Thursday, November 27, 2014

11-27-2014



Good Morning All,
         2 Corinthians 9: 15; “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!
       As many of us will spend the day in a tryptophan induced comatose nap, we may even take time out to be thankful.  We look around and think of things to be thankful for; things like health, family, friends, job, house and many things like this.  We tend to focus on the material goods.  Even when we look at our family or our own health, we tend to focus on how it aids us in our own existence.  The American view of Thanksgiving continues to be about stuff; stuff that benefits me and makes my life more comfortable and satisfying.  This is not exactly the biblical view.
     Within the Bible, thanks to God is tied entirely to the worship and praise of God.  We give thanks to God for all that he does for us.  We do this best by praising his name.  We do this best by remembering that, all that we have; is a gift which we do not deserve.  At no point in our life have we ever done anything that would merit even the smallest of God’s blessings. 
    This is what makes what God does for us so incredible.  We have no worthiness or merit.  We really have no great value.  We only receive what we receive because God loves us.  God loves us with the purest form of fatherly love.  This love brings to us life, hope and salvation and while we can point to the many earthly blessings that we receive there is an even greater blessing that we often do not recognize.  God has freed us from the slavery to sin and the devil.  We are no longer just a plaything for the devil’s amusement.  God has brought us into his marvelous kingdom.
    The devil may taunt and tempt but he no longer possesses you as a master owns a slave.  We are no longer a whipping boy for the devil’s amusement.  We are God’s redeemed children, free from the devil’s cruel reign.  For this great gift we should give ceaseless praise and thanks to God for only God could accomplish this for us.  We could never reject the devil on our own.  It is only by God’s amazing love that we are part of God’s holy family and by being part of God’s holy family; we are given the inheritance of heaven.
    The most inexpressible gift from God; being made a child of his holy family, an heir of the eternal kingdom, saved from the devil are what we should give thanks for every day.  This is what the biblical view of thanks really is.  We need to remember that God’s gift for us goes far beyond this earthly life or existence.  God’s gift for us is beyond anything we can measure.
    So as we take time today to give thanks; remember to give thanks for our great gift- the gift of salvation.  This singular and wonderful gift is ours today and forever.  We live entirely in God’s grace.
Father, we give thanks for your inexpressible gift.  We thank you for our salvation and preservation. We praise you for your great love.  Help us to remember your incredible mercy.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.
God’s Peace,
Pastor Bret                 

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