Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

What adversity do you need to overcome through rejoicing?

I apologize for the delay in sending you today’s message. In my devotional on November 26, I committed to share photos and highlights from the November 25 Culpeper Community Thanksgiving Service on Nov 27. However, like many of you, my past few days have been filled with enjoyable moments with family and friends during this special Thanksgiving week.

I remain acutely aware that for many people, including those with estranged families or who have recently lost loved ones, the holiday time can seem quite lonely and even depressing. Please pray for my dear friends Sharon and Jerry Graham. Sharon’s father was in a car accident last week and died on November 24. His memorial service was held on November 28 in Pennsylvania. When I spoke with Jerry on Nov 29, he told me Walter’s funeral was the best one he had ever been to and that it was extremely well attended. Lois Lucas, Walter’s wife who is in very poor health, was able to attend the entire service. Thank You Jesus.

Along with other members and guests of the Culpeper Ministerial Association, I was privileged to attend a luncheon at noon on Tuesday November 25 with Dr. John W. Kinney. That tradition of meeting with the keynote speaker for lunch on the day of the Culpeper Community Thanksgiving service began last year and it’s something I really look forward to.

The actual Culpeper Community Thanksgiving service in the evening on November 25 was awesome. I estimate that about 500-700 people came. What impressed me the most was the level of worship and the UNITY, especially between races and churches. Thank you to all the local government and school officials who came.

While I truly enjoyed every part of the two hour service, these things stood out for me:

1) The love and passion (burning fire for Jesus), manifested by our local pastors such as Mark Jenkins, Dr. Ted Fuson, Jeff Light, Habacuc Diaz Lopez, Charlene Phillips, Michael Gray, Jacob Phillips, and Randy Orndorff.

2) The lyrics and passion in the songs sung by the Culpeper Middle School choir, Immersed (Lee Catherine Clayton and Cammie Shelatz), Laura Nelson, and  Mrs. Janette Smith.

3) The strong support for the Culpeper Food Closet and the new homeless initiative by the Culpeper Ministerial Association. Thank You to Pastor Chad Whaley for launching the latter. Jesus told us to take special care of the downtrodden – the poor, the hungry, the widows, the orphans, the sick, and those in prison. When the Body of Christ does that, people will be attracted to Jesus.

4) Dr. John W. Kinney’s passionate message about rejoicing always. He emphasized that we are to rejoice in the Lord, not necessarily in our circumstances.

5) Pastor Randy Orndorff’s very touching and authentic message about his daughter Kelsey and the significance of the number 33.

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, thank You for the passion for Jesus You are stirring up among Your people in Culpeper and Virginia. Thank You for the UNITY among pastors and races. May You add many more logs to the spiritual fire until finally a forest fire of revival and awakening breaks out to impact the word for Jesus. Amen and hallelujah!

Link of the Day
Photos from the 2008 Culpeper Community Thanksgiving service:   Flickr   Facebook

Blessings to choose to rejoice in the Lord always, not in your circumstances!

Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament! Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness! (Psalm 150:1-2)

What are you thankful for God doing in the past week?
How will writing this down create more of an attitude of gratitude?

I’m excited. If I tried to share most of the things I’m thankful for that took place in the past week, I’d be writing until tomorrow. Fortunately for you (and me), I’m not going to do that. But here are some highlights.

On October 1, the first Wednesday of October (and the first day of the 4th quarter of the year), we had 8 people meet for our weekly Pray Culpeper gathering to pray for our community. This included 3 pastors. Thanks to Pastor G.W. Dameron, Pray Culpeper is now meeting again every Wednesday at Noon at Reformation Lutheran Church on South Main Street in Culpeper, across from the 7-11. According to Virginia Morton, Pastor Randy Orndorff has indicated he wants to start participating again after he gets back from his much needed vacation.

On Thursday October 2, I hosted the Week #1 Webinar for the UNCOMMON Social Marketing (Web 2.0) course. My goal was for 50 people to register, but to my amazement we had 83 people register by 5:55 pm (my favorite number) that day. I want to extend a special thanks to the Joseph R. Daniel Technology Center and Germanna Community College for promoting this on the home page of the GCC website.

On Saturday October 4, my wife competed in a triathlon at Lake Anna along with Dr. Sue Wilcox (my former anesthesia associate) and Leanne Rutkowski. Leanne is the wife of Dr. Bob Rutkowski, an orthopedist I worked with for 12 years. This was Leanne’s very first triathlon, albeit a team event with Sue.

During a local, group, century (100 kilometers or 100 miles) bicycle ride on October 4, Ron Nolley had a heart attack and apparently had to have CPR for 15 minutes before the rescue squad came and shocked his heart to get him back in rhythm. I was quite sad over that situation and prayed for Ron several days. Yesterday evening, I was glad to learn that Ron was able to undergo triple bypass surgery earlier in the day.

Also on October 4, Virginia Morton went to Richmond for a writer’s conference. We had prayed earlier in the week for her to have favor with Kurt Ellis, the writer of John Adams, a seven part TV mini-series that led all recent Emmy nominees with 23 nominations.

As God would have it, I ended up going to Young Life’s 2008 Hoe Down at the Daniel Technology Center on Saturday evening. That wasn’t even on my radar screen, but when Jon Monroe stopped over to pick up his laptop earlier in the day, he told me about it. I’ll share more about this event later this week, including photos.

On Sunday October 5, Soul Purpose Church hosted “Friend Day.” The results were impressive. Based on completed connection cards, at least 20 new visitors came and there were 9 salvation decisions. 39 people signed up for the Daily “Discovering Soul Purpose” email. Pastor Matt is feeling led to start his own daily email/blog.

Last night I got an email from Pastor Matt stating this coming Sunday he plans to recommend everyone try THE JOURNAL software we had recommended our UNCOMMON Journaling for Destiny course. Matt, as you may recall, was the very first person to sign up for our June course and he’s experienced the fruit.

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, thank You that the gates of heaven are open right now. Thank You that You are rapidly changing the spiritual climate of our city and region. Thank You that Transformation Virginia is alive and well. Please encourage each of my readers in a special way this week. Thank You Jesus. Amen and hallelujah.

Link of the Day
Registration for Blogging and Email Marketing Webinar on Oct 9, 2008

Blessings to exalt the name of the LORD!

Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. (1 Peter 2:17)

What people in your life have left the greatest impression?

Yesterday, Julia (my wife), Cathy Lee, and Jane Dodson represented Culpeper in the 6th annual Angel’s Race Triathlon in Lynchburg, Virginia. This has become my favorite triathlon of all-time because of its history, the warm spiritual climate, and the family friendly atmosphere. Let me explain.

For 10 years I worked with Dr. George E. Broman, Jr. in the operating room at Culpeper Hospital before he retired in 1997. George worked as an a general surgeon and I served him as an anesthesiologist. He was my favorite surgeon of all-time for numerous reasons including his integrity. George was a quiet, humble, service-oriented leader. He served as President of the Medical Society of Virginia for 2 years and as a state delegate in the Virginia General Assembly for 2 years. Our community named the new high school football stadium after George to honor him for his years of dedication as the team physician.

I had the privilege of honoring George at his retirement by sharing a custom PowerPoint summarizing his life. While preparing that over weeks with Nancy, his wife, I got to learn a lot about George and his family. It was at his retirement celebration that I first met George’s 4 grown children and their spouses. Within 2-3 years of retiring, George and Nancy moved from Culpeper to Lynchburg to be near to their children and 11 grandchildren.

Then tragedy struck. In November 2002, Brittany Groover, George’s oldest grandchild, died in an automobile accident at the age of 15. How did the Broman family respond? Rather than having a pity party, they united to form the Angel’s Foundation [http://angelsrace.com] and launched the first Angel’s Race Triathlon in April 2003.

The race in 2003 began with 100 participants. A majority of participants had “Brittany” written on their arm as they raced in honor of her. Now in its 6th year, this race has become an early season favorite for triathletes from across the state of Virginia and beyond. The event is both highly competitive and enjoyable for novice and first time athletes. It has filled to its capacity of 410 the past 3 years.

My scheduled didn’t permit me to participate in the 2003 triathlon, but I made sure to do it in April 2004 to say thank you to the Broman family. That was my favorite triathlon of all-time. In 2005 my wife did the Angel’s Race Triathlon. In 2006, Cathy Lee did it.

What’s the special spiritual touch? Each year, on the Saturday evening before the race, athletes, volunteers, and spectators are invited to participate in a beautiful worship service at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church. Then on Sunday morning shortly before official race start, Tim Groover, Brittany’s father, says a wonderful prayer thanking God, giving glory to Him, and blessing the athletes. Then Stephanie Broman, George’s grandaughter, sings the Star Spangled banner.

What’s the special family touch? George and Nancy Broman and all 4 of their children and families either volunteer in the triathlon or participate in it.

For me, it’s a tremendous privilege to know and honor the Broman family. They represent what is good and great about America. They represent uncommon loving service to the community. As a family, they embody the Greatest Commandment, namely to love God and love people. And the athletes know and experience that. To see photos from yesterday’s triathlon, visit today’s Link of the Day.

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, thank You for the special people You bring into our lives to encourage and inspire us. Thank You for George and Nancy Broman and the tremendous family and community legacy they are leaving. Thank You for the Angel’s Foundation and the Angel’s Race Triathlon. Inspire each of us to strive to make daily choices to leave our own godly legacies. Thank You Jesus. Amen.

Link of the Day
Photos from 2008 Angel’s Race Triathlon

Blessings to strive to make daily choices to leave a godly legacy!

But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. (1 Titus 5:8)

What have been highlights for you in each of the past decades?

Today is my 50th birthday. Ten years ago I had plans to retire by the time I was 50 and was well on my way financially toward that goal. But God had other plans. He jerked me out of Culpeper Hospital where I had worked for 12 years to free up my time to set me on a path of discovery. A year and a half later I committed my life to Jesus. Within a few years, my wife and two children were saved.

I was on my way to hell and didn’t know it. To Rev. Mark Jarvis, I am eternally grateful for sharing the Gospel message in a simple way I could understand. Now I plan to never retire. Retirement isn’t biblical – there’s not a single example in the Bible that endorses retirement. Until the day I die, I plan to share the good news of Jesus Christ.

Before dedicating my life to Jesus, I had very little prayer life and never prayed with a patient in my entire anesthesia career. Since then I prayed with hundreds of patients shortly before their surgery. In fact, many times I was called into the operating room by an anesthetist because a patient requested I pray for him/her just before being put to sleep.

What were some top highlights for each of the first 5 decades of my life?
1) Living in Italy with my family and Rosa when I was ages 1-5 and Germany when I was ages 11-15
2) Meeting Julia (my wife) at the University of Virginia in 1981 on her first day of classes there – the second greatest day of my life
3) Graduating from medical school (MCV) in 1983 and completing my anesthesia residency in 1986 opened wonderful doors of opportunity for me to serve society as a physician and provide for my family.
4) The birth of my children in 1985 and 1987
5) Committing my life to Jesus on Jan 6, 2001 – the greatest day of my life
6) Celebrating my parent’s 50th anniversary in 2003
7) Beginning Your Daily Blessing e-prayer devotional on July 1, 2006 to share my heart authentically to bless you and others

In conclusion, I’d like to give a special thanks to the people who sowed the most into my life:
1) My parents for training me up in the ways I should go
2) My wife for being my helpmate and my encourager
3) My two children for honoring their parents
4) My coaching buddies for 5 years – Mark Jarvis, Matt Gregory, Michael Stay
5) My coach and mentor for the past year – Jerry Graham

Prayer Power
Most gracious and loving Father, thank You for 50 years of abundant life. Thank You for the precious gift of a wonderful family and for the privilege of being an American. Thank You for my health, my friends, my home, my opportunities. My prayer is that I finish the race strong with my family and that through the web I may encourage millions of other families to be a blessing to millions more. Thy will be done. Thy Kingdom come. In Jesus name, I pray and give You glory, now and forever. Amen.

Link of the Day
2003 Christmas card with family photo and “Point of View” poem

Blessings to live life to the fullest for the King of kings!

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

How can I make all of my life be about Jesus?

Doug Phillips, founder of Vision Forum, says “When I was a boy, Thanksgiving was my favorite day of the year, a day when family and friends would meet around the harvest table and remember the blessings of God. Sadly, for many Americans, our national day of Thanksgiving has turned into a mere “turkey day.” Our children have forgotten the meaning of true gratitude, in part because as parents, we have removed the ancient landmarks, those testimonies of God’s mercy and providence, for which all Americans should be profoundly thankful. At Vision Forum, we believe the time has come to reverse this trend.”

For my own family, this past Thanksgiving holiday was very special. On Thanksgiving day, my wife and I were blessed to have our two grown children, my parents, my wife’s mother, and her twin sister’s family come to our home. However, for many people who come from broken homes or who have lost loved ones, the holiday season can be a very sad and lonely time. I think it’s important to be ever mindful of those who have so much less or who are suffering.

Without a doubt, I am most thankful for the promise of eternal life I have through Jesus Christ, my Lord and my Savior. I am thankful that God forgives me and gives me new chances to start over. I am thankful that I am able to forgive others because of what Jesus did for me. I am thankful for God’s promise in Romans 8:1 that “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” For me, nothing matters if it isn’t done for Jesus.

Yesterday, Pastor Matt Gregory preached a good message at Soul Purpose Church titled “Because I Am Thankful.” Here is a summary of that:

How can I make all of my life be about Jesus?

1) Use my time to multiply the message of Jesus. See 2 Tim 2:2. To do this:
a) I need a coach to help me learn the message of Jesus.
b) I need a partner (peer) to live the gospel of Jesus beside me.
c) I need a disciple to ensure that I pass on the good news of Jesus.
How well am I intentionally multiplying the message of Jesus?

2) Use my talent to invest into the Kingdom of God. See Acts 20:24.
How well am I intentionally investing (letting go of) my talent into God’s kingdom?

3) Give my treasure to tangibly show my love for Jesus. Chapters 8-9 of 2 Corinthians teach that thanksgiving leads to giving, which leads to more thanksgiving, which leads to more giving. By looking at someone’s checkbook and calendar, it’s easy to determine what the top priorities are in that person’s life.

Prayer Power
Lord Jesus, thank You for dying on the cross for me to pay the price I could not pay. Thank You for rising to new life so that I might have eternal life through You. Thank You for Your total forgiveness. May I model a life of love and forgiveness that draws people to You. Amen.

Link of the Day
Thanksgiving Collection – by Vision Forum [http://www.visionforum.com/booksandmedia/productdetail.aspx?productid=97535&categoryid=29]
Blessings to make all of your life be about Jesus!
 

I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I muse on the work of Your hands. (Psalm 143:5)

How will YOU choose to end your year to start your new year off on a great note?

Every week or so I receive the Vision Forum email newsletter. Doug Phillips is the President of Vision Forum Ministries, dedicated to “rebuilding the Christian family, one household at a time.” On December 28, I received an outstanding email message by Doug titled “How to End the Year.” Here is part of that message:

Life moves fast. If we don’t take the time to chronicle the providences of God, we forget them. If we don’t take the time to say thank you to those who have invested in our lives, we actually cultivate a spirit of ingratitude in our own hearts. If we don’t stop and make sure that we have a spirit of forgiveness toward others, we grow bitter, we lose the capacity to move victoriously into the future, and our prayers are hindered.

Here is a little practice that Doug Phillips, founder of Vision Forum, was taught and would like to share with you. Each year, during the last week of December, do the following three things:

1) Outline and chronicle the many providences of God! First, using simple bullet points, outline the key events for every week of every month of the year. Take the time to do the research which will help jog your memory and allow you to make an accurate record… Also, by making this a family project, you will not only build your list with greater speed and precision, but … Read more …  [see below]

Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. (Habukkak 2:2)

2) Say ‘Thank you’ to those who have invested in your life! Whatever happened to the man who first opened to you the words of life from the Scripture? Where is the comrade, coach, or instructor who believed in you and helped you to accomplish a great goal? Read more … [see below]

“cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers.” (Ephesians 1:16)

3) Forgive those who have wronged you! In the course of a year, it is possible to build up many offenses and personal grievances at others. Left unaddressed, these grievances fester and grow. They turn the heart black and the body weak. They foster a spirit of vengeance and misguided self-righteousness. The short of it is this: Unforgiveness leads to bitterness. Bitterness curdles the mind and the spirit. Fresh starts and new years should begin with forgiveness for others. Read more … [see below]

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:19-21)

Prayer Power
Father, as 2006 comes to a close, may we take the time to remember and to say “thank you.” May we examine ourselves for bitterness and forgive anyone and everyone who has offended us. Thank You for Doug Phillips and his brother Brad (from Culpeper) who have both blessed me. Thank you for their parents, Howard and Peggy, who invested their lives raising godly children who now serve millions of people for Jesus. Bless the entire  Phillips family and their ministries with uncommon favor. May 2007 be the brightest year ever for all of them. Thank You Jesus. Amen.

Link of the Day
How to End the Year – complete message by Doug Phillips

Blessings to end the year well!

————————————————————————————————–

Wednesday, December 27, 2006
How To End 2006
Source: www.visionforum.com/hottopics/blogs/dwp/2006/12/1994.aspx

Special Note: The following article is updated and reviewed each year as the Lord teaches our family new and important principles for beginning a new year. I hope it will be an encouragement to you as it is to our own family.

Three of the Most Important Things You Can Do At This Time of Year

Life moves fast. If we don’t take the time to chronicle the providences of God, we forget them. If we don’t take the time to say thank you to those who have invested in our lives, we actually cultivate a spirit of ingratitude in our own hearts. If we don’t stop and make sure that we have a spirit of forgiveness towards others we grow bitter, we lose the capacity to move victoriously into the future, and our prayers are hindered.

Here is a little practice that I was taught, and would like to share with you. Each year, during the last week of December, do three things:

I. Outline and Chronicle the Many Providences of God

“Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.” (Hab. 2:2)

First, using simple bullet points, outline the key events for every week of every month of the year. Take the time to do the research which will help jog your memory and allow you to make an accurate record. I find that reviewing bills, blogs, journals, newspaper headlines, letters, and even organizing my photographs chronologically are enormously helpful tools. Those individuals who were faithful to journal or keep a diary will have little problem reconstructing key events. Give yourself a good week to reconstruct your own outline of the year. Also, by making this a family project, you will not only build your list with greater speed and precision, but (in the hands of a loving patriarch) the very act of chronicling the providences of God in your life is a blessed tool for family discipleship.

Every family will have a different set of priorities directing what they should record. In addition to recording the key events and providences of the year chronologically, I try to take the time with my family to record some of the following information on separate bullet lists:

• Where did I/we travel?
• What were the titles and key texts of sermons I preached?
• What books/articles did I write?
• What significant household projects did we accomplish in 2006?
• What were the most important meetings of the year?
• What special friendships were made this year?
• Which children lost teeth, and how many?
• Who grew in physical stature and how much did they grow?
• Who learned to read this year?
• What diet and physical exercise regimen did I maintain to honor “my temple”?
• What books did I read? Did we read as a family? Did my children read?
• What Scriptures did my family memorize?
• What loved ones died this year?
• What were the great personal/ministry/national tragedies and losses of the year?
• What were the great personal/ministry/national blessings of the year?
• What were my most significant failures/sins for the year 2006?
• What unresolved conflicts/issues am I bringing into 2007?
• What significant spiritual and practical victories did I experience?
• In what tangible ways did I communicate gratitude to those who have blessed me and invested in my life?
• What are the top ten themes of 2006 for my family?

II. Say ‘Thank You’ to Those Who Have Invested in Your Life

[I] cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers. (Ephesians 1:16)

Whatever happened to the man who first opened to you the words of life from the Scripture? Where is the comrade, coach, or instructor who believed in you and helped you to accomplish a great goal? What about the Bible teacher whose careful handling of the Word opened up new vistas of understanding? Where is the friend who stood with you through thick and thin? Most importantly, what have you communicated to the mother who carried you in her womb, loved and nurtured you, or the father who labored to provide for and shepherd you?

When was the last time you responded to their investment in your life with gratitude, blessings, and even money? Jesus reminds us of those ungrateful recipients of blessing who simply went their way without demonstrating gratitude (Luke 17).

Before the year ends, make a list of two types of people: The first list are the names of people whose life, ministry, or personal investment in you have deeply touched you and changed your life. (In my case, the list includes parents, pastors, and even some teachers from the early years of my Christian walk that I did not meet until much later in my life, but whose books and tapes were crucial to my personal discipleship as a young Christian.) The second list should include those people who played the most significant role in your life in 2006.

Write a brief, meaningful letter to each of them. Be specific in your gratitude. Explain what they did for you and why it was important to you. Show them how they were God’s instrument of blessing in your own life. Pray over each letter, asking God to grant you rich insights on the character qualities of each individual and on the way those qualities changed your own life. Where appropriate, include a check or special token of appreciation that reflects your desire to show them, tangibly, that you recognize that you are in their debt. You cannot imagine the joy this will give to someone from your past who may think you have forgotten them. Give generously and without concern for getting a tax deduction. I strongly recommend sending money to your parents. Keep in mind that you will never be able to return their personal and financial investment in your life, except through your testimony of faithfulness, covenant keeping, and honor to the Lord.

Also, your children need to know the people who have blessed their parents. They need to see that Mom and Dad are grateful and generous. Share your letters with them. In our household, we ask our children to write to some of the people who have blessed Mommy and Daddy, because our children are the indirect recipients of these blessings on their parents.

This will take a day or two to complete. You may have twenty letters to write, but you will never regret saying “thank you.”

One last thought: One reason why Christians are often limited in vision, energy, and blessings is that, contrary to the Lord’s command, we are ungrateful, unforgiving, and bitter. Far too many who profess the name of Christ spend more time obsessing on those who have wronged them, than rejoicing in those who have blessed them. Letters and tangible expressions of gratitude are not only pleasing to Christ, but an antidote to heart-sickness.

III. Forgive Those Who Have Wronged You

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12: 19-21)

In the course of a year, it is possible to build up many offenses and personal grievances at others. Left unaddressed, these grievances fester and grow. They turn the heart black and the body weak. They foster a spirit of vengeance and misguided self-righteousness. The short of it is this: Unforgiveness leads to bitterness. Bitterness curdles the mind and the spirit.

Fresh starts and new years should begin with forgiveness for others. Having a genuine spirit of forgiveness towards those who have wronged us is a mark of biblical Christianity. It is an evidence that we have been redeemed, and that we are praying lawfully: “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.”

Successful Christians are men and women who are free from bitterness. They have learned the principle modeled by our Lord Jesus Christ who, while suffering death at the hands of people he had never wronged was able to say, “Lord forgive them for they know not what they are doing.”

I have a dear preacher friend with a sterling reputation who was once grievously slandered. When asked about the wicked actions of the slanderers he replied something to this effect:

“Oh you don’t understand — I am far, far worse than my detractors realize. They may have gotten a lot of the specific facts wrong, but I am just thankful they don’t know how bad my heart truly is. God have mercy on me a sinner.”

This man had victory over bitterness.

My father is another man who always appeared to have victory over bitterness. In fact, from my earliest days to the present I have watched lesser men “twist the truths [he’s] spoken to make a trap for fools.” [i]

Early in my life when I was still in government schools, I would listen to my own teachers criticize before my class, the work my father was doing for the President dismantling a government agency which was at war with the family. I read untruthful articles and saw derogatory comics on the pages of the Washington Post picturing him as a cave man for his “prehistoric” views. When my father was a leader in the Republican Party in Massachusetts, a gangster repeatedly threatened the life of his family. I remember being a boy and having my father shield me from homosexual picketers and protesters that would follow him and our family around at public locations.

Most painful and difficult for many to forgive are betrayal and dishonor. But that is a mistake. Betrayal and dishonor probably exist in the lives of most men. And why should any Christian be denied in their lives what past generations of Christians — and of course our Lord and Savior himself — patiently endured? To our shame, most of us have been on both sides of that coin. From a son’s perspective, however, it is highly instructive to watch a father act honorably in the midst of such conflict. It has been a great blessing in my own life to observe my father nobly respond even in the face of barbs from former allies and friends, once loved and nurtured by him.

Eternally optimistic, Dad would always say: “Never be bitter. Life is too short. Thank God for your blessings. Press on!”

Bitterness comes from being unwilling to forgive. Bitter people are small people. They are unsuccessful people. They are people who cannot move forward. They are people who believe that the personal wrongs against them are so great that they — the offended — are entitled to do to their offenders what they pray the Lord Jesus Christ will never do to them — refuse to forgive.

Here is my recommendation: Think through every grief, minor and major, caused by others to you in the year 2006. Now add to the list any other personal offenses that continue to linger from past years. Write these down as bullets on a sheet of paper.

The first thing you will likely realize is just how many offenses are polluting your thought life, and, probably, your spirit. This is a sign of latent bitterness. Bitterness will kill you. It renders you completely ineffective.

Now prayerfully walk through the list — bullet, by bullet. With each offense remind yourself that the most despicable action taken against you by another, utterly (and infinitely) pales in comparison to the least of your offenses against the Lord Jesus Christ.

And yet He has forgiven you.

Before 2007 begins, adopt a spirit of forgiveness towards your insensitive friends as well as your hateful enemies. Forgive your imperfect father for whatever it is you need to forgive him for (and pray to the Lord that your own children someday forgive you for your failures). Quit devoting untold precious hours to commiseration, mental replay of the wrongs done, and thoughts about just how badly you were wronged. Stop blaming everybody but you for your problems. Look to yourself. Once you start chronicling your own sinful attitudes and crimes against God and man, you simply won’t have time to worry about the wrongs done to you. You will stop being bitter and you will start being thankful.

Wipe the slate clean. “Press on.” Forgive.

Conclusion

As 2006 comes to a close, take time to remember and to say “thank you.” Take time to examine yourself for bitterness. Forgive others. It is appropriate that we do so on the birth of a new year.

Remember that God gave man the stars on Day Four, in part so that he could order and structure his days based on a clock/calendar system of days, seasons, and years (Genesis 1). He tells us to “remember” acts and to “number” our days. In Scripture, the formal act of remembering providences of God in our life is linked to hope, honor, and generational success (e.g., Psalms 44, 78, etc.). By February 2007, the year 2006 will be a distant memory. Strike now while the iron is hot. The opportunity to remember and to say “thank you” may never come again. And can you afford even one more day in which your prayers are hindered — because you were holding on to offenses and refusing to forgive?

Posted by Doug Phillips on December 27, 2006 | Permalink

“in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)

Are you rejoicing always?

For many, Thanksgiving has become just a “Turkey Day,” a day to throw our diets into the wastebasket, engage in a ritual of overeating, & watch football until we’re fast asleep. But for Christians, Thanksgiving is a day to acknowledge that everything we have is a gift from God, & to lift our hearts in thanksgiving to Him. Thanksgiving is a time for us to step back and to consider how good we really have it.

We need to be reminded to focus on giving God thanks because our society presents two very real threats to thanksgiving:

1) First: We live in a very negative age-just read the papers, listen to radio, and TV and to people around you.  Our society and media thrives on it.

2) Secondly: We live in a very prosperous society-instead of thanking God for what we have we want more and are never satisfied.

Three Problems in Contemporary Christianity:

1) We are too busy to worship — can’t quiet our hearts before the Lord. We have more leisure time but it is so crammed with leisure activities that we have less leisure for quiet meditation.

2) We view God too much on a buddy-buddy basis and have lost a vision for His majesty and His greatness. Yes, Jesus is a friend of sinners, but He is also the Master of the Universe.

3) We are too emotionally inhibited and sophisticated to praise God the way we should. Especially to give thanks to God for His abundant goodness.

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, as we look around us at the land of plenty that we live in, may we see through new eyes each day the ways that You have blessed us and never take You or those blessings for granted. May we be thankful when we don’t know something because this gives us the opportunity to learn. May we be thankful for the difficult times because we grow during those times. May we be thankful for our limitations, because they give us opportunities for improvement. May we be thankful for our mistakes because they will teach us valuable lessons. May we be thankful when we’re tired and weary, because it means we’ve made a difference. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.

Link of the Day
The History of Thanksgiving – by The Federalist (1998) [http://forums.somd.com/showthread.php?t=37306]

Blessings for a God-centered Thanksgiving!

Your Daily Blessing News
Most of today’s message comes from part of an email I received from Zee Andrusyshyn, Director of the Greater Tampa Bay FCA.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. (Psalm 100:4)

Yesterday’s message was about holiness – being holy because God is holy and commands us to be holy. I’m convinced that we need the power of God and the presence of God to be holy.

There is a protocol for entering the palace to meet with the King! We start by thanking God for what He has done and praising Him for who He is – the great I AM. The Holy Spirit loves music. I love to start my mornings by going to my Secret Place – a place set apart for the Holy Spirit and sanctified to God. I count my blessings one by one, thanking God for them. Then I sing to God, praising Him. He always shows up when I follow His protocol. James 4:8 states “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”

Most people are content being in the outer courts of the palace where they have to shout to the King, often outside of range to be heard. But not me and not other “God chasers.” It’s our desire to get close to the King, to bless Him, to honor Him, to serve Him, to ask Him what He wants us to do. It’s the presence of God that transforms us and our circumstances. Jesus says “for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

Do you know and use the protocol for entering the presence of the King?

Prayer Power
One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. (Psalm 27:4)

Link of the Day
God Chasers [www.godchasers.net] – Encouraging the passionate pursuit of God by Tommy Tenney

Blessings to know and use the protocol to enter the presence of God!

Your Daily Blessing News
COMING TO THEATERS OCTOBER 13TH, 2006 – “One Night With the King” [http://www.8x.com/onenight] – a major motion picture based on Tommy Tenney’s best selling novel