What does it mean to thank God?

What does it mean to thank God? We hear it all the time with Christians and non-Christians alike? All kind people say "I thank God" and yet they don't even believe in Him. Saying thanks to God (for many) is a meaningless thing to say. What does it really mean to thank the One who created all things, and who died for the sins of His people? Christians should be thanking God all the time for just having a loving and caring God. People who are not Christians should be thanking God that He has not sent them to hell forever (at this very moment). What does it really mean to thank God for something? Does it mean to just say “thanks,” like when someone gives you something? No, it is more than that and we need to have a right understanding of the word thanks. The word means to express gratitude for benefits or blessing to thank, thanksgiving, thankfulness. Of course we should thank people for things they do, but we should be more thankful to God and not people. As sinful people we should be on our knees thanking God all the time and showing Him gratitude for what He has done for us. We are so quick to thank God for the good things, but we need to thank God for the bad things too, for all things, even the bad things in our lives. Thanking God should always be on our lips and in our heart. A thankful heart is what we should want to have. We need to expand our understanding of how God is merciful. Thanking God that we all are not in hell right now. If we would understand that we would be thanking God all the time for what He has done for us. Psalms 7:17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to His righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High."

Christ Centered Marriage

The Fulfilled Marriage

In our sermonette (a mini-sermon that is about 5-10 min's, listen above) today, we discussed the fulfilled marriage. With the divorce rates at soaring numbers, with the disappearing instatution of the home, with the media imposed idea of marriage, the time is long overdo that we return to a biblical position of marriage. The Bible teaches complementarianism. Comlementarianism is very accurately defined by Ligon Duncan when he said 'God has created men and women equal in their essential dignity and human personhood, but different and complementary in function with male headship in the home and in the Church.' May this sermonette bless you in your marriage, consider your ways.

Our text today is from Ephesians 5:22-28

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. [1] 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Do you love your swine more then Jesus?

by Nick Herring

I have been reading the book Knowing the Heart by Jonathan Edwards. This book is very convicting and has given me a better view of the deceitfulness of my ownheart. In his chapter about the Gadarenes loving their swine more then Jesus, I was thinking about all the things that people love more then Jesus. Jesus said, "whoever doesn't hate his own mother and father and yes even his own life can't be my disciple."

Following Jesus may cost you your very life and or everything you own. Too many people are saying today that it is easy to be a Christen and you don't have to give up anything. I would guess that these people don't read their Bibles much and see all the people that were killed for their faith in Jesus. People like the all Apostles, and people who this very day are being killed for their faith in Jesus Christ. We must not put anything before Christ. God is a jealous God and He will NOT be put in second place to anything or anyone.

In the story of the Gadarenes we see that the men loved their earthly things more then Jesus. Even after Jesus cast out the demons they still didn't want anything to do with Him. Men are naturally lovers of the "things" of this world and of the God who made this world. The Gadarenes loved their "swine" more then having the Son of God in their home. Here is the amazing thing to think about, the Son of God was in the Gadarene's home land and they didn't want anything to do with Him. Are we any different today? We have more "things" then any other country in the world, but the obvious question is, how many of the people of the USA would give up their "swine" to have Jesus? If Jesus is not the most important thing in your life, then I commend you to examine yourself and see if you really are in the faith. Make sure you really are saved!!!

Christian's are the ONLY light of the world.

Matthew 5:14

You are the light of the world.

Christ made it clear that Christians are the light of the world. The Greek brings out the force of the statement stronger, it goes like this; you and you alone, are the light of the world!

Though the philosophers ponder much and the scientists test galore, the fact remains; Christians alone are the light of the world. The knowledge of man is purely mechanical and biological, and obviously no avail to the basics of life. Someone may say, "How can you say such a thing, we have more life enhancement inventions than ever before in history?" Yes we do, but, alas, they are no avail to the basics of life. Do not these grow worse everyday, marriage, friendships, virtue, morality, etc? Whenever in History have you seen "Marriage Guidance Classes?" I tell you never have such challenges arisen in any age. We see the Scripture fulfilled that says; God has chosen the base things of this world to shame the wise. Indeed, He has. We use DVD's, CD's, MP3's. Microwaves, Fax Machines, TV's, Internet, Pacemakers and Jetliners, yet over 50% of couples can't even stay married. Yes indeed, much shame.

The reason Christians are the light of the world alone is; God is light. Therefore, know ye not that the Christian's body is the temple of the Holy Spirit? Since God is in us alone, He shines forth and is visibly manifest in our lives, willing and working His light to the world. Thus, I say again; Christians and Christians alone are the light of the world! Amen!