A Few Thoughts about Thanksgiving in 2020

In the midst of COVID-19 and the “reset” (PM Justin Trudeau), how do Christians respond?

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NET in everything give thanks. For this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

How can anyone give thanks in everything?

We have a Messiah.

We have a hope.

We have a future.

We have a salvation.

We have a constant friend.

We have a family.

We have a fellowship.

We have a forgiveness.

We have a promise.

We have a life.

We have a helper.

We have a peace.

We have a song.

We have truth.

We have a worldview.

We have a lifestyle.

We have an armor.

We have a King.

We have a gift.

We have a history.

In prison, still sing: Acts 16:25 EMTV Now about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

We can all have a thankful attitude with God’s help. John 15:5 GW I am the vine. You are the branches. Those who live in me while I live in them will produce a lot of fruit. But you can't produce anything without me.

What do we do? We must, by God’s grace, actively apply this advice. Philippians 4:8 NLT And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

None of us are perfect in this for sure. We need to remember this Philippians 4:4-7 NLT Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. 6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

God does give strength. Philippians 4:13 NLT For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Yahweh, who is the greatest of all counselors, has given us the Psalms to help us. We can speak freely to Him (Hebrews 4:16 MKJV Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.)

First an article: 5 Things the Psalms of Lament Teach Us About Emotions.

A few Psalms:

B1 Psalm 13

B2 Psalm 10

B3 Psalm 69

B4 Psalm 143

Pray

B1 Think about the ways God has helped you, then pray.

B2 Pray for our brothers and sisters who are suffering.

B3 Pray for yourself.

B4 Pray for the Lord Jesus to come. “Come, Lord Jesus.” Revelation 22:20 ESV He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

First Day of Advent

2 December 18

Genesis 3:15 MKJV  And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He will bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.

Sin had damaged the world. Sin brought punishment—spiritual death, physical death, decay, addiction to sin, pain, suffering, etc. To the serpent, the devil, God pronounced the curses of Genesis 3:14-15. The words in verse 15 reveal the promise of destruction to the serpent and a small wound to the Messiah. These are the very first words the Lord God brought forth in love after confronting Adam and Eve. Words of a coming Messiah who would destroy the works of the devil. Today, we see much evidence breaking God’s laws (sin) and the devil's ways has brought. But, the Messiah has come. We can rejoice in His victory over sin and death. Be thankful today for God’s promises.

Why Am I Thankful

As I was thinking about this topic, I wondered, “Why?”

What is thankfulness?

The opposite is entitled. But, what am I entitled to. Nothing really.

Choices do have consequences.

We are not necessarily thankful for things we deserve. We are thankful for good things that we do not deserve.

It is an attitude for things we do not deserve. It is a humbleness of, “Why me, Lord”?

My wife doesn’t need to make my breakfast, but she wants to. I don’t have to wash the dishes, but I want to. So, we thank each other.

This could be applied to many, many things.

2 Thessalonians 2:13 NLT - As for us, we can't help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation--a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth.

I’m certainly not among the first to believe, more likely one of the last.

But for this, I’m very thankful.

I have no physical brothers and sisters, but in Messiah, we are a very big family. We are not together because of a common interest. We are FAMILY having fellowship with God and each other. 1 John 1:3 WEL That which we have seen and heard, we announce to you so that you also may have fellowship with us, and our fellowship is with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ.

I do not deserve God’s love, yet He does love me. Galatians 2:20 WEL "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live. Yet, it is not I but Christ living in me, and the life I now am living in the flesh, I live in faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

I do not have anything worthy to know forgiveness of my sins, the times I broke God’s laws. 2 Timothy 1:9 NLT - For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time--to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.

I do not deserve grace, but I have received grace. Romans 5:21 WEL That just as sin has ruled in death, even so might grace rule through righteousness into eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

I am not entitled to anything of these things. I do not deserve them.

So now, I have fellowship with God, wife, children, brothers, sisters, an eternal home after death, many and many blessings more that I do not deserve.

I am humbled.

I am thankful.

Bad things do happen to us. But, as the preacher said, “We do not thank God FOR everything; we are thankful IN everything.”

A friend of ours had her husband brutally murdered. One night she could not sleep. As she lay there awake, she thought of 500 things she was thankful to God for. What about me? Am I thankful? How about you?