Encouragement

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Luke 17:11-19, “And it came to pass, as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
12-And as He enter into a certain village, there met Him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
13-And they lifted up their voices and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
14-And when He saw them, He said unto them, Go, show yourselves unto the priest’s. And it came to pass, that as they went, they were cleansed.
15-And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice, glorified God.
16-And fell (threw himself to the ground) down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
17--And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?
18-There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger (not a Jew).
19-And He said unto him, Arise, go your way: your faith has made you whole.

1 Thess.5:18, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus, concerning you.”

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TWO GROUPS:
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As we come into another season of the Thanksgiving holiday, it’s a good time to reflect back and see just how thankful to God we’ve been for His blessings throughout the year. For even those blessings that came our way and slipped by without acknowledgement and without our pausing to say, “Thank You, God.” One of the questions I believe we need to ask ourselves is this, are we truly thankful from our hearts? Or do we just presume to think we are? With that question for us to ponder, lets see how the ten lepers reacted to the healing power of God that cleansed their leprosy.

When you think of the body of Christ, you can look at it in the context of being a whole 100% body. God see’s everything from His perspective in wholeness. When you look at the nine lepers who went their way without acknowledging the Lord Jesus’ touch of healing, you have one group of people. Keep in mind, we’re talking about the whole body of Christ. But then, you have the one who came back to Jesus and said, “Thank you.” In this, you have a second group of people. The nine representing 90% of the body and the one representing the other 10% of the body of Christ.

As we look at our opening Scripture again, it’s obvious that these ten lepers knew enough to know who Jesus was even though they didn‘t know Him personally. No doubt they had heard about the miracles He had been doing all over and when He came to their town, they saw the opportunity to receive their own miracle. Even today, right now, there’s a miracle of God either coming toward you or passing you by. The key is to have the discernment to recognize Jesus and to know your time of visitation so you can reach out and receive your miracle.

These ten lepers were desparate for a miracle as they called out to Jesus. Its possible that they recognized their time of visitation and they didn‘t want Jesus to pass them by without receiving from the anointing on Him. “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him” (Acts 10:38).

If the ten had not called out, Jesus would have left to go somewhere else and their miracle would have passed them by. How many miracles have we individually and corporately as a body allowed to pass us by because we either didn’t, or we couldn’t recognize our time of the Lord’s visitation? Jesus already recognizes each of us and He’s just waiting for us to call out to Him in faith that we might receive His blessings.

When the lepers called out to Jesus, they weren’t just calling out to Him to say, ‘hello.’ They were serious. They were in desparate need. They called out to Him because they believed Him to be who He said He was and they were expecting to receive something. They cried out from the pain in their souls due to the shame of leprosy, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” Have compassion on our plight and make us clean. And as its often recorded that Jesus was moved with compassion on people, I believe that on this day, He was moved with compassion for these ten lepers. God so unconditionally loves mankind and He so wants all people well and whole that He healed all ten of the disease of leprosy.

Sometimes, we cry out to God like these ten did because we’re in deep emotional, spiritual and physical pain and we’re in need of His grace and mercy on our lives to heal our pain. And sometimes because of our fear and unbelief, we come away from prayer wondering if he even heard us, and if He did, will He meet our need? The Bible says, His “ears are ever open to the righteous” and we’re told to ask in faith believing that we have the things we desire (Mark 11:24).

When the lepers called out to Jesus, He not only heard them but He answered them and met their need when He said, “Go, show yourselves unto the priest’s.” God loves us and He hears our cries for help and according to our faith, our needs are met. Even when sometimes God doesn’t always do things that make sense to our natural minds. This can cause us to wonder if He really knows what He’s doing? Sometimes, we think we know better what to do and that we have to give God a little help. But I want to tell you that God knows exactly what to do, how to do it and when to do it so that nothing but good comes your way. Everytime He answers you, it’s His love being shown to you. It’s His goodness being poured out to you and on you.

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GETTING IN POSITION TO RECEIVE:
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Instead of laying hands on the ten, as He did with another leper who said, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean, and Jesus said, I will. Be thou made clean. He just told these to, Go, and show themselves to the priest’s. No doubt the priest’s already knew what they looked like because of the leprosy so to their natural mind, this wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense. That's because the things of God are foolishness to the natural mind. They have to be spiritually discerned. Plus, we just have to take God at His Word and step out in faith, even when what He tells us to do doesn’t make a lot of sense to us.

It doesn’t have to make sense in the beginning for us to be obedient and set our faith in action. Our faith and obedience will always bring revelation of truth to our spirits because God doesn’t want us to be in ignorance. Thats why Jesus came as a Light to the world. He was revelation knowledge come to illuminate our minds and hearts with the truth of almighty God.

When we step out in faith on God’s Word, it puts us in the right position to receive our needs met. These ten men needed healing. They cried out, Jesus, have mercy on us. Jesus gave them His Word. Now, they had a choice to either accept His Word and by faith act on it, or they could become offended and reject it. I mean, after all, the least He could do would be to come by and lay hands on each one of them---maybe even give them a prophetic word.

Many people in churches become offended because the visiting minister didn’t lay hands on them, or maybe he didn’t single them out to give them a prophetic word. They leave the meeting being offended but who were they really offended at? God, of course. The minister was only being obedient to do what the Holy Spirit was telling him to do. Our part, when this happens is to first of all discern if the man and what he’s doing is of the Spirit of God.

The Bible says, the Holy Spirit will bare witness with our spirit. If this checks out okay, then the next thing we’re to do is get into the flow of it and by faith receive what God, by His Spirit is present to bless us with at the time. Fortunately for these ten, they got themselves in the right position to receive by believing what Jesus said and they were obedient to move out on it to go show themselves to the priest’s.

Can we do any different than these ten did when Jesus gives us His Word? If we want to receive our needs met, then we also have to believe His Word, accept it as truth and then be obedient to put it into action. When these lepers started walking off to go to the priest, they didn’t look any different than when they first called out to Jesus to have mercy on them. But we read that, “As they went...” As they were obedient to step out in faith on Jesus’ Word, their faith connected with the Word and the anointing that always works with the Word brought to pass the manifestation of cleansing and healing in their bodies. “As they went, they were cleansed.”

All ten lepers were healed and as they became aware of their healing with each step they took, don‘t you know they were extremely happy about it. The healing power of Jesus had touched them and they‘d received their miracle of healing. But the thing is, they kept going their way without ever turning back to come to Jesus and say, “Thank You.” Only one, when he looked at himself and saw that he was healed was so full of joy and gratitude that he turned back and the Bible says, “And with a loud voice, he glorified God.”

When you’ve been through something so horrendous as leprosy, when you’ve lived with shame and been labeled an outcast, you’re going to give a shout of praise and with a loud voice you’re going to glorify God. And you don’t give two hoots about who see’s you or who hear’s you. Praise the Lord! You just know you’ve got to give Him praise. Many people in the body of Christ today are being made to feel that they’re less than what they are.

They’re either told verbally or through attitudes and actions that they don’t measure up. That they don’t fit in with the standards of certain elite groups. This shouldn’t happen in the body of Christ but unfortunately it does. Some churches set their standards so high that many people don’t have a snowballs chance in the hot dessert of measuring up and fitting in where they can share with the rest of the body the abilities and giftings that God has given them.

This is certainly not all churches who are doing the sort of thing I’m talking about to its congregation. But even if its just one churches leadership who does this sort of thing, then its by far, one too many. We’re told from Roms.12:3, not to think (or have high attitude) of ourselves more highly than we ought to. God see’s us all as equals in Christ Jesus. I believe it’s time that each of us begins asking to see each other from God’s perspective because when we do, we’ll always look at our brothers and sisters through the “eyes of love” for God is love (1 John 4:8).

If you’re one of those people today who has been shamed in the church and you feel like you’ve been labeled an outcast and treated as if you have leprosy, then you’re a prime candidate for a miracle from God. He has a miracle of healing and restoration with your name on it. Set yourself in the right position of faith and obedience to believe that God loves you and wants to heal you and make you whole. Receive your touch from Jesus in this hour of your visitation because He’s passing through your town. He’s coming right toward you. Cry out to Him now, “Jesus, have mercy on me!” And watch Him, not only hear you but respond in love and compassion for you as He answers your need. Hallelujah to God, for He is good!

When the one came back to give thanks, Jesus said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?” He said, there is one to be found who thought to come back and give thanks and he’s a stranger, meaning, he was not a Jew. But now in verse 19, watch what Jesus says to him, “Arise, go your way: Your faith has made you whole.” He was cleansed and healed. He was made whole of the plague of leprosy. The shame was removed and restoration had come. That's a mighty big thing to be thankful unto God for but what about the little things? Shouldn’t we be thankful for those also? According to 1 Thess.5:18 that said, “In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus, concerning you.” That answers the question and leaves no room for doubt. And everything covers the big and the little things.

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WHICH GROUP ARE YOU IN?
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The second and perhaps the most important question to be asked is this, which group are you in? The 90% group who receives blessings from the Lord and goes your way without turning to Him to say, “Thank You, Jesus?” Or are you in the 10% group who is diligent to acknowledge the blessings of God and from a heart of gratitude, you say, “Thank You, God?” That's a tough question to be asked because most of us don’t really stop to think about this. We just assume that we bountifully give thanks to God for all He does for us. And this is not to say that we’re not thankful at all because if you’ve been saved by grace from a destination of hell, you’re most definitely thankful.

But what about the little things, the many things we take for granted? Do we stop to give God thanks for prime parking places He blesses us with so that we don’t have to walk such a long way to get into the store? And what about the favor He puts on us so that while we’re in a store, He leads us to just the right thing we’re looking for at bargain prices? To we say, ‘Thank You’ or think that these things should be just because we walked in the door? What about the blessing of being able to get out of the bed in the mornings without having to have help? How about the blessing of being able to dress yourself, comb your hair and brush your teeth?

What about being blessed with good legs to go up and down steps? We are so richly blessed to be able to do these things because there are many people who can’t do them without help. Some people can’t see to themselves at all. But no matter what the situation, whether you can walk up and down steps and all the other things, you’re still blessed and highly favored of the Lord. And we still have a lot to be thankful for.

The thing is, we want to believe that we’re very thankful and maybe you’re one of those who is without question. I also know that we want to show ourselves in a good light to other people. Mind you, I didn’t say before God. The truth is, nobody likes to see himself or herself in a bad light. Of course, there is also a fine line here between a person who constantly puts themselves down and a person who constantly brags about themselves. Either one is wrong and to extreme. Plus, it may surprise you to know that even a person who constantly puts himself or herself down is not pride-free. Pride can even hide itself behind self-pity. Oh, we’d better not get into that one right now.

The truth still remains that we desire to be seen in a good light in our own eyes and in the eyes of others. Thus, we become more concerned with pleasing people than we’re concerned with pleasing God, our heavenly Father. And faith is what pleases God (Heb.11:6). We also need to remember that every good gift comes down from the Father of lights (James 1:17). Those good gifts we’re blessed with come not from people, although God uses people for those blessings to come through to us. At the same time, know this, God is not as concerned with how we look to other people like we are. He’s more concerned that we walk in faith and in love toward Him and others so that WE can be a blessing. We’re to give out as well as receive.

So, it would be good for us to stop worrying about what others think of us and be more concerned with what God thinks of us. In making Him our first priority, He will take care of us before other people. Oh, I know this gets us where we live but the Lord stepped on my toes first in this and I had to answer these same questions and make some adjustments. Now He can step on your toes so you can do the same where its needed in your life as His child. He’ll show you where.

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HEART ATTITUDE:
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The question we all have to ask ourselves is, do I have a true heart attitude of thanksgiving to God? Or am I just going through the motions of it out of religious duty? Sometimes, we can get into a routine without being fully aware of it until he Lord opens our eyes to the truth. For example, we can pray over our meals and after a while it become something done out of duty, instead of joy. It can become something we mechanically do instead of realizing what it is to have true heart felt thanksgiving over the food we’re about to partake of.

We become ungrateful by taking it for granted that we have groceries in the house and in thinking perhaps that we always will. And by all means, this is what we should believe for and expect but what if you came to the point where you didn’t have groceries in the house? What if you were one of those families who didn’t have a meal to put on the table to feed yourself and your children? Many families who don’t want to go through this sort of thing, for one reason or another, they still find themselves in these positions.

We have to be careful not to be presumptuous and boast that such a thing as this couldn’t happen. When we’re able to make the money to buy food for the table and other necessesities are we careful to come back and say, “Thank you, God, for giving me the strength to do my work this day?” Do we thank Him for being our source? When God heals our bodies from sickness and pain, when He heals our children when they’re sick, do we think to come back with a heart of gratitude to say, “Thank You, Jesus, for loving me and for loving and caring for my family?”

Please understand, this message is not to put anyone under condemnation. We’re no longer under condemnation (Romans 8:1), but we’re told that in everything pertaining to our lives, we’re to be thankful. Are we to be thankful for the bad things? No. We’re to believe that God will ultimately turn those things the devil meant for our harm and turn them around to be for our good (Rom.8:28). We are a very blessed people and God’s will for His people is to be thankful for His goodness.

Out of the ten lepers, the 90% group went their way after taking what Jesus gave them and they went ungratefully along about their own business without so much as a “Thank You, Jesus.” Have we not been guilty of being so much on the taking end of things that we’ve not given back to God, our heavenly Father His due praise and thanksgiving? Yes, God wants us to receive all He has in store to give us but He also wants us to come back and say, “Thank You.”

Is this for His benefit? No. To give Him praise and thanks is for our benefit because we have to humble ourselves in order to give out of a sincere heart full of thanksgiving. So, did the nine humble themselves to come to Jesus and say, “Thank You?” No, they went on in their self-righteousness. Glad to be healed no doubt but they couldn't say, “Thanks.”

You can ask people the question, which group do you think you belong to? The 90% group, or the 10% group? Immediately, they will begin going down their list, telling you how they thank God for this and for that. How they’re diligent to always give God thanks. No doubt these people are thankful to God for a lot of good things in their lives. But at the same time where is the humility to confess that even though they are thankful to God, they have room for improvement in developing a more sincere heart of thanksgiving? And is it not true, that we’re all here to different degrees?

We all have room for improvement in developing a heart attitude of thanksgiving to God for all the wonderful blessings He gives us by His grace. He doesn’t owe us anything but He gives from His heart freely and abundantly because He loves each one of us so very much. He loves to bless His children but He also wants His children to, not only have the heart attitude of thankfulness for His goodness but to come back to say, “Thank You, Father-God, for your everlasting love for me and for blessing my life with all good things.” Aren’t we blessed when our children come back to us when we do them good to say, “Thanks, Mom. Thanks, Dad?” Of course, we are and God is no different with His children.

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WHERE DO I FIT?
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I know we’re soon to come into the New Year of 2003, its just around the corner. The time and the days are passing by so very fast because I believe that God is doing a quick work in this hour of the Church. Some people think its because we’ve speeded up but no, God is always moving and He’s moving a little bit faster these days because things are winding down and Jesus is soon to come back to catch away the Church. Praise God! Even so, come Lord Jesus! There is much to do yet but time is short and we’re admonished to “redeem the time for the days are evil.” So, let us be about the Father‘s business, loving God first, and loving our neighbor as we love ourselves. While at the same time, we continue to grow in our sincere thanksgiving to God. Obedience brings His blessings to our lives.


And as we’re in the process of doing this, let us all go before God, our heavenly Father and ask him, “God, where do I fit? Which group am I in, the 90% group or the 10% group?” Who knows better than God does? Who can see better than God where we are? We can’t see the truth as He does. Therefore, may we allow Him to show us where we are in the development of a heart of thanksgiving to Him. May we also be careful to extend sincere ’thank you’s’ to those God sends across our path to bless our lives

I believe you would have to agree that to know the truth of where we are is far better than to not know and remain deceived. Even if the truth shows that we’re somewhere in between the 90% and the 10% groups. Even if it were to turn out that we’re in the 90% group, its better to know the truth than to presume that we’re in a better position in our own eyes than we really are. Its better to know the truth so we can ask God to help us make the necessary adjustments in heart attitude. Let us not be like the Pharisee who thought himself to be righteous in his own eyes over the Publican as they prayed in the temple.

Luke 18:9-14, “And He spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others.
10-Two men went into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a Publican (tax collector).
11-The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God I thank you that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12-I fast twice in the week, I give tithes (one tenth) of all that I possess.
13-And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me a sinner.
14-I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalts himself shall be abased; and every one that humbles himself shall be exalted.”

In light of what Jesus said here, I ask you this question again, where do you fit? In which group are you? The 90% group or the 10% group? One thing I want to stress concerning the nine lepers who didn’t come back to say, Thank You, and also about the self-righteous Pharisee. God is no respecter of persons, in that He loves only a certain few, providing that they look right, act right, smell right, part their hair right and so on. God’s love is unconditional. It’s limitless and it’s for ALL people. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever would believe in Him should not parish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Jesus didn’t love the one that came back to say thanks any more than He loved the other nine who didn’t. Nor did He love the publican who humbled himself any more than He loved the Pharisee who’s heart was full of self-righteous pride. Jesus responded to each of them according to their faith and obedience to Him and His Word. God looks on the heart to see what the attitude is. To see what the motive is. Is it humble and honest and full of thanksgiving or is it full of self-righteous pride and ungratefulness?

He wants our hearts to be humble and fully submitted to Him in covenant relationship and communion. May we all, each one this day, make the quality decision of our will and by our faith this holiday season to allow the Holy Spirit to help us develop hearts of deeper graditude and thanksgiving toward our wonderful and loving heavenly Father who delights in doing good toward His many children.

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PRAYER:
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Father, in the majestic name of Jesus, I pray for each person that receives this message. I pray that by your Holy Spirit you would bring truth to our spirits. Help us, Lord Jesus, not to presume to be something we’re not. I ask You to open the eyes of our hearts to see truth through Your eyes. I ask that by Your grace, You would enable us to humble our hearts before You, giving You worship for who You are and to say, ‘thank You, for letting Your glory pass before us.’

May we truly be thankful that You freely and abundantly shower us daily with Your everlasting love, grace and mercy. We lift up our voices to You this day, not being concerned with what others think or say, to give You praise, honor and thanksgiving for all things, big and small. Thank You, Father, for the gift of salvation through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank You, for the redemption we’ve been given through the precious blood of Jesus.

Praise You and thank You that because He was raised from the dead by Your glory, we can say I have been raised from the dead also and made to sit in heavenly places with Christ Jesus, far above all principalities and powers. Thank You for forgiving individually our many sins and for choosing each of us before the foundation of the world to be one of Your very own children.

May we all in one accord lift our voice to say thank You, Jesus, for being my Savior, my Lord, my best Friend, my Confidant, my Healer, my Deliverer, my Counselor, my Peace and my Joy. To Him Who sits upon the throne, I give You praise and thanksgiving. I give You honor, glory and worship. For worthy is the Lamb Who was slain to receive honor and glory from all people. We bow our hearts before You, Lord Jesus, the Lamb of God, and the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and we say You are worthy of all praise, honor and glory and worship. From sincere hearts, for all You sacrificed to give us, we come back as the one did to say, “Thank You, Jesus.” Amen.

Plain As Day Ministries

Shirley Williams
11-22-02

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