Battling Ingratitude Part 2

Nick Minerva • May 24, 2021

In our last post , we saw the importance of gratitude and how it’s the key that unlocks the joy of the Lord in our life. But if gratitude is the key that unlocks the joy of the Lord, how do we live with hearts overflowing with gratitude? For that we turn to Psalm 103.

Gratitude Is Built On Humility

In verses 13-16 of Psalm 103 we are compared to children and told that we are dust. In verses 15 and 16 we are compared to a flower that blows away with the wind and is forgotten. Ouch. The truth is, gratitude is not compatible with pride. It’s been said that the foundation of gratitude is the expectation of nothing. But when we are proud, we have a lot of expectations. We talked about that in our last post. Those expectations are the foundation of ingratitude. 

But as we can see here in Psalm 103, we have no platform, no reason, no right to expect anything. Romans 1 tells us the only thing we do deserve is eternal condemnation. John Piper said,  “Our joy in God’s mercy is intensified by the realization of how undeserving we are. ” 1

Now, humility is not self-loathing. It’s simply acknowledging the reality of our finite position before God. And here is the beauty of humility: it draws the strength and power and compassion of Christ to us. Check out Mark 2:17.

Mark 2:17 When Jesus heard this, he told them, “It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick. I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

There is so much safety and life to be found in recognizing our nothingness. Because it’s in recognizing our nothingness that we experience the faithful love of God. After saying we are temporary and forgettable, David paints a beautiful picture of God’s love for us. Look at verse 17.

Psalm 103:17 But from eternity to eternity the LORD’s faithful love is toward those who fear him, and his righteousness toward the grandchildren.

Gratitude Flows From Experiencing God’s Compassion

At the beginning of Psalm 103, David leads himself to give thanks to God. He then celebrates and praises God for his compassion in verses 3-4 and 8-13. When was the last time that you marveled at your salvation?

  • When was the last time it hit your heart that God is for you? Romans 8:31
  • When was the last time if hit your heart that God took away the sting of death? 1 Corinthians 15:54-55
  • When was the last time it hit your heart that God is guarding you by his power? 1 Peter 1:5
  • When was the last time it hit your heart that God forgives you of your sins? Colossians 1:14
  • You were dead in your sins but God made you alive and forgave you all your trespasses against him! – Colossians 2:13

Yes, we are nothing but temporary, easily forgettable, dirt. Worse than that, we deserve nothing but condemnation. We deserve to be punished for all eternity because of our sin and yet God in his love saved us. God purchased us at the cost of His Son. Let me encourage you to grab a Bible and slowly read through Ephesians 2:4-10.

Jesus Is Praying For You

Have you ever stopped to think that Christ is currently in heaven praying for you? Check out Hebrews 7.

Hebrews 7:24-25 But because he (JESUS) remains forever, he holds his priesthood permanently. Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them.

Jesus is in the presence of God praying for your faithfulness and your eternal security. He  LIVES  to make intercession for you and to present his completed work on the Cross before the Father on your behalf. And because the completed work of Christ was satisfactory payment for our sins, God will never reject us. Jesus prays and God resoundingly says YES! So on those days, you feel like you can’t make it or go on, your big brother Jesus is praying on your behalf, cheering you on, knowing you will make it because HIS work is enough. After all, he has separated your sins from you as far as the east is from the west. 2

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  1. Piper, John. Providence. Crossway, 2020. pp 149.
  2. vs. 12

The post Battling Ingratitude Part 2 appeared first on Thriving In Exile.

A Creed To Remind The Gathered Church Of Its New Life In Christ

By Nick Minerva • 14 Jul, 2023
When I was pastoring I wanted to read a blessing over the church that would remind all of us of our new life in Christ. So I wrote this new life creed and every week I would read it and remind us of what Christ had done for us. We gather together as believers professing our great need We acknowledge that we have fallen short We confess that we are rebels who have gone our own way Apart from Christ, we stand condemned, guilty, and unable to save ourselves But what we are incapable of doing, God did In his infinite love, God made a way of salvation for all who would believe Jesus willingly laid down his life and received the just punishment we deserve So that could walk in new life So yes, we confess our great need We humbly recognize that apart from Christ we are incapable of any good thing But we also proclaim that because of the finished work of the cross we will never be apart from Christ We are forever secure in the love of the Father We have been sealed by the Holy Spirit All because of the sacrifice of the Son, Jesus Christ. We are no longer in bondage to sin We are no longer facing righteous wrath We have been declared holy by our King And nothing on heaven or earth will change that reality This gathering is a testimony to our redeemed state We pursue holy living to be an authentic demonstration of the love we have for Christ We believe that we have been empowered by grace to meet our every need And we gladly anticipate the complete fulfillment of our adaption and the remaking of this world at the coming of our Lord To Christ be glory forever and ever Amen

A Praying Church: A Book Review

By Nick Minerva • 23 May, 2023
Prayer is one of those topics that always seems to convict me. I have never heard a sermon or read a book on prayer and not been challenged. Even as I am writing this review there is a bit of imposter syndrome because I know I should pray more. In A Praying Church , Paul Miller writes about how to become a people of hope in a discouraging world through prayer. And he does so in a way that was very authentic and accessible. While I was consistently challenged, I was also consistently encouraged. Throughout the book, he takes you on his journey of developing a personal prayer life plus countless stories of ministries that developed communal prayer as a vital component of their life together. One thing that struck home with me throughout these stories was the reality that prayer always grows out of desperation for God. There were several things that I found very helpful in this book. One of them was the connection between a life yielded to the Holy Spirit and a vibrant prayer life. The power to do anything of eternal importance comes from the Holy Spirit and the Spirit moves in response to prayer. Paul shows us a biblical pattern we see throughout the New Testament. Prayer-Spirit-Jesus-power. However, this is not a simple formula to get God to do what you want. Another thing I appreciated about this book is Paul tells us time and again that the Spirit often moves in ways we don’t expect and that almost always includes difficulties. The Spirit enables us to look more like Jesus and that means joining him in the fellowship of his suffering. So this is not a “how to turn God into your personal genie” scheme, like many books on prayer. God often answers in ways we don’t expect and in places we don’t anticipate. This book is also full of practical help. I’ve already mentioned the stories he tells, but Paul also offers several helpful charts, strategies, and ideas to help put into place what he writes about (and lives by.) At the end of each chapter, he has a section called “A Word To Pastors” with a few paragraphs of wisdom to help them become a person of prayer and then lead their congregation to become a church of prayer. This book also made me thankful that I am a part of a church that has sought to grow in corporate prayer over the last few years. This would be a great book for any ministry leader who is burdened with the prayer life of his or her church. But it’s also a great read for any believer seeking to develop their own prayer life. Crossway was kind to send me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. You can get a copy of it at the affiliate link below.

Non-Toxic Masculinity: A Book Review

By Nick Minerva • 28 Apr, 2023
Let me start this review by saying everyone should read this book. If you've grown up in Evangelicalism, you‘ve no doubt heard of purity culture. For the last several years we have seen the harm that has come as a result of this sub-group of Christianity. In Non-Toxic Masculinity, Zachary Wagner does an excellent job unpacking its teaching and the damage that has come as a result. He explains so well the angst I've been feeling with the movement and how often the Church falls short and winds up doing more damage. But unlike many critiques, this one also points a way forward. We know what toxic male sexuality looks like. We see it in the news and unfortunately, in the Church. But what does healthy male sexuality look like? What does it look like for me? What will it look like for my boys? In my heart, I know what I want it to look like, but so often I struggle to find the right words to express it. Non-Toxic Masculinity paints a healthy picture that is (re)humanizing and ultimately looks like Jesus, who, like all of us, had a sexual body. Zach is also very transparent in this book and God used his transparency to encourage, challenge, and convict me. As you read his story you will no doubt find yourself resonating with him on some level. Every man should read this book for themselves first and foremost. But if you have sons, nephews, grandsons, or young boys in your life, reading it is a must. Non-Toxic Masculinity is a breath of fresh air that will prove to be a tremendous resource for generations. Thank you Zach for writing it and sharing your story to serve us.
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