Terrorism, Race Hatred, Environmental Catastrophes, Financial Meltdown, Family & Societal Breakdown…what is there to be Thankful For???

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

A ProVERB is meant to be a VERB!

When I first started doing these Devo’s FB would only allow about 300 words. Then it grew and I also discovered blogging. The first 5 Chapters of Proverbs are so rich that I have decided to rewrite them. I will now be posting Devos from Judges 19 till we finish the book, Proverbs 12 till we finish the book and the rewritten first 5 Chapters of Proverbs.

Probing Proverbs 1:1-2 These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel. Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise.

A verb is an action word, thus whenever we read a proVERB, we should keep that idea before us. No matter the source of the proverb, for instance:

"A Russian proverb says, `When going to war, pray once. When going to sea, pray twice. When getting married, pray three times.'"

Funny as this is, it does have a point. Do not take getting married lightly.

Our Proverbs are from the heart and mind of God. When we read one, the most important question we should ask is, “What action is God leading to in my life?” Otherwise all we have done is added more Data to our brain. 

Notice – there is no claim that wisdom only comes from the Word – what is stated is that the Word will enlighten us to understand and discern what is Truth and Wisdom. 

God has given us His Word as the Tool. If we yield to the Spirit of God, He will guide us how to dig out all the Wisdom of the Creator, no matter where we find it. The Scriptures claim to be the source that validates all Truth:

2 Timothy 3:16–17 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

However, they do not claim to hold all Truth. There is a big difference! Much of God’s wisdom concerning Creation is not specifically spoken of in Scripture…yet “real” science…not theoretical science is always validated in Scripture. A “theory” is not a fact and much of what modern science calls fact is either wrongly labeled, i.e. – 

Dinosaurs – are not scientifically proved, but are historically proved through fossils. The argument concerning age is based on theory which has quite a few “assumptions” built into it. So when I talk about “fact” I am referring to those things that cannot be denied or debated:

•         The shape of the earth: In 700 B.C. Isaiah gave us the “scientific” understanding of the shape:

Isaiah 40:22 He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

•         Jesus confirmed that when He spoke of His return:

Luke 17:31–36 “On that day, the one who is on the housetop and whose goods are in the house must not go down to take them out; and likewise the one who is in the field must not turn back. “Remember Lot’s wife “Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. “I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left. “There will be two women grinding at the same place; one will be taken and the other will be left. “Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left.”

•         Notice that when the Lord returns for some it will be at night while they are sleeping, for others it will be at day while they are working! This validates that the earth is round. It took us a lot longer to understand that.

•         Humans, (both the learned and the unlearned) argued for centuries where the earth was and what was holding it. Yet, in 1000 B.C. Job revealed what the Creator knew:

Job 26:7 God stretches the northern sky over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing.

•         In 70 A.D. Peter, through inspiration showed us that everything can burn! God revealed that everything is made up of “elements” – this was way before man discovered atoms, molecules, etc.

2 Peter 3:10-12 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives  as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.

Elements = stoicheion {stoy-khi'-on} 1) any first thing, from which the others belonging to some series or composite whole take their rise; an element, first principal 2) the elements from which all things have come, the material causes of the universe

“The so what?” How does what we have seen change us? Well, each person will have their own take-away point, but let me encourage with questions: What do you really believe about the authority of Scripture? Is it subjective or objective to you? What happens in our life if we have no “standard” of authority? Whose rules do you live by? Yours or the Scriptures...or do you try and select what you like and ignore the other?