Three Things to Be Thankful For

I appreciated Brenda's special music and what she offered up to God, talking about the seasons. We are in probably my favorite season, at least it's my favorite holiday, at least, and it falls within a very good season, and that's Thanksgiving. We're here today, we're going to have a Thanksgiving meal as a spiritual family together, and later on this week all of us will hopefully have opportunity gather with other family members and friends for a Thanksgiving meal. Thanksgiving has become a very, very popular festival in America. I'm glad to see that. It hasn't yet gotten lost between Halloween and Christmas. We've got to make sure that that doesn't happen, but any more from about mid-September to the end of December, you've got one long holiday season these days. Halloween starts early and Christmas starts earlier and earlier, but Thanksgiving is still holding its own, and I'm glad to see that. It's my favorite holiday that we have and that we observe as members of God's Church, but it's a good season. I will have to admit that I am a Courier Knives type of person. I like these old Courier Knives prints, especially the ones that portrayed a hearth and a home and people coming together. We had four little foil Courier Knives prints that we had early on in our years decorating our walls of our early homes. They didn't cost a lot of money. That's why we could afford them. We put them in some very cheap Kmart-type frames. But for years, we had these four Courier Knives prints, and they were doing the seasons, the four seasons. Each season was built around a big country farm home, and people were coming in and gathering. I always enjoyed those because it just had a nostalgic, warm feel. So I say I'm kind of a Courier Knives type of person. When it comes to Thanksgiving and all this year, we're going to have, I think, 12 members around our table, 12 family members, our sons, our grandkids, Debbie's mother, stepfather, and Stephanie's sister from Texas is coming up. We had one edition this year of our niece from California that we don't know. We met her once about 10 years ago, and so we have a niece that will be there. She'll be picking her up at the airport on Wednesday afternoon, and she'll be enjoying Thanksgiving with us. I'm sure she's probably as nervous as we might be as to who are these people. Long story short, but that will be another edition to our Thanksgiving table this year.

And we're looking forward to that. Thanksgiving is a time, it seems, when you get an interesting group of people around your table, and in a gathering of family, an extended family, and other people, and that's good for all that it means. We have ours here today as a congregation, and it's that time of year for us in America. And so today I want to talk about being thankful, and I'd like to go over three areas for us to be thankful in and to think about. I've kind of dedicated two weeks to this, in my heart and mind, in preparation and thinking.

We had a Thanksgiving meal last week in Indianapolis, and this week here, and then, of course, the National Day of Thanksgiving on Thursday. And in an effort to make sure that even among ourselves, we don't let it get lost with all the good food, or football, or time off, or travel, and some of the other things that can distract us from the real purpose for doing anything like this. This is the reason that I give this sermon, to help us to focus on three areas for us to be thankful for in our life at this time.

The first is this. Let's be thankful, brethren, that we understand the fullness of God's purpose and His plan for mankind. That's first and foremost. That's the core of our calling, that is the major point of Thanksgiving, to understand God's, the fullness of God's purpose and plan. Now, the Church of God did not invent the National Day of Thanksgiving. A little bit later, I'll tell you a little bit about some of the familiar facts that we know and have forgotten about how Thanksgiving came to be, but we, above all people, should be thankful for God's purpose and plan, and the fullness that we have been given in the revelation of God's purpose and plan.

And to be humbled by that. We think about that, not just at this time of year, but throughout the year, certainly on the Holy Days and on the Sabbath. Thanksgiving is not something relegated to one day, as Christianity is not relegated to just one day. It is a way of life, and we need to be certainly thankful. But focus on the fullness of what we understand. Look, we should be honest and to admit that our God is a great God, and He has given us a unique calling into His Church.

And we understand, as I say, the fullness of God's plan. There are people who have bits and pieces of understanding about other aspects of God and His plan, and elements of the truth that we will run across from time to time. There are other people who keep the Sabbath. There are other groups that will keep the Holy Days. There are people who worship God, obviously, in their own way.

They may not be called at this point in time by God's grace and plan, but that doesn't make them bad people. It just means that they're not called. But we run across people like that all the time who are good people, and they worship God as they see and understand. We read in the book of Acts that the apostles were coming across people that were called God-fears and baptizing them, which means that they knew God to a degree before they were baptized.

Look at Cornelius. He was a God-fear. He was a Gentile. He was a Roman soldier. He knew God to a degree. Peter came and opened his mind up to a fuller understanding of the plan of God. That's what's happened with us. And that is the way to understand the miracle of conversion. God has opened our mind to understand the fullness of His plan. You knew God to one degree, some of you before. You were called to the church.

You were not an incorrigible heathen or criminal or reprobate. You may have gone to a church on Sunday and you worshipped God as you knew Him at that time, but God called you by His mercy to understand more. And that's what God has done with us, with all who have become a part of His church, the first fruits of His calling. And so to focus on that doesn't make us arrogant or snobbish. It shouldn't. It should make us humble. And indeed, at this time of year, thankful. Turn back to Ephesians 1. I'm going to read just a few passages from the first chapter of the book of Ephesians.

Beautiful chapter that is really a prayer of thanksgiving that Paul offers to God and then to Christ. And it really focuses on Christ. I've said this before, but I'll repeat it.

This was a chapter in the Bible that Mr. Armstrong called his favorite chapter in the Bible. I remember as a student at Ambassador, a Bible study that he was giving one night, and he just went through this whole chapter and spent the whole Bible study going through Ephesians 1. And he said it was his favorite chapter in all the Bible. And the reason being is that it focused on Christ. And when you would look at it, it certainly does. But it's also, there is an element, major element of thanksgiving here. In verse 3 he says, And so Paul starts with focusing, putting the focus upon Christ and what the Father has done in Christ. And that's where he begins. And in verse 23, just to jump ahead to the end of the chapter, 22 and 23, that's where he ends this first chapter, on Christ. Because he says that Christ is the head of over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all and all. So it starts with Christ, it ends with Christ. And it focuses upon what God has done through Christ.

And that is a great deal for us to focus on and to be thankful for. Just as he chose us in him, verse back in verse 4, The predestination is the purpose of God, the pleasure, the will of God is what has been predestined. And that is to bring many sons to glory. Predestination does not apply or refer to the fact that you or I were predestined individually to be or to be saved or lost, as some have interpreted that through the religious histories. That's not what this is not what he's talking about. We have free will and the very fact that we are who we are is a result of free will.

So, think about it. I am who I am because my dad had the freedom to marry my mom.

They had me. That's how I am. I mean, that fact that then I've made my choices just as you've made your choices. And, you know, we have free will. God doesn't always know how we're going to choose. That's the beauty of his plan. But what was predestined was the will of God. And that Christ would be the means by which that will would be accomplished. And that is to ultimately bring many sons to glory into the family of God. And that's the overall approach to that. And that is what is being put up here. Verse 7, it says, In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, which he made to abound toward us in wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in himself.

So it's a mystery that has been revealed. That we understand that in the full dispensation, the fullness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth in him. And so again, the emphasis just keeps coming back to what has been done through Christ. In him, verse 13, you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also having believed you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who was the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory. We take great comfort in the fact of what verse 14 tells us of the guarantee of this redemption. And we have that assured because of Christ's sacrifice. And as we remain faithful and we remain obedient, that will ultimately be brought to pass and God will give us eternal life. And then he goes on in verse 15, I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks to you or for you, making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God of the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe according to the working of His mighty power, which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places. This is really the essence of the thanksgiving prayer right here that He gives. And back in verse 16, He says, I do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers. And He focuses upon the hope, the calling, the riches of the glory. We live in a very rich and abundant land, and we celebrate the abundance with this national day of thanksgiving. But Paul puts the focus here upon each other. He says, I thank God for you and for the spirit of wisdom and the knowledge and the riches of His calling. This is what Paul considered to be the abundance. And when we focus there, when our heart is there, then we are in a proper frame of thanksgiving to God for the fullness of His calling. And that is where it all begins. And that's where it all ends. And again, we are also yanked and torn and tempted by things that we focus on and we have or don't have, things we're struggling with. That when we come to any period of thanksgiving, whether it's the holy days of God or this national day of thanksgiving, we can, any one of us, forget the real riches that we should focus on, the real spiritual dimension of our calling and what God is doing with us and what that means. But when we do, then everything that we have and what we gather around and celebrate on thanksgiving means that much more. Because our first priority and our first emphasis is upon God and what He is doing for us and through us, all through the office and through the position that Jesus Christ accomplishes and has as the head of the church, which is His body and fills all in all. That's where thanksgiving begins and ends.

But notice that He says in verse 16 that He gives thanks. He said, I give thanks to you for you. I give thanks for you. He focuses it just briefly out toward the people.

And that's my second point today. That's the second area to be thankful for. And that is one another. This is where Paul directs us briefly within the overall context of being thankful to God. To be thankful for one another and the fellowship that we have within the church, the fellowship of converted minds, I believe, is the way it is put in one of the songs that I see made its way back into the hymnal, that old standby. Bless be the tie. Is it bless be the tie or God be with you?

Bless be the tie or God be with you? It talks about the fellowship of convert... which one? God be with you. That's the one that's in the hymnal. And there's a phrase in there, the fellowship of converted minds.

I made this decree last week in Indianapolis. And I need to do it up here because you've already broken the decree. And that is, we don't sing that song except on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles and the last song in the last service. So avoid that song, song leaders.

We've saved that one until then. I'm only half kidding. 60% kidding.

I grew up with that song being sung on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles. And that just is a song for the Feast of Tabernacles when everybody's leaving and going home, you know, you won't get together for the Feast for another year.

So I'm only half kidding. I won't pull you off the song leading schedule if you do lead it, but reserve it. Anyway, there is a line in there about the fellowship of converted minds. And that is truly something to be grateful for and to be thankful for. And for us to think about in terms of our care and our concern for one another. We just this week on the back of the the bulletin a whole page full of people who are sick, who need prayers. And that's just the way it is. It seems every week. Just the one prayer list that I'm privy to that comes across from our home office of members is enough to keep us praying about. You may have a prayer list that you may be picked up from some other source or from your work or whatever. Where my wife works at her school, the teachers there, they have a prayer list. And she's been on it and she's prayed for them.

You know, there's always a need and we should never trivialize it. And we certainly have to make our decisions in those areas, but we certainly should pray for one another. And all of that comes back to the concern that we have and the love that we have for one another. In John 13, John 13, is this well-known scripture that Jesus spoke on His last night, detailing the love that we have among one another as being a sign. He says, by this, all will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.

This is a sign. Not the only one, but it is a major one of His disciples. And this is what He says, by this, we'll all know that you are my followers if you have love one for another.

How is that manifested? How is it distributed among ourselves?

In any number of ways, as we look out for one another, pray for one another, ask about each other, call one another, write a card to someone who is sick, suffering, struggling. But we take it upon ourselves to do that because it all falls within the realm of what the book of James describes as pure religion.

Pure religion. Let's turn back to James chapter 1 and look at that.

This is not a doctrine. You won't find this among the list of our doctrines in the church.

This is what we are. This is what a Christian is. This is pure religion. This is the result of any doctrine that dictates what we do. This is the result that it should lead us to. It is to be like this in James 1 and verse 26. If anyone among you thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this, to visit orphans and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

As you keep yourself unspotted from the world and you don't get caught up in the passions of the world, you'll have a passion for those that are in need, such as those that are specifically mentioned orphans and widows, which by extension can include anyone who is in need of assistance, care, help, prayers, support. The orphans and the widows are people who don't have anyone else to turn to. That's really what it's talking about. And to pay attention to the needs of people who don't have anyone and you become the one, that's how you fulfill this. And it could be someone who has a husband, it could be someone who has a wife, it can be someone who still has a father or mother living. Understand the spiritual application of this. It is speaking of someone who doesn't have anyone to care for them and you become the one. It can be someone who may have, you think, has it all. Wears good clothes, has an intact family, children sitting next to them, parents at home or whatever, and yet they are alone. They are alone in their heart and in their mind. And they need care. Now there's obviously the specific orphans and widows too, but you have to understand the spiritual intent here. And it's talking really about looking out for one another, for all together within the faith, within the church, and taking care of and having that concern. And the idea of keeping unspotted from the world is probably the first step toward having that heart and mind. Because the more we are interested in the ways and the passions of this world and those things that are the antithesis of God's way of life, the dark side, the dark things, we will not be focused on these. We will not be focused on someone else because we are focused only on our out, what is ours, what is our interest, what is our passion, what is our great feeling. And we will neglect the people. And that's worth a sermon all in itself, but I'll lay that out here for us to think about. But this is an attitude to be thankful for, and to look toward in our care for one another, and to be in touch with one another in our walk, and in our faith. In Ecclesiastes chapter 4, as you turn back to Ecclesiastes, that's the time to take a drink because it takes you longer to get back there. Chapter 4 and verse 9, it says, A very classic, elegant reference and explanation of the value of people, friends, relationships.

And the most important ones are the ones that we develop with those of like mind, the fellowship of converted minds. A few months ago I gave a sermon in another context, and I use the example of trees and certain trees that you see that illustrate this principle quite well. You may remember because I talked about the aspen and the redwood trees. Those of you that have been to Colorado around the feast time, you if you're fortunate to catch them just right, you see the aspen trees and their golden glow. And it's really a sight to see a whole stand or grove of aspen trees. But know that aspen trees only grow in clusters or in groves. That's why they're called a grove of aspens, when you see them referred to at times. They grow together because when you understand their root structure, their roots are all intertwined and they're feeding off of one another. And they're quite shallow in that way. But all those stand of trees, and it's the same with the redwood tree. Redwood tree roots are quite shallow as well, but they're intertwined in the great stands of the redwoods that you see out in Northern California.

They are all at a shallow level intertwined, supporting one another. That's why they don't blow over in a wind. That's why they stand as tall as they do, especially for the redwood trees.

But they support one another. They are inter-connected and they support each other through the winds and through the storms, and they survive and they grow. That's why it is so important that we intertwine and connect ourselves spiritually, physically, as we get to know one another and we maintain those things. Because that's what makes the church strong. That's what makes us strong individually. It is a really very strong need that we have. When tragedy strikes us, when we do have a major tragedy happen, such as happened to one family in Indianapolis last week, and you need people, that's when the relationships that we've had and that we've even ourselves worked at come into play. Sometimes people drift off from those relationships in the church.

You've seen it happen time and time again. And people neglect that fellowship and they're coming together. And sometimes things happen when you then need somebody. But because of the way things are and distances and time and other factors, sometimes that support just might not be there or be as strong as is needed to help a person through. And that is why at times it's important for every one of us to just do a check. And if we feel that nobody likes us or that we don't have friends or that the church is cold, first ask yourself, who moved? Did the church move or did you move? Did your friends move or did you move? Did you change or did they change? But first begin with yourself and ask, what have you been doing? Where have you been? Have you been coming? Are you even there? First rule of success is to show up. Some of the books say, just show up. Then you've got to do more than show up. You've got to connect. That's true. But sometimes people just don't show up. And when you don't show up, you get forgotten. It just happens. It's part of human life and connections. So there will be those individuals that will remember. And it seems like even within congregations, there's always a person that knows all the connections and knows everybody.

You know, we've had those. Janet Borton was one of those. She knew everybody and everybody's history. And she was one of those individuals. Lily Mahone is one of those down in Indianapolis. Peter and Shalita will know that and testify to that. She's kind of the switchboard operator down there. And if I've got any questions about certain situations, I'll say, Lily, what about this? Or just fill me in. Remind me about this. And there are individuals that will take that role naturally. And that's good. And that's fine. Was Janet or Lily have never abused that in any way to create problems. I think it's always been done out of a genuine care for the people. And yet, individually, we have to stand back and ask ourselves, you know, what have we done? And if we harbor certain feelings that border on anger or lonesomeness or whatever, first ask yourself, what have you done? Because that's where the only change can begin. And you will see, more often than not, the change to begin in others. But it begins ultimately with a spirit and an attitude of appreciation of thanksgiving for one another. And that works off of what we read back in Ephesians 1, where Paul said that he gave thanks for each one of us, for each one of the people he was writing to. And we give thanks for one another in that way. And we appreciate one another. And what we can do, should do, and need to do as we work to develop the bonds and the connectedness within the church. The third point of thanksgiving is obviously the land and the nation in which we live. It was alluded to in the opening prayer. We are thankful, and we should be thankful, for the land in which we live, for the freedom and liberty and the abundance that we receive.

This land, this nation, is a land indeed blessed by God, not because of its greatness inherent in the individuals, the people, the ingenuity, the Yankee ingenuity, the patriotism of this generation or some past generation, the founding fathers or whatever, as great an effort and work as those individuals did, the pilgrims, the founding fathers of the revolutionary period, the greatest generation of the depression World War II era. Those people, none of those people made this country great and made it what it is. What made this country great is God and the blessings that He gave to us because of the obedience of one man named Abraham and what he began and what God began through him.

That's why we have inherited, as Abraham Lincoln said, the choice is places of the earth.

This is why we have the fruitful blessings of Joseph. Turn back to Genesis 49 and let's again just remind ourselves of some basics. Genesis 49, this prophecy here of the sons of Jacob and where they would be at the time of the end and characteristics of them. Let's just look, focus on what is said about Joseph in chapter 49, verse 22. When Jacob got down to his favorite son, Joseph, here at this point as he was going around all of his sons, he said, Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a well. Picture your apple tree in your backyard just bent over in August with apples. It didn't happen in my yard this year, but in years past it's been bent over literally. A fruitful branch of a tree filled with cherries, filled with pears, filled with apples. A fruitful bough is Joseph, just bursting with abundance. A fruitful bough by a well, well watered, ample supply, growing with deep roots and producing fruit for others' benefit. Remember an apple tree doesn't eat any of its apples. It gives it away and it spreads this. This is a picture of abundance. It says, his branches run over the wall. The descendants of Joseph, Ephraim, and Manasseh through their modern history have indeed fulfilled this. America and Great Britain have been a fruitful abundant peoples and nations that have run over the wall and whose branches have gone around the world. And that is a magnificent part of the story to understand exactly how that has happened. Where the British Empire went, it brought prosperity. It brought some other problems as well. The whole history of the British peoples and their commonwealth and empire is not exactly a fairy tale and a sanitized piece of history, completely clean. They made their mistakes. The American expansion and story is the same as well. But I don't, as you know, fall prey to the politically correct approach of so many today that anything white, Anglo-Saxon, English-speaking, American or British or whatever is bad or terrible. I read a book this year that I wrote a couple of articles on called The History of the English-Speaking Peoples from 1900 to the Present. And it was a very well written history that showed for at least the last 107 years the history of all of the English-speaking peoples, which is American, Great Britain, and Australia, New Zealand especially. But it's a story of Joseph. And the historian had, I thought, a fair-minded approach. He was certainly going against the grain of conventional wisdom today among historians and current modern thought.

He showed how the development of at least those nations, at least during the 20th century and into the 21st century, has essentially been a blessing for the world. And he showed from the historical point of view what Genesis 49.22 states spiritually from a biblical point of view. It's a fascinating book, well written, and I would recommend it for anyone who is interested in looking at the physical fulfillment of this, especially in our two peoples. It complements our booklets on that very, very well, an understanding of that subject. But when we look at that and we look at the beginning of our story, and we always do at the time of Thanksgiving, you see either through a Thanksgiving pageant or there'll be a blip here or there about the pilgrims and the founding fathers and Jamestown and the Plymouth movement and all, they are interesting stories and they do point to the from a human point of view, the miraculous founding of at least America, the miracle that it really was in many different ways. When you look at some of the facts, they are quite remarkable. And how the Thanksgiving even came, the idea that Thanksgiving came about, there was something that was sent to me this week. I wanted to just read a little bit to you here. It says, what makes the first Thanksgiving so memorable is as much about the when as it was the what. Whereas it's true that they had enjoyed a bountiful harvest that year, the pilgrims purposely planned their Thanksgiving of 1621 during an exceedingly disastrous year. It was then that they gave thanks to God. What you found that says, when you look in an almanac and found that famous Thanksgiving day, you can see a change of fortunes for our nation and the beginning of a miracle. In 1609, 300 colonists arrived in Jamestown, Virginia.

That winter, because their food supplies were exhausted, 80% of the people died from starvation and disease. 80% of the 300 colonists died in the first year. 11 years later, in 1620, 102 pilgrims boarded the Mayflower. This is from Holland. You remember the story? They left a place called Delfthaven, Holland, and seeking freedom, they had to flee England, go to Holland for religious persecution, and they boarded the Mayflower. Three months later, they landed at Plymouth.

Within the first year, half of them died. 51 died within the first year. In 1621, then, after that disastrous year, the pilgrims dedicated three days for our Thanksgiving feast to give God glory. That's where we get the three-day weekend. In 1689, during the next 74 years, four North American wars raged between England and France. The final conflict, the French and Indian War, caused Britain to tighten its grip on the colonies, and a major miscalculation that eventually led to the American Revolution. In 1776, America declared independence from England. It was David revisiting Goliath, and without historical precedent, America won its independence, the world's first colony to break away from a parent country. And that truly was an amazing event. We tend to read back and look at that and think, you know, kind of brush it off as a piece of history. But what John Adams, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson, what they did in standing up to the greatest global power of the day, which was Great Britain, here a ragtag group of columnists without the expertise or the standing army or the might, money that England had, and they declared their independence. That was indeed a courageous act, and it was very interesting in so many different ways. George Washington thought it, so he said, quote, it will not be believed that such a force as Great Britain after eight years of military employment could be so baffled in their plans by men oftentimes half starved, almost always sick, without pay and experiencing every distress which human nature is capable of enduring. Soon after, and then goes on to talk about some of the other problems that we had, and the event itself was remarkable. The breaking away as it took place caused what it did, but it ultimately led to America becoming the single great power that the prophecy of Genesis talked about in terms of when Jacob laid his hands upon the sons of Joseph, he framed them in a house and said what he did there. And the rest is indeed history, and it is a remarkable history. But there's another piece from the Wall Street Journal that I want to read a little bit to you. It's something that I've read a number of years, every year on Thanksgiving. Every year on Thanksgiving, the Wall Street Journal publishes an editorial that they published since 1961. They've gotten a lot of mileage out of this particular editorial. It comes up on their editorial page, and it's entitled, The Fair Land. Let's give thanks for America. They publish it every year. If you buy a Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, you'll see it.

It's worth getting a copy of. If anybody wants a copy of this one, I'll give it to them. But this came out of last year's Wall Street Journal. It's written in the third person, so it's a little just keep that in mind. But it makes a point about the fair land, this country, and what we have, and giving thanks for America. So it starts off, and he says, anyone whose labor has taken into the far reaches of the country is bound to mark how the years have made the land grow fruitful.

This is indeed a big country, a rich country, in a way no array of figures can measure, and so in a way past belief of those who have not seen it. Even those who journey through its northeastern complex into the southern lands, across the central plains, into its western slopes can only glimpse a measure of the bounty of America.

And a traveler cannot be struck on this on his journey by the thought that this country one day can be even greater. America, though many know it not, is one of the great underdeveloped countries of the world. What it reaches for exceeds by far what it has grasped. So the visitor returns, thankful for much of what he has seen, and in spite of everything, an optimist about what his country might be.

And keep in mind this was written in 1961, and it was very upbeat, optimistic, and I would add today that when we come to a repentance, these could yet come true. But we have not still accomplished all that we could be. It goes on, yet the visitor, if he is to make an honest report, must also note the air of unease that hangs everywhere. For the traveler, as travelers have always been, is as much questioned as questioning. For all the abundance he sees, he finds the questions put to him asked where men may repair for help from the troubles that beset them.

His countrymen cannot forget the savage face of war. Too often they have been asked to fight in strange and distant places, for no clear purpose they could see and for no accomplishment they can measure. Their spirits are not quieted by the thought that the good and pleasant bounty that surrounds them can be destroyed in an instant by a single bomb. Yet they find no escape, for their survival and comfort now depend on unpredictable dangers in far-off corners of the globe.

I read this morning, foreign ministers were meeting this weekend to talk about oil, and there was a discussion among them yesterday of wanting to, at least in their declaration that they come up with at the end of their meetings, they wanted to mention the decline of the American dollar. Iran and Venezuela was at the heart of that idea, but Saudi Arabia didn't want to do it, because a mention of the decline of the dollar from such a report would, in their fear, cause a complete collapse of the dollar on the international markets.

Something you and I don't want to see, especially when it comes to the price of oil. That's why what this writes here, it says that there is no escape for their survival and comfort now depend on unpredictable strangers in far-off corners of the globe.

This was written in 1961. It's just as true today. Going on, how can they turn from melancholy when at home they see young arrayed against old, black against white, neighbor against neighbor, so that they stand in peril of social discord? Or not despair when they see that the cities and countryside are in need of repair, yet find themselves threatened by scarce cities or the resources that sustain their life? Or when in the face of these challenges they turn for leadership to men in high places, only to find those men as frail as any others? So sometimes the traveler is asked, whence will come their help?

What is to preserve their abundance or even their civility? How can they pass on to their children a nation as strong and free as the one they inherited from their forefathers? How is their country to endure these cruel storms that beset it from without and from within? Of course, the stranger cannot quiet their spirits. For it is true that everywhere men turn their eyes today, much of the world has a truly wild and savage hue.

No man, if he be truthful, can say that the specter of war is banished. Nor can he say that when men or communities are put upon their own resources they are sure of solace. Nor be sure that men of different kinds and different views can live peaceably together in time of trouble. But we can all remind ourselves that the richness of this country was not born in the resources of the earth, though they be plentiful, but in the men that took its measure.

For that reminder is everywhere, in the cities, towns, farms, roads, factories, homes, hospitals, schools, that spread everywhere over that wilderness.

We can remind ourselves that for all our social discord we yet remain the longest enduring society of free men governing themselves without benefit of kings or dictators. Being so, we are the marvel and the mystery of the world for that enduring liberty is no less a blessing than the abundance of the earth. And we might remind ourselves also that if those men setting out from Delft Haven, Holland had been daunted by the troubles they saw around them, that we could not this autumn be thankful for a fair land. And it is a fair land.

And so, let's give thanks for America. Let's be thankful for what God has given to us, and yet let's understand as well that in 2007 we could well be in a period of transition that hasn't yet happened. The world, it seems, at times to be ascending to a place where power is about to shift, as I look at it. Shift from America to Europe and to Asia.

We are at the peak of our affluence still. We're riding high a very large wave of affluence and influence and power in our country today. How long it's going to continue is completely up to God.

He gave the blessing and He'll be the one that will take it away in His time and in His way and according to His purpose. And when God pulls the plug on America and the English-speaking peoples, it will be according to His perfect timing and to affect His plan for all the nations and ultimately to move the world one step closer to the Kingdom of God and the fulfillment of the fullness of the Gospel. So we should think about that and certainly be carefully aware of our world and what is taking place around us, even as we gather in our abundance. Though we may be paying $3 a gallon for gasoline, at least we're not paying $5, and we can still pump it. And it may take a few more dollars out of our pocket to do so. We all understand that. But let's give God thanks for what we have and let's be appreciative of it and let's truly count our blessings. The blessings of this land, the blessings of one another, and the blessings of God and His plan. Hug your kids, love your wives, your husbands. Tell your parents you love them if you still have the opportunity.

Tell your close friend that you appreciate them. Give thanks to God in that way. In Ephesians 5 and verse 14, Paul writes, Awake you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light. It's a time to awake from any sleep that we might still be having. And arise from the dead.

Verse 15 of Ephesians 5, he says, See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil.

I am thankful that we can still buy a 20-pound turkey.

Buy two 20-pound turkeys if you want. And this year they're pretty cheap. So buy three if you can, stick them away.

And everything else that goes with it. I am thankful for that. I am thankful to God for the abundance of this land, but I know how we should use it. And I know what it means.

And I certainly pray that we will never see, that we won't see the time when that is taken away. But I know what prophecy says. I don't know when those prophecies will be fulfilled to the degree.

But I do know, as I said, that it will be according to God's plan, in His perfect timing, and in His way. And will be according to mine or yours. But in the meantime, let's understand that what we have and why we have it, and let's use it to give God the glory and the honor, and let's walk circumspectly. And let's be wise, let's redeem the time, and let's truly be thankful.