Discovering the Hidden Power of Gratitude

I Thessalonians 5:18-16:  “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Have you read the story about the teacher who asked her pupils what they thought the Seven Wonders of the World were for today? The highest vote count was for the great pyramids, the Taj Mahal, the Grand Canyon, the Panama Canal, the Empire State Building, St. Peter’s Basilica and the Great Wall of China. As the teacher gathered the votes, she noticed one girl had not finished. The teacher asked if she was having trouble making up a list. She said, “Yes, a little. I couldn’t quite make up my mind because there were so many.” The teacher said, “Tell us what you have and maybe we can help.” The little girl said, “I think the seven wonders of the world are to see, to hear, to touch, to taste, to feel, to laugh and to love.” Her response sounds like it came straight from a heart of gratitude.

Thursday is Thanksgiving.  Most of us will be privileged to gather with family and friends to enjoy a hearty feast around a table that is bowlegged with food, and the sort that will keep the manufacturer of diet products in business for another year.  And we will enjoy memorable visits around the table with friends and family, some of whom we enjoy seeing only once a year. And on Thursday either in our morning quiet time, or the prayer before the meal, we will give thanks for our many blessings.

As one of our treasured holidays, Thanksgiving is a day set aside, not only to give thanks, but to remind us of the ongoing importance of gratitude.  In I Thessalonians 5: 18, Paul encourages believers to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

As we grow in our walk with the Lord, we discover more about the hidden power of gratitude.  Experiencing and expressing gratitude throughout the ever-changing seasons of life has a way of re-shaping our perspective and re-formatting our attitude. 

You have to choose whether you count your blessings or burdens.  But counting your blessings is definitely more healthy.

In my journey of faith, I am discovering that gratitude has encouraging power.  When I am frustrated and tend to see the glass half empty rather than half full, I find that the practice of “counting my blessings” infuses me with encouragement. On those days when you forget the beauty of a palm tree, and you choose to sit under the juniper tree instead, you may find that an inventory of your blessings serves as the catalyst that lifts your spirit from the catacombs of gloom and despair.

The daily discipline of expressing gratitude also builds staying power within me.  Years ago, in a discipleship course called Masterlife, I was challenged to pray using the acronym, ACTS, a way of framing my prayers to include adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication.  While each of those facets of prayer are important, thanksgiving is the one dimension that seems to fortify my sense of determination and perseverance.

And I am convinced that gratitude unleashes healing power.  Now, let me be clear.  That does not mean that gratitude brings instantaneous healing, nor does it make me immune from viruses or exempt from accidents.  But I do believe that a heart of gratitude promotes spiritual, emotional, and physical healing in at least a couple of ways.  First, gratitude trumps toxic negativity and complaint, cleansing our perspective and renewing our focus.  And second, gratitude seems to put us in a positive frame of mind which allows our body to better produce and release antibodies and restorative enzymes that work to promote health and wholeness.

Robert Emmons’ book Thanks!: How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier provides a detailed report on a study of the psychology of gratitude sponsored by Emmons and his colleagues at the University of California-Berkeley.  Emmons says that those who practice grateful thinking "reap emotional, physical and interpersonal benefits." People who regularly keep a gratitude journal report fewer illness symptoms, feel better about their lives as a whole, and are more optimistic about the future. Emmons conclusion is that gratitude is a choice, one possible response to our life experiences.

Other doctors agree.  Researchers have found that when we think about someone or something we really appreciate and experience the feeling that goes with the thought, the parasympathetic—calming-branch of the autonomic nervous system— is triggered. This pattern when repeated bestows a protective effect on the heart. The electromagnetic heart patterns of volunteers tested become more coherent and ordered when they activate feelings of appreciation.

There is evidence that when we practice bringing attention to what we appreciate in our lives, more positive emotions emerge, leading to beneficial alterations in heart rate variability. This may not only relieve hypertension but reduce the risk of sudden death from coronary artery disease.

The more we pause to appreciate and show caring and compassion, the more order and coherence we experience internally. When our hearts are in an "internal coherence state," studies suggest that we enjoy the capacity to be peaceful and calm yet retain the ability to respond appropriately to stressful circumstances. (A Different Kind of Health: Finding Well-Being Despite Illness, by Blair Justice, pp. 100-101.)

Neurobiologically, gratitude is nested within the social emotions, along with awe, wonder, "elevation" and pride. This is yet another reminder that we are indeed fearfully and wonderfully made. 

Researchers have also found that gratitude is like a booster shot for romantic relationships. One study included over sixty-five couples who were already in ongoing, satisfying, and committed relationships. They tracked the day-to-day fluctuations in relationship satisfaction and connection for each member of the relationship. These little, everyday, ups and downs in relationship quality were reliably marked by one person's feelings of gratitude. The effects on the relationship were noticed even the day after feeling the gratitude was expressed. This research thus suggests that even everyday gratitude serves an important relationship maintenance mechanism in close relationships, acting as a booster shot to the relationship.

Ultimately, gratitude strengthens our serving power. Gratitude is not about counting my blessings just to make me a happier consumer.  Genuine gratitude motivates me to share my blessings.  For me, the quality of life is best measured, not by how much I have, but how effectively I use resources I have been given to serve.

With good reason, the scripture encourages us to “give thanks in all circumstances.” For the believer, thanksgiving is not just a day of feasting and festivity.  Thanksgiving, the genuine expression of gratitude, is a daily spiritual discipline, a personal practice that steadily transforms us from the inside out.

"In 1636, amid the darkness of the Thirty Years' War, a German pastor, Martin Rinkart, is said to have buried five thousand of his parishioners in one year, an average of fifteen a day. His parish was ravaged by war, death, and economic disaster. In the heart of that darkness, with the cries of fear outside his window, he sat down and wrote this table grace for his children: 'Now thank we all our God / With heart and hands and voices;/ Who wondrous things had done,/ In whom His world rejoices. /Who, from our mother's arms,/Hath led us on our way/ With countless gifts of love/ And still is ours today.’” Here was a man who knew thanksgiving comes from love of God, not from outward circumstances.  (Don Maddox)
Rejoice always, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

A Memorable Geography Lesson

I was in Mrs. Gibson’s class in the fourth grade the first time I remember hearing the word geography.  I’ll never forget our two major assignments.  One assignment was to memorize the names of all 67 counties in Alabama.  (To this day, I can look at the number on an Alabama automobile license plate and tell you with 90% accuracy which county the car is from.)  The other assignment was to learn the names of all 50 states and be able to identify and label each state on a U.S. map.

Later that year we were introduced to the seven continents, and several of the major countries.  I didn’t realize it at the time, but in that fourth grade class, I was beginning to learn how big the world is…. that it is much bigger than my hometown and larger than my home state.

All of these years later, as I continue studying the Bible, I am still learning how big the world is.  In Acts 1:4-8, as Jesus promised his disciples the ongoing inner strength of the Holy Spirit, he gave to them a memorable geography lesson as he explained how the faithful witness of his followers could and would make a positive impact locally and globally.

This Sunday as we focus on that occasion, When Jesus Taught Geography, we will share in a colorful parade of flags from around the world as we celebrate and reaffirm our commitment to International Missions.   Once again as a church family we will covet to pray for and support those missionaries who extend our witness to the “uttermost parts of the world.”

During this holiday season, Amanda and I invite you to join us in giving a generous gift to International Missions in honor of Lottie Moon.  On your envelope you may designate your gift to your preferred mission partner.

This Sunday afternoon at five o’clock I will be sharing a General Introduction to Jehovah’s Witnesses as we conclude our discipleship series on Religions of the World.

Don’t forget that this is the week we have Wednesday on Tuesday, as we meet for family dinner, AWANA, and children’s choirs at First Baptist.  After dinner, we invite you to travel with us to First Presbyterian Church for our annual Community Thanksgiving Service which begins at 6:30.  I will be sharing a message on The Hidden Power of Gratitude from I Thessalonians 5:16-18.

The holiday season is here.  Make it a priority each week to participate in Bible study and worship as we discover more about God’s love and grace.

‘Tis the Season for Serving

We are entering the holiday season.  The countdown is on.  As I write these words there are 14 days until Thanksgiving, 17 days until Advent, 44 days until Christmas, and 51 days until New Years.

In November our theme is Serving with Gladness.   At First Baptist, we are at our best when we are serving. During the holidays, there are numerous opportunities for you to serve through missions and ministries of our First Baptist Family. Here are just a few of the places you can serve during the holiday season:

• Fill a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child through Samaritan’s Purse.
• Provide non-perishable food items or a monetary contribution to Samaritan Hands.
• Give a generous gift to the World Missions Christmas Offering in honor of Lottie Moon.
• Work at The Challenger Award Banquet.
• Work at The Success Store at Ali Yniestra.
• Sponsor a child from the Allie Yniestra Tree.
• Get connected with Backpack Buddies.
• Serve the Annual Homeless Luncheon.

While the holidays present seasonal opportunities for serving, First Baptist offers opportunities for you to serve all year long.  Here are just a few examples of where you might consider serving:

• Serve as a listener for AWANA .
• Assist with a Children’s Choir.
• Volunteer in the Clyde Bizzell Library and Media Center.
• Serve as a cart driver on Sunday mornings.
• Serve as a bus driver one or more Sundays per month.
• Join our Greeter’s Ministry.
• Work at Samaritan’s Hands.
• Serve in the Media Ministry assisting with audio, video, or our television ministry.

This Sunday we are focusing on Matthew 9:9-13 as we talk about Building a Hospital for Sinners.

I look forward to seeing you as we gather for worship and Bible study, and as we explore ways we can serve with gladness.

Answering the Call

In November we begin a new series entitled Serve with Gladness.  This Sunday we begin by asking, “When God Calls, Will You Answer?” as we look at the call of Samuel in I Samuel 3:1-10.  The message will encourage us to take a closer look at how we can respond to the call of God upon our life.

Answering the Call is also the emphasis of the report and recommendation presented by our Deacon Ministry Task Force last Wednesday evening.  This recommendation was unanimously approved by our Administrative Council and our Deacons in their October meetings.  The recommendation will be presented for approval of our church family during the Quarterly Congregational Meeting on Wednesday November 10.

Let me share with you a little bit of history and a few highlights.  In November of 2008, I presented a challenge to our congregation that, among other things, urged us to “upgrade our model of organization.”

In 2009, at the request of the Administrative Council, then deacon chair Comer Knight appointed a Deacon Ministry Task Force consisting of John Hodges (ch), Allen Turner, Bart Neal, Dr. Bob Wilson, Comer Knight, Larry Hicks, and Ron Jackson. This team was charged to look at ways we might upgrade the way we as a congregation and deacons organize ourselves for ministry.

Here are a few brief highlights:

What contributed to the Task Force’s proposal?

• Prayer and study of scripture.
• Interviews with leaders of ten churches of similar size.
• Reflection on our uniqueness and diversity at FBCP.

What is the major emphasis of the upgrade? To organize ourselves around three biblical roles:

• Service: Deacon Ministry, Ministry Teams and Mission Projects.
• Discipleship: Sunday morning Bible Study groups, weekday small groups, and a variety of workshops/training events.
• Administration: Administrative Council, Committees

What are the notable changes in the upgrade proposal?

• To elect 12 deacons per year, a maximum of 36.
• To expand the Administrative Council to 16 voting members.
• To expand the “Committee on Committees” to the “Committee for Placement,” a committee that will help members match their gifts and passions with places of service throughout the year.

During the next few days, be welcome to talk to any member of the Deacon Ministry Task Force to ask questions and to get clarification on any part of the recommendation. Also, thank the members of the Task Force who have spent countless hours meeting, praying, and dialoguing about how we can be a more effective congregation.

I am excited about the upgrade recommendation, primarily because our Task Force, our Administrative Council, and our Deacons are excited about the upgrades.  I think it will give us more efficient ways to answer the call, do effective ministry, and provide dependable administrative leadership.

Don’t forget to change your clocks this Saturday night or early Sunday morning.  We will “fall back” one hour, marking an end to Daylight Savings Time.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday as we gather for worship and Bible study, and as we explore ways we can answer God’s call.

Would Jesus Vote Democrat or Republican?

November 2 is Election Day in the state of Florida.  Citizens of the Sunshine State will be electing a new governor and a new senator, among other offices.  Residents of Pensacola will be choosing our city’s first strong mayor, and other local officials.

If Jesus were a Florida resident would he vote Democrat, Republican, or Independent?  While we cannot know exactly who Jesus would vote for, based on Jesus’ emphasis on civic responsibility, I think we can say for certain that Jesus would vote.  And based on what we know about Jesus’ values, I have a hunch that Jesus would vote based on the character of the candidate and not party identity.

This upcoming election is a crucial one, especially for Florida and for Pensacola.  As this election approaches, l encourage you to join me in exercising the responsibilities of our citizenship in the following ways:

• PRAY for the candidates and for the election.
• VOTE your personal conviction.
• SUPPORT those who are elected.
• WORK to make our city and surrounding community a better place to live, work, and raise a family.

This Sunday we will be asking, “Would Jesus Use an I-Phone?”  How would Jesus utilize and manage media technology?  Is it possible for us to get addicted to texting, email, and cell phones?  How can we best utilize these as resources that enrich our lives?

On Sunday afternoon we look forward to a fun time at Trunk or Treat.  Bring your family and friends to the upper parking lot at 4 o’clock as we share in this enjoyable and safe Fall Festival.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday as we gather for worship and Bible study.  Don’t forget ….BYOB!

Basic Information about Islam

Fall Discipleship Series
Religions of the World, Part I
October 3, 2010

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.  I Peter 3:15  NIV
IntroductIon:
1. Islam is the most talked about religion in the world right now.  Around the world people are both curious and suspicious.
2. Our discussion of Islam should accomplish three things:

§         Give us basic knowledge of one of the most influential and misunderstood religions in the world.

§         Prepare us for informed dialogue and witness with Muslim neighbors.

§         To strengthen our own faith in Christ.

3. In its origin, Islam is a religion espousing allegiance to God as revealed through the prophet Mohammed, who lived around 570-632 and came from a family of traders at Mecca. The religion's book of revelation, compiled by the prophet, is the Koran. The word Islam derives from the same semitic root as the Hebrew word Shalom, which means peace. Islam means "entering into a condition of peace and security with God, through allegiance or surrender to him.”

4. Islam was not a completely new faith but is the third great monotheistic religion. In Muslim eyes, Mohammed completes a succession of prophets, including Abraham, Moses and Jesus, each of whom refined and restated the message of God.
Outline:
1. Holy Book: Koran

·        For a Muslim, the Koran corroborates, updates and expands the Old and New Testaments.

·        The Koran contains 114 chapters, written in vivid, rhyming prose, and was settled in its current form within 30 years of Mohammed's death.

·        The Koran contains many moral exhortations, forming the basis of Islamic (sharia) law. It lays down generosity and fairness and the requirements for daily prayer, alms giving, abstinence during daylight hours in the month of Ramadan and pilgrimage to Mecca.

·        General facts about the Koran or Quran…

o       Quram is spelled as Qur’aan, Koran and commonly as Quran.

o       Quran is the noble and Holy Book of the Islamic religion.

o       Muslims believe in Quran as the word of God (Allah).

o       Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad as the final word from God (Allah).

o        Muslims believe that Quran has not changed since its revelation. Allah has taken guarantee in the Quran itself that Allah will protect such from happening.

o       Muslims recite Quran in their prayers daily.

o       Quran is recited the most in the month of Ramadan (the month of fasting).

o       Quran is divided into many chapters with each chapter having verses.

2. Key Leader: Mohammed

·        Mohammed is said to have received his revelations over a period of 23 years from the Angel Jibreel, or Gabriel, who was relaying the word of God.

·        General facts about Mohammed…

o       Born in 570 in the Arabian city of Mecca, he was orphaned at an early age and brought up under the care of his uncle Abu Talib.

o       He later worked mostly as a merchant, as well as a shepherd, and was first married by age 25.

o       Discontented with life in Mecca, he retreated to a cave in the surrounding mountains for meditation and reflection.

o       According to Islamic beliefs it was here, at age 40, in the month of Ramadan, where he received his first revelation from God.  

·        Mohammed gained few followers early on, and was met with hostility from some Meccan tribes; he and his followers were treated harshly. To escape persecution, Muhammad sent some of his followers to Abyssinia before he and his remaining followers in Mecca migrated to Medina (then known as Yathrib) in the year 622.  By the time of his death, most of the Arabian Peninsula had converted to Islam; and he united the tribes of Arabia into a single Muslim religious polity.

3. Primary teachings

·        The main tenets central to Islam are the absolute sense that there can only be one God - Allah - and that he is the source of all creation and disposer of all lives and events. Hence, there is no God but God and Mohammed is his messenger.

·        All people should become a single Umma - community - witnessing to that fact. On the day of judgment, all will rise from the dead and be sent to heaven or hell.

·        The five pillars of the Islamic faith - the fundamental constituents of Muslim life - are:

o       Shahada, the profession of faith in the uniqueness of Allah and the centrality of Mohammed as his prophet.

o       Salat, formal worship or prayer.

o       Zakat, the giving of alms for the poor, assessed on all adult Muslims as 2.5% of capital assets once a year.

o       Hajj, pilgrimage to Mecca, which every Muslim should undertake at least once in their lifetime; the annual hajj takes place during the last 10 days of the 12th lunar month every year.

o       Sawm, fasting during Ramadan, the holy ninth month of the lunar year.

4. People groups

• The difference between Sunni and Shia sects of Islam do not exist to the dramatic degree many Western's assume. While there are slight variations in the way they view their religious leaders and attach meaning to the history of Muhammad's family, cultural and political differences hold the most divisive power. Both sects emphasize the Five Pillars of Islam, read the same Quran, and consider each other Muslims.
• The split between these two significant sects of Islam can be traced back to the 600s, soon after Muhammed's death in 632. Muhammed's son-in-law, Ali, gained support as the inheritor of the duty to spread Islam. Thus, "Shia" is an abbreviation of "Shiat Ali," or the people of Ali. Not all Muslims believed in Ali's place as a leader.  The Shi'ites regarded him as the first in a series of Imam, or the direct descendents of Muhammad who act as messengers of God. There were 12 Imams before the bloodline died out in the 800s.  
• The majority of Muslims are Sunni, the largest and more orthodox sect of Islam. Sunnis do not attach any special power to the Imam, but have a rather less structured hierarchy of religious leaders. Some have compared their system as similar in spirit to Protestantism, where ministers are important advisers and community leaders, but they are neither infallible nor chosen by God. These leaders, called Caliphs, teach Islam. They  encourage following the laws and guidelines laid out in the Quran. Also, they do not rule the place of worship in the sense of excluding other kinds of Muslims. All mosques are nondenominational, and can receive prayers from any sect.

5. Radical groups:

• Only a very small percentage of Muslims support terrorism.
• Terrorists are frequently recruited from the political fringe, from impressionable youth, and from others discontented with the world, especially with those who are inclined to materialism, vanity, pornography, and promiscuity.
• One US military general recently said during a news interview that the greatest hope for combating terrorism is to strengthen our partnership with Muslims who will take an anti-terrorism stand.
• Radical Muslim terrorist currently present one of the greatest threats to world peace and stability.

Conclusion:

1. While we as Christians do not endorse the tenets of Islam and we hold fast to the teachings of Christ, it is incumbent that we demonstrate the spirit of Christ in our relationships with all human beings.

2. The greatest opportunities for Christian witness in the world will come from a dialogue that begins with Christian hospitality, explores our common values, and extends into a conversation about “the reason for the hope that is within us.”  And to do this with gentleness and respect.

Core Values of Christian Stewardship

Beginning in the book of Genesis, God gave to humankind a significant stewardship or management responsibility: “Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." Genesis 1:26 NIV

Throughout the Bible, God re-enforces and expands that management responsibility:

Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. I Corinthians 4:2 NKJV
For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. Psalm 50:10-11 NIV

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. Malachi 3:10 NIV
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21 NIV
The way we manage our blessings and resources may be the greatest indicator of where we are in our relationship to God. Here are three core values of stewardship that are shaping the way Amanda and I manage our resources:
• All resources are given by God and are to be channeled through our lives to advance God’s purposes in the world.
• Giving our tithes and offerings to our local church is an act of cheerful obedience to God, and a tangible testimony that we are growing toward aligning all of our resources with God’s unique will for us.
• The way we manage our resources…time, talent, and tangible resources… is one of the primary ways we honor God.

This Sunday we will be tackling a difficult and delicate subject. As we continue our series, What Would Jesus REALLY Do?, I am asking the ridiculous question, “Would Jesus Throw a Keg Party?” The message is intended to help all ages among us to think scripturally, conscientiously, and responsibly about our ideas and attitudes toward alcohol. Pray for me as I address the crucial topic in a way that equips us to be better Christians.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday as we gather for worship and Bible study.