On the Radio

 

Years ago I presented a Christian program on the radio entitled "Time for Reflections". Here's a short excerpt.

Mentioned in the program is Merlin Carothers' book "Prison to Praise". Here's a link. 

What Jesus said about ... (series)

 

What Jesus said about ... giving thanks.

 He was going into a village when he was met by ten men suffering from a dreaded skin-disease. They stood at a distance and shouted, “Jesus! Master! Take pity on us!” Jesus saw them and said to them, “Go and let the priests examine you.” On the way they were made clean. When one of them saw that he was healed, he came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself to the ground at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. The man was a Samaritan. Jesus said’ “There were ten men who were healed; where are the other nine? Why is this foreigner the only one who came back to give thanks to God?” And Jesus said to him, “Get up and go; your faith has made you well.” Luke 17: 11-19

Keeping our distance from people we are suspicious of is nothing new. In them days when Jesus walked this earth people with leprosy had to keep their distance from other people.  People used to throw stones at them to keep them at bay. Did you know that Jesus had every right to throw stones at the leper to stop him coming near? In those days it was the done thing. You threw stones to warn the leper not to come too near you.

Can you imagine how lepers felt? Cast out of society. Thrown out by their families. No where to live. No job. No friends. No food. And eventually death by starvation or worse.

One day they were perhaps successful at their job, a family man, raising children and looking forwards to the future. The next day, they contract this terrible illness and they are cast out of this world. Through no fault of their own.

In this story, Jesus heals ten lepers and only one comes back to say thank you.

Why? What about the other nine? Were they bad people, evil and selfish?

I'd like to think that they were so overcome with joy at being healed that they ran to their family to meet them and hug them and rejoin society once again. They were just absent-minded. So overcome with joy that they forgot to say thank you.

A bit like us really! How often do we forget to say thank you when someone does something nice to us? Does that mean we are evil? Selfish? Bad people? No... just absent-minded.

When is the last time you said thank you to God for all the things He has done for you and continues to do/ How about thanking Jesus too. Now there's a thought ...

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

NOTE: This post is the LAST of a series of articles entitled "What Jesus said about ..." If you click the label "What Jesus said" at the end of the article you'll be able to access all the articles.

All the articles in this series will feature in a book of devotionals I am currently writing. More news on publication date here soon.

Thank you for your support and encouragement. God bless you all.

Victor On The Radio

Years ago I used to present Radio programs; one of which was on a Sunday afternoon entitled Time for Reflections. 

Here's a short clip from one of those programs which brings back fond memories to mind.  

Giving thanks to God

(Ten lepers cleaned - one says thanks)

Luke 17:11-19

Good morning grumpy

 

The Angels were looking down from a window in Heaven and saying, "1 ... 2 ... 3 ... 4 ...."

Jesus walks past and asks, "What are you doing?"

Gabriel replies, "We are counting how many people say 'Good morning God', when they wake up!"

Well, how about you?

I sometimes wake up grumpy in the morning. At other times I just let her sleep!

No ... wait ... let's be serious for a moment.

Do you welcome a new day as you wake up each morning? Do you thank God that you made it through the night and are ready to face a new day? Or do you dread another day full of chores, worry and difficulties?

How does God see you as you wake up? Does He smile at your cheerfulness and hope. Or does He say, "Oh ... here we go again! Moan moan moan and not an ounce of Faith despite the many prayers!"

Just asking.

Thankfulness

 

 

Let's look in the mirror. What do you see? Do you see a happy face always smiling, laughing and joking? Or is it a miserable face often complaining, worried or concerned about what might happen?

 

When people meet you, are they happy to do so because you'll cheer them up; or do they dread being with you and sharing your problems and difficulties?

 

If we are honest, we all have a tendency to complain. Some more than others. Some justified some not always really so.

 

We seem to complain about so many things. The weather, that's a favourite in the UK. The cost of living, the Government, the environment and the planet, some family members, our health or so many other things.

 

When Moses got the Jews out of slavery in Egypt they did nothing but complain. Complain. Complain. Complain. They spent forty years going round in circles in the desert and wilderness of their souls rather than be thankful to God for having saved them from their enslavement. 

 

Perhaps we are like that sometimes. We are enslaved in our own mindset of negativity and pointless anxiety rather than be thankful for what we have already received and hopeful of more to come.

 

How do you think God feels about that? Our doubts, our worries, our concerns and anxieties? Do they betray a certain lack of trust in Him despite what He has done for us?

 

  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:18

I don't know how to thank Him

 

There are times in life when we virtually see the hand of God at work. Perhaps we undergo an extraordinary experience, a major life-threatening illness, or a terrible event for us or a loved one, and we suddenly see God at work. We see clearly things get better, and we relax and take a deep breath of relief.

How can we possibly thank God when something like that happens? When He saves us from the very edge of danger and despair. 

There is nothing we can do to thank God and repay Him for what He has done, and continues to do, for us. No amount of prayers, lit candles or good deeds would serve as a thanksgiving. 

I often think back to the story of the ten lepers healed by Jesus. (Luke 17:12 onwards). Only one man returned to thank Him. Let's imagine the scene. Here is a man at the edge of society. Ostracised, excluded for fear of contagion, with no work, no family and friends, and left to starve and die a horrible lonely death. Jesus heals him. 

What can he possibly do to thank Jesus for his healing? No amount of money would be enough to get his life back. No amount of good deeds or prayers or anything else.

And it's the same with us when we see God working in our lives and saving us from horrendous circumstances.

I believe the best way to thank God is to go on living. I'd like to think that the grateful leper spent the rest of his life telling people what Jesus had done for him.

Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness." (John 10:10).

When God saves us from very difficult situations, I believe He expects us to thank Him and go on living a full fruitful life. To be a good example to others, and to live as Christ would want us to. That's the best way to thank God for His love and protection.

It will not fully repay Him; but it will do.

Paul's Letter to the Thessalonians

 

In his first letter to the Thessalonians Paul says:

"Rejoice at all times. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus". 

1 Thessalonians 5:17 onwards.

Let us examine what he says further.

Rejoice at all times: I see so many people in church on their knees praying yet their faces look like a mile of bad road. It is as if they are carrying the whole world on their shoulders. Being charitable for a moment, I know that life is not always a bed of roses and that sometimes we all go through bad times. Yet, having said this, I see too many Christian people with sad faces all the time. Is this really a good advert for our faith? Is this what we would like others to think of Christianity when they see us? 

Pray without ceasing: I don't think Paul is suggesting that we pray 24/7 from the moment we wake up. Life is not meant to be spent on our knees and when we get to meet Peter at the Pearly Gates I doubt that he will check if we have callous knees like a camel's. Life is to be enjoyed and it is not an endurance test in preparation for the next. Remember "Rejoice at all times".

Paul is reminding us here to be in constant communication with God. We wake up in the morning and thank Him for another day and that we survived the night. When we're preparing breakfast we thank Him that we have enough to meet our daily needs and that of our family. As we travel to work, or wherever, we thank Him and ask Him to keep us safe. When we meet someone who tells us of their difficulties and problems we say a silent prayer for that person.

That's what Paul means by praying without ceasing. To be in constant contact with God throughout the day. And to be receptive when He speaks to us.

Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus: Whatever happens in life, no matter how bad and difficult the situation, we should thank and praise God for it. We are not thanking and praising Him for the bad situation itself, but we are doing so because we acknowledge that He is still in control. Whatever the situation, we thank Him for being in control.

By doing so, we somehow open a channel whereby God turns the bad situation to the good; for us or for someone else. Maybe someone sees how we tackle the bad situation and somehow our example brings them closer to God. Perhaps our situation changes us for the better in some way. When we praise God for being in control of every situation He will often turn it to the good. I have seen this many times.

He taught me how to pray

 

I was feeling a little despondent and down-hearted thinking about this and that and everything else. I decided to pray. Did not know how to start and what to pray for. So many things on my mind.

Then as if a voice in my mind said, "Thank me!"

Hein ??? Who said that? Where do I start?

"Think as far back as you can remember ..." said the thought in my mind.

You know, it is a good idea every now and then if we spend some time thinking back on our lives. Recalling events far gone and yet somehow they influenced our lives. Times when we needed help, and never realised then that God was by our side all the time. Helping us without our asking.

Try thinking back as far as you can remember. When you were seven or eight perhaps. Try to remember difficult times then. At home perhaps. Unhappy childhood. At school. Bullying. Unable to keep up with school work. Severe teachers. Exams and so on.

Try to recall growing up. Teenage years with teenage problems. Friendships hurt and broken. Family events and troubles perhaps.

Think of other milestones in your life. Difficulties and dark moments for you or those close to you. Parents disagreeing perhaps. Loss of work. Money problems. Illness or even death of loved ones.

How about when you grew up and left home to start on your own. Hesitation. Fear. Worry. First faltering steps. New job. New people. New relationships. Heartbreaks. Love. Marriage. Starting a family. Worry about children. Marital difficulties. Divorce. Start again all alone.

Perhaps our lives have been marred with health issues. Frightening diagnosis. Fear. Pain. Confusion. Why me? Medical procedures and operations perhaps. Success or otherwise of these.

You know ... when we thing back over our lives, there are many instances and periods when we needed help. We may or may not have prayed. But God was there for us. Somehow we got through those dark periods in our lives. God got us through them. Otherwise we would not be here right now.

And when we look at our situation today. Right now. As we consider our current situation. We may be despondent. Concerned. Fearful perhaps. But then, is not our situation right now similar to what happened to us before? Many times in our lives? It may be more severe and serious perhaps. But it is still a situation we have to face and live through ... not alone.

We are never alone. He is with us always. To the end of time.

Ready to help. Only a prayer away.

Let us be thankful for that.

In The Stillness Of The Night

Oh Lord

Sometimes

In the stillness of the night

I feel Your presence Lord

I feel Your love

I feel Your peace

And Your nearness to me.

And I am at rest

In perfect peace

Hopeful knowledge

And thankful trust.

©Copyright Victor S E Moubarak 2012

Happy Thanksgiving

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL OUR READERS

Years ago, I broadcast this on the radio. 
It seems appropriate for today.

God bless you all.