. Live out God’s purpose for your dominion. This is the time to pour out your wisdom, not slouch into the sunset. For everyone: God has made us for dominion. “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” When the world looks at Christians, they should be astonished to find that Christians are the hardest working, most cheerful workers there are. We are called to embody the values of the companies we work for, we are called to go the extra mile and wow every employer. God has made us for work: let us work as he has called us with the passion we can bring with us. www.thebeehive.live .

Joy Hlavka Forney grew up in our church. She is a missionary to Uganda and teaches powerfully on how to live victoriously in the midst of difficult circumstances. Here are Joy’s five excellent points, followed by my own reflections and some links below each: 1. Stop comparing. Comparison is deadly. Believing that other people are happier than we are, because of what they have or how they look or what they can do, is unproductive and unrealistic. We don’t know their struggles, private pains, and secrets. Early in our marriage, Nanci suffered guilt feelings when we visited friends and saw how neat and clean everything was, even though they, too, had young children. One night when our friends spent the evening with us, we realized how neat and clean we’d made our house by throwing debris into our bedroom closet. We didn’t let them see our messes, just as they didn’t let us see theirs. So the answer to “How does she do it?” is often, “She doesn’t. She shoves it into a closet!” May we remember that God calls us to contentment, and not comparison: “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6) and “Be content with what you have” (Hebrews 13:5). Contentment means being happy with what God has given us and who He has made us to be. See Jon Bloom’s article Lay Aside the Weight of Prideful Comparison. 2. Be thankful; stop complaining. Pride is the master sin, and it’s manifested in our complaints. When we complain about circumstances beyond our control, we’re telling God, “You don’t know what you’re doing; I know better than you.” Proud, presumptuous people always think they deserve better. But Scripture calls upon us to grow in thankfulness: Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever! (Psalm 30:12) I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you. (Psalm 35:18) Do all things without grumbling or disputing. . . . I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me. (Philippians 2:14, 17-18) See The Blessing of Gratitude, the Curse of Complaining and Gratitude: God’s Will for Us, as well as my book Happiness. 3. Stop saying, “I need…” Advertising is seductive and manipulative. It programs us, enlarging our wants. Its goal is to create an illusion of need, to stimulate desire, to make us dissatisfied with what God has already provided. Advertising lies. If we’d think it through, we’d see the truth, but our thinking gets cloudy. Good stewards of God’s money think before they make a purchase. We must consciously reject advertising’s claims and counter them with God’s Word, which instructs us about what we really do need…and what we really don’t. (We have far fewer needs than we believe!) Often we define our wants as needs. Has God promised to give us all we want? No. Has He promised to meet all our true needs? Yes. “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). See Six Reasons to Live More Simply—and Give More Generously and Ten Practical Ways to Control Spending and Wisely Manage God’s Money, as well as my book Managing God’s Money. 4. Let go of saying “yes” to everything. I learned years ago that I have to say no to the great majority of things I’m asked to do, so I’m available to say yes to those few God wants me to do. Jesus calls upon us to carry our crosses yet paradoxically promises a light burden and rest for our souls. If the burden feels heavy and our souls aren’t at rest, maybe we’ve picked up more than He intended us to carry or we haven’t fully come to Him. Many think they hear God say, “Do more” and “Do better.” But not, “I’ve done it for you—rest.” Yet this is what Jesus meant when He said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden.… Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me.… For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30). See Planned Neglect: Saying No to Good Things So We Can Say Yes to the Best and Being Content with Saying No to Truly Good Opportunities. 5. Stop thinking about the “what if’s.” Ironically, much of our worry is unrealistic. We “catastrophize” by making the worst of situations and anticipating the worst possible outcome. Montaigne, the French philosopher, put it this way: “My life has been full of terrible misfortunes—most of which have never happened.” Jesus assures us that if we put God and His kingdom first, in His sovereignty He will take care of us (Matthew 6:33). In the next verse He says, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Much worry comes from carrying today the burdens of yesterday and the dreads of tomorrow. This is unnecessary and unhealthy. Lessons from the past can be learned without living in it. We can plan for the future without dwelling on it. Now is all we have. Let’s invest it, enjoy it, profit from it. Let’s not lose it to worry. www.epm.org . Used by permission.