Masked blessings

I have to confess, sometimes I’m a prayer whiner. Admittedly, things have to get pretty tough before I slip into the “whine mode,” but it happens.

I’m supposed to be on a fun girl’s trip this week, but I decided to stay close to home. (And I promise. . .I won’t use this blog post to whine about that—at least not anymore.)

I was almost home from a glorious walk watching the beautiful sunrise through the tall East Texas trees, and I almost missed my blessing. I was still whining to God when I passed a neighbor’s home with cute Halloween characters in the front yard. His quiet answer to my self-centered, immature prayers caught me off guard. 

Sometimes, life sends us into toddler mode spiritually. Our loving Father puts up with our whining, but only for a time. He’d rather bless us instead.

The cute Halloween display

Generally, I’m not a fan of Halloween. I decorate for fall, but my decor reflects the season instead of that holiday. That’s why the display caught my eye and surprised me. I actually liked it. I wouldn’t usually enjoy a Halloween display, but this little grouping of witches, each dressed in cute little dresses and masks, made me smile. Why would I write about that? Because in that moment, God taught me something about my prayers.

Sometimes our blessings wear masks, too.

I have good reasons to whine, but no excuse

Here is a quick list of the reasons I was whining.

  • I missed a fun girls’ trip.
  • Most of my adult life has included the responsibility of taking care of an aging or dying parent. First, Jim’s mom. Then my dad. Now, my mom.
  • I’ve missed trips, vacations, sporting events, and other moments that felt important to me.
  • Craig, my youngest son, was going into kindergarten when Jim’s mom got cancer for the first time. She was diagnosed and treated for cancer twice more after that. 
  • Two years after Jim’s mom passed, Craig was planning his wedding when my mom called to say they were moving to Dallas to be nearby. She needed help with my dad. After my dad died, my mom began to decline and needed help. Now, a decade later, my mom is entering her last days.

I was whining to God about how much time I have spent going to doctors, paying bills, handling funeral arrangements, closing out estates, etc., etc., etc. Then, I passed a Halloween display that made me smile. Why?

The Halloween display stopped my whining, and God was able to insert his answer into my prayers. I looked at those cute little witches and heard, “You have no reason to whine. Those moments are your blessings.” As with all the “God thoughts,” I knew it was truth the second I heard that quiet, very clear God voice within.

I knew but needed to remember and rely on the truth of God’s answer to my prayers. I finished my walk thinking about how Satan loves to put a “mask” over God’s truth, especially the truth about the hard times in our lives. Sometimes, we have to quit whining long enough to allow God to get his word in edgewise!

We all have reasons to whine when we pray. Spiritually, though, we don’t have an excuse because of God’s word to us. Every reason that causes us to pray will be redeemed as our blessing.

God would rather bless our prayers than just listen to them

God’s voice is a blessing that too often gets masked by the world’s messaging. There are some tough times right now. I’m slowly losing my mom. A LOT of people have lost their homes, a family member, their jobs, their pets, their finances, and almost everything they had come to value in their lives because of a hurricane. They have so many reasons to whine to God, but spiritually, there is no excuse. Why is that?

God understands our struggles and hears us every time we cry out to him in pain, exhaustion, fear, anger, and grief. But God would rather heal us than just hear us. He wants to bless our prayers with his answers. 

Do we spend more time telling God what we think, feel, and need than listening for him to give us what we need? Some thoughts about prayer:

  • Our whining isn’t necessary, but his answer is. “Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24). God already knows what to do and how to direct your life toward his answers.
  • Our circumstances may feel too difficult to endure, but they aren’t. “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). If God allowed it, you are equipped and able to handle it with his help.
  • Every difficult time is an opportunity to help people know God and give him glory. “And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me” (Psalm 50:15). People are watching, and you can show them God’s amazing grace.
  • God will hear us, help us, and bless us throughout our trials. “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). You will also receive God’s amazing grace when you ask.

Unmask your blessings

I rediscovered Psalm 66 as I was putting together this blog post. That psalm is the eternal truth we all need for life on this side of heaven. It is a psalm of praise for God’s compassionate character, especially his care and compassion for us during the tough times.

The psalmist gives some crucial advice toward the end. He wrote, “If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer” (Psalm 66:18–19). 

I wouldn’t have heard God’s voice if I hadn’t stopped whining to him. If I had “cherished” my self-centered thoughts, I wouldn’t have been reminded of my blessings. God attended to the voice of my prayer by giving me new thoughts that unmasked his truth. 

What has God said to you as you read this blog post? What prayers do you need to pray, and what prayers do you need to re-pray with a new perspective? Choose to spend more time listening than talking. God already knows what you want, need, and hope for. Will you allow him to get a word in edgewise? I hope his answers will make all of you smile, too!

How can we pray for Israel?

It is difficult to know how to pray against pure evil. Sometimes anger and wrath can lead our prayers instead of God. I’ve often said Satan isn’t concerned with what side of an issue in which we choose to sin. If we sin, evil wins regardless of our position. 

The nation of Israel is once again drawing the attention of the world. They are completely justified in their anger and their desire to protect their people. At the same time, God’s people are not to respond to evil with evil of their own.

I cannot imagine what it would be like to sit in a room and make decisions that will ultimately lead to people losing their lives. Can Israel fight their enemy without harming their own people? Will Israel seek God’s strength and wisdom or rely on their own? I was preparing to write this blog post and I searched for Bible verses about peace, enemies, end times, and wars in an effort to discern God’s truth for such terrible times. 

At the end of my reading, praying, and study, I could only settle on one certain truth. As I pray for the people of Israel, some of whom have become personal friends over the past several years, I found my prayers and my answers in Proverbs 8 and 9. 

We don’t know how to pray for Israel apart from God’s wisdom. The only thing we know is that the tiny nation that has been central to global politics from the beginning is making decisions that can alter our world. Their decisions can alter the character of our world as well. The one thing I know to pray for them, in addition to peace and divine protection, is that those who lead that nation need to seek and act with the wisdom only God can provide. 

I often say our greatest need is to live a life God is able to bless. God’s blessings are available to those who will walk in his ways. I’m praying that Israel will seek God’s face and God’s righteousness as their first and greatest need. 

Proverbs 8 

If you have time, read both Proverbs 8 and 9 in their entirety. These proverbs are about the blessings of living with God’s wisdom. These proverbs personify wisdom and explain that wisdom is gained from knowing and walking with God. 

My heart was drawn to Proverbs 8:12–21 as a prayer for those who are leading Israel right now. Wisdom causes us to think and feel about things like God would. If we can share the heart of God, we can pray with the thoughts of God. 

This is the wisdom I am praying for those in the nation of Israel, from Proverbs 8:12–21.

1. Pray that those who lead Israel will dwell with God’s wisdom and discretion.

“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
    and I find knowledge and discretion.” (v. 12)

2. Pray that God will produce their emotions, their character, and their example to the world.

“The fear of the Lᴏʀᴅ is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
    and perverted speech I hate.” (v. 13)

3. Pray that Israel will recognize that their most important counsel and strategies will come from God. God’s justice is pure, and their leaders need to act in accordance with his direction.

“I have counsel and sound wisdom;
    I have insight; I have strength.
By me kings reign,
    and rulers decree what is just;
by me princes rule,
    and nobles, all who govern justly.” (vv. 14–16)

4. Pray that Israel will understand that their greatest need and their greatest witness is to love God and seek his wisdom and will.

“I love those who love me,
    and those who seek me diligently find me.
Riches and honor are with me,
    enduring wealth and righteousness.” (vv. 17–18)

5. Pray that they will seek the Lord’s victories and justice ahead of their own.

“My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold,
    and my yield than choice silver.
I walk in the way of righteousness,
    in the paths of justice,
granting an inheritance to those who love me,
    and filling their treasuries.” (vv. 19–21)

Proverbs 9

Proverbs 9 includes a sobering statement about what happens if we ignore the wisdom of God. God has provided his word and called his people to know it, respect it, and act upon it. There is no other road to success in this life apart from his wisdom. 

Proverbs 9:10–12 makes clear, “The fear of the Lᴏʀᴅ is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; if you scoff, you alone will bear it.” 

Israel’s search for wisdom should be our own as well 

It seems as if the world is losing its soul. God’s people need to be praying, speaking, and acting with hearts aligned with the truth of God’s word. We shouldn’t be surprised at a world that is in decline spiritually. Jesus, Paul, and others warned us in Scripture that the decline would occur. 

The world has seen evil before and evil will be part of this world until the end of time. Revelation 11 is the word from the seventh and final trumpet. Revelation 11:18 says, “The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.” 

God’s servants will be rewarded and evil will be judged. Until that day, we are to fear God’s name, which means our job is to live submitted to his character and voice within us. The Holy Spirit needs to guide our thoughts, our words, and our actions. We can’t pray or speak correctly apart from the Spirit’s guidance. 

Will you pray for the wisdom of God to guide the leaders and people of Israel? 

Will you pray the same for your own life? 

Wisdom is knowing God and walking in his ways rather than our own. Pray for wisdom to bring the blessing of peace. Pray for the Spirit of Jesus to once again walk among them on that land and offer his truth. Israel needs Jesus.  

In his holy name, we pray for our friends and this chosen land . . . Amen.

____________

For more on the war in Israel, please visit this collection of resources from Denison Ministries.

Three blessings for restored faith

Throughout our ministry, we have often spent time with people who recently lost a loved one. Invariably, the conversation turns to the last time they saw that person and the last words that had been spoken. Sometimes, their parting words gave them a sense of peace or calm, while other times those words became an additional part of the grief they would always remember.

We drop kids off at school, send them off to college, leave work at the end of the day, and say goodbye to people at church we won’t see again until the following Sunday. Our parting words can be brief and unimportant or sometimes full of careful thought or planning, depending on the situation.  

Last Sunday I was talking to our Sunday School director about their “kids” when he mentioned that his son-in-law ran a roofing company. I told them that was good to know while hoping I would never need to know! 

About twelve hours later a large storm roared through Tyler and the morning light revealed a downed tree and a lot of shingles in our yard. I sent an early email to them and the roof will be repaired this afternoon. God is so good. 

A random “goodbye” statement at church wasn’t so random at all. 

Paul’s parting words 

Paul wrote his letter to the church in Corinth carefully. In the first century a letter required parchment, ink, and a great deal of thought and care. Paul didn’t have a “delete” key on a computer to quickly erase words he no longer wished to say. He would have planned and possibly practiced a sentence before recording it on the valuable parchment. He, or whoever was recording his words, wrote his letters knowing they would be shared often, with many churches and people in the region. It was important they were thoughtful and well done. 

Paul was a pastoral parent to the Christian churches he helped to establish. Like any good parent or pastor, he taught his people what they needed to know and then worked to remind them of what they had been taught. One of Paul’s deepest concerns for his young churches was false teachers, men who claimed to be apostles yet taught a message contrary to the truth. The people in the church were impressed with these men’s oratory and therefore lacked discernment for the actual truth of what was being said or taught. 

We have two of Paul’s letters to Corinth, but we are missing at least two. Apparently, Paul had written a very angry letter to the church at some point that occurred between the two letters we have in Scripture. 

Paul was willing to be angry when necessary, especially when the truth of the gospel message was being harmed. Many of our preachers today share a similar anger. It is hard to see the people in the church choose to believe, truly believe, something that the Bible teaches against. 

Why is truth essential to the future of the church? 

Last week, our ministry was blessed by hundreds of people who chose to donate on North Texas Giving Day. Not everyone understands why Denison Ministries exists and what our purpose in ministry truly is. In many ways, we write for the same reasons Paul wrote to those first-century churches. Our page on the North Texas Giving Day site simply reads, “Take a stand for God’s truth.” 

Our purpose for all we do is to provide biblical truth to as many people as possible for their daily choices. We have existed for almost fifteen years, and we are amazed at the profound changes in our culture and government that have occurred in that short time. We knew it was time to carefully proclaim biblical truth to our culture, but we had no idea fifteen years ago all that would take place. 

But God knew.  

The greatest threat to the Christian church has always been false teaching. In some of the final words of 2 Corinthians, Paul wrote, “For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for” (2 Corinthians 13:8–9).  

Truth was essential in Paul’s day, during the Reformation Era, and remains an essential goal for the church for all time. Please know how grateful we are to those of you who help us speak biblical truth to our culture. We began our ministry praying to lead God’s people to a renewed relationship with God and to help the church seek revival and awakening among their people. Paul prayed for the restoration of Corinth, and we pray for the restoration of the church in America.  

How can we pray for our churches today?  

  • Dedication to biblical truth
  • The original apostolic message of salvation in Christ
  • The power of the gospel to save
  • Biblical marriage values
  • The biblical standards for our daily choices
  • Making choices God can bless, or accepting that God must discipline
  • The One true God and Jesus, the one true “way” for the salvation of all 

All Christians need to know that faith doesn’t work apart from God’s word of truth. 

It never has. 

The three blessings of a restored, biblical faith 

Paul’s closing words to Corinth at the end of his letter spell out the three blessings Paul wanted for those in the church. His parting words would display his heart for them and his passion for their faith. Paul wanted the church to be filled with rich blessings.  

So, Paul reminded them of the singular power and purpose of the Godhead, the holy Trinity. He said, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14). 

Paul describes a blessed life as: 

  1. Confident of the grace that provides our salvation through Jesus Christ
  2. Abundantly overflowing with the love of God for oneself and others
  3. Maintaining a continual fellowship with God through the voice and guidance of the Holy Spirit

Paul chose his parting words to the church in Corinth because his great desire was for them to live with truth and faith God would be able to bless. 

If Paul wrote a letter to us . . . 

What would Paul tell us to change? Repent of? Be restored to? What would revival look like today?  

We are in many ways like the church in Corinth. We need biblical morality. We need an insistence on the original apostolic teaching. We need careful concern for others. We need to be restored so that God can bless us with his grace, love, and fellowship. 

God wants to bless his people. Thank you so much for helping us send biblical truth to a culture that needs God’s restoration and blessing. We are praying for renewal, awakening, and revival in our churches so that others will want to know and receive the blessings God wants to give. We will continue to speak God’s biblical truth and pray for those blessings to come.

If you had to list one hundred . . .

If you couldn’t take your seat at the Thanksgiving table until . . .

If you couldn’t turn on the television set and watch the game until . . . 

If you had to wash ALL the dishes unless . . . 

What? 

If our Thanksgiving holiday couldn’t take place until we created a list of one hundred reasons we are thankful, I imagine all of us would come up with one hundred reasons. The same would be true if the list required a thousand.  

We would rack our brains, ask for help, and make the list a high priority if it were the only way to sit at the table, enjoy our families, and maybe get out of the cleanup later. 

My list

I decided I needed to create a list of my own before I presented the idea to you, my readers. I began to mentally count off all of the things I was most grateful for. The first fifty came quickly and easily. Then I started to bog down just a bit. 

I began to make the larger categories like “family” into something specific about each person. I am grateful for my faith, but I began to break down that thought into specific categories like grace, forgiveness, salvation, calling, comfort, and more. I was grateful for my health and then was able to get more specific with that.  

In the end, the last fifty began to take me from completing a challenge to a truly personal sense of gratitude for the things God has blessed and filled my life with. I could have continued past the one hundred mark, except I needed to type this blog post instead! 

Give it a try

I wish I had a way of convincing all of you to take the same journey of gratitude. I would love to hear how far you got before you had to dig a bit deeper.  

It’s actually shocking how many things we should be grateful for that we probably just take for granted.  

I’m not really grateful for my dishwasher unless I stop to think about the days we didn’t own one. I’m not thankful for my refrigerator unless I consider what life would be like if it were broken, or worse, not yet invented. 

I’m grateful that I can write this blog post on a computer instead of an old-fashioned typewriter. Did you ever use Wite-Out® to cover your typo? Now, I can delete whole sentences, even paragraphs, with ease. 

Are you grateful for your car? Your can opener? Your microwave? Your heater?  

Last winter, when our power went out for days, it got down to forty-eight degrees in our house. I was grateful for my gas logs, my battery-powered lantern, and the stack of soft blankets that kept us warm.  

Honestly, if you take a mental journey through your home, you will easily reach the one hundred mark on your list. 

Why don’t we walk through life feeling greatly blessed?

I hope my list of one hundred will continue to grow and my “attitude of gratitude” as well. It is a joyful thing to remember all that we have been given in our lives. 

The psalmist wrote, “Oh give thanks to the Lᴏʀᴅ, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” (Psalm 107:1). God’s presence in my life was high on my list. My “deeper dive” is the realization that I will have his presence, his power, and his unending love in my life forever.  

James told the early Christians, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17). I’ve taught the book of James several times and don’t remember noticing the first few words of this verse. We have so many gifts to be thankful for. Some of the gifts are good, but there are other gifts in our lives that are perfect. 

If you had to create a list of one hundred perfect gifts, what would you say? 

Only God can give perfect gifts because only God is perfect. (It kind of takes some pressure off the gift list for our Christmas holiday, doesn’t it?) 

Christians are greatly blessed because we are greatly loved—now and eternally. Doesn’t that give light to your thoughts and a different perspective on your day?  

The deepest gratitude

What I found interesting as I reexamined my list was that it didn’t include any of the difficulties I have faced. Did yours? 

If I am honest, the tough times of my life have taught me the most about God. Not all blessings feel like blessings. 

Paul told the church in Thessalonica, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). 

If you had to make a list of one hundred things you learned because of the dark, difficult times, what would be on that list? 

I couldn’t help but think of Daniel when he knew the document had been signed that meant his daily prayers might cost him his life (Daniel 6). Scripture says, “He went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously” (Daniel 6:10). 

Expecting to die, Daniel got on his knees and “gave thanks before his God.” But, as terrifying as it would have been, what did Daniel learn about God because of the lion’s den? 

Gratitude for God transcends the circumstances of this life when we learn to be grateful to God for allowing any circumstance to draw us closer to him. 

That’s why Paul said, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). It is God’s will that we know we are always loved. 

I hope that knowledge will be number one on all of our lists. 

Christians have a LOT to be grateful for. Let’s be like Daniel and “give thanks” for all our blessings: the good, the perfect, and even the painful.  

If God is drawing us near to him, we can be grateful. 

Amen? 

Christmas blessings to you and yours

My favorite Christmas meditation is Emmanuel, God with us. 

That was God’s pure intention for Christmas. The Creator of all there is wanted to be with us and always has. 

If, right now, as you are reading these words, you felt him put his arm around you or take your hand, you would experience the miracle of Christmas.

One of the first things I did when I held my sons for the first time was take their tiny hand in mine. I imagine Mary and Joseph did the same thing. God was tangibly with them that first Christmas and is equally present with us today. 

Jesus is Emmanuel. 

A PERFECT CHRISTMAS 

Each Christmas is filled with traditions, yet none are ever the same. Plans change. Some things work out and others do not. This Christmas will be like any other in that respect. The only perfectly planned Christmas is told from the pages of Scripture. 

There is a sweet simplicity to the first Christmas that I would wish for all of us this year. The angel told the shepherds, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10–11).

CHRISTMAS 2020 

Christmas—especially Christmas 2020—is a celebration of God’s good news and great joy. 

Christmas is for everyone even though everyone doesn’t receive the gift they were given. Jesus was wrapped up for all of us so that he could be our Messiah, our Lord. I’m praying there will be many who meet the Christmas child for the first time. Christmas 2020 will be perfected by their salvation. 

For all of us who have known our Savior for many years, we should take a few minutes to hold the baby close and take his small hand in our own. I can’t imagine how God could have allowed that hand to one day be pierced for my sake. 

God loves us that much.

CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS 

This is my Christmas “card” to all of you. I am thankful and grateful to you for reading. It is my great privilege to share some “God-thoughts” each week. It gives me joy to know that I have all of eternity to get to know each of you—someday. 

For now, please know that I wish you a safe, joy-filled, blessed Christmas filled with special memories and moments. 

I hope one of those “moments” will be the quiet contemplation of a baby boy, born in Bethlehem, raised by ordinary people with an extraordinary calling. 

Christmas is about fixing our eyes on Jesus, “the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). He gave up heaven to become a baby and be with us. God wanted us to spend eternity with him. 

I wanted to send you this Christmas moment video to enjoy this year. It moved me to tears, and I wanted to share it with all of you. Take some time before Christmas arrives and allow Jesus to put his hand in yours as you listen. 

Emmanuel.

God is with you. 

Will you take this time to be with him? 

All of us at Denison Ministries wish you and yours a blessed Christmas.

We are privileged to send you a few moments with God’s word each week.

As you wrap up this unique year, would you consider making a tax-deductible gift to help us? 

Thank you for helping us send God’s biblical perspective to people around the globe.

Merry Christmas. 

Gratefully, Janet

What happened to Thanksgiving this year?

A note from Janet: Before I blog, a quick suggestion. 

I wrote this year’s Advent book last spring, not knowing what Christmas 2020 was going to look like; but God did. The first entry begins December 1. 

If you want a copy of Our Christmas Stories, you can get it here: https://www.denisonforum.org/product/our-christmas-stories/. 

I think these stories, and God’s story, will be a daily blessing throughout your holiday season. 

Jesus is, and always has been, the joy of Christmas. 

Jim and I decorated our home for Christmas before Thanksgiving! 

I’m typing this blog post in front of my tree with my QVC Christmas candle burning brightly. 

I’m not skipping Thanksgiving this year, but I am going to celebrate it with 2020 style! 

A NEWLY-WILLED HOLIDAY 

Jim and I made an early decision to respect this virus. It has been tough to draw the lines and live with them. But, we have made it this far and want to “finish strong.” 

My first thought was not to worry about decorating our home for the holiday this year. After all, it is going to be just us. Then, we decided to go all in with the decorating and I’m glad. 

It’s been so many years since it was just us I’d forgotten how to celebrate us. 

Jim and I celebrated forty years of marriage last June, with a steak dinner we brought to the house in Styrofoam containers. Can I get a woo-hoo? 

Not so much. 

It seemed like Thanksgiving and Christmas were going to feel a lot like that milestone anniversary. So, we changed our plans. Actually, we changed our perspective. 

We are going to celebrate a newly-willed holiday season. 

This year, we will have turkey with all the fixings, candles, china, and quiet conversation with each other. 

Of course, we will schedule that around the Cowboys game. Quite frankly, we both love football, and it is part of our Thanksgiving celebration. Well, at least it is part of our Thanksgiving Day. I’m not sure if we will be celebrating the score. 

It has been a tough year for our Dallas Cowboys! 

But, I digress . . . 

TRULY THANKFUL 

Jim and I aren’t newlyweds anymore, but we have newly-willed ourselves to enjoy this unique year. Interestingly, it is actually pretty great! 

Forty years later, I still love and enjoy the man I married and look forward to spending the holiday with him. I can honestly say I am truly thankful to celebrate this Thanksgiving holiday safely. We have a lot of reasons to be thankful this year, and we need to make sure others can feel the same way. 

  • I’m thankful for the doctors and nurses who will give up their family holiday in order to care for someone else’s family member.
  • I’m thankful for those in our country who serve so I can celebrate.
  • I’m thankful for the scientists who worked around the clock to develop a vaccine that would end the crisis.
  • I’m thankful to have what I have, even if it isn’t all I would want.

I am truly thankful for so many things this year. There are moments and memories I am going to miss. But, I’m not going to allow those thoughts to remove the gratitude I feel for all the moments I have enjoyed and all I will have in the years to come. 

A POLLYANNA PERSPECTIVE 

I wanted to write this blog post even though I knew it would make some people upset. Who am I to say what a family should or shouldn’t do this holiday season? Well . . . 

  • I’m someone who prays for friends who are in the medical profession. They wish I would tell my readers to have a uniquely safe Thanksgiving.
  • I’m someone who is praying for people who have COVID and it is worse than they thought it would be.
  • I know people who had COVID and it was no big deal. I also know people who were on a ventilator and their lungs will never be the same. Some are simply thankful to be alive this Thanksgiving season.

I’ve taken a Pollyanna perspective to my COVID holiday because it is the perspective that brings me joy. I can’t write about “loving our neighbors” unless I choose to love my neighbors. I can’t teach about commitment unless I keep my commitment. I can’t stress family values unless I value every member of my family. 

I’ve wondered who I am keeping safe by keeping my holiday newly-willed. I’ve wondered if someone might change their plans and be kept safe because of this blog post. I may never meet those people this side of heaven, but I’m glad they are safe on this side of heaven. 

I know some will read this and roll their eyes. Some will smile and consider me overly careful. But, I’ve been called “Pollyanna” before. I actually believe a positive outlook is a source of joy. 

I decided to share my Pollyanna perspective because I pray before I write. My goal in writing a blog post is to try to share what God places on my heart and mind. Please know I did that with today’s post. 

Doing without our loved ones this holiday season might mean that someone else doesn’t have to do without theirs forever. It’s my job and my calling to remind all of us that Jesus wants us to love one another as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:39). 

You may never know who you are keeping safe—but God knows their names and loves them. 

Consider making a personal sacrifice and make that choice with newly-willed joy for this 2020 holiday season. 

If you aren’t sure what to do, pray. God will give his answer to your willing heart. 

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THANKSGIVING? 

Thanksgiving is still a day for giving thanks. Whatever you do, pray and be thankful for God’s leadership. 

God wants you to have his joy and his blessings this Thanksgiving. You might be surprised to discover that it was COVID restrictions the Lord used to provide those very blessings. 

This Pollyanna blog writer wishes you and your family a blessed, safe, and wonderful Thanksgiving—whatever God calls it to be like for you. 

I close with this message from the Apostle Paul: 

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” —Colossians 3:17 

Happy Thanksgiving! 

P.S. Have you signed up for my bible study, Foundations of Faith, yet?

It’s not too late, we just released another lesson!

Visit https://www.janetdenisonbiblestudy.com/ to sign up for this study, if you’ve already signed up you can login and access the newest video too.

Some American quarantine positives

Everyone in my family is COVID-19 free and doing well. That enables me to find a few “bright sides” in this time of quarantine a little easier than some. 

I’m really starting to miss a few things, but I’ve also noticed a few things I am really enjoying about these days.

Creativity abounds in this country 

A lot of my phone messages are hysterical these days! 

They come with pictures and video clips that have been created to make us laugh during this COVID quarantine. Granted, some use this for political fodder, but most are about masks, distancing, cures for boredom, and other COVID-created topics. 

My friend sent me the famous self-portrait painting of Van Gogh, depicting him with a hanging mask. (Remember: he cut off one of his ears.) It was funny! 

I’ve also enjoyed the pictures of people going through the supermarket in hazmat suits made from shower curtains, facemasks made out of just about anything, and other funny pics. Most come with great one-liners, and many are just laugh-out-loud moments. 

It just feels great to laugh! 

My husband, Jim, did a Daily Article on Some Good News with John Krasinski. Those clips are definitely not intended to be Christian devotions, but I’ve watched all of the episodes and have enjoyed them very much. 

Most of the time, Americans have a great spirit about this crisis, and many have used this time in some wonderfully creative ways. 

Freedom to think and freedom to create ideas is a great gift. It is fun to see so many using their freedom well. 

Kindness is still a core value for most Americans 

Politics aside—okay, politics way aside—Americans value those who are kind to others. 

We applaud the people who are sacrificing their lives, their bank accounts, their savings, their time, and even their personal ambitions to use this time to be kind to others. 

The reminder for all of us today is, “Have we done more than just applaud?” 

The book of James reminds us to be “doers” of the word, not just “hearers.” Paul told the Ephesian church to “be kind to one another” (Ephesians 4:32). 

If all of us were required to do at least one act of kindness each day, how would that change the world? 

Kindness is a high and worthy standard for the Christian life, and one that our country still applauds. 

Hard work is still an American ambition 

The problems a lot of mayors and governors are facing today are not because people don’t want to work; it’s because they do. 

Working is so much of what our lives are about, especially if our work is also our calling. Most Americans like to have things and don’t mind working to get them. Most want to “have” so they also have something to give. Our church staff members are working hard to understand how they can open the doors for worship, for everyone who wants to participate. 

There are a lot of creative, hard-working people who will figure out how to stay safe, keep others safe, and still get people back to their paychecks. We just can’t put our paychecks ahead of our love for others. We can sacrifice a lot, just not a life. 

Philippians 2:3 says, “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Paul’s words are perfect for these unique days in our country. Isn’t it amazing how that verse illustrates the enduring truth of God’s word? 

Humility and putting others first has always been God’s standard, and COVID-19 has served as a daily reminder that his enduring standards are high, holy, and for the benefit of everyone. 

Working hard is an important American value. 

Working hard to put others first is a high Christian value as well. 

More quarantine positives 

  • Walking through the neighborhood and waving at people I’ve never seen before.
  • Eating three meals a day with Jim.
  • Not eating a meal, once in a while, with Jim. (Let’s just call this appreciating solitude.)
  • FaceTiming with my grandkids.
  • Time to read lots of novels. 
  • New opportunities to share a word about Jesus with people.
  • An increased awareness for most Americans, that we aren’t the ones who rule the world.

An eternal positive 

If you have been reading this blog for a while, you know I am a huge fan of King Solomon’s wisdom. I rediscovered a verse from the book of Ecclesiastes. That book contains Solomon’s mature perspectives he recorded at the end of his life. 

Life is full of many seasons, and wisdom is a blessed perspective for every moment of life. 

King Solomon would teach us to see these COVID days with a wise and godly focus, remembering, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). 

One day we will all look back at these days from a place of time and wisdom and view our COVID crisis as a time of blessing as well. God has always done what is best “from beginning to the end.” 

America will figure it out—especially if Christian Americans allow God to convey his holy perspective to our hearts and minds. 

Your chance to share some ideas 

I would like for all of you to use the comment section of this article to let us know your favorite quarantine moments. 

(By the way, we fixed the “comment button” so this should work now. Sorry about that last week.) 

What has this time provided you that you will remember as a blessing? 

Thank you for reading this blog post each week. 

I’m blessed to know I have brothers and sisters out there who I will spend all of eternity getting to know.  For now, I will enjoy reading your comments.

Have a great week.

An important message from Joyce Meyer and King Solomon

It might seem strange to mention Joyce Meyer and King Solomon in the same sentence, but keep reading. Both people came to similar conclusions in their later years about the subject of prosperity. All of us can benefit from their words.

Recently, Joyce Meyer announced she had come to believe the Bible teaches a different message than what she had previously believed and taught. The Christian Post reported, “Popular televangelist Joyce Meyer has admitted that her beliefs in prosperity and faith were at times ‘out of balance.’ When bad things happen to people, such as the death of a child, Meyer said she now understands that it’s not because they didn’t have enough faith.”

What is the balance between faith and blessings?

King David said, “For the Lord is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11).

King Solomon wrote, “The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it” (Proverbs 10:22).

Jesus was preaching the Sermon on the Mount when he said, “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38).

David was offering a psalm of praise to God. His words speak of all that God is able to do, not all that God has obligated himself to do. We should define “good thing” as God intends, not as something we want it to be.

A proverb in Scripture is a word of general truth, not a promise. King Solomon was not saying that if God is blessing our faith, he will make us rich and without sorrows. Solomon was saying that God’s blessings are our wealth, whatever those blessings may be.

All of us can know the peace of God’s presence in our sorrow, but sorrow does not mean that God is not with us. And Jesus was not saying that whatever we give or do, God is obligated to return that gift or blessing to us.

If that were true, then why did Jesus, who treated others with perfect love, suffer persecution and death?

I appreciated Joyce Meyer’s recent words admitting that at times her message of prosperity was “out of balance.” It was a good reminder that we should all be cautious about the words we teach as well.

What is the prosperity gospel?

An article in Christianity Today provides this definition: “An aberrant theology that teaches God rewards faith—and hefty tithing—with financial blessings, the prosperity gospel was closely associated with prominent 1980s televangelists Jimmy Swaggart and Jim and Tammy Bakker, and is part and parcel of many of today’s charismatic movements in the Global South.”

The prosperity gospel has always been popular because it is a message we enjoy hearing. Those who preach that gospel are often popular and, quite frankly, wealthy. If a preacher/teacher wants to own a private jet and a mansion, it is probably a good idea to call it a “blessing.”

We want to believe that, if we follow their message, we will always be blessed with health, wealth, and happiness. And it is possible to use God’s word to create a prosperity gospel. But God’s word cannot be accurately taught using snippets of truth. Theology requires wisdom and knowledge of God’s entire Scripture.

Theologian John Piper provided this caution about the prosperity gospel and those who teach it. He said, “Look for the absence of a serious doctrine of the biblical necessity and normalcy of suffering, the absence of a doctrine of suffering; the absence of a clear and prominent doctrine of self-denial; the absence of serious exposition of Scripture; the absence of dealing with tensions in Scripture; exorbitant lifestyles of church leaders; and preachers’ prominence of self and a marginalization of the greatness of God.”

Each of us needs to listen to sermons and biblical teaching with a Berean church mentality. Scripture speaks of those believers saying, “They received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11). None of us will be able to stand before the Lord in judgment and say, “Well, the preacher said . . . .”

What do Joyce Meyer and King Solomon have in common?

Joyce Meyer and King Solomon both achieved great wealth and popularity in their lives. Both teach God’s word. Both are flawed human beings God used to bless others. But the strongest similarity is found in the wisdom each gained toward the end of their lives.

King Solomon amassed greater wealth than anyone in Scripture but, at the end of his life, he said, “I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind” (Ecclesiastes 1:14).

Joyce Meyer said, “I’m glad for what I learned about prosperity, but it got out of balance. I’m glad for what I’ve learned about faith, but it got out of balance.”

The truth about prosperity

I hope Joyce Meyer will focus on teaching the entire truth of God’s word. Biblical theology is crucial to teaching others, and the so-called prosperity gospel does not prosper and is not the gospel truth.

King Solomon’s perfect teaching is found in Scripture and therefore reliable truth. I try to remember Solomon’s closing words in Ecclesiastes as a “north on the compass” lesson. At the end of his life, Solomon provided us with a message of wisdom that should benefit anyone who will take it to heart.

He said, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14).

If we live with Solomon’s wisdom, we will prosper in whatever circumstances God allows for our earthly lives. The gospel truth about prosperity is found in Romans 10:13: “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

In other words, if you are a Christian, you are blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving

King David praised God saying, “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” (Psalm 107:1) Every November we take a break from the daily news and our daily chores to celebrate all that we are thankful for. It’s a busy week full of preparations and travel so I will simply use this blog post to wish each of you God’s abundant blessings for your holiday. I pray that you will have safe travels and ask God to bless the moments you spend with family or friends. May your celebration be filled with a sense of God’s loving presence.

God is good. His love is steadfast, never changing. And we celebrate Thanksgiving knowing that his love is ours this week, and for all eternity.

Max Lucado wrote: “Measure the gifts of God. Collect your blessings. Catalog his kindnesses. Assemble your reasons for gratitude . . .” King David said, “Oh give thanks to the Lord.”

We are his children and heir to his greatest blessings. We have so much to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving to each of you.