Thankfulness

Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. (Psalm 50:14 NLT)
Call on Me in the day of trouble; I will rescue you, and you shall honor and glorify Me." (Psalm 50:15 Amplified Bible)

Doing Right

The danger
The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' (Luke 18:11-12 ESV)

The rebuke
"Listen, my people, and I will speak; I will testify against you, Israel. I am God, your God. I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices or for your burnt offerings, which are continually before me. (Psalm 50:7-8 CSB)

The correction
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV)
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV)

Live Normally But With Christ In Mind

A Christian should just live life normally, like everyone else, but with Christ in mind. How do we live with Christ in our mind? Two things - give glory to God and give thanks to Him.

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV)

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

Before we do anything, we ask, does it glorify God? If we always ask ourselves this question each time before we do anything, it will help to put a lot of things into its proper perspective.

And for everything that happened to us, we give thanks to God. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), the great Bible scholar who wrote a six-volume commentary on the Bible, was once robbed of his wallet. Knowing that it was his duty to give thanks for everything, he found, not one, but four reasons to give thanks to God for being robbed. He recorded in his diary the following:
"Let me be thankful, first, because he never robbed me before; second, because although he took my purse, he did not take my life; third, because although he took all I possessed, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed."

When we live our lives in this manner, we will be gradually transformed to be like Christ.

We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18 CSB)

Christian Living - Two Things

After we are saved, how should we live our Christian life?
Two things - give glory to God and give thanks to Him.

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV)

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

What happen to people who do not give glory to God nor give thanks to Him?

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Romans 1:21 NIV)

God And Men; Good And Bad

But Job replied, "You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?" So in all this, Job said nothing wrong. (Job 2:10 NLT)

Have you ever been in adversity, sometimes even to the point of death? Job said that since we receive good from God, we should also accept the bad. Just grit your teeth and bear it.

But what about the other side of the story? What is God receiving from us for all His benefits He has given to us? He does not get recognition. Unbelievers attributed all His benefits to amoral nature. Many of those who believe in Him does not have enough faith in His goodness and faithfulness and always resort to trusting themselves.

He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:45b BSB)

What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me? (Psalm 116:12 ESV)

Putting God On Probation

When Jacob's parents bade him to go to Haran to get a wife, he had a dream of a ladder leading to heaven. He was thoroughly awed by this dream but did Jacob accept God straightaway? No. Instead, he set God a KPI.

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you." (Genesis 28:20-22 ESV)

Did God respect Jacob's KPI? 

Christian Life - How to Keep It

There is a chapter in a book written by C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, where there is a chapter with the title, "Christians - Nice People or New Men". The link is a summary of the chapter and I think it is a good read for anyone who want to understand Christians.

I also quote from this sermon, "Sermon: C. S. Lewis on Christianity & atheism | Idler", which reflect on Christian life.

QUOTE
Do not think I am setting up baptism and belief and the Holy Communion as things that will do instead of your own attempts to copy Christ. Your natural life is derived from your parents; that does not mean it will stay there if you do nothing about it. You can lose it by neglect, or you can drive it away by committing suicide. You have to feed it and look after it: but always remember you are not making it, you are only keeping up a life you got from someone else. In the same way a Christian can lose the Christ-life which has been put into him, and he has to make efforts to keep it. But even the best Christian that ever lived is not acting on his own steam-he is only nourishing or protecting a life he could never have acquired by his own efforts. And that has practical consequences. As long as the natural life is in your body, it will do a lot towards repairing that body. Cut it, and up to a point it will heal, as a dead body would not. A live body is not one that never gets hurt, but one that can to some extent repair itself. In the same way a Christian is not a man who never goes wrong, but a man who is enabled to repent and pick himself up and begin over again after each stumble - because the Christ-life is inside him, repairing him all the time, enabling him to repeat (in some degree) the kind of voluntary death which Christ Himself carried out.

That is why the Christian is in a different position from other people who are trying to be good. They hope, by being good, to please God if there is one; or - if they think there is not - at least they hope to deserve approval from good men. But the Christian thinks any good he does comes from the Christ-life inside him. He does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us; just as the roof of a greenhouse does not attract the sun because it is bright, but becomes bright because the sun shines on it.
UNQUOTE

A Christian Testimony

Our Lord and God, you are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because you have created all things, and by your will they exist and were created. (Revelation 4:11 CSB)

Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God. (Hebrews 11:10 NLT)

All these people died in faith, without having received the things they were promised. However, they saw them and welcomed them from afar. And they acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. Now those who say such things show that they are seeking a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. (Hebrews 11:13-16 BSB)

A Christian's ultimate testimony is to testify that God always has his or her good in His mind. It will not be about how holy the Christian is and how good he or she is. Good deeds do not save a Christian. Bad deeds do not damn them. It is how God transform them should be the focus because it glorifies God.

Taking Up The Cross And Putting On Christ's Yoke

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it. (Matthew 16:24-25 CSB)

Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:29-30 CSB)

Some Christians believe that there are two categories of Christians, the ordinary believers and disciples. The ordinary believers are those who believe in Jesus and got saved but may not go to church or read the Bible. Disciples take religion seriously. They go to church, read the Bible and preach the good news. They are willing to suffer for Christ. So believers put on Christ's easy yoke while disciples take up their crosses.

Take Up Your Cross And Take My Yoke

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it. (Matthew 16:24-25 CSB)

Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:29-30 CSB)

Following Jesus is both difficult and easy. We have to take up our cross, which is difficult, and put on His yoke, which is easy. Losing our life is difficult. But if we do not lose our temporal life, how can we gain our eternal life?

Fearing God Wrongly

Fear (יִרְאַ֣ת) of the LORD is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment. (Proverbs 9:10 NLT)

The fear (יִרְאַ֣ת) of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10 NIV)

Fear (יִרְאַ֣ת) can be reverential fear (a form of worship) or the terror or frightening feeling that something bad or even death may come.

Many fear God with the fear of a tyrant. They do not understand the action of God, but they dared not question Him. Their excuse is they fear the Lord.

This is wrong. Present your doubts. Question Him. You can ask nicely. Or you can scold Him about your perceived injustice. This one thing I know. My God will tolerate all your insults (He died on the cross) and will answer your questions and doubts if you are truly sincere in wanting to know the answers.

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:6-8 KJV)

Job questioned God. He said he did no wrong and God punished him for nothing. God approved of Job's questions and answered him. But God was angry with Job's friends, who insisted that Job must had sinned because God was punishing him.

After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, He said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is kindled against you and your two friends. For you have not spoken about Me accurately, as My servant Job has. (Job 42:7 BSB)

When you refuse to question God by giving the excuse that you fear Him, essentially you are saying this:

1. I am right.
2. God is wrong.
3. But I have no choice but to accept it because He is the boss.

Of course you will say, "No, I accept His action because He knows best and I fear God." Whatever it is, examine your own heart. Please, do not fear God as you fear a tyrant. You are saying God is an unreasonable tyrant. This is blasphemy.

There are things that are clearly God's secret. And it should be clear that these are God's secret, not an excuse to fear God as a tyrant. But there are those that He reveal to us. We know the glory of God from those He revealed.

The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, so that we may follow all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:29 BSB)

Faith in the Unusual

When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? (Isaiah 8:19 NIV)

It is very strange that people would consult the dead (who obviously cannot speak) instead of the true and living God. Why would anyone have faith in the dead, seeing that none has ever come to life again?

Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?"
"I am in great distress," Saul said. "The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has departed from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do."
Samuel said, "Why do you consult me, now that the Lord has departed from you and become your enemy? The Lord has done what he predicted through me. The Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors - to David. Because you did not obey the Lord or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this to you today. The Lord will deliver both Israel and you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines." (1 Samuel 28:15-19 NIV)

Faith in the Usual

And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods. (Numbers 16:32 ESV)

The Bible is true but not all truth is in the Bible.

If someone tell you that 2 + 2 = 4 and you say, "I will not believe this until I find it in the Bible", then you will never progress in arithmetic.

The Bible tells us that the just shall live by faith. But the wicked live by faith as well. Everybody lives by faith.

When we take our next step, we never fear that the ground will give way and swallow us up. When we sleep, we assume we will wake up. When we sit on a chair, we do not expect the chair to give way.

We have faith in the usual. Typically, everything will just happen as per normal. Nothing extraordinary will happen and nature will just take its course. But Bible-believing Christians should transfer this faith in the usual to faith in God.

For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. (Matthew 24:38 BSB) 

The Subtlety of Faith - God vs Works

But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works. (James 2:18 CSB)

There is a subtle difference between having faith in our works and having faith in our God.

A friend shared with me that some troubles happened to him. He had taken some action which he thought was right but now it went wrong. His action is very logical. If I were in his shoes, I would do exactly the same thing. And he added that before taking action, he had prayed about it.

I may be wrong, but he gave me the impression that he expected right results because he had done the right actions (i.e., praying to confirm that is God's will). Thus now he is very confused and upset.

While it is true that following God is right, it may sometimes lead to unexpected results. We have to make sure that our faith is in God and not our right actions. We should just do the right thing and leave the results to God.

Jesus's disciples followed Him, but they ran into a storm. Right action, wrong result.

And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. (Matthew 8:23-24 ESV)

Obedience is Better than Sacrifice

But Samuel declared: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22 BSB)

Christians and Politics

Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they marveled at him. (Mark 12:17 KJV)

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. (Romans 13:1 NLT)

Should Christians be involved in politics? Jesus Christ and the apostles did not speak about the political issues of their day. They told their followers to obey the government of the day. Does it mean that Christians cannot be involved in politics?

Definitely not! Christians are the light of the world and salt of the earth. It is the job of the Christians to apply the Word to the world and to speak up against the injustices of the world. Look at Christian activist such as William Wilberforce who fought against slavery in Great Britain. If not for Christians like him, we may still have slavery today.

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. (Matthew 5:13-14 KJV)

But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men. (Acts 5:29 ESV)

Then why did the apostles not lead a crusade against slavery?

For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a brief time, so that you might get him back permanently, no longer as a slave, but more than a slave - as a dearly loved brother. (Philemon 1:15-16a CSB)

We have to remember that the apostles were laying the foundation of the church. They had the task of writing the New Testament.

Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. (Ephesians 2:19-20 BSB)

What Men Can Eat

Then God said, "Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit contains seed. They will be yours for food. And to every beast of the earth and every bird of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth - everything that has the breath of life in it - I have given every green plant for food." And it was so. (Genesis 1:29-30 BSB)

In the beginning, men and animals eat plant for food. All are vegetarian.

Everything that lives and moves will be food for you; just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you all things. But you must not eat meat with its lifeblood still in it. (Genesis 9:3-4 BSB)

After the flood, God told Noah that men are allowed to eat meat (Genesis 9).

You are therefore to distinguish between clean and unclean animals and birds. Do not become contaminated by any animal or bird, or by anything that crawls on the ground; I have set these apart as unclean for you. (Leviticus 20:25 BSB)
You must not eat any detestable thing. (Deuteronomy 14:3 BSB)

God instituted the kosher diet for Israel (Leviticus 11).

As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality." (Acts 21:25 BSB)

Since kosher diet is only for the Israelites, Christians continue with the post-flood diet given to Noah by God.

The cow will graze with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. (Isaiah 11:7 BSB)

During the reign of Christ in the Millennium, carnivores will become herbivores. But will men become vegetarian again? It was not mentioned.

Endurance, Perseverance, Patience, ὑπομονή

Now also for this very reason, having brought in all earnestness, supplement into your faith virtue, and into virtue knowledge, and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance (ὑπομονήν); and to perseverance (ὑπομονῇ), godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities and continue to grow in them, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5-8 BSB)

Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance (ὑπομονήν). And let endurance (ὑπομονὴ) have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. (James 1:2-4 CSB)

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance (ὑπομονὴν), and endurance (ὑπομονὴ) produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:3-5 ESV)

Bear Own Burden And Also One Another's

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.
Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won't need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct. (Galatians 6:1-5 NLT)

Brothers and sisters, if someone is overtaken in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual, restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so that you also won't be tempted. Carry one another's burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Let each person examine his own work, and then he can take pride in himself alone, and not compare himself with someone else. For each person will have to carry his own load. (Galatians 6:1-5 CSB)

Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
Each one should test his own work. Then he will have reason to boast in himself alone, and not in someone else. For each one should carry his own load. (Galatians 6:1-5 BSB)

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. (Galatians 6:1-5 ESV)

My friends, you are spiritual. So if someone is trapped in sin, you should gently lead that person back to the right path. But watch out, and don't be tempted yourself. You obey the law of Christ when you offer each other a helping hand.
If you think you are better than others, when you really aren't, you are wrong. Do your own work well, and then you will have something to be proud of. But don't compare yourself with others. 5 We each must carry our own load. (Galatians 6:1-5 CEV)

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden. (Galatians 6:1-5 KJV)

Bear your own burden. Bear one another's burden. Carefully scrutinize, examine, test and proof your own work so that you can have personal satisfaction of doing something well and do not compare with others.

Work Enjoyment and Ministry

Our lives consist mainly of work. We work for a living and it takes up most of our time. The rest of it, we rest or enjoy ourselves. For those who are Bible believers, we also find time for service to God. It would be fortunate if we like our work. If not, we just labour mindlessly or unhappily for money.

Work
We labour for money so that we can survive.

The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. (Genesis 2:15 ESV)
It was God ordained.

And to the man he said, "Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return." (Genesis 3:17-19 NLT)
When man sinned, it became a struggle.

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, (Colossians 3:23 ESV)
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going. (Ecclesiastes 9:10 ESV)
But there is mitigation.

Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal." (John 6:27 ESV)
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands! (Psalms 90:17 ESV)
A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies has no sense. (Proverbs 12:11 NLT)
A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies ends up in poverty. (Proverbs 28:19 NLT)
Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established. (Proverbs 16:3 ESV)
And also some advice.

Enjoyment
We can also enjoy the fruits of our labour.

Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. (Ecclesiastes 5:18 NLT)
So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 8:15 NLT)
Go, eat your bread with pleasure, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already accepted your works. (Ecclesiastes 9:7 CSB)
It is not wrong to enjoy.

Ministry
We serve the Lord with our life.

Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28 KJV)
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9 ESV)
Our Lord Jesus Himself is our example.

It would be best that our work is a ministry for the Lord and something that we enjoyed.