First of all, give thanks—Part 3
For the last two days I have posted excerpts from my book, First of All, Pray. Today I’ll conclude the portion on this one powerful way to pray—the giving of thanks.
Excerpt from Chapter 1:
A Warning Concerning Thanklessness
“It is absolutely essential that you maintain an attitude of thankfulness. Romans 1:21-23 delivers a clear warning: ‘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. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures’ (emphasis added).
“What is the outcome if you believe in God yet neglect to give thanks to Him? You gravitate toward anything except Him! You become futile in your speculations and your heart becomes darkened. Without realizing it, you start worshiping material things and slide into folly. The Word says you become good for nothing, self-serving, and ignorant of your own dangerous stupidity. On the other hand, when you cultivate a thankful heart, you protect yourself from falling into the foolishness of self-absorption and delusion. Indeed, gratefulness surrounds you with a deception-resistant shield.
“The challenge in 1 Timothy 2:1 is to offer thanksgiving to God even when you are praying for someone with whom you have fundamental disagreement. If you incorporate thanksgiving into all of your prayers, then the grace of God will meet and overtake you in your endeavors. Thanksgiving: don’t let yourself pray without it!” (Excerpt taken from pages 23-24; First of All, Pray: Prescription for a Nation in Crisis; © 2013–Dorothy Frick)
Hope you had a happy Turkey Day, and may your thanksgiving to the Lord be glorious!
Dorothy
Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples. Psalm 105:1
Read MoreFirst of all, give thanks—Part 2
For Thanksgiving week, I am posting excerpts from my book, First of All, Pray. Paul urged in 1 Timothy 2 that the people of God top their to-do list with praying for others. Thanksgiving is included in that list of “first of all” ways to pray.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6
Excerpt from Chapter 1:
The Direction You Gaze Determines Your Destination
“A second truth in this verse empowers you to pray about the chaos around you without being weighed down by the sheer awfulness of the situation. You see, as a human, your natural tendency is to gravitate toward the object you are observing. I learned this from my drivers’ ed teacher when I was fifteen. He warned the four of us crammed into the well-dented ‘beginner drivers’ car that if we watched cows and horses grazing in the field, that’s where we would end up—in the pasture and not on the highway! That’s why God included thanksgiving in His list of prayer methods—so that you gravitate toward Him and not the problem!
“Have you ever been frightened about situations in your life and asked God for help? If you prayed without thanking or praising Him, you probably continued to feel very afraid, trying to battle anxiety on your own because your eyes remained glued to the problem. Giving thanks to God pulls your attention off of the enormity of the problem and onto the greatness of God. As you gaze at God, giving Him thanks for His willingness to do wonderful things for you, the anxiety you feel drains away. If you find it creeping back in, you just ramp up your thanksgiving to God again! Thanksgiving is a powerful antidote for the anxiety you feel.
“Do you try to ignore fearful situations in your life in an attempt to resist fear? Do you think about Job when he said, ‘For what I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me’ (Job 3:25) and try to avoid Job’s outcome by pretending there is no problem? Is denial your strategy for dealing with fear? Is that the way you walk by faith?
“Think of the boy David, one of the greatest worshipers in the Bible, watching sheep out in the pasture. When he spied the lion and the bear stalking his sheep, did he conquer his fear by ignoring the situation? Of course not! He rose up, likely with a mixture of adrenaline, fear, and a strong protective instinct and killed the carnivores! His faith empowered him to confront those hungry varmints despite the very real danger! He didn’t seek to protect his faith by looking away from the predators or by denying their existence. Dead sheep would have been the outcome of that kind of faith walk. Even worse, without the experience of subduing the vicious beasts, David may never have been equipped to take down Goliath!
“Ignoring evil, by definition, is ignorance! Thanking God, however, in the face of evil acknowledges His greatness despite the growing darkness. This powerfully applies to facing the destructive forces at work in our nation. Faith confronts the frightening events with the Word of God. Ignoring such forces in our country in an attempt to stay in faith actually prevents you from becoming a part of God’s solution to change the course of events. The sense of fear is not always the spirit of fear spoken of by Paul (see 2 Timothy 1:7); at times Holy Spirit-initiated warnings are alarming—even frightening—yet they are sent by God to reveal that danger is looming. In response you pray and dig into the Word to prepare for battle—and victory.
“When fear does rise up—and it will—ask God how to deal with it and the fearful situation instead of hiding under the covers, hoping the boogeyman will go away! Declare like David, ‘When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You’ (Psalm 56:3). Then in prayer confront the giants both in your life and our nation, giving thanks to God for His Goliath-defeating power!” (Excerpt taken from pages 20-23; First of All, Pray: Prescription for a Nation in Crisis; © 2013–Dorothy Frick)
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the defense of my life;
Whom shall I dread?
2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh,
My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.
3 Though a host encamp against me,
My heart will not fear;
Though war arise against me,
In spite of this I shall be confident.
4 One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord
And to meditate in His temple.
5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle;
In the secret place of His tent He will hide me;
He will lift me up on a rock.
6 And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,
And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.
Psalm 27:1-6
Thank You, Lord, for the wonder of Your abiding and protective presence in our lives!
Dorothy
Read MoreFirst of all, give thanks—Part 1
First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 1 Timothy 2:1-2
The rest of this week I will be posting excerpts from my book, First of All, Pray. Paul urged in 1 Timothy 2 that the people of God place prayer for others as a top priority in their lives. The giving of thanks is included in that list of “first of all” ways to pray.
Excerpt from Chapter 1:
Thanksgivings
“You may not think of thanksgiving in and of itself as a type of prayer, but it is. In fact, if you look at all the scriptures using this word, you can clearly see that thanksgiving is to be involved in everything you do. And because the plural for thanksgiving is used in 1 Timothy 2:1, you are to present unlimited thanksgivings to God.
“Philippians 4:6 states, ‘Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God’ (emphasis added). As you pray and supplicate about the stressful situations in your life, the Bible commands you to thank God as you pray. This addresses two very important truths about living life. The first truth has to do with life’s anxieties—no one is guaranteed a charmed, easy-going life. Your life will have its share of stress and conflict. If this were not the case, you wouldn’t find so many verses in the Bible about praying when difficult times arise. If you look at the condition of our nation and your stomach starts to churn with worry, the only healthy recourse is to pray. Pretending that nothing is wrong in order to protect yourself from anxiety will not bring the power of God on the scene. God made prayer available to you during your time here on earth in great part because of the prevalence of anxiety-causing conditions.” (Excerpt taken from pages 19-20; First of All, Pray: Prescription for a Nation in Crisis; © 2013–Dorothy Frick)
In American history, the first Thanksgiving followed a time of extreme hardships for those who celebrated it. The Pilgrims left their homeland in England, and then Holland, primarily to escape religious persecution. Of the 120 passengers who set sail in 1620, only 53 were still alive for the first Thanksgiving, November, 1621.
You would think that the exposure to the elements, disease, and death which stalked the group, wiping out half of their number, would shroud the rest of them with hopelessness and despair, but despite the harsh trials, these believers chose to thank God instead. They knew how to lift up their eyes from the daunting circumstances surrounding them to fix their gaze and adoration on the Lord and Savior who had never left them without comfort. Such was the caliber of the men and women who left their homes to secure for themselves a new homeland where they could be free to worship God as they saw fit. These dear souls, by their heartfelt love of God and perseverance, blazed a trail that the rest of us privileged to live here could follow.
You, also, may be facing extreme difficulty in your life. The region where I live is being battered by rage and an unnerving level of chaos and destruction. The nation itself is suffering under escalating levels of discord, disillusionment, and despair. Despite all that is going on around us, though, the witness of that little band of Pilgrims and their native guests has stood firm throughout the centuries ever since. Here is their message to you, alive in 2014:
Give thanks to the Lord. Give thanks, and do not cease to give thanks. Do not ask your circumstances, your body, your bank account, or the daily news if you should give thanks to God; give thanks, and when you are finished—give thanks!
Dorothy
Read MoreGive yourself to prayer
This morning on a coffee run, the Lord said these words to my heart, “Give yourself to prayer.” I knew that Colossians 4:2 states, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving“, and the early apostles stated in Acts 6:4, “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
I googled the phrase, “Give yourself to prayer”, and landed on a great little sermon encouraging all of us who believe in Jesus to do just that. The author is a man named W. Clyde Martin, someone with whom I am unfamiliar, but I certainly bore witness to what he said in the message.
Here’s a small portion:
“This have I learned in the closet; There are special assignments given to prayer warriors. When one gives themselves to closet praying, God uses them in special ways. The Holy Spirit leads and guides us all to walk in certain paths, to do certain things each day.”
He concludes his message with these words:
“When God’s people “give themselves to prayer”, God gives them special assignments. Have you been chosen for a special assignment lately? Give yourself to closet praying and be alert to hear God’s special leading.”
For the entire sermon (it’s short), go to www.theprayerlife.com/martingiving.html Just copy and paste it to your address bar–my links aren’t working today. 🙁
I encourage you to prioritize alone-time with God. I know I need to!
Dorothy
Read MoreFirst of all, give thanks Part 3
This week I have been posting excerpts from my book, First of All, Pray. Paul urged in 1 Timothy 2 that the people of God top their to-do list with praying for others. Thanksgiving is included in that list of “first of all” ways to pray.
Excerpt from Chapter 1:
A Warning Concerning Thanklessness
“It is absolutely essential that you maintain an attitude of thankfulness. Romans 1:21-23 delivers a clear warning: ‘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. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures’ (emphasis added).
“What is the outcome if you believe in God yet neglect to give thanks to Him? You gravitate toward anything except Him! You become futile in your speculations and your heart becomes darkened. Without realizing it, you start worshiping material things and slide into folly. The Word says you become good for nothing, self-serving, and ignorant of your own dangerous stupidity. On the other hand, when you cultivate a thankful heart, you protect yourself from falling into the foolishness of self-absorption and delusion. Indeed, gratefulness surrounds you with a deception-resistant shield.
“The challenge in 1 Timothy 2:1 is to offer thanksgiving to God even when you are praying for someone with whom you have fundamental disagreement. If you incorporate thanksgiving into all of your prayers, then the grace of God will meet and overtake you in your endeavors. Thanksgiving: don’t let yourself pray without it!” (Excerpt taken from pages 23-24; First of All, Pray: Prescription for a Nation in Crisis; © 2013–Dorothy Frick)
This Thanksgiving and throughout the Christmas season, I challenge you to be aware of the flow of your heart, your mind, and your mouth. Despite the circumstances, the stress, the conflict, the disappointment, or any general sense of heaviness or oppression you may be encountering, make it your cause to give thanks to God. Give thanks for all that is good in your life—make it your daily holiday habit—and give thanks in spite of all the “stuff” that may be piling up and weighing you down. Give thanks for the good; give thanks despite the bad.
As a former eighth grade teacher who taught the scientific method to her science-fair weary students, I learned the value of testing hypotheses against variables. Here is your two-fold assignment from now until the New Year:
- Perform a scientific experiment. Enforce the flow of your mind and your mouth. When pressure or bad news arises, bring your mind and your mouth back to the good report, i.e., what does the Bible say? Where is the miracle in this madness? God will provide it, and I will give Him thanks before I see it, now, even though I don’t feel like it. Remember, you won’t be able to control the circumstances that come your way, but you can control the thermostat of your mind and heart with gratefulness—and you can curb what you say. Stick with it throughout the holidays, and then, on New Year’s Eve or Day, look at the outcome. You will find that the scientific method and the Bible go hand in hand.
- Give thanks consistently to the Lord as your birthday present to Jesus. Not only will you be performing a scientific investigation of meritorious value, but you will also be delighting the heart of your Savior. Honor Him with your thoughts and words this holiday season; make it your ambition and aim daily to please Him with your hour-by-hour, minute-by-minute inner and outward conversation, and find out just how much you will thrill His heart as you minister to Him in this way!
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:17
Happy Turkey Day, and may your thanksgiving to the Lord be glorious! See you on Monday, December 2, when I return by the grace of God to the First of All, Pray blog.
Dorothy
Read MoreFirst of all, give thanks Part 2
This week I am posting excerpts from my book, First of All, Pray. Paul urged in 1 Timothy 2 that the people of God top their to-do list with praying for others. Thanksgiving is included in that list of “first of all” ways to pray.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6
Excerpt from Chapter 1:
The Direction You Gaze Determines Your Destination
“A second truth in this verse empowers you to pray about the chaos around you without being weighed down by the sheer awfulness of the situation. You see, as a human, your natural tendency is to gravitate toward the object you are observing. I learned this from my drivers’ ed teacher when I was fifteen. He warned the four of us crammed into the well-dented ‘beginner drivers’ car that if we watched cows and horses grazing in the field, that’s where we would end up—in the pasture and not on the highway! That’s why God included thanksgiving in His list of prayer methods—so that you gravitate toward Him and not the problem!
“Have you ever been frightened about situations in your life and asked God for help? If you prayed without thanking or praising Him, you probably continued to feel very afraid, trying to battle anxiety on your own because your eyes remained glued to the problem. Giving thanks to God pulls your attention off of the enormity of the problem and onto the greatness of God. As you gaze at God, giving Him thanks for His willingness to do wonderful things for you, the anxiety you feel drains away. If you find it creeping back in, you just ramp up your thanksgiving to God again! Thanksgiving is a powerful antidote for the anxiety you feel.
“Do you try to ignore fearful situations in your life in an attempt to resist fear? Do you think about Job when he said, ‘For what I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me’ (Job 3:25) and try to avoid Job’s outcome by pretending there is no problem? Is denial your strategy for dealing with fear? Is that the way you walk by faith?
“Think of the boy David, one of the greatest worshipers in the Bible, watching sheep out in the pasture. When he spied the lion and the bear stalking his sheep, did he conquer his fear by ignoring the situation? Of course not! He rose up, likely with a mixture of adrenaline, fear, and a strong protective instinct and killed the carnivores! His faith empowered him to confront those hungry varmints despite the very real danger! He didn’t seek to protect his faith by looking away from the predators or by denying their existence. Dead sheep would have been the outcome of that kind of faith walk. Even worse, without the experience of subduing the vicious beasts, David may never have been equipped to take down Goliath!
“Ignoring evil, by definition, is ignorance! Thanking God, however, in the face of evil acknowledges His greatness despite the growing darkness. This powerfully applies to facing the destructive forces at work in our nation. Faith confronts the frightening events with the Word of God. Ignoring such forces in our country in an attempt to stay in faith actually prevents you from becoming a part of God’s solution to change the course of events. The sense of fear is not always the spirit of fear spoken of by Paul (see 2 Timothy 1:7); at times Holy Spirit-initiated warnings are alarming—even frightening—yet they are sent by God to reveal that danger is looming. In response you pray and dig into the Word to prepare for battle—and victory.
“When fear does rise up—and it will—ask God how to deal with it and the fearful situation instead of hiding under the covers, hoping the boogeyman will go away! Declare like David, ‘When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You’ (Psalm 56:3). Then in prayer confront the giants both in your life and our nation, giving thanks to God for His Goliath-defeating power!” (Excerpt taken from pages 20-23; First of All, Pray: Prescription for a Nation in Crisis; © 2013–Dorothy Frick)
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the defense of my life;
Whom shall I dread?
2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh,
My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.
3 Though a host encamp against me,
My heart will not fear;
Though war arise against me,
In spite of this I shall be confident.
4 One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord
And to meditate in His temple.
5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle;
In the secret place of His tent He will hide me;
He will lift me up on a rock.
6 And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,
And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.
Psalm 27:1-6
Thank You, Lord, for the wonder of Your abiding and protective presence in our lives!
Dorothy
Read More