“Thanks – Giving”

In a few weeks we will be celebrating “Thanksgiving.” The true meaning of thanksgiving can simply be understood by dividing the two words that make up its name. “Thanks,” meaning to be thankful for, and “Giving,” meaning that we share that which we are thankful for. In the OT when the Jew was thankful to God, he would offer back to God the best of his flock, and the best of all his increase. Therefore being thankful is a state of mind that appreciates what God has freely given to us, so that we share it with others as God shared it with us. Being thankful doesn't look at what we don't have, but rather it shares the best of what we do have.  As Christians we have been given so much in Christ Jesus. Take our salvation, we didn't earn it, or work for it, all we did was accept God’s gift that He freely shared with us. The Bible says, that God so loved us that He shared Jesus Christ with us, and God expects us to share and give to others as Christ gave. In (Luke 17: 11-19) ten lepers were cleansed from their leprosy by Jesus, and although all 10 were cleansed, only one had the true spirit of Thanks-giving. He came back and desired to give himself back to Christ. Why, because he was truly thankful! I wonder how many of us truly appreciate not only our salvation, but all that has been given to us freely in Christ. If we really did, wouldn't we be more thankful also and share not just Jesus with others, but also ourselves, and all that we have been given as well ?

“Giving Thanks Through Giving”

(2Co 9:12) "For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God."  In this  verse the Apostle Paul is teaching the Corinthian Church about the importance of giving financial help (or this service) to missionaries and others who are sharing the Word of God, because they glorify God with many thanksgivings on our behalf. (9:13) also goes on to say, "Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;" Giving to Faith Promise Missions is in itself a ministry (or ministration) of helping missionaries reach the world with the gospel. Paul calls it here an "experiment" (or way that we prove our faith and glorify God). As we celebrate another thanksgiving, we need to remember that God is the one who deserves all the thanks and glory for that we give, and for all that our giving accomplishes on mission field. When we give to FP we are not just giving money, but rather "glory" to a God that has blessed us in such a way, that he lets us help out!

“Jacob’s Lesson Of Faith”

(Gen. 32:24) "And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day." In the above verse, God brought Jacob to the place where he must now face his brother Esau. Twenty years earlier he tricked Esau out of his birthright and the blessing of God, and Esau vowed to kill him. This night while Jacob was left alone in his tent, a man suddenly appeared in the dark and began to wrestle with him. Jacob knew that this man was sent from God, but little did Jacob know that this night he was wrestling not with an angel or a  man, but rather the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Jacob would later say, "for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." Just like Jacob, there needs to be a time in our life where we stop wrestling in the flesh,  and surrender to God’s will and way for our lives. That night God changed a conniving Jacob into a Prince called Israel, for God said,  "for thou has power with God and with men. Once the wrestling was over Jacob learned that his true power was not in his ability to manipulate but rather in his ability to simply trust God to handle his problems. By the time Esau arrived God had already changed the heart of Esau from  hatred to a love for his brother.  Jacob was never the same, and neither will we be once we realize that God's power and blessing is not acquired by the works of our flesh, but rather by our faith in a prayer answering God.

“All Things Work Together For Good”

(Rom. 8:28) "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."  There is probably not a better lesson to learn in life than the lesson that the above verse teaches.  God wants all believers to know that whatever happens to us in this life, that He will use it for our good and his purpose, if we continue to love and trust him. God in his sovereign will, chose us, and called us to fulfill his will in this life, so that we accomplish that which he has already purposed for us to do. In short, whatever happens to us is already approved and purposed for his glory and our good. God never causes bad things to happen to you, but he does use them to build in us his character, so that we might use it for a better good. In the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis, God used the bad things that Joseph's brothers did to him, the years of being imprisoned falsely, and the wisdom that he gained along the way, to build in him the character and ability of a great leader who not only saved Egypt from famine, but who also brought Israel into Egypt to fulfill the will of God

“The False Religion Of Babel”

(Gen. 11:4) "And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name…" Little is mentioned in this passage concerning the great sin of the people of Babel, but there is much here that angered God. 1) "And they said, Go let us build" The purpose of the tower of Babel was to create an alternate way to reach heaven apart from God. They agreed together, (under the leadership of Nimrod) to construct a man-made system of salvation and worship. 2)"And let us make a name."  Satan's plan since the beginning of time has been to place his name above Jesus Christ, the glory of God, and the Word of God. Since Babel, Satan's methods have not changed, for he is still using compromise, and ecumenicalism to deceive. That's why in (Rev.17:5) God named the final state of Satan's apostate religion MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." Babylon's corrupted "name" has infiltrated every religion to some degree through idolatry, astrology, sorcery, witchcraft, and paganism. May God help us to discern the truth of God's Word, from the error of Babylon in this day in which we live!

The Purpose Of Abiding In Christ

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."   Abiding in the vine of Christ has a purpose.  1) Reproductive. The only way that someone can lead a soul to the Lord or acquire the godly character of Jesus is to abide with Jesus in a personal relationship. God desires to use us to bring forth the fruit of Christ into the world. We do so as we draw from the vine of Christ and his word. 2. Reconstructive. The Father is one that prunes our lives to remove the bad and unprofitable things that cause us not to bear more fruit. Daily, our God is at work perfecting us and instructing us as to the way of the Lord more perfectly. 3) Rewarding. Everyday God promises those that abide in him, spiritual fruit, souls, answered prayer, joy, love, peace, and a friendship that no man can  ever take away.

The Resurrection Of The Dead

(John 11:25) "… I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:" Many verses in the Bible speak of the resurrection of the dead, but not one is more important than this one. Jesus said "he is the" resurrection and the life, for there is no other. The resurrection is a promise made by God to man that though a man's body dies yet shall "he live," and not just his soul and spirit but also the body that he was born with. This might seem strange but God is interested not just in the redemption of the soul and spirit of man but also in resurrecting and redeeming his flesh. "even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body" (Rom. 8:23).  "Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself" (Phil 3:21). When a man dies his flesh sleeps waiting for the glorious day when God shall resurrect and refashion that which was corrupted by sin. The resurrection will be a glorious day for God's redemption will then be complete, and all of death "shall be swallowed up in victory." For our victory is found only in Christ.