Giving Thanks Always For All Things

8-18-24

Hoonah-Hadley

Ephesians 5:15-20

Psalm 111

Daily Verse Ephesians 5:20

“Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” My mother’s father, KPW, Ken Perry Williams, as far as I could see was a Godly man as much as one could hope for. He was humble, gentle, well spoken, highly respected in the community, the church and within his family for generations. I could go on and on about grandpa and what a huge influence he had on my life but one of the overriding themes in his life, one of the chief characteristics of the man was his gratitude, his commitment to giving thanks. At the end of his life, on his death bed, with my mother at his side, he shed a tear. My mother, herself a kind soul, gently wiped the tear from his cheek. With the lamp in his eyes fading, the last words he spoke to my mother, “Thank you.” As with all of us, we have the genetic disposition from both sides of the fence, but I suspect I got my spirit of thanksgiving from KPW, and I am grateful for it.  I know it comes from God, but grandpa set the stage for me and it has always been important, a priority for me to let folks know how grateful I am. The older I get, the more insight I gain into God’s kingdom, the more His Son and the Holy Spirit enable me to Give Thanks Always For All Things. We know we are moving in the right direction when we can look back on our lives, the brokenness, hardship, tragedies and defeats, see God in them, and give thanks. In fact, God’s word is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, it helps us, shows us how to live. God’s chastening is designed to save us from ourselves, and for that we can be thankful.

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“Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” As a reminder, and less we forget a critical point in our lesson, our thanksgiving is “to God” and in “the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” God knows our hearts, but the authority in our prayers, our words, our thoughts, our very breath comes from God in the “name” of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Don’t let our hardy, lengthy prayer fall to the ground lifeless due to our failure to give credit where credit is due. On the occasion of the funeral of my dear friends 103-year-old mother, and elderly woman got up from her pew, limped her way slowly to the pulpit, the whole while, repeating, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.” She didn’t need to give her testimony, her long, slow trip to the pulpit bear witness to the God that gives 103 years to one of His chosen, in the name of Jesus Christ. We cannot stress enough the importance of naming His name in our prayers, our rising and resting, our going out and our coming in.  Ephesians 5:15 “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise, but as wise.” We have in our lesson a series of negatives and positives. God’s word from beginning to end sets before us choices, options, this and that. We have the story in Genesis, “God created the heavens and the earth…And God divided the light from the darkness.” In Deuteronomy 30:19 more choices. “…that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing…” Psalm 1, 6 verses, a summation of sorts of the entire bible. Vs. 6 “For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish.” Proverbs is largely the epitome of positives and negatives. 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.” Do this, don’t do that. Vs. 25-26 “Do not be afraid of sudden terror…For the Lord will be your confidence.” Negative, terror, positive, the Lord.

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Concerning our lesson in Ephesians 5:15 “…not as unwise but as wise”, other versions use the word “fools”. Here is a taste of what Proverbs has to say about wisdom. Vs. 5 “Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her…Love her and she will keep you.” Positive, “Get wisdom”. Negative, “Do not forget…Do not forsake…” In other words, do this, do not do that. Vs. 7 “Wisdom is the principle thing; therefore get wisdom.” A few verses on the “wise”.  Proverbs 8:33 “Listen to my instruction and be wise.”  9:12 “If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you.” 13:20 “Those who walk with the wise becomes wise.” 29:8 “But the wise turn away from anger.” Proverbs is considered “Wisdom Literature”, have a look, for wisdom dwells with prudence. And by the way, there are 31 chapters in Proverbs, one for each day of the month. Need to replace a bad habit? Read a chapter in Proverbs each day and see the transformation taking shape in your life. And one more for the road of wisdom from the Epistle of James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all liberally…” Back to our lesson in Ephesians 5:16 “redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” To redeem is to regain possession of, to pay off, to rescue, to save from sin, to make up for. Author unknown: “The devil had his way with me for the first 30 or so years of my life. I’m going to spend the rest of my life making him pay for it.” Other versions of vs. 16 include: “making the most of every opportunity.” Piper has a wonderful go of it using the phrase “purchasing the time”. Time in Greek has two meanings, two terms: Kairos, the right or critical moment, and Chronos which is the actual clock time. In other words, to redeem the time is to purchase it, to see the opportunity before you and buy it! To regain possession of what the devil has stolen from you. (Gal. 6:10)

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Stay tuned for chapter 6 that we might gain insight into the battle ground set before us and the necessity of regaining ground deceitfully stolen from us by that wily loser. Don’t you know, our Redeemer lives!  Vs. 17 “Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Negative, unwise, positive, will of the Lord. This is not just wisdom literature or good sound doctrine, this is the road map, the ingredients, the directions to abundance, prosperity, peace, strength, understanding, rest, eternity, the way of the cross leads home. 1 John 2:17 “And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” There is a monumental price tag in this verse. Romans 12:2 is fitting anywhere, anytime, now is good. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Jesus Himself said, “…not My will, but Yours be done.”  1 John 5:14 “…if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” In truth, His will, will be done. Ephesians 5:18 “And do not be drunk with wine…but be filled with the Spirit.” The Spirit will convict you here, the negative, positive theme continues. Vs. 19 “Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” We’ve graduated from a negative-positive, to a positive-positive. Make a joyful noise. Vs. 20 “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” There is actually a “thank” offering and can be found in the Old Testament from Leviticus to Jeremiah. 2 Tim. 1:3 “I thank God, whom I serve.”  Hebrews 12:28 “…let us be thankful, and so worship God.” The psalter is full of thanksgiving. 1 Th. 5:18 “give thanks in all circumstances.” Giving Thanks Always For All Things, positive, positive. Enter His gates with thanksgiving.  Amen.