by Iris
First a brief review:
We've been looking at some thoughts from the
book "21 Reasons Bad Things Happen to Good People" by Dave Earley. In
previous lessons we've seen there are 4 Important Truths regarding this
topic of suffering.
1. God is under no obligation to give us an explanation for suffering.
2. God has given us plenty of explanation if we will only look for it and accept it.
3. God can do more than one good thing through the bad things that happen to us.
4. God knows what it is to suffer, and He knows how to help us in our suffering.
From
the book, we've learned about 6 possible reasons bad things happen to
good people. First, the main reason is God created the world good and
God created people with the ability to choose. People chose evil and
their choice brought evil into the world. Their choice has had lasting
consequences for all mankind.
Second, it may be to win an unseen
victory. Just as Job didn't know about the battle between Satan and
God, we may also be players in an unseen battle.
Third, it may be to
expand our perspective of God. God may be doing things that are bigger
than we can imagine and, as in the case of Job, our suffering may be
part of something much bigger than we are. Possessing a bigger, more
accurate view of God is a very valuable gift. To our detriment, we
easily forget how infinitely big, intelligent, powerful, and good is our
God.
Fourth, it may be to deepen our humility before God.
Adversity has a way of reminding us that we are not the center of the
universe. Pain has the power to point out our insufficiency. It
reminds us, often brutally, of our naked insecurity, broken
vulnerability, often overlooked mortality, and immense dependency. It
forces us to depend on others and turn to God. When suffering has
thrown us flat on our back and we have nowhere to look but up, it is
only then that we truly see God.
Fifth, it may be to produce
greater intimacy with God. God desires a close, personal relationship
with us and has promised to always be with us. He expects us to trust
Him to keep His promises. Adversity will either come between you and
God or it will push you closer to God--it's your choice.
And
sixth, bad things may happen to us to prepare us to receive far greater
blessings. The hard lessons learned through the tough times make us
ready to deal with better days by building into our lives needed virtues
such as patience, grace, dependence upon God, godly priorities and
perspectives. Bad times can produce good things in us that mold us into
the type of people God can trust to handle more good things.
So far, we've been looking at the story of Job as it relates to this
topic. Let's branch out and look at some other good people in the Bible
to whom bad things happened.
Bad things may happen to us
To Position Us for Higher Promotion
How on earth could a Hebrew shepherd, the eleventh-ranked brother in
his own family, possible become prime minister of a mighty world power?
Humanly speaking it would be absolutely, undeniably, irrevocably
impossible. But there is a God who can use very bad things to
accomplish very good things, even impossibly good things--and that is
exactly what happened to a boy named Joseph.
Beginning with Genesis
chapter 37, I invite you to read this extraordinary story. Joseph's
story is in chapters 37, 39-45. However, here I will summarize it.
God gave Joseph the ability to interpret dreams, a skill that would
lead him into a life of leadership, but not without tragedy. Joseph's
brothers were jealous of him and sold him into slavery to some Midianite
traders. They faked his death by soaking his coat of many colors in
animal blood so his father would believe he was dead. All his
privileges and rights were taken away and he ended up a slave in Egypt
where he was sold to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the
guard.
While working as a slave in the household of Potiphar,
Joseph was blessed to demonstrate his leadership abilities and became
trusted. From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s
household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for
Joseph’s sake. All Potiphar's household affairs ran smoothly, and his
crops and livestock flourished. But, Joseph was betrayed and accused
falsely by Potiphar's wife of assaulting her. Joseph was thrown into
prison. But, God was still using Joseph and allowed him to find favor
with the warden who put Joseph in charge of all those held in the
prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there.
There followed other betrayals and mishaps in prison for many years
until Joseph was called to interpret a dream by the Pharaoh. Pharaoh
recognized that God had given Joseph this power and was with him. At
the age of 30, Joseph was made second in power over the land of Egypt
with all the rights and privileges of that position.
As a result of
his predicting a seven-year famine and making proper preparations for
it, Joseph was able to provide food for his family and be re-united with
them.
From a seventeen year-old slave, thirteen years of one
tragedy after another, to become the ruler of one of the most powerful
nations on earth at that time, Joseph demonstrated that the God of our
universe can indeed use bad things to result in great good. Joseph said
to his brothers in Genesis 50: 20
"You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought
me to this position so I could save the lives of many people."
How has God helped you through some trials to something better?
God may all allow bad things to happen
To Prepare Us For the Miraculous
Would you like God to do an amazing, jaw-dropping, inexplicable, stand
up and holler miracle in your life? Who wouldn't want to see sickness
instantaneously healed? Who wouldn't want to see a healthy child placed
in a barren womb? What about a dead man made alive? How about walking
on top of a stormy sea? How about clean, bubbling torrents of water in
the desert? But, think, before you answer.
One day, as I was
studying the miracles in the Bible, I had a profound insight. To you it
is probably obvious, but to me it was a new understanding and a big
deal. My big brainstorm was this: There are no miracles without
messes. Walk through the scriptures. Every miracle followed closely
on the heels on a giant mess. For example:
1. Sarah endured ninety years of the frustrating humiliation of barrenness before her miracle baby, Isaac was born. (Genesis 17:16-18)
2.
Moses was leading a million slaves to their slaughter at the hands of
Pharaoh and his chariots before the Red Sea opened, allowing them to
pass through on dry land. (Exodus 14)
3. Thousands of people had to
grow tired and hungry before Jesus multiplied fish and bread enough for
all to feast. (Matthew 14)
4. The widow and her son had to be
starving ahead of the unlimited bin of flour and unending jar of oil
lasted until the drought was over. (1 Kings 17:13-15)
5. Daniel had to be thrown into the lion's den before he could be spared from even a scratch. (Daniel 6)
6.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the furnace prior to
being protected so completely by the Son of God that no one could even
smell smoke on them. (Daniel 3)
7. Bartimaeus had to experience a lifetime of blindness prior to experiencing the Great Physician's healing touch. (Mark 10)
8.
Jesus never would have had to free the man in the tombs from a legion
of demons if the man had not been demonized in the first place. (Mark 5)
9. The ten lepers had to suffer the agonies of leprosy before experiencing the miracle of their healing. (Luke 17)
10. Peter had to go to prison before the angel could unlock his chains and set him free. (Acts 12)
11.
Paul and Silas had to be beaten severely and thrown into prison prior
to the amazing earthquake that opened the heart of the Philippian
jailer. (Acts 16)
12. Lazarus had to suffer the pain of illness and death before he could be raised from the dead! (John 11) So did Jesus.
The biblical record is quite clear. There were no miracles without
previous messes. The need for a miracle is necessitated by the presence
of an impossible situation, usually unbearable suffering. Today, God
still does miracles. He often performs miracles today as an answer to
prayer for physical healing. Sometimes He miraculously protects us from
accident. He is able to set aside the laws of nature that He Himself
put into motion if it is according to His will to do so.
Today,
He doesn't need to use humans to perform miracles for Him as He did in
the times of the Old Testament and the New Testament when those miracles
were for the purpose of proving the truth of His word or His power. We
see this taught in various scriptures:
Mark 16:20
"Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord
worked with them and confirmed His word by the signs that accompanied
it."
Acts 14:3
"So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly
for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to
perform signs and wonders."
Acts 8: 5
"Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ
to them. 6 The crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was
said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was
performing."
John 20: 30
"Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the
disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been
written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of
God; and that believing you may have life in His name."
Now, we
have the Bible, the written Word of God, to verify who God is and what
He can do. If we won't listen to the Scriptures, we wouldn't believe a
miracle performed by a man. This truth is given in the account of the
deaths of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16:27
“The rich man answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my
family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they
will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29 “Abraham replied,
‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 30 “‘No,
father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them,
they will repent.’ 31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to
Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises
from the dead.’”
After we finish with this series, I'll be
presenting some lessons about the miracles in the Bible and miracles
that we see today.
Let's pause for questions or comments.
To Increase the Testimony of God
There are two great accounts of this in the book of Daniel--chapter 6
and chapter 3. Most of you are familiar with these two events in the
life of Daniel. Think about what happened. Daniel was a good man who
was sentenced to death for doing a good thing, faithfully standing for
God and praying to Him no matter what. Why did a good and almighty God
permit this horrible event to happen to such a truly good person?
Daniel 6:19
"At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’
den. 20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished
voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve
continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?” 21 Daniel
answered, “May the king live forever! 22 My God sent His angel, and he
shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found
innocent in His sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your
Majesty.” 23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out
of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found
on him, because he had trusted in his God."
God allowed such a big mess so He could do such a great miracle. But that is not the end of the story. Read on:
Daniel 6: 24
"At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were
brought in and thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and
children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions
overpowered them and crushed all their bones. 25 Then King Darius wrote
to all the nations and peoples of every language in all the earth:
“May you prosper greatly! 26 “I issue a decree that in every part of my
kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. “For He is
the living God and He endures forever; His kingdom will not be
destroyed, His dominion will never end. 27 He rescues and He saves; He
performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has
rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.” 28 So Daniel prospered
during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian."
The same story is acted out with different actors in chapter 3.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced a similar situation. King
Nebuchadnezzar had issued an order that an idol be worshipped: "4 Then
the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language,
this is what you are commanded to do: 5 As soon as you hear the sound of
the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you
must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar
has set up. 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be
thrown into a blazing furnace.”
But these 3 men of God refused.
12
But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the
province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention
to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image
of gold you have set up.” 13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar
summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought
before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true,
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship
the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the
horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are
ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you
do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing
furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”
They were sentenced to the furnace but God rescued them.
"24
Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his
advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the
fire?” They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.” 25 He said, “Look! I
see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the
fourth looks like a son of the gods.” 26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached
the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” So
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps,
prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw
that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads
singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire
on them.
Again, a bad thing happened to good people because they
were faithful to God. And again, God miraculously intervened to provide
a clear and powerful testimony of His Glory!
Share some experiences you've had where you know it was God's intervention to deliver you from harm.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
“Thanksgiving”
by Romans of The 4 Gospels Christian Network
Next Thursday Americans will be celebrating Thanksgiving. It will be a day of food and parades and family and more food and football games... and more food. Has the original intent and purpose of the Day been lost to many Americans? Are they thanking God for the abundance, or just indulging because they can, without regard to the Source of the Feast set before them?
Among the early settlers of this Continent, as people seeking religious freedom, facing hardships on many levels, giving thanks to God was a spontaneous celebration that took place when God's Mercy and Providence was evident.
But what are the origins of this fixed date of Thanksgiving Day as we celebrate it today?
On the 3rd of October, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln made an official proclamation declaring that from hence forth, the last Thursday in November would be a National Day of Thanksgiving. The Civil War was still raging when he made his Declaration, which reads in part:
“Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. 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.”
Tonight, I'd like us to begin thinking, a week in advance of the Day, of why God is so deserving of our Praises and Thanksgiving. The Word of God is full of thanks to God. Let's look into it and see what we can learn from it on this subject. Before I begin, I would like to give full credit to Torrey's Topical Textbook (article: “Thanksgiving.”) for the outline that I used for this Discussion.
Christ Set an Example of Thanksgiving on Many Occasions:
Matthew 11:25: “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.”
Matthew 26:26: “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it.”
John 6:10: “And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.”
John 11:41: “Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always:”
The Heavenly Host Engaged in Thanksgiving:
Revelation 7:11: “And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.”
Philippians 4:6: “Be careful,” or, anxious “for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
Thanksgiving is a Good Thing:
Psalms 92:1: “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered To God:
Psalms 50:14: “Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered To Christ:
1 Timothy 1:12: “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered Through Christ:
Romans 1:7: “To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.”
I can wholeheartedly join with Paul, and tell you that I also thank God for you all. Your faith is also spoken of throughout the whole world, as this is a daily world-spanning Fellowship of like minded Christians who pray with and for each other. No one expected that technology would grant us the ability to do what we now take for granted: We gather in Jesus' Name, separated by oceans and continents and thousands of miles. And as He promised He would be, He is in our midst when we do, and I thank God for His being with us, and for each of you being with us!
Colossians 3:17: “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
Hebrews 13:13: “Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Given In the Name of Christ:
Ephesians 5:19: “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Thanksgiving In Behalf of Ministers:
2 Corinthians 1:8: “For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us. Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered In Private Worship:
Misled by those jealous of Daniel, King Darius signed a new decree that anyone who prayed to anyone but him for the next thirty days would be thrown to the lions. We read in Daniel 6:9: “Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered In Public Worship:
Psalms 35:18: “I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered In Everything:
1 Thessalonians 5:15: “See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered Before Taking Food:
Even while on board a ship, barely surviving a violent storm, we read of Paul in Acts 27:33: “And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing. Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you. And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered Always:
Ephesians 1:15: “Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:”
1 Thessalonians 1:2:”We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.”
Thanksgiving At the Remembrance of God's Holiness:
Psalms 30:4: “Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved.”
Psalms 97:12: “Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For the Reception and Effectual Working of the Word of God in Others:
1 Thessalonians 2:11: “As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For Deliverance Through Christ From In-dwelling Sin:
Romans 7:22: “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”
Paul asked, “... who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” And then he answered his own question: “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For Victory Over Death and the Grave:
1 Corinthians 15:54: “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For Wisdom and Might:
Daniel 2:23: “I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For the Triumph of the Gospel:
2 Corinthians 2:14: “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For the Conversion of Others:
Romans 6:17: “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For Faith Exhibited by Others:
Romans 1:8: “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.”
2 Thessalonians 1:3: “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For the Grace Bestowed on Others:
1 Corinthians 1:4: “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:”
Philippians 1:3: “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”
Colossians 1:3: “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For the Zeal Exhibited by Others:
2 Corinthians 8:16: “But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For the Nearness of God's Presence:
Psalms 75:1: “Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For Appointment to the Ministry:
1 Timothy 1:12: “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For All Things:
Ephesians 5:20: “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Thanksgiving Should be Accompanied by Intercession for Others:
1 Timothy 2:1: “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men, For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”
2 Timothy 1:3: “I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day.”
Philemon 1:4: “I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints.”
Thanksgiving Should Always Accompany Prayer:
Colossians 4:2: “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.”
Christians Should Be Resolved to Offer Thanksgiving:
Psalms 18:49: “Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.”
Psalms 30:12: “To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.”
Magnify God by Thanksgiving:
Psalms 69:30: “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.”
Come Before God with Thanksgiving:
Psalms 95:2: “Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.”
Believers Should Enter God's Gate with Thanksgiving:
Psalms 100:4: “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”
The Wicked are Averse to Thanksgiving:
Romans 1:21: “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Continual:
Hebrews 13:15: “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”
2 Thessalonians 2:13: “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:”
2 Thessalonians 1:3: “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth.”
Thanksgiving is Personally Exemplified by:
David in 1 Chronicles 29:12: “Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.”
Daniel in Daniel 2:23: “I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter.”
Jonah from inside the specially prepared great fish in Jonah 2:9: “But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.”
The Prophetess Anna in Luke 2:38: “And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.”
The Apostle Paul in Acts 28:15: “And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For the Goodness and Mercy of God:
Psalms 106:1: “Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Notice the flow of this Psalm carefully:
Psalms 107:1: “O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.”
I want to read these Verses, again. Do you know who I see when I read these Verses? The Israelites. Yes, I see the children of Israel. But I also see us, the Members of the 4Gospels Chat Room. I see everyone logged in here, tonight. And I see those who usually log in, but perhaps did not, tonight.
Let's take this a Verse or two at a time to see why I see us:
Psalms 107:1: “O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;”
Is that not us? The redeemed of the Lord, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy?
Verse 3: “And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.”
This Website is a gathering place for us. Look at the list of names at the right. Would everyone type in the name of the states or countries where you are living, so we can all see the points on the compass from which we have gathered here, tonight, east, west, north, and south?
Member resident areas include: Georgia, Virginia, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Oregon, Michigan, Vermont, Texas, Canada, Afghanistan, New Zealand, Austria, Great Britain and the Netherlands.
Look at that list and consider the distances that separate us who gather here, daily.
Verse 4: “They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.
We don't live close to each other. Geographically, we are many, many hours apart, even by jet. There is no one city in which we all dwell. And in that, even though we gather daily, we wander in a solitary way.
Verse 5 “Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.”
Does this apply to us, also?
Do we hunger and thirst only on a physical level?
Did Jesus not tell us in Matthew 5:6: “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” This Verse, then, also is about us.
Verse 6: “Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.”
Is that not also us? Have we not all cried in our trouble? And has He not delivered us all out of our distresses?
Matthew Henry has this to say about these Verses: “The words describe their case whom the Lord has redeemed from the bondage of Satan; who pass through the world as a dangerous and dreary wilderness, often ready to faint through troubles, fears, and temptations. Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, after God, and communion with him, shall be filled with the goodness of his house, both in grace and glory.”
So, you see... these Verses are about us.
Are there any questions or comments before we close, this Evening?
We have been talking about Thanksgiving, this Evening. And we all have many things to be thankful for. Things given us by God directly, on a spiritual and physical level, and things which He gave us through fellow humans, both believers and non-believers whom God set on our paths to intercept us.
2 Corinthians 9:11: “Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God.” (14): “And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.”
Matthew Henry: “Blessed be God for the unspeakable gift of his grace, whereby he enables and inclines some of his people to bestow upon others, and others to be grateful for it; and blessed be his glorious name to all eternity, for Jesus Christ, that inestimable gift of his love, through whom this and every other good thing, pertaining to life and godliness, are freely given unto us, beyond all expression, measure, or bounds.”
Come next Thursday, when you sit down to Thanksgiving Dinner, at whatever table you will be sitting, wherever on this planet that table might be, Thank God for all that He is, for all that He has given you, and for the Eternity that He wanted you to share with Him intensely enough, that He sent His Son to pay for our sins, to die an inglorious and ignominious death in our place, so that each of us might have victory over the grave, and be able to enter into His joy for ever.
In the spirit of Thanksgiving Day, as President Lincoln originally designated it, I want to publicly thank God for all He has done in my life. I also want to thank Eye for his having established this Chat Room and Website. Allow me, also, to thank all of you for being here tonight, and for all the work that you who are Moderators, Accountability Partners, Prayer Warriors, Bible Study Leaders, and CR Coaches do to make this the kind of WebSite and Chat Room that it is! May God continue to Bless it, that it may be a light in the new electronic age of the Internet.
With the above in mind, I offer this one last Scripture of Thanksgiving from 1 Corinthians 15:57-58: “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
Romans, November 19th, 2011
Next Thursday Americans will be celebrating Thanksgiving. It will be a day of food and parades and family and more food and football games... and more food. Has the original intent and purpose of the Day been lost to many Americans? Are they thanking God for the abundance, or just indulging because they can, without regard to the Source of the Feast set before them?
Among the early settlers of this Continent, as people seeking religious freedom, facing hardships on many levels, giving thanks to God was a spontaneous celebration that took place when God's Mercy and Providence was evident.
But what are the origins of this fixed date of Thanksgiving Day as we celebrate it today?
On the 3rd of October, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln made an official proclamation declaring that from hence forth, the last Thursday in November would be a National Day of Thanksgiving. The Civil War was still raging when he made his Declaration, which reads in part:
“Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. 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.”
Tonight, I'd like us to begin thinking, a week in advance of the Day, of why God is so deserving of our Praises and Thanksgiving. The Word of God is full of thanks to God. Let's look into it and see what we can learn from it on this subject. Before I begin, I would like to give full credit to Torrey's Topical Textbook (article: “Thanksgiving.”) for the outline that I used for this Discussion.
Christ Set an Example of Thanksgiving on Many Occasions:
Matthew 11:25: “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.”
Matthew 26:26: “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it.”
John 6:10: “And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.”
John 11:41: “Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always:”
The Heavenly Host Engaged in Thanksgiving:
Revelation 7:11: “And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.”
Philippians 4:6: “Be careful,” or, anxious “for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
Thanksgiving is a Good Thing:
Psalms 92:1: “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered To God:
Psalms 50:14: “Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered To Christ:
1 Timothy 1:12: “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered Through Christ:
Romans 1:7: “To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.”
I can wholeheartedly join with Paul, and tell you that I also thank God for you all. Your faith is also spoken of throughout the whole world, as this is a daily world-spanning Fellowship of like minded Christians who pray with and for each other. No one expected that technology would grant us the ability to do what we now take for granted: We gather in Jesus' Name, separated by oceans and continents and thousands of miles. And as He promised He would be, He is in our midst when we do, and I thank God for His being with us, and for each of you being with us!
Colossians 3:17: “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
Hebrews 13:13: “Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Given In the Name of Christ:
Ephesians 5:19: “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Thanksgiving In Behalf of Ministers:
2 Corinthians 1:8: “For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us. Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered In Private Worship:
Misled by those jealous of Daniel, King Darius signed a new decree that anyone who prayed to anyone but him for the next thirty days would be thrown to the lions. We read in Daniel 6:9: “Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered In Public Worship:
Psalms 35:18: “I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered In Everything:
1 Thessalonians 5:15: “See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered Before Taking Food:
Even while on board a ship, barely surviving a violent storm, we read of Paul in Acts 27:33: “And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing. Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you. And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered Always:
Ephesians 1:15: “Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:”
1 Thessalonians 1:2:”We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.”
Thanksgiving At the Remembrance of God's Holiness:
Psalms 30:4: “Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved.”
Psalms 97:12: “Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For the Reception and Effectual Working of the Word of God in Others:
1 Thessalonians 2:11: “As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For Deliverance Through Christ From In-dwelling Sin:
Romans 7:22: “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”
Paul asked, “... who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” And then he answered his own question: “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For Victory Over Death and the Grave:
1 Corinthians 15:54: “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For Wisdom and Might:
Daniel 2:23: “I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For the Triumph of the Gospel:
2 Corinthians 2:14: “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For the Conversion of Others:
Romans 6:17: “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For Faith Exhibited by Others:
Romans 1:8: “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.”
2 Thessalonians 1:3: “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For the Grace Bestowed on Others:
1 Corinthians 1:4: “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:”
Philippians 1:3: “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”
Colossians 1:3: “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For the Zeal Exhibited by Others:
2 Corinthians 8:16: “But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For the Nearness of God's Presence:
Psalms 75:1: “Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For Appointment to the Ministry:
1 Timothy 1:12: “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For All Things:
Ephesians 5:20: “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Thanksgiving Should be Accompanied by Intercession for Others:
1 Timothy 2:1: “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men, For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”
2 Timothy 1:3: “I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day.”
Philemon 1:4: “I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints.”
Thanksgiving Should Always Accompany Prayer:
Colossians 4:2: “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.”
Christians Should Be Resolved to Offer Thanksgiving:
Psalms 18:49: “Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.”
Psalms 30:12: “To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.”
Magnify God by Thanksgiving:
Psalms 69:30: “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.”
Come Before God with Thanksgiving:
Psalms 95:2: “Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.”
Believers Should Enter God's Gate with Thanksgiving:
Psalms 100:4: “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”
The Wicked are Averse to Thanksgiving:
Romans 1:21: “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Continual:
Hebrews 13:15: “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”
2 Thessalonians 2:13: “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:”
2 Thessalonians 1:3: “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth.”
Thanksgiving is Personally Exemplified by:
David in 1 Chronicles 29:12: “Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.”
Daniel in Daniel 2:23: “I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter.”
Jonah from inside the specially prepared great fish in Jonah 2:9: “But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.”
The Prophetess Anna in Luke 2:38: “And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.”
The Apostle Paul in Acts 28:15: “And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.”
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For the Goodness and Mercy of God:
Psalms 106:1: “Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Notice the flow of this Psalm carefully:
Psalms 107:1: “O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.”
I want to read these Verses, again. Do you know who I see when I read these Verses? The Israelites. Yes, I see the children of Israel. But I also see us, the Members of the 4Gospels Chat Room. I see everyone logged in here, tonight. And I see those who usually log in, but perhaps did not, tonight.
Let's take this a Verse or two at a time to see why I see us:
Psalms 107:1: “O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;”
Is that not us? The redeemed of the Lord, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy?
Verse 3: “And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.”
This Website is a gathering place for us. Look at the list of names at the right. Would everyone type in the name of the states or countries where you are living, so we can all see the points on the compass from which we have gathered here, tonight, east, west, north, and south?
Member resident areas include: Georgia, Virginia, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Oregon, Michigan, Vermont, Texas, Canada, Afghanistan, New Zealand, Austria, Great Britain and the Netherlands.
Look at that list and consider the distances that separate us who gather here, daily.
Verse 4: “They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.
We don't live close to each other. Geographically, we are many, many hours apart, even by jet. There is no one city in which we all dwell. And in that, even though we gather daily, we wander in a solitary way.
Verse 5 “Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.”
Does this apply to us, also?
Do we hunger and thirst only on a physical level?
Did Jesus not tell us in Matthew 5:6: “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” This Verse, then, also is about us.
Verse 6: “Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.”
Is that not also us? Have we not all cried in our trouble? And has He not delivered us all out of our distresses?
Matthew Henry has this to say about these Verses: “The words describe their case whom the Lord has redeemed from the bondage of Satan; who pass through the world as a dangerous and dreary wilderness, often ready to faint through troubles, fears, and temptations. Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, after God, and communion with him, shall be filled with the goodness of his house, both in grace and glory.”
So, you see... these Verses are about us.
Are there any questions or comments before we close, this Evening?
We have been talking about Thanksgiving, this Evening. And we all have many things to be thankful for. Things given us by God directly, on a spiritual and physical level, and things which He gave us through fellow humans, both believers and non-believers whom God set on our paths to intercept us.
2 Corinthians 9:11: “Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God.” (14): “And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.”
Matthew Henry: “Blessed be God for the unspeakable gift of his grace, whereby he enables and inclines some of his people to bestow upon others, and others to be grateful for it; and blessed be his glorious name to all eternity, for Jesus Christ, that inestimable gift of his love, through whom this and every other good thing, pertaining to life and godliness, are freely given unto us, beyond all expression, measure, or bounds.”
Come next Thursday, when you sit down to Thanksgiving Dinner, at whatever table you will be sitting, wherever on this planet that table might be, Thank God for all that He is, for all that He has given you, and for the Eternity that He wanted you to share with Him intensely enough, that He sent His Son to pay for our sins, to die an inglorious and ignominious death in our place, so that each of us might have victory over the grave, and be able to enter into His joy for ever.
In the spirit of Thanksgiving Day, as President Lincoln originally designated it, I want to publicly thank God for all He has done in my life. I also want to thank Eye for his having established this Chat Room and Website. Allow me, also, to thank all of you for being here tonight, and for all the work that you who are Moderators, Accountability Partners, Prayer Warriors, Bible Study Leaders, and CR Coaches do to make this the kind of WebSite and Chat Room that it is! May God continue to Bless it, that it may be a light in the new electronic age of the Internet.
With the above in mind, I offer this one last Scripture of Thanksgiving from 1 Corinthians 15:57-58: “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
Romans, November 19th, 2011
Saturday, November 19, 2011
The Story of Creation in flash.
A flash dramatized illustration of the Creation to the Fall by The 4 Gospels Christian Network.
The Age of Innocence
Thursday, November 17, 2011
21 Reasons Bad Things Happen to Good People, lesson 2
by Iris Of The 4 Gospels Christian Network
Recently, I read a very
interesting and helpful book-- "21 Reasons Bad Things Happen to Good
People" by Dave Earley. I encourage you to purchase a copy of it and
read it in its entirety as there are many more great things in it that I
have had to leave out of this series. I would like to share some
thoughts from that book in a series of lessons to offer some insight
into the reasons God allows pain and suffering in our lives.
Last week's lesson was introductory material and in it we talked about 4 Important Truths regarding this topic of suffering.
1. God is under no obligation to give us an explanation for suffering.
2. God has given us plenty of explanation if we will only look for it and accept it.
3. God can do more than one good thing through the bad things that happen to us.
4. God knows what it is to suffer, and He knows how to help us in our suffering.
It's also very important to remember that just because we think we are a "good" person, doesn't mean we really are. Our "goodness" depends upon whether or not we are Christians, having been born again of water and Spirit, being washed in the blood of Christ and having God's Holy Spirit living in us.
Last week I also talked to you about one of the reasons bad things may happen to good people and then I listed for you 20 more of the possible reasons. Tonight, we will look at three of those reasons:
1. To win an unseen victory.
2. To expand our perspective of God.
3. To deepen our humility before God.
I asked each of you to read the first 2 chapters of the book of Job in order to prepare for tonight's lesson. I hope you've done this, but for those who didn't or weren't here last week, let's read them, they're not very long.
Job 1
Job’s Character and Wealth
1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. 2 Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 3 His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was the greatest of all the men of the east. 4 His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.
6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” 8 The LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.” 9 Then Satan answered the LORD, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.” 12 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the LORD.
Satan Allowed to Test Job
13 Now on the day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and the Sabeans attacked and took them. They also slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 16 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 17 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them and slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 18 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 He said,
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked I shall return there.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the LORD.”
22 Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.
Job 2
Job Loses His Health
1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD. 2 The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” 3 The LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.” 4 Satan answered the LORD and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. 5 However, put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You to Your face.” 6 So the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life.”
7 Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. 8 And he took a potsherd to scrape himself while he was sitting among the ashes. 9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!” 10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, they came each one from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and comfort him. 12 When they lifted up their eyes at a distance and did not recognize him, they raised their voices and wept. And each of them tore his robe and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky. 13 Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.
Several things are important for us to notice in this passage of scripture. But, mainly, we must understand that Satan was powerless to bring harm to Job. God gave Satan some power, but put limits on that power. We'll explore later the implications of the limitation of Satan's power as it concerns US today.
So. Why did God allow this suffering for Job?
1. To Win An Unseen Victory
With no warning, Job's family and fortune were swept away in a landslide of loss. In one day, his job, his employees, his property, his income, his retirement, and his lifework were all totally, terrifyingly taken away. All he had worked for, all he had dreamed of, all he had owned was gone. And then, it got worse. His physical body was wracked with excruciating boils from head to foot!
Why would a good God possibly allow one of His most faithful servants to suffer so unjustly? What was God thinking? Why didn't He protect Job? Why did He allow it to happen? What Job didn't know was God and Satan were locked in a cosmic battle for loyalty and allegiance, and often, WE are the battleground.
Let me stretch your thinking for just a few moments. This is an amazing thought. Maybe some of our suffering has little or nothing to do with us and everything to do with God's plan to silence Satan's pride, to shut Satan's mouth. Satan wants to be worshipped like God, but he knows he is not worth it. If his followers were put in the same position in which Job was placed, they would turn on him very quickly. Yet, when one of God's followers, Job, lost everything, he refused to turn. Instead, Job's response to suffering proved that he believed God to be worthy of worship. Job 2: 9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” 10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
God was worthy Job's faithfulness. And Satan was shut up. There are forty more chapters in the book of Job, and do you know how many times Satan is mentioned after chapter 2? None, nada, zero, zip! Why? Satan is no longer mentioned because Satan was thoroughly silenced by the stunning worthiness of God as seen in the extraordinary integrity of Job. He was faithful in spite of a heart broken by grief and a body broken by pain. Job did not realize it at the time, but he was winning an unseen victory.
So why do bad things happen to good people? What good can come from the bad? It could be that there is an unseen victory to be won. Maybe we don't realize it now, but we may be players in an unseen battle. Our response to suffering may give God greater glory and get Satan to shut up.
Are there any comments or questions about reason #1?
In the coming days, please continue to read the book of Job to help you understand the rest of this series of lessons. But, let's go on to the second reason God allows suffering.
2. To Expand Our Perspective of God
As you read the book of Job, you find that for 36 chapters (3-38) Job bemoaned his fate and defended himself again the criticisms of his self-righteous friends. For 36 chapters, he sought God for an explanation. For 36 chapters, possibly spanning months or even longer, God did not answer.
Although our suffering may not compare to Job's, it is just as real. We can understand some of the frustration Job felt as he looked up from the devastation that had been his life and cried out to God for an explanation yet heard nothing from God.
Job 7:20--"If I have sinned, what have I done to You, You who sees everything we do? Why have You made me Your target? Have I become a burden to You?"
Job 9:16--"Even if I summoned Him and He responded, I do not believe He would give me a hearing."
Job 9:32-33-- “He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer Him, that we might confront each other in court. 33 If only there were someone to mediate between us,
someone to bring us together"
Job 10:2-- "I say to God: Do not declare me guilty, but tell me what charges You have against me."
Finally in chapter 38, God miraculously stepped to the stage. The Lord honored Job by addressing him from out of a storm. But instead of giving Job answers, the Lord took Job on a tour of creation. Instead of answering Job's questions, the Lord grilled Job with a flurry of rhetorical questions revealing the immense gulf between God, the infinite Creator, and Job, the insignificant creation. The entire scene is designed to put the matter of Job's suffering and loss into a much, much bigger perspective.
Listen to how God puts Job in his place :
1 Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind:
2 “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?
3 Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.
4 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much.
5 Who determined its dimension and stretched out the surveying line?
6 What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone 7 as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?
8 “Who kept the sea inside its boundaries as it burst from the womb, 9 and as I clothed it with clouds and wrapped it in thick darkness?
10 For I locked it behind barred gates, limiting its shores.
11 I said, ‘This far and no farther will you come. Here your proud waves must stop!’
16 “Have you explored the springs from which the seas come? Have you explored their depths?
17 Do you know where the gates of death are located? Have you seen the gates of utter gloom?
18 Do you realize the extent of the earth? Tell me about it if you know!
19 “Where does light come from, and where does darkness go?
20 Can you take each to its home? Do you know how to get there?
21 But of course you know all this! For you were born before it was all created, and you are so very experienced!
God goes on and on, showing Job just how insignificant he is compared to God.
Through his loss and grief, Job came to a much deeper realization of the immense and sovereign personhood of God. Job 42:1-2-- "1 Then Job replied to the LORD: 2 “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted." Note the conviction in Job's voice. He now "knew" that God can do all things. He understood that God is, well, God, and is answerable to no man. No one can be higher than the Highest or mightier than the Almighty. The Lord is so exceedingly before, above, and beyond humanity that it is ridiculous to think we could possibly pull Him down to our level by demanding answers, reasons, and explanations. God does not have to explain Himself to us or anyone else. He owes us no answers He can and will do what He deems right.
God may be doing things that are bigger than we can imagine and, as in the case of Job, our suffering may be part of something much bigger than we are. Possessing a bigger, more accurate view of God is a very valuable gift. To our detriment, we easily forget how infinitely big, intelligent, powerful, and good is our God.
One of the many good things that can come from very bad things is a clearer, bigger perspective. More important than knowing exactly why we are suffering is the knowledge gained of God through our suffering. More significant than receiving an explanation for our pain is embracing a bigger view of God through our pain. Allow your questions, doubts, and pain to press you closer to God than ever before.
Let's pause for any comments or questions about reason #2.
3. To Deepen Our Humility Before God.
Job was the richest, most highly esteemed man around--until adversity hit. His entire life's work was gone in a day. His income, job, career, and retirement were wiped out in a few dreadful hours. His prestige was removed. Instead of being honored by those he had never even met, he was mocked by strangers. Instead of being envied and feared, he was scorned.
Job believed he could endure all of that if only God would give him an audience, if only he could defend himself before the Almighty. Yet, when it finally happened, it did not turn out as he hoped. Instead of impressing God with the justice of his cause, Job was left dumbfounded by the immense power and sovereign authority of the Creator and God of the universe. Job felt stupid for even imagining that he could somehow straighten God out and show Him a thing or two (Job 42:1-6). Nevertheless, good came from the bad.
One sweet fruit of Job's heinous suffering was the flower of deeper humility blooming more brightly in his life. His testimony is that the experience left him a changed man. Instead of being the one with all the answers, he had nothing much to say.
Adversity has a way of reminding us that we are not the center of the universe. Pain has the power to point out our insufficiency. It reminds us, often brutally, of our naked insecurity, broken vulnerability, often overlooked mortality, and immense dependency. It forces us to depend on others and turn to God. When suffering has thrown us flat on our back and we have nowhere to look but up, it is only then that we truly see God.
So why does a good God allow bad things to happen to good people? Often it is to bring us to a deeper level of humility. Humility is a virtue that opens the door to many true blessings and is a place where God can meet us. Allow the suffering you are experiencing to produce a deeper level of humility in your life.
Does anyone have comments or questions about reason #3 ?
Last week's lesson was introductory material and in it we talked about 4 Important Truths regarding this topic of suffering.
1. God is under no obligation to give us an explanation for suffering.
2. God has given us plenty of explanation if we will only look for it and accept it.
3. God can do more than one good thing through the bad things that happen to us.
4. God knows what it is to suffer, and He knows how to help us in our suffering.
It's also very important to remember that just because we think we are a "good" person, doesn't mean we really are. Our "goodness" depends upon whether or not we are Christians, having been born again of water and Spirit, being washed in the blood of Christ and having God's Holy Spirit living in us.
Last week I also talked to you about one of the reasons bad things may happen to good people and then I listed for you 20 more of the possible reasons. Tonight, we will look at three of those reasons:
1. To win an unseen victory.
2. To expand our perspective of God.
3. To deepen our humility before God.
I asked each of you to read the first 2 chapters of the book of Job in order to prepare for tonight's lesson. I hope you've done this, but for those who didn't or weren't here last week, let's read them, they're not very long.
Job 1
Job’s Character and Wealth
1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. 2 Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 3 His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was the greatest of all the men of the east. 4 His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.
6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” 8 The LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.” 9 Then Satan answered the LORD, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.” 12 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the LORD.
Satan Allowed to Test Job
13 Now on the day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and the Sabeans attacked and took them. They also slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 16 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 17 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them and slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 18 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 He said,
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked I shall return there.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the LORD.”
22 Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.
Job 2
Job Loses His Health
1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD. 2 The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” 3 The LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.” 4 Satan answered the LORD and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. 5 However, put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You to Your face.” 6 So the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life.”
7 Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. 8 And he took a potsherd to scrape himself while he was sitting among the ashes. 9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!” 10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, they came each one from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and comfort him. 12 When they lifted up their eyes at a distance and did not recognize him, they raised their voices and wept. And each of them tore his robe and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky. 13 Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.
Several things are important for us to notice in this passage of scripture. But, mainly, we must understand that Satan was powerless to bring harm to Job. God gave Satan some power, but put limits on that power. We'll explore later the implications of the limitation of Satan's power as it concerns US today.
So. Why did God allow this suffering for Job?
1. To Win An Unseen Victory
With no warning, Job's family and fortune were swept away in a landslide of loss. In one day, his job, his employees, his property, his income, his retirement, and his lifework were all totally, terrifyingly taken away. All he had worked for, all he had dreamed of, all he had owned was gone. And then, it got worse. His physical body was wracked with excruciating boils from head to foot!
Why would a good God possibly allow one of His most faithful servants to suffer so unjustly? What was God thinking? Why didn't He protect Job? Why did He allow it to happen? What Job didn't know was God and Satan were locked in a cosmic battle for loyalty and allegiance, and often, WE are the battleground.
Let me stretch your thinking for just a few moments. This is an amazing thought. Maybe some of our suffering has little or nothing to do with us and everything to do with God's plan to silence Satan's pride, to shut Satan's mouth. Satan wants to be worshipped like God, but he knows he is not worth it. If his followers were put in the same position in which Job was placed, they would turn on him very quickly. Yet, when one of God's followers, Job, lost everything, he refused to turn. Instead, Job's response to suffering proved that he believed God to be worthy of worship. Job 2: 9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” 10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
God was worthy Job's faithfulness. And Satan was shut up. There are forty more chapters in the book of Job, and do you know how many times Satan is mentioned after chapter 2? None, nada, zero, zip! Why? Satan is no longer mentioned because Satan was thoroughly silenced by the stunning worthiness of God as seen in the extraordinary integrity of Job. He was faithful in spite of a heart broken by grief and a body broken by pain. Job did not realize it at the time, but he was winning an unseen victory.
So why do bad things happen to good people? What good can come from the bad? It could be that there is an unseen victory to be won. Maybe we don't realize it now, but we may be players in an unseen battle. Our response to suffering may give God greater glory and get Satan to shut up.
Are there any comments or questions about reason #1?
In the coming days, please continue to read the book of Job to help you understand the rest of this series of lessons. But, let's go on to the second reason God allows suffering.
2. To Expand Our Perspective of God
As you read the book of Job, you find that for 36 chapters (3-38) Job bemoaned his fate and defended himself again the criticisms of his self-righteous friends. For 36 chapters, he sought God for an explanation. For 36 chapters, possibly spanning months or even longer, God did not answer.
Although our suffering may not compare to Job's, it is just as real. We can understand some of the frustration Job felt as he looked up from the devastation that had been his life and cried out to God for an explanation yet heard nothing from God.
Job 7:20--"If I have sinned, what have I done to You, You who sees everything we do? Why have You made me Your target? Have I become a burden to You?"
Job 9:16--"Even if I summoned Him and He responded, I do not believe He would give me a hearing."
Job 9:32-33-- “He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer Him, that we might confront each other in court. 33 If only there were someone to mediate between us,
someone to bring us together"
Job 10:2-- "I say to God: Do not declare me guilty, but tell me what charges You have against me."
Finally in chapter 38, God miraculously stepped to the stage. The Lord honored Job by addressing him from out of a storm. But instead of giving Job answers, the Lord took Job on a tour of creation. Instead of answering Job's questions, the Lord grilled Job with a flurry of rhetorical questions revealing the immense gulf between God, the infinite Creator, and Job, the insignificant creation. The entire scene is designed to put the matter of Job's suffering and loss into a much, much bigger perspective.
Listen to how God puts Job in his place :
1 Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind:
2 “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?
3 Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.
4 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much.
5 Who determined its dimension and stretched out the surveying line?
6 What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone 7 as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?
8 “Who kept the sea inside its boundaries as it burst from the womb, 9 and as I clothed it with clouds and wrapped it in thick darkness?
10 For I locked it behind barred gates, limiting its shores.
11 I said, ‘This far and no farther will you come. Here your proud waves must stop!’
16 “Have you explored the springs from which the seas come? Have you explored their depths?
17 Do you know where the gates of death are located? Have you seen the gates of utter gloom?
18 Do you realize the extent of the earth? Tell me about it if you know!
19 “Where does light come from, and where does darkness go?
20 Can you take each to its home? Do you know how to get there?
21 But of course you know all this! For you were born before it was all created, and you are so very experienced!
God goes on and on, showing Job just how insignificant he is compared to God.
Through his loss and grief, Job came to a much deeper realization of the immense and sovereign personhood of God. Job 42:1-2-- "1 Then Job replied to the LORD: 2 “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted." Note the conviction in Job's voice. He now "knew" that God can do all things. He understood that God is, well, God, and is answerable to no man. No one can be higher than the Highest or mightier than the Almighty. The Lord is so exceedingly before, above, and beyond humanity that it is ridiculous to think we could possibly pull Him down to our level by demanding answers, reasons, and explanations. God does not have to explain Himself to us or anyone else. He owes us no answers He can and will do what He deems right.
God may be doing things that are bigger than we can imagine and, as in the case of Job, our suffering may be part of something much bigger than we are. Possessing a bigger, more accurate view of God is a very valuable gift. To our detriment, we easily forget how infinitely big, intelligent, powerful, and good is our God.
One of the many good things that can come from very bad things is a clearer, bigger perspective. More important than knowing exactly why we are suffering is the knowledge gained of God through our suffering. More significant than receiving an explanation for our pain is embracing a bigger view of God through our pain. Allow your questions, doubts, and pain to press you closer to God than ever before.
Let's pause for any comments or questions about reason #2.
3. To Deepen Our Humility Before God.
Job was the richest, most highly esteemed man around--until adversity hit. His entire life's work was gone in a day. His income, job, career, and retirement were wiped out in a few dreadful hours. His prestige was removed. Instead of being honored by those he had never even met, he was mocked by strangers. Instead of being envied and feared, he was scorned.
Job believed he could endure all of that if only God would give him an audience, if only he could defend himself before the Almighty. Yet, when it finally happened, it did not turn out as he hoped. Instead of impressing God with the justice of his cause, Job was left dumbfounded by the immense power and sovereign authority of the Creator and God of the universe. Job felt stupid for even imagining that he could somehow straighten God out and show Him a thing or two (Job 42:1-6). Nevertheless, good came from the bad.
One sweet fruit of Job's heinous suffering was the flower of deeper humility blooming more brightly in his life. His testimony is that the experience left him a changed man. Instead of being the one with all the answers, he had nothing much to say.
Adversity has a way of reminding us that we are not the center of the universe. Pain has the power to point out our insufficiency. It reminds us, often brutally, of our naked insecurity, broken vulnerability, often overlooked mortality, and immense dependency. It forces us to depend on others and turn to God. When suffering has thrown us flat on our back and we have nowhere to look but up, it is only then that we truly see God.
So why does a good God allow bad things to happen to good people? Often it is to bring us to a deeper level of humility. Humility is a virtue that opens the door to many true blessings and is a place where God can meet us. Allow the suffering you are experiencing to produce a deeper level of humility in your life.
Does anyone have comments or questions about reason #3 ?
Evening Devotional
by Charles Spurgeon
“He that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.”
- Ecc 10:9
Oppressors may get their will of poor and needy men as easily as they can split logs of wood, but they had better mind, for it is a dangerous business, and a splinter from a tree has often killed the woodman. Jesus is persecuted in every injured saint, and he is mighty to avenge his beloved ones. Success in treading down the poor and needy is a thing to be trembled at: if there be no danger to persecutors here there will be great danger hereafter.
To cleave wood is a common every-day business, and yet it has its dangers; so then, reader, there are dangers connected with your calling and daily life which it will be well for you to be aware of. We refer not to hazards by flood and field, or by disease and sudden death, but to perils of a spiritual sort. Your occupation may be as humble as log splitting, and yet the devil can tempt you in it. You may be a domestic servant, a farm labourer, or a mechanic, and you may be greatly screened from temptations to the grosser vices, and yet some secret sin may do you damage. Those who dwell at home, and mingle not with the rough world, may yet be endangered by their very seclusion. Nowhere is he safe who thinks himself so. Pride may enter a poor man’s heart; avarice may reign in a cottager’s bosom; uncleanness may venture into the quietest home; and anger, and envy, and malice may insinuate themselves into the most rural abode. Even in speaking a few words to a servant we may sin; a little purchase at a shop may be the first link in a chain of temptations; the mere looking out of a window may be the beginning of evil. O Lord, how exposed we are! How shall we be secured! To keep ourselves is work too hard for us: only thou thyself art able to preserve us in such a world of evils. Spread thy wings over us, and we, like little chickens, will cower down beneath thee, and feel ourselves safe!
“He that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.”
- Ecc 10:9
Oppressors may get their will of poor and needy men as easily as they can split logs of wood, but they had better mind, for it is a dangerous business, and a splinter from a tree has often killed the woodman. Jesus is persecuted in every injured saint, and he is mighty to avenge his beloved ones. Success in treading down the poor and needy is a thing to be trembled at: if there be no danger to persecutors here there will be great danger hereafter.
To cleave wood is a common every-day business, and yet it has its dangers; so then, reader, there are dangers connected with your calling and daily life which it will be well for you to be aware of. We refer not to hazards by flood and field, or by disease and sudden death, but to perils of a spiritual sort. Your occupation may be as humble as log splitting, and yet the devil can tempt you in it. You may be a domestic servant, a farm labourer, or a mechanic, and you may be greatly screened from temptations to the grosser vices, and yet some secret sin may do you damage. Those who dwell at home, and mingle not with the rough world, may yet be endangered by their very seclusion. Nowhere is he safe who thinks himself so. Pride may enter a poor man’s heart; avarice may reign in a cottager’s bosom; uncleanness may venture into the quietest home; and anger, and envy, and malice may insinuate themselves into the most rural abode. Even in speaking a few words to a servant we may sin; a little purchase at a shop may be the first link in a chain of temptations; the mere looking out of a window may be the beginning of evil. O Lord, how exposed we are! How shall we be secured! To keep ourselves is work too hard for us: only thou thyself art able to preserve us in such a world of evils. Spread thy wings over us, and we, like little chickens, will cower down beneath thee, and feel ourselves safe!
THE SECRET OF THE INNER WAY
"Walk, in the Way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous."-- Prov 2:20.
THIS CHAPTER abounds in references to the Way and Path. Walk occurs three times, paths seven, and ways five. Here we read of the way or path by which good and righteous men have preceded us. The old Christian mystics were fond of talking of the inward way and its various stages. They said that God was alone the centre and satisfaction of the human soul, that we must advance along the pathway traversed by holy souls before us until we have realised the motto of Monica: "Life in God and union there."
True knowledge of God and union with Him are only to be attained by those who will not shrink before the perils and steepness of the strait gate and narrow way. It is not necessary to leave the body to reach the inner secret of God. The path may be trodden on this side of the grave. Stony and steep it may be, but when it climbs the crest, and the whole glory of the heavens is in view, the soul is satisfied. In the attainment of true wisdom God is willing, yea, eager to give, but we must be sincere and earnest in our desire to obtain (Prov 2:1-9). Notice the many words that are employed to stir up our search. Receive! Hide! Incline the ear and apply the heart! The treasures of God, like those of the mine, do not lie on the surface, but no labour is more profitable. Our Heavenly Father not only gives good things to them that ask Him, but He becomes our Shield and Buckler, our Protector and Guide (Prov 2:7-8).
These are the stages of the inner Way, which the saints have trodden before us: Detachment from the ambitions, passions and sins of nature; Attachment, i.e., the attitude of fellowship with Christ; Illumination, which reveals to the soul its unworthiness; Union with God. This is the experience of few, but they who have described it remind us that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, what God's Spirit reveals to those who love and wait for Him. But you must be prepared to sacrifice all. He who seeks diamonds, or gold, will face hardships and relinquish much that other men hold dear, that he may prosecute his quest. Not otherwise must it be with those who would understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.
PRAYER
Make us more conscious, O Lord, we beseech Thee, of the indwelling of Thy Holy Spirit: may He witness within us that in spite of our sin we are still Thy children: may He enable us to mortify the deeds of the body, and to reckon ourselves dead to the solicitations of the flesh. AMEN.
THIS CHAPTER abounds in references to the Way and Path. Walk occurs three times, paths seven, and ways five. Here we read of the way or path by which good and righteous men have preceded us. The old Christian mystics were fond of talking of the inward way and its various stages. They said that God was alone the centre and satisfaction of the human soul, that we must advance along the pathway traversed by holy souls before us until we have realised the motto of Monica: "Life in God and union there."
True knowledge of God and union with Him are only to be attained by those who will not shrink before the perils and steepness of the strait gate and narrow way. It is not necessary to leave the body to reach the inner secret of God. The path may be trodden on this side of the grave. Stony and steep it may be, but when it climbs the crest, and the whole glory of the heavens is in view, the soul is satisfied. In the attainment of true wisdom God is willing, yea, eager to give, but we must be sincere and earnest in our desire to obtain (Prov 2:1-9). Notice the many words that are employed to stir up our search. Receive! Hide! Incline the ear and apply the heart! The treasures of God, like those of the mine, do not lie on the surface, but no labour is more profitable. Our Heavenly Father not only gives good things to them that ask Him, but He becomes our Shield and Buckler, our Protector and Guide (Prov 2:7-8).
These are the stages of the inner Way, which the saints have trodden before us: Detachment from the ambitions, passions and sins of nature; Attachment, i.e., the attitude of fellowship with Christ; Illumination, which reveals to the soul its unworthiness; Union with God. This is the experience of few, but they who have described it remind us that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, what God's Spirit reveals to those who love and wait for Him. But you must be prepared to sacrifice all. He who seeks diamonds, or gold, will face hardships and relinquish much that other men hold dear, that he may prosecute his quest. Not otherwise must it be with those who would understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.
PRAYER
Make us more conscious, O Lord, we beseech Thee, of the indwelling of Thy Holy Spirit: may He witness within us that in spite of our sin we are still Thy children: may He enable us to mortify the deeds of the body, and to reckon ourselves dead to the solicitations of the flesh. AMEN.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
The Truth About the Origin of Thanksgiving
by Snowbunny at The 4 Gospels Christoian Network
What’s All the Thankfulness About?
Like most Christian holidays, Thanksgiving has become a secular institution in America, moving from religious meaning to cultural tradition. This is the case for most other Christian holidays as well. Let’s face it, Christmas is more about Santa than Jesus, and Easter is more about the bunny than the resurrection! But most people in our country fail to see Thanksgiving as a Christian holiday at all, and this is primarily because they don’t know the history of the people and the celebration of the day. So let’s take a look at the first people who celebrated Thanksgiving and the ideas that they held about God, the very object of their thankfulness.
Think about it for a minute. Who exactly are we to thank for everything that we have in our lives here in America? If you are a youngster, you might say, “Well, I would thank my parents; they were able to give me everything that I have!” And while that is true, a more thoughtful consideration would reveal others in the chain of provision who also should be thanked. After all, your parents couldn’t provide for you if they didn’t live in a state that provided them with the freedoms required to make a living. So you might find yourself thanking the Governor or the state officials that run and maintain your state. But the state wouldn’t exist without the nation, so you might next want to thank the federal leaders and military who serve and continue to protect our freedom. And of course, the nation would not exist without the sacrifice of those who first worked so hard to form the union. So we could find ourselves thanking the first settlers and founders. But would it stop there? Would it be interesting or important to find out who THESE people were thanking as they formed the nation? Did these folks see themselves as the last object of thanksgiving, or did they bestow their thankfulness on yet another?
Who Did the Pilgrims Thank?
The pilgrims who came over from England in 1620 were, in many ways, simply ordinary men and women. Many of them were members of the English Separatist Church (a Puritan sect of Christianity). These Separatists originally fled England and sailed to Holland to escape the religious intolerance and oppression of their homeland. In their day, the Church and the State of England were one, and independent congregations who desired to explore their own, differing relationship with the Christian God were unable to practice their faith independent of the State Church. Separatists had come to the conclusion that membership in the Church o England violated Biblical teaching. They fled their homeland so that they would be able to purse God in a way that they considered to be truer to the teaching of the Bible. This group in Holland successfully escaped religious persecution from the Church of England, but eventually became disenchanted with the Dutch way of life. They observed the lifestyles of those around them and believed that they were in an ungodly land. So once again, they pushed on toward a new place where they could both worship the Biblical God of Christianity and live in a way that honored that same God.
The Mayflower held more than just the Separatist Puritans. The ship also contained other pilgrims who still remained loyal to the Church of England but came to the new world for economic reasons or because they sympathized with the Puritans in one way or another. But one thing is certain about all those who were on the ship. Whether they were part of the Puritan group or simply along to assist them and make a new life for themselves, everyone on the ship shared a fervent and pervasive Protestant faith that permeated all aspects of their lives. So, when the pilgrims set ground at Plymouth Rock on December 11th, 1620, they were also grounded in their faith as Christians. In less than a year, they suffered the loss of 46 of their original 102 members from the Mayflower. But these Christians never lost their faith.
At the end of the harvest of 1621, the pilgrims decided to celebrate. The pilgrims brought with them both religious and secular customs from their homeland. Among these customs was the tradition of a secular harvest festival and the tradition of a religious holy day of thanksgiving. These were two separate celebrations for the original pilgrims, but it is important to remember that BOTH celebrations ad strong religious overtones. Even the secular harvest celebration ALWAYS included a religious component of thanks to the Christian God who had provided the harvest. But in addition to this celebration, the pilgrims also dedicated a day of thanksgiving that was purely religious in nature.
The pilgrims, therefore, celebrated the harvest and a day of thanksgiving each year, and these days BOTH offered thanks to the Christian God. Let’s read the statement made by pilgrim Edward Winslow who described the Pilgrim’s thanksgiving celebrations. As we read it, look for the Biblical theme that Winslow echoes from the Christian Scriptures:
Act 14:17 But he has always given evidence of his existence by the good things he does: he gives you rain from heaven and crops at the right times; he gives you food and fills your hearts with happiness."
Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
Psalm 23:1
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Winslow, as he describes the first Thanksgiving setting, evokes what he knew was true from these scriptures:
"Our harvest being gotten in, our Governor sent four men on fowling [bird hunting] so that we might, after a special manner, rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as... served the company almost a week... Many of the Indians [came] amongst us and... their greatest King, Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted; and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought... And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God we are.. far from want”
The original pilgrims knew who was responsible for all that they had. They understood the nature of the true Provider. Thanksgiving was a fundamental CHRISTIAN holiday. In fact, these first Christian pilgrims, did NOT celebrate the Christmas holiday, believing that it was not a Biblical celebration. Thanksgiving was one of only three Christian holidays that the pilgrims DID celebrate (the Sabbath, the Day of Humiliation and Fasting, and the Day of Thanksgiving and Praise). In these early days, Thanksgiving was not celebrated on a regular basis, but only in direct response to God’s Providence.
Thanksgiving celebrations followed for many years, and often became part of the political and corporate life of larger groups as the colonies grew and formed in the New World. On June 20, 1676, the governing council of Charlestown, Massachusetts, met to decide how to best express their thanks to God in a corporate celebration of thanksgiving. They had just established themselves as a community and they wanted to thank God in a public way. The council unanimously voted to instruct clerk Edward Rawson to proclaim June 29th as a Day of Thanksgiving. As we read this proclamation, let’s again remember the Christian Scriptures that are recalled by Rawson as he crafted the declaration:
Habakkuk 3:2
O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.
Psalm 22:23
Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.
This patently Christian proclamation helps us to understand the origin and meaning behind our current celebration of Thanksgiving:
"The Holy God having by a long and Continual Series of his Afflictive dispensations in and by the present Warr with the Heathen Natives of this land, written and brought to pass bitter things against his own Covenant people in this wilderness, yet so that we evidently discern that in the midst of his judgements he hath remembered mercy, having remembered his Footstool in the day of his sore displeasure against us for our sins, with many singular Intimations of his Fatherly Compassion, and regard; reserving many of our Towns from Desolation Threatened, and attempted by the Enemy, and giving us especially of late with many of our Confederates many signal Advantages against them, without such Disadvantage to ourselves as formerly we have been sensible of, if it be the Lord's mercy that we are not consumed, It certainly bespeaks our positive Thankfulness, when our Enemies are in any measure disappointed or destroyed; and fearing the Lord should take notice under so many Intimations of his returning mercy, we should be found an Insensible people, as not standing before Him with Thanksgiving, as well as lading him with our Complaints in the time of pressing Afflictions: The Council has thought meet to appoint and set apart the 29th day of this instant June, as a day of Solemn Thanksgiving and praise to God for such his Goodness and Favour, many Particulars of which mercy might be Instanced, but we doubt not those who are sensible of God's Afflictions, have been as diligent to espy him returning to us; and that the Lord may behold us as a People offering Praise and thereby glorifying Him; the Council doth commend it to the Respective Ministers, Elders and people of this Jurisdiction; Solemnly and seriously to keep the same Beseeching that being persuaded by the mercies of God we may all, even this whole people offer up our bodies and souls as a living and acceptable Service unto God by Jesus Christ."
It is clear that these first settlers of North America knew who to thank for all that they had. Can you imagine a governmental proclamation such as this being made today (especially in Massachusetts?!?)
Who Did the Founding Fathers and Presidents Thank?
The religious traditions of the Pilgrims did not die with the 17th century. The founding fathers of our country also embraced and affirmed the notion that God alone is ultimately responsible for our provision and success. That’s why the first founders and presidents all affirmed the Thanksgiving celebration. The original 13 colonies joined together in October of 1777 to celebrate their first joint Thanksgiving Holiday. It was much like the occasional pilgrim Thanksgiving celebrations that specifically followed an act of God’s provision. In this case, the colonies were thanking God for their recent victory of the British at Saratoga. But national celebrations of Thanksgiving didn’t end here. They continued throughout the first years of our national history. In fact, they were endorsed by the federal government which, in turn, affirmed the role that God played in providing for His people. George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving in 1789, and once again it was filled with Christian overtones harvested directed from the Bible:
Psalm 145:14-16
Jehovah upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that are bowed down. The eyes of all wait for thee; and thou givest them their food in due season. Thou openest thy hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.
Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
Psalm 22:28
For the kingdom is the LORD's: and he is the governor among the nations.
Washington’s words clearly reflect a Christian theology and notion about God who exists as the provider of all things, unchanging, and ruling the nations:
WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"
NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;-- for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;-- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;-- and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; - to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.
(signed) G. Washington
Over the years, and even as the nation became more and more secular, there was a popular outcry to continue the holiday. This was recognized by a number of presidents along the way, particularly by President Abraham Lincoln who, in 1863, established Thanksgiving as a national day of celebration and prayer to be celebrated on the last day in November. Once again, Lincoln reveals his Christian upbringing as he crafts a proclamation that echoes Christian themes:
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Psalm 100:3-5
Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
Lincoln’s famous proclamation reiterated the Christian themes first expressed by George Washington, now restated in the midst of the civil war:
The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. 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. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American People. 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. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.
Abraham Lincoln
They Knew Who to Thank
Regardless of how people may feel about the Thanksgiving Holiday, it’s got to be obvious to even the most casual observer of history that Thanksgiving is founded on the notion that we have something to be thankful FOR and someone to be thankful TO. And these first observers of Thanksgiving understood WHO it was they were to thank. Over and over again, through the early years of the colonies to the most difficult days of our national history, believers and leaders have affirmed and humbled themselves to the providence and protection of God. Those who initiated this national holiday intended it to be a day of thanksgiving and prayer; a day in which all of us could offer thanks to someone; and that someone was never intended to be anyone other than the God of the Universe.
www.PleaseConvinceme.com
What’s All the Thankfulness About?
Like most Christian holidays, Thanksgiving has become a secular institution in America, moving from religious meaning to cultural tradition. This is the case for most other Christian holidays as well. Let’s face it, Christmas is more about Santa than Jesus, and Easter is more about the bunny than the resurrection! But most people in our country fail to see Thanksgiving as a Christian holiday at all, and this is primarily because they don’t know the history of the people and the celebration of the day. So let’s take a look at the first people who celebrated Thanksgiving and the ideas that they held about God, the very object of their thankfulness.
Think about it for a minute. Who exactly are we to thank for everything that we have in our lives here in America? If you are a youngster, you might say, “Well, I would thank my parents; they were able to give me everything that I have!” And while that is true, a more thoughtful consideration would reveal others in the chain of provision who also should be thanked. After all, your parents couldn’t provide for you if they didn’t live in a state that provided them with the freedoms required to make a living. So you might find yourself thanking the Governor or the state officials that run and maintain your state. But the state wouldn’t exist without the nation, so you might next want to thank the federal leaders and military who serve and continue to protect our freedom. And of course, the nation would not exist without the sacrifice of those who first worked so hard to form the union. So we could find ourselves thanking the first settlers and founders. But would it stop there? Would it be interesting or important to find out who THESE people were thanking as they formed the nation? Did these folks see themselves as the last object of thanksgiving, or did they bestow their thankfulness on yet another?
Who Did the Pilgrims Thank?
The pilgrims who came over from England in 1620 were, in many ways, simply ordinary men and women. Many of them were members of the English Separatist Church (a Puritan sect of Christianity). These Separatists originally fled England and sailed to Holland to escape the religious intolerance and oppression of their homeland. In their day, the Church and the State of England were one, and independent congregations who desired to explore their own, differing relationship with the Christian God were unable to practice their faith independent of the State Church. Separatists had come to the conclusion that membership in the Church o England violated Biblical teaching. They fled their homeland so that they would be able to purse God in a way that they considered to be truer to the teaching of the Bible. This group in Holland successfully escaped religious persecution from the Church of England, but eventually became disenchanted with the Dutch way of life. They observed the lifestyles of those around them and believed that they were in an ungodly land. So once again, they pushed on toward a new place where they could both worship the Biblical God of Christianity and live in a way that honored that same God.
The Mayflower held more than just the Separatist Puritans. The ship also contained other pilgrims who still remained loyal to the Church of England but came to the new world for economic reasons or because they sympathized with the Puritans in one way or another. But one thing is certain about all those who were on the ship. Whether they were part of the Puritan group or simply along to assist them and make a new life for themselves, everyone on the ship shared a fervent and pervasive Protestant faith that permeated all aspects of their lives. So, when the pilgrims set ground at Plymouth Rock on December 11th, 1620, they were also grounded in their faith as Christians. In less than a year, they suffered the loss of 46 of their original 102 members from the Mayflower. But these Christians never lost their faith.
At the end of the harvest of 1621, the pilgrims decided to celebrate. The pilgrims brought with them both religious and secular customs from their homeland. Among these customs was the tradition of a secular harvest festival and the tradition of a religious holy day of thanksgiving. These were two separate celebrations for the original pilgrims, but it is important to remember that BOTH celebrations ad strong religious overtones. Even the secular harvest celebration ALWAYS included a religious component of thanks to the Christian God who had provided the harvest. But in addition to this celebration, the pilgrims also dedicated a day of thanksgiving that was purely religious in nature.
The pilgrims, therefore, celebrated the harvest and a day of thanksgiving each year, and these days BOTH offered thanks to the Christian God. Let’s read the statement made by pilgrim Edward Winslow who described the Pilgrim’s thanksgiving celebrations. As we read it, look for the Biblical theme that Winslow echoes from the Christian Scriptures:
Act 14:17 But he has always given evidence of his existence by the good things he does: he gives you rain from heaven and crops at the right times; he gives you food and fills your hearts with happiness."
Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
Psalm 23:1
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Winslow, as he describes the first Thanksgiving setting, evokes what he knew was true from these scriptures:
"Our harvest being gotten in, our Governor sent four men on fowling [bird hunting] so that we might, after a special manner, rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as... served the company almost a week... Many of the Indians [came] amongst us and... their greatest King, Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted; and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought... And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God we are.. far from want”
The original pilgrims knew who was responsible for all that they had. They understood the nature of the true Provider. Thanksgiving was a fundamental CHRISTIAN holiday. In fact, these first Christian pilgrims, did NOT celebrate the Christmas holiday, believing that it was not a Biblical celebration. Thanksgiving was one of only three Christian holidays that the pilgrims DID celebrate (the Sabbath, the Day of Humiliation and Fasting, and the Day of Thanksgiving and Praise). In these early days, Thanksgiving was not celebrated on a regular basis, but only in direct response to God’s Providence.
Thanksgiving celebrations followed for many years, and often became part of the political and corporate life of larger groups as the colonies grew and formed in the New World. On June 20, 1676, the governing council of Charlestown, Massachusetts, met to decide how to best express their thanks to God in a corporate celebration of thanksgiving. They had just established themselves as a community and they wanted to thank God in a public way. The council unanimously voted to instruct clerk Edward Rawson to proclaim June 29th as a Day of Thanksgiving. As we read this proclamation, let’s again remember the Christian Scriptures that are recalled by Rawson as he crafted the declaration:
Habakkuk 3:2
O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.
Psalm 22:23
Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.
This patently Christian proclamation helps us to understand the origin and meaning behind our current celebration of Thanksgiving:
"The Holy God having by a long and Continual Series of his Afflictive dispensations in and by the present Warr with the Heathen Natives of this land, written and brought to pass bitter things against his own Covenant people in this wilderness, yet so that we evidently discern that in the midst of his judgements he hath remembered mercy, having remembered his Footstool in the day of his sore displeasure against us for our sins, with many singular Intimations of his Fatherly Compassion, and regard; reserving many of our Towns from Desolation Threatened, and attempted by the Enemy, and giving us especially of late with many of our Confederates many signal Advantages against them, without such Disadvantage to ourselves as formerly we have been sensible of, if it be the Lord's mercy that we are not consumed, It certainly bespeaks our positive Thankfulness, when our Enemies are in any measure disappointed or destroyed; and fearing the Lord should take notice under so many Intimations of his returning mercy, we should be found an Insensible people, as not standing before Him with Thanksgiving, as well as lading him with our Complaints in the time of pressing Afflictions: The Council has thought meet to appoint and set apart the 29th day of this instant June, as a day of Solemn Thanksgiving and praise to God for such his Goodness and Favour, many Particulars of which mercy might be Instanced, but we doubt not those who are sensible of God's Afflictions, have been as diligent to espy him returning to us; and that the Lord may behold us as a People offering Praise and thereby glorifying Him; the Council doth commend it to the Respective Ministers, Elders and people of this Jurisdiction; Solemnly and seriously to keep the same Beseeching that being persuaded by the mercies of God we may all, even this whole people offer up our bodies and souls as a living and acceptable Service unto God by Jesus Christ."
It is clear that these first settlers of North America knew who to thank for all that they had. Can you imagine a governmental proclamation such as this being made today (especially in Massachusetts?!?)
Who Did the Founding Fathers and Presidents Thank?
The religious traditions of the Pilgrims did not die with the 17th century. The founding fathers of our country also embraced and affirmed the notion that God alone is ultimately responsible for our provision and success. That’s why the first founders and presidents all affirmed the Thanksgiving celebration. The original 13 colonies joined together in October of 1777 to celebrate their first joint Thanksgiving Holiday. It was much like the occasional pilgrim Thanksgiving celebrations that specifically followed an act of God’s provision. In this case, the colonies were thanking God for their recent victory of the British at Saratoga. But national celebrations of Thanksgiving didn’t end here. They continued throughout the first years of our national history. In fact, they were endorsed by the federal government which, in turn, affirmed the role that God played in providing for His people. George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving in 1789, and once again it was filled with Christian overtones harvested directed from the Bible:
Psalm 145:14-16
Jehovah upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that are bowed down. The eyes of all wait for thee; and thou givest them their food in due season. Thou openest thy hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.
Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
Psalm 22:28
For the kingdom is the LORD's: and he is the governor among the nations.
Washington’s words clearly reflect a Christian theology and notion about God who exists as the provider of all things, unchanging, and ruling the nations:
WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"
NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;-- for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;-- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;-- and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; - to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.
(signed) G. Washington
Over the years, and even as the nation became more and more secular, there was a popular outcry to continue the holiday. This was recognized by a number of presidents along the way, particularly by President Abraham Lincoln who, in 1863, established Thanksgiving as a national day of celebration and prayer to be celebrated on the last day in November. Once again, Lincoln reveals his Christian upbringing as he crafts a proclamation that echoes Christian themes:
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Psalm 100:3-5
Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
Lincoln’s famous proclamation reiterated the Christian themes first expressed by George Washington, now restated in the midst of the civil war:
The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. 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. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American People. 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. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.
Abraham Lincoln
They Knew Who to Thank
Regardless of how people may feel about the Thanksgiving Holiday, it’s got to be obvious to even the most casual observer of history that Thanksgiving is founded on the notion that we have something to be thankful FOR and someone to be thankful TO. And these first observers of Thanksgiving understood WHO it was they were to thank. Over and over again, through the early years of the colonies to the most difficult days of our national history, believers and leaders have affirmed and humbled themselves to the providence and protection of God. Those who initiated this national holiday intended it to be a day of thanksgiving and prayer; a day in which all of us could offer thanks to someone; and that someone was never intended to be anyone other than the God of the Universe.
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