Thanksgiving 2018

Thanksgiving 2018

First Corinthians chapter 4 verse 7 says in part, "And what do you have that you did not receive?"

Well, I'll tell you the answer to that question. NOTHING! There isn't anything you have that you did not receive!

So - what can I, what should I, give thanks to my Father in Heaven for? EVERYTHING GOOD!

I'm trying to wrap my mind, my head, my thoughts, around this, but I know it's just too much to grasp.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hallelujah!

Larry Carroll

No flesh should glory in His presence

From First Corinthians chapter 1:

 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,

29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.

No flesh shall, or will, or can, glory or boast in His presence!

And that flesh includes me (and you).

And I want to live in His presence!  NOW!  Here and now!  Why?  Because in His presence is fullness of joy! (as it says in Psalm 16 verse 11)  I believe it.

Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded.  Romans chapter 3 verse 27 says so, and it is so obvious.

But hey, First Corinthians chapter 4 verse 7 addresses this in this way:

Contemporary English Version
What is so special about you?  What do you have that you were not given?  And if it was given to you, how can you brag? 

Good News Translation
Who made you superior to others?  Didn't God give you everything you have?  Well, then, how can you boast, as if what you have were not a gift? 

OK, I understand.  Nothing I have is intrinsically or inherently mine.  How can I boast?  I can't.  Oh, but my flesh wants to.  Alas!  What to do?  OK, I know - as this song says:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Hebrews 12 verses 1 and 2

1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Do it.

Jesus Christ is Lord of all!  Really!

Here, It's The Opposite

When people learn to drive a car or fly an airplane, the goal is to be licensed to drive or fly alone.  It implies freedom.

Not so in the Spirit.  Here, it's the opposite.  Here, we start out driving alone and need to learn to become merely a passenger (who can sit up in the front seat).

Why?  Because it's A LOT better to let the Holy Spirit (i.e. God, or the Spirit of Jesus Christ) drive!
1. He knows where He's going and,
2. It's so wonderfully satisfying to be in His presence!

“In Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).

“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!” (Psalm 34:8).

YES!

Larry Carroll

Psalm 150:6

Psalm 150 verse 6 says, Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!

Well, I have breath, so ..., "HALLELUJAH!!"

And you have breath, so ... ?

Write It Down

OK, what?

Well, there's the daily or weekly To Do list.  Many people have such a list.  This is good.

And there are names of people who we are meeting for the first time.  Names are important since people really like it if they see we remember their names.  But the names must be stored away for reference, rather than lost on a piece of scrap paper.

And for some of us, it helps to write down requests that loved ones have given us.  For example, I arise in the morning earlier than Helen does.  She has requested that I open the bedroom window shade (there are still curtains there) such that the light will enable her to get up.  I have written this down and it is prominently displayed on my dresser.

In the past, I have encouraged people to write down thoughts in a journal.  But now I am expanding on this idea.  This may be because I'm at a place where I need to write down more and more essentials.

A journal is not the same as a diary.  In a diary, we document our daily events.  In a journal, we write down insights and thoughts that the LORD gives to us, and the evident blessings that the LORD does for us -  in short, what He says and what He does.  And this is most important, since we forget - ah, but vaguely remember that the LORD told us something a half hour ago.  (But what was it?  It was really good!  Oh gosh!)  And it is lost.  (Or is this just me?)

Or, the LORD comes through and saves us big time.  It is quite evident that the LORD intervened here.  Have you then heard someone say, "Oh, I'll NEVER forget this!"  Yeah, well maybe.  But we can forget important details.  Anyway, these events have the potential to become testimonies to the grace and mercy of the LORD for you to share with others.  But more importantly, they are for you to remember as a testimony and to share with yourself the next time you find yourself in a tough place.

This is so very important.

Blessings!

Larry Carroll

BUT

BUT

Here are two statements:
1. It is written, and the LORD has said (something).
2. This is what I see.

If these two statements disagree, (which happens sometimes), which one comes before the word  BUT, and which one comes after the word  BUT?

Is it:
It is written, and the LORD has said (something),  BUT  this is what I see.

Or is it:
This is what I see,  BUT  it is written, and the LORD has said (something else).

OK, understand this: what comes after the BUT is more true to the speaker/writer than what comes before the BUT.

Well, what would it be if Helen had said something and circumstances disagreed?  I would choose to believe my wife of nearly 53 years, because I know her, and she will never lie to me.
Therefore, it is:  This is what I see,  BUT  Helen has said something else.  I choose to believe Helen.

The same is true for Father God, the LORD.  He will never lie to me.  So therefore, for me:
This is what I see,  BUT  It is written, and the LORD has said something else.
I choose to believe Father God.  BTW, this is how Jesus handled temptation in Matthew chapter 4.

So we all get to choose what to believe as really true, and what to dismiss as less true.

Larry Carroll

Lamentations 3:22-23

Lamentations 3:22-23  Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.  They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

Yes, they are!  In fact, God's mercies are new continually, too, every morning, noon, afternoon, evening, and night!

This means God’s mercies are new right now!  Right now!

What grace!  I love You, LORD, and I never want to abuse such great grace!

Hallelujah!

Larry Carroll

Worship

David danced before the LORD with all his might. He worshiped! His wife despised him for this embarrassing foolishness.  She ended up childless.

So - don't despise or mock someone else's way of worshiping the LORD, since it seems either lifeless or crazy or foolish; God looks at the heart, right?  Or if you have, repent, for you may end up with no "fruit", dry as dust, with nothing to cast at His feet in that Day.  Yes, really.  Don't compare yourself to anyone else and don't compare anyone else to you!

Second Samuel 6:14-23

Larry Carroll

The Lord God has spoken! Who can but prophesy?

In the Bible, chapter three in the book of Amos starts with several questions that have unstated, but obvious, answers.

It gets to verse eight and says:

A lion has roared!
Who will not fear?  (A very natural reaction, with yet another obvious answer)
The Lord God has spoken!
Who can but prophesy?  (Apparently, in the context of this chapter, a very natural response with an obvious answer)

So, if you hear the voice of the Lord God, guess what you will do.  It will be a very natural response, and it's obvious.

Oh, but you say, "Not me."  Well, we'll see.

In Joel chapter two, verse 28 it says:

“And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.

"on all flesh" includes you, doesn't it?

Don't be afraid.  Really, this is exciting!

Larry Carroll

Small Kindnesses And Small Beginnings

Your small kindnesses can yield big dividends.  And small beginnings can lead to important developments.  The Lord Jesus encouraged us to serve others, even in little ways, as it says here in Matthew 10:42  "And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward."

Does the LORD also work in small ways, too?  Yes.  Well, does He *always* start small, raising leaders from obscurity?  Well, I don't know.  I know He can do whatever He wants to, and is not restricted by any rules or patterns we might think.  However, here are some examples from scripture and nature where the LORD started, or starts, small.

The natural example of all this is the seed, any seed, from grain or from the apple tree or an oak tree or any tree or the human body or any body.

He chose Mary, the mother of Jesus, who was a simple girl from the small town of Nazareth, and "everyone" at that time knew that nothing good could come from Nazareth.

Jesus, was born in a stable or cave or whatever it was, but it was not a palace, for sure.  And just think, He is the King of kings.

Joseph, first was a despised brother, then was a servant, then was a prisoner in Egypt, then became the effective leader of Egypt.

Gideon, from the smallest family of Manasseh, defeated the 132,000 Midianites with 300 men and no swords.

David, was a shepherd and was the youngest of his brothers, who wasn't even considered originally by his dad as a candidate for the kingly anointing from Samuel.

Daniel, was a slave in Babylon, then became number two in Babylon and also in Persia.

Queen Esther was in the Persian Empire, and saved her people from annihilation.

Jesus fed the 5000 and the 4000 from almost nothing - with leftovers remaining even!

Zechariah 4:10 says "For who has despised the day of small things?"  (Don't.)

Isaiah 61:3 says He gives us beauty for ashes.

Mark 4:30-32 says the Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, but it becomes greater than all herbs.

Isaiah 54:1 says For more are the children of the desolate/barren than the children of the married.

Psalm 118:22 says The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.

Now here is a blockbuster section of scripture that really puts us in our place.  But just remember as you read this, He loves you.

I Corinthians 1:25-29
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,
29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.

No flesh will glory in His presence.  No flesh can glory in His presence!  Pride has no place in His presence!  And I really want to be in His presence.  And you do, too, I trust.

Paul the Apostle learned this truth in spades and expressed it this way:
II Corinthians 12:9 says  And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Your small (to the point of being almost nothing) kindnesses can (dare I say will) yield big dividends, even if you never see these dividends - while in His presence.

Hallelujah!

Larry