I realize that “Thanksgiving” is an American holiday, however, it
should be a way of life for the child of God. As we enter this season which
quickly moves to celebrating the birth of Christ, I felt led to encourage my
brethren to meditate only what we have to be thankful for. I will be posting a
series, beginning with a message I just preached.
Snoopy was throwing a pity party on Thanksgiving
Day. He muttered to himself: "How come they get all that good
stuff to eat, and all I get is dog food?"
Then perched on top of his doghouse he thinks about it
some more. "But it could be worse. I could've been born a turkey."
R.E. Marino:
"Thanksgiving is when one species ceases to gobble and another
begins."
The Pilgrims’ first recorded religious day of
thanksgiving was held in 1623. Plymouth had been stricken with a severe
drought. "Upon which," said William Bradford, "they set apart a
solemn day of humiliation, to seek the Lord by humble and fervent prayer, in
this great distress." That same evening it began "to rain with such
sweet and gentle showers as gave them cause of rejoicing and blessing God… For
which mercy, in time convenient, they also set apart a day of
thanksgiving."
Life can be overwhelming…but if we choose to slow down and reflect
we might see the jewels among the garbage. One very LARGE jewel is God’s
Grace. When I contemplate His Grace, this is how I process it: God's gift, Received
by our faith, Accepted by God's love,
Christ paid the price, Everlasting gift.
Grace extends to our entire being and existence. If anyone has
the authority to share about God’s Grace, it would be the Apostle Paul. A self-righteous
murderer, that also became a servant that was constantly persecuted until he
was martyred. What can we learn from him?
1. Grace brings Self Acceptance
1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I
am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of
them - yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
Paul knew what he was and what he had done; yet he also knew
that once he had tasted the Grace of God, he wanted it to fill his life.
This is not an excuse for bad behavior or characteristics.
Instead, this gives us the ability to accept strengths and weaknesses in a
balanced way!
Truth: My weaknesses can be His strength.
Dwight L. Moody said: "I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And that which I can do, by the grace
of God, I will do."
2. His Grace Translates to us
2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through
His poverty might become rich.
When you consider the riches of Christ in Scripture what do you
think of? Money? Cars? Houses? NO! the Scriptures speak about His rich
character; love, forgiveness, patience, longsuffering, gentleness and much
more. Churchianity has produces this materialistic religion. God’s
Grace allows us to become like Him!
Truth: My genetics does not determine my character.
3. Self forgiveness
1 Timothy 1:12–14 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has
strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service,
even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent
aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and
the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are
found in Christ Jesus.
Many believers cannot seem to move beyond their past or deal
with their present failures. This has nothing to do with rationalizing sin,
instead we are to dealing with it and its pain, but then move toward a future
with Him!
Someone well said, "There's one thing for which
you can be thankful - only you and God have all the facts about yourself."
Truth: Nothing I am is a surprise to God.
4. Eternal in it's effect
2 Thessalonians 2:16–17 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ
himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal
comfort and a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you in
every good thing you do and say.
Our view of life is usually temporal; God’s is
always eternal. The fact is, nothing that happens here can take away that for
God’s
children, the comfort they will experience will be there 1 billion years from
now!
"Two little teardrops were floating down the river of
life; one teardrop said to the other, 'Who are you?' 'I am a teardrop from a
girl who loved a man and lost him. Who are you?' 'Well, I am a teardrop from
the girl who got him.'"
Sometimes what we think is terrible may turn out to be a
blessing!
Truth: I can never remove myself from His grace.
5. Eternal in it's concept
Ephesians 2:6-7 And God raised us up with Christ and
seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the
coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in
his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
Here is where the believer makes a choice of how they will view
life! The fact that God’s Grace is eternal in effect is the reality, but unless we
Meditate and Think that way we can live outside of that reality. What Paul
communicates here is essential – even though we are here, still in the
fallen world, God sees us already seated with Him and showing us His “incomparable
riches!”
If we think like this, it places everything in perspective! No matter the
circumstance, it is only for a moment in eternity. Painful, hurtful,
depressing, yes it may be, but just for the moment. 1 Trillion years from now
this moment will feel like a “spit in the wind!”
Truth: No matter what situation I am in, His grace is ever
before me.
Let me leave you with a few reflections:
1. When you think about Thanksgiving this week, what will be
your main thoughts?
· Turkey? Off School? Off Work? Football?
Shopping?
2. When you think about God’s Grace, what does that look like?
· Salvation – then stop?
3. What does Growing in Grace look like?
Here are just some of the Scriptures to check out.
Proverbs 3:34, John 1:16, John 1:17, Acts 4:33, Acts 6:8,
Romans 4:16, Romans 6:14-15, Romans 12:6, 2 Corinthians 1:12, 2 Corinthians
6:1, Galatians 1:15, Galatians 5:4, Ephesians 1:7, Ephesians 4:29, Ephesians
4:7, Philippians 1:7, Colossians 4:6, 2 Timothy 1:9, 2 Timothy 2:1, Hebrews
2:9, Hebrews 12:15, James 4:6, 1 Peter 1:13, 1 Peter 5:10, 2 Peter 3:18
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