GIVING THANKS TO GOD

Some years I have written a thanksgiving message.  Some years not.

I thought this year to be succinct.  Straight to the point.

Thanksgiving is to God.  I know, our modern Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays become ever more secular, and many likely think little about God at this time.  But it is to God we owe all our thanks – he is the provider, the healer, the protector, the deliverer, the comforter, and much more.

It is helpful to note what Americans in the past thought about Thanksgiving.

Throughout the 1700’s individual colonies evidently held periodic days or times of thanksgiving.  Thomas Jefferson did this while governor of Virginia.

In 1777 right in the middle of the Revolutionary War the Colonial Congress recommended a day of thanksgiving.

In 1789, the first year of the first presidency of the US under the new Constitution, George Washington issued a proclamation establishing a day of thanksgiving that year.  Here are a few of his words from the proclamation: 

-          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…

-          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…

-          we may … 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

Abraham Lincoln finally established legally the annual holiday we observe on the fourth Thursday of November each year.  Here are a few words from his proclamation:

I do …invite my fellow citizens …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.

George Washington and Abraham Lincoln and the others establishing such days in our history had no difficulty understanding who the thanksgiving is to.  It is to God. 

So this Thanksgiving, even if you are a guest at a dinner with others where little serious thanks to God is offered, you yourself can somehow and sometime that day express your thankfulness to God for all he has done and does for you on a regular basis.  And if possible you can influence others perhaps to be thankful as well.  Actually, thanking and praising God should be something we do daily, a part of our prayers or time of devotion, or really just whenever we feel like it!

Remember, you and I are only alive because he allows us to be.  In fact, our every breath takes place because he allows it.  The Bible notes that Jesus Christ holds the entire creation together (Colossians 1:17 and Hebrews 1:3).  What do you suppose would happen if he decided not to do that?

For me, I am thankful for so many things.  And I am thankful he is coming soon.  Thank God.

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus!

                                                                                                                                       (November 2013)

                                                                                                                   Copyright © 2013 by John Newlin

 

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A CRUCIAL WATCHMAN WARNING: Should God Bless America?

There is no doubt that in the past God has blessed the United States of America in amazing ways.  From the initial exploration to the establishment of the country to the struggles through the growth of the 1800’s and the Civil War and the world wars and on and on, we can find countless national and individual examples of God blessing America.  Soldiers and sailors back from wars have specific examples of his amazing action on their behalf.  And consider the astounding individuals who led the founding of the country, like George Washington and John Adams and Thomas Jefferson and on and on.  Amazing.  We could use some of them today!

But that is the past.  Where are we now?

For several recent decades it should be pretty apparent to any serious believer that the country has been on a steady path down.  The country has gotten away from its foundational rule of the majority while protecting the minority, and has turned things upside down.  Going against the will of the majority, the court of the land has tossed God out of public schools and the public forum.  Approaches to life that are unacceptable to the majority have for some reason been pushed into the law of the land as acceptable.  And in daily behavior of many leaders and citizens everywhere, there is a drastic fall in personal morality and integrity.  

Now many citizens seem to realize that something is drastically wrong.  Focusing only on their jobs and family and house and cars and sports teams is not working – their lives and possessions are slipping away.  But most don’t seem to know what is going on, despite some serious believers and preachers getting the truths out in various ways. Unfortunately many of the traditional churches that the masses have attended have been asleep themselves and have not preached a powerful gospel nor pointed out boldly the terrible ways of the modern life.

And here we are.  The enemies are clearly out there for people to see, but so many can’t see them no matter what happens.  Some of the enemies are internal to the country and the people. 

Some people, even those who are not so serious believers, pray for God to protect them and the country, pray for help.

But should God bless America?

You can’t just ask for blessings.  That’s not the way it works with God.  My experience over the years is that usually you have to be in a right relationship with him in order to receive his blessings.  Are you?  Is America?

The same question was asked before World War II by the preacher Peter Marshall.  While Britain was fighting valiantly and at great cost in lives, the US had not entered the war.  In fact, while Japan was attacking China and brutally handling the people, the US - or parts of the US - was evidently supplying materials to the Japanese.

Marshall gave a powerful sermon on this subject speaking to people of the 1940 period.  After talking at some length about the behavior of Americans then, about how Americans do things they know they shouldn’t do and say things they have no right to say, about how their dispositions are not those of children of God, he said:

“We cannot fool God…let us not be deluded into thinking we can fool ourselves.” *

Then Peter Marshall quoted the wonderful hymn God Bless America and concluded with these words:

“But God says:

‘If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways:  then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.’”  (I added the bold print.) *

What is the chance the American people will do that?  Is there any national leader who will do that and lead the people to do it? 

Let me simplify all this - Are there any major leaders who have a clue?

*quotes taken from page 19 of THE WARTIME SERMONS OF DR. PETER MARSHALL, copyright 2005 by Rev. Peter J. Marshall, published by Clarion Call Marketing Inc.; scripture is from 2 Chronicles 7:14

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus!
(November 2013)
Copyright © 2013 by John Newlin.

NOTE:  This article may be copied, printed, or forwarded by email to others so long as it is copied, printed, or forwarded in its entirety with the appropriate attributions included.  We in fact encourage you to do so and especially to give printed copies to those who you know would benefit and do not have access to computers.

P. O. Box 15797, Wilmington, NC 28408, USA * 910 395 1465
 www.johnnewlinministries.org Email: info@johnnewlinministries.org