What Am I Thankful For?

What am I thankful for? On Thursday of this week, we sat down to Thanksgiving dinner somewhere. The table was filled with food, and about an hour later, we stood up, if we could, with a full stomach. But did you sit and arise with a heart filled with Thanksgiving for what God has called you to? One of our family traditions before the Thanksgiving dinner is to have a family toast in which each member of the family is given the opportunity to state what he or she is thankful for during the previous year.

This, oftentimes, turns out to be the highlight of the day. Then, after that, we asked the blessing and give thanks and sit down and eat. This year, we reversed it. We asked the blessing first, and then I did the toast. He who eats with an unthankful heart will eventually choke on his selfish, narcissistic attitude. To eat with an unthankful heart and Thanksgiving covers a broad spectrum, not just the food, but so many elements.

Here's a brief history of how Thanksgiving came to be a national holiday in the U.S. The tradition of Thanksgiving is a time to focus on God and thank him for blessings that dates back almost four centuries in America. Colonists held Thanksgiving services in Texas in 1541. Say, there were Spanish colonists that came in with the Spanish explorers, especially in the area of New Mexico.

Santa Fe is one of the oldest cities in the U.S. I think they say St. Augustine in Florida. Maybe the oldest, but then Florida in 1565, Virginia in 1607, and 1619. But it is from the Pilgrims, as Mr. Crane talked about, that we derive the current tradition of Thanksgiving that includes prayers to God, a meal with friends, and a time of athletic competition. So I don't think they had the doctors on the sideline and the X-ray machines and the ambulances and all of that, but they did have, according to history, athletic contests, coupled with all the other—the prayers, the meal, the friends.

The Pilgrims arrived in America in 1620, experienced a harsh winter of extreme hunger and starvation, in which half of them died. The following summer, the Pilgrims reaped a bountiful harvest. As Pilgrim Edward Winslow, who later became their governor, affirmed, God be praised!

We had a good increase of corn, and by the goodness of God, we are far from want. The grateful Pilgrims, therefore, declared a three-day feast in December of 1621 to thank God and to celebrate with their friends. Ninety Wampanoag Indians joined the 50 Pilgrims for three days of food, which includes shellfish, lobster, turkey, cornbread, berries, deer, and other foods.

And then athletic games, the young Pilgrims and Wampanoag men engaged in races, wrestling matches, and other athletic events, and a prayer. The celebration, America's first Thanksgiving festival, was the origin of the holiday that Americans now celebrate each November. The first national Thanksgiving was proclaimed in 1789 by President George Washington. But other Washington national Thanksgiving proclamations were sporadic. Most official Thanksgiving observances occurred at the state level. In fact, by 1815, state governments had issued no less than 1,400 official prayer proclamations. Almost half of them were for days of Thanksgiving and prayer.

In the first half of the 19th century, Mrs. Sarah Joseph Hale, the editor of Godseas Ladies' Book, a popular ladies' book containing poetry, artwork, and articles by America's leading authors, began to lobby for a national day of Thanksgiving. For nearly three decades, she contacted President after President until Abraham Lincoln responded in 1861 by setting aside the last Thursday of that November. Over the next 75 years, Presidents faithfully followed Lincoln's precedent, annually declaring a national Thanksgiving Day. But the date of the celebrations varied widely from proclamation to proclamation. It was in 1933 that Franklin Delano Roosevelt celebrated Thanksgiving on the 4th Thursday of November and maintained that date year by year throughout his presidency.

In 1941, Congress permanently established the 4th Thursday in November as national Thanksgiving holiday. It is probably the most widely observed family day, I guess you'd say, of America has a family day in all of the various holidays.

But it seems that the nation and so many people have lost sight of being thankful in what we call the land of the free and the home of the brave. As with all things that have to do with mind, heart, emotion, attitude, and spirit, there is a difference between mouthing the words of Thanksgiving and being truly thankful from the heart. One of the things that I'm praying for is a thankful heart, not only to mouth the words but to indeed be thankful in the very innermost part of my being.

Let's turn to Romans 1. Here in Romans 1, beginning in verse 16, we're going to find that one of the reasons why the majority of the human race lost sight of God was because they were unthankful.

In Romans 1, verse 16, being thankful from the heart is one of the keys to so many things in life, for joy, for happiness, and so many other things. In Romans 1.16, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith. God has been faithful in providing the plan of salvation, and it is before us His righteousness, Him keeping His word. He has been faithful, and then we in faith accept the calling that He has put before us, as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. Really, that word there who hold, the actual word is who hold back the truths. There have been people through the ages who have held back the truths. I wonder about so many of the ministers of the day who have gone to the fancy schools, who have gone to seminaries, into schools of theology, how they get around some of the verses in the Bible.

So I actually should say who hold back the truth in unrighteousness, because that which may be known of God has manifested them. It is shown, the word manifest means to be shown. It's shown as it says here, for God has showed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things which are made even the eternal power and Godhead so that they are without excuse. Because when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful. Not thankful that God has revealed Himself to humankind, that God has provided to us His very words of life. But because they became vain in their imagination, their foolish heart was darkened.

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things. So one of the aspects of being able to continue to understand who God is has to do with being thankful, being thankful from the heart. So many people tend to take what they have for granted. They're not thankful and they don't appreciate what God has so generously blessed them with. The most important blessings are those in the spiritual realm God has set before us.

You look at Ephesians chapter 1 and just look at that briefly there about He has set us in heavenly places. I know that it is a figurative in one sense in that we are not yet in the kingdom, but the spiritual blessings are there. Look at Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 3, "...blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according He has chosen us to Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy without blame before Him in love." So do we grant the blessings, do we grasp the blessings that we've been granted?

That is to be called into God's marvelous light. Our calling. You heard that in the opening prayer. Be thankful for that calling. Let's look at 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 9. 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 9. Do people really want to know the truth? I submit to you most people don't really want to know the truth. They don't really want to know who God is, what God is, what God is like. What is God's plan? What is His purpose? Who is man? What is man? What is His purpose? They prefer to be blinded. They become unthankful and they become blinded.

Verse Peter 2.9. But you are a chosen generation. See, God is the one who has called you, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. They purchase people that should show forth the praises of Him who's called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, which in times past were not a people.

You were lo Ami, not my people as it says in Hosea 1, but are now the people of God. You are Ami, you are my people, which had not obtained mercy, lo Ruhama, but now you have obtained mercy, you are Ruhama. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstained from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul, having your conduct honest among the nations, that whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold glorify God in the day in which they are called. So one of the things that God implores upon us today is to set an example so that when people are called, and it may be when the unconverted come up in what we call the second resurrection, so are you thankful for God calling you into His marvelous light?

Do you even begin to comprehend the calling of the opportunity? And I think about those when it comes to thanksgiving who were once walked in God's marvelous light, who knew the truth. Or are they, are you, am I, like Esau, who treated his God-given birthright of the firstborn to his brother Jacob, for a bowl of soup? Oh, Jacob, I'm about to die.

I'll just give you my birthright if you'll give me a bowl of soup. I've been out hunting and I'm just ready to faint. We reach our psychological limits way before we reach our physiological limits. Can we go another step? Yes. Can we endure another trial? Yes. Can we keep on going? Yes.

And this we will do as God gives us strength as it talks about in Hebrews. The birthright is of God. It is God-given and it is of God. It is sacred. Look at James, back a few pages there to James chapter 1 verse 17. James chapter 1 verse 17, every good gift, every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom his no bearableness neither shadow of turning.

Of his own will beget he. See, God is the one who calls us. God is the one who begets us. God is the one who raises us from the dead. God is the one who will give us the kingdom. Of his own will beget he us with the word of truth that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creation. Whereas the bowl of soup represents that which is of the flesh.

The birthright is of God. It is sacred. The bowl of soup represents the flesh, earthly, profane, secular, the present evil world. It's analogous to those who were once enlightened, returning to their own vomit. Look at 2 Peter, forward a few pages in this case. In 2 Peter 2 and verse 17.

See, oh, if people could just grasp what life is about, and that's what I keep harping on. And once you really understand it to the core and the depth of your being, I just don't see how one would turn back. In 2 Peter 2, 17, these are wells, those that have been described, the first part of the chapter, sort of a litany of the great centers of the past from the angels that are sinned, that were cast down to Tartaroo, to the evil ones of Noah's day, of Lot's day. These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tipis to whom the mist of darkness is reserved forever. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lust of the flesh, through much wantonness. See, that's what Satan has to offer, the here and now, the glamor, the glitz of this world. But the glamor, the glitz of this world is a recipe for eternal death, not life. These that were clean escape from them who live in error.

Think about being set free, truly set free. If the sun sets you free, you should be free. Indeed, that's John 8, 34, I believe. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption, for of whom a man is overcome, the same as he brought in bondage. Do you want to be enslaved by what this world has to offer?

I can guarantee you it doesn't have much to offer. What if you were and you fill in the blank of some celebrity or some political figure or some world leader, some rich person, fill in the blank? Would that solve your problems? Would that make you into a happy person? For if after they have escaped the pollution of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness. And I think it's almost like some of the young people in the church through the decades, like, well, I don't want to be called. I don't want to really get close. That's the way some of my relatives have been. They want to be about more than arms link away. I want to know a little bit about it, but they don't want any part of it.

I wonder about people that time in that category from time to time. It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it has happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog has turned to his own vomit again, and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. The bowl of soup people are thankful for the physical, but somehow do not comprehend that the opportunity to inherit the blessing of the firstborn is one of the greatest opportunities one can receive. Jesus is the firstborn among many brethren. Look at Romans chapter 8 verse 29. Follow this thread that we're about to do now in conjunction with understanding the birthright and how precious it is and how thankful we should be for it. In Romans 8 verse 29, in Romans 8 and 29, for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. How did he become the firstborn? Well, he lived a life perfectly, kept his father's commandments. He was slain, he was crucified, he was in the grave three days and three nights, he was resurrected from the dead, and he ascended back to his father's throne, sitting on the right hand of the father. The Holy Spirit was set on the day of Pentecost and made available to humankind.

Now, you look at Revelation chapter 1. In Revelation chapter 1 verse 5, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness and the firstborn of the dead.

So, resurrection and being born in the kingdom of God are equated, and the prince of the kings of the earth, unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood. See, being among the firstborn, what a blessing that is!

Now, you look at Romans chapter 8 and verse 17, and we'll see that we are to be heirs with Jesus Christ. We're first of all heirs of God, and then we are joint heirs with Jesus Christ.

Maybe we should stop and look at Romans 1 and then fill in with Romans 8. In Romans 1 verse 3, "...concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh." David, of course, the promises made to David, the Messiah would come from the seed of David, and Jesus Christ came from the seed of David in the fleshly sense, "...and declared to be the Son of God with power according the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead." And that was his birth, him being the firstborn. Now, you look at Romans chapter 8. What we are destined to share in that in Romans 8 and verse 16, the Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. This is not just children by birth that came by blood and water, but children that come through the Spirit of God. And if children then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with him that we may be glorified together. So we are a joint heir with Jesus Christ upon resurrection. Therefore, as it says in Hebrews 2, he's not ashamed to call us, brethren. We're on that same plane of existence. Now look at Psalm 100. God commands us to enter into his presence with thanksgiving. As you heard in the special music, thanksgiving is considered a sacrifice, the sacrifice of praise, the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Psalm 100.

In Psalm 100, beginning in verse 1, "...make a joyful noise unto the Lord all you lend, serve the Lord with gladness, come before his presence with singing, know you that the Lord he is God. It is he that made us, and not we ourselves." We are his people and the sheep of his pasture entered into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise. Be thankful unto him and bless his name, for the eternal is good, his mercy is everlasting, and his truth endures to all generations. Now let's go to Colossians. We'll see a follow-up of something similar to this in the New Testament, as they call it. In Colossians chapter 3, "...come before God with thanksgiving," into his presence. He counts thanksgiving as a sacrifice as one of the main ways whereby we offer up spiritual sacrifices that Peter talks about in 1 Peter chapter 2. In Colossians chapter 3 verse 1, "...if you then be in Christ, or be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God," we briefly rehearsed how he got there, "...set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth, for you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ and God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members, which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil, concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry." So you seek those things which are above. You put away those things which are listed here, and you focus on the things that are above. What are the things that are above? Now we have in this same chapter the things to focus on, the things that are above. Verse 12, we start. Verse 12, "...put on therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another, forgiving one another. And if any man ever quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, also do you. And above all things put on charity, put on love, agape," remember the 1 Corinthians 13, if I'm not becoming as God is, if I'm not becoming love as God is love, it profits me now. "...above all things put on agape, which is the bond of perfectness, and let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which you are also called in one body, and be you thankful.

Let the word of God dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him." So time after time you'll find in the Bible this about giving thanks unto God.

The thank offering, God instituted the thank offering when He instituted the temple worship. Go back to Leviticus. In Leviticus chapter 22, the thank offering was a voluntary offering. It's not something that you quote or commanded to do, had to do, per se. The Leviticus is what they call the sanctuary book. It starts off with God speaking to them, or God is in His holy temple. His presence was in the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle and later in Solomon's temple. In Leviticus chapter 22 and verse 29, and when you will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the Lord, offer it at your own will. It is a voluntary offering. Offer it at your own will. And once again, as I said, I'm trying to come to the point in my prayer and life of not just mouthing the word thankful, but it being a part of my being.

On the same day it shall be eaten up, you shall leave none of it until the morrow I am the eternal. Therefore shall you keep my commandments and do them. I am the eternal. But focus once again, and when you will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the Lord, offer it at your own will.

It's a voluntary offering. Look at Psalm 107, Psalm 107 and verse 22. And let them sacrifice the sacrifice of thanksgiving and declare his works with rejoicing. So there's no question that thanksgiving is one of the great spiritual sacrifices that we can offer up. And thanksgiving reveals the condition of the heart. And God knows the heart. An unthankful heart reflects a miserable narcissistic person whose focus is on self. Of all the things God is, he is a loving and giving God. If we're not thankful, then we deny that he is a loving and a giving God. So let's look at Psalm 50, in this case Psalm 50, in verse 7. And here in Psalm 50, beginning in verse 7, one of the things that we should learn from this, of course, is that God owns everything anyhow. It's his. And he has given man, gave man at the recreation, dominion over the earth, and over the plant life, and over the animal life. But notice this part here in Psalm 50, in verse 7, The beast of the forest is mine, and cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and the fullness thereof. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? Offer unto God thanksgiving, and pay your vows unto the Most High. And call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me. So when we offer thanksgiving, we are, in essence, realizing that God is the owner of everything, that He is the Great Creator, and He owns everything anyhow. Now to Hebrews, which we read in introducing the special music in Hebrews 13. Let's read that beginning in verse 12. Hebrews 13 and verse 12. Hebrews 13, 12, Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come, like you heard in the sermonette, that we are pilgrims here on the earth. We are seeking a country, and that country and that place will be given to us of God. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come, by him. Therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. And when we praise God, it is a form of thanking Him, of realizing who He is and what He is and what His purpose is. That is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But to do good and communicate, forget not, for with such sacrifices, God is well pleased. So we ask ourselves today, what am I thankful for?

What did you say that you were thankful for on Thursday? What are you thankful for here today?

The opportunity to know God and have a relationship with Him. Look at Jeremiah 9, verse 23. Here are a few things that I'm thankful for. It's not an all-inclusive list. It's not necessarily in hierarchical order, that is from most important to least important. But this is what God says about, if you want to talk about anything, well, talk about this. In Jeremiah 9, verse 23. Jeremiah 9, verse 23.

He understands and knows me that I am the Eternal, who exercises loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, says the Lord, to thank God that you can have a relationship with Him.

I'm thankful for my family. And especially for my wife, as we'll note later. But thankful for family. Just consider for a moment about family. Generally speaking, when all is said and done, at the end of your days, you die. They have the funeral. It is your family that will mourn your death, lay you to rest, and miss you. Now, scores of people, maybe even hundreds in some cases, may come to your funeral and pay respects to you on that day. Of course, you won't know anything about it. But for most people, it's out of sight, out of mind. Those who truly love you, those who mourn for you, those who will miss you. Generally, it's family. In some cases, people have friends that are that close. But if you can name two or three friends, you are very blessed. I'm talking about people who are truly friends. I'm very thankful for the brethren. Let's look at Hebrews 10. It's one of the reasons why we so emphasize continually being in services and fellowship on the Sabbath day. Can you stay at home and watch services on the cyber-catch? Yes. And thankfully, shut-ins can do that. But if you are not a shut-in, if you are an able-bodied, it's not just the point of view of some people's, I guess, think, well, I've heard it all, and there's really not much there, so I'll just stay home. Or whatever you might think. I don't know what people think altogether. But we'll look here at Hebrews 10.21.

And having a high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkle from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast profession of our faith without wavering, for he is faithful that promise, from faith to faith. And let us consider one another to provoke, to encourage, unto love and to good works. And one of the main ways you do that? Not forsaking. The assembling of ourselves together as a matter of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as you see the day approaching. For if we sin willfully, after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sin. So thankful for the brethren. And one of the ways that you show that you're thankful for them, and trying to do whatever you can to encourage them and help them. I'm thankful for opportunities, for experiences, for trials, for responsibilities, to have actually been in the arena, instilled in the arena, and grappled with triumph and defeat. I'm thankful for the gifts of God that He's given me, because I know where I was without them. The gift of God's Spirit, the gifts of faith, knowledge, wisdom, discernment. God gives gifts to His people, and I'm sure He's given you gifts. Are we thankful for those gifts? Consider where we were. The people of God, not that we are better than anybody else, we're not better than anybody else. God is not a respecter of persons, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the liberation of mind and spirit that has been given through knowledge of the truth, it cannot be adequately explained.

You can sense it in some ways, but it is so, so high. So it's a sense of exaltation. I'm thankful for God's encouragement and comfort. Let's look at 2 Corinthians 1.

If we're down, you go to the Scriptures, especially to the Psalms, and you'll find a treasure trove of encouraging words, like, He will never leave you, He will never forsake you. Even into the end of the world. When Father and Mother forsake Me, You'll bear Me up, You'll help Me.

In 2 Corinthians 1, verse 3, Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them, which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith ourselves are comforted of God. How many times has God wrapped His arms around each one of us and helped us make it through the night, through the day, through the week, through the month, to keep on going?

For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds by Christ. So thankful for God's comfort.

Here are seven things I think of almost every day and thank God for.

Some I've already mentioned. I won't turn to the Scripture in every one of these. One, God will never leave you or forsake you. It probably crosses your mind every day, or it should. He's promised He will never leave you or forsake you as long as you seek Him and remain faithful.

As I said earlier, my wife, for those who are married, whether you be male or female, if you're female, for your husband. How thankful are you? And what does He mean to you? What does She mean to you? Where would you be without?

In Proverbs 31, verse 10, Who can find a virtuous woman, for her price is far above rubies? The heart of her husband is safely trusting her so that he shall have no need to spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. And so you could say the same with regard to the husband.

So thankful for the intercessory work of our high priest. And sometimes we forget that. Let's look at Hebrews 7.25. In Hebrews 7.25, this is so encouraging. You might want to think of this every day and thank God for it.

Let's start in Hebrews 7.24. But this man, you see, man's in italics, speaking of Christ, because he continues ever hath an unchangeable priesthood, the priesthood of Melchizedek, wherefore he is able also to say them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them.

I am so very thankful for God's providence. What is God's providence? In common language, God's providence is, he always has our best interest at heart. He always has our best interest at heart. Turn forward there to Hebrews 11 and verse 6, and you'll see that very clearly. Hebrews 11 and verse 6. But without faith it is impossible to please him, for he that comes to God must believe that he is. So you have to believe that God exists. Obviously, anything having to do with God in the spirit realm of God is fruitless if you don't believe he exists. And, notice this, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. God is looking out for our best interest years in advance. This was the case that was brought to the attention of Joseph's brothers. Let's go to Genesis 45 and look at that for just a moment. You remember the story of Joseph from pit to palace? In the pit, his brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites. Then they sold him, and he finally winds up, second in the land, second in command. The famine came upon the land. The father sends the brothers down to Egypt to buy grain.

Finally, Joseph reveals himself to them, and they are so afraid and really cannot believe that anyone could forgive others for what they had done to him.

But, look at the story of Genesis 45, verse 4. Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near, and he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. Now therefore, be not grieved nor angry with yourselves that you sold me here, for God did send me before you to preserve life. See, this is a providence of God. Looking out for your best interest years in advance.

For these two years has the famine been in the land, and there are five years in which there shall neither be erring nor harvest. Nothing to be planted, nothing to be harvested. And God sent me before you to preserve you of posterity in the earth and to save your lives by great deliverance.

So now it was not you that sent me here. You're not that big. It was not you that sent me here, but God. And he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and the Lord of all of his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. So the providence of God. He's looking out for your best interest. The provision of God.

Matthew 6, 33, in the verses that proceed about the lilies of the field, the birds of the air, and how God takes care of them. How much more valuable are you? Seek you first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

I think about the people who are undergoing so many trials and difficulties, and some of them make the trials and difficulties that I have look very small. You look at Hebrews 12. In Hebrews 12, verse 1, the example of Jesus Christ and what he kept his focus on, Hebrews 12, wherefore seeing we all sort of accomplished about with such a great cloud of witnesses, all those men and women that are cataloged in chapter 11, Let us lay aside every weight in the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the stake. How could he have joy being beaten and bruised and nailed to the stake because he knew what the end result would be for you and I? That he would have brothers and sisters in the kingdom of God, glorious radiant spirit beings, who for the joy that was set before him endured the stake, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest you be wearied and faint in your own minds. As I said, you reach your psychological limits way before you do your physiological. You have not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin.

You see so many people in this world today suffering. Perhaps the greatest thing in the broad, general sense has to do with an understanding of the great questions of life. I know that God exists. I know who he is. He's our creator. He's our Father. I know that he is spirit. I know that his great purpose is to bring us to glory, sons and daughters to glory. I know what man is. Man is made in the image of God. Faculty is akin to God, but he's made of the dust of the ground. He's mortal. He's subject to sin and death. But yet, the great purpose is to be in the kingdom of God.

So understanding what life is all about. I mean, how thankful should we be? When I reflect back over the past years of my life, what gives me the greatest satisfaction and sense of comfort?

One of the greatest things is God's grace, his divine favor. Look at 1 Corinthians 15. Do you think about God's grace, his divine favor? I'm not talking about grace in some mystical, magical kind of way. But the word grace in Greek is charis. There is unmerited grace, and there is merited grace or favor. I love this verse here in 1 Corinthians 15.10, that Paul recognized all the things that Paul did, all the journeys that he went on, all the persecution and trouble that he experienced. How was he able to be sustained? Verse 10, By the grace of God I am what I am, by his divine favor, and his grace, which was bestowed upon me, was not in vain. But I labored the more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God, which was with me. And so many times I know that God delivered me. There was no other way. And I'm sure you have experienced the same.

The love of God's mercy, the support, once again, of family and friends, the support of the brethren, the response of God's people and the character that is reflected in each of their lives, helping them see the light, helping them achieve their potential.

To see that light come on. Look at 2 Corinthians in this regard. In 2 Corinthians, Paul, he's headed up to here, as they say, and he really gets with the Corinthians.

In 2 Corinthians chapter 3, beginning at verse 1, Do we begin again to commend ourselves, or need we as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men. See, a teacher, a preacher, a leader, whomever he is, a husband, a wife, see, they are known to a large degree by the behavior, by the example, by what has become of their teaching, their example, or whatever it might be. For as much as you are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not in ink, but with the spirit of the living God, in the tables or tablets of stone, not there, not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart, and much more, and such trust, how we threw Christ to Godward. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency as of God, who also has made us ministers of the new covenant, not in the letter, but of the spirit, for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life. So, as my old high school principal said, the only lasting good you get out of life is helping others succeed. And when you look back at life and all is said and done, that'll be pretty much what it's all about.

The times that we live in are stressful, they're uncertain, and you may say, well, that's an understatement. But you can defeat stress and discouragement through thanksgiving and enthusiasm. So now we're down to the prescription. We have been descriptive to some degree. Now, we're here...let's look at chapter 4 here in 2 Corinthians. We've been in chapter 3. In chapter 4, verse 8, this gives you an example of what Paul went through, and yet he could write, he could say what we read in 1 Corinthians 15. 10, I am what I am by the grace of God. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that is God's Spirit, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us. We are troubled on every side, not yet distressed. Yet not distressed. We are perplexed, but not in despair. Persecuted, but not forsaken. Cast down, but not destroyed. Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So that's the akin to the Galatians 2.20. I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. So then death works in us, but life in you. We, having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken. We also believe, and therefore speak, knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus, time after time, this is emphasized, that he who raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up also by Jesus, raise us up also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many, redound to the glory of God, for which cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. That inward man, that man of the Spirit, that man that offers up spiritual sacrifices. So God's greatest creation is the work that he's doing and those that he's called into his marvelous light. And now, the next chapter, in chapter 5, we see this. In 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 16, Wherefore, henceforth, know we know man after the flesh. Yea, though, we have known Christ after the flesh, but yet, now, henceforth, know we him no more, that is, after the flesh. Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. That's what God is doing. He is creating within us. He is holy, righteous character as we respond to him. All things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and have given us a ministry of reconciliation. So God's great work is going on in each one of us. The inward man, the God within you, the new creation, as we read from verse 16, must continually be renewed.

Now, there is a word that I want to focus on, and the author of this, I don't know who it is. I've edited it, but share this with you. The word enthusiasm has its roots in the Greek language. It literally means the God within. The etymology of the word reminds us of the divine source of the, what we call, enthusiasm. You occasionally meet an enthusiastic person. Not so often, but occasionally. An enthusiastic person, and we should all be enthusiastic, we should all improve in this area.

Not the old humdrum, mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm. An enthusiastic person is someone who is positively focused in an extraordinary fashion by the Spirit of God. So in one sense, we could say enthusiasm equals passion. You have a passion for what you believe, for what you stand for. You have a passion for God's truth.

It is the thrill and tremble you feel when you take the risk of really being yourself when you forget self and you do the things that you ought to do. Enthusiasm can be seen in the twinkling of your eyes, the determination in your step, the strength in your hands, the irresistible, energetic pull of what you've decided to create. When you feel enthusiastic, nothing can stop you. You must will to go on, no matter what others are pulling out of their hat to try to stop you. See, as I put on the rock locker room door, winners never quit and quitters never win. Quitters never win. When you're working toward your goal with enthusiasm, nothing can hold you back. You jump out of bed early in the morning because your goal, your dream, is calling you. The entire day you're working for the achievement of your goal, losing track of time without feeling hungry. You live in another dimension carried along in a loft by divine energy. The material details of life seem small and insignificant. They can no longer distract you. You have more important things to do. You have a veritable life, a veritable life goal, something that entails your whole being and your whole doing. When you are one with God and with your life goal, you feel a divine energy carrying you. It is called enthusiasm. You're still in this world, but you are no longer of the world. There's a scripture, of course, along those lines. You're able to accomplish large amounts of work that others may consider humanly impossible. It is a very divine energy flowing through you that enables you to accomplish the impossible. Enthusiasm is the elevating force that lifts your dreams up to the stars. The world grows by grace of the power, powerful thrust of highly motivated, enthusiastic people. Enthusiasm is the wondrous engine of life. It's just bubbling up. Once again, it's directly linked to passion. You have to find your passion in order to feel enthusiasm. So, keeping the big picture of the joy that is set before you. We read those first five verses of Hebrews 12. Jesus said, for the joy, or Paul writes, for the joy that was set before him, he endured the stake. We know that God is in us in the hope of glory. So how thankful are we for everything that he has done? Let's look at two or three more scriptures here, and we'll be through Galatians 1. Galatians 1, verse 24. G-E-P-C, Galatians chapter 1.

Galatians chapter 1 and verse 24. Now, remember, we've been talking about enthusiasm and God in you. Galatians 1, verse 24. Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for his body's sake, which is the church. And it's similar to what we read in 2 Corinthians 4, verses 8 through 15. Whereof I made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the Word of God, even the mystery which has been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints, to whom God would make known what are the riches of the glory of the mystery among the nations, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

It is a great mystery that a divine essence of God the Father and Jesus Christ can be in us, and it's no wonder that we should be enthusiastic. Now look at Philippians 4, verse 13. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. So as we press forward after this Thanksgiving, let us not reflect on the past or bemoan the past, for it is gone. We can never recapture it. We can never correct the mistakes of the past. We can repent of the mistakes of the past, and forgetting those things that are past as Paul writes in one place, let us press forward to the great calling that we've been given. And let us reflect on the great prayer that is recorded in Ephesians 3, verse 14. We will close with this prayer in Ephesians 3, verse 14.

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man, that person of the Spirit, in which enthusiasm can cause us to achieve what we have never thought possible. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be also to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height of the world. And to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God, not just full of food, as on Thanksgiving Day after you rise from the table. But you are filled with the very Spirit and essence of God and understand what life is about. Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, and to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.