{"id":56091,"date":"2022-11-10T14:03:09","date_gmt":"2022-11-10T19:03:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/?p=56091"},"modified":"2022-11-10T14:03:17","modified_gmt":"2022-11-10T19:03:17","slug":"is-it-really-thanksgiving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/2022\/11\/is-it-really-thanksgiving\/","title":{"rendered":"IS IT REALLY THANKSGIVING?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Written by Van Yandell <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Colossians 3:15-17 \u201cLet the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where would we be if not for Christianity?  Christianity has indeed introduced the world to new concepts that likely would never have otherwise been considered. Forgiveness of sin by grace and mercy is one example. Prior to Christ Jesus, the world thought differently (John 1: 17).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before Jesus, people believed they had eternal security by what they did. Jesus paid the price for sin by shedding his precious blood; our salvation is by what He did, not what we, in our state of weakness and frailty, might do (Luke 18: 18).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christianity reinforced and emphasized the standards of behavior for a civilized society. Whether we consider \u201cour world\u201d as being within our social or family cluster, or the entire planet earth, without guidelines for human behavior, chaos will result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christianity also introduced the world to a faith based belief system. Faith is believing in something we cannot prove, such as in a \u201ccourt-of-law\u201d type proof. Christian faith is based on our believing the scriptures. Faith is also an emotional experience we have with our Creator (Ephesians 2: 8).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Faith, while not based on proof, is definitely based on evidence. Evidence is tentative and an indication of the event while proof is final and conclusive. Police officers tell us, \u201cThe evidence will lead to the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The evidence within the Holy Bible is overwhelmingly convincing. God knew things long before humans did. The science in the Bible, prophesy, astronomy, nutrition, life in general and countless other subjects show us unequivocally, God the creator and Supreme Being directed the writing of the Bible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Giving thanks is seen by many as old-fashioned and not necessary. With today\u2019s entitlement mindset by so many, to give thanks is an attitude of \u201cit\u2019s not necessary.\u201d The \u201cI deserve\u201d point of view is misguided although shared by many.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

God Jesus (Matthew 10: 30) has given us eternity by a simple, faith based belief in Him, crucified for the remission of sin and resurrected. God obviously wants as many of us in Heaven with Him as He can have (2 Peter 3: 9). He has made salvation easy for us while it certainly was not for our Jesus. Crucifixion is acknowledged to be the most horrible form of capital punishment ever devised by mankind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John 3:17-18 \u201cFor God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So the question may be, \u201cWhere does thanksgiving begin?\u201d If salvation is not at the top of our lists, we have missed the point. If we compare our life span to eternity, there seems to be some difference.  We humans are finite beings: our bodies are most certainly going to die!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being thankful for salvation must be accompanied with an emotional bond to Jesus. His was a supreme sacrifice.  The actual process of crucifixion is beyond our understanding. The purpose of the executioner was to inflict pain. He was good at his job and Jesus\u2019 suffering was tremendous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research has examined the physical torture inflicted and the process of crucifixion. If the reader seeks to explore this subject further, run search for the article, \u201cEaster: The Crucifixion,\u201d April 2022. Or, watch the video on youtube.com, \u201cSunday morning with Brother Van #4 (Crucifixion).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 \u201cRejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.\u201d Notice how the Apostle Paul in these verses combines rejoicing, praying and giving thanks. These go hand-in-hand for a Christian in giving thanks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The basic concept of thanksgiving involves much more than a superficial, shallow \u201cThank you.\u201d We may say \u201cthank you\u201d if someone opens a door or offers a compliment. That \u201cthank you\u201d is much like the check-out saying \u201chave a nice day.\u201d  He or she may sincerely hope you have a nice day but it is probably what they have been told to say to the customer and is, for the most part, without substance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 Chronicles 16:34 \u201cOh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!\u201d  The Bible makes it very clear how great God\u2019s love is for mankind. We have been so blessed, especially in the free world. Many in the communist\/socialist countries would disagree that they are blessed, but in so many cases, people only see the materialistic possessions as objects of thankfulness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His great love for us is truly a blessing we could never earn or ever deserve. In mission work we continually strive to emphasize it\u2019s all about Jesus but the scriptures, in many cases, indicate from God\u2019s point of view, it\u2019s all about us. Our thanksgiving can never be enough to even begin to equal God\u2019s love for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanksgiving is our emotional response to God\u2019s love. It is spiritual; it is supernatural. Retailers make Thanksgiving all about marketing and profits. Oh, have we as a society ever missed the point! Thanksgiving is a relationship between us and God and one that the secular world can never understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanksgiving is something we not only respond to with prayers but with our spiritual self. The Bible teaches when we believe we become indwelt with God\u2019s spirit (1 Corinthians 6; 19, Acts 19: 2-6, Ephesians 5: 29-30).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanksgiving Day is a day we set aside to be thankful. If we focus on only that one day or on material objects, the spiritual essence of Thanksgiving has been missed. Thanksgiving is a feeling that we must engage every day of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only when we realize how great God\u2019s love for us actually is, and consider His sacrifice on the cross, can we be truly thankful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Philippians 4:4-7 \u201cRejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These verses in Philippians say it all. Consider your priorities of thankfulness and be thankful from the heart, not from the mind.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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