The 5 Minute Discipleship Podcast

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#166: Can We Still Believe in the Doctrine of Hell? Jan 23, 2021

Show notes

One day in New York City, right outside of the United Nations Building, there was a street evangelist preaching right on the street corner. He was trying to get the attention of the people walking by. He was preaching on hell and was warning people about the reality of hell.
“I warn you,” he roared, “that in hell there will be weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth!” An old woman in the crowd shouted out, “Sir, I have no teeth.” “Lady,” the evangelist responded, “teeth will be provided!”
Whether that is true or not, I don’t know. But I do know that we live in a time where the message of hell is a “forgotten doctrine.” In our time, rarely will you ever hear anyone preach a message on hell. The idea of hell is so repugnant that we try to find ways to explain it away – false teachers have unfortunately done a good job doing this.
It seems that virtually no one believes they are going to hell, but Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14 – “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” The truth is: Many are on the road to hell and they don’t even know it.
What stands out the most from the NT is that Jesus believed in hell. Read the four Gospels and you discover that he spoke more about hell than heaven. Most of what we know about hell comes from the words of Jesus.
Throughout history, the Christian church has always believed in hell. This is one of those rare points on which Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox, and evangelicals are in general agreement. For 2000 years Christians have united in saying that those who die having rejected Christ will spend eternity in hell.
In Romans 6:23 the Apostle Paul said, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
God is so holy, so righteous, that he cannot allow sin in his presence, and because he is just, he cannot let sin go unpunished. Either we trust the punishment Jesus took on our behalf, or we endure our own punishment.
Occasionally, someone will say to me, “Loren, I couldn’t serve a God who would send people to Hell.” To which I always respond, “You must have misunderstood. God is in the business of providing everyone a way to escape that awful place. He sent his Son, Jesus to take our punishment and to give us the gift of eternal life. We just have to receive the gift.
From God’s point of view, hell is man’s choice. Jesus said in John 3:19 – “Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” God simply ratifies the choice of an individual’s determination not to submit his will to God.
Imagine someone is driving down the interstate and they see a flashing sign that says: Danger! Bridge out: 1 mile. Detour ahead. Half a mile later it says: Danger! Bridge out: 1/2 mile. Detour ahead... Danger! Bridge out: 1500 feet. Merge left. There are flashing signs and cones and barriers across the bridge being repaired. What if someone is driving and hit the accelerator and drives right through the barriers and into the gully? Would anyone say, “How can our highway department be so cruel to send somebody to their death?” Of course you wouldn’t say that.
God has put up so many warnings for every one of us about hell. One of the warnings is this podcast episode.
Today’s Challenge: You don’t have to go to hell. God has provided a way of escape for you. But even God’s way of escape will do you no good unless you reach out and take it. I pray that you will receive God’s gift of salvation by placing your faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord.

#165: Faith Vs. Works Jan 22, 2021

Show notes

There was once a college student who was having a hard time understanding all the injustice in the world. He spent a great deal of his time feeling angry and frustrated. When he could stand it no longer, he went to the dim and seldom-used chapel on campus. He paced up and down the aisles, slapping the back of the empty pews. He yelled, he cried, and he raged at God saying,
“God You created the world. What could You possibly have been thinking? Look at the problems people face. Look at the pain, suffering, and hunger. Look at the neglect, the waste, the abuse. Everywhere I look, I see messed-up people, hurting people, lonely people!”
The young man ranted and raved like this on and on. Finally, exhausted, he sat in the front pew and looked hopelessly at the cross and said,
“It’s all such a mess! This world You created is nothing but a terrible mess! Why even I could make a world better than this one!”
At that moment the young man heard the voice of God reply, “That is exactly what I want you to do.”
Well, that’s what He wants us to do as well-make this world a better place by getting involved in meeting the needs we see around us. We make the world a better place by pointing them to the savior and his grace. And if we truly experience His grace-we’ll want to do this. If we don’t allow our faith in God’s grace to drive us to help others, the Bible says in the book of James that our faith profits no one-it is a useless faith.
Listen to James 2:14-19 - What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
When James talks about works he is speaking of those actions in the lives of Christians, which spring up from our new life in Christ. Scripture clearly teaches us that we are not saved by works. If you are trusting in knowledge, education, wisdom, your feeling, your emotions, religion, or even your belief – you are not saved. Salvation comes when you place your trust in the finished work of Jesus on the cross to pay the debt and the weight of your sins. But James is saying that the evidence that you have truly trusted Christ for your salvation is good deeds – works.
We clearly understand that we are not saved and forgiven of our sins because of our works or good deeds. You could never work your way into Heaven. We do not do good works to be saved. We do good works because we are saved.
The life we live for Christ is the evidence of our salvation. James is saying, “it should be visible.” You can’t call yourself a Christian and not live like one. There is an outer evidence of the inner work of Christ in our lives.
When James uses the word works here it is not referring to some type of service that is done. He is speaking of the way of life that faith brings, which includes service. Good works or beneficial living is the evidence of genuine faith. If you truly believe in something – you want to do something about it. Paul Harvey once said, “If you don’t live it, you don’t believe it.”
Today’s Challenge: Real faith is not just something you believe, it’s something you do. It’s not passive. It’s active. It’s committed to doing something. Today choose to live your faith out loud. Let it be visible. Let your faith cause you to serve God with passion and purpose.

#164: Is the Bible Reliable? Jan 21, 2021

Show notes

Here is America, we have never had more access to the Bible than we do today. Many of you listening own several copies of the Bible. What a blessing and a great privilege that is. You likely have the Bible on your cell phone, or on your tablet. We definitely have access to the bible through the internet. With all this access, how do we know if the Bible we have today is credible? How do we know it’s reliable. After all, the Bible has been translated many times. Can we be sure that what we possess today is truly accurate?
In this episode there is not enough time to discuss all the proofs we have concerning the accuracy of the Bible, but let me talk about the reliability manuscripts.

#163: Peace in Times of Uncertainty Jan 20, 2021

Show notes

A little girl was working diligently on a school assignment when her father came into the room and asked what she was doing. She told him she was working on a plan for world peace. Her father said, “Wow, that’s a pretty big task for a little girl.” The girl replied, “Oh, no, don’t worry daddy, there are two other girls in my class helping me with it.”
Peace is something everyone wants, yet few seem to find. Peace is often defined as “tranquility, harmony, or security.”
Will there ever be world peace? That is a great question…and one we have all wondered about. Yes, there is coming a day in the reign of Jesus Christ when there will be peace.
The Bible tells us in Isaiah 9:6 that Jesus would be the prince of peace. The coming of the Messiah had been predicted by the prophet Isaiah around 700 BC. The prophet said that Jesus would be called, “Wonderful counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Context - Jesus was born in an era that was considered a “time of peace.” It was called, Pax Romana (“Roman Peace”). It wasn’t true peace, because it existed only because Rome quickly destroyed any form of dissent.
Seven centuries before that time of relative peace, hostile armies prepared to invade Jerusalem. During this difficult and tumultuous time, God makes a remarkable announcement through the prophet Isaiah. “On those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” (Isaiah 9:2)
It was a prophetic word of hope to the people of God that true peace was coming…A Word from God.
While the Bible talks about peace hundreds of times, we don’t see a lot of peace today, do we?
Everyone wants peace. Whether you're a national leader sitting across a table from other world leaders, or a businessman facing the pressures and deadlines at the office, a parent trying to corral the kids, or a student just trying to make it through the semester, everyone wants peace. But most of us, if we're honest with ourselves, have to admit that we experience more stress than peace.
The greatest peace Jesus brings us is peace with God. It’s an upward peace. Romans 5 tells us that in our sinful state we are enemies of God. But, while we were sinners, Christ died for us.
Because of Christ’s sacrifice, we are restored to a relationship of peace with God. It’s an eternal peace.
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.” (Romans 5:1-2)
Jesus came to build a bridge between God and man. The cross is that bridge.
Once we are in right relationship with God, we can begin to experience His peace in other areas of life. But, it’s here that we struggle. It seems as if we are constantly fighting our own inner battles. We constantly worry about our kids, our jobs, our health, our grades at school, our money. Stress has become a way of life.
Jesus gives us a peace that goes beyond understanding. It’s a kind of peace that enables us to experience an inner calm in spite of the circumstances that would normally cause us stress.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)
Here’s a truth we need to believe: Living with peace requires a mind that is set on God. We cannot allow our hearts and minds to become consumed with the confusion around us. Let’s keep our focus on the one who gives us peace in the midst of the storm.
Today’s Challenge: Colossians 3 says we can let the peace of God rule our hearts. Let me ask you…what is ruling your heart? What has consumed your thoughts? Is it Jesus? Or is it the worries of this world and this life. Let’s choose to live in God’s peace.

#162: God's Love For Us Jan 19, 2021

Show notes

A farmer placed a weather vane inscribed with the words “God is love” on top of his barn. One day a traveler stopped by the farm and watched the weather vane moving with the breeze. Then, with a smirk on his face, he asked, “Do you mean to say that your God is as changeable as the wind?”
The farmer shook his head and replied, “No. What I mean to say is that no matter which way the wind blows, God is love!”
The statement “God is love” implies much more than that God demonstrates His love regardless of the circumstances. It means that love is the essence of God’s character.
God doesn’t just love us. He is love.
1 John 4:7-10 says, “Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
We know the New Testament was primarily written in the Greek language. There are different words for love. We all understand the love of a friend, the love of a spouse, and intimate love. But the love of God is the word agape. It is a spiritual love – originating from God, unconditional, selfless, and sacrificial.
Love is an attribute of God. Love is a core aspect of God’s character, His Person. God’s love is in no sense in conflict with His holiness, righteousness, justice, or even His wrath. All of God’s attributes are in perfect harmony. Everything God does is loving, just as everything He does is just and right.
I believe one of the challenges we face in understanding God’s love is in our response. Some people mistakenly believe that God’s love somehow cancels his holiness.
Many people have the idea that when they reach the gates of heaven, God will smile and say, “You don’t deserve it, but aw, come on in anyway.” Here’s what we know is true: God cannot overlook sin. He will never contradict his own nature. In his love he doesn’t overlook our sin, his love compelled him to provide for us a solution to our sin problem.
So, what do we do with the love of God? We receive it and we respond to it. His love compels us to receive the gift of salvation and the opportunity for a relationship with God. We respond by loving God in return and learning to love others with this same love.
1 John 4:11-12 – “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”
Here are some Practical implications….
•God’s love will cause us to love the unlovely, the disenfranchised, the marginalized, those different from us, and even our enemies.
•God’s love will cause us to have compassion for those who don’t know Him. It will compel us share our faith, to pray, to give, and to sacrifice.
•God’s love will cause us as believers to come together in unity of purpose, vision, and calling.
•God’s love will lead us to forgive one another, to overlook offenses, and to yield our personal preferences.
John’s argument is simple: if God’s Spirit truly resides in us, His character and attitude should influence us. We should begin to reflect the love that God Himself has. In fact, John argues that if we do not begin to reflect God’s love, then we give evidence that we don’t really belong to Him.
Today’s Challenge: Let’s respond to the love of God by worshipping him, living for him, obeying him, and loving others. Take a few minute to decide how you will do this today.

#161: The Temptation to Seek Revenge Jan 18, 2021

Show notes

They thought it was just kids playing pranks, but it turned out to be an angry 72 year old man, instead. From 2003-2005, a number of former teachers and school admins in NYC reported a rash of vandalism at their homes. They would wake up to punctured car tires from roofing nails scattered across their driveways… and garage doors & mailboxes splattered w/paint. Some victims complained of being hit every two weeks.
It went on for nearly 2 years until perpetrator was caught…
Turned out vandal wasn’t a rebellious student but a former co-worker named Thomas Haberbush who was still angry about poor performance reviews he had received in 1977, when he was dismissed as teacher. The police investigator… “I’ve never seen anyone carry around a grudge like that for 30 yrs…it’s bizarre”
We all know what it feels like to be hurt by someone; to have been wronged. But what do you do when you are given the opportunity to get even.
Chuck Swindoll calls revenge “life’s most subtle temptation.” He writes, “We dress it up. Revenge sounds bad so we say things like ‘I’m going to get you’ or ‘I’m just standing up for my rights.’” This leads to what we might think of as “justified retaliation.”
Do you have any enemies? Me? No enemies, just quite a few people I have a hard time loving. It’s been said that to be human is to have enemies. In fact, Jesus assumed you and I would have enemies when he said in Matthew 5:44 – “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” The question is not whether or not we have enemies. The issue is whether or not we will love them, forgive them, and reconcile with them.
Revenge: The desire or urge to get even with somebody. To punish or cause harm as an act of retaliation.
We have to understand that with God, personal integrity is more important than payback.
What happens when you seek revenge is that you lay down your personal integrity. You lay aside character. You stoop down to the level of the person who hurt you.
Romans 12:19-21 – “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
When we put the matter in God’s hands we have assurance that God will make things right. The idea of revenge is only an illusion. You can never “get even” with anyone. It is impossible to balance the scales of hurt. The only possible way to come out on top is to respond to hurt with a godly attitude and trust that God will settle the account.
Nelson Mandela - Seeking revenge is like drinking poison and praying for the other person to die. It’s an all-consuming emotion that destroys you from the inside out.
The people of God do not retaliate. The people of God do not seek vengeance. We do not take revenge into our own hands.
We have no control over how people treat us, what they say, and what they do. But we do have complete control over how we respond. How should we respond when we’ve been hurt? There are only two options: We can try to get even or we can place the matter in God’s hands and leave it there.
Today’s Challenge: If you are carrying a burden of unforgiveness, aren’t you ready to let it go? Forgive as God has forgiven you. Seek opportunities to reconcile the relationship. Today is a good day to get started.

#160: Understanding the Grace of God Jan 17, 2021

Show notes

In 1977 my family was saved in an Assemblies of God church in Texas. I’m so grateful they did. I was just a little boy when my parents placed their faith in Jesus. The church taught our family how to follow Christ.
But growing up I struggled to understand God’s grace. I grew into adulthood with a belief that God was hard to please. There had been a lot of emphasis in my life on doing good works, as a result, I never felt I measured up. I knew I was saved, but I didn’t feel I was saved enough. There must be something else I have to do in order to please God. There must be something else I have to give up for God to be proud of me.
I knew verses like Ephesians 2:8-9 - “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Yet, inwardly I struggled to really understand God’s grace, and even today I still feel as if I am in the School of Grace class 101.
Fresh out of college, I began ministry as a youth pastor at First Assembly of God, Columbia, Missouri. The pastor was Albert Petit. I was 23 and he was 78. He had been the district superintendent for 12 years and had come out of retirement to pastor this church.
Pastor Petit is now with Jesus, but I have vivid memories of conversations in his office as we sat and talked about the Lord and ministry. We sat in his office and he talked to me about grace. At age 23 years old I was a sponge. For the first time in my life, I felt as if I began to grasp the grace of God. I learned it really is amazing grace.
Grace is a word we think we understand, especially if we have followed Christ for any length of time. But I’m discovering as I talk with people that many people are like me. Grace has been something we have struggled to understand. And even if we understand it, grace can be hard for us to believe and receive.
The word grace finds its way into our vocabulary all the time. Many people “say grace” before meals, acknowledging daily bread as a gift from God. We are grateful for someone’s kindness, gratified by good news, congratulated when successful, gracious in hosting friends. When a person’s service pleases us, we leave a gratuity.
So what is grace? A friend of mine says, “Grace is God’s riches at Christ’s expense.” Can I define grace? We can try, but it’s so great, so amazing, so powerful, it’s hard to describe by mere words. It is used more than 150 times in the NT, but what is it?
Grace is "the love and mercy given to us by God because God desires us to have it, not because of anything we have done to earn it.” Grace comes from the Greek Word “charis” literally meaning “free gift.” It is umerited, unearned, and undeserved.
“What’s so amazing about grace” Philip Yancey writes, “From nursery school onward we are taught how to succeed in the world of ungrace. The early bird gets the worm. No pain, no gain. There is no such thing as a free lunch. Demand your rights. Get what you pay for.
I work for what I earn; I like to win; I insist on my rights. I want people to get what they deserve—nothing more, nothing less. Yet if I care to listen, I hear a loud whisper from the gospel that I did not get what I deserved. I deserved punishment and got forgiveness. I deserved wrath and got love. I deserved debtor’s prison and got instead a clean credit history.”
Isn’t that good? This is what God has give to you and me. We call it grace.
Today’s Challenge: Grace is a gift to be received. You don’t deserve it, and you never will. It’s impossible to earn. It can only be received. Let me ask…have you received God’s grace? If not, today is a great day to receive this wonderful gift.

#159: The Power in the Blood of Jesus Jan 16, 2021

Show notes

John Wesley was an evangelist who was used by God mightily in the 1700’s. One night he returned home from a service and was surprised to find an intruder in his home. The thief, however, found his victim to have only a little bit of money and some Christian literature. As the robber was leaving, Wesley called out, "Stop! I have something more to give you." The surprised robber paused. "My friend," said Wesley, "you may live to regret this sort of life. If you ever do, here's something to remember: 'The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin!'" The thief hurried away, and Wesley prayed that his words might bear fruit.
Years later, Wesley was greeting people after a Sunday service when he was approached by a stranger. What a surprise to learn that this visitor, now a believer in Christ as a successful businessman, was the one who had robbed him years before! "I owe it all to you," said the transformed man. "Oh no, my friend," Wesley exclaimed, "not to me, but to the precious blood of Christ that cleanses us from all sin!"
Hebrews 9:22 tells us…”without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”
When I was attending church as a child we would often sing about the blood of Jesus. I realize it might have sounded strange to an unbeliever at first that a group of Christians would gather and sing about blood. But it was not just any blood, and it was what the blood was capable of that we sang about. We sang, “There is power in the blood” and “Are you washed in the blood?” We sang, “What can wash away my sins, nothing but the blood of Jesus” and “The blood will never lose it’s power.”
Interestingly, we are not seeing the blood of Jesus mentioned as much today, but there is a truth here we need to understand and believe.
The New Testament epistle to the Hebrews builds the bridge from the Old Testament sacrificial system (and its blood) to the new covenant and Jesus’s once-for-all sacrifice for our sins.
The Bible teaches us that the sacrifices in the Old Testament did not have the power to save men from their sins. The blood came from "goats and calves" and other animals. This was not sufficient to redeem lost man. But before the foundation of the world God had a plan to redeem mankind. God knew that we would need a perfect sacrifice. So He provided a Lamb in the person of His only Son. When the time came and Jesus shed His blood for us. His blood was innocent, pure, sinless blood.
Ephesians 1:7 says that, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” Because of Christ’s shed blood, God is able to forgive us for our sins and give the punishment that we deserved to Christ.
This truth is expressed beautifully in the hymn, “Nothing But the Blood”:
What can wash away my sin?Nothing but the blood of Jesus;What can make me whole again?Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Oh! Precious is the flowThat makes me white as snow;No other fount I know,Nothing but the blood of Jesus…
God himself, in the person of his own Son, takes on human flesh and blood and offers himself in the place of sinful people, to receive the just wrath of God and pay our penalty in his death, all that we might live. His very life blood was shed for you and I. Jesus died so that we could live.
Not only does this blood wash our sins away, it also gives us access to a personal relationship with God. Ephesians 2:13 says “now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”
John Bunyan - “There is “more worth and merit in one drop of Christ’s blood to save you, than in all the sins of the world to condemn you.”
Today’s Challenge: Recognize what a precious gift Jesus has given to us. Let’s trust the blood of Jesus, and not our good deeds, to wash our sins away. Let’s worship God and rejoice in his power to forgive our sins.

#158: Our Need for Christian Community Jan 15, 2021

Show notes

I’m not sure who said it first, but there’s an old quote that says, “One can acquire everything in solitude except character.”
To develop character, we need one another. We need interaction. We need the opportunity to love, serve, grow, share, learn, and forgive. None of these Christ-like character traits can be developed in isolation. We need one another.
Last year I was talking with a good friend of mine. His also an accountability partner of mine. I mentioned to him that I want to keep God’s Word on my mind. To think about it more, to meditate on God’s Word. I mentioned to him that I wanted to start memorizing more Scripture.
The next month we talked again and he asked me, “so how’s the Scripture memorization going?” I said, “yah, that’s something I’m wanting to do.”
A few weeks later I talked to him again and he asked, “so how’s the Scripture memorization going?”
I realized that either I’m going to take action, or I’m going to have to start looking for a new friend. He’s going to keep asking the same question. It was getting embarrassing. But it was what I needed. Community helps provide the accountability we need.
Think for a moment of how much you have grown spiritually because of the people in your life. God has used both the positive and negative experiences to cause you to grow to be more like Jesus.
God’s plan for the church is that we would be together. I love the story of the early New Testament church. After the Day of Pentecost the Bible says in Acts 2:44 - “All the believers were together and had everything in common.”
You have to understand this about Jesus: Community was his plan to change the world. When he ascended to Heaven, he didn’t leave behind any financial resources. He didn’t’ leave behind a big infrastructure – no budget, no buildings, no connections – any of the things we think are so crucial for an organization or a movement.
He just left behind a small group. That was it – just twelve ordinary people – a circle of friends. And two thousand years later, we are here as Christians because of what happened through them. Jesus left behind community and the power of the Holy Spirit. Both of these were critical to the growth of the Gospel. Today they are both still critical.
Look at the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
To demonstrate and grow in most of the fruit of the Spirit you have to be in the context of community. Love, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – these all require us to be with someone else.
They continued in fellowship: The Greek word for fellowship is the word koinonia. It has the idea of association, communion, fellowship, and participation; it means to share in something.
But it goes deeper than having common beliefs and core values – this is a profound regard for one another’s spiritual and physical well-being. God doesn’t give up on us – we can’t give up on each other.
Christian psychologist, Henry Cloud said, “God created us with a hunger for relationship – for relationship with Him and with our fellow people. At our very core we are relational beings.” He goes on to say, “The soul cannot prosper without being connected to others.
Today’s Challenge: Since spiritual growth happens in the context of community., Let’s decide today to be intentional. Let’s encourage one another – pray for one another – love one another – live in harmony with each – be devoted to one another – and be compassionate to one another.

#157: Being Grateful in Hard Times Jan 14, 2021

Show notes

In the late 19th century and early 20th century, Rudyard Kipling was England’s most popular writer. The news got out that his publishers paid him $1 for each word that he wrote and published. Some Cambridge students heard about this and sent him $2 with a note that said, “Please send us two of your very best words.” Kipling sent a note back with two words, “thank you.”
These really are two of the most powerful words. Can you today, in the midst of your present circumstances say, “Thank you, God, for another day?” “Thank you God, for my life.”
One of the most interesting stories in the Bible is that of a man named Job. When we first meet him in the Bible, he is a fabulously wealthy and successful man with a large, loving family. He enjoyed the respect of his peers and his family. Most of us would say – Job was a man truly blessed by God.
In this story, the Bible tells us that Satan saw Job as a fair weather friend. He challenged God to a contest and Job was going to be the guinea pig. Satan suggested that the only reason Job served and loved God was because of the blessings. He claimed that if God allowed the blessings to be taken away that Job would reveal his true heart and curse God.
God allowed Satan to test Job, but told him not to touch the man himself. With the ground rules in place, the test of Job’s lifetime began. Four times in one day Job heard bad news.
•Oxen and servants were gone
•Sheep and servants were gone
•Camels and servants were gone
•All of this children – seven sons and three daughters – died in a freak accident of nature.
Job lost his entire fortune (his business) and his ten children all in one afternoon. We cannot imagine this.
But then Job did something totally weird by today’s standards. The bible says in Job 1:20 – “At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship.”
I don’t find the first two things Job did as all that odd. It was the custom in Job’s day to show grief like this, and Job was no different.
What strikes me as odd is his attitude. He fell to the ground, not in an attitude of anger or bitterness or even hatred, but of worship. Doesn’t that seem like an odd response to the loss of everything you had worked a lifetime to accumulate? But that’s what he did – he bowed low and worshipped God.
Then Job says something that God knew and Satan was eager to find out. In Job 1:21-22, Job says, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.”
I don’t want you to miss the cry of Job’s heart. His confession in the midst of loss proved Satan to be what he has always been: a liar. Job actually loved God! He loved God for who he is and not just for what he gave.
Job knew that everything he had was on loan from God. He never adopted an owner’s mentality. He knew that the gifts of God, could never take the place of God.
Job suffered through his loss – he mourned his family, but he knew he was loved by God and that God was still in control.
What a difference it makes when you and I can remain grateful even during the hard times. Gratitude focuses our attention on what we do have, instead of what we don't have. Being thankful makes a major impact on our attitude, or conversation, and our relationships.
Today’s Challenge: Determine today that no matter what is happing around you that you will be grateful. Express your thanks to God, sing songs of worship, let someone know you are thankful. It will change your entire day.

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