Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks, a time to think about all the things you are thankful for.  It is a time for family gatherings, a time to reflect back on your life and evaluate where you are and how you got there.  Whether you are a believer or a non-believer you have things that you can be thankful for.  

I believe that believers have much more to be thankful for, starting with God our heavenly Father, Jesus Christ our Savior and the Holy Spirit our comforter and teacher, remembering that God is one God in three persons that we call the trinity.  It is a time to remember how far we had fallen in our sinful state of mind without hope, doomed to a death of fire and brimstone and weeping and gnashing of teeth, like Sodom and Gomorrah, but for eternity, enemies of God without any way for us to change the verdict of spiritual and physical death.  But, praise the Lord, what was impossible for man was possible with God and He made a way that we could be reconciled to Him.

It says this in 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

This is the greatest news ever told and we who have received it by faith have received the greatest gift ever, God’s beloved Son Jesus, our redeemer, Savior and Lord for which we can praise and thank God.  Don’t forget God’s Holy Spirit who empowers us and also the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit enables us so that we can proclaim the glory of God as a witnessing tool to a lost and dying world.  Then there are God’s provisions, blessings and protection as well as His healing power along with His peace, love and joy and also God’s conviction and correction showing that we are His children and that He loves us.

There are so many other things we can be thankful for, I will name a few.  We still live in a free country with religious freedoms.  We can be thankful for family and friends, for pastors and teachers and jobs.  We all have testimonies of addictions and bondages being broken and what about relationships being restored and healing testimonies we can be thankful for.  What about the times God kept us from tragedies and painful experiences, accidents and devastation that we don’t even know about?  We can be thankful for how this country was founded for freedom of speech and freedom of religion by our founding fathers that loved and served the Lord.  Let’s not forget the soldiers that fought for our freedoms, many paying the ultimate price and what about our law enforcement, the people that put their lives on the line for us daily and also the firemen and women and doctors and nurses and other healthcare providers.  We can be thankful for our brothers and sisters in Christ and for the encouragers and for those that are faithful to pray for us.  I am sure I haven’t mentioned everything, what about being fearfully and wonderfully made.

I think I got the message across and I think you could think of more things, so feel free to add to this list and don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord in all things for He is worthy.  I wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving.  I hope this encouraged you and gave you something to think about.  God bless you and yours and have a super day!!

PS for those that can’t thank the Lord for all of these things and want to, please pray this prayer:  ‘God I know that I would like to thank you for all these things from my heart in all seriousness but I know I can’t.  I acknowledge that I am a sinner in need of your saving grace and forgiveness.  I am sorry for my sins, please forgive me and be my Lord and Savior.  Free me from the bondage of sin and all the addictions in my life and make me a new creation in you and flood my soul with your peace, love and joy.  I thank you and praise you Lord in Jesus’ name I pray, amen!!’

If you were truly sincere, welcome to the family of God, now go share what you have done and what the Lord has done for you and start growing in your new found faith.  Pray for a God fearing, Bible believing church where you can go and grow.  Now you can thank the Lord from the heart for all the things listed above and more and I hope you will!!