Hi Faith Family,
We are on a roll! These pictures were taken from our brand new game played this past Friday night for our “Family Night.” It’s called “Học & Roll!” “Học” is the Vietnamese word for “study.” So we studied, then we rolled!
It a was super-fun team game where each player (roller) on each team had their roll measured, the best-rolling team was rewarded with the victory. We are on a roll! 
Have you felt that way—on a roll—when everything seems to be going well? Life is good when all the pieces are coming together. When life is clicking along and life events are smooth, it’s quite easy to enjoy the moment. I wouldn’t dream of taking that away from you on those occasions when you are on a roll. I am asking you to examine how you enjoy the moment of success, however. The Lord reminded our brothers and sisters in the faith so long ago how to enjoy such a moment, as he brought them into the land he had promised:
“For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills. When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. . . . You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he sword to your forefathers, as it is today.” --Deuteronomy 8
We are tempted to feel pretty good about successful moments, with the focus bent inward too much. It’s a subtle line, isn’t it? We should feel happy and glad when the abilities and gifts that we have been given by God are used well. Satan is all too quick to get in there and deflect that good feeling back to ourselves, thinking that we did it; we did it all. Such thoughts are all too clear proof of the selfish sinfulness in which we were born. Praise God that he sent the Savior to set us free from sin! Thank God we are forgiven through Jesus! This forgiveness has an effect on how we deal with good things that happen in our lives.
When we are blessed with success, large or small, enjoy the moment by sharing the moment in thanksgiving to God. It is the natural flow of thanksgiving from the heart of a Christian to the loving God of the Nations, yet this flow can become blocked by worldly thinking or devilish temptations. One way to think of this flow is by thinking of hot springs. Here is a picture of “Boater’s Box” hot springs by Lower Stanley, Idaho:
The hot springs flow into the pools below the box. But we found that the pools were too cold—some of the natural flow of the hot springs had been altered—changed. The pool had become cold. We had to restore the natural flow of the hot springs water to bring warmth back to the pool.
When we experience good things in life, let the natural flow of warm thanksgiving return heavenward to the loving God who gave those good things. As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving next week, take this opportunity to properly prepare yourself to celebrate Thanksgiving as a lifestyle, giving thanks for all spiritual and physical blessings your loving Lord drops into your days and hours. Have a great week!
--Pastor Dan
Prayer idea: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever!”