The After-Oakdale Chronicles

the perfect day to remember to be thankful in any circumstance.

“…give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV

Our initial response to Paul’s teaching may be that it is sometimes difficult to be thankful in every circumstance that we may find ourselves in, especially the extremely negative ones. It is important to note that Paul was not teaching us that we should be thankful for bad things that happen to us, but in those things, and there is a big difference between those two words.

God certainly does not expect us to be thankful for misfortunes that occur in our lives or for tragedies that bring us sorrow. Nor does He expect us to be thankful for negative circumstances that can be created as a result of situations in which we have succumbed to temptation or evil thoughts or actions.

What Paul was teaching was that we need to be thankful in any circumstance, for God is with us at all times. Armed with this knowledge, whether a negative circumstance in our lives is a natural occurrence or the result of our own thoughtless behavior, we can be thankful that God is there to help us.

We only need to reach out to Him in prayer and ask.

He will not always make a bad situation go away. But with trust in the Lord, we will find that no matter what our circumstances may be, something good can be learned from them or gotten out of them.

When our lives cause us to be unhappy for our circumstances, we need to turn to God and be happy in our circumstances.

There is an old saying that goes, “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.”

Today is the perfect day to be thankful to God and ask Him to help you build a lemonade stand.

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

the day to think about the glory of God that was revealed in Jesus Christ.

“Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him.”  Luke 9:32 NASB

Everywhere we look, we see proof of God’s hand in creation, but nowhere is the beauty God created more spectacularly evident than when viewed from high up in the mountains.

It is no wonder that Jesus liked to go there often to pray. Peter and the brothers James and John were the three disciples who were closest to Jesus and He invited them to accompany Him up a mountain one day to pray with Him.

Imagine the incredible honor of being one of these men who has already seen Jesus walk on water, heal many people, and feed thousands of others with just a few fish and loaves of bread. Now imagine accompanying Him to a high mountain to pray and witnessing His clothes transform to a dazzling, blinding white as He is joined by Moses and Elijah.

And if that were not enough, further imagine the bright cloud overshadowing them, out of which comes the voice of God proclaiming, “…This is My Son, My Chosen One. Listen to Him.” (Luke 9:35 NLT).

Let us all try to imagine ourselves there at that moment, experiencing the glory of being surrounded by the physical beauty of the world that God created while in the presence of Moses, who represented the law, Elijah, who represented the prophets, and Jesus, whom God’s voice has just singled out as being the long-awaited Messiah.

The Chosen One.

What glory!

What an honor!

Each one of us has been invited to share in the glory of God that was revealed in Jesus Christ. All we have to do is lay our burdens of sin at the Cross, accept Jesus Christ as our savior, and become true and faithful followers of Him.

And today is the best of days to start.

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

a perfect day for sharing.

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”  1 Timothy 6:17 NIV

The Roman statesman Seneca once said, “This is the law of benefits between men; the one ought to forget at once what he has given, and the other ought never to forget what he has received.”

Sharing what we have with another who is in need is something we can do which God finds extremely pleasing. Some of us may find it awkward or difficult at first to reach out to others and share with them. We may be uncomfortable because we are unaccustomed to it. Perhaps we are uncertain of what to share or how to share. We may find ourselves holding back because we are afraid that it is too little, or the wrong thing, or the wrong time.

What we may be doing is complicating something that is actually not complicated at all. We simply need to follow the instruction given in the Bible which says, “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” (Hebrews 13:16 NIV).

With a little patience, a little practice, and a little prayer, we can all become experts at pleasing God through sharing with others, helping ourselves to mature as Christians at the same time.

Whether it is food, clothing, shelter, money, or simply our time, giving a gift of ourselves to another is giving a gift of love to God.

In this busy world, many of us would place our time at the bottom of that list of things we have available to share, but take the time and give it to someone else who needs it. We may just find that the Lord will reward us by helping us enjoy the time we have left even more.

Volunteering to help the blind or the elderly, to work in a thrift shop, at a church mission that feeds the poor, or by simply mowing an elderly neighbor’s lawn or helping to repair a broken fence can send a message of God’s love that will be clearly heard and deeply appreciated.

All one need do is look around and it is easy to find ways to share with others. Reading the Bible daily will help to motivate us and to find other ways to share as well, such as sharing God’s glory.

Joining and being active in a church is the best way to accomplish all of the above methods of sharing, for as the Bible says, “And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had.” (Acts 2:44 NLT).

Food, clothing, money, time and the glory of Jesus Christ. Use God’s gift of today to share yourself with others.

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

a good day to find courage in God.

“…for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and said to them, ‘Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid’.”  Mark 6:50 NASB

No one makes it through life without experiencing fear.

There is no shame in it, nor is it a sign of weakness. It is a human response to something unknown or dangerous. Fear – like all who encounter it – comes in all shapes and sizes. For some, it is small and comes in the shape of a spider. For others, it may be as large as, and in the shape of, an airplane. It can be fear of a specific thing or of a particular situation such as a job interview, moving to a new city, speaking in public or starting in at a new school.

The question is not the size, shape or source of our fear.

The question is how do we confront it? Where do we draw the courage to deal with it?

Let’s place ourselves in the boat with the disciples in the middle of the Sea of Galilee as they rowed toward Gennesaret. They were more than likely discussing the incredible events of the day. They had just witnessed the man they had chosen to follow – a man they did not fully understand, or believe yet – as He fed thousands of people from a meager supply of five loaves of bread and two fish.

As they discussed this miraculous event in the darkest of night three or four miles from shore, a fierce storm descended upon them, tossing their little craft about and filling them with fear. Suddenly, out of the darkness, they see this same man walking toward them – on the water!

Full of fear just moments before, now they must have been terrified. They thought they were seeing a ghost.

But Jesus told them, “Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.”

Whereupon He climbed into the boat then calmed the wind and the sea. With calm restored, the disciples took courage from the presence of the Lord.

And so it is with each one of us. We can all take courage from the presence of the Lord.

We must know that we can all rely on the Lord for courage no matter what fear we are facing and no matter what sudden storms crop up in our lives. And although new things can be exciting, they can be frightening as well.

Imagine the trepidation Joshua must have felt when he succeeded Moses as Israel’s leader. How would any of us feel if our new job description included leading two million people into a strange land? A land that would need to be conquered to boot.

As Joshua looked out on that sea of expectant faces, one can imagine the fear he might have felt were it not for the assurance of God when He told Joshua, “No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you. Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous.” (Joshua 1:5-7a NLT).

The rest of the Book of Joshua in the Bible chronicles the fulfillment of Joshua’s obligation and God’s promise to him to help fulfill it. The reading of it reveals the courage Joshua exhibited as he faced the daunting task before him by trusting God and following His direction.

When we are afraid, we need to look to God.

When we think we are alone to face our fears, we must turn to God.

When we have momentarily lost our way and are afraid we cannot find our way back, we must rely on God.

Take your courage from God and you will have everything you need to face your fears. He will not fail us and He will never abandon us.

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

a good day to set the world on fire.

“And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”  Romans 12:2 KJV

“Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.”

With these words, St. Catherine of Siena summed up the purpose of the life of each and every human being. But how do we know who God meant us to be? The best place to look for that answer is in the Holy Bible, of course.

The Bible tells us first and foremost that, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27 NASB).

Since God has no physical body, when Moses was telling the story of creation to the people of Israel, he was trying to teach them that God created us to reflect the goodness of His character. We do this by showing others the love, patience, kindness, compassion, faithfulness and forgiveness that God has placed in each of us.

Up to the latter part of the 1800’s, the ability of any one individual to influence large numbers of people was limited by the primitive modes of travel and communication that were available. Since then, that ability has grown exponentially until, in today’s world, what we say, what we do, and who we are can have an almost instantaneous impact around the world.

This capability makes it crucial that we take the time to reflect on what our behavior tells others about who we are and what we believe.

If we are dedicated to being who God meant us to be, our behavior will mirror the true character of God and our ability to ignite the desire in others to reflect that character will be assured. As neighbor sees neighbor reflecting the character of God, the world will be set on fire with the passion of everyone striving to be who God meant them to be.

A world inhabited only by people who live, act, and behave as God intended us to would surely resemble heaven on Earth.

Impossible?

As the angel of the Lord informed Mary, “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” (Luke 1:37 KJV).

It is very easy to look around us and become discouraged. But it is just as easy to look within at what God has placed inside each one of us and be who He meant us to be. If each of us becomes that person, we will be amazed at what we can do.

We could very well be the match that sets the world on fire with a passion for God.

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

a good day to pursue godliness.

“But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.”  1 Timothy 6:11 NASB

Paul’s instruction to Timothy to “pursue… godliness” was no casual use of words, nor should it be taken as such by those of us seeking to grow in our faith as maturing Christians.

We should aspire to become living examples for others to follow and if we expect that to happen, we must actively pursue the knowledge, wisdom and guidance that the Bible contains and apply all that we learn to our daily lives.

Learning is not a passive act, nor is it possible to attain godliness without actively pursuing it.

A nationally published survey once estimated that 75% of all American households were in possession of at least one Bible. While it is a definitive first step, owning a Bible is only the first small step in what ideally will turn into a lifelong walk with God.

One need only look around, read the newspaper and popular magazines, watch the news and examine what constitutes the highest rated television programming, to get a very real sense that the first small step is the only step that many of us have ever taken.

It does no good to proclaim to being in possession of the Word of God unless it is being used to help us find God’s hand in order that He might hold tightly onto ours and show us where to walk safely and in a manner that reflects His gentle, loving manner.

To help us know if we are pursuing godliness, we can ask ourselves the following questions:

Do I live my life in a manner that reflects my desire to share my faith with others?

Do I live in a manner that enables me to proudly hold my life up to others as an example of the peace, joy, happiness and fulfillment that comes from living a godly life?

Am I an individual that others look to in times of trouble to provide comfort, strength, compassion, fellowship and understanding as only godliness can provide?

Hopefully our answers are all “yes.” But if not, we need only be more active in our pursuit of godliness.

Read the Bible daily for the help it will provide and pray to God asking for guidance, for the Bible says, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” (Matthew 7:7 KJV).

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

the perfect day to celebrate God’s gift of Hope.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

The dictionary offers one definition of “hope” as, “a desire supported by confidence of fulfillment.”

God offers each one of us hope as well as a future. With God as the One offering it, we can definitely have confidence in its fulfillment.

The question is, do we really desire what God is offering?

We must also ask ourselves if we are ready, willing and able to pay the price.

First of all, we need to clearly understand what is represented in the hope that God plans to give us. It is the hope for our salvation and eternal life in His Kingdom. The future is one of indescribable peace, joy and happiness if we are only ready and willing to accept it and are able to pay the price. Part of the price for the salvation of our sinful souls and an eternal life of indescribable peace, joy and happiness is blood.

But the blood was the blood of Jesus and it has already been paid on our behalf.

Since Jesus Christ made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf, what sort of payment, then, is required of us?

Belief.

Our payment is the belief that Jesus Christ is our savior and only Jesus can lead us to a good relationship with God. Our payment is our faith.

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9 NLT).

That’s it? We simply need to believe?

Yes

That is all we need do to receive God’s gift of hope and His plan for a future. It is not hard, expensive or complicated. It can be a little overwhelming at times, though, because once we accept that Jesus Christ is Lord, we will find that the desire to change the way we think, act and live will be powerful. What we must do, then, is become faithful followers of God.

Read the Holy Bible daily to look for God’s guidance on how to fulfill His plans for us. Pray for His wisdom and ask Him to guide you on your new path. Think about what you read and listen for the sound of His voice.

Faith is not always easy and the path we have chosen is not always smooth and obstacle-free. We will stumble, we will stagger, we may even fall.

Not to worry, though. God’s patience is legendary. He will help us with our struggles and support us through our trials. He promises to give us hope and a future and we can be assured that He will fulfill that promise.

Enjoy God’s gift of Today and thank Him for the hope and the future that He is holding out to all of us who are ready to accept it.

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

a good day to see God at work.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God…”  Romans 8:28 KJV

God has a hand in everything that takes place around us.

Nothing escapes His attention. His eye is constantly on His purpose, and not necessarily our happiness, so we might not always be completely satisfied with everything that happens in our lives.

If we are fortunate enough to have accepted Jesus Christ as our savior and are willing to place our very existence in God’s hands, we will know that regardless of what may happen around us, or to us, God is working for the good of all who love Him and trust in Him.

Perhaps we need to hang a sign in our homes to remind us:

“GOD AT WORK – PATIENCE REQUIRED”

As true children of God, we must accept the fact that what we want may not be what is good for those around us and may not fit in with God’s plans. We must constantly remind ourselves that God works for the good of everyone, and what He sees is often different from what we would like to see.

As Christians, we have freedom, but we need to be sensitive to the freedom of others as well.

It is part of our nature as human beings and as God’s children to ask for things from the Father, but as maturing Christians we also need to realize that we need to ask God for guidance in helping us see how we fit into His plans, and how we fit His purpose.

We should also be aware that evil is all around us in today’s world.

It should come as no surprise that occasionally some harm may befall us. It is during these times that we must fully trust God and know that He can make good things come from evil. As evidence of this, we only need to look to the Bible and read the story of Joseph and the hardships he endured.

Betrayal by his brothers; being imprisoned for doing the right thing when he resisted sexual temptation. It would have been easy for him to throw up his hands in frustration and ask, “Why me?”

But Joseph always looked forward and tried to hold God’s hand in order that God would lead him through his troubles. When he finally came face face with his brothers many years later, they feared retribution by him.

Instead, Joseph showed them love and told them, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” (Genesis 50:20 NLT).

We need only have unshakeable, unwavering faith in God’s wisdom and trust His love for us. That way we will know that He will always be working for the good of all of us.

It may take some effort on our part now and then to understand, but if we ask God for the patience to wait for His purpose, we will see that His purpose is good and He is working for the good of everyone.

God is always at work in the lives of those who have faith, and today is a good day to see that.

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

a good day to praise God.

“Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the people.”  1 Chronicles 16:8 KJV

Very often, our prayers to God are filled with requests for help for ourselves and others, and that is perfectly acceptable to God. He wants us to give Him our troubles in order that our reliance upon Him may grow.

It is equally important to,“Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts.” (1 Chronicles 16:9 NIV).

Thanking God for all that He does, and all that He is, helps to take the focus off of ourselves and put it on Him, which is where it should be.

Praising God is easy if we have a good relationship with Him. In a good relationship, we have come to fully rely on God to provide guidance for all aspects of our lives. In a good relationship with God, our love for Him overflows our hearts and we should therefore be excited to share with others the way we feel.

It is very likely that most of us find it easy to praise God when the sun is shining in our lives and everything is going the way we want it to. It is equally important to remember to praise Him during the thunderstorms in our lives as well.

We may find it very difficult for our human minds and hearts to accept some of the trials and tribulations that befall us, but these times are when it is most important to praise God and let others know that even though we may be experiencing great sorrow or hardship we still trust God’s love, wisdom and guidance. We must let others know that we will not let anything undermine our trust in Him nor will we let anything shake the foundation of our faith.

Try to imagine how Paul and Silas must have felt when they were apprehended in Philippi. They were beaten, stripped, and placed in stocks deep inside the prison there. Despite the brutal treatment they received for trying to teach others about Christ and the salvation that He made available to everyone, they still sang praise to God.

“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.” (Acts 16:25 KJV).

In good times; in bad times; at all times, Praise God!

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

a good day to use your spiritual gifts for the glory of God.

“A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.”  1 Corinthians 12:7 NLT

A well-known radio talk-show host introduces himself using the expression, “With talent on loan from God!”

While that introduction is viewed as egotistical and controversial, it is actually a very true statement, as all talent possessed by any one of us is a gift from God. On loan, you might say, to use in service to God while we are on this earth.

Each one of us has a special God-given talent. Some of us may not even be aware of what our special talent is, but God will help us determine its form and its intended function.

These talents that are all “on loan” from God are provided to us, “…to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” (Ephesians 4:12 NIV).

It is God’s intention that we use our gifts together to build up each other in Christ.

Throughout the Bible, examples can be found that teach us how we are to use the unique spiritual gifts given to us. One of the most difficult things for us to adhere to seems to be God’s design for us to help one another, but let there be no mistake, God leaves no doubt as to His intentions.

Peter tells us that, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10 NIV).

Far too often, individuals with remarkable abilities in many different areas will see only their own desires being fulfilled. It is commonplace to witness exorbitant wealth being used selfishly and sinfully with no regard for others. Not a day passes us by that people who ‘have it all’ seem to worship what they have rather than worshiping God, who gave them the ability to obtain what they have in the first place.

We are not all superstars of sports, entertainment, or business, but we all do have gifts to use for the betterment of our fellow man. God knows who uses the gifts He gave them in the manner in which He intended, and while it may be frustrating to us sometimes, to observe other people squandering money on meaningless luxuries and items of instant gratification, we must ask God to keep us focused on His plan for us and the gifts He has blessed us with.

Remember, “The wages of the righteous is life, but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death.” (Proverbs 10:16 NIV).

No contribution in time, effort, or money is too small when made for the right reason. To build up God’s people, to make God’s creation a better place in which to live, to build up God’s church – these are the reasons God ‘loaned’ you your talent.

Use your spiritual gifts for God’s glory and you will be a superstar in an eternal life beyond your wildest imagination.

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson