“It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”

~Anonymous

Here is why Revival has not come, it not working, is nowhere to be found while so many think modern-day “evangelism” is the answer as it fails miserably and goes awry:

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners hall be converted unto thee.
Psalm 51:12-13

Pattern for Revival

By Vance Havner

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners hall be converted unto thee.
Psalm 51:12-13

Here in Old Testament language the difference between revival and evangelism, so often confused today. David is saying, “Make me right and then I will go after somebody else!” Too much church work is being done by people who are not right with God and each other, who know neither the joy of salvation nor a willing spirit.

Conviction of sin, confession of sin, cleansing, and a right spirit – all this is revival. Evangelism, soul-winning, personal work, the conversion of sinners – all this flows from revival.

David needed a Nathan, and the church needs a prophet to tell his story and make the application, “Thou art the man.” That is not easy – especially if “the man” is sitting right in front of you! There are guilty Davids aplenty but few faithful Nathans.

“SOMEONE” IS THERE

By A.W. Tozer

The Love Of Christ

by Pastor Paul M. Sadler

Scripture Reading:

“And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” — Ephesians 3:19

The passage before us is a treasure chest of truth. Paul contrasts the spiritual knowledge of the believer (“to know”), with human knowledge (“passeth knowledge”). We are living in a time when a high premium has been placed on intellectualism. Technology is advancing so rapidly that a product is barely to the marketplace before it is obsolete. Human knowledge has progressed to the point where man has now created small micro chips, the size of a pencil eraser, that can store volumes of information. While man glories in his accomplishments in the area of high tech, God is still the infinite One in knowledge overall. I read recently that if man were to build a computer capable of performing the functions of the human brain (memory, reasoning, thinking, functional control, etc.) it would have to be the size of the Empire State Building. How would you like to carry that around on your shoulders? While human knowledge has benefited us all in areas of medicine, science, and travel, man through human wisdom can never know God nor understand the things of God (I Corinthians 1:20,21).

Those who are saved, however, have at their disposal a spiritual knowledge that far surpasses human knowledge. Having the eyes of our spiritual understanding opened, we are now able to comprehend the Word of God. It is from God’s Word that we first learned of the love of Christ. It was Christ’s love for us that sent Him to Calvary to die for our sins, to redeem us back to God (Romans 5:8). His love also keeps us secure, for as the Apostle says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (Romans 8:35). The love of Christ constrains us or motivates us to serve Him. We can never repay what he has done for us, but out of gratitude for what He has accomplished for us we should desire to live for Him (II Corinthians 5:14,15). With this knowledge of the love of Christ we can enjoy the fullness of God.

God’s Answer To Unbelief

by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

The resurrection of Christ is God’s answer to unbelief. The changed attitudes of His followers who saw Him alive after His crucifixion and the revolution in the life of Paul, who saw Him “last of all,” rank high among the “many infallible proofs” of His resurrection. Cowards were made bold, doubters believed, the sorrowing were made glad, the pitiless persecutor became His devoted follower. The broken Roman seal, the empty tomb, the failure of the enemies of Christ to produce the dead body and a hundred other facts add their testimony in confirmation of the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ has been “declared to be the Son of God with power… by the resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:4).

The resurrection of Christ assures us that His payment for sin is all-sufficient and complete, for “when He had by Himself purged our sins [He] sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:3). “For by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14).

Next, the resurrection of Christ gives us a living Savior. Comparing the Old Testament priests with Christ, Hebrews 7:23-25 says:

“And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this Man, because He continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

The resurrection of Christ is also the pledge of the believer’s resurrection in glory. In I Peter 1:3 the Apostle Peter breaks out in a doxology:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a living hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

And our Lord Himself said what no other could possibly say:

“I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25).

Finally, the resurrection of Christ is a warning to the world of judgment to come:

“Because [God] hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained: whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).

“Now is the accepted time” (ll Corinthians 6:2).

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

Claiming our Rights

By Vance Havner

I appeal unto Caesar.
Acts 25:11

We are to render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s and there are times when we may appeal unto Caesar. Not claiming our own rights does not mean that we should not avail ourselves of certain privileges as citizens and otherwise. Paul did not court martyrdom, and he defended himself ably on trial. He used all his standing as a Roman citizen and employed every means to get fair treatment.

When persecuted in one city we are to flee to another. We may honor God more by living than by dying. A supine acceptance of circumstances that could be, and ought to be, changed is not a mark of piety. We are not always to remain quiet and expect God to intervene when He has given us common sense to ask for normal rights to which we are entitled. Christians are not to go to law with each other, and for the sake of our testimony it is better at times to suffer ourselves to be defrauded. But the cause of the Gospel is often advanced, as it was with Paul in our text, by asserting our claim to certain rights. Some may have thought it nobler if Paul had let things take their course, without speaking up for himself. God did not think so, for He wanted Paul to go to Rome.

There is a time to appeal unto Caesar.

Is There A God? (VIDEO)

by Kyle Butt, M.A.

Is There A God Video Link

The physical Universe is a massive effect that must have an adequate cause. The presence of physical laws as well as human morality are evidence of a Creator Who designed the material realm and we humans who reside within it.

Evolution is Religion — Not Science (VIDEO)

by Mike Houts, Ph.D.

Evolution is Religion — Not Science Video Link

One of the greatest deceptions perpetrated by atheists and humanists is that the theory of evolution is somehow “science.” Dr. Houts demonstrates that, in reality, evolution is merely a tenet of the false religion of atheism.

Give With Enthusiasm

February 26, 2015

“Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD.” — Exodus 30:13

The Torah portion for this week is Tetzaveh, which means “contributions,” from Exodus 27:20–30:10, and the Haftorah is from Ezekiel 43:10–27.

I once heard a speaker talk about attending a charity event on behalf of the Israel Defense Forces. The man explained that he only went because his brother had prompted him to go, but after hearing the soldiers share their personal stories and needs, the man was overwhelmed with love and decided to give a substantial amount of charity.

During the event, the man’s brother texted him to see how it was going. The man told his brother how right he had been, how the cause was truly worthy, and that he would contribute to the cause. His brother then asked, “Is it an amount that is easy for you to give?” The man answered, “Yes, it’s no problem.” His brother responded, “Then you aren’t giving enough.”

It’s true that when giving to God’s purposes, our gift is greater when it comes from beyond our comfort zone. It’s more of a sacrifice to God. However, as this week’s Torah portion teaches us, giving shouldn’t be a painful experience either. Giving sacrificially should leave us motivated and inspired; it should set us on fire.

In this week’s reading, God gave instructions that each Israelite man must contribute a half shekel as an offering to the Lord. The Jewish sages teach that when God gave Moses this commandment, He showed Moses a “coin of fire.” What did this image symbolize?

There’s a story about a Jewish community in Germany that was renowned for its great love of giving charity. In the event of a local emergency, the community wouldn’t rest until the individual in need was back on his or her feet. Once, the rabbi in this community was delivering a sermon about the importance of giving charity and he cited this verse. The coin of fire, he explained, was to teach us that when we give charity, we must give it with enthusiasm. As this community demonstrated, we have to “be on fire,” full of passion, excitement, and vigor when it comes to our giving.

When giving to charity, we can focus on one of two things; either we can focus on what it’s going to cost us, or we can choose to look at the benefits. If we look at the cost, it might hurt. If we look at what our contributions make possible, we’ll feel tremendous joy.

When I think of the contributions that help bring Jews in danger around the world back to their ancient homeland in Israel, I am filled with joy. When I think of the warmth provided to the elderly who can’t afford blankets or heat, I am inspired. When I think of Jews and Christians coming together to support the people of Israel, I am on fire! I invite you to join us in giving to God’s purposes with joy and, above all, with enthusiasm and passion.

With prayers for shalom, peace,

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

“Radical” Distortion of the Scriptures

The As Good As New version of the Bible, translated by former Baptist minister John Henson, and subtitled “A Radical Retelling of the Scriptures,” was released in June 2004 by an English group of self-confessed radicals who call themselves “One.” As Good As New might have gone largely unnoticed by the religious community, had England’s archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams (the leader of the Anglican church) not given the translation his enthusiastic stamp of approval (see “New Bible Translation…,” 2004). A press release from “Ekklesia,” a London-based theological think tank that supports the “One” translation, revealed the following:

The translation by John Henson from the organization “One” aims at a “new, fresh and adventurous” translation of the early Christian scriptures. It is designed both for mature Christians and for those who have limited experience of traditional Christianity or “may have found it a barrier to an appreciation of Jesus” (“The One Translation,” 2004).

However, it is apparent that Henson’s focus was not on giving his readers an accurate translation, but on making his radical readers feel comfortable, even if it compromises the real meaning of the Scriptures. One retailer wrote of As Good As New:

It also follows the cultural translation, where for instance “demon possession” becomes what it is as understood today, “mental illness.” It follows “contextual translation,” following the sense over longer sections. It is also “inclusive,” following the principles which Jesus adopted in relation to his culture. It is women, gay, and sinner friendly. Other radical departures reflect the need to demythologize in order to translate adequately into our own culture. For instance “Kingdom of God” thus becomes “God’s New World” (“A Radical and Readable…,” 2004).

The archbishop has praised Henson for replacing “the stale, the technical, the unconsciously exclusive words and policies” of the Bible, with modern phrasing (not to mention modern teachings, which differ from the plain teaching of the original Bible authors) [“New Bible Translation…,” 2004]. Few have a problem with those who merely want the Bible to be understandable (though it certainly is understandable in more traditional versions), but after considering the lengths to which Henson went to morph the Bible into something he considers “readable,” reasonable readers will reject it. Keep in mind that a “community” of random religionists, who happened to take interest in Henson’s translation process, provided contributions to this work. Apparently, the group of contributors in translation was not composed strictly of Greek or Hebrew scholars, but of “whoever” happened to contribute.

Henson and company have not given readers merely an English “translation” from the original Bible languages. (As Good As New is a translation only in the sense that “One” calls it a translation. Henson did not seem concerned about the actual original words themselves [see “The One Translation,” 2004], but only the “sense” of various collections of those words, so “paraphrase” would better describe what “One” has produced.) In short, Henson has attempted to rewrite the Bible.

For example, in an attempt to include only what “One” deems to be “the selection of books which were held in the highest esteem by the early Church in the first two centuries,” the book of Revelation has been excluded, and has been replaced by the apocryphal Gospel of Thomas (“A Radical and Readable…”, 2004). In their efforts to eliminate all “big words” from scripture, this vaguely defined group of translators has given modern nicknames to many of the Bible’s characters. For example, the apostle Peter is “Rocky,” Mary Magdalene is “Maggie,” John the Baptizer is “John the Dipper,” Aaron’s name is shortened to “Ron,” and Nicodemus becomes, simply, “Nick.”

“One” has subverted plain Bible texts in order to make the Gospel more politically correct. According to London Times religious correspondent Ruth Gledhill, “Instead of condemning fornicators, adulterers, and ‘abusers of themselves with mankind’ [as Paul did, through inspiration, when he wrote 1 Corinthians 6:9—CC], the new version of Paul’s first letter to Corinth has Paul advising Christians not to go without sex for too long, in case they get ‘frustrated’ ” (as quoted in “New Bible Translation…,” 2004). Instead of properly translating Paul’s command (recorded in 1 Corinthians 7:1-2) that, to avoid fornication, every man should have his own wife, and every woman should have her own husband, As Good As New has Paul writing: “My advice is for everyone to have a regular partner” (quoted in “New Bible Translation,” 2004).

The perversion does not stop there. “Heaven” becomes, in the new translation, “a world without time and space.” “Parables” are called “riddles.” In an effort to find favor with women, the contributors to As Good As New chose to render “Son of Man,” a title Jesus often called Himself, as “The Complete Person,” and “Father,” one of God’s scriptural titles, as “All Loving God.” Also in order to please women, Jesus is not called the “Son of God,” but rather “God’s Likeness.”

Such perversion is what one might expect from an organization that lists in its top five priorities, not to teach or defend the truth, but to “challenge oppression, injustice, exclusion and discrimination,” to “accept one another, valuing their diversity and experience” (“Who We Are,” 2003). Members of “One” commit themselves to accepting one another “in Christ,” to “support actively those doing Christ’s work inside or outside this institutional church,” and to combating “poverty, racism, and oppression through social and political action” (“Who We Are,” 2003, emp. added). One does not have to examine much of the “One’s” published material before he realizes that the primary purpose of the group is not to teach people how to be saved, but rather to push a leftist agenda down the throats of religious people. For “One,” a major step toward accomplishing that purpose would be widespread acceptance of As Good As New.

Accordingly, archbishop Williams hopes the new translation will spread “in epidemic profusion through religious and irreligious alike.” However, reasonable people will realize what As Good As New is: a twisted perversion of the Holy Scriptures. Henson, Williams, and the members of “One” and “Ekklesia” should fear for their souls, because they not only are teaching things that are contrary to plain Bible teaching (even though they do so by attempting to deceive people into thinking just the opposite), but also promoting exactly what the inspired apostle John forbade: “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him he plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18-19).

The truth is that we can know, without a doubt, what books belong in the Bible (see A.P. Staff, 2003) and that the Bible is understandable. Because of the work of respected Greek and Hebrew scholars, we can understand, in English, just what God wants us to know. For example, the King James Version is on a 12^th grade reading level, the New American Standard Bible is on a 10^th or 11^th grade level, and the New King James Version on an 8^th or 9^th grade level (“English Bible Translation…,” 2004; “Reading Levels of Various…,” n.d.). Religious people do not need a dangerous distortion of the Bible in order to overcome a perceived problem in comprehending the Gospel. People have been reading, understanding, and obeying the Bible for almost 2,000 years, with no help from John Henson or his makeshift group of translators.

REFERENCES

“A Radical and Readable New Translation” (2004), John Hunt Publications, [On-line], URL: http://www.o-books.net/goodasnew.htm.

“English Bible Translation Comparison” (2004), International Bible Society, [On-line], URL: http://www.gospelcom.net/ibs/bibles/translations/index.php.

“New Bible Translation Promotes Fornication” (2004), [On-line], URL: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=39114.

“Reading Levels of Various Bible Translations,” (n.d.), [On-line], URL: http://www.bridgebuilders.4mg.com/bibles_reading_levels.htm.

A.P. Staff (2003), “The Canon and Non-Canonical Writings,” [On-line], URL: http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/1972.

“The One Translation” (2004), [On-line], URL: http://one.gn.apc.org/Translation.htm.

“Who We Are” (2004), The “One” Council, [On-line], URL: http://one.gn.apc.org/whoweare.htm.

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Until When?

by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

One of the greatest prophecies of Scripture is found in Psalm 110:1 where David wrote: “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.”

In Matthew 22:41-46 our Lord explained that this was a prophecy about Himself, David’s Son and Lord. Men might hate Him and cry “Away with Him!” They might nail Him to a tree and laugh and sneer at Him, but God the Father responds by saying: “Here, come sit at My right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.”

We should never forget that according to Bible prophecy God’s response to man’s rejection of Christ was to be judgment and wrath. In Psalm 2 the question is asked why the nations rage and the people of Israel imagine a vain thing: that they can get along without the One whom God has anointed to be King. The Psalm depicts God laughing at their attempts to thwart His purposes and predicts that “the Lord shall have them in derision” and “speak unto them in His wrath.”

At Pentecost all was ready for the judgment to fall. Christ had been crucified and “the last days” had begun, as Peter declared in Acts 2:16,17, quoting from the prophet Joel. But strangely, while some of Joel’s prophecy was fulfilled, or began to be fulfilled, at that time, the rest of it was not, for God did not — and has not yet — sent the prophesied judgment.

Thank God, in infinite grace He interrupted the prophetic program, delayed the remainder of its fulfillment and revealed to the Apostle Paul His secret purpose to offer to His enemies everywhere salvation and reconciliation by free grace, through faith in the crucified, risen Savior. In His Ephesian letter the Apostle asks whether they have heard of “the dispensation of the grace of God, which is given me to you-ward; how that by revelation He made known unto me the mystery” (Ephesians 3:1-3). Now, thank God, His eternal purpose in Christ is no longer a secret. While the day of grace lasts we may be “justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24).

Just Turn Your Head

February 27, 2015

“Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their sins. Let them consider its perfection, and if they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the design of the temple—its arrangement, its exits and entrances—its whole design and all its regulations and laws. Write these down before them so that they may be faithful to its design and follow all its regulations.” — Ezekiel 43:10–11

The Torah portion for this week is Tetzaveh, which means “contributions,” from Exodus 27:20–30:10, and the Haftorah is from Ezekiel 43:10–27.

Every day is another chance to change our lives and ourselves for the better. And yet, so many of us wake up in the morning all set to change, only to be reminded how difficult it is to do that. Very often, we become discouraged and overwhelmed and end the day just as we had started.

In Psalm 103:12, we read, “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” However, the Jewish understanding of the verse is not quite as optimistic. The Jewish translation of the verse is “as far as the east is from the west, so far have our transgressions removed us from Him.” Our sins distance us greatly from God. But don’t get depressed yet. As one rabbi explained, closing that distance doesn’t take much.

“How far is east from west?” asked Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk. Then the rabbi continued, “East and west are right next to each other. All you need to do is change the direction of your head.” Physically speaking, the rabbi was saying that to change your head from facing east to facing west proves that east and west are right next to each other – what matters is which direction you are facing. Spiritually speaking, it also means that when we change our head – when we change our mindset – we immediately close the gap that threatens our closeness to God.

In this week’s Haftorah reading, God directed the prophet Ezekiel to “describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their sins . . . and if they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the design of the temple . . .” All God asked of the people was that they would become ashamed of their sins. If they acknowledged what they had done wrong, regretted it, and decided never to repeat those mistakes again, that’s all it took to restore their relationship with God.

On one hand, change is, indeed, hard. On the other hand, all it takes is a turn of the head; a change in direction; a change of heart. Once we change directions, we are already different because we have changed our ultimate destination.

This week, let’s search out and acknowledge where we might be headed in the wrong direction. It’s tempting to sweep our bad habits under the proverbial rug, but let’s try looking at those things that we might have stowed away for too long. God loves us and wants to have a relationship with us no matter what. All He asks is that we acknowledge our shortcomings and sincerely regret them. Only then we will be heading in the right direction — toward God!

With prayers for shalom, peace,

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

Faith Inspires Faith

March 1, 2015

All people will fear;
they will proclaim the works of God
and ponder what he has done. — Psalm 64:9

A prominent rabbi was once asked by his students how one can improve their faith in God. The rabbi’s suggestion was to study those parts of the Bible that dealt with faith. By studying these stories of faithfulness and meditating upon them, our own faith is strengthened. Indeed, faith inspires faith.

According to the Jewish sages, Psalm 64 is a prophecy about one such story of faith. The psalm refers to the time when Daniel, who according to Jewish tradition was a direct descendant of King David, was thrown into the lions’ den.

The psalm begins with a reference to an evil plot. In the book of Daniel, Chapter 6, we learn that the officers of King Darius were extremely jealous of Daniel, one of the three most powerful men in the kingdom. In fact, Daniel was poised to become the Prime Minister of the entire kingdom. The other officials were not keen on the idea, and so they devised a plan to discredit Daniel.

They convinced King Darius to sign an edict that forbade anyone from praying to any person or god besides the king himself. Anyone caught violating this law would be punished by death. The king agreed to the edict, never guessing that this was a conspiracy against Daniel. As could be predicted, the edict did not deter Daniel, and he continued to pray to God three times a day. It wasn’t hard for the officials to catch him in the illegal act, and they quickly arrested him and brought him before the king. The king, who actually loved Daniel, had no choice but to obey his own law and throw Daniel into the lions’ den.

In verse 8, David predicted, “He will turn their own tongues against them and bring them to ruin” and that’s exactly what happened in the story of Daniel. Daniel wasn’t touched by the lions. In the morning, the king joyfully lifted Daniel from the pit – and then had the ministers who accused Daniel thrown into it instead. Their own words brought about their ruin.

What’s so inspiring is that Scripture tells us Daniel was saved “because he had trusted in his God” (Daniel 6:23). Faith was the cause of his salvation. This miracle inspires us to hold on to our own faith. It inspired King Darius as well who issued a decree that everyone must worship the God of Daniel, “For he is the living God and he endures forever . . . He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth” (Daniel 6:26–27). This is alluded to at the end of Psalm 64: “All people will fear; they will proclaim the works of God and ponder what he has done.”

Yes, faith inspires faith. Today, let’s be inspired by Daniel’s faith, and like him, put our full trust in God. In turn, let us share our stories of God’s faithfulness to us so that we may inspire faith in others as well.

With prayers for shalom, peace,

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

Giving Thanks to God

By Rich Deem

Introduction

Giving thanks to God is not an optional thing for the Christian. Thankfulness to God for His love, care for us, and His provision for our salvation permeates both Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, giving thanks to God was often done through the Levitical sacrifice.¹ In several instances, specific people were assigned the task of giving thanks to the Lord.²

Reasons for giving thanks

The scriptures give many reasons why we should be thankful to God. Here is a partial list from the Bible:

Thankfulness should flow naturally from the Christian who realizes the great gift of salvation offered through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. Jesus Christ suffered the penalty for what He did not deserve (all my sin), then freely offered to me the reward (eternal life) that I did not deserve. What an awesome God!

The goal of the Christian is to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. As a model for us, Jesus often gave thanks for food and answered prayer.⁴

Give thanks in Everything!

Yes, the Bible does tell us to give thanks in everything.⁵ We often complain to God about all the bad things that have happened to us – things we did not deserve, and definitely did not want. How can we be thankful for everything? First, we have a God who answers prayer, so that we should never be anxious about any situation.⁶ Second, although things may seem to be bad, we are told that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.⁷ Some examples of who God uses “bad” things in our lives can be seen from my personal story below.

My Personal Story of Thanksgiving

God went to a lot of trouble to save me from His righteous wrath. After graduating with a masters degree in 1979, I began my career doing research in the field of immunology. Things went very well and within six years I had published eight articles (five of which I was primary author) in prestigious scientific journals. I was running my own life and ignoring God until I got very sick. The tests revealed I had Crohn’s disease, a serious, incurable inflammatory disease of the intestines. I found myself unable to do things using my own abilities and strength. The medicines were not working and I found myself being bedridden in severe pain for two months. I cried out to God and promised to try to follow Him and do what He wanted me to do (although I had no idea what that was at the time). Within three months all symptoms of Crohn’s disease had disappeared. It was a miracle that demonstrated God’s love for me. Three years later, when I heard the message of salvation, I was ready to accept it, because I knew of God’s love and power. I am even grateful for the suffering, since, without it, I would have probably never turned to God.

Since that time, I have gone through other trials that, although not pleasant, have made me grow in faith and reliance upon God. My wife has a brain tumor that was diagnosed in September, 1996. Although originally given 3-7 years to live, she is now in her 15th year. The prospect of raising three active boys on my own was not something I was looking forward to, but God has provided for us all these years. The reality of life’s fleeting existence has been a constant reminder and caused us to focus on the more important things of life.

Related Pages

• “Why I am grateful to God” essays
• Rich’s Testimony for Jesus Christ
• God at Work in My Life

References

1. ‘If he offers it by way of thanksgiving, then along with the sacrifice of thanksgiving he shall offer unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil, and cakes of well stirred fine flour mixed with oil. (Leviticus 7:12)
   ‘With the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving, he shall present his offering with cakes of leavened bread. (Leviticus 7:13)
   ‘Now as for the flesh of the sacrifice of his thanksgiving peace offerings, it shall be eaten on the day of his offering; he shall not leave any of it over until morning. (Leviticus 7:15)
   “And when you sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the LORD, you shall sacrifice it so that you may be accepted. (Leviticus 22:29)
   Then Hezekiah answered and said, “Now that you have consecrated yourselves to the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of the LORD.” And the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all those who were willing brought burnt offerings. (2 Chronicles 29:31)
   And he set up the altar of the LORD and sacrificed peace offerings and thank offerings on it; and he ordered Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel. (2 Chronicles 33:16)
   Then Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good insight in the things of the LORD. So they ate for the appointed seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the LORD God of their fathers. (2 Chronicles 30:22)
   “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, And pay your vows to the Most High; (Psalm 50:14)
   “He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; And to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God.” (Psalm 50:23)
   Willingly I will sacrifice to Thee; I will give thanks to Thy name, O LORD, for it is good. (Psalm 54:6)
   Thy vows are binding upon me, O God; I will render thank offerings to Thee. (Psalm 56:12)
   Let them also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, And tell of His works with joyful singing. (Psalm 107:22)
   To Thee I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, And call upon the name of the LORD. (Psalm 116:17)
   “They will come in from the cities of Judah and from the environs of Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the lowland, from the hill country, and from the Negev, bringing burnt offerings, sacrifices, grain offerings and incense, and bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving to the house of the LORD. (Jeremiah 17:26)
   the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who say, “Give thanks to the LORD of hosts, For the LORD is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting”; and of those who bring a thank offering into the house of the LORD. For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were at first,’ says the LORD. (Jeremiah 33:11)
   “Offer a thank offering also from that which is leavened, And proclaim freewill offerings, make them known. For so you love to do, you sons of Israel,” Declares the Lord GOD. (Amos 4:5)
   But I will sacrifice to Thee With the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the LORD.” (Jonah 2:9) And he appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the LORD, even to celebrate and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel:.. Then on that day David first assigned Asaph and his relatives to give thanks to the LORD. (1 Chronicles 16:4, 7)
2. And with them were Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest who were chosen, who were designated by name, to give thanks to the LORD, because His lovingkindness is everlasting. (1 Chronicles 16:41)
   And they are to stand every morning to thank and to praise the LORD, and likewise at evening, (1 Chronicles 23:30)
   Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising the LORD. (1 Chronicles 25:3)
   And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the LORD and those who praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, “Give thanks to the LORD, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” (2 Chronicles 20:21)
   And Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites by their divisions, each according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister and to give thanks and to praise in the gates of the camp of the LORD. (2 Chronicles 31:2)
   and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, who was the leader in beginning the thanksgiving at prayer, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brethren; and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. (Nehemiah 11:17)
   And the Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah who was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving, he and his brothers. (Nehemiah 12:8)
   And the heads of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers opposite them, to praise and give thanks, as prescribed by David the man of God, division corresponding to division. (Nehemiah 12:24)
3. Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples. (1 Chronicles 16:8)
   O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. (1 Chronicles 16:34)
   Then say, “Save us, O God of our salvation, And gather us and deliver us from the nations, To give thanks to Thy holy name, And glory in Thy praise.” (1 Chronicles 16:35)
   “Now therefore, our God, we thank Thee, and praise Thy glorious name. (1 Chronicles 29:13)
   And they sang, praising and giving thanks to the LORD, saying, “For He is good, for His lovingkindness is upon Israel forever.” And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the LORD because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. (Ezra 3:11)
   Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites from all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem so that they might celebrate the dedication with gladness, with hymns of thanksgiving and with songs to the accompaniment of cymbals, harps, and lyres. (Nehemiah 12:27)
   For in the days of David and Asaph, in ancient times, there were leaders of the singers, songs of praise and hymns of thanksgiving to God. (Nehemiah 12:46)
   I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness, And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High. (Psalm 7:17)
   (For the choir director; on Muth-labben. A Psalm of David.) I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will tell of all Thy wonders. (Psalm 9:1)
   Therefore I will give thanks to Thee among the nations, O LORD, And I will sing praises to Thy name. (Psalm 18:49)
   That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, And declare all Thy wonders. (Psalm 26:7)
   The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him. (Psalm 28:7)
   Sing praise to the LORD, you His godly ones, And give thanks to His holy name. (Psalm 30:4)
   That my soul may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to Thee forever. (Psalm 30:12)
   Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings. (Psalm 33:2)
   I will give Thee thanks in the great congregation; I will praise Thee among a mighty throng. (Psalm 35:18)
   In God we have boasted all day long, And we will give thanks to Thy name forever. Selah. (Psalm 44:8)
   I will cause Thy name to be remembered in all generations; Therefore the peoples will give Thee thanks forever and ever. (Psalm 45:17)
   I will give Thee thanks forever, because Thou hast done it, And I will wait on Thy name, for it is good, in the presence of Thy godly ones. (Psalm 52:9)
   I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to Thee among the nations. (Psalm 57:9)
   I will praise the name of God with song, And shall magnify Him with thanksgiving. (Psalm 69:30)
   (For the choir director; set to Al-tashheth. A Psalm of Asaph, a Song.) We give thanks to Thee, O God, we give thanks, For Thy name is near; Men declare Thy wondrous works. (Psalm 75:1)
   So we Thy people and the sheep of Thy pasture Will give thanks to Thee forever; To all generations we will tell of Thy praise. (Psalm 79:13)
   I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And will glorify Thy name forever. (Psalm 86:12)
   (A Psalm, a Song for the Sabbath day.) It is good to give thanks to the LORD, And to sing praises to Thy name, O Most High; (Psalm 92:1)
   Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. (Psalm 95:2)
   Be glad in the LORD, you righteous ones; And give thanks to His holy name. (Psalm 97:12)
   (A Psalm for Thanksgiving.) Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. (Psalm 100:1)
   Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name. (Psalm 100:4)
   Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples. (Psalm 105:1)
   Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. (Psalm 106:1)
   Save us, O LORD our God, And gather us from among the nations, To give thanks to Thy holy name, And glory in Thy praise. (Psalm 106:47)
   Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. (Psalm 107:1)
   Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness, And for His wonders to the sons of men! (Psalm 107:8)
   Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness, And for His wonders to the sons of men! (Psalm 107:15)
   Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness, And for His wonders to the sons of men! (Psalm 107:21)
   Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness, And for His wonders to the sons of men! (Psalm 107:31)
   I will give thanks to Thee, O LORD, among the peoples; And I will sing praises to Thee among the nations. (Psalm 108:3)
   With my mouth I will give thanks abundantly to the LORD; And in the midst of many I will praise Him. (Psalm 109:30)
   Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart, In the company of the upright and in the assembly. (Psalm 111:1)
   Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. (Psalm 118:1)
   Open to me the gates of righteousness; I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to the LORD. (Psalm 118:19)
   I shall give thanks to Thee, for Thou hast answered me; And Thou hast become my salvation. (Psalm 118:21)
   Thou art my God, and I give thanks to Thee; Thou art my God, I extol Thee. (Psalm 118:28)
   Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. (Psalm 118:29)
   I shall give thanks to Thee with uprightness of heart, When I learn Thy righteous judgments. (Psalm 119:7)
   At midnight I shall rise to give thanks to Thee Because of Thy righteous ordinances. (Psalm 119:62)
   To which the tribes go up, even the tribes of the LORD– An ordinance for Israel– To give thanks to the name of the LORD. (Psalm 122:4)
   Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. (Psalm 136:1)
   Give thanks to the God of gods, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. (Psalm 136:2)
   Give thanks to the Lord of lords, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. (Psalm 136:3)
   Give thanks to the God of heaven, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. (Psalm 136:26)
   (A Psalm of David.) I will give Thee thanks with all my heart; I will sing praises to Thee before the gods. (Psalm 138:1)
   I will bow down toward Thy holy temple, And give thanks to Thy name for Thy lovingkindness and Thy truth; For Thou hast magnified Thy word according to all Thy name. (Psalm 138:2)
   All the kings of the earth will give thanks to Thee, O LORD, When they have heard the words of Thy mouth. (Psalm 138:4)
   I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Thy works, And my soul knows it very well. (Psalm 139:14)
   Surely the righteous will give thanks to Thy name; The upright will dwell in Thy presence. (Psalm 140:13)
   “Bring my soul out of prison, So that I may give thanks to Thy name; The righteous will surround me, For Thou wilt deal bountifully with me.” (Psalm 142:7)
   All Thy works shall give thanks to Thee, O LORD, And Thy godly ones shall bless Thee. (Psalm 145:10)
   Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; Sing praises to our God on the lyre, (Psalm 147:7)
   Then you will say on that day, “I will give thanks to Thee, O LORD; For although Thou wast angry with me, Thine anger is turned away, And Thou dost comfort me. (Isaiah 12:1)
   And in that day you will say, “Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; Make them remember that His name is exalted.” (Isaiah 12:4)
   O LORD, Thou art my God; I will exalt Thee, I will give thanks to Thy name; For Thou hast worked wonders, Plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness. (Isaiah 25:1)
   “For Sheol cannot thank Thee, Death cannot praise Thee; Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Thy faithfulness. (Isaiah 38:18)
   “It is the living who give thanks to Thee, as I do today; A father tells his sons about Thy faithfulness. (Isaiah 38:19)
   Indeed, the LORD will comfort Zion; He will comfort all her waste places. And her wilderness He will make like Eden, And her desert like the garden of the LORD; Joy and gladness will be found in her, Thanksgiving and sound of a melody. (Isaiah 51:3)
   ‘And from them shall proceed thanksgiving And the voice of those who make merry; And I will multiply them, and they shall not be diminished; I will also honor them, and they shall not be insignificant. (Jeremiah 30:19)
   “To Thee, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, For Thou hast given me wisdom and power; Even now Thou hast made known to me what we requested of Thee, For Thou hast made known to us the king’s matter.” (Daniel 2:23)
   Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. (Daniel 6:10)
   and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples in turn, to the multitudes. (Matthew 15:36)
   And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; (Matthew 26:27)
   And He directed the multitude to sit down on the ground; and taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks and broke them, and started giving them to His disciples to serve to them, and they served them to the multitude. (Mark 8:6)
   And when He had taken a cup, and given thanks, He gave it to them; and they all drank from it. (Mark 14:23)
   And at that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:38)
   and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan. (Luke 17:16)
   And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; (Luke 22:17)
   And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” (Luke 22:19)
   Jesus therefore took the loaves; and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted. (John 6:11)
   There came other small boats from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. (John 6:23)
   And so they removed the stone. And Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank Thee that Thou heardest Me. (John 11:41)
   And having said this, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of all; and he broke it and began to eat. (Acts 27:35)
   And the brethren, when they heard about us, came from there as far as the Market of Appius and Three Inns to meet us; and when Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. (Acts 28:15)
   First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. (Romans 1:8)
   For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (Romans 1:21)
   But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, (Romans 6:17)
   Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. (Romans 7:25)
   He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. (Romans 14:6)
   who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles; (Romans 16:4)
   I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, (1 Corinthians 1:4)
   If I partake with thankfulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks? (1 Corinthians 10:30)
   and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” (1 Corinthians 11:24)
   Otherwise if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? (1 Corinthians 14:16)
   For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified. (1 Corinthians 14:17)
   I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all; (1 Corinthians 14:18)
   but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57)
   you also joining in helping us through your prayers, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed upon us through the prayers of many. (2 Corinthians 1:11)
   But thanks be to God, who always leads us in His triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. (2 Corinthians 2:14)
   For all things are for your sakes, that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God. (2 Corinthians 4:15)
   But thanks be to God, who puts the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart of Titus. (2 Corinthians 8:16)
   you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. (2 Corinthians 9:11)
   For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God. (2 Corinthians 9:12)
   Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15)
   do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; (Ephesians 1:16)
   and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. (Ephesians 5:4)
   always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; (Ephesians 5:20)
   I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, (Philippians 1:3)
   Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)
   We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, (Colossians 1:3)
   giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. (Colossians 1:12)
   And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. (Colossians 3:15)
   Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16)
   And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. (Colossians 3:17)
   Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; (Colossians 4:2)
   We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; (1 Thessalonians 1:2)
   And for this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received from us the word of God’s message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe. (1 Thessalonians 2:13)
   For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account, (1 Thessalonians 3:9)
   in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
   We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; (2 Thessalonians 1:3)
   But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. (2 Thessalonians 2:13)
   I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service; (1 Timothy 1:12)
   First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, (1 Timothy 2:1)
   I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day, (2 Timothy 1:3)
   I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, (Philemon 1:4)
   Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. (Hebrews 13:15)
   And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, (Revelation 4:9)
   saying, “Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” (Revelation 7:12)
   saying, “We give Thee thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who art and who wast, because Thou hast taken Thy great power and hast begun to reign. (Revelation 11:17)
4. and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples in turn, to the multitudes. (Matthew 15:36)
   And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; (Matthew 26:27)
   And He directed the multitude to sit down on the ground; and taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks and broke them, and started giving them to His disciples to serve to them, and they served them to the multitude. (Mark 8:6)
   And when He had taken a cup, and given thanks, He gave it to them; and they all drank from it. (Mark 14:23)
   And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; (Luke 22:17)
   And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” (Luke 22:19)
   Jesus therefore took the loaves; and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted. (John 6:11)
   There came other small boats from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. (John 6:23)
   And so they removed the stone. And Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank Thee that Thou heardest Me. (John 11:41)
   and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” (1 Corinthians 11:24)
5. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
   For all things are for your sakes, that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God. (2 Corinthians 4:15)
   always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; (Ephesians 5:20)
6. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)
7. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

“Snowflakes are frail, but if enough of them stick together they can stop traffic.”

The daily devotions are from Pepper ‘n Salt by Vance Havner. Fleming H. Revell Company, 1966.