THANKSGIVING DAY
Thursday – November 24, 2016
HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY from Eastern Gate Ministries International and The Three Minute Word publications. Today is a national holiday in the United States that like many of our holidays has morphed from its original purpose. This is a day set aside to give thanks to God, the God of the Bible, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of Jesus (who is Himself God), and holy purpose to perverted unholy purposes. It is a day to publically give thanks to God for our individual blessings, the blessings in our family, in our Church, and in our nation. Unfortunately today the focus is the food, football, and beer. What has happened to us as a people? I am not condemning food, football, and beer, however what I am pointing out is that the focus has shifted away from thanksgiving to God to the things created by God (foods) and His creatures (football and beer). Let us enjoy ourselves today, enjoy the food, enjoy our family, and even enjoy the football game if that is your thing. However let us on purpose make God and the recognition that if it were not for Him who knows what our situation would be the centerpiece. He is faithful and merciful beyond compare.
I will return to our study and text in Ephesians tomorrow however today instructed of the Spirit I want to remind us all of the power of thanksgiving.
1 Corinthians 15:57-58 (KJV)
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
This verse enlightens and reminds us that in our “thanks be to God” comes victory “through our Lord Jesus Christ.” This reminds us that our focus must be on giving thanks to God and that the victory that we enjoyed for which we are giving thanks and those that lie just ahead are absolutely dependent on our thanksgiving and understanding and relying upon the reality that these victories are “through our Lord Jesus Christ”. Victories obtained in our own strength are often accompanied with sorrow but not those obtained “through our Lord Jesus Christ”. The Scripture tells us that the Blessing of the Lord makes rich and adds no sorrow (Proverbs 10:22). The victories are a certainty so long as we maintain an attitude of thanksgiving focused on the Lord Jesus Christ. With that hope, that unshakeable reality of certain victory, we must on purpose by our will in faith and in love be steadfast, unmovable, and continuously pursue the plan of God for our lives.
2 Corinthians 2:14 (KJV)
14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
Our thanksgiving to God causes us to triumph just as Jesus triumphed and this is a powerful witness to those around us. This shows the goodness of our God.
Ephesians 5:19-21 (KJV)
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
Notice that this passage concerning the giving of thanks starts with what we need to do on purpose by our will in our minds (psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, singing and melody) all focused on our God. We can do this because God’s reality is our reality, if it can’t affect Him neither can it affect us in Him. Then the Apostle Paul goes on to say that we are to give thanks for all things. Whoa! There are definitely some things I do not want to give thanks to God for and I am certain these circumstances are not the work of my God. Can I get an Amen? Let’s look at another similar passage.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 (KJV)
16 Rejoice evermore.
17 Pray without ceasing.
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
19 Quench not the Spirit.
20 Despise not prophesyings.
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
In this passage we see the admonition to give thanks in everything. I am not sure I like that one any better than the one before in Ephesians 5:20. Remember that in our thanksgiving comes the victory and the triumph over the wiles of our adversary. Consider the following verse as you consider these two passages.
Romans 8:36-39 (KJV)
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (Bold added by Dr. Wood)
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The world may say; “they are a goner now” but no, we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus. Don’t look at the waves boisterous as Peter did that night on the water, look intently to Jesus without unbelief. These circumstances do not separate us from our God and He will perform all of His Word, which is what the love of God is.
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
