"Happy Thanksgiving"

Ephesians 1:3 "Blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,..."

      "Thanksgiving" is to be about the worship and giving thanks to our great God. The early Pilgrims who immigrated to America in order to gain religious freedom understood, God by His grace had allowed them to make it to the new land through toils and snares. This caused the Pilgrims to rejoice, to worship, and to give thanks for His goodness toward them. (For more information on the history of the Pilgrims and first Thanksgiving click here: http://pastorhistorian.com/2012/11/21/thanksgiving-american-history-and-parental-responsibility/).
         As I reflect upon the true meaning of Thanksgiving there is so much more than eating turkey, seeing family, and watching football. Meditating on scriptures like Ephesians 1:3, "how God has blessed me with "all" spiritual blessings in the heavenly places" causes my heart to worship, give thanksgiving and gratitude toward my God. I may lose my family, I may lose my career, I may not have any turkey to eat...but God has "blessed" me with all spiritual blessings, because I am REDEEMED! Our gratitude and giving of thanks is not based upon our material blessings but rather our spiritual blessings in Christ.

So, as I reflect on Thanksgiving I want to name a few of my "spiritual blessings:"

1. Salvation: 2 Corinthian 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he s a new creation. The old is passed away; behold, the new has come." Perhaps this is the most important. Without salvation in Christ and being reconciled to God in Christ no one can truly celebrate Thanksgiving. For they have no one to give thanks to. I am thankful God has redeemed me through the blood of Christ by granting repentance and faith to me. I am thankful God is continually making my sin known to me, the need for the gospel, and forgiveness each day of my life.

2. God's Word. Psalm 119:105 "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." I am thankful for the inerrant, infallible, all sufficient word of God which guides me as I seek His will for my life. The word of God which is so accessible to read, study, and to memorize I often fail at taking advantage of learning and knowing his word more than I do. I am thankful God's word will "leads in the paths of righteousness for his name sake (Pslam 23:3)." I am thankful God has called me to teach and preach his word to his people week in and week out.

3. Prayer: 1 Thessalonians 5:17 "Pray without ceasing." I am thankful I can seek God through Christ anywhere, at anytime, for any reason. My Father longs to hear from his children and desires to answer his children according to his will. I am thankful to intercede on the behalf of my flock which have needs.

4. The church: Matt. 16:18 "I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." I am thankful for the church, especially the church at Pleasant Hill in Orlinda, TN. I am thankful God chose me to serve the people at PHBC as thier elder/pastor it is truly a blessing. I am thankful for a group of blood bought believers who gather each week to worship, encourage, pray, and fellowship with one another. I am thankful for our sweet fellowship in the word, prayer, and sharing a meal each Lord's Day with each other. I tell the Lord's people at PHBC we have a special thing. I love the Lord's church and am thankful for it!

    Will you give thanks just for material blessings (which we should be thankful to God for)? Or, will you give thanks for the "spiritual blessings" we have in Christ Jesus?