Cathi LeFleur wrote a nice summary of the message: "In this season of thanksgiving, I need to remember that the God who called the Apostle Paul and walked with him through all his hardships is the same God who walks with me today. That reminder, if nothing else, allows me to be hopeful in an evil world and optimistic that, despite all appearances to the contrary, God is still the Victor. Knowing that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, I can live in expectancy of his continued faithfulness, mercy, grace and love and look forward every day to something that will confirm and bolster my faith.
"I can live and give generously, being proud that Christianity is -- and always has been -- a religion of Peace. Therefore I can stand in the gap for others with prayers of intervention, to be purposeful in my living and my speaking, to be thoughtful in my decisions and my actions. I can be bold and wise in my faith, taking every opportunity to plant, water, and fertilize seeds of hope. In every situation I can test my motive and my direction by asking "Would Jesus be pleased?" by that action or thought.
I am committed to knowing and doing God's will in all areas of my life, knowing that nothing can stop the perfect will of God because He has already won the Victory."
Introduction to the message:
The older I get, the more I like Thanksgiving. I obviously really do like the turkey and the food. Now that my children are growing up, gathering together is pretty special. More than that, the older I get, I don’t take the blessings of life for granted quite as much. Even in the midst of a difficult world ~ “the days are evil” or (another translation) “these are desperate times” is the way it says it in today’s scripture ~ I am more thankful than ever. As a nation we are losing freedoms, traditional values are being eroded, ~ that makes me more thankful than ever for God’s blessings. I like the quote in the bulletin about seven graves for every hut built, yet the people who lost so much are the ones at the first Thanksgiving… often the prayer of Thanksgiving is a list of blessings we have right now… homes, families, food, country, God. All good and wonderful things. Thanksgiving, however, should also point to the future ~ to be Thankful for what is coming. Even though “the days are evil,” We have reason to be optimistic. We who believe in Jesus Christ are called to be optimists, people who expect God’s guidance and blessings. Thanksgiving is the grease for an optimistic future, a future of hope and expectancy, a future orchestrated and directed by God. Amen?
"I can live and give generously, being proud that Christianity is -- and always has been -- a religion of Peace. Therefore I can stand in the gap for others with prayers of intervention, to be purposeful in my living and my speaking, to be thoughtful in my decisions and my actions. I can be bold and wise in my faith, taking every opportunity to plant, water, and fertilize seeds of hope. In every situation I can test my motive and my direction by asking "Would Jesus be pleased?" by that action or thought.
I am committed to knowing and doing God's will in all areas of my life, knowing that nothing can stop the perfect will of God because He has already won the Victory."
Introduction to the message:
The older I get, the more I like Thanksgiving. I obviously really do like the turkey and the food. Now that my children are growing up, gathering together is pretty special. More than that, the older I get, I don’t take the blessings of life for granted quite as much. Even in the midst of a difficult world ~ “the days are evil” or (another translation) “these are desperate times” is the way it says it in today’s scripture ~ I am more thankful than ever. As a nation we are losing freedoms, traditional values are being eroded, ~ that makes me more thankful than ever for God’s blessings. I like the quote in the bulletin about seven graves for every hut built, yet the people who lost so much are the ones at the first Thanksgiving… often the prayer of Thanksgiving is a list of blessings we have right now… homes, families, food, country, God. All good and wonderful things. Thanksgiving, however, should also point to the future ~ to be Thankful for what is coming. Even though “the days are evil,” We have reason to be optimistic. We who believe in Jesus Christ are called to be optimists, people who expect God’s guidance and blessings. Thanksgiving is the grease for an optimistic future, a future of hope and expectancy, a future orchestrated and directed by God. Amen?
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