Thanksgiving: It Is Right To Give Him Thanks and Praise

Many of my readers who know my background will recall that I have done several blog posts that told stories about my Catholic upbringing. If you are Catholic, or are a former Catholic, then you know all about the ritualistic responses that are often given during the church service. Saying the words for so many years ingrains them into our minds. One of those responses that the congregation says in response to the priest (I think it was done just before receiving communion) is "It is right to give Him thanks and praise."

Today is Thanksgiving. It is a special day set aside for the purpose of giving thanks to God for all that He has done for us in our lives here on this earth. Even in the midst of all of the chaos and uncertainty in today's complicated world, we can still be very thankful for many reasons.

First, I am so very thankful (every day, in fact), for Jesus saving me from the punishment I deserve because of my sins. Christ's sacrificial death on the cross is a gift of mercy and grace, offered to us by the Living God. Mercy is God withholding what you (I, we) deserve. Grace is God giving you (me, us) what you (I, we) don't deserve.

I am so very grateful to God for the blessing of my family. My role as a wife and mother has joy that no other "career" could ever be compared with. It is a sacrificial role at times, but one that also gives many of the greatest joys!

I am so very grateful to live in a country where liberty, independence, justice and freedom still reigns. As my former post stated, God's Hand Was In Our Nation's Founding. But He has made us stewards over this nation and what we do to preserve such freedoms is crucial to our survival.

Because of nefarious individuals who have untold amounts of wealth and power and are, unfortunately, out to destroy this nation; any or all of these freedoms could be gone tomorrow.

But God has a bigger and better future for us anyway, for we are encouraged to be "not of this world."

Jhn 8:23 And He said to them, "You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.

Jhn 18:36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here."

Those who trust in, and believe in God's Son, Jesus Christ, have our Living Savior and God's Word of Truth in the Bible to comfort us - no matter what kind of trials and tribulation we may experience here on earth.

After all that Jesus Christ has done for us, it is right to give Him thanks AND PRAISE not only on Thanksgiving Day, but every day of our lives! The word "praise" appears in Scripture 237 times in 206 verses in the NKJV.

1Ch 29:13 "Now therefore, our God, We thank You And praise Your glorious name.

Hbr 13:15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of [our] lips, giving thanks to His name.

Last Sunday, I had written about not being conformed to this world, but be transformed through the power of Jesus Christ in a post called When Changing Your Mind Could Save Your Life.

Paul's words in Romans 12:1-2 tells us to be "living sacrifices." Paul told the Romans (and he tells us) that protection against conformity and power to be transformed can happen only if we sacrifice ourselves:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. - Romans 12:1-2

What a fabulous verse to live by!

We have seen what sinful men have done in this country, and to our nation, over decades worth of heavy drifting away from God's Commandments in the Bible. However, I have also seen God working in my life in such a way that allows me to have peace despite all the turmoil going on in this nation and around the world.

Dr. David Jeremiah informs us:

In this verse (Romans 12:1-2) God has given us two commands. Obeying the second command gives us the power to obey the first:

* DO NOT be conformed by the power of the world around you. That power comes from Satan.

* DO submit to the process of transformation. The power to do that comes from God and His Word.

[O]ur overarching need is to learn how we can live positive, optimistic lives concerning our future while living in a disintegrating society that threatens to take us down with it.

For more details about the means by which this transformation is accomplished, please click on the video sermon link at When Changing Your Mind Could Save Your Life.

Also see: You Can Know God Personally.

Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy your time with family and friends!  May God bless you and your loved ones today!

~Christine