Tonight I sit here writing on the eve of Thanksgiving 2023. in spending my time talking to God and all I could hear him tell me is "be thankful". It is so simple and yet so completely huge. If you do nothing when you read this, reflect on those words in quiet and see what the Lord brings to your spirit. There is so much we should all be thankful for especially in America. However, I think it is more than material things that we should be thankful for and while all that is great and you should be it is far more than that. There is so much we can unpack just in those two words "be thankful".
Just like everyone else I am thankful for my home, my life, health, family and every physical blessing the Lord has bestowed unto me. I do not discount those things because they are huge. It is just so much deeper.
I am so thankful for Jesus. I can hear some probably thinking here we go talking about salvation, but that is not a small thing. If Jesus did nothing else for you, if you lost every possession and your whole family and yet still kept your salvation; you would still have everything. Losing all those things would hurt for a season but not having salvation in Jesus well that is for eternity.
John 3:17-21 ESV
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
Jesus came to give us life, we have to believe which is more than just knowing he exists. Remember that even the demons believe and tremble at his name. (James 2:19) Our belief is a total surrender. It is not just a salvation prayer you repeat, while yes it starts with confessing him with our mouth and repeating that prayer but it does not stop there. It it is a total surrender and accepting of his spirit in our heart. It is a heart condition and a spirit condition.
Job comes to my mind. He lost his family, possessions and was stricken with illness. He was brought to his lowest points. His friends even tried to get him to give up on God but he stayed loyal.
Job 42: 10-17 (Bible gateway)
10 And the Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job
twice as much as he had before. 11 Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been his acquaintances before, came to him and ate food with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversity that the Lord had brought upon him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and each a ring of gold.
12 Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. 13 He also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 And he called the name of the first Jemimah, the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-Happuch. 15 In all the land were found no women so beautiful as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.
16 After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations. 17 So Job died, old and full of days.
I want to point out vs 12. The Lord blessed his latter years more than the beginning some versions read that the Lord blessed his latter years more than his former years or younger years. If that is not something to be thankful for I don't know what is. In verse 17 it says he died old and FULL of his days. Let this encourage you that maybe you have had a rough start to life but if you stay faithful he will bless your latter years more than your former. This means that as long as there is breath in your lungs there is hope for you.
As we approach Thanksgiving this year my prayer is that when you say grace this year that it will not be something you do because "its what you always do". I pray that your prayer comes from your heart and spirit. I pray that this year you truly understand your salvation and if you have not already received this gift of salvation that you take those steps to receive him today. God bless you all! Happy Thanksgiving.
Psalms 100:4
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
Lets Pray:
Heavenly father we come before your throne thankful for your son Jesus Christ who died for us and gave us the gift of the salvation. We thank you for every drop of blood that covers us with protection and favor. Today God I confess Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I believe he died on the cross, went into Hell took back the keys from the enemy and rose again on the third day. I give you Jesus my heart, my soul, my spirit and my mind. Come into my heart and be my Lord and savior. Thank you Jesus for this precious gift. I repent of all my sin and accept your forgiveness. Jesus I praise your name and give you glory in my life right now. Walk with me Lord, change me from the inside out, remove anything from my life that is a unpleasing unto you. Cleanse me Lord. In Jesus precious name I pray Amen!
Lets Worship:
(Live recording from Victory church in Tulsa. If you are in the area look us up!)
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