Which holiday is your favorite? I like Easter (Ress day) the best. I'd be a mess without that day having happened! Which one is not the one that brings in the most bucks to town for merchants? You got it, and that's the one right around the corner for us all. Are you and yours ready to celebrate this holiday? I am! You wouldn't even believe how great my wife can cook. Yikes! And she is known all around for her incredible pies. But if I ever get feeling down, I simply start thanking the Lord outloud and it isn't long before I see how blessed I really am. I think it is very difficult for any Christian to feel like complaining long when they chose to be grateful out loud to the Lord (and I don't mean that there is never a time to complain about something ligitimate to the right people in authority). Let's start now and be thankful this Thanksgiving Season OK.
Let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips,
giving thanks to His Name. ~Hebrews 13:15
Perhaps you don't feel quite like thanking the Lord right now. Perhaps you need to get some junk off your chest in prayer that's been bugging you for a long time? I say go for it and then thank Him (See Phil. 4:6). Come on let's face it, there's been a lot going on in the last couple weeks in Washington, in your town, in my town etc (I won't go into how I feel about all that has played out right now). But just the same ..amidst all the bogus stuff.. there are many things we can still enthusiastically thank the Lord for. We don't have to wait until we get "in the mood" to thank the Lord, for we are to do that "IN" all circumstances ..all year long (not "FOR" all the circumstances we face, cuz frankly not all of em are what should be happening..). We are to give thankst to God as we honestly express such gratitude IN Jesus Christ. God the Father hears us because of the cross and so that's the first thing that I am grateful for. I thank God for the resserection too.. and for my wife.. for our health, for our friends--yes you being there! I thank God that we live in a Nation where we can evangelize and preach the Gospel without going to jail. Who knows how much longer we will be able to do this legally. I thank God that He has an eternal purpose for you and I being here still, but I also thank Him that the rapture of the Church.. where Christians will be caught away in a flash.. could happen today! I thank God that praising Him in healthy too.
Billy Graham once said, "Nothing turns us into bitter, selfish, dissatisfied people more quickly than an ungrateful heart. And nothing will do more to restore contentment and the joy of our salvation than a true spirit of thankfulness."
A grumbling mood of discontent gives way to thankfulness
When we consider all God's gifts and all that we possess. —Sper
Really, let's choose ..in spite of it all, no matter what you're facing today.. to be thankful people in the Lord! Here's a couple Thanksgiving poems that I enjoyed today and thought you might also like..
For beauty in nature, Your glory we see
For joy and health, friends and family,
For daily provision, Your mercy and care
These are the blessings You graciously share.
So today we offer this response of praise
With a promise to follow You all of our days. ~Mary Fairchild
Here's another one..
Lord, so often times, as any other day
When we sit down to our meal and pray
We hurry along and make fast the blessing
Thanks, amen. Now please pass the dressing
We're slaves to the olfactory overload
We must rush our prayer before the food gets cold
But Lord, I'd like to take a few minute more
To really give thanks to what I'm thankful for
For my family, my health, a nice soft bed
My friends, my freedom, a roof over my head
I'm thankful right now to be surrounded by those
Whose lives touch me more than they'll ever possibly know
Thankful Lord, that You've blessed me beyond measure
Thankful that in my heart lives life's greatest treasure
That You, dear Jesus, reside in that place
And I'm ever so grateful for Your unending grace
So please, heavenly Father, bless this food You've provided
And bless each and every person invited Amen! ~Scott Wesemann
Please do have a great holiday; a prayerful one where you obey the promptings of the Spirit! He might ask you to share your own story with a relative or lonely friend, of how you came to faith in Christ. Remember, you won't be alone.. not even one day. OK, enough preachyness from me! Please remember to pray for the Zollenger family who lost Bill recently. Got a moment for a few more thoughts from my ole pastor Greg regarding this holiday? He can say it so much better than I.
