Are you Thankful?

Being that tomorrow is Thanksgiving, I have given a lot of thoughts about the real meaning of Thanksgiving. It is more than a day off work, or a miniature break from school. If you ask people, they say: family, Jesus for saving me, friends, etc.

But lets look at this another way. When Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed for you and me. Don't believe that? Read John 17:20-26. In the first part of the chapter, He prays for Himself, asking God if it was possible that this cup could be taken from Him. He then prayed for His immediate followers, the Apostles. And then He said, "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message (that's you!), that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I AM in You. Is your Church and its closest neighbor one? Are you one with other believers? Re read those verses again, and then read Romans 14. How does your church stand up to this Biblical COMMAND? How about you? Are you truly Thankful that your church only asked for your attendance and tithe check?

Now let me tell you what we should be thankful for above all else.

Be thankful that Jesus did not call 12 Legions of Angels to deliver Him (Matthew 26: 53)

Be thankful that Jesus chose to "drink that cup" (John 18:11)

Be thankful that God allowed Gentiles to accept His Salvation (Romans)

Be thankful that Jesus did not ask his Father to remove Him from the Cross.

Be thankful that your name was not in the obituary's this morning

Be thankful that you can freely worship at the Church of your choosing. In some countries, Christians are killed for going to church, in others they are killed for not going to the "state" church.

Be thankful that it was not you at the whipping post and on the cross-it should have been.

Be thankful that you have an Advocate on Judgment day. You will be alone, and what you've done means nothing. The only thing that will be important is whether Jesus recognizes you or not.

Did you go hungry last night? Did you freeze last night? Do you have a job? Do you have shoes and clothes to wear?

So let me ask you again; are you thankful?

If you are, how can you show God that you are? Besides accepting His Son as your Lord and Savior, their are other ways.

Worship Him! Worship means "to adore"-not go to church, sing three songs, doze through a sermon, and then run over old people trying to leave. Take some time, raise your hands torward heaven and truly ADORE HIM.

Praise Him! I mean, really Praise Him...loudly and for everything.

Love Him- He said "if you love Me, keep my commandments". So, do you Love Him? Its not a yes or no question, it is proven with action.

Now, let us vow today to truly be thankful! If we seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, all of those other things are added for free!

Praise Jehovah, the Great I AM!

Now is the Time

Well, friends, the election is over, and while the person I was pulling for did not win, that is ok. God is still on His throne and is still in control. There is always a positive in every election, and this was no different. We made history with this election with women and African Americans making tremendous gains. It is really shameful that it is 2008 and we are just having our first black President. It has not even been 100 years since women were given the right to vote, and we had a serious female contender for President and Vice President. Pretty ground breaking, huh. And Obama did not just win, he won big. And for all of us concerned about his socialist leanings, he has already began to move toward the center, where most Americans are. We should all pray for him every day, both for his safety and for his wisdom to listen to God.

As for us, we still have a lot of work to be done. All over the world, Obama is being called the first "World President". The words "In God We Trust" are being removed from the Speaker of the Houses podium during a remodeling, and the Bible that Lincoln placed his hand on during his second inauguration is being removed. A left wing political organization has purchased millions of dollars of Anti-God ads to be placed on buses, in airports, on TV, and subways saying "Why Believe in God? Be good for goodness sakes" and are scheduled to run through Christmas.

My friends, the world is being prepared for a great day! For some of us it will be a joyful reunion, and for others a day of horror and fear. Jesus said people would go and hide in the mountains and cry out for boulders to fall on them to hide them from the wrath of "the One Who sits upon the throne." So yes, there is work to be done.

Christians should be working with a sense of urgency. There are still people who have not heard the gospel. There are still prisoners that have not been visited, sick that have not had hands laid on them. People are still hungry, and the poor are "always among us."

So don't sit at home, work! There are hundreds of ministries you can work with, and if God has given you a vision, start your own. Christian leaders are retiring at a record pace and are looking for those that will carry their work forward...it may be you. Its time to stop being selfish, and start putting others first, and ourselves last. That is service. That is being a Christian.

So you are hurting, or sick, or under attack...work anyway. Jesus did. Afraid of rejection? Jesus said for us to know that when we are rejected and persecuted to remember, that He was first! And it is not us who are being rejected, it is HIM!

The time for excuses is over. The time for sitting at home worrying and praying is over. The time for letting other people work is over. It is time for us to take a step in faith and just start doing. I heard a great message from a great man of God once called "Shut up and DO." We have talked enough about what needs to be done. Now go do it. And as soon as you feel an excuse about to pass your lips...rebuke it immediately. Excuses will not stand when we are before God's throne. There will be no excuses allowed, they will be consumed by the fire from God's throne, along with our vain works. (1 Pet 1:7, 1 Cor 3:12-15)

So are you going to "go in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" while "teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you" (Matt 28:18-20) and "preach the Good News to all creation" (Mark 16:15)?

Or are you just going to sit there and continue to do nothing?

God, the Promise Keeper

I snapped this beautiful picture from our balcony earlier tonight. There were actually three rainbows, but only two showed up. But I was reminded about the purpose for the rainbow. God gave Noah the rainbow with the promise that He would never destroy the earth by water again. Noah has went on, but we still have the proof of God's promise. Has the world been destroyed by water again? So if God keeps His promise to a dead man, just think of what He has in store for you! Every promise in the Bible will be kept!!! And the rainbow is our reminder of that important fact. God is a Promise Keeper!