STRESS-FREE LIVING? - GIVE THANKS....REALLY!!!

     A LOOK AT THE MOST POPULAR VERSE ON AMAZON.COM

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7).

So the Bible says "Be anxious for nothing".....is this really possible? I mean, we have mounting medical bills; kids under peer pressure in high school and college; the mortgage is due; grandma's blood work did not look so good this time and Medicare does not want to pay for granddad's surgery; the car has an oil leak and the washer/dryer is acting funny....and "you're telling me be anxious for nothing?? NOTHING??!!"

Er....yes!! Yes, indeed and I quote Jesus here from Luke 12:25 "And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?" The natural reaction is to accuse me of quoting the Bible again and that would be correct. But if one rethinks that position, it would be blatantly obvious that individually and collectively, we are basically not in control of any of those life situations I just described, in the natural.  We sure can worry, fret, fuss, get anxiety attacks and post endless tweets about our problems but in the end, what we are really demonstrating for the world, our friends and family - a complete lack of Faith!

People like me have preached for years that the best way to turn things around, when under heavy personal attack and such, is to do something for someone else...to look outside yourself. This is contrary to the corruption of some people in the west, who "get their 'zen' on" and mix eastern mysticism with their "Christianity" by turning inward for answers to their problems, when nothing good can come from what God calls "the deceitful heart" (Jeremiah 17:9). Therefore, what can we do? The answer is so simple, that most ignore it and/or run right past it. The answer is given to us by the Word of God right here in this most popular verse of Amazon. This is the formula:

THE PREMISE: "CUT IT OUT AND ENOUGH WITH THE ANXIETY/WORRY/PANIC ALREADY"

THE PROPOSAL: "GIVE THANKS (to God)!! What?! Are you nuts, Bernie? Why should I thank God for all these problems that are causing me to panic?  That is correct- this is not human thinking. We are in search of the divine solutions because we have no good answer within us. So we MUST give thanks!
We give thanks because we are alive and are standing downright upright.

We give thanks because we can identify each problem and we can acknowledge the one who allowed these things to happen.

We give thanks because He has given us the Spirit of Truth at the moment of regeneration, when we were born again.  This is the biggest trump card we have over the rest of mankind, who has rejected Christ. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God Who lives NOW in every believer, is our direct connection to the One Who can solve all our problems by directing us to the natural solutions. The Supernatural Power of God to remove all our anxiety and give us answers, direction and send provision and people into our lives to keep deal with anything the evil world throws at us.

Just like our first examination on this verse, where we discovered we have to go through Jesus Christ, we now have to do something even MORE radical - give thanks for our trials. But this thanksgiving is one of recognition! It is a recognition, in total gratitude, that we have Kingdom Authority in us (in the form of the Holy Spirit of God), Who now enables us to take the next step away from being "anxious for thing".

This next step is PRAYER, SUPPLICATION AND MAKING REQUESTS KNOWN TO GOD. These three will be examined in the third and final part of this short series.  So think on these things, as we press on - giving thanks to Almighty God is better than fake religion. Giving thanks - is the key to unlock the mystery to supernatural intervention in whatever ails us.

THE MEANING OF LIFE: PART 5 OF 12

                         A CHAPTER BY CHAPTER STUDY OF THE BOOK OF

                                       ECCLESIASTES......CHAPTER 5
                                       "Latitude with Your Attitude"

Too many people take liberty to the extreme, especially when it comes to correct thinking about God. We already know how corrupt Western societies and our celebrity culture treat the existence of the God of the Bible. We already know their propensity to blaspheme Him. We already know Jesus Christ is a swear word to them, and NOT the True Savior of the world. We already know all of that.

But why does the so-called "Bride of Christ" - the Church, have to join in with this? Why are there just as many divorces INSIDE the church, if not more - than the secular humanists outside of it? Why are so-called Christians shacking up, in violation of the laws of God about fornication, while lifting their hands in the air and acting like God just doesn't care....if they live like that? Why are others even disrespecting the Holy Spirit by using ungodly terms to describe the indwelling of the magnificent Spirit of God? Why are some Sunday morning services like some rock concert rather than the reverent worship, which God deserves? 

Don't give me that "this is the 21st Century" garbage and worship has to change with the times, therefore we must be creative to "keep the peeps" bla bla bla....Whether it is teaching heretical prosperity "name and claim" it "health and wealth" so-called "gospel" or mindless repetitive choruses designed to evoke emotion rather than sound Biblical doctrine - western Christianity has gone completely off the rails. We are taking too much latitude with our attitude towards God. In this chapter 5, God, through Solomon, teaches on this....read on and watch some or all of the teaching on it, on the Plumbline 5/12 part series on this profound book.

Ecclesiastes 5

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Your Attitude Toward God

5 [a]Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. 2 [b]Do not be hasty [c]in word or [d]impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few. 3 For the dream comes through much [e]effort and the voice of a fool through many words.

4 When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow! 5 It isbetter that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Do not let your [f]speech cause [g]you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For in many dreams and in many words there is [h]emptiness. Rather,[i]fear God.
8 If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the[j]sight; for one [k]official watches over another [l]official, and there are higher [m]officials over them. 9 After all, a king who cultivates the field is an advantage to the land.

The Folly of Riches

10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is[n]vanity. 11 When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to [o]look on? 12 The sleep of the working man is pleasant, whether he eats little or much; but the [p]full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep....

CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THIS CHAPTER

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

MONDAY MUSING

WORD OF THE DAY - DISSIPATION

This is a new occasional feature - "MUSING....WORD OF THE DAY". It involves a word from the Scriptures which we use in everyday life, most times oft, without thinking.  One such word is Dissipation.

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary describes dissipation as "wasteful expenditure; intemperate living; especially: excessive drinking. It is also defined as an act of self-indulgence. Ephesians 5:18 NASB, it reads like this in modern English "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit".

Now the actual original Greek word for "dissipation" is "asótia". This carries the connotation of being a barren spiritual waste-land because of extreme behavior. This is not just from the physical extremes of what some christians practice today - drinking to excess, but engaging in just as harmful spiritual extremes which harm the testimony, not just of the believer involved, but of the Name of Christ!

In the physical, what does it profit the lost and  hurting if someone were to see a Christian man or woman whooping it up in a bar, knocking back beers or worse, and then walking piously in their business khakis in the office the next day? Yet some of our mostly younger christians think nothing of it.  They balk at no invitation to join the office gaggle down at the local watering hole on Friday after work, to "wind down".

The Apostle Paul, in the Bible, recommends we walk soberly and with discernment and beyond reproach and not be drunk with alcohol. We are instead to fill every fiber of our beings, if we say we are His, by pouring so much wonderful teaching, worship music, prayerfulness and Godly fellowship into our moment by moment lives, that the physical drink we partake of will be just a sip of water or coffee to "wet our whistle" so that we can keep talking with impunity about our Lord. That does not mean to act like a jerk and hit people over the head with a Bible. It does mean the opposite of Dissipation, which requires self-discipline and dignity.

So our Monday Musing is to think on this - how can I avoid causing someone else to stumble? You may be like me and not drink alcohol, but how about eating to extremes and packing on the pounds at potlucks or fast food. This is also an extreme. How about extreme conversations about politics where one may cry down this or that political leader with others, instead of just walking away and letting God handle whatever situation.
How about talking about inappropriate movies...that too is dissipation!

Think about it!

(images by google)