“thanking the lord - · pdf filefor the lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; ... (as...

“THANKING THE LORD

1 Thess. 5:18

IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES”

11-23-14 AM

What is our “Source”

of Thanksgiving Anyway?

On the October 3, 1863, the then President of the

United States, the former Senator from Illinois, in the

midst of a great civil war, offered an executive order

in which he said in part –

“The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled

with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful

skies…[and] to these bounties, which are so constantly

enjoyed that we are prone to forget the Source from

which they come, others have been added, which are



of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God…”

[He then went on to say that while America was still] “in the midst of a Civil War of unequaled magnitude and severity…” We must not forget “the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.”



[and that] “It has seemed to [him] fit and proper

that [we] should solemnly, reverently and

gratefully acknowledge [that God] as with one

heart and one voice by the whole American

People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in

every part of the United States, and also those who

are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign

lands,



to set apart and observe the last Thursday of

November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise

to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.

And I recommend to them that while offering up the

ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular

deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble

penitence for our national perverseness and

disobedience, commend to His tender care all those

who have become widows, orphans,



mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in

which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently

implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal

the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as

may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full

enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.”

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the

year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Sixty-Three,

But is that OUR “Source”?

And, that’s why all Government offices will be closed next Thursday, (like we could tell the difference)…

It’s also why the mail won’t be delivered… and why the kids will be out of school.

But NOT for FALL Recess. But so that we might “solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledge [that God] as with one heart and one voice” for His “remembered Mercies.”

But is that OUR “Source”?

And that’s truly sad… because we NEED a Day of

Thanksgiving at least once a year….

NOT because it gets us out of school

or offers us a long weekend, but because GOD

DESERVES TO BE THANKED, FOR ALL OF HIS

BLESSINGS, solemnly, reverently, gratefully and

constantly, lest we AS A NATION DO FORGET THE

SOURCE from which they come.

Our Divine Source

We NEED a day of Thanksgiving in which we

might exemplify to our neighbors sincere

GRATITUDE to that “source” of all of our “fruitful

fields and healthful skies.”

The One “source” Lincoln was talking about.

Our Divine Source

That watchful, providential, and gracious Source

of ALL Life… who has graciously “remembered

us in His mercy” and to whom we owe humble

penitence for our national perverseness and

disobedience.

Our Divine Source

Friends, now more than ever, we need to have days

like next Thursday. Indeed, we need many more

days in which honor God and Thank God…

Because somewhere along the timeline we as a

people HAVE forgotten our absolute dependence

upon God.

Our Divine Source

In this most blessed of nations, on the very day set aside

for honoring our God… many, perhaps majority of our

citizens, will not even take a single “moment of silence”

to give Thanks to God… NOT even for the food, not

even on Thanksgiving.. That saddens me.

Can’t we even have one day a year to show

Reverence toward God?

Sound Theology

So, let me remind us all of what is really at

stake here… and it isn’t political and it isn’t

traditional, it’s quite Spiritual.

Saying “Thank you”, especially to God, isn’t

just good manners. It isn’t just tradition. It’s

sound Theology.

Sound Theology

Ps. 95:1-2 “O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving.”

Ps. 100:4-5 “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his Truth endures to all generations."

Sound Theology

Ps. 107:1; 118:1; 136:1; 1 Chron. 16:34 –

"Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His

love (mercies) endure forever.

How simple and yet profoundly needful — is the

humble recognition of God as our Divine Benefactor.

“Thank You” says …

“I recognize You for who you are”…

“I recognize what You do for me”…

“I appreciate You”…

“I love You”…

How few times a year do so many of us ever TRULY

THANK GOD for His “remembered mercies.”

1 Thess. 5:18

“In everything give thanks. For this is God’s

Will for you in Christ.”

What he meant (as our sign out front says) is that God

deserves our Thanks ALWAYS - in ALL circumstances!

2 Thess. 3:2; Rom.1:21

“…lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant,

abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful,

unholy...”

“… although many in Rome [technically] knew of

God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to

Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their

foolish hearts were darkened.”

Thankfulness is Faithfulness

“Giving Thanks to God isn’t just a nicety, it is a FAITHFUL ATTITUDE that reveals a genuine maturity in our walk with the Lord.”

The world sees gratitude as weakness…

NOT the Bible. IN THE MIDST OF TRIAL, IN THE MIDST OF SORROW, IN THE MIDST OF THINGS TOO EXTRAORDINARY TO EVEN COMPREHEND… God’s faithful ALWAYS remembered God’s mercies and told Him so…


Job was not a perfect man, no one is, but he was a

man of GREAT patience and faith…

My Bible says he experienced some of the very worst

conditions life can offer… Yet he never lost his respect

and gratitude toward God….he lost his wealth, he

lost his children, and he lost his health. All this, in

spite of the fact he knew he had been faithful to

God…


Job13:15 - "Though He slay me, I will hope in Him."

He means he will never doubt nor turn his back on

God… not even unto death.

Job. 1:21 - “Naked I came from my mother’s womb,

and naked shall I return… The LORD gave, and the

LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the

LORD.”


Why Thank God?

Remember Job. Remember how he struggled and yet

never gave up on God.

Remember how He never forgot that GOD was and is

the true source of all that he had.

That, my friends, is a mature man who understands the

True “Source” of life and of our gratitude.


King David. Again, an imperfect man,

but a man who loved God and honored him

[as we’ve already read from the Psalms]…

But what I’m especially impressed with is his heart

in 2 Samuel 15 -17, when his own son, Absalom,

makes a serious attempt to steal his throne and the

nation of Israel and what does David say -“Would

to God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my

son!”


King David.

Psalm 28:6-7- “Blessed be the LORD! For He has

heard the voice of my pleas for mercy. The LORD is

my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusts, and

I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I

give Thanks to Him.”


Why Thank God?

I know that in many families those who will be “at the

table” next Thursday, are not presently living in ideal

circumstances… in fact they’re a bit “testy”…

But to that man or woman I say, Remember David's

family circumstances were far from ideal, but His love

and gratitude never wavered…


Mary, Jesus' mother.

She’s was what, 14 -15 tops… when an angel appears

to her while she was an engaged but unmarried

virgin…tells her she’s going to be a mother.

Mary not only accepts the role of the mother of the

Christ, but cherishes it as a privilege from God… and is

grateful for it.

I am impressed…



Luke 1:38 -

“Behold, the bond slave of the Lord; may it be done to

me according to your Word.” (“Not my will but Thine”

)



Luke 1:46-49 - 46 “My soul magnifies the Lord,

47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and Holy is His name.


She’s saying, “Thank you, Lord, for this enormous honor of being your servant.

You are great. I am humbled… and yet you have given me this tremendous opportunity to serve you…

Thank you… and may Your Will always be done in my life.”

That’s the kind of thing that we need to Remember to say today, and tomorrow, next Thursday and every day.


…Mostly what we want to Thank God for on

Thanksgiving and [every day in-between] is for His

Goodness, His Mercy, and His Love which are poured

out upon us every day of our lives. And for the great

privilege of being His Job, or His David, or His Mary

today…who, in spite of the trials, the tests, & the

challenges of life, still THANKED GOD for His

goodness.

Sound Theology

Paul’s instruction in 1 Thess. 5:13 is Sound Theology…

“In everything [we should ] give thanks. For this is

God’s Will for us in Christ.”

Sound Theology

America still needs the sincerest prayers of its

believing citizens…

We still need to be grateful to God for His

“remembered mercies” and His infinite grace….

Sound Theology

This year, if never before, let us Pray Fervently that

God might once again grant to us, [as Lincoln

implored, over 150 years ago] His “peace, His

harmony, His tranquility and His Union,” which He so

desire in our lives,” and may we never forget the

“Source” from which they come.

A Simple Prayer

Heavenly Father, on this Thanksgiving Day,

We bow our hearts to You and pray.

We give You thanks for all You’ve done,

Especially for Jesus, Your Only Son.

For beauty in nature, Your glory we see,

For joy and health, friends and family.

For daily provision, Your mercy and care,

These are the blessings You graciously share.

So today, we offer this response of praise.

With a promise to follow You all of our days.

In Jesus Name, Amen.

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