Thanksgiving 2006
Bible Study Time (11-26-06)
Church links:
Bible Study Time (11-26-06)
In the book of Romans, Chapter 1, the Apostle Paul looks back at the time before the flood of Noah’s day, and he documents quite an impressive list of grievances that God still holds against the people of that day. Their bodies have long since returned to dust, but the record of their sins still remains. God is longsuffering, but His judgment is sure. Paul said that:
Romans 1:18,21 (NKJ)
18 . . . the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were (they) thankful, but (they) became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Some estimate that there were as many people on the earth at that time as there are today, and it seems clear that they had become very prosperous. Jesus said that they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered the ark.
God had continued to pour out His blessings upon the descendants of Adam and Eve all through the years. Oh yes, they knew God, but they refused to glorify Him as God, and they refused to recognize Him as the giver of every good and every perfect gift. We see in these people one of the distinguishing features of people who have turned their backs on God. They were not thankful to God.
We have just experienced our Thanksgiving holiday, and I hope that each one of you had the opportunity to reflect upon all of the blessings that you have received from the Lord. One of the things that I am thankful for is the Thanksgiving Holiday itself. I’m thankful to live in a country that sets aside a time for thanksgiving. It sends a wonderful message to our children and to all of the world that we recognize our own insufficiencies, and we give the glory to God for anything and everything that He is able to accomplish in and through us.
When I think of our nation giving thanks to the Lord, I can not help but think of Psalms 100 where the Psalmist says:
Psalms 100:1-5 (KJV)
1 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3 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.
4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
Of course, this literally refers to a future day when the Lord Jesus Christ will rule over the nations of the earth in a kingdom of righteousness and peace. The Psalmist calls all of the nations of the earth to serve the Lord with gladness and to come before His presence with singing. He tells them to enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise.
What a blessing it is to serve the Lord, but it’s an even greater blessing when we learn to serve the Lord with gladness. I’m sure that many people serve the Lord out of a sense of obligation or duty, but the real blessings of the Lord come to those who serve Him with the strength and power that accompanies the joy of the Lord.
Zechariah, Chapter 14, describes the return of the Lord to the earth and the subsequent kingdom. It says that:
Zechariah 14:4 (NKJ)
4 . . . His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley; half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south.
Zechariah 14:9 (NKJ)
9 . . . (and) the LORD shall be King over all the earth . . .
Zechariah 14:17-18 (NKJ)
17 . . . it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain.
18 If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
It appears from this that even in the kingdom some nations will serve the Lord out of obligation, while others will serve the Lord with gladness. The second Psalm confirms this, saying:
Psalms 2:10-12 (NKJ)
10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
So the true blessings of the Lord will belong to those nations that learn to really trust the Lord, but thanksgiving is not just expected of those who will live in the kingdom. It’s commanded of us today as well. The Apostle Paul instructed the believers at Colossae, saying:
Colossians 3:15 (NKJ)
15 . . . let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be (ye) thankful.
Then in the book of Philippians, Paul tells us about the secret key that he had found to a thankful heart. He said in Chapter 4:
Philippians 4:11 (KJV)
11 . . . I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Philippians 4:12-13 (NKJ)
12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Paul had learned to be content regardless of the circumstances of his life. Paul knew what it was like to have nothing but the shirt on his back, but even circumstances like that could not keep him from being content.
Paul also knew how to be content even when he had more than enough. And you know, sometimes that’s harder for people than being content with nothing. So often, the more people get, the more they want.
Paul had learned to be content whether he had a lot or whether he had nothing. It didn’t really matter to Paul because he had learned how to be content in Jesus Christ. He knew that the Spirit of Jesus Christ was living within him. He knew that Jesus Christ was always with him and that Jesus Christ would supply his every need.
Therefore, the Apostle Paul could always be thankful, and Paul saw no reason for any believer to be unthankful. In the sixth verse of this same chapter, Paul had already instructed the Philippians to:
Philippians 4:6 (NKJ)
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
In other words, when you come before the Lord, enter into His gates with thanksgiving. Come with a realization of the many blessings that you have in Christ. Come reminding yourself of all that God has done in your life and all that God has promised to do in your life.
Then Paul says that if you do this:
Philippians 4:7 (NKJ)
7 . . . the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
The devil is just looking for any point of spiritual weakness so that he can exploit it and capitalize on it. If we allow ourselves to throw a pity party in honor of ourselves, the devil is sure to crash that party and use that self-pity to separate us from the power of the Holy Spirit.
On the other hand, if we bring our requests to the Lord with thanksgiving in our hearts, the peace of God will protect us. The peace of God will keep our defenses strong so that the devil will have no area of spiritual weakness to exploit. In fact, the Holy Spirit will then be able to fill our minds with all that is true, and pure, and praiseworthy.
What a fantastic way to live your life, realizing your blessings and rejoicing in your victories. That’s the kind of life that God wants us to live, and that’s the kind of life that He has provided for us through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Ephesians, Chapter 1, spells out the blessings that God has provided for us today. In fact, he begins by saying that God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Later in Chapter 2, Paul explains that believers today have been raised up with Christ and have been made to sit together with Christ in the heavenlies.
Now this is a unique blessing for us today. No other group of believers in the Bible has ever had this privilege. To be seated with Christ in the heavenlies. Accordingly, we are blessed in the heavenlies because we are positioned in the heavenlies. We are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ.
Then Paul goes on in Chapter 1 to say that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. As Paul says this, he is actually facilitating one of his later prayers, which is that God will enlighten the eyes of our understanding. Paul wanted us to understand why we are here. He wanted us to understand the purpose for our existence.
Some people go through life asking, why was I ever born? What is the purpose for my life? In this verse, we see the answer; at least we see the answer for all believers. God knew about each one of us and had a plan for us even before He laid the foundations of the world, and His purpose for us is that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.
Well, you might ask, what does that accomplish? Ephesians 4 tells us that one of our purposes is that we might make known the manifold wisdom of God to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. In other words, when the angels in heaven see the righteousness of God in us, when they see that we are holy and without blame before the Father, the manifold wisdom of God is revealed and heralded throughout the universe. II Corinthians 5 says:
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (NKJ)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ
21 For (God) made (Christ) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
We are holy and without blame before the Father in love, and our very existence proclaims to all of the beings of the universe the manifold wisdom of God.
Ephesians 1:5 goes on to tell us that we have been accepted in the Beloved. This means that we have no reason to fear rejection. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like being rejected. It’s too painful. But this verse tells me that I have been accepted by God because I am in the Beloved.
That means that I can live my life without fear of rejection because I have been accepted by the One who really matters. I have been accepted by the creator of the universe. Jesus said, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Paul said, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Therefore, we have no reason to fear rejection. We have been accepted in the Beloved.
Well, how is it that we have been accepted in Jesus Christ? Isn’t it true that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God? Ephesians 1:7 says:
Ephesians 1:7
7 In (Christ) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
Our sins have been forgiven because the blood of Jesus was offered as the payment for our sins. Yes, it’s true that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And it’s true that the wages of sin is death, but it’s also true that the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Jesus Christ redeemed us through His blood, and God’s offer of salvation is open to anyone who will receive it by faith.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
But now the righteousness of God is revealed, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and upon all who believe.
John 3:16 (KJV)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Well, we certainly have much to be thankful for, not just at Thanksgiving time, but every day of the year. I hope and pray that your heart is rejoicing in the abundant life that God has provided for us in Jesus Christ our Lord.
I see that our time is gone for this morning. It’s been a pleasure studying with you, and I’ll look forward to being with you again next week at this same time.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Romans 1:18,21 (NKJ)
18 . . . the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were (they) thankful, but (they) became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Some estimate that there were as many people on the earth at that time as there are today, and it seems clear that they had become very prosperous. Jesus said that they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered the ark.
God had continued to pour out His blessings upon the descendants of Adam and Eve all through the years. Oh yes, they knew God, but they refused to glorify Him as God, and they refused to recognize Him as the giver of every good and every perfect gift. We see in these people one of the distinguishing features of people who have turned their backs on God. They were not thankful to God.
We have just experienced our Thanksgiving holiday, and I hope that each one of you had the opportunity to reflect upon all of the blessings that you have received from the Lord. One of the things that I am thankful for is the Thanksgiving Holiday itself. I’m thankful to live in a country that sets aside a time for thanksgiving. It sends a wonderful message to our children and to all of the world that we recognize our own insufficiencies, and we give the glory to God for anything and everything that He is able to accomplish in and through us.
When I think of our nation giving thanks to the Lord, I can not help but think of Psalms 100 where the Psalmist says:
Psalms 100:1-5 (KJV)
1 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3 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.
4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
Of course, this literally refers to a future day when the Lord Jesus Christ will rule over the nations of the earth in a kingdom of righteousness and peace. The Psalmist calls all of the nations of the earth to serve the Lord with gladness and to come before His presence with singing. He tells them to enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise.
What a blessing it is to serve the Lord, but it’s an even greater blessing when we learn to serve the Lord with gladness. I’m sure that many people serve the Lord out of a sense of obligation or duty, but the real blessings of the Lord come to those who serve Him with the strength and power that accompanies the joy of the Lord.
Zechariah, Chapter 14, describes the return of the Lord to the earth and the subsequent kingdom. It says that:
Zechariah 14:4 (NKJ)
4 . . . His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley; half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south.
Zechariah 14:9 (NKJ)
9 . . . (and) the LORD shall be King over all the earth . . .
Zechariah 14:17-18 (NKJ)
17 . . . it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain.
18 If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
It appears from this that even in the kingdom some nations will serve the Lord out of obligation, while others will serve the Lord with gladness. The second Psalm confirms this, saying:
Psalms 2:10-12 (NKJ)
10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
So the true blessings of the Lord will belong to those nations that learn to really trust the Lord, but thanksgiving is not just expected of those who will live in the kingdom. It’s commanded of us today as well. The Apostle Paul instructed the believers at Colossae, saying:
Colossians 3:15 (NKJ)
15 . . . let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be (ye) thankful.
Then in the book of Philippians, Paul tells us about the secret key that he had found to a thankful heart. He said in Chapter 4:
Philippians 4:11 (KJV)
11 . . . I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Philippians 4:12-13 (NKJ)
12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Paul had learned to be content regardless of the circumstances of his life. Paul knew what it was like to have nothing but the shirt on his back, but even circumstances like that could not keep him from being content.
Paul also knew how to be content even when he had more than enough. And you know, sometimes that’s harder for people than being content with nothing. So often, the more people get, the more they want.
Paul had learned to be content whether he had a lot or whether he had nothing. It didn’t really matter to Paul because he had learned how to be content in Jesus Christ. He knew that the Spirit of Jesus Christ was living within him. He knew that Jesus Christ was always with him and that Jesus Christ would supply his every need.
Therefore, the Apostle Paul could always be thankful, and Paul saw no reason for any believer to be unthankful. In the sixth verse of this same chapter, Paul had already instructed the Philippians to:
Philippians 4:6 (NKJ)
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
In other words, when you come before the Lord, enter into His gates with thanksgiving. Come with a realization of the many blessings that you have in Christ. Come reminding yourself of all that God has done in your life and all that God has promised to do in your life.
Then Paul says that if you do this:
Philippians 4:7 (NKJ)
7 . . . the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
The devil is just looking for any point of spiritual weakness so that he can exploit it and capitalize on it. If we allow ourselves to throw a pity party in honor of ourselves, the devil is sure to crash that party and use that self-pity to separate us from the power of the Holy Spirit.
On the other hand, if we bring our requests to the Lord with thanksgiving in our hearts, the peace of God will protect us. The peace of God will keep our defenses strong so that the devil will have no area of spiritual weakness to exploit. In fact, the Holy Spirit will then be able to fill our minds with all that is true, and pure, and praiseworthy.
What a fantastic way to live your life, realizing your blessings and rejoicing in your victories. That’s the kind of life that God wants us to live, and that’s the kind of life that He has provided for us through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Ephesians, Chapter 1, spells out the blessings that God has provided for us today. In fact, he begins by saying that God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Later in Chapter 2, Paul explains that believers today have been raised up with Christ and have been made to sit together with Christ in the heavenlies.
Now this is a unique blessing for us today. No other group of believers in the Bible has ever had this privilege. To be seated with Christ in the heavenlies. Accordingly, we are blessed in the heavenlies because we are positioned in the heavenlies. We are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ.
Then Paul goes on in Chapter 1 to say that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. As Paul says this, he is actually facilitating one of his later prayers, which is that God will enlighten the eyes of our understanding. Paul wanted us to understand why we are here. He wanted us to understand the purpose for our existence.
Some people go through life asking, why was I ever born? What is the purpose for my life? In this verse, we see the answer; at least we see the answer for all believers. God knew about each one of us and had a plan for us even before He laid the foundations of the world, and His purpose for us is that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.
Well, you might ask, what does that accomplish? Ephesians 4 tells us that one of our purposes is that we might make known the manifold wisdom of God to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. In other words, when the angels in heaven see the righteousness of God in us, when they see that we are holy and without blame before the Father, the manifold wisdom of God is revealed and heralded throughout the universe. II Corinthians 5 says:
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (NKJ)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ
21 For (God) made (Christ) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
We are holy and without blame before the Father in love, and our very existence proclaims to all of the beings of the universe the manifold wisdom of God.
Ephesians 1:5 goes on to tell us that we have been accepted in the Beloved. This means that we have no reason to fear rejection. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like being rejected. It’s too painful. But this verse tells me that I have been accepted by God because I am in the Beloved.
That means that I can live my life without fear of rejection because I have been accepted by the One who really matters. I have been accepted by the creator of the universe. Jesus said, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Paul said, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Therefore, we have no reason to fear rejection. We have been accepted in the Beloved.
Well, how is it that we have been accepted in Jesus Christ? Isn’t it true that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God? Ephesians 1:7 says:
Ephesians 1:7
7 In (Christ) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
Our sins have been forgiven because the blood of Jesus was offered as the payment for our sins. Yes, it’s true that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And it’s true that the wages of sin is death, but it’s also true that the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Jesus Christ redeemed us through His blood, and God’s offer of salvation is open to anyone who will receive it by faith.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
But now the righteousness of God is revealed, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and upon all who believe.
John 3:16 (KJV)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Well, we certainly have much to be thankful for, not just at Thanksgiving time, but every day of the year. I hope and pray that your heart is rejoicing in the abundant life that God has provided for us in Jesus Christ our Lord.
I see that our time is gone for this morning. It’s been a pleasure studying with you, and I’ll look forward to being with you again next week at this same time.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Church links:
No comments:
Post a Comment