Thanksgiving is a 365-Day Deal!
Hey Friends,
For a Christ-follower Thanksgiving is a 365-day per year deal. Our hearts are to be marked by gratitude. You have heard it said that salvation is more than we ever deserved so all we get is grace. It’s easy to say we are thankful, but in our culture it’s hard to live. If our hearts really are Christ’s home then we should be filled with thanksgiving for all He has done for us. An attitude of gratitude is at the core of our worship.
How can we worship a God we are angry with? How can we worship a God we feel let down by? How can we worship Him when we are not thankful for our lives? It won’t happen. We must develop a heart of gratitude in order for worship to flow from it. Would you agree? I am sure that depression and praise can’t reside in the same heart and mind at the same time.
“But Chris, you don’t know all that’s happening in my life.” I don’t, but one of the most awesome attributes of God is that, “He works all things together for good.” You can thank Him that He is going to make something good out of all you are facing. In fact, you worship and you give thanks by faith. You know God is going to move, so thank Him now.
Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” The future is unseen and hoped for. I’ll bet it will go better for us if we are praising and thanking God for what He will do, than if we are complaining about what we don’t have or the problems we face.
Come on, tomorrow is Thanksgiving – Praise God! Give thanks. Spend some time and list the things you are grateful for. I am grateful for you and I look for God to use us together to make a difference. I pray you have a great holiday and you experience God’s richest blessings.
Love you,
Pastor
4 Comments
I see a transformation of soul unfolding, as the Master Potter places the clay on His wheel, searching and celebrating beauty as it is bestowed. For truly He creates like no other, if we could do nothing more than just simply believe, embracing our Jesus nestled there…at heart.
A calming of soul, dedicated to a pursuance of His beauty in excellance, proliferated and sought for in all I know and in every circumstance. Thankfulness that must needs give all to Grace. An expression that is afforded, if one can take into account our frame and substance, in light of what has truly been given; Psalms 103. Understanding that none are above another, nor are we above our Master: turning from the trappings of self exalted beauty and follow hard after what truly begs celebration…His creation, not only as it reflects Jesus but also for the hope of promise…2 Corinthians 3:18. For is not, temporal exaltation, what provokes us to an ungratful attitude; begging to anger and disappointment? Strangling a greatful heart and blinding the soul to what Jesus has freely given us. From His Love alone.
Ezekiel 16:4-14. Believe this. Trust in His keeping and give thanks to a faithful Creator. In the thoughts of a thankful submission…1 Peter 4. This also speaks of bestowed beauty, governing our behaviour both to God and man, and the perfect opportunity to be thankful. Remembering not just for the day but daily, for His presence…resting on us.
Lamentations 3:21-29. Life lived daily and the work of a Master and Lord who is Love. I give you my praise God, in three, for how you love your children. Let it be the meditation of heart and words of my mouth forevermore for all time allotted to me.
My conviction and my list of what I am greatful for, be it ever so unconventional. I choose to, by faith, believe that all I carry dear to my heart is nestled there, In Christ.
Happy thanksgiving.
Right on, Pastor. God does work everything for the good. It’s so hard to remember that in bad times, but when we look back it becomes so obvious as to why we may have struggled through a situation, even if it’s just to learn a small bit.
I’m thankful for the FPC family that averages 3200+ people any given weekend and yet the staff cares about my individual spiritual journey and pushes me to go beyond where I am currently with Christ. Thanks PC & all the staff…as well as my small group leaders. I’m so thankful for FPC!
Another thing I am thankful for this day as I was just outside looking at the sky, praying, and thinking on the goodness of God. It came to me that adversities of life have a glorious humbling effect, a way to settle a soul for the work of God. Rom 8:28, if you will. Firmly imparted resolve to take our place among family, both christian and immediate.It helps one discern between the trivial and imperative necessities.
In the midst of such experiences however is an aching heart: that is just a thing, and the answer in one place for me today is Joel 2:11-16….And the Lord shall utter His voice before His army: for His camp is very great: For He is strong who executeth His Word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to Me with all your heart, and with fasting and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a meat offering unto the Lord your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: Let the Bridegroom go forth of His chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
Sharing also a poem written for my husband on a thanksgiving day in 2000, I was reminded and His Word does not return void.
This day of giving, I give to you with an excited smile
To love with you, share with you, dream with you
Here we are…..thankful for many things
Out of our love we will shall discover a beauty of life to give
As contemplation invades the inner sanctum within, I see this
Seeing the beauty within you this thanksgiving day
I smile
Knowing I have been given everything to complete my heart.
I am strong in the Lord. For His Voice guides my thoughts and my steps in all things and truly He is a light unto my path. This is a full thanksgiving and possibly unconventional….imagine a fast on thanksgiving! I venture to say that God is very unconventional and sometimes will not hesitate to show that traditions of man are sometimes to be left, and I think that is a beautiful thing because along with such a break comes His Voice. I love His Voice and I speak the words Thank-You God, for Your Presence above all things in this life. Putting You above all things is the preservation of the gifts given both great and small. Mathew 10: 38-42…..I celebrate and am in awe everytime that Your Word confirms that it is Truth and reveals the Word made flesh again and again…Thank-You for Your Presence Lord and that You are the Rock,Strong Tower,Refuge…Etc,Etc,Etc.