Living Thankfully

Coral Ridge Ministries

Living Thankfully

Colossians 2:6–7

August 31, 2023

“As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.”
— Colossians 2:6–7

A secular author was researching the subject of gratitude. As he did, he examined two large dictionaries of modern psychology and could find no mention of the terms “gratitude,” “thankfulness,” or “giving of thanks.” He then scanned the card catalog of a large university library containing hundreds of thousands of volumes. Through his search, he found not one single card giving any reference to the terms “gratitude” or “thankfulness.” Indeed, as one humorist put it, “If you’re looking for gratitude, you’d better look in the dictionary. That’s the only place you’re going to find it.”

If someone looked into your heart today, would that person find thankfulness and gratitude?

Someone once said that thankfulness is the least of the virtues and ingratitude the worst of the vices. We consider gratitude an easy virtue to attain, yet so few people distinguish themselves by their thankfulness. Meanwhile, in the first chapter of Romans, Paul, in cataloging the descent of humankind into the mire of depravity, begins by saying that “although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful” (Romans 1:21, emphasis mine). He then describes humanity’s fall into all sorts of base immorality. The slide from godliness into wickedness begins with ingratitude.

Shakespeare once said, “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child!” But the Bible repeatedly calls upon us to remember our blessings and express gratitude. It says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits” (Psalm 103:2). What blessings can you thank God for today? Beginning now, cultivate a grateful heart.

Make it a regular practice to thank the Lord for who He is and for all He has done for you.

“As a rule, a man’s a fool. When it’s hot, he wants it cool. When it’s cool, he wants it hot. Always wanting what is not.”
— Anonymous

To Rear a Child

August 30, 2023

“Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept. Line upon line, line upon line, here a little there a little.” — Isaiah 28:9-10 If you’re a parent or hope to be one someday, then you’ve probably already considered how you’ll raise your children. Allow me, if you would, to put my oar in the water and give you a few thoughts about godly parenting. When we first look at our newborn children, we are full of hopes and dreams for them and their future. To guide our children toward reaching their potential, we can rely on promises and principles from God’s Word. Biblical parenting boils down to two main things: We must train our children in God’s Word and discipline them according to God’s principles. “Training our children” means teaching them line by line, precept by precept, a little bit here, a little bit there about the things of God. A father must fulfill his role as spiritual head of his household, teaching his family the things of God: “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). This includes teaching the Ten Commandments, the gospel of Christ, the importance of memorizing Scripture, and how to pray. And because our lives speak louder than our words, we must teach by both precept and example. Disciplining our children must be done in love, not anger. We shouldn’t raise our voices. We should listen to our children and refrain from disciplining them until we hear all the facts. We should set explicit and reasonable boundaries, enforce them consistently, and make it clear that Mom and Dad will always have the final say. We should encourage good behavior by offering positive rewards. A father once paid his son to read certain books and write book reports on them. When in college, the son often expressed gratitude to his father, because his knowledge of those books put him far ahead of his classmates. This father’s initiative helped the son reach his potential. Parenting is tough but worth every effort we make. As we train our children in God’s ways, we can feel confident that our children will reach their full, God-given potential. Today, pray for your children. Ask God to help them grow in Him. And ask Him to give you the wisdom you need to train them in the way they should go. “You cannot change your ancestors, but you can do something about your descendants.” — Anonymous

Hope

August 29, 2023

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope …” — 1 Peter 1:3 What’s your outlook on the future? Do you view the future with hope for great things or with despair? Two thousand years ago, Cicero said, “Where there is life, there is hope.” These words ring true to a certain extent. When we struggle against all sorts of odds, even if we face imminent death, as long as we have life, we have hope. However, for many people, the following statement seems more relevant: Where there is not hope, there is not life—nothing but darkness, despair, and death. When we lose hope, we lose all of our joy. Just imagine facing any one of many difficult trials—betrayal, loss of a job, death of a loved one—without having any hope. Without hope, we have no foundation to stand on when the going gets rough. We also lose the meaning of life when hope slips away. When we have no hope, nothing has purpose. Under these conditions, the everyday struggles of life become burdens too heavy to bear and too difficult to endure. But we need not lose hope. Because of Christ’s resurrection, we have great hope for our future. We don’t just hope for something that is to come; we find our hope in something that has already taken place. The Resurrection, a documented fact in history, is a solid, unmovable rock, and everyone who hopes in it has great joy. Christ has vanquished death and Hell. We have the hope of going to Heaven to spend eternity with Him. And even in this life, Christ has promised never to forsake us. Christ gives us hope. If you’re feeling a little low on hope today, ask Jesus to give you some. Remember that He has secured your future, and in that truth you can have great hope for today and every day. QUOTE: “Everything that is done in the world is done by hope.” — Martin Luther

Faith's Ultimate Test

August 28, 2023

“And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.” — Genesis 22:10 Do you face a test of faith today? Is God calling you to leap into the unknown, into uncertain, perhaps even treacherous waters? If so, maybe Abraham’s story will inspire you. God’s familiar voice rang out, “Abraham.” And Abraham responded, “Here I am, [Lord].” The Lord gave Abraham instructions: “Take now your son … and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering …” Perhaps no more painful words have ever been heard. All of Abraham’s joy disappeared in a flash. However, Abraham did not question; he simply obeyed. First thing the next morning, he prepared for the journey to the mountains. No questions, just obedience. For three long days he walked with Isaac at his side, Isaac who knew nothing of his father’s mission. Only God and Abraham knew what lay at the end of this journey. Silently, Abraham and Isaac climbed to the top of Mount Moriah. Once there, father and son erected an altar together. Then Abraham bound his son and, summoning all of his strength, laid Isaac upon the altar. With his heart about to break, Abraham lifted the knife above Isaac’s chest. As Abraham began to plunge the knife downward, he again heard that familiar voice, “Abraham, Abraham … Do not lay your hand on the lad.” God intervened and provided a ram in Isaac’s place. God didn’t want Abraham to sacrifice his son. God wanted obedience. Through this incident, God tested Abraham’s faith. He wanted to know which would win out: a father’s love for his child or his obedience to his God. When we truly have faith in God, we will trust Him and do whatever He asks of us. Abraham was a man of tremendous faith—he trusted God with his son’s life, believing that God could raise the dead (Hebrews 11:17–19). Faith trusts that whatever God commands must be done, and what God has promised He will perform in His own time. So, back to you and your test of faith. Ask God to show you clearly what He wants you to do. And when He does, follow Him without question or dispute. He can (and did) raise the dead; He can surely work good through your obedience. QUOTE: “Doubt sees the obstacles—faith sees the way.” — Ira Lee Eshleman