True Thanksgiving...

Long before the Pilgrims landed in America in 1620, there was a band of Biblical Pilgrims called Israelites who left a land of bondage headed for a promised land where they could worship their God in truth and not be forced to worship Idols and false gods.  These Pilgrims had the real first Thanksgiving.

Leviticus 7:11-15 (KJV)

 11And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he shall offer unto the LORD.

 12If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgivingunleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried.

 13Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice ofthanksgiving of his peace offerings.

 14And of it he shall offer one out of the whole oblation for an heave offering unto the LORD, and it shall be the priest's that sprinkleth the blood of the peace offerings.

 15And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered; he shall not leave any of it until the morning.

Thanksgiving means - the offering of thanks, especially for gifts received.  Scripture empasises the importance of giving thanks to God for all His gifts and works both as an expression of our dependance ON Him and our gratitude TO Him.

Jonah 2:9  (KJV)

 9But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.

In the Bible, thanksgiving is linked with praise:

Psalm 69:30  (KJV)

 30I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.

1 Chronicles 16:4 KJV)

 4And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to record, and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel:

Psalms 100:4  (KJV)

4Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Psalm 50:14 (KJV)

 14Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:

We have so much to be thankful for - everyday.  If we take the limits off God, we are going to see Him do even greater things than we ever have. 

We have at least 3 things to be thankful for:

#1) Common blessings - (things we take for granted such as the sunrise, sunset, life, hearing, seeing, feeling).

#2) Special blessings - (breath of life, family, friends,)

#3) The greatest blessing of all - Jesus Christ who gave His life that we might be saved and spend eternity with Him.

We have a duty to offer thanksgiving to God (everyday)

1 Timothy 4:3-4 (KJV)

 3Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.   4For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

Psalm 107:8-9 (KJV)

 8Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

 9For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

Psalm 147:7-9 (KJV)

 7Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:

 8Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.  9He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.

So many times we ask, take and forget!

Like the story of the 10 lepers in Luke 17.  Out of the 10 only 1 returned to thank Him for their healing.

We should give God thanks and praise everyday.  So much of the world only remembers to thank Him certain times of the year if then.  As a child of God we can celebrate Thanksgiving everyday - Thanksgiving is OUR response to HIS grace.

Thanksgiving is responding to God's grace even in the midst of turmoil and trouble.  In "everything" Paul wrote, "give thanks".  It's easy to celebrate and give thanks when everything is going our way.  Real thanksgiving, biblical thanksgiving goes deeper than our circumstances!!  It's based on God's provision - not our performance.  

In the movie, FACING THE GIANTS, the coach told his team, "We are going to praise God when we win and we are going to praise God when we lose".  That's the mindset that we as God's children should have - We are going to praise God when we win (when things go our way) and we are going to praise God when we lose (when we think they aren't going our way).  One thing is for sure, if you have read the back of His book, you know we win :-)

Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

I know it's hard to be thankful when you have recently lost a loved one, have a loved one sick unto death, facing divorce or other marital problems, in financial hardships etc., and it's hard if you have a bunch of little problems troubling your mind.  Real thanksgiving is when we praise God IN SPITE OF the circumstances.  In 2 timothy 1:11-12, Paul shows us what real thanksgiving looks like:  He is in a dungeon, chained to a Roman soldier, looking back over 30 some years of serving Christ.  He could have whined and cried, "Lord look what I've done for you, why are you doing this to me?"  But instead he said:   11Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

 12For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

He gives 2 reasons for his confidence, even while in the dungeon.  If we can claim these same reasons, we can celebrate real thanksgiving.

#1)  I can be confidant because I know God personally - There is a huge difference in knowing about God and really knowing God.  Even the devil knows about God and trembles because of what he knows.  To know God personally is to love and serve Him as your Savior, leader, counselor and friend.  It is not enough to know about God.  It is not enough to be an excellent studier of His word.  In order to celebrate real thanksgiving, you must know God personally.

#2)  I can be confident because God is able to guard all that I entrust to Him.

If I was the primary caretaker of all the people and possessions that are important to me - I would be in big trouble because my wisdom and power are limited (to what God gives me).  I can't save anyone or anything.  But when I entrust to God all those people/things that are important to me, then I have enlisted the all-wise, omnipotent God.  This doesn't give me an automatic safety net but I know that He has my best interests in mind, that His plans are for my good and He knows my heart.  When I enlist Him for instance by praying His hedge of protection, I believe, I have faith that He is fully capable of taking care of everything and protecting everything, something I cannot do.  He will be there to fight my battles for me.  I have His promise that nothing can happen tomorrow that He and I can't handle.  

NO TRAGEDY CAN ERASE GOD'S SUFFICIENCY (I didn't write that but wish I had :-)

So here we are on the brink of Thanksgiving "day" and we don't have a clue what tomorrow holds, but praise God, we know WHO holds tomorrow!  So we can dare to give thanks to God and say with Paul, "for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day".  

When Ralph Waldo Emerson lost his son, he wrote in his journal - "all that I have seen teaches me to trust God for all that I have not seen".  To me that may have been the most beautiful thing he wrote!  

Hebrews 11:1 (KJV) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

But, if we believe with our whole heart, "all that we have seen teaches us to trust God for all that we have not seen", our faith will grow - then we know the secret of our confidence and we are ready for "thanksgiving".

References. and excerpts: The Secret of our confidence - Bill Bouknight, Bible gateway, King James Bible

First published in facebook, November 20, 2011 at 1:11am

Facing the storms and finishing the book.

Mark 4:37-40 37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

Jesus has been with His people for 20 centuries and yet, we, like the disciples, underestimate His power to handle our storms. The disciples did not yet know Jesus but we do NOT have that excuse. We need to be prepared for the storms, prayed up and ready. God did not promise us no storms, only that He would keep us through the storms. When a storm rages around us we can pray, trust and move ahead. Lean into the wind and trust God, not running from the storms.

With faith, nothing is impossible. Our own outlook to everyday problems is a testimony of our faith. How do we react when the car won't start or things don't go as we have planned? Do we praise God through the storms or curse the storms? As children of God, we need to realize that the enemy is constantly seeking ways to destroy our faith. He does just what is necessary to compromise our walk with God. Does it take a little or does it take a lot? A small rain shower or a full blown thunderstorm? You know the closer you are walking with God, the bigger and stronger the storms will be, that is just the enemies way. The harder he fights you, the bigger the storm, rejoice in the knowledge that you are doing something right in the Lord or satan would not have a reason to fight you. Let me turn that around and repeat that, if he's NOT fighting you, something is wrong in your walk! Sound harsh? If you think about it, it's true. When you look around and see unbelievers enjoying wealth and happiness, what will they have when the storms hit? They can turn to the same God we do, but many won't. When it seems nothing is going your way, that the enemy is attacking from every side, health, happiness, finances, work, any area, rejoice because you are a thorn in satan's side. He knows he is defeated and you are living, breathing proof thrown in his face by your very faith. Remember that God has our lives all planned out.

I think of my life as a book, every chapter carefully illustrated by God. I picture sometimes that He has a big eraser that He uses when I've scribbled in new lines and changed what He has written for me. He, (God), has to erase what I've done (forgive me my sins, transgressions) and rewrite the story encompassing what I've done of my own free will. I'm here only by the Grace of God. He has sustained me and even at my age I know God can still use me and He does. My storms can and have been turned into testimonies for Him. At my lowest points, when I thought I was down to nothing, God was up to something. He teaches me daily how to lean on Him, pray and have faith. I seek Him out in the mornings, I'm excited for what the next pages and chapters hold that God has in store for me in my book of life. I've read the end of the book and it goes like this -- ...and she lived happily ever after with her King in the Kingdom He prepared for her, where there is no sorrow, no death, no tears and no more storms. (Thank you Jesus)

Heavenly Father, I pray the peace of God for all who are reading this blog. I ask that you bless them in whatever way they most need You today and that You work in and through them, Lord Jesus. I pray for their health, their spiritual well-being, their mental health, their finances, that You will bless them in ALL things. Most of all, I pray they put on Your full armor and stand strong against the storms the enemy brings against them, having faith in You that You will sustain them and keep them safe. For those who might not know You or may be struggling with their faith Father, I ask that You bless them in a special way, that You touch them in a way that they will have no doubt they have been in the presence of the Lord. Father I ask You in Jesus name to heal those who are sick today in a way that leaves no doubt it was a touch of Your hand. Those that have special prayers, special needs, storms they can't face, that You would especially answer their prayers and give them the help, the answers, the word, the shelter that they seek today. All these things I ask in Jesus name and believing Your word that anything we ask in Your son's name, you will do. I thank you and praise you and give you all the glory. I love you Lord. Amen

In His will,

God bless you

tawanab

Going to the enemies camp

I've been struggling lately with a lot of things. Trying to take my own advice and give everything over to God but being human still can't quit thinking about it. Monumental changes are going on in my life and that is never easy. Alot of them, I don't like and some of them hurt so bad they are tearing me apart inside, however, I do know that God has it all in control. Something my younger daughter said one day came back to me, "if you are going to pray, don't worry and if you are going to worry, don't pray". I'm the mom, wish I had said that lol.
The enemy is very good at what he does, he has to be because he wants to win, even though he knows he isn't going to. He might win some little battles individually at times but he is destined to lose the war. He knows this, but the final outcome isn't as important to him I guess as the destruction he can do in the meantime. Every trial, every temptation we face that we don't turn over to God, satan smiles over. He scores a victory.
Yesterday was a particularly bad day for me, I cried about everything, I whined to God, I talked to God, I even ask Him why a few times because that is the relationship I have with Him and I'm so thankful for that. I can talk to Him about anything and I can tell Him how I feel and He understands me, He already knows without my telling Him.
The first song they sang at church yesterday went like this, "I went to the enemies camp and I took back what he stole from me , took back what he stole from me, took back what he stole from me. I went to the enemies camp and I took back what he stole from me, now he's under my feet, under my feet, thank God he's under my feet." Wow, did my light bulb go off. I realized that he has stolen and is still trying to steal things from me and I put him on notice yesterday. I went to his camp and I'm taking back what he stole from me!!! He knows what it is, God most assuredly knows what it is and I now realize what it is that is going on. The sermon yesterday was around the woman in the bible who KNEW that if she could just get to Jesus, just touch the hem of his robe that she would be healed. Faith. This is just another one of the enemies feeble attempts to take my mind off God and to weaken my faith. It's not the circumstance or what is going on that is important to him, its just a means to an end for him. When I questioned God and cried to Him yesterday, He took me to the book of Job. (I love how He does that, talks to me through His word). Now what I read probably wasn't as much of a lesson as just the fact that He took me there. Job was a man of God, certainly strong in his walk with the Lord, yet he suffered trials that would put most of us in the ground. Through it all, his faith never wavered. I'm not Job, not anywhere close, so who am I? I'm a child that God loves just as much anyway but I'm not better than Job, I should be thankful and realize that things can always be worse. It was also a gentle reminder that He will take care of things, He will not put more on us than we can bear and in the end no matter what the trial, we will come out as conquerors. Through just that small thing He gave me peace. I do serve a God that is in control. I serve a loving God who chastises when He has to like a good parent but always looks out for me, has my best interest at heart and takes care of me.

No matter how bad things may look, try getting "out" of the circumstances and "in step with God". No matter how bad things might look right now God can turn any situation around. Use whatever you are going through to bring you closer to God not further away. God still loves you, He is still in control. Make Him the center of your life and while life might not be easy your focus won't be on trials.
This was my word from the Lord today and I'd like to share it with you, its an excerpt from an email I get called "What the Lord is Saying Today".

There will always be things that confront you and try to pull you down. This is your enemies plan and purpose. Get your learning cap on and take your dunce hat off. Get off the stool in the corner. You are not a victim. You are an overcomer. I have called you to walk higher. Walk the high road. I have called you to walk in peace and joy wherever you are. I will bring you through. You walk in victory.

And these verses:
James 1:2-6

2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

You are fully armed, now go to enemies camp and take back what he stole from you. We are more than conquerors.
God bless
Tawana B
pray for the peace of Israel