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Start 2012 off right..

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Start the new year off right with a commitment to get more of God’s word in your life. Here are a few suggestions for bible reading plans. There are more plans available at: BackToTheBible.org

Research shows that it takes 21 days to form a habit. Make God’s word a habit, and take the 21-day challenge.

Chronological:
Read the events of the Bible as they occurred chronologically. Download it here.

Blended:
If you prefer not to read straight through the Bible but want to add variety to your Scripture reading. Download it here.

Mission Director’s Report- January 2012

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2012!  Wow!  Can you believe it?  The new year is here and for many of us it is a time to declare that this next year will be different from the last.  I know of one pastor who challenged his congregation to commit to doing five new missional activities during 2012.  That’s a great challenge.

Another friend of mine, Dr. David DeVries, (www.MissionalChallenge.com) is a great communicator and teacher on how our primary task as Christians  is to make disciples…Disciple makers that make disciples.  He really believes that we ought to reach out to where people are and engage them with the gospel…in deed and in word.  It makes sense to me. We will not reach very many souls if we simply wait for them to show up in our church services.  In one of Dr. Dave’s blogs he wrote about 4 ways that we can show people outside the church that we care about them.  The following list is from his blog:

1. Serve
How can you meet genuine needs? Can you offer to babysit your neighbor’s kids? Can you help your neighbor with a home-improvement project? Find out a need in their life right now – and offer to help meet that need. (If you don’t know what they might need – Ask them!)

2. Time
How could you give someone the gift of time? People are busy. You probably need more time in your day. Think of ways to give someone more time. Offer to pick up there kids and give them a ride home from practice or school. Offer to let someone go in front of you the next time you are standing in line at Starbucks or the grocery store. That’s a gift of time. Give up a close parking spot to someone so that they don’t have to walk as far – especially if it’s someone that you know.

3. Affirmation
Encourage others. Send an encouraging note, email, or text message. Tell them something you appreciate about them. Acknowledge their efforts. Celebrate their progress. Affirm their kids. These things are always encouraging. Give them the gift of your affirming words.

4. Gifts
Who doesn’t like gifts? I do – and I’m so grateful when someone gives me even the smallest gift. It’s a tangible expression of care. If you like getting gifts, others you know probably do too. Can you bake an apple pie for a neighbor? Can you buy a cup of coffee? Can you give someone a gift card? Gifts can open up an amazing opportunity for conversation.

I must admit that his list of four ways to care for others is simple, very simple!  Yet how many times do we let an opportunity to do one of those four things simply get pass us?   Maybe a good resolution for this new year would be to do all four for someone outside of your church family before this winter is over.  And come Spring, recommit to do all four again.  And when Summer comes…well you get the point.

“For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.” — Jesus (Mt 25:35-36)

By Danny Kirk, Missions Director

Alive Conference 2011

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My Identity is Found in Christ
by Jim Ainley, ALIVE Committee Chairman

The stage for Alive 2011 was set at the Airport Hilton in St.Louis during the last three days of December. Nearly 280 students and sponsors attended the conference designed to teach us about our identity and how it is found in Christ alone. We were led in worship by Broken Vessels (www.brokenvessels.com), a band with members from Tennessee and Louisiana. They did an excellent job in setting our hearts towards heaven and preparing us to listen to God through His Word. Dustin Wisely from Magnolia, Arkansas was the main speaker. He spoke like a polished veteran, and without a lot of hype and fanfare simply shared the Word of God. He reminded everyone that if we really want to grow, then we have to be in the Word. And as God often does, He touched and changed lives through the preaching of His Word. At least 6 people gave their lives to Christ, and many others recommitted their relationship with God.

A new feature in this year’s conference was small group break-out sessions. Blake Shelby of PSE Archery and Johnny LaGrand (from Potosi) of Mountain Screamer Game Calls spoke to the young men about being a godly man in a world that is telling us to be otherwise. Erin Kingston (war veteran and formerly from Bethel Baptist Church, Lonedell) and Jaclyn Rowe (FBC/Potosi; www.jaclynrowe.com talked to the ladies about such real life issues as modesty, hypocrisy, being a true woman of God, and where to find our identity when things don’t go like we planned.

On the lighter side, 321 Improv (www.321improv.com) entertained us and made us laugh till we cried. Check out their website to see what they are all about.

The Alive Committee would like to thank you for all the support and prayers, and we look forward to seeing you at the 2012 Alive Conference. Be looking for our new website coming early 2012. Like us on Facebook: Alive Ministries – Youth Alive Conference

Here are a few pictures from the recent Youth Alive Event in St. Louis.

The youth alive devotional book is available online for free from:
http://ozarkinspirations.webs.com/Writings/ALIVE2011.pdf

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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We would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  We pray that you are richly blessed by being in the center of God’s perfect will for your life.  Praise God for the best gift of all, Jesus!  Joy to the world!

A Dozen Things to Do In 2012

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by Travis Plumlee, Family Ark Ministries
I want to share some things for you to consider doing in 2012. It is a new year and it is time to make some changes for the better, and for God’s glory.  You will not find in this list, praying and Bible study. Those are things we should do every day, all day; just like breathing.  It should be a natural part of our everyday existence. Of course, if it isn’t, then you should definitely have that as a goal for 2012. And all of us can increase our prayer time and our personal study time in the Word.  I’m just trying to give you some ideas outside of the usual new year’s goals of lose weight and take a class on something.  Here are a dozen ideas that you might consider doing in 2012. You can even post this article somewhere on your desk or in your bedroom and check the things off as you accomplish them. Remember, no matter what your new year’s goals are: do all for the glory of the Lord. I Corinthians 10:31

1.) Hug more than ever before.

Try to increase the amount of affection you give to those around you. We live in an ever increasing cold and uncaring world. We need to not only tell people that we love them, we need to show them.  For some of you this will be a real challenge. But everyone can do it. Hug someone each day who means something to you.

2.) Witness to someone.

They may not accept Jesus as their savior, but you have to try.  It is a command from God. We are to tell others who Jesus is, and that they need him. When was the last time you worked at leading someone to Jesus?  Make it a goal in 2012.

3.) Encourage others.

I Thessalonians 5:11. No matter how much you encourage others, set out in 2012 to encourage all those around you. Start at home and spread outwardly.  Smiles, handshakes, hugs, visits, and most importantly some encouraging words. Build others up.

4.) Let go of your anger.

Set as a goal to not get angry over something at least once a week. It is simply a choice. It is something that you do actually get mad about, but instead of responding how you always have in the past with anger; you choose to withdraw and walk away. A soft answer turns away wrath. Being slow to anger is the best way to be. Pray for them. Bless them. And walk away. You will find out that you can in fact control your anger. It is a choice. I will choose one thing each week to not go to world war III over.  And keep growing from there.

5.) Forgive someone this year.

You will never have total healing until you practice forgiveness.  Forgiveness is for you, not them. You can ask for it, text it, mail it or keep it in your heart privately but still give it to God. It frees you up. And we are required to do this one also.  You will be happier and free of torment when you practice forgiveness.

6.) Visit an older person.

Have as a resolution to visit an elderly person on a regular basis throughout 2012. It doesn’t have to be weekly, although that would be amazing. Even just once a month would help end one of the cruelest realities in human existence— loneliness. It can be a relative or a total stranger in an apt or nursing home. It could be a shut in from your church. Drop by and say hi to a dear older person.

7.) Mentor a young person.

On a monthly basis, find one or two young people that you can mentor. Pass on wisdom.  Encourage. Do something with them. Older women and men are to teach the younger ones about life. Pray and pick out a kid at your church and just make it a point to go up and speak something nice to them each week. Add a smile.

8.) Personal growth spiritually.

Many people set goals of growing intellectually by learning something new. Set a goal to do something that causes you to grow spiritually anew.  Study something different. Go somewhere. Increase your meditation and devotion time.  You can’t go wrong when you grow right. Seek God for guidance.

9.) Get a ministry.

We all are supposed to serve Jesus by serving others. Find somewhere to serve others at least once a month. Be committed and do this. Don’t neglect the work.

10.) Testify.

At least once a week, tell someone, somewhere, how God has been good to you. Not just at church, tell a neighbor or co-worker. Make it a weekly habit to share that our God is good all the time. It increases our joy and encourages others to seek Him.

11.) Laugh more.

This will be hard. But enjoy life more with your family. Spend more time with them. Don’t be so serious all the time. Look for things to laugh about. It is good medicine according to scripture.  Focus on people and love and laughter this year.

12.) PTO. Personal Time Off.

It is not selfish. It is self-preservation. Once a day come apart, or you will fall apart.  Build in a daily habit of relaxing, restoring and being quiet.  If you do these 12 things, you will have a great 2012. Now go make a great year for the glory of the Lord for He is worthy to be praised.

published in December issue of The Missouri Missionary Baptist paper.

Family Ark Ministries with Dr. Travis Plumlee

Disciplining your children over the holidays

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by Travis Plumlee, Family Ark Ministries

Please tell me we are not going to have to spank Bud during Christmas dinner. How sad that we have to yell at little Budette while opening Christmas presents. Oh surely not! You don’t mean that we might have to spank our kids because they misbehave at a Christmas get-together! Actually, the holiday time is a heightened time for kids to act out and misbehave. It is wise for parents to plan ahead what they will do, and how they will respond when their kids do disobey during the holidays.  Just because it is the most wonderful time of the year, does not mean that we can ignore our children’s rebellion, or disobedience or dishonoring actions and attitudes. Parenting is a 365 day a year job. Your children must never disobey or dishonor you at any time. This will mean that sometimes kids will pick the most inopportune times to embarrass you in front of the whole family.  Why? There are several reasons.  Routine Disruption. Kids always function much better in a routine. It offers them a security system to operate in from day to day. While holidays are awesome, it upsets the apple cart. During the holidays, children generally get less sleep. That accounts for more whining, irritability and anger outburst. This also is a period where we eat a very unusual diet for most of us.  Kids tend to eat more sweets, more carbs and things that they don’t normally eat. Food does have an effect on behavior. Then, think of how you can kind of get stressed out over the holidays with all the parties, church functions and family get-togethers.  Don’t you think that it also stresses out kids? They are out of their normal routines. Anytime we have a change in our routines, it throws kids into a chaotic state.  This is why you might see an exaggerated acceleration of misbehavior during the holidays. Generally, they are not doing it on purpose to annoy you. They are simply responding to the environment that they have been placed in. So, let’s look at some things to remember regarding discipline during the holidays.

1) Stick to a reasonable routine. Try as much as possible, to allow your kids to be in a normal routine of sleep. It is okay to let them have a night where they stay up late and play with cousins, or older teens stay up and play video games and watch movies. Don’t be a killjoy. These are fun times. But having no bedtime during the holidays is a recipe for behavioral meltdown eventually. Also, you should let them indulge in holiday foods.  Come on, It’s Christmas! But you should set limits. Hershey kisses and 50 candy canes in a day is too much. You will pay for that later that night. Tank up on sugar all day, and watch the fireworks that night.

2) Discipline in private. When disciplining your children, try hard to do it in private. I know it is hard when the whole family is around, but remove the guilty and speak to them privately. The older the child, the more important this is. If you have a teen, to get on to them in front of all the relatives, is a huge hurt. They are not even listening to you. They are just devastated that grandparents and cousins saw them get into trouble. Humiliation is all they are learning at this point.

3) Don’t let other family members tell you how to discipline your child. Everyone will have an opinion on what needs to happen. Stick to what you always do. If you need to improve in your discipline skills, do so after the holidays.  Don’t try and implement a new system of justice just to impress the in-laws. Start it as a New Year’s resolution when you get home. Don’t over react or let things slide because some loving family member tells you that you should. Stick to what are your family rules.

4) Watch your stress level. Long trips. Less sleep. Sugar overload. The tension of being around relatives all in one house. It effects your temperament as well. So don’t lash out at the kids just because you are stressed out. Pray and take a deep breath. Ask yourself, would I be losing it like this if I was in my normal routine?  Monitor your own behavior.

5) Notice when the volcano is spewing ash. Long before there is a volcanic eruption, the mountain is smoking. Pay attention to your kids. You have been ignoring them. You may need to spend some time out of the kitchen, away from the TV and just hang with them.  You should be aware of when they are getting too hungry, too sleepy, too upset and intervene before they explode. If dinner isn’t until 2:00 p.m, and they eat lunch at 11:00, then you better fix them a small snack, and don’t wait until they have a glucose crash and start screaming.  A snack won’t ruin dinner.  Having them pitch a fit will.  Pray a lot. Laugh a lot. Enjoy your family. Be wise and don’t take a holiday from disciplining your children. Thank God for your gifts – your children!

published in December issue of The Missouri Missionary Baptist paper.

Family Ark Ministries with Dr. Travis Plumlee

Me, the Leader??

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by Don Burke, PotosiPastor@gmail.com

They just stood there – staring. Twenty-four fourth-grader eyes, and all of them looking right at me. Any other time I would just be another ten-year-old in the group. But this recess was different – and the pressure was on. Oh my…, what have I gotten myself into?!  The story began with my bright idea that it would be great to have a club for my friends and me. So I told the guys in class that I was going to start a club during the afternoon recess. They must have also thought it was a good idea because about a dozen guys showed up. This was so cool! …well, it was cool until we got to the part where everyone was looking at me, wanting to know what we were going to do in this club I just started. That’s when I discovered a major oversight in my plan – it never occurred to me that starting a club meant that I would need to provide some leadership in the club. And since I wasn’t prepared to give that leadership, you won’t be surprised that the club didn’t last any longer than that one fifteen-minute recess.  Okay…, lesson learned, right? Well, maybe not as much as I’d like to think. The truth is, in these years since that fourth grade experience I’ve also seen the same questioning look in other eyes – and even in my own. There was the time some fifteen years later when I married the girl that I loved and that loved me…, and soon afterwards I’m looking at myself in the mirror wondering how I’m supposed to be the leader of our new family. Or later when I accepted a promotion at work because of the new opportunities that came with it, only to soon find myself at the head of the conference table at a department meeting – my department meeting – with all eyes upon me and I had no clue what to say. And I know that many men find themselves in the same situations at times. Is there anything that can help us know how to better handle our roles as leaders?  Actually, the Bible speaks to this issue, and in one particular case shows how God fashioned a remarkable leader from a very reluctant man. The man’s name was Gideon, and you can read his story in Judges 6-8. Here are some principles his story teaches us about our role as godly leaders – even when we’re not expecting or prepared for the role.

Don’t expect much help from the world around us. In Gideon’s day the enemy was poised to intimidate and even crushany leadership that would arise among God’s people. And it’s no different in our world today. What percentage of the sitcoms you’ve seen lately showed a reasonable and responsible man in

the role as the real head of his family? The typical commercial portrays men as the duffus – the man is the goofy one buying a falcon (or wishing he had), while his “normal” and in-charge wife is the one talking rationally to the insurance agent. Men, the world is out to downplay and undermine our leadership role. Don’t let the world set or suppress your pattern for leadership.

A timid start is better than no start at all. However, we must ultimately make a confident stand as we follow God’s clear directions. Gideon’s worked on his first assignment as leader in the middle of the night because he was afraid – which doesn’t exactly make him the poster boy for brave, bold leadership.

But at least he was willing to start in the right direction.  Then before long he was leading with greater boldness. If you are not used to taking a stand for God in your role as a leader, do what you can (asking God for help). It may be baby steps at first, but as you continue to follow Him you will grow in your ability to confidently stand for Him.

Start by addressing the problems closest to home.  So often we think of leadership as just pointing out things that others need to do. Yet Gideon’s first job as leader was not about directing others, but about taking care of a problem closer to home – he had to remove the family idols. This example illustrates that before we are in a place to lead other and point out what they need to do, we must first make sure that we are attempting to live as we should – which includes addressing the sin that is in our own life and in those for whom we are responsible. Are there sins in your own life that you haven’t repented of? Are there issues in your family that you have failed to lovingly yet unflinchingly address? Leadership starts with how we deal with issues within ourselves and those situations closest to us.

Our directions must come from God. Gideon was able to lead only as he followed the directions that God gave him.  If we men are to be godly leaders, we must know and live by what the Bible says. This means we need to make a habit of sitting under good Bible teaching and preaching. It also means that we need to personally read God’s Word regularly and live by what we learn from it.

Be ready to do the unthinkable.  Contrary to what most military strategists would advise in such situations, God chose to par down the size of the Israelite army before they faced their enemies. “This is absolutely crazy,” the people – including Gideon – possibly thought. But the plan worked.  And so will whatever God leads you to do as you follow His direction…, even if everyone (including you) thinks that it is crazy.

We must find strength in God’s calling, not our circumstances or natural abilities. Gideon argued that he was poor leadership material – that he was the last man that anyone would choose for the job. I’ve felt that way…, and I imagine most of you men have, too. But God has given us the roles of leadership in our families, our churches, and other places; and since He has called us to these roles, we can find the strength we need in Him.

Be careful that you don’t distract others from focusing on God. The Bible shows that Gideon was both a success and a failure in this area. On the one hand, he refused to let the people make him king, telling them that they instead needed to focus on God as their king.  Yet on the other hand, he made an ephod for himself. (It seems that this type of ephod was a special garment designed by God to be worn by the priests, and one of its purposes was to reveal His will in special circumstances).  The ephod that

Gideon made became a distraction for the people, drawing their attention and commitment away from God. As God uses you as a leader, be careful to try to avoid those things that will cause others to be distracted from their focus on God.

 God will provide assurance as you are faithful to him. At various times (including the dew on the fleece, the enemy’s dream) God gave Gideon assurance that he was on the right track. My experience is that God still does the same thing today to those who are genuinely committed to Him. If you are committed to follow Him and need a little assurance of His help or His directions, just ask. I am no longer in the fourth grade, but the pressure is still on – it’s on me, and it’s on you, too. All eyes are upon us.  Others are looking to us to step up and provide the leadership in our families, at our jobs, in our churches, and more. Has God given you a role as leader – maybe a role that you feel as unfit for as Gideon did? The lessons of Gideon give us confidence to shoulder these God-given roles and become the leaders that God calls us to, and that the people in our world desperately need us to be. Men, may this be our challenge to man-up to the leadership roles God has given us – and may we “act like men” (1 Corinthians 16:13) in accepting this challenge.

Brotherhood???

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by Roy Callahan, Pastor of London Hill Baptist Church

Why is it important that we have a Brotherhood? That could be a question on your mind as you read this article. The Brotherhood is made up of the men in your church and its purpose is expressed in the Missouri State Brotherhood’s Mission Statement, Focus, and Core Values that were adopted at the State  meeting, March 5, 2011. This serves as a guideline for all church Brotherhood’s.  The Mission Statement is as follows: “The Brotherhood Auxiliary of the Baptist Missionary Association of Missouri shall promote Christian Fellowship, biblical leadership education, and mentoring for the older men and young men of our churches.”  Core Value number 4 states, “We value Biblical instruction concerning older men mentoring younger men.” In this article I want to consider three areas where older men are of great value
to younger men of the church.

I. By Their Presence

In our churches (and homes) the presence of men is very important. In a conversation with one of my church members recently she remarked that men are absent in many homes today.  We talked about how this has a great negative impact on the young men as they grow up.  The presence of older (mature) men acts as a stabilizing force whenever young men are involved, whether it is in a church or in a home. Boys need men in their lives and men need to give the boys help in growing and maturing.  A church that is growing and active has men who stand for Christ in word and deed. Their presence in important.

II. By Instilling Peace

Everyone is searching for peace and we are reminded daily that many (especially young people) are trying to find peace in the wrong places or by the wrong way. This leads to trouble, heartache and even suicide.  Men of God know where to find real peace and we need to share Christ with young men. We do this through example and through personal guidance as we work with young men in church.  Many of these young men do not have a good influence in their
homes but we can help them by showing some interest in their lives and letting them know we care. Let’s show them what real peace is and where they can find it.

III. By Giving Purpose

Why are we here? Everyone wants to have a purpose. John 15:11 says, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” Jesus wanted those early Christians to have full, joyful lives. We have purpose (joyful and fulfilling lives) when we follow Christ’s teachings. The more we know about Christ the more we can get out of life, the greater our purpose in life becomes, and the greater will be our influence on others along the way. The older men in the church should teach the younger men about Christ and how to apply His teachings to their lives. I know my life became fuller as I applied the examples and principles that were set by my mentors. Without them I would have not had the courage to follow God’s leadership in my life. Brotherhood is very important. It is important to the men who participate as they find fulfillment in fellowship with other men and in mentoring younger men and boys. It is important to the young men and boys to know someone cares about them and wants to help them develop into men of God that will in turn help others. It is important to your church that you, as a man, take responsibility and work with other men and boys for God’s glory.

Article published in the December issue of Missouri Missionary Baptist Paper.

The Beat of a Thankful Heart

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by Danny Kirk

What kind of heart do you have?

We often describe a person’s character, strengths, and faults with an adjective attached to the word “heart”. A person is described as being: warm hearted, cold hearted, lion hearted, big hearted, or even “heartless”.

In the last couple of centuries, The poets and songwriters have used a phrase to describe the excitement
when seeing the object of one’s romantic affections: “Be still my beating heart”. In truth, our heartbeat is often noticeable during times of fear, great surprise, and hard labor. The strong and accelerated beat of the heart is the same in each case, but the cause is different. Yet, in every case, the beating heart represents a response to the events of life.

How would someone describe your heart today? The holiday season reminds me that my heart should not only be big and warm, but also thankful. I like to think that when our hearts beat with thankfulness, we will also have a heart that is warm, generous, and caring .

In Luke 17, Jesus tells the story of one man whose heart beat with thanksgiving…

Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us! So when He saw them, He said to them, Go, show yourselves to the priests. And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. So Jesus answered and said, Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner? And He said to him, Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.
~ Luke 17:11-19 NKJV

The thankful heart beats for those who are without.

The first lesson is found in the Savior’s heart for mankind. The scriptures tell us of a Savior whose divine heart beats with thanksgiving.

In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes.
~ Luke 10:21 NKJV

And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.
~ John 6:11 NKJV

Jesus, the Son of God, was always a thankful Son. I go back to Luke 17, verse 11 and I find a Savior who will go where there is great need. Jesus is at a place where most of Jews would not be found…among the Samaritans…and lepers. The Samaritans were considered unholy people and the lepers where unclean. Yet it is a place where needs are great, where hope is needed, and where thanksgiving can abound.

We see hurting people all around us and yet we are paralyzed to help because our hearts are telling us:

  • “Why bother…nobody will change”.
  • “It’s too risky…you might fail or get hurt.”
  • “Someone else can a better effort at helping than I can.”

The thankful heart beats with a gratefulness for what God has done for them and realizes no one is beyond the boundaries of God’s love and power.

The thankful heart beats with a faith that things can change.

I have always wondered what it was that drove 10 lepers to line up on the other side of the street and shout at Jesus to have mercy on them. Had they heard stories of other miracles? Had they spoken with a former member of their leper colony who had been made whole? Whatever it was, I then wondered if they got the response they hoped had hoped for? Jesus did not heal them, touch them, or pray over them. He simply told them to ”go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as the story unfolds, “as they went, they were cleansed.”

The men were told to go to the priest as if they had been healed. It would have to be an act of faith…first! They looked at their skin and their limbs and they still were covered with sores, and huge calluses and abnormalities. They had to have faith that things would be different as they made their way to the priests. They had to have faith that things could be different.

In Philippians 4, Paul is in prison and tells us the secret to rejoicing in difficult times:

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

It is with a heart of thanksgiving that we are to pray and let God know our needs. When I pray, God can do two things:

  1. Change my circumstance
  2. Give me His peace in my circumstance

The thankful heart beats for the Giver…not just the gift.

Ten lepers made the journey. Ten would see the transformation and power of God in their life. One would return and give thanks. What happened to the other nine?
We really don’t know. Maybe they were following the letter of the law and presenting themselves to the priest for a “certification” of their healing. Maybe they were in a hurry to see family from whom they had been exiled.

I don’t know what was happening in the minds of the nine, but for one man, his thoughts were on the Giver of the gift… not the gift itself. He had to get back to Jesus and give thanks! For this man, the healing was a “God-thing” and he had to glorify the Giver!

I believe this is always true about the beat of a thankful heart for two reasons:

  1. Every gift has a Giver and our hearts, although thankful for the gift, can never lose sight of the Giver. For the Christians, James 1: 17 reminds us that, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights…”
  2. It is often said, “It’s not the gift, but the thought that counts”. This is true because, no matter the value of the gift, the value of knowing that someone thought of you is much greater. Their thoughtfulness builds value into you!!

How valuable we must be for God to bestow His goodness toward us!

The thankful heart beats with thanksgiving and more is given.

The Bible is clear that all ten lepers were healed. All were recipients of God’s unmerited favor. Yet, the Samaritan, the one man who knew less about God’s grace than the others, came back to worship and praise God for his healing.

Did the nine miss out on a more important blessing? Their physical need had been met, but what about their eternal souls? Was their ingratitude a display of unbelief and a refusal to honor God?

I do know this: the heart that knows that it has been the recipient of God’s grace beats with thanksgiving toward God. Only one man worshipped and praised God for the physical change in his life and Jesus took note and He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

I believe that his “wellness” or “salvation” goes beyond the cleansing of his leprosy to the cleansing of his sin. The heart that beats with thanksgiving will always find more in life to express his or her thanksgiving toward God.

Jesus asked three vital questions that day that speak into our lives today…

  1. Were there not ten cleansed? How many times has God provided for you? Cared for you? Protected you? Are you not one of those whom God has loved?
  2. Where are the nine? Have we been faithful to give God His glory and credit? Have we acknowledge Him as the Giver? Have we praised Him for His goodness?
  3. Who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner? We were once all lost, estranged from God like foreigners! But because of Jesus, we can be saved, forgiven, and reconciled to God.

Does our life reflect the glory due to God for His gift of forgiveness and new life? Does our heart beat with thanksgiving for the One who has changed our life forever?

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