ARE WE A SCROOGE

I watched one of my favorite holiday movies, a Christmas Carol.  I love the 1938 versions.  One thing I always take away from the story is how Ebenezer Scrooge had more than those around him in during an impoverished period in London, but he was the meanest and most miserable person.  He was so unpleasant that his name goes down in history to represent the worst in people when given to someone.  He was such a miser with money that he misused the money by not using it.

We rarely remember that he turned his life around and made amends with others at the end of the movie after being visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future.

Ebenezer Scrooge became repentant after a chain of events occurred.  He first fired his loyal employee, Bob Cratchit, who has many children, one, tiny Tim, who was very ill, and a wife.  Bob holds no grudges even after receiving the harsh news of Mr. Scrooge’s decision.  Instead, in the spirit of hope and belief in the holiday spirit, he goes home spends all his earnings to provide a memorable Christmas for his family, not knowing what the future would hold.  I love at the end how Scrooge talked back to the future ghost, telling him that these things he saw can be changed if he alters his behavior.

Are we a scrooge? Are we blessed to have things but forget to have compassion on others?  Are we holding on to blessings that were intended to share and bless the lives of others around us?  Should the ghost of Christmas past visit us to show us how we became so unpleasant?  Would our Christmas present ghost show that no one finds pleasure in being in our company because we’re mean and unforgiving?  If we chose to continue, our Christmas future ghost would also show us headed down a road similar to Scrooge of separation and doom.  Just as Scrooge turned his life around, we too, can change our future.

During the season we should remember that we all have received the best gift; the gift of life from Christ.  Love and blessings are only good if they are shared and given away.  It’s an odd thing that the more you give of these, the more you get them back.  If you don’t have the money like Scrooge or any gifts under the tree to share, we can be innovative and give the gift that never grows old, we can give ourselves.  Remember, Christ gave himself to us as a sacrifice because of His love for us.  Let’s sacrifice a little of ourselves to help others.  Let’s not be a scrooge this season, let’s show love.  Give the gift of love, give a little of yourself to someone. 

THANKS-GIVING

The tradition for the celebration of thanksgiving began in the 1600’s.  The pilgrims ran from religious persecution in England and landed at Plymouth Rock.  They we not prepared to endure the harsh conditions of a Massachusetts winter and many died.  Those that survived did so because of the assistance they received from the Indians that were already settled in that region.  A feast was prepared for the Indian and Settlers to share and show appreciation for the Indian assistance and the formation of a new relationship.  The second memorable gathering occurred in 1777 after the British were defeated in 1776 and the settlers gained their independence from the old British rule.  Later it was made into a holiday.

Today, we gather with family and friends with a primary focus of the food we are to eat, the football games, or the uncle or aunt that we haven’t seen since last year.  We awake on Friday to initiate the Christmas shopping season.

Now the title of the day was coined thanks -giving because the early settlers were giving thanks with a feast to those who had helped them survive harsh weather or to celebrate the victory. Their survival and victory changed the course of history.

The first mention of thanks is usually when the grace is said.  We generally only spend seconds saying grace for a year’s worth of blessings; if we say grace at all. I know in my family, if you say grace too long you start hearing various ones saying amen for you.

Have we as individuals become less thankful and more ungrateful?  Do we take the good things that happen to us as luck or begin to expect them to happen?  Have you ever noticed when you go into a place of business now you generally are the one who says thank you and not the person you just gave your hard earned money to?  Whatever happened to teaching our children to say please and thank you? Have we begun to take even God for granted?  I was reminded of the scripture 2 Timothy 3:1-9 and it tells of how people will begin to be un-thankful.

I hope you join with me in reversing this trend.  Thankfulness and gratitude are conscious choices.  I choose to be thankful every day and will express my thanks giving longer than the time it takes to say grace.   We have so much to be thankful for that gratitude should be flowing from our lips toward God. 

If you know who you are and where you are, give God thanks.  If you can breathe on your own, thank God.  If you can stand on your own two feet, thank God.  If have a job, thank God.  If you have food to eat, thank God.  Say thank you and give people recognition for their kind acts and consideration towards you, but remember, every perfect gift comes from God (James 1:17).

 It’s not our talents that promote us, but the favor of God.  It’s not our burglar alarms that protect our homes and possessions; it’s the angels of the Lord that He has assigned to us.   It’s not our driving skills or ABS brakes that take us over the highways safely, it is the traveling mercies of God that allow us to go out and to come in safely.

Give thanks freely and the blessings will continue to come.  Let’s put the giving thanks back into thanksgiving and make it a daily habit. We are given something each and every day to be thankful for.  Thank you for taking the time to read my words and making my writing such a fulfillment and joy.   Have a blessed Thanksgiving season and I thank God for each and every one of you.

ASSUME THE POSITION

I remember going through life so unprepared at times and how that taught me the value of being prepared and being positioned correctly.  If I was in a position during a situation where I was standing and should have been kneeling, I remember being knocked to my knees.  If I was kneeling and should have been standing for better balance in the matter, I’d waver uncontrollably, coming close to the ground before being able to regain my stance.    A key part of success for my life has been my ability to assess a situation and determine the best position for that situation, then to assume that position. 

We are familiar with this terminology in many areas of life today.   We hear of police needing to search an individual.  There is a position that makes it easier for the search to occur. If the individual being searched tries to resist the search or moves, they become off balance and the officer can quickly restrain the individual. 

In the corporate world there is a position to assume for success.  It’s a position of knowing when it’s time to be conservative and when it’s time to be aggressive.  It’s having all the key components available at a moment’s notice to move on a capital or investment opportunity.

The same is true in the kingdom of God among His people.  To prosper in God is to obtain all the blessings and prosperity available, you must assume the correct position.   To obtain help from God, assume the position of prayer.  To receive more blessing than you can receive, assume the position of praise.  To receive the continued favor, assume the position of obedience.  To receive God’s unchanging love, assume the position and open your arms and heart to let Him in.

Have you noticed that you’ve been off balance and simple things overwhelm you? From my personal experience, it could be that you need to assume the right position and watch God bless you.

EVERY SINNER HAS A FUTURE AND EVERY SAINT HAS A PAST

I read the words, every sinner has a future and every saint has a past, on a billboard on a local freeway.  Those words touched something in my spirit.

Each time I saw the billboard, I’d remember the person I was before becoming a Christian.    I was not someone who was acceptable, in any form of the word, in the presence of God.   I had such a past that when I think about some of my behaviors now, I hang my head in shame. The church, by all rights, should have imploded when I came in the doors or I should have immediately burst into flames.  I’m always amazed at the depth, breath, and length of the grace and love of God has for us in our sinful conditions. 

I embraced the title of saint that signified my sin cleansing, soul changing experience with God.  Because of my new birth experience I was given a future.  I was born into the family of God and given His name.   I had to learn that just as I’m an heir to my parents, I’m an heir and joint heir to all that God has through Jesus Christ.  My past infractions were placed into a sea of forgetfulness.  This opportunity enhanced every part of my life and everyone in my life, family, friend, or foe, was affected positively. 

More important, this billboard reminds me that I have no right to frown on someone who hasn’t had the new birth experience or living a certain kind of life.  We all are in some mode of transition.  We all have a past.  I have no right to remind, hold against, or make public someone for their past, no more than I’d want that done to me. 

It keeps me humble.  I know if Jesus withdrew His grace for a minute from me, I’d be back doing some of those same things.  It encourages me that I do have a future, no matter what my past may be or what hardship I may encounter.

Be encouraged to know that you don’t have to live in a terrible today.  You can put those failures in your past, then forget them, God will.  Enjoy a bright promising future and press toward a better tomorrow with a loving God.

Independence Day

What does independence and freedom really mean?  You can’t discuss the topic without discussing the costs associated with them.  In 1776 when the settlers of the new world decided to fight rather than be governed by England, they understood the cost.

In a report I read the U.S. Defense budget at the end of 2009 was $680 million to keep us secure globally.  In 2010 there was approximately $55 million budgeted for homeland security to keep our local borders secure.

The average American has some sort of security system and that cost can vary, but we pay it to keep our possessions secure.  We pay these costs as a consumer, country, or world citizen because security ensures freedom and independence.

When you think about mankind before Christ and His work on Calvary, this was our state; our souls were in bondage.  Just as the Department of Defense no doubt did a risk analysis when determining if that $650 million was feasible,

I’m grateful that Jesus was willing to pay the price to provide a way of independence for mankind by the shedding of His blood.

 I am grateful to be an American and enjoy the freedom and independence of this land, but I’m most proud to be a Christian. Christ secured the independence of my soul at Calvary, so I can be completely free.   Are you completely free?