HAPPY THANKSGIVING

                                     HAPPY THANKSGIVING

"I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers....

that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of

every good thing which in you in Christ Jesus."

Philemon 4, 6

As people pause to celebrate a day of thanks, most will focus on the good things that they enjoy in life – family, a roof over their heads, food to eat, and all the other material things we appreciate. But there is another area that is neglected:  the spiritual work that Jesus has done in us – cleansing from sin and guilt, peace with God, a Friend we can take our problems and cares to, the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, a life-purpose of living God's plan, and the assurance of a home in heaven, plus many other spiritual blessings in Christ (Ephesians 1:3-14).
 
Today, let's be thankful not only for what God has provided for us materially (which is a lot), but also for what He has done, and is still doing, in us.
 
Have a wonderful day. Love you all.
 
Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- Jesus Is Lord

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – Jesus Is Lord
Romans 14:7-8
 
"For none of us lives to himself and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's."
 
Jesus is Lord and Master and I am His servant (verse 4). I belong to Him. So whatever I do should reflect His Lordship. I do not live or die for my own pleasure, or even for the pleasure of other people, but for the One who purchased me with His own precious blood. "Now I belong to Jesus, and Jesus belongs to me, not for the years of time alone, but for eternity." "You were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's" (I Corinthians 6:20).
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: In life or in death, Jesus is Lord.
 
Have a "living" day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- Christian Living

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – Christian Living
Romans 13:6
 
"He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks, and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks."
 
This is a rather convoluted verse. Simply put, living for Jesus is not a matter of keeping rules about doubtful things, like Sabbatarianism or vegetarianism. It is a matter of the heart and faith. I am not a better or lesser Christian by observing or not observing these kinds of rules. The Lord Jesus is my focus – not keeping rules. As long as my heart is centered on Jesus, I can live in thankfulness to God either way because my salvation is based on Jesus' work on the cross and not my religious efforts to live by rules.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: God is more interested in my heart than my observance of rules.
 
Have a thankful day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- Who's Servant Am I?

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – Who's Servant Am I?
Romans 14:3-4
 
"Let not him who eats [meats or vegetables] despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand."
 
Did I miss one of the office-gifts God placed in the Church? He gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers (Ephesians 4:11). But I don't see judges listed. Judgeship was an Old Testament office. So what gives anyone authority to judge other believers about "doubtful things" (verse 1). Verse 12 sums up Paul's argument: "So then each of us shall give account of himself to God." God is our master and we are His servants. He will take care of the judging. The person who serves his Master in faith will answer to God, not to another believer. If I live by faith before God, He will keep me from falling.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Every believer will answer his Master for the life he lives in this world – not to other believers.
 
Have a "living by faith" before God day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- Doubtful Things

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – Doubtful Things
Romans 14:1-2
 
"Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables."
 
Doubtful things are personal beliefs that have no clear injunction in Scriptures – like vegetarianism. Where the Bible is firm, I need to be firm. But where the Bible is not explicit, I need to allow for personal belief, as long as it does not contradict Scripture. The basis of fellowship with other believers is not personal belief or even minor points of doctrine (like keeping the Sabbath). Unity in Christ is based in the Salvation provided through His sacrificial death and resurrection, and our faith in Him as Savior. Disagreement about minor things should not become a source of friction between believers that disrupts fellowship.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Christians should not get into disputes with other Christians about minor things but rejoice in their common salvation.
 
Have a "receiving" day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- Choosing My Path

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – Choosing My Path
Romans 13:13-14
 
"Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkennness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts."
 
I choose the path I walk. When I know there are dangerous situations on a particular street – such as biting dogs – then I will take a different route. The word "provision" implies planning ahead. If I know that there are things or people that appeal to my fleshly desires and that incite lust, lewdness, strife or envy, then I need to take a different way and avoid them. It may mean walking down a different aisle in the grocery store to avoid pornographic magazine displays. It may mean avoiding certain people who cause strife.  Since I have put on the Lord Jesus, I want to choose the paths He would walk.  
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: The path I choose can encourage a godly walk.
 
Have a "choice" day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- Discerning The Times

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – Discerning The Times
Romans 13:11-12
 
"And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent; the day is at hand. Therefore, let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light."
 
The rhythm of life – getting up, going to work, going to bed – has a way of lulling me to sleep, thinking that life will go on like this, so I don't live in the anticipation that Jesus could come today. Each day I live is one day closer to His return. Living in expectancy of His coming will affect the way I live. May I be like the sons of Issachar, "who had understanding of the times" (I Chronicles 12:32).
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Each day the sun comes up is one day closer to Jesus' return.
 
Have an "awake" day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLING -- Pay What You Owe

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – Pay What You Owe
Romans 13:8, 10
 
"Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves has fulfilled the law .... Love does no harm to his neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."
 
The essence of the law is to love God and others.  Love does nothing harmful to other people.  If I love,  I will not steal, lie, or covet their things (vs. 9). So if I treat other people well, I have obeyed the law of God. I really owe them only one thing – to love them.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: The only indebtedness I should have is to love.
 
Have a loving day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- Paying Taxes

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – Paying Taxes
Romans 13:5-7
 
"Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor."
 
I don't like paying taxes any more than anyone else, and certainly they seem too high. When I go to the store and pay over 10% for state and local taxes (not to mention income tax to the state and Fed, property tax, gasoline tax, phone and utility tax) – it all seems excessive. Yet I understand that government provides services that I could not provide for myself such as police, education, roads, national security, etc. I can grumble about it or be thankful for their ministry. Peter wrote, "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God....Honor all people...Fear God. Honor the king" (I Peter 2:13-17). By honoring the civil authorities, I am honoring God who ordained them.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: A good conscience toward civil authorities honors God.
 
Have a "taxing" day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- God's Ministers

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – God's Ministers
Romans 13:3-4
 
"For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. If you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minster, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil."
 
I do not often think of ruling authorities as God's minister to me. But they are because they help keep evil from taking control, unless they themselves are corrupt. I can sleep easier at night knowing that there are police to help keep me from harm. If there are no police, looting and other evils run rampant. We live in peace when we know that God's ministers are there to control the bad guys.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: The authorities are God's ministers to help keep us safe so we can live in peace.
 
Have a thankful day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A Rebellious Spirit

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – A Rebellious Spirit
Romans 13:2
 
"Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves."
 
How does this jibe with the fact that Christians through the ages have been martyred because they resisted the demands of rulers over them? I think Paul was writing about a rebellious spirit that is the fruit of pride. God hates rebellion which says, "You can't tell me what to do!" That's what God Satan into trouble. Samuel told Saul, "Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness as the iniquity of idolatry" (I Samuel 15:23). Whether it is a rebellious child, a rebellious employee, or a rebellious parishioner, they all bring judgment on themselves – a spanking, getting fired, or excommunicated. Even if a person resists unjust laws with a humble spirit for conscience sake, there will still be a price to pay. Resisting authority is a serious thing. If it is necessary to disobey authority for conscience sake, it must be with a humble attitude.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: A rebellious and stubborn spirit is the fruit of pride.
 
Have a careful day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- God's Gift of Government

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – God's Gift Of Government
Romans 13:1
 
"Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God."
 
Leadership – whether in the church, in the home, in the nation, or in the workplace – is a gift from God (Romans 12:8; I Corinthians 12:28, "administration") and is not to be despised. God has established these governing authorities on earth because He is a God of peace and order, not of confusion (I Corinthians 14:13). Even in the spirit world, there are ranks of angels (principalities and powers (Ephesians 3:10, Colossians 1:16) ), and order can be seen in the Godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). To be sure, there are those who abuse their positions of authority, but unless they require us to disobey God, we are called to submit to them. Without government, everyone would do what is right in his own eyes (Judges 21:25) and there would be chaos. So even if I don't agree with the authority, I need to submit to it in order to honor God.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Government is God's gift to bring order out of confusion.
 
Have a "subject" day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- Overcome or Overcomers?

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – Overcome or Overcomers
Romans 12:21
 
"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
 
Sometimes it seems that Satan's works are so strong and overwhelming that I may as well quit fighting. Are the spiritual and cultural battles worth the effort? I need to remember that I am on the winning team, and even though I may loose a skirmish or two, I cannot give up and quit. The Lord victorious reigns. "When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will lift a standard against him" (Isaiah 59:19). "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony" (Revelation 12:11). I am not overcome. I am an overcomer through the Lord Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: We can be overcome by evil or we can be overcomers.
 
Have an overcoming day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- Living In Peace

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – Living In Peace
Romans 12:18
 
"If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men."
 
Jesus said, "Blessed is the peacemaker" (Matthew 5:9). Jesus was a peacemaker, but He still had confrontations. Paul understood that in some situations it is not possible to live peaceably with people because all they want to do is fight. If that is the case, it is best to avoid such people in order to maintain peace. But sometimes confrontation is necessary when justice, morality, truth, and righteousness are at stake. Neville Chamberlain responded to Hitler's aggression before World War II with appeasement – "Peace at any cost." Appeasement did not stop Hitler's aggression, and it does not work with people who are determined to fight. It only encourages their aggression and they need to be stopped. Still, if my integrity and convictions are not an issue, then the best approach is walk away from the confrontation.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: If possible, it is best not to fight back unless truth and justice are at stake.
 
Have a peaceable day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- Getting Even

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – Getting Even
ROMANS 12:17, 19
 
"Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men .... Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath: for it is written, ' "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.' "
 
I have a friend who carries anger because he was given a raw deal by brothers in a church. Now all he can think about is making them pay. His mind is full of poison. If I permit it, anger caused by mistreatment and injustice will cause me to be a bitter person and rob me of my joy. The desire for revenge makes me a negative person that sees nothing positive, saps my energy for doing good, and makes people want to avoid me. It is much better to commit it to God and let Him repay. That way I can concentrate my life on what is good and beautiful.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: The desire for revenge will so fog my vision that I cannot see all the good things in life.
 
Have a "committed" day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- The Same Mind

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – The Same Mind
Romans 12:16
 
"Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, bur associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion."
 
A lot of relationship problems could be solved if we had the same mind toward one another. Being of the same mind does not mean we are cookie-cutter Christians, all thinking the same way. It does mean that we all think like Christ. In a parallel passage, Paul expands on what this mind is when he said, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" who "made Himself of no reputation," but "humbled Himself" (Philippians 2:5-8). Jesus' mind was "not to be served but to serve" (Matthew 20:28). Many if not all contentions could be eliminated if I had this mind, instead of trying to exalt myself to build my own ego and reputation.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: To think like Jesus is to be humble and associate with the humble.
 
Have a "same mind" day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A Tender Spirit

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – A Tender Spirit
Romans 12:15
 
"Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep."
 
A sensitive spirit that discerns other peoples' frames of mind is a gift to be desired and appreciated. It is especially valuable to sense when a brother is hurting and identify with his sorrow so I don't run rough-shod over his pain. Sometimes I am so engrossed in my own joy or pain that I fail to notice those around me who are suffering. Lord Jesus, tenderize my spirit.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: A tender spirit empathizes with other peoples' needs.
 
Have a tender day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- Looking Beyond The Pain

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – Looking Beyond The Pain
Romans 12:14
 
"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse."
 
This seems like a hard verse. Even David, a man after God's own heart, cried out to God to bring retribution on his enemies. I am currently reading the auto-biography of Bob Fu who was tortured in a Chinese prison for his faith in Christ. How can a person endure such pain without resentment? I think the only way must be to look beyond the pain to the reward. A marathon runner has to keep his mind on the reward at the  finish line  in order to get past the pain. Looking beyond the pain, we see how much Jesus suffered for us. That was Paul's perspective. "I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ...." (Colossians 1:24). He also said, "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18). Peter urged his readers to "rejoice to the extent of Christ's sufferings" (I Peter 4:13). And the Lord Jesus taught us to "rejoice and be exceeding glad [in persecution] for great is your reward in heaven" (Matthew 5:12). "Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him" (James 1:12). So the secret is to look beyond the current pain to the reward.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Suffering for Christ brings eternal reward.
 
Have a "blessing" day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- Meeting the Needs of Others

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – Meeting the Needs of Others
Romans 12:13
 
"...distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality."
 
This is the Body of Christ at work – meeting the physical and emotional needs of others. There are times when other believers need material help, due to unfortunate economic stresses, and if we have the resources, we need to be available to help them in their times of needs. But everyone needs to feel loved and accepted in friendship. Hospitality is the art of making people – even strangers – feel welcomed and comfortable (as in "hospital"). Churches should be that place of hospitality, comfort, and acceptance. On a personal level, it seems society has lost that. We have our close friends, but we no longer invite people to our homes for lunch after church as we did when I was a kid, perhaps because we are ashamed of our cooking or the presentation of our homes. Instead, we go to a sterile restaurant without really inviting people into our lives. People don't feel comfortable just dropping by our house. I think we could relearn the art of hospitality by opening our hearts and our homes instead of standing aloof as independent Christians.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Meeting other people's material and emotional needs should be a part of a healthy church.
 
Have a open-hearted day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- Hope, Patience, and Prayer

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – Hope, Patience, and Prayer
Romans 12:12
 
"... rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer."
Hope, patience, and prayer are the three legs of the stool that my soul rests on. One of the most encouraging passages of Scriptures in times of trial is, "and it came to pass." When life sucks, I know it will not always be this way – I will get through this, even if the only ultimate answer is heaven. Hope produces the patience to endure while I seek God's help in prayer. I live in hope which is really faith in God.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Hope, patience, and prayer give strength to get through life's problems.
 
Have a hopefully patient day. Love you.