"Who Gets the Thanks?"

Have you ever realized a habit or tradition you practice regularly but have no idea why or what it's purpose is? You have heard of the husband who asked his wife why she cuts the holiday ham before she cooks it. Her answer was, "My mom always cut it". One day out of curiosity he asked his mother-in-law why she cut the holiday ham before cooking it. She answered "My mother always cut it." Now he had to know why this family always cut the holiday ham in half before cooking it. One holiday they were all at grandma's house so he asked her: "Grandma, why do you cut the ham in half before you cook it?" She answered, "That's simple, I never had a pan large enough to cook a whole ham!"

How often do we stop to consider why we hold to the traditions we do? I think this is an excellent time of the year to consider the purpose of holidays, most specifically Thanksgiving! I have always been amazed at the many people who celebrate Thanksgiving, yet have no appreciation for God or what He offers us through His Son Jesus. They believe they are self-made and have no appreciation for the blessings God has given to them. If one does not believe there is a God who sovereignly rules and is the source of all blessings, then there must be another answer. Here is an answer I found online: "The Pilgrims had the first Thanksgiving, because they wanted to give thanks to Squanto and the Native Americans for teaching them how to do things and live life in different ways, not just the ways the Pilgrims used to live like. Without the Native American's, they probably would have died. Today, at Thanksgiving time, we express gratitude for the good things, people, and events in our lives and the greater world around us." So basically some believe we are simply thankful to each other for what we have. We fail to mention that the Pilgrim's gave thanks to God Almighty.

President Lincoln's Thanksgiving Day Proclamation was pretty clear: "...To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. ...They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God...I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens..." 10/3/1863

Maybe you can help someone better understand the history of Thanksgiving Day in America by pointing them to the goodness of our Lord. We are so blessed and enjoy the many gifts that have come from His hand even though we do not deserve any of it. Let's help each other keep a proper perspective this year as we remember to give thanks to our Creator God! Happy Thanksgiving to each of you!!


"Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation." Psalm 100:3-5

God is on His Throne

Any time there is a vote cast and tallied for or against someone or something, there will be losers and winners. None of us like losing at anything! Whether your candidate(s) won or lost we are all invited to consider a proper perspective within the larger picture. As Christians, we pray for God's will to be seen. We ask for His blessing on this nation. We ask that He would mature the Church in America so that we would have greater impact for Jesus Christ in the world. Sometimes we pray narrowly for God to grant specific requests and other times we pray in general for God to bring about His Kingdom work in His way and time. When God's method is different than what we expected, it can disappoint and create confusion. The solution is for us to "pan out" so that we can see more of what God sees. 

Is it possible for God to use unrighteous means to accomplish righteous goals? This thought troubles us, as it did Habakkuk some 2600 years ago when God told him that the Babylonians were His disciplinary tool of choice. The prophet could not believe that God in His holiness would use unrighteous means to accomplish His sovereign work. He asked the Lord why violence, evil deeds, misery, and injustice went unnoticed: "How long, O Lord, must I call for help? But you do not listen! “Violence is everywhere!” I cry, but you do not come to save. Must I forever see these evil deeds? Why must I watch all this misery? Wherever I look,   I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. The law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, so that justice has become perverted. (Hab. 1:2-4)"

God's answer to him is also for us today according to our Convocation speaker today. Tim Lee shared from this text to give us hope and the challenge not to quit. We were told to stand taller, stand for Israel, stand for the unborn babies, and stand for what is righteous! I would add, stand for biblical marriage, stand for the trustworthiness of God's Word as error free, and stand for absolute truth. God is able to work His plan in many ways that we have not even thought of. God knew what the election results were before FOX News did! He is not worried today. It is all in His plan...will you find peace in Him? 

"The Lord replied, “Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn't believe even if someone told you about it." (Hab. 1:5)

We must pray for this nation that God would have mercy on us and bring spiritual reform to His people. "And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right." (2 Thess. 3:13)

"But the Lord is in his holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before him." (Hab. 2:20)

The Strength of a Nation

We find ourselves in another furious dash toward the polls next Tuesday. We have been listening to the candidates explain what they value and what they want to do as the next leader. We have watched some "mud-slinging," listened to criticisms leveled against each candidate, thrown away more political mail than we can count, and watched enough television ads to make us want to get rid of the TV set! What are we supposed to do with all of these messages that appear to contradict each other? Who will be the best leader for what America and the world needs next?

Our Convocation speaker today described four key components of a strong nation: economic strength, military strength, political strength, and strong leadership. All of us need to first ask ourselves if we agree with these four being the most important pillars necessary for a nation to be strong. A strong economy cannot continue to overtax the very businesses that will create the needed jobs. The people either need to take home more of their current paycheck or they need increased wages. Militarily a nation must continue to maintain and update a strong defense to deter potential attackers, as opposed to shrinking the defense system to pre-WWII status (i.e. why Japan attacked Pearl Harbor). Politically we cannot allow or encourage radical governments toward growth and increased power, we must support those leaders and countries who are working to stand against the radical leaders. But, none of these elements are useful if you do not have strong leaders who know what is wrong and know what to do!

There is an account in the book of 2 Chronicles that takes notice of a small group of leaders in Israel who were available during a critical time in the nation's history:

These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, as the Lord had said...from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do—200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command (2 Chron. 12:23, 32)

A country may have extensive resources, but if it does not have a leader who knows what to do and then has the courage to do it, it is still a weak country. We must vote for the person we conclude can lead best.

We must consider similar concerns as we determine the spiritual strength of our churches. Are the churches teaching the Bible as the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God? Are we helping people grow as disciples of Jesus Christ? As they grow, are we helping them understand what it means for Jesus to be our Lord? Do we understand that there is one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Are we helping people conform their lives to God's standard rather than the world's relativistic standard for living? Are we willing to use the word sin to describe offenses against a holy God? Do we lead people to confession and repentance as opposed to redefining sin so they can feel better about themselves?

We need leaders in the church who will share truth through God's love. That is leadership! What are some things you want to see Christian leaders return to or maintain in their priorities for the church? What do you value in a spiritual leader? What does God value in a spiritual leader?