Personal Proclamtion of Thanksgiving

A Personal Proclamation of Thanksgiving

Luke 17:11-19

¹¹ Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. ¹² As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy^[a] met him. They stood at a distance ¹³ and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us! ¹⁴ When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. ¹⁵ One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. ¹⁶ He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. ¹⁷ Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?”  

¹⁹ Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

Thanksgiving is a time of the year for thinking and thanking. A time to remember all that God has done for us and to Praise His Name. Although many countries observe a Thanksgiving Celebration with special emphasis on Harvest time, our American Thanksgiving is a woven story of our countries dramatic early roots. It emphasizes the rich inheritance we have a free citizens of this great nation…But it also is a time to get our hearts ready for Christmas…and that is OK. But too many times in all the hustle and bustle of this or any holiday like looking forward to Christmas, many will confuse, abuse, refuse, or just lose Thanksgiving…Thanksgiving is essential if one is to be ready for Christmas. So in order to save Thanksgiving, one needs to take a good close personal look at themselves. The best place to do that is through God’s word.  

1. Thanksgiving Perceptions

What do you think Thanksgiving is all about? What is your perception? For that is where Thanksgiving starts. Thanksgiving is more than just a celebration of food. It is more than just a reverent prayer at a meal. Thanksgiving is not just another day. Thanksgiving is an attitude of gratitude to God. If you stop and think about all your many blessings, you will thank God for them. The lepers showed Reverence and Recognition of Jesus as they stood at a distance and called him by name, and we do the same as we repeat prayers or simply say we are thankful, but it must go a little further. Look at these Lepers. If anyone had a reason to have a bad perception of Thanksgiving it was these Lepers. They probably felt that they didn’t have anything to be thankful for.  But these Lepers had hope…And this is Thanksgiving…Praising God in hope and trust that He will meet and continue to meet our needs. The hope of being thankful for what you are blessed with.  Most of us all know that God has blessed us also.

This is not anything new…And the lepers knew Jesus was the Lord, and they sought His help…but 90% were self-focused. They did not understand the full meaning. They just look at the physical. Don’t confuse thanksgiving with just another day.

Thanksgiving is an attitude of the heart. It is Spiritual. And when we confuse we often abuse…so make sure your perceptions are able to help you practice Thanksgiving the right way. Let’s explore this thought…Our Thanksgiving Practices….

2. Thanksgiving Practices…(v.14)

We, as Christian Americans ought to know how to give Thanks. We have been super blessed. We should expect Thanksgiving to be normal, but just like many things, we take giving Thanks for granted and abuse it. Thanksgiving Practices are documented in our rich history.  (As the Family Research Council notes…)

The date is December 2, 1620.  After 66 days of a stormy voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, the Mayflower reached Plymouth, Massachusetts. Although the shores were icy and the terrain bleak, the Pilgrims were thankful to have found a land of freedom where they could openly worship God. They spent their last day on the Mayflower in Worship and Thanksgiving. After a bitter cold winter, spring came at last. The Pilgrims continued to thank God , but through many tears, for half of their community had died from sickness. Those early settlers were thankful to God always, through good and bad times. And when the fruit of their labor was harvested, their thankfulness climaxed in a great feast. From their bounty and supposedly sharing with the local Native American Indians, they gave thanks to God and initiated our Thanksgiving Day.

Although Thanksgiving celebrations were common throughout New England, they did not begin to spread southward until the War for Independence, when the Continental Congress issued eight proclamations for a Day of Thanksgiving and Prayer. It is also worth mentioning that the same Congress also issued seven proclamations for a Day of Fasting and Prayer, for a total of 15 official prayer proclamations during the American Revolution. For example, President George Washington issued the first federal Thanksgiving proclamation      Whereas 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 favor; …Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the twenty-sixth day of November next, to be devoted by the People of these United 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;  That we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks, for His kind care and protection of the People of this country, for the manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of His Providence. By 1820, the various state governments had issued at least 1,400 official prayer proclamations, almost half for times of thanksgiving and prayer and the other half for times of fasting and prayer,

As we look back at our text…I’m sure some of the lepers were of the house of Israel. They were covenant people who should have known better, but they didn’t stop to go back and Thank God. They abused Thanksgiving…by not following through…They did not practice Thanksgiving…which is to THANK ALMIGHTY GOD  In our world today it is easy to confuse and abuse thanksgiving, by focusing more on family and food than thanking the Lord…  Listen…today we must let the right perception of Thanksgiving become the right practice so we can again make our own personal Proclamation so that we do not LOSE Thanksgiving.

3. Proclamation of Thanksgiving

There was one leper in the group who Thanked God. There was One who celebrated Thanksgiving, came back and Praise God…He perceived, he proclaimed, and he presented Thanksgiving to God, and you can too. Thanksgiving always begins within individuals.

We can change our attitudes of gratitude. You can inspire others to also…Be an influence on your family and friends.  All we have to do is want to…no matter what.

It begins in the hearts of individuals…You and me…

What is the difference in the changes between this one and the other 9…change of body (disease) for them all, but only a change in heart of the 1 who came back…

So…..Let Jesus change your heart also as you come back to Him in Thanksgiving…Learn today how to continue to celebrate Thanksgiving? Proclaim Thanksgiving so that your life will be prepared for Christmas? The purpose of Thanksgiving is to learn to Give Praise to God in all things…and to thank God in everything…in order to be ready to minister to others during Christmas…Why not do that this year with your own personal proclamation of Thanksgiving. Let me give you an example and feel free to use this or make up your own, but remember in all things to give Thanks to our God. He is worthy of all of our praise.

“Whereas: it is the humble duty of all men and nations to adore the Providence and Presence of Almighty God; to acknowledge with gratitude our obligation to Him for benefits received and to implore such further blessing as we stand in need of; to obey His Will and Submit to His Authority, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; upon our family and our friends…We do now unite in declaring our Thanksgiving unto our God.  And with all sincerity we profess unto Him our sincere and humble giving of thanks, for His kind care and protection of the People of this country for so many years…and we ask for His Grace and manifold mercies, and the favor of His Providence…We declare these truths from our heart this day in the name of His Son and our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ.

Influence

Your Influence…It does matter!

Once again, I am humbled and honored to hear that what I said or did influenced someone! About 22 years ago I Pastored a Church in Burlington, N.C. One of my church members invited his boss to come to Church for Super Bowl Sunday. My sermon was on influence. That what we do matters and who we influence matters. This boss got the message and it changed his life. This boss of Coca Cola bottling of Burlington submitted to the Lordship of Jesus, began influencing his co-workers and his family. He was promoted to a plant in Georgia, began to hear God’s call on his life. Decided to go into full time ministry and is now the Executive Pastor of Sherwood Baptist Church and has played an important part in the Producing and Directing of the great films: “Courageous, Fireproof, Facing the Giants, and Fly Wheel.” This buddy of mine, Jim McBride was in town today and we had breakfast together. Just to catch up and enjoy our time. But it has been over 20 years since we have seen each other. We have talked on the phone but his words today encouraged, humbled, and motivated me. I have a new awareness that whether you are talking to your wife, your children, a person in the pew or in the neighborhood, you never know how important your words are. What you say matters! What you do matters. It is not about who you are, but it is important to realize that the one who lives in you wants to use you to influence others. After all God used a donkey one time for His Glory. (Numbers 22:8)  Yee Haw!...Yee Haw! Thanks Lord, for using me. May God continue to bless and use Jim for His Glory. Who are your influencing today? Who is hearing you speak? What are you saying? Does it matter?

God's Directions for Voting

Dr. Tony Evans, Pastor and Director of the "Urban Alternative" ministry has a great new book, entitled,
"How Should Christians Vote?" I am posting a summary of a sermon he preached in July that reflects the thoughts of the book. What do you think?

Dr. Evans noted that the counsel he would offer an individual, a family, or a church that was struggling does not differ from the counsel he would offer our struggling society.  All sectors of life must ultimately submit themselves to the principles of God’s kingdom as outlined in scripture.  In the first sermon of this new series on how God’s kingdom principles should influence our society, Dr. Evans outlined three kingdom values that should guide Christians in the voting booth so that they can maximize their kingdom impact on our nation.  Christians should enter the voting booth with the knowledge that God is the Sovereign Ruler, that politicians are ministers appointed by and accountable to Him, and that the further a government moves from God, the greater the chaos in society.  

1. God is the Sovereign Ruler over all governments and their political leaders (Romans 13:1-2).  The foundational value that should guide all Christians in the voting booth is stated clearly in Romans 13:1, “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities.  For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.”  God as the Creator of this world sits alone as the Sovereign Ruler and final governing authority over His creation, so by definition he rules and overrules any government or political power that exists in His world.  This reality also means that God is neither a Democrat nor a Republican.  He is the ultimate Independent, ruling over all political parties and factions.  For this reason, God cannot be removed from a believer’s involvement or representation in government, and the principles of God’s kingdom agenda must inform our politics and our vote.  A Christian’s choice of political parties must be characterized as “democrat-lite” or “republican-lite” so that they can bring both political platforms into the “light” of God’s perspective on a political issue.  When a Christian checks the box in the voting booth and casts a vote, he or she should therefore ultimately be voting in line with the kingdom of God. 

    

2. Because God rules, political leaders are “ministers” of God and thus they are ultimately accountable to Him (Romans 13:3-4).  Since God is the Sovereign ruler over His creation, this means that all other governments and their political leaders should reflect His ultimate rule.  This does not mean that all governments will conform to God’s kingdom agenda in decisions and policymaking, but it does mean that any authority they have is established under God’s sovereign control of His world, and they will ultimately give account of their rule to God.  In Romans 13:4, Paul identifies political leaders as “…minister(s) to God to you for good.”  Similarly, in Romans 13:7, they are called “servants of God.”  Dr. Evans noted that the vocation of a minister, whether as a pastor or a political leader, involves the responsibility for communicating what God says.  As a result, the view of God that a politician holds will affect his or her ability to minister on God’s behalf within a government.  One crucial criterion therefore for Christians to follow when choosing political leaders is to consider whether the politician will cast decisions based on the kingdom of God or  rather on a partisan party line.  This also means for Christians that regardless of their personal feelings about a political leader, they must learn to respect the position—since they are serving as a minister or servant of God—even while disagreeing with the person.  

3. Because God rules, the further a government moves from God, the greater the chaos in society.  Since God is the sovereign ruler over His creation, the further a nation departs from the principles of God’s kingdom agenda, the more chaos will erupt in that society.  In Deuteronomy 28, Moses proclaimed a blessing over the nation of Israel “…if you obey the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 28:2).  However, the nation was also warned that if they did not obey God and follow His commandments, “…curses will come upon you and overtake you” (Deuteronomy 28:15).  These curses amounted to the devolution of the culture and the nation of ancient Israel by social and environmental chaos through wars, famine, and disease.  The removal of God from a society also means the removal of God’s covering of protection.  Dr. Evans warned that our generation sits poised to experience this same chaos as we watch our nation move away from God on critical moral issues such as abortion, prayer in school, acceptance of homosexuality, and the consequent redefinition of the family.  Because of this reality, Christians have a sacred responsibility to use their vote to influence our government for the kingdom of God.  Christians are to represent God and the values of the kingdom of God within society, and within a democratic system the very least a Christian can do to represent God is to have a voice through his or her vote in the political system. 

In conclusion, Dr. Evans directed our attention to the prayer of Jehoshaphat, a king of Judah, who faced the destruction and defeat of his kingdom at the hands of foreign enemies.  In 2 Chronicles 20, Jehoshaphat reminded God of the promises He had given to His people, and then he prayed, “…we are powerless before this great multitude who is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You,” (2 Chronicles 20:12).  In a time of societal chaos, Jehoshaphat sought to restore God to His rightful place in Israel as the one true King upon whom Israel must rely for help.  The only hope for our own society is for God to be put back in His rightful place as Sovereign Ruler. It is dependent upon the people of God acknowledging His rule, holding political leaders accountable for their roles as ministers of God, and through their votes and political action inching this nation away from chaos towards the principles of the kingdom of God.

Dancing With God!

A very dear friend of mine for many years sent me this great thought. This friend has been through so much in his life and always came through it with positive thoughts and actions. God as blessed him and he has shared that with others. And so, let me share with you a thought about Following God and “His” Guidance!

Enjoy!

When I meditated on the word Guidance,
I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word.  
 I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.

When two people try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn't flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky. When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing Lightly in one direction or another.     It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from one person

and gentle guidance and skill from the other.

My eyes drew back to the word Guidance.

When I saw "G": I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i".

"God, "u" and "i" dance."  
 God, you, and I dance.

As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust  
that I would get guidance about my life.    

Once again, I became willing to let God lead.  
 My prayer for you today is that God's blessings and mercies

 be upon you on this day and everyday.

May you abide in God as God abides in you. Dance together with God,

trusting God to lead and to guide you through each season of your life.

This prayer is powerful and there is nothing attached.
 There is no cost but a lot of rewards;

 so let's continue to pray for one another.

--And I Hope You Dance --

Wow!, What a great thought…and by the way, this “Spiritual Dancing” is even O.K. 
for all of us “conservative Baptists”… 
I too, hope you will dance with your Lord as He leads you each day!

I love you all,

Pastor Garry