An Attitude of Gratitude - Part I: The Blessing of Gratefulness

By Dr. Bill Bennett

GRATITUDE IS TO BE EXPRESSED. Now, that is excellent advice because a grateful person is a happier, healthier, and holier person. But more than just good advice, this is a command from our all-knowing and loving God. Gratitude is not an option; it's an obligation. God knows what happens to the ungrateful, and that's not what he wants for you or me.

"For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened" (Romans 1:21). "But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy..." (2 Timothy 3:1-2). "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God" (Philippians 4:6). "In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18) .

GRATITUDE IS TO BE EXPANSIVE. We are told to give God thanks in "everything." Not just in "most things." Not just for "good things." But in "everything." Now a caution here is in order. Nowhere in the word of God are we commanded to FEEL grateful. Feelings come and go, and can be affected by the weather, your health, how rested you are, etc. The thanksgiving God commands of us has nothing to do with feelings. Whether things are good or bad, we are to be grateful.

Now lest you think, "Well, that may be easy for Paul to say," let me tell you that it was not easy for Paul, the inspired writer of these words, to say. He had been run out of Thessalonica at the threat of losing his life. He had been beaten, whipped, imprisoned, shipwrecked, stoned, and left for dead. Yet he wrote (in 1 Thessalonians 5:18), "In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Jesus Christ."

In Acts 16, we are told that Paul and his partner in ministry, Silas, were beaten with rods, whipped and scourged, and thrown into prison in Philippi. But rather than sighing, they began singing. I don't know what they sang, but the lyrics may have been something like this: "Thank you Lord for saving my soul. Thank you Lord for making me whole. Thank you Lord for giving to me thy great salvation so rich and free."

GRATITUDE IS A BLESSING. Because of their thanksgiving, Paul and Silas were enabled by God to rise physically, psychologically, and spiritually above their circumstances. Gratefulness is a priceless gift from a loving God who desires only the best for us all.

Dr. Bill Bennett is an ordained RCA Minister serving the Crystal Cathedral as the Lead Pastor for the Evening Service. This devotion is based on a message Dr. Bennett delivered during the Evening Service on August 15, 2009. (Additional scripture references: Philippians 4:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Luke 17:11-19.) "In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Jesus Christ."

Donna Sivachenko: Possessing the "Light of Life"

Crystal Cathedral People

By Dr. Jim Kok, Pastor of Care Ministries

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'" - John 8:12

Donna is a self-confessed talker. When asked to share her story with me, she warned me that if someone asks her for the time of day, she is likely to tell him or her how to build a clock. This quality adds to her delightful, lively, lovely personality.

Chicago is her birthplace. There, her mother and a terrific stepdad raised her four brothers, (one of whom was her twin, and died very young) and her. Donna's mother was a Ziegfeld Follies performer, and her dad was a genius at taking care of and fixing anything mechanical. When she was 15, the family moved to Texas.

As Donna talks about her early years of education, what stands out are all the grades she skipped, and how she started high school at age twelve. She clearly is intelligent and, to this day, a voracious reader.

She was an athlete, too, loving to play softball and other sports. Beside that, her spirit is dependent on music, and her life nearly turned toward becoming a virtuoso piano player. That was her major, along with English, at Trinity University in San Antonio, where she was a Cum Laude graduate. Donna's dad saw to it that she and her brothers were in Sunday School faithfully and, to this day, she is very close to God. She says, "I was totally immersed in God." She even took classes to become a Christian Science Practitioner, since she grew up in that tradition.

After college, Donna worked as a legal secretary, where she remained for twelve years. During that time, she was fixed up on a blind date with a brilliant accountant, Paul Sivachenko. When she was in dire need of a companion to accompany her to a party, Paul's name popped into her mind, and the rest is history.

They weren't on the same page spiritually at first. Paul was a non-participating Russian Orthodox. Donnawas a fervent and faithful Christian Science believer. It all came together after many years living in Beverly Hills, Lake Tahoe, and eventually Orange County, where they began attending the Crystal Cathedral. However, life was going to hammer them. At age 46, Paul was knocked down with a major stroke that changed their lives forever.

They were living in Lake Tahoe at the time. There, Donna had become a Campaign Manager for a neighbor, a real estate developer, who was running for the U.S. Senate from Nevada. Though he lost the election, she continued as his "right arm" as he continued to work in politics with such notables as Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. Donna and Paul attended both the Reagan and Bush inaugurations. Paul's first blow was a ruptured aneurysm in his brain. It did not kill him, but medical mistakes nearly caused him to lose his life. Then a stroke paralyzed his right side and took his speech. Years of rehabilitation followed with Donna the faithful coach and cheerleader.

In the middle of the crisis, Donna happened upon the hospital chapel, and decided to go inside. She sat down in the back row, took a deep breath, and started to weep. The tears flowed like a flood and would not stop. Gradually she became aware that a man had come in and sat down close beside her. He was lightly touching her with his arm and shoulder, leaning slightly against her. He just stayed there quietly. A warm and comforting presence, he soothed her soul profoundly. Finally, she stopped crying and turned to look at the man. "No one was there," says Donna. "No one was in the room! I know it was Jesus."

With Donna's persistent and loving coaching, Paul regained enough strength to do volunteer work. His mind was clear, but words were few and he remained partially paralyzed. In his long months of rehabilitation, Paul met God deeply and profoundly here at the Crystal Cathedral. In that experience, he and Donna came together in a wonderful and meaningful way - a major blessing within this painful loss. Paul lived 22 years after his stroke, going home to be with the Lord in 2004. Their son Roger is a young tech-genius who lives with his family in Boston. Geographically he is far away, but remains very close to his mother. Donna is a treasured volunteer, serving in a variety of capacities at the Crystal Cathedral. She was recently commissioned as a Minister-of-the-Day, serving Care Ministries. She is also a MAT graduate, and has been a ministering elder for 11 years. Her most recent venture is serving as the lead volunteer on Crystal Cathedral's "Soup Kitchen" team called "Monday Meals." She loves to help, and her life experience highly qualifies her to do so. She is truly a "light of life" in this world!

Renewed & Energized through Prayer Power!

Crystal Cathedral Ministry Staff on Retreat...

Is there anything more powerful than prayer? The Crystal Cathedral Leadership Team doesn't think so, and they made it a priority this fall when they "closed" the ministry for three days and whisked away the entire church and Hour of Power staff to Rancho Capistrano (Crystal Cathedral's retreat center in San Juan Capistrano) for a daytime staff retreat.

Prayer was at the heart of the retreat. Under the thoughtful direction of Dr. Sheila Schuller Coleman and Dr. Bill Gaultiere, staff members were given time and space to be alone with God each day midst the beauty of a sparkling lake, grassy hills, warming sun, and singing birds.

These times of "solitude and silence" were carefully prefaced with an encouraging message designed to help staff members personalize the ministry's new Mission Statement, focusing on what God was saying to them about:

• The possibilities in their lives.

• Their relationship with Jesus Christ.

• Becoming the person God dreams, desires, and designed them to be.

When asked what the highlight of the retreat was, many staff members shared how much closer they felt to fellow ministry team members after sharing what God had revealed during their alone times with him.

Underscoring the entire staff retreat was the belief (prayerfully supported by Robert H. and Arvella Schuller) that a staff that prays and plays together is better prepared to serve the needs of its community members - YOU! We're renewed. We're reenergized. We're here to serve YOU!

Experience the Adventure of Two-Way Prayer

by Robert H. Sculler

I grew up in the Midwest where I had never seen an avocado. Even though I went to college and finished three years of post-graduate work, I had never even heard of an avocado! Then I moved to California and all kinds of people gave our family what I thought were the biggest, most unusual pears I'd ever seen. I tried every way I could think of to eat them, but finally gave up and ended up throwing them away. Fortunately, someone discovered my ignorance and showed me how to eat an avocado - and enjoy it.

Many people tend to discard prayer in the same way I threw away those avocados. They talk to God and it doesn't seem to work. So, they just give up. But prayer is an adventure! And real prayer involves both listening to God as much as it does talking to him. God told the prophet Jeremiah, “Call to me and I will answer you..." (Jeremiah 33:3). That's two-way prayer. Let me describe how you can enjoy the experience of this kind of prayer:

Begin by relaxing, closing your eyes and blocking out the distractions of the eye and the world. Focus your mind on something that calms you. When you are relaxed, quietly wait until you feel the stillness of God's presence with you.

Then ask the Holy Spirit to control your thinking so that God's thoughts and ideas will come into your mind. In a humble, expectant attitude, begin to ask God questions about situations, challenges, and decisions you're facing. As you ask each question, pause and wait patiently for God to answer. When you finish, write down what you heard God say to you in the quiet.

There is mountain-moving power in two-way prayer. If you've never prayed in this way before, why not start the adventure of two-way prayer today?

Go Deeper with Prayer

During Sunday morning services on Oct. 18 and 25, Dr. Robert H. Schuller, and Dr. Sheila Schuller Coleman will help you gain a deeper understanding of the power of prayer. Find out that, though God sometimes says, "no," "slow," or "go" in answer to our prayers, he is always listening.

Come on Oct. 18 and you'll receive a free, hot-off-the-press copy of the Hour of Power's 2010 wall calendar, which focuses on the Lord's Prayer. A special feature of this coming year's calendar is a description of the importance of each section of the Lord's Prayer, plus special stickers you may apply to your calendar that will help you keep track of God's response to your prayers.