Title: Restore Gratitude!
Contents
With only 40 days left in 2010, today we celebrate Thanksgiving Day. What does Thanksgiving Day mean to God's people?
Let the Israelites experience God's help through the 40 years of the wilderness journey. God makes the various feasts commemorate and keep through the words of Leviticus, that is, the law. First of all, we ask them to keep the 5 sacrifices so that worship can be restored in their lives and they can establish a perfect relationship with God. In addition, they had to keep the Passover in memory of the day they saved them from Pharaoh king of Egypt and allowed them to enjoy the present freedom. He also made them to keep the Feast of Tabernacles, so that they would know for generations to come that it was the God who made them dwell in tabernacles when they were brought out of Egypt.
In 1620, 102 Puritans sailed to America on the Mayflower to restore their godly faith. Shortly thereafter, more than half of them starved to death or became sick. In addition, even those who remained suffered from year after year of overlapping famine. There was no bright prospect at all. So they proclaimed a fasting prayer and clinged to God.
“God, take care of this life, help us.” This was not the first time I had declared a fast and prayed.
Once again, when they were in a very difficult situation, they thought they had to fast and pray again. However, while discussing fasting and prayer, a certain farmer raises a point. “Until now, we have been fasting and praying earnestly for God to help us. But now I want to think differently. Although farming is difficult and our brothers and sisters are suffering from diseases, I think we have something to be thankful for. Food is not plentiful and conditions are not as comfortable as in Europe, but we do have freedom of faith and freedom of politics. And a vast land is open before us. Why not take this and set a time of thanksgiving and give it to God instead of fasting? The farmer's words made a deep impression on those present. So, instead of proclaiming the week of fasting and prayer, it is Thanksgiving Sunday that we proclaimed the week of thanksgiving and gave thanks to God.
The night before his crucifixion, what the Lord did was to pray for the disciples who loved him and for all who believed in him to God the Father who sent him. This is to let people know that the death of the cross is not a death in vain, but the best gift God gives. So God wants to know that God lives and that Jesus Christ whom He has sent.
Today, on Thanksgiving Day, we remembered the Lord's death through the Lord's Supper without offering the harvested grain. On Thanksgiving Day in 2010, what kind of gratitude should we restore?
1. We must be thankful for being a child of God.
Children of God are those who listen to the Father's voice and obey the Father's word. He also said that everything that belongs to the father belongs to his children. And he lives for the glory of God. He also said that none of us will perish, but he will protect us. We must remember the field of life that God has protected us this year.
2. We should be thankful for embracing the kingdom of God.
Children of God are those who do not belong to the world, but to the kingdom of God, just as Jesus is not of the world. So he said the world could hate us because of it. You can be misunderstood and hated because you believe in Jesus. But don't worry. Our Lord will protect you. Where does the strength of God's people come from? Is it a substance? Is it honor? no. That power comes from holiness. That holiness makes it possible with the truth. Those who hear and obey the word of God become holy.
3. We must thank God for being with us in the Holy Spirit.
The greatest blessing you can enjoy as a child of God is that the Holy Spirit is with you. With the presence of the Holy Spirit, we can enjoy wholeness. Also, when you see the poor, you will have compassion and will not lead a life that God hates. And you will have a heart to love those whom God loves. Let the world know and understand these things.
4. We should be thankful for giving us a mission.
The purpose of a Christian's life is that mission. It is to let those who do not know God know that God lives and that His Son Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died for sins. That is why evangelism is the greatest joy, and soul salvation is the most valuable and precious mission.
Dear saints,
This is the dream our Lord had with God the Father before the foundation of the world and what he expected. In the name of Jesus, I pray that you will live a blessed life that glorifies God by restoring the lost thanks on Thanksgiving Day today. I pray....