Living Your Thanksgiving

Psalm 100 “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into His presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is He who made us, and we are His; we are his people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His name! For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.

At this time of year, I sit and thank God for giving me everything—to include His son, Jesus Christ.  We want to make such gratefulness as prominent as the giant turkey on the table and see thanksgiving become a way of life. 

There's no better thanksgiving wisdom than that found in God's Word, specifically The Old One-Hundredth (Psalm 100), "A psalm. For giving thanks." 

Following that, there are many directives listed that can help us live our Thanksgiving ...

• Make a joyful noise to the Lord
• Come into His presence with singing
• Know that the Lord, he is God
• Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise
• Give thanks to Him; bless His name
• [Remember] For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.

Reflect on these today, and ask the Lord how He can help you really live your Thanksgiving each day of the year.

Take time to live your Thanksgiving and call or visit someone who is alone or having a hard time (for whatever reason) on this holiday.

Don’t Forget Others - 9/11

2 Corinthians 9:11 “You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.”

At this time of remembrance of the events of 9/11 we pause for a moment to reflect on those events, the lives lost and our understanding of man’s actions towards man. Leaves us more questions than answers. These tragic events were intended to leave us shaken, hopeless, disturbed, scared and destroyed inside and in some ways for some it has done that. It has left us looking over our shoulder or giving a second glance at times.

One unintended consequence though was a resolve that no matter what we will not be defeated and our inner spirit will not be crushed.  We have taken the events of that day and looked into ourselves and decided to make good of a bad thing.

We are reminded that we are not just an island but there are others that we interact with daily. People that we can help, comfort, laugh with and talk with.

Our text , 2 Corinthians 9:10-12 “He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.”, reminds us to look outside of ourselves and to be generous to all in every way and if we do they will cause thanksgiving to God.

Works of charity should be done with thought and design. Due thought, as to our circumstances, and those we are about to relieve, will direct our gifts for charitable uses. Help should be given freely with faith and love.

A great scholar, Mathew Henry, wrote “Let us endeavour to copy the example of Christ, being unwearied in doing good, and deeming it more blessed to give than to receive. Blessed be God for the unspeakable gift of his grace, whereby he enables and inclines some of his people to bestow upon others, and others to be grateful for it; and blessed be his glorious name to all eternity, for Jesus Christ, that inestimable gift of his love, through whom this and every other good thing, pertaining to life and godliness, are freely given unto us, beyond all expression, measure, or bounds.”