A lot has gone on this year from the Presidential election to a Pandemic to many other things in between. It’s been a year that has felt a lot like a roller coaster ride with its ups and downs. As we have passed Thanksgiving and quickly approach Christmas, and with many places putting social distancing rules in place, we can’t help but wonder what is going on with life. How quick this year has flown by in some ways, and how slow it has taken to move through 2020 in others. These holidays are important in and of themselves but only in the context of personal meaning and spending them with family as well. This year has certainly taught me more gratitude when I see those that mean the most to me.

I would just encourage us to take a minute to be thankful, no matter how hard life is and how absurd it looks sometimes, to be thankful for the chance to live it. Many have lost their life this year to the virus and other ailments. Many are going to be spending this holiday season alone, not because of social distancing, but because their loved one is no longer with them. It’s sad! So this year reach out with a phone call or card or letter and let someone know they aren’t forgotten. And with all the madness that is taking place in our society lets spread love to others through how we respect them. Above all give thanks to the Lord for the reason for the season.

Here are some questions to ask yourself this Thanksgiving holiday: Are you grateful? Would others see you as a grateful person? What makes you grateful in your life? What keeps you from being more grateful in your life? Does gratitude impact your happiness?

Each one of us has so many reasons to be thankful not just for this holiday but for everyday of our lives. I realize I take so much for granted in my own life, and it’s good to stop and confess that periodically. I once heard if the devil can’t make you bad, he will make you busy. That sure can be the case these days with so many things fighting for our attention.

Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, starts out with an attitude of gratitude in how much he thanked God every time he remembered them because of their partnership with him in spreading the Good News of Jesus. He had such a love and joy for the people in Philippi that it produced a gratefulness within him. Consider this: To have gratitude there must be a reason in combination with a relationship. We must be grateful for something and also grateful to something. What are you grateful for? But more importantly who are you grateful to?

Philippians 1:3-5

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. ⁴ Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, ⁵ for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now.

So many things to discuss but since we are approaching Thanksgiving we will stick to a theme. Recently, I read a quote by Kay Arthur which states, “God is in control, and therefore in EVERYTHING I can give thanks – not because of the situation but because of the One who directs and rules over it.” I couldn’t agree more. With so much change taking place and so much driven by the emotional rather than rational in our society where does one find peace? The most grateful area of my life is knowing that when all hell breaks loose in life, God is still God and God still cares. Many may read this and say, “That’s simple minded!” Well, it maybe for you and many others today in our high society of intellectual elitism, but truth still prevails that God still cares and is ultimately still in control of life. From no matter who is the next president to no matter if I get for Christmas what I told everyone I wanted to whatever life may present us with (as we have all received unexpected, and unfortunate gifts in 2020).

In my office I have on my wall a sign that reads, “I got this!, God” It has been with me in many of my offices and many people that would see it would say, “I needed that!” I would politely respond, “I’m glad you benefited from it, but the sign is always here for me.” I need to be reminded that God’s got, not just this or that, but everything and for that I’m eternally grateful.

Today is Veteran’s Day. A time to recognize and celebrate what so many have offered in service and sacrifice to all of us in this great nation. We honor the soldiers of our country because of the risks each one signs up for to honor and protect the freedoms that so many in our country take for granted each day. I hope each veteran was honored.

As Christians we are also called to be soldiers of the cross. Our mission is of another battlefield where we also fight for freedom, but one of an eternal order.  To be a veteran one must be dedicated to the cause for which he or she is willing to fight and ultimately be willing to lay down their life for, and each soldier of the cross of Christ must be dedicated in the same way to the cause of our King, the Lord Jesus.  I think of one particular veteran of the cause and cross of Christ, the Apostle Paul. He stated at the end of his life that he fought the good fight and finished the race. He recognized the cause for love is in its own way a fight. Not in means of typical warfare, but one of submission to the King through acts of kindness, patience, compassion, forgiveness and love which do not always come so naturally to us. The fight is not without for the Christian so much as it is a war raging from within. May we fight the good fight of love each day until He calls us home in Heaven or until He returns in glory.

2 Timothy 4:7-8 NLT

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. ⁸ And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.

¹Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (2 Ti 4:7–8). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

The other day I referred in a talk which I was giving that the mission of the Christian is to stop evil with love through the gateway of forgiveness. I tried to make the point using the illustration of dominoes lined up in a row, and that when tipped over each domino takes out the next innocent one next to it not the domino that initiated the fall.

We as sinful people often do the very same thing. When someone does us wrong we often take it out on innocent ones around us, then they do the same, then others do the same, and so falls the dominoes of life except they are not dominoes but people. Evil works in this way. The only way to stop the dominoes from being tipped over is if either they were far enough apart that the one falling couldn’t touch the next one or to have a domino with enough strength to withstand the attack from the previous domino. In regards to people, no one can isolate themselves never to be hurt from people because the fact is so many of us hurt ourselves, and the only way to withstand the attacks of evil from others is through love and forgiveness. Now some may say, what about retaliation? That only means you would start your own evil “domino fall” in a new direction, but wouldn’t actually stop the dominoes from falling. The only way we can stop the dominoes of evil from falling forward beyond our lives are to forgive the ones in love who in our past. To let go and let God handle all that, and by doing so stop the forward motion of evil so that freedom is the result.

Romans 12:17-18 NLT

 ¹⁷ Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. ¹⁸ Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

Have you ever heard someone say, “Man, that hit me like a ton of bricks!”? The death of a loved one, someone prominent in the community, a public figure, etc. can hit us just in the same way. Death is the final absolute of this life that each of us must face. Death is a reminder, an awful reminder, of the brevity and mortality of life. As I write this article, I am also preparing a funeral message to be given tomorrow which makes my thoughts fresh on the subject. Here are few words that come to mind this morning.

 First of all, the word Brevity comes to mind. Life is short and the older we get the shorter life gets. As Gus McCrae once stated in Lonesome Dove, “Life is short. Shorter for some than others.” We never know how long or short our lives will be. We must live with contrasts everyday realizing that today can bring so much promise and adventure, but it also may be the last day you get out of your bed.

Second, the word Investment comes to mind. What are you investing your life in today? Do they have any ultimate value? Invest in eternal things where they may be enjoyed forever. Such things as relationship with God, family, your children, etc. not things that will pass away.

Finally, the word Reflection comes to mind. Each day it is a good idea to reflect over life and the day we just lived. In recovery circles Step 10 of the Twelve Steps is one of reflection and personal inventory. When is the last time you slowed down in your life to reflect. Reflect on the good things and let your mind ponder on the gifts God has given you such as the very last breath you just took. Tomorrow isn’t promised so thank God for the life he has given and the opportunity to live it.

James 4:14 NLT

¹⁴ How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.

Matthew 23:37 – How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.

Jesus spoke these words in a pretty heavy conversation with the religious folk of His day. He was addressing the push back and hypocrisy of those who said they knew God, yet were poor representatives of God. Can you imagine how it would go over today to have someone be so honest as to call the leaders a bunch of snakes? Yet, that is how honest and truthful Jesus was to the religious leaders of His day a few verses earlier in this passage. He was telling them they have misunderstood who God is and gave evidence in how they have been guilty of leading others away from Him.

In this statement, Jesus, in a context of sadness over these religious leaders, reveals the very heart of God. The Lord longs to gather the sinful to Himself. He gives us a picture of a hen gathering her little ones to herself which is a very comforting and nurturing picture of God versus the picture that many of us have of a God ready to do away with us when we mess up. God wants to pull you in under His wings so that you can feel safe, comforted, nurtured, protected and looked after in a world that so easily can hurt us. Sadly, many miss this invitation of God because of our own unwillingness to see Him as He is, a loving Lord. What is keeping you from coming to Him today?

Matthew 23:37 – How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.

Jesus spoke these words in a pretty heavy conversation with the religious folk of His day. He was addressing the push back and hypocrisy of those who said they knew God, yet were poor representatives of God. Can you imagine how it would go over today to have someone be so honest as to call the leaders a bunch of snakes? Yet, that is how honest and truthful Jesus was to the religious leaders of His day a few verses earlier in this passage. He was telling them they have misunderstood who God is and gave evidence in how they have been guilty of leading others away from Him.

In this statement, Jesus, in a context of sadness over these religious leaders, reveals the very heart of God. The Lord longs to gather the sinful to Himself. He gives us a picture of a hen gathering her little ones to herself which is a very comforting and nurturing picture of God versus the picture that many of us have of a God ready to do away with us when we mess up. God wants to pull you in under His wings so that you can feel safe, comforted, nurtured, protected and looked after in a world that so easily can hurt us. Sadly, many miss this invitation of God because of our own unwillingness to see Him as He is, a loving Lord. What is keeping you from coming to Him today?

This past Tuesday many were glued to their TV to watch the first presidential debate between the two candidates running for the highest office of the land. An office that should be held in high honor, esteem and respect. This should be an opportunity for the American people to hear the different points of perspectives and policies of two candidates as to clarify who they may cast their vote for come November. Sadly, what we saw was a lot of emotion, and not a lot of evidence. It seemed more like the environment of a WCW wrestling match than two people running for President.  If two candidates debate in such an emotional way, from interrupting to name calling, then what example does that set for our citizens, our young people, but also how does it reveal the facts which is the very point of a debate.

The point I’m making here is that it reveals ultimately the change of climate in our  country regarding the importance of truth. To get to the truth in years past, the art of debate was employed so that inquirers could better understand the many different angles and find out for themselves which position best explains the evidence. Our quest for truth no doubt can cause emotion, but it shouldn’t be based in emotion. Especially for two people wanting the office with the most power they can’t be people who let their emotions rule them, either one. Truth also has a way of identifying itself. What both candidates need to do is reveal their policies and let truth identify itself. This, sadly, doesn’t mean the American people will vote for truth because truth, it doesn’t seem, is a high priority for America anymore. But at least we can see it instead of the fog of emotional smoke and mirrors which often best describes politics and politicians. The truth is both candidates have records. What means more than a war of words is what their records say, and this should give us insight to whom would be the candidate that aligns better with our values and vision for America.

As we get closer to the election the more poisonous the conversations will become, as if they weren’t poisonous enough already. Sadly, many Christians will forget their commitment and first allegiance to Christ and will get quickly swept away in these culture wars. No doubt a Christian should maintain a voice within the culture, but he should also maintain Christian character while doing it. Christians should see these times, not as demonizing the other side of our political views, but as an opportunity to discuss and debate for the sake of truth. The art of debate has been something lost as emotions have now taken the place of reason. Christians should have thought out positions rooted in evidence and Scripture.

I’m not a fan of election years because it doesn’t bring about the positive or the best in our society. Now, with the strain of COVID and all the ridiculous rioting, we haven’t set the stage that well for this election year to look very pretty at all. I’m amazed at how Christians can say they read the Word of God, and then land in such vastly different camps of thought. Maybe it’s because we haven’t taught Christians how to read the Bible, but only cherry pick to support their own agendas. Christians must admit, although many won’t, that we have dropped the ball in teaching young believers, and old alike, how to think Christianly. We teach them how to be religious or how to look more denominational but not how to reveal Jesus in times of strife or simply in daily life. Yet, this is exactly what we are called to do as believers, become little Christs to the world. When you survey it all, society is a sad state of affairs, and this is often because the church has lead the way. May we as believers be renewed in our faith to reveal Jesus during these times, always being about the Father’s business, in showing truth and love to our neighbors in need.