Thanksgiving

I have been up early this morning working on a sermon/outline to preach at Arial Baptist Church on Tuesday evening. Our congregation, United Wesleyan and Arial Baptist joins together each year for a Thanksgiving worship service. It starts at 7 PM on Tuesday, November 23. Join us if you can and bring a friend:

Here are some thoughts that I am working on:

Ephesians 5:19-20--"Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, ²⁰always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

1. Many times we lose perspective and cannot give God thanks during "valley times"....I think about the young lady that sent a note home to her mom from college:

"Dear Mom: Sorry I haven’t written sooner. My arm really has been broken. I broke it, and my left leg, when I jumped from he second floor of my dormitory...when we had the fire. We were lucky. A young service station attendant saw the blaze and called the Fire Department. They were there in minutes. I was in the hospital for a few days. Paul, the service station attendant, came to see me every day. And because it was taking so long to get our dormitory liveable again, I moved in with him. He has been so nice. I must admit that I am pregnant. Paul and I plan to get married just as soon as he can get a divorce. I hope things are fine at home. I’m doing fine, and will write more when I get the chance. Love,
Your daughter, Susie

P.S. None of the above is true. But I did get a "C" in Sociology and flunked Chemistry. I just wanted you to receive this news in its "Proper Perspective!"

2. There are things that steal away our thankfulness: Pride, Complaining, Neglecting to praise God

3. In reading a devotion by Greg Laurie this morning, I came across this reminder: http://www.harvest.org/devotional/archive/devotion/2010-11-22.html

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who won't survive the week. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 20 million people around the world. If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world. If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head, and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75 percent of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8 percent of the world's wealthy.

God help me to be thankful not only this week but each day as I depend and rely on your grace, strength and power to guide me!

Just a thought!